Linking biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being: three challenges for designing research for sustainability
Elena M. Bennett
,
Wolfgang Cramer
(1)
,
Alpina Begossi
,
Georgina Cundill
,
Sandra Diaz
(2)
,
Benis N. Egoh
,
Ilse R. Geijzendorffer
(1)
,
Cornelia B. Krug
,
Sandra Lavorel
(3)
,
Elena Lazos
,
Louis Lebel
,
Berta Martin-Lopez
(4)
,
Patrick Meyfroidt
,
Harold A. Mooney
,
Jeanne L. Nel
,
Unai Pascual
(5)
,
Karine Payet
(6)
,
Natalia Perez Harguindeguy
,
Garry D. Peterson
,
Anne-Hele Ne Prieur-Richard
,
Belinda Reyers
,
Peter Roebeling
,
Ralf Seppelt
,
Martin Solan
(7)
,
Petra Tschakert
,
Teja Tscharntke
,
B. L. Turner
,
Peter H. Verburg
(8)
,
Ernesto F. Viglizzo
,
Piran C. L. White
,
Guy Woodward
(9)
1
IMBE -
Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale
2 Insituto Multidisciplinario de Biologia Vegetal
3 LECA - Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine
4 Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
5 Land Economy
6 UMR PVBMT - Peuplements végétaux et bioagresseurs en milieu tropical
7 Oceanlab
8 VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam]
9 School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
2 Insituto Multidisciplinario de Biologia Vegetal
3 LECA - Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine
4 Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research
5 Land Economy
6 UMR PVBMT - Peuplements végétaux et bioagresseurs en milieu tropical
7 Oceanlab
8 VU - Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam [Amsterdam]
9 School of Biological and Chemical Sciences
Elena M. Bennett
- Function : Author
Wolfgang Cramer
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 18543
- IdHAL : wolfgang-cramer
- ORCID : 0000-0002-9205-5812
- IdRef : 060547901
Alpina Begossi
- Function : Author
Georgina Cundill
- Function : Author
Benis N. Egoh
- Function : Author
Cornelia B. Krug
- Function : Author
Sandra Lavorel
- Function : Author
- PersonId : 757640
- ORCID : 0000-0002-7300-2811
- IdRef : 079413390
Elena Lazos
- Function : Author
Louis Lebel
- Function : Author
Patrick Meyfroidt
- Function : Author
Harold A. Mooney
- Function : Author
Jeanne L. Nel
- Function : Author
Natalia Perez Harguindeguy
- Function : Author
Garry D. Peterson
- Function : Author
Anne-Hele Ne Prieur-Richard
- Function : Author
Belinda Reyers
- Function : Author
Peter Roebeling
- Function : Author
Ralf Seppelt
- Function : Author
Petra Tschakert
- Function : Author
Teja Tscharntke
- Function : Author
B. L. Turner
- Function : Author
Ernesto F. Viglizzo
- Function : Author
Piran C. L. White
- Function : Author
Abstract
Ecosystem services have become a mainstream concept for the expression of values assigned by people to various functions of ecosystems. Even though the introduction of the concept has initiated a vast amount of research, progress in using this knowledge for sustainable resource use remains insufficient. We see a need to broaden the scope of research to answer three key questions that we believe will improve incorporation of ecosystem service research into decision-making for the sustainable use of natural resources to improve human well-being: (i) how are ecosystem services co-produced by social-ecological systems, (ii) who benefits from the provision of ecosystem services, and (iii) what are the best practices for the governance of ecosystem services? Here, we present these key questions, the rationale behind them, and their related scientific challenges in a globally coordinated research programme aimed towards improving sustainable ecosystem management. These questions will frame the activities of ecoSERVICES, formerly a DIVERSITAS project and now a project of Future Earth, in its role as a platform to foster global coordination of multidisciplinary sustainability science through the lens of ecosystem services.