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Rapid assessment of ecosystem services provided by two mineral extraction sites restored for nature conservation in an agricultural landscape in Eastern England

Rapid assessment of ecosystem services provided by two mineral extraction sites restored for nature conservation in an agricultural landscape in Eastern England
Rapid assessment of ecosystem services provided by two mineral extraction sites restored for nature conservation in an agricultural landscape in Eastern England
Despite growing recognition that mineral sites restored for nature conservation can enhance local biodiversity, the wider societal benefits provided by this type of restoration relative to alternative options are not well understood. This study addresses this research gap by quantifying differences in ecosystem services provision under two common mineral site after-uses: nature conservation and agriculture. Using a combination of site-specific primary field data, benefits transfer and modelling, we show that for our sites restoration for nature conservation provides a more diverse array of ecosystem services than would be delivered under an agricultural restoration scenario. We also explore the effects of addressing different conservation targets, which we find alter the provision of ecosystem services on a service-specific basis. Highly species-focused intervention areas are associated with increased carbon storage and livestock grazing provision, whereas non-intervention areas are important for carbon sequestration, fishing, recreation and flood risk mitigation. The results of this study highlight the wider societal importance of restored mineral sites and may
help conservation managers and planners to develop future restoration strategies that provide benefits for both biodiversity and human well-being.
1932-6203
1-20
Blaen, Phillip J.
b8be85bc-bd9f-45db-96c4-a05f5002df4b
Li, Jia
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Peh, Kelvin S.-H.
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Field, Rob H.
fd235bed-1130-48e5-9a34-c68e5652ccb6
Balmford, Andrew
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MacDonald, Michael A.
0490b6df-a364-4beb-86b0-8aec1e8929fa
Bradbury, Richard B.
2e24f88e-50ba-4ed7-a22d-208dbeee0cda
Blaen, Phillip J.
b8be85bc-bd9f-45db-96c4-a05f5002df4b
Li, Jia
5dd0e18f-0f8a-4b28-994c-2c50b381928d
Peh, Kelvin S.-H.
0bd60207-dad8-43fb-a84a-a15e09b024cc
Field, Rob H.
fd235bed-1130-48e5-9a34-c68e5652ccb6
Balmford, Andrew
b66d76a7-4e7d-435b-a1b8-2d61883c8166
MacDonald, Michael A.
0490b6df-a364-4beb-86b0-8aec1e8929fa
Bradbury, Richard B.
2e24f88e-50ba-4ed7-a22d-208dbeee0cda

Blaen, Phillip J., Li, Jia, Peh, Kelvin S.-H., Field, Rob H., Balmford, Andrew, MacDonald, Michael A. and Bradbury, Richard B. (2015) Rapid assessment of ecosystem services provided by two mineral extraction sites restored for nature conservation in an agricultural landscape in Eastern England. PLoS ONE, 10 (4), 1-20. (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121010). (PMID:25894293)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Despite growing recognition that mineral sites restored for nature conservation can enhance local biodiversity, the wider societal benefits provided by this type of restoration relative to alternative options are not well understood. This study addresses this research gap by quantifying differences in ecosystem services provision under two common mineral site after-uses: nature conservation and agriculture. Using a combination of site-specific primary field data, benefits transfer and modelling, we show that for our sites restoration for nature conservation provides a more diverse array of ecosystem services than would be delivered under an agricultural restoration scenario. We also explore the effects of addressing different conservation targets, which we find alter the provision of ecosystem services on a service-specific basis. Highly species-focused intervention areas are associated with increased carbon storage and livestock grazing provision, whereas non-intervention areas are important for carbon sequestration, fishing, recreation and flood risk mitigation. The results of this study highlight the wider societal importance of restored mineral sites and may
help conservation managers and planners to develop future restoration strategies that provide benefits for both biodiversity and human well-being.

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Ecosystem services from mineral sites restored for nature conservation.pdf - Other
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Accepted/In Press date: 9 February 2015
Published date: 20 April 2015
Organisations: Environmental

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 376909
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/376909
ISSN: 1932-6203
PURE UUID: d6802e4d-b7be-4858-b68b-92621c85a0db
ORCID for Kelvin S.-H. Peh: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2921-1341

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Date deposited: 18 May 2015 09:37
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:44

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Contributors

Author: Phillip J. Blaen
Author: Jia Li
Author: Rob H. Field
Author: Andrew Balmford
Author: Michael A. MacDonald
Author: Richard B. Bradbury

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