Incorporating geodiversity in ecosystem service decisions

Nathan Fox*, Laura J. Graham, Felix Eigenbrod, James M. Bullock, Katherine E. Parks

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Citations (Scopus)
138 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Holistic conservation of ecosystem services (ES) requires a greater understanding of how the interactions of biotic and abiotic aspects of nature provide them. Currently, geodiversity, the diversity of geology, geomorphology, sediments and soils and hydrology, as well as the services that they provide in isolation of interactions with biotic nature–geosystem services (GS)–are overlooked in ES literature and frameworks. Here, we provide a series of three nested frameworks which together help to provide clarity for both the theoretical role of geodiversity in service production as well as the basis for real-world management strategies. First, we present the ‘Geodiversity Flower’, a framework that can be operationalised to provide clarity in terminology to decision-makers. Second, we present the ‘Geo-Eco Services Framework’, which establishes the difference between ES and GS. The final framework presented is the ‘Geo-Eco Services Cascade Model’, which builds upon the widely used ES cascade model by demonstrating how geodiversity interacts with biotic nature to simultaneously provide ES and GS. Providing a holistic model that integrates both biotic and abiotic nature alongside ES and GS allows for a greater understanding of the roles of abiotic and biotic nature to services and their associated benefits and values to people.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)151-159
Number of pages9
JournalEcosystems and People
Volume16
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 May 2020

Keywords

  • Catharina Schulp
  • ecosystem services
  • Geodiversity
  • geosystem services
  • management framework

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Automotive Engineering
  • Nature and Landscape Conservation
  • Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

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