Ecosystem Service Potentials and Their Indicators in Postglacial Landscapes: Assessment and Mapping

Ecosystem Service Potentials and Their Indicators in Postglacial Landscapes: Assessment and Mapping provides valuable guidance for anyone involved with ecosystem service potential monitoring, use and management—from landscape ecologists and environmental managers, to policymakers and environmental economists. The book highlights effective measurement tools for evaluating the overall potential of ecosystem services from multiple perspectives. Beginning with an introduction to ecosystem services and the theoretical assumptions and objectives associated with their assessment, the book goes on to outline interdisciplinary methods of evaluation and analysis that are fully supported and illustrated throughout using an insightful case study focused on Wigry National Park.

A range of different spatial reference units are also discussed, followed by chapters on both analytical and synthetic approaches to identifying service supply potential. In addition, the use of services and the impact of these uses on the assessment of potential is included, along with a discussion of the future shape of ecosystem service assessment.

Outlines a transdisciplinary, holistic approach to assessing the overall potential of ecosystems and landscapes to support different ecosystem servicesProposes a range of direct, indirect, simple and complex measurement indicators for multifaceted estimation and mappingPresents tools and guidelines to help shape effective decision-making processes in nature conservation and environmental planning

1. Introduction to Ecosystem Services, Theoretical Assumptions and Objectives
2. Case Study Area: Wigry National Park
3. Methods of Evaluation, Assessment and Analysis
4. Spatial Reference Units
5. Potential for Services Supply - Analytical Approach
6. Potential for Services Supply - Synthetic Approach
7. The Use of Services and Their Impact on the Assessment of Potential
8. Summing Up and Conclusions