The researchers of the “Integrative ecology” team of the Paris Institute for Ecology and Environmental Sciences have published a framework for evaluating the ecosystem services of ecosystems modified by humans.
Ecoystems and biodiversity more generally support and provide many services referred to as ecological services or ecosystem services, generally classified as a common good and/or public good, because they are vital or useful for humanity, other species and economic activities. This notion allows us to connect human activities and ecological systems, and is a decision-making tool. However, it has never been applied in a coherent and complete manner to anthropized ecosystems (those modified by humans), despite most ecosystems falling under this definition.
Thus, the services provided by cultivated fields are frequently evaluated in terms of their production value, which is often dependent on the fertilisers or pesticides used, and the human work involved. These agricultural practices have a negative impact on ecological systems (reduced soil fertility, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, etc.). Agricultural production cannot therefore be directly considered an ecosystem service in its own right.
IRD researchers and their partners have developed a generic evaluation grid for the ecosystem services of these ecosystems, based on the combined evaluation of the positive services, negative effects, loss of natural capital, and their impact on other ecosystems. This grid could be particularly useful for evaluating different cultural practices (with or without inputs for example), managing the balance of forests and cultivated land, or developing more sustainable practices.
In general, this evaluation grid could help optimise all “ecological engineering” practices, whatever the context (agriculture, livestock farming, urban environments, etc.).