6th UK Biodiversity Indicator Forum: Ecosystem Service Indicators
MEGAN TIERNEYEcosystem Assessment Programme
UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Biodiversity Indicators – Reporting Gaps
UK government committed to reporting against global, regional and national frameworks to address biodiversity lossOne method for doing this is through the use of indicators Gap identified in UK indicator set was ability to report on benefits humans receive from the environment – i.e. ecosystem services (ESS)Indicator D2 in UK set (see p32 of BIYP 2012)
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
CBD Aichi Targets
Aichi Target with most relevance to ESS is Target 14:
“...By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being are restored and safeguarded, taking into account the needs of women, indigenous and local communities, and the poor and vulnerable...”
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Task: develop an indicator(s) of the status of ecosystems that provide essential services in a UK context
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Progress to date:Identifying potential ESS indicators and
datasets:o Review of UK National Ecosystem
Assessment (UK NEA)o Online surveyo Other ESS indicator initiatives/reviews
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Progress to date:Workshop:
o Aim – explore possibilities of developing indicators of ESS for the UK and use specific selection criteria to prioritise 3-5 indicators to present as options to the UK Biodiversity Indicator Steering Group
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Sticking points:How do you identify essential services?Develop indicators around habitats or services?Relationship between ecosystem services and biodiversity?
oReflection of biodiversity that has an ecosystem service component?
o Indicator of ecosystem services that has a biodiversity component?
o Indicator that shows the role of biodiversity in ecosystem services?Which part of the service do we measure - stock, flow,
benefit? Trends in natural capital?What policy questions could an indicator of ESS address?
No indicator options agreedEcosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December
2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Aichi Target with most relevance to ESS is Target 14:
“...By 2020, ecosystems that provide essential services, including services related to water, and contribute to health, livelihoods and well-being are restored and safeguarded, taking into account the needs of women, indigenous and local communities, and the poor and vulnerable...”
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Developing a UK Ecosystem Service Indicator
Identification of key ESS and the ecosystems (habitats) that deliver them in the UK:
Ecosystem Service Primary ecosystem(s) that delivers service
Soil formation Uplands, Woodlands
Carbon sequestration Woodlands, Peatlands
(Local) climate regulation Urban
Pollination Agricultural, Urban
Pest and disease regulation Agricultural, Woodlands
Water quality and quantity Multiple
Wild fish Freshwaters, Marine
Wild species diversity (biodiversity) Multiple
Open access recreation Woodlands, Uplands
Discussion Points
1. Essential services and habitats Does the list of services identified adequately cover
the services of key importance to the UK?oAre there other ecosystem services that are
essential in the UK context?oWhat ecosystems deliver these services?oAre there other ecosystem services identified
in the country biodiversity strategies that should be developed?
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Discussion Points
2. PrioritisationThe number of indicators needs to be limited
to a reasonable operational number.oHow should these services be prioritised
for indicator development?
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Discussion Points
3. Strength of evidenceWhat is the strength of evidence linking trends in
habitat extent and condition, or species abundance, distribution and diversity with delivery of the ecosystem service?
o What data is currently available to demonstrate this relationship?
o Can the relationship be quantified? How easy is it to do this?
o Could an indicator reflecting this relationship be developed?
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Exercises
Exercise 1 – Prioritisation:
Place coloured dot next to the services that have been identified which you feel is of highest priority
o Can place all 5 dots on one service or spread them amongst the services
Add additional services (and the habitats that provide them) to blank sheets.
o Include justification for why important and evidence to support this.
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Exercises
Exercise 2 – Strength of Evidence:For the prioritised list of services, use post-it notes
to provide information on:o Data available to demonstrate relationship between
service delivery and trends in habitat extent/condition, or species abundance, distribution, diversity.
o Could relationship be quantified?o What might an indicator look like?
Ecosystem Service Indicators, 6th UK BIF, UNEP-WCMC: December 2012
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Ecosystem Service Indicators
ESIs are relevant to a range of the new CBD targets
Most explicit ref is Strategic Goal ‘D’ (Enhancing benefits) and Target 14 in particular (by 2020, ecosystems that provide services are restored and safe-guarded)
Will also play large role in IPBESA number of indicators have been identified as ready for implementation, but many need development.
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Ecosystem Service Indicators
www.cbd.int/ts
What we knowIssues and Challenges
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Which metrics are being used?
All four services are being measured in various assessments
Most common and well-developed indicators are for PROVISIONING services
Primarily for food, water, fuel
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Ecosystem Services and Decision-Making, Prague: April 2012
Which services are being assessed
Relatively few underlying metrics
Majority related to:Extent/condition/stock of habitat or ecosystem - e.g. extent of forest, amount of carbon storedSupply or use (output) of the service – e.g. tonnes of wheat harvested, number of visitors to protected area
Ecosystem Services and Decision-Making, Prague: April 2012
Which metrics are being used?
Pattern reflects what is measurable and what is available to measure
Many cases, major gaps in data availability
Habitats and biodiversity often used as proxies for ecosystem services
Ecosystem Services and Decision-Making, Prague: April 2012
Which metrics are being used?
Few measures of ecosystem functioningMost metrics are of composition and structure as this is easier to measureThis is o.k. if structural/compositional attributes reflect functional attributes
But generally relationship between ecosystem function and services poorly understood
Measures of ecosystem structure and composition may be poor indicators of ecosystem service
Ecosystem Services and Decision-Making, Prague: April 2012
Roll of modelling and mapping
Some metrics can be modelled rather than measured directly e.g. carbon storage can be modelled from total
forest extent (using production function)Does need good understanding of link
between condition of the system and provision of service
Models can be used to map ecosystem services
Roll of modelling and mapping
Carbon storage in Little Karoo, South AfricaService mapped, based on research and expert opinion of carbon storage values of different habitat types
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Roll of modelling and mapping
Maps of ecosystem services are useful and becoming more common
BUT – very data intensive and difficult to represent uncertainty
Many currently based on crude estimates and require model verification
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
What scale are services measured at?
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
What scale are services measured at?
Global indicators could have limited use at local scales – coarse resolution or limited data
Alternative methods and metrics may be needed for local decision making
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Key Issues & Challenges
Key challenges identified: Logistical constraints (time and money) associated
with long- and short-term monitoring programmes
Technical issues:o Prioritisationo What to measureo Bundlingo Scaleo Communication
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Prioritising Indicators
Indicators are used to track progress towards targets and form basis of socio-economic decisions
BUT policy contexts change over time (and space)
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Prioritising Indicators
Therefore indicator selection should be based on case-by-case basis
Aim to meet overall objectives of assessment and needs of decision of makers
Will need to consider how to best use available resources to develop/use indicators
Aim to address key elements and information gaps
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Should we assess single or multiple ESS
Assessing services with a single indicator generally not sufficient for most assessmentsTrade-offs
Assessing a single service also not sufficientHave to go beyond provisioning!
How many?Will be linked to assessment objectives and data availability
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Choosing metrics
Do we need to have indicators of function?Not always, but could help design condition/stock or benefit/impact indicatorse.g. understanding the function of water flux (e.g. through rainfall and runoff) may help management and mitigation of impacts on hydrological services
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Data availability and proxies
Need to consider what data is available to meet objectives
Can baseline data be incorporated into existing indicators?Should there be investment in new data collection and indicator development?Can/should proxies be used?
oProxies only useful if any change in these metrics accurately indicates change in service of focus
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Communication
Major challenge to communicationFinding a common language
Mainstreaming also difficultNeed to involve policy makers and stakeholders from the beginning
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Biodiversity
Important that ecosystem services considered alongside biodiversity – not as an alternative.Should it be considered as underpinning all ecosystem services, a service itself or a good that can be valued?Mace et al. (2012) argue for biodiversity having a role at all levels
Mace et al. (2012) TREE. 27: 19-26
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is still declining globally
Many benefits to HWB are dependent on the condition/extent of ecosystems which can be measured by species and their interactions
Could biodiversity indicators act as proxies for ecosystem service flow?
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Ongoing & Future Work
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Intersessional Support: catalogue of assessments
IPBES programme of work
Assessment tools and methodsCapacity buildingIndicator development
Challenges/Questions
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
Access to resources (funding, expertise, data)
Sufficient stakeholder/audience consultation
Project-based data collection and/or management
Data utilised not sensitive to change
An after-thought to a wider process of strategy
development and target setting
Challenges to ensuring development of successful indicators
Challenges/Questions
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service Indicators, Natural England: September 2012
How to prioritise indicators
Do you assess single or multiple indicators? (bundles?)
How do you move beyond provisioning?
What data can be used? Collect new?
What is the best way of communicating indicators?
How is biodiversity incorporated /considered in
ecosystem service context?
Challenges to developing ecosystem service indicators