Estimating the Value of Non‐Use Benefits from Small Changes in the Provision of Ecosystem Services

Abstract: The unit of trade in ecosystem services is usually the use of a proportion of the parcels of land associated with a given service. Valuing small changes in the provision of an ecosystem service presents obstacles, particularly when the service provides non‐use benefits, as is the case with conservation of most plants and animals. Quantifying non‐use values requires stated‐preference valuations. Stated‐preference valuations can provide estimates of the public's willingness to pay for a broad conservation goal. Nevertheless, stated‐preference valuations can be expensive and do not produce consistent measures for varying levels of provision of a service. Additionally, the unit of trade, land use, is not always linearly related to the level of ecosystem services the land might provide. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a method to estimate the value of a marginal change in the provision of a non‐use ecosystem service—in this case conservation of plants or animals associated with a given land‐cover type. Our method serves as a tool for calculating transferable valuations of small changes in the provision of ecosystem services relative to the existing provision. Valuation is achieved through stated‐preference investigations, calculation of a unit value for a parcel of land, and the weighting of this parcel by its ability to provide the desired ecosystem service and its effect on the ability of the surrounding land parcels to provide the desired service. We used the water vole (Arvicola terrestris) as a case study to illustrate the method. The average present value of a meter of water vole habitat was estimated at UK£12, but the marginal value of a meter (based on our methods) could range between £0 and £40 or more.     

Effectiveness of Voluntary Habitat Stewardship in Conserving Grassland: Case of Operation Burrowing Owl in Saskatchewan

There have been no published performance evaluations of nongovernmental, voluntary habitat stewardship programs. The Operation Burrowing Owl (OBO) stewardship program, initiated in 1987, was evaluated for its effectiveness in conservation of grassland habitat during 1986–1993. The 108 OBO sites from 1987 to 88 and 98 randomly selected non-OBO sites that were grassland in 1986 in the Regina-Weyburn, Saskatchewan study area were classified by size and agricultural soil suitability. By 1993, 41 (38%) of the 108 OBO sites had been withdrawn from the program. The 1986 area of grassland was compared with grassland area calculated from digitized 1993 LANDSAT imagery. A correction for satellite inaccuracies was determined. Grassland retention in 1993 was significantly higher at OBO sites (66%) than at random sites (49%), demonstrating that the OBO voluntary program effectively conserved habitat. Also, grassland retention was significantly lower on sites with better agricultural soils, and for sites <12 ha in size. Site type (OBO or random), size and their interaction, followed by agricultural soil suitability, had the greatest effects on grassland retention. During an era of accelerated grassland loss, OBO strongly and positively (statistically significant) affected conservation of grassland sites most at risk: sites <12 ha in size and with good to excellent agricultural soils. This suggests that grassland conservation efforts focus on vulnerable sites (small size and/or good agricultural soils) to provide nesting habitat for burrowing owls. Our study demonstrates that a voluntary stewardship program can significantly increase conservation of habitat.     

Effectiveness of forestry streamside management zones in the sand-clay hills of Mississippi: early indications

During the past decade, compliance with initiatives to promote forestry best management practices (BMPs) has been monitored in most states of the southern U.S. and suggests an excellent level of acceptance throughout the region. However, effectiveness of these practices to protect water quality and aquatic habitat in streams that are potentially impacted by forest management activities has not been as thoroughly documented as the degree of compliance. The objective of this study was to determine effectiveness of streamside management zones (SMZs), a key element of BMPs designed for protection of water quality, aquatic habitat, and macroinvertebrate communities, in low-order streams within a region of north central Mississippi that is subjected to intensive forest management. Three SMZ treatments (undisturbed reference, clear-cut logging with an SMZ designated by forest managers, or clear-cut logging with no SMZ) were evaluated using a study with three replications of each treatment. Response metrics including water quality parameters, mineral soil exposure and net deposition/erosion within riparian zones, stream habitat indicators, and aquatic macroinvertebrate communities were comparable between streams receiving SMZs and undisturbed reference streams at all sampling intervals during the first year after treatment. Furthermore, significant elevation of streamwater temperature, decline in habitat stability rating, and increase in density of macroinvertebrates occurring in streams without an SMZ in comparison to reference streams provides additional evidence of SMZ effectiveness during the initial year after harvesting.     

FLOW DURATION CURVES II: A REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS IN WATER RESOURCES PLANNING1

ABSTRACT: A streamflow duration curve illustrates the relationship between the frequency and magnitude of streamflow. Flow duration curves have a long history in the field of water-resource engineering and have been used to solve problems in water-quality management, hydropower, instream flow methodologies, water-use planning, flood control, and river and reservoir sedimentation, and for scientific comparisons of streamflow characteristics across watersheds. This paper reviews traditional applications and provides extensions to some new applications, including water allocation, wasteload allocation, river and wetland inundation mapping, and the economic selection of a water-resource project.     

Channel change,sediment transport,and fish habitat in a coastal stream: Effects of an extreme event

A study on sediment transport and channel change was conducted on Zayante Creek and the lower San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County, California. A rainstorm with a recurrence interval locally in excess of 150 years occurred during the study year, 1982 WY. Stream surveys indicated that significant aggradation occurred during and after the peak flood. Upper study reaches were substantially recovered after high flows of early April, but the lower study reaches still had significant filling of pools and burial of riffles by sand. Increases in width-depth ratio were minor and localized in upper reaches, but were significant in lower reaches. Large inputs of sand, primarily from landsliding, altered the sediment transport regime. A higher proportion of the bedload is now transported by lower flows than before the January event. Roads and sand quarries contributed significantly to sediment input to the stream. A proposed dam may alter the sediment transport regime of Zayante Creek. Mitigating the effects of this dam on downstream fish habitat may require occasional bankfull discharges.     

Critical habitat designation: Is it prudent?

The critical habitat provision of the US Endangered Species Act was believed by many to be a key feature of the Act. It was believed that this provision would benefit federally listed endangered and threatened species. However, only 23% of the listed species in the United States have their critical habitats designated. The current trend is to forego critical habitat designation because the federal government believes that the Endangered Species Act can protect most listed species without resort to the critical habitat provision. Required publication of critical habitat locations in theFederal Register may draw vandals and collectors to rare species. In other cases, existing habitat protection already provides adequate protection for species. In a few instances critical habitat changes over time and is difficult to delineate. Lastly, designating critical habitat is time consuming, delays species listing, and is controversial, detracting from the positive image of the Endangered Species Act.     

Reference Conditions of Alpine Streams: Physical Habitat and Ecology

Natural and near-natural streams are rare in the densely populated areas of the Alps. A variety of anthropogenic impacts have resulted in the alteration and sometimes even complete destruction of these systems. Nowadays it is difficult to find un-impacted streams that are strongly needed to define the natural variability and ecosystem processes. The results from freshwater inventories and habitat assessments conducted in protected areas in Austria (Nationalpark Hohe Tauern) and Italy (Naturpark Rieserferner-Ahrn) were used to develop a comprehensive typology of Alpine streams. Three different levels were used to discriminate between the distinct stream/river types: source (glacial vs. non-glacial), hierarchy (i.e. location within the stream system) and topography/ channel morphology. Important characters defining the structure and function of these stream types are gradient, substrate composition, flow pattern and riparian vegetation. Benthic fauna assemblages from 99 near-natural stream segments in glacial and non-glacial systems demonstrated the effect of glaciation on abundance levels of the total macroinvertebrate fauna, EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera) and the chironomid subfamily Diamesinae in different altitudes. A general decrease of abundances with increasing altitude was found. While stream segments with a degree of glaciation >10% primarily showed reduced abundances at all altitudes, lower (<10%) or no glaciation did not influence invertebrate abundances at lower reaches. Due to the near-natural conditions of the selected stream segments, a valuable definition of reference conditions of Alpine streams based on habitat characteristics is available. As a basis it offers excellent opportunities to conduct holistic interdisciplinary studies in protected areas in the future.     

Conservation of Biodiversity: How Are We Doing?

A question rarely raised in discussions on biodiversity conservation, but surely the biggest question of all, is “How much time do we have left before the mass extinction underway surpasses our best efforts to contain it?” This prompts a further prime question because—and unlike all other problems, whether environmental or otherwise—the biotic crisis threatens to leave a severely impoverished planet for millions of years ahead; “Why do we not undertake the necessary actions to get on top of the problem before it gets on top of us?”     

贵州高原典型喀斯特县域生境质量时空演变及定量归因

揭示贵州高原喀斯特县域生境质量时空演变规律及其驱动因素,为平衡喀斯特区域生态保护和可持续发展提供科学依据.利用1989年、2003年、2010年和2020年4期土地利用数据、DEM数据、气象数据和社会经济数据,采用InVEST模型阐明普定县近30年生境质量时空分布格局及演变特征,并对其空间分异的驱动力进行了定量探测.结果表明：①耕地和林地是普定县的主要土地利用类型,构成了地表覆盖景观基质.2003~2010年土地利用变化最显著,其中林地的增幅最大,达86.42%,耕地是流失最严重的土地利用类型,面积减少157.57 km²,主要流向林地和建设用地;②1989~2020年普定县生境质量指数平均值由0.60上升至0.73,空间上由东北部向西南部大体呈现出“高-低-高”的分布格局,生境质量高值区主要分布在东北部林地和草地区,低值区集中在中部和南部的建设用地,生境质量等级上升的区域主要集中在东部及西北部的大部分地区;③土地利用类型是影响生境质量时空分布的首要因素,解释程度为91.00%.在交互作用探测中,任意两种影响因素的交互作用大于单个因素的单独作用,土地利用类型和年均降水量的交互作用最强,达到96.00%,其与岩性因子的交互作用达到94.00%,自然与人文因素共同主导生境质量的时空变化.1989~2020年普定县生境质量总体较好,土地利用类型变化与生境质量关系密切,优化土地利用结构、减小人类活动的影响对提高普定县生境质量具有重要意义.     

景观格局对河流水质影响的尺度效应Meta分析

景观格局决定了陆域污染物的源汇过程,是影响河流水质状况的关键因素.由于尺度效应,不同尺度下景观格局与河流水质关系的研究结果不尽相同.然而,景观格局对河流水质影响的尺度效应问题尚缺乏系统研究.收集了国内外4 041条研究数据,采用Meta分析法定量分析了不同尺度下景观格局对河流水质的作用特征,识别了影响河流水质的关键时间和空间尺度以及景观指数.结果表明,相对于降水事件、平水期和年际尺度,丰水期下景观格局对河流水质的影响最大;相对于流域尺度,缓冲区尺度的景观格局对河流水质的影响更大;丰水期-缓冲区尺度是景观格局影响河流水质的关键时空耦合尺度.与耕地、水域、草地以及流域整体景观相比,林地和城镇用地的景观格局对河流水质的影响更大;破碎度是影响河流水质最重要的景观格局因子.在河流水质治理中,应重点考虑缓冲区的景观配置,增加缓冲区林地面积、减少林地和水域的斑块密度和减少城镇用地的面积占比和聚集度,以有效保护河流水质.