National indicators for observing ecosystem service change

摘要: Earth's life-support systems are in rapid decline, yet we have few metrics or indicators with which to track these changes. The world's governments calling for biodiversity and ecosystem-service monitoring guide evaluate international conservation policy as well incorporate natural capital into their national accounts. Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) has been tasked setting up this system. Here explore the immediate feasibility of creating a global platform under GEO BON framework through combining data from statistics, vegetation models, production function models. We found that nine ecosystem services could be annually reported at scale short term: carbon sequestration, water supply hydropower, non-fisheries marine products, crop, livestock, game meat, fisheries, mariculture, timber production. Reported changes service delivery over time reflected ecological shocks (e.g., droughts disease outbreaks), highlighting utility Our work also identified three opportunities more comprehensive First, investing input process models land-use maps) would allow many regulating monitored. Currently, only 1 9 can is service. Second, household surveys censuses help how nature affects people provides non-monetary benefits. Finally, forecast sustainability delivery, research efforts focus calculating total remaining biophysical stocks provisioning services. Regardless, demonstrated preliminary immediately feasible. With sufficient investment, evolve further much-needed system our planet's systems. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.