Abstract

“Ecosystemservices” is a phrasewithmanymeanings, yet very fewstudies have primarily focused on comparing different definitions of the term. Ecosystem services are now generally used in identifying an appropriatelywide range of environmental variables for policy andmanagement aswell as better understanding the benefits provided by those aspects of the environment. A review of the dominant definitions of ecosystem services reveals the term is comprehensive in its scope and requires further specification for most purposes. Analysis further reveals that there are four main categories of conceptual definitions. The paper concludes that ecosystem services can be identified at various points along the spectrumof nature-human interaction depending on which specific definition is chosen and that the term was not created to identify a novel set of environmental objects or processes

Keywords

Ecosystem benefits; Ecosystem services definitions; Conservation policy; Environmental policy and management

Published in

Ecological Economics
2016, Volume: 126, pages: 132-138

SLU Authors

• Danley, Brian

  • Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Widmark, Camilla

  • Department of Forest Economics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Economics


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2016.04.003

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/77316