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Modelling dynamics of ecosystem services basket in Mediterranean landscapes: a tool for rational management

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Abstract

Natural ecosystems are life-supporting systems providing diverse ecosystem services (ESs) and benefits to human societies: e.g., food and clean water, recreation opportunities or climate regulation. The contribution of natural and semi-natural ecosystems to the provision of such services depends to a large extent on vegetation structure and composition, which, in turn, change as a result of interactions between human decisions about land management, and spontaneous biological and environmental processes. Rational management of these dynamic ecosystems requires an ability to predict short- and long-term effects of management decisions on the desired ESs. The vegetation then contributes to, and modifies, the products and services obtained from the land. We applied mathematical modeling to study these complex relationships. We developed a model for a Mediterranean ecosystem which predicts the dynamics of multiple services in response to management scenarios, mediated by vegetation changes. Six representative ESs representing different groups were selected, based on available scientific information, for a detailed study: (1) density of geophytes, (2) potential contribution to honey production, (3) energy density of fleshy fruits foraged by birds, (4) forage for goats, (5) forage for cattle, and (6) carbon retention in woody plants. Mean contributions to each service by different vegetation cover types were estimated, and the overall service provided by the site was calculated as a weighted mean of these contributions. Services were measured in their appropriate units and subsequently standardized to a percentage of the maximum value observed in the study area. We attempted to combine all studied ESs, despite their different nature, into one “ESs basket”. This paper presents the dynamics of simulated vegetation composition and values of services in response to management scenarios involving grazing, fire and their combinations. Our approach can help land managers to evaluate alternative management scenarios by presenting the “services basket” obtained from the entire managed area.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Jaime Kigel for his advice and support and to the Ramat Hanadiv Park team for their help in the field. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Nekudat Hen Fund (2003–2004), of the Israel Science Foundation (grant 625/05), and of the René Karschon Foundation. Many thanks are due also to three anonymous reviewers, who have helped us to improve the paper. This work is part of the Ph.D. research project of the first author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Sciences, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

    Gili Koniak & Imanuel Noy-Meir

  2. Department of Natural Resources, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel

    Avi Perevolotsky

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  1. Gili Koniak
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  2. Imanuel Noy-Meir
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  3. Avi Perevolotsky
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Correspondence to Gili Koniak.

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This paper is dedicated to the memory of Immanuel Noy-Meir, who instilled in his students and colleagues his love of nature, people and research.

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Koniak, G., Noy-Meir, I. & Perevolotsky, A. Modelling dynamics of ecosystem services basket in Mediterranean landscapes: a tool for rational management. Landscape Ecol 26, 109–124 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-010-9540-8

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