Estimates of historical ecosystem service provision can guide restoration efforts

2014
Zu Ermgassen, M.D. Spalding, R. Brumbaugh
PublisherUniversity of California Press
SourceMark Spalding
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Pages187-206
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Article Link
ISBN N/A
DOI10.1525/california/9780520276949.003.0009
Editor(s)John N. Kittinger, Loren McClenachan, Keryn B. Gedan, and Louise K. Blight
Conference / Book TitleMarine Historical Ecology in Conservation: Applying the Past to Manage for the Future
Flag N/A
Tagsecosystem services, habitat, historical ecology, restoration ecology, estuaries
Other N/A
Conference Title N/A
Conference Date N/A
Publication Date N/A
Article Date N/A
GS Citation N/A
AbstractRestoration is undertaken not only to reverse habitat losses but also to recover the many valuable ecosystem services associated with coastal habitats. While ecosystem services are increasingly being used to define restoration objectives for a number of marine and terrestrial habitats, historical estimates of ecosystem service delivery are rare, in part due to the difficulty of making such estimates. However, by combining historical data with an understanding of the habitat characteristics (e.g., density or habitat complexity) and environmental conditions (e.g., salinity, location relative to other habitats) that influence service provision, historical estimates of ecosystem services can be used to target restoration efforts and management practices toward the desired outcomes. Oyster reefs have suffered an estimated 85 percent decline globally over the past 150 years, and there are growing efforts to restore oyster reefs at a large scale to recover oyster fishery, fish production, water quality, and other ecosystem services. In this chapter, Philine zu Ermgassen, Mark D. Spalding, and Robert D. Brumbaugh explore the estimation of historical provision of ecosystem services in oyster reefs as a case study to understand the ecological and socially relevant reference points that these estimates provide for restoration goals.
Created: 12/14/2017 10:29 AM (ET)
Modified: 12/14/2017 10:29 AM (ET)
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