Speakers
Description
Assessing and mapping Ecosystem Services (ESs), i.e., the material and non-material benefits provided by ecosystems to humans, is essential for quantifying the impacts of land uses and their changes, understanding the spatial mismatch between demand and supply of ESs, identifying priority areas for conservation, and evaluating the success of conservation strategies. Spatially targeting ES hotspots— “areas with a high biophysical and cultural ES value” (Smart et al., 2021:3) —can optimize resource allocation, hence maximizing the efficiency of conservation efforts.
Within the framework of the GICNES project (https://prin.unica.it/gicnes/), this study develops a methodological approach for mapping ES hotspots, and compares the results across the Italian regions of Campania and Sardinia, thus facilitating the identification of priority areas for conservation efforts. Spatial identification of ES hotspots is crucial to supporting decision-makers in designing, implementing and managing a Regional Green Infrastructure (RGI), i.e., a strategically planned network of natural and semi-natural areas that provide multiple ESs, support biodiversity across a region, enhance environmental connectivity, and promote climate change adaptation (EC, 2013; Sokolova et al., 2024).
The structure of the study develops as follows.
The first step involves mapping and assessing three ESs crucial for climate change adaptation, with a view to identifying priority areas to be included in the RGI strategic spatial design. Specifically, the study focuses on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), Habitat Quality (HQ), and Land Surface Temperature (LST), all of which are assessed biophysically. The spatial framework for CCS is defined using the “Carbon Storage and Sequestration” model, part of the InVEST suite, which estimates the amount of carbon stored in land parcels based on land cover data and information on carbon pools. HQ is assessed using the “Habitat Quality” model, also part of the InVEST suite, which integrates land cover data with information on habitat threats and their impacts on ecosystems. LST data are obtained from the 30-meter resolution Landsat 2 - Level 2 collection satellite imagery, available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Thereafter, hotspots, i.e., parcels of land showing statistically significantly higher values compared to their surrounding areas, are identified for each of the three ESs, as well as for their bundles. Among the methods used in the literature for hotspot delineation, the statistical method based on the Getis-Ord Gi* statistics is used, as it was found to provide the most useful information for planners at the regional or landscape level (Bagstad et al., 2017).
Finally, the results from Campania and Sardinia are compared to identify similarities and differences.
By providing a robust, data-driven foundation for spatial prioritization, this approach contributes to more sustainable land-use planning that supports both ES preservation and climate change adaptation. The flexibility and adaptability of this approach make it applicable in multiple contexts, assisting decision makers in the identification of crucial areas for inclusion in the RGI. These insights can then inform planning policies intended to enhance the supply of ESs and address climate change challenges.
References
Bagstad K.J., Semmens D.J., Ancona Z.H., Sherrouse B.C. (2017) Evaluating alternative methods for biophysical and cultural ecosystem services hotspot mapping in natural resource planning. Landscape Ecology, 32:77–97. DOI: 10.1007/s10980-016-0430-6
EC (European Commission) (2013) Green Infrastructure (GI) – Enhancing Europe’s Natural Capital. [Online] available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:d41348f2-01d5-4abe-b817-4c73e6f1b2df.0014.03/DOC_1&format=PDF
Smart L., Vukomanovic J., Sillis E.O., Sanchez G. (2021) Cultural ecosystem services caught in a ‘coastal squeeze’ between sea level rise and urban expansion. Global Environmental Change, 66:102209. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2020.102209
Sokolova M.V., Fath B.D., Grande U., Buonocore E., Franzese P.P. (2024). The role of green infrastructure in providing urban ecosystem services: Insights from a bibliometric perspective. Land, 13(10):1664. DOI: 10.3390/land13101664
| Keywords | Ecosystem services; Carbon sequestration; Habitat quality; Land surface temperature; Hotspots |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
