TY - JOUR

T1 - Analysis of trends in mapping and assessment of ecosystem condition in Europe

AU - Rendon, Paula

AU - Erhard, Markus

AU - Maes, Joachim

AU - Burkhard, Benjamin Felix

N1 - Funding information: This work was supported by the ESMERALDA - European Union Horizon 2020 programme [Grant Agreement Number: 642007].

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - Ecosystem condition is the overall quality of an ecosystem unit, in terms of its biological, physical and chemical characteristics underpinning its capacity to generate ecosystem ser- vices. Changes in ecosystem condition affect the delivery of services and therefore human well-being. Despite increasing research in this field, the relations between biodiversity, ecosystem condition and services are still not well understood. This study examined scientific articles and reports to analyse the development of ecosystem condition mapping and assessments in Europe since the year 2000. The aim was to provide an overview of the current state of research and to highlight some challenges for ecosystem condition and ecosystem services research. The review analysed the ecosystems under study, scales, meth- ods, indicators, and the ecosystem services assessed. Based on this review, some gaps were identified, especially in the methods used for condition assessment, the coverage of ecosys- tems, and the applicability of indicators in policy. It is necessary to develop integrative methods to determine ecosystems condition and its influence on the ecosystem service provision, in order to produce robust information. The results of this review can be harnessed by people who need an overview about existing ecosystem condition studies, such as scientists, land managers or decision makers.

AB - Ecosystem condition is the overall quality of an ecosystem unit, in terms of its biological, physical and chemical characteristics underpinning its capacity to generate ecosystem ser- vices. Changes in ecosystem condition affect the delivery of services and therefore human well-being. Despite increasing research in this field, the relations between biodiversity, ecosystem condition and services are still not well understood. This study examined scientific articles and reports to analyse the development of ecosystem condition mapping and assessments in Europe since the year 2000. The aim was to provide an overview of the current state of research and to highlight some challenges for ecosystem condition and ecosystem services research. The review analysed the ecosystems under study, scales, meth- ods, indicators, and the ecosystem services assessed. Based on this review, some gaps were identified, especially in the methods used for condition assessment, the coverage of ecosys- tems, and the applicability of indicators in policy. It is necessary to develop integrative methods to determine ecosystems condition and its influence on the ecosystem service provision, in order to produce robust information. The results of this review can be harnessed by people who need an overview about existing ecosystem condition studies, such as scientists, land managers or decision makers.

KW - review

KW - ecosystem state

KW - ecosystem services

KW - mapping

KW - assessment

KW - ecosystem conditio

KW - Indicators

KW - ecosystem condition indicators

KW - Review

KW - Graciela Rusch

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85065417520&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/26395916.2019.1609581

DO - 10.1080/26395916.2019.1609581

M3 - Article

VL - 15

SP - 156

EP - 172

JO - Ecosystems and People

JF - Ecosystems and People

SN - 2639-5908

IS - 1

ER -