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Quantifying the contribution of organisms to the provision of ecosystem services

Quantifying the contribution of organisms to the provision of ecosystem services
Quantifying the contribution of organisms to the provision of ecosystem services
Research on ecosystem services has grown rapidly over the last decade. Two conceptual frameworks have been published to guide ecological assessments of organisms that deliver services—the concepts of service-providing units (SPUs) and ecosystem service providers (ESPs). Here, we unite these frameworks and present an SPU-ESP continuum that offers a coherent conceptual approach for synthesizing the latest developments in ecosystem service research, and can direct future studies at all levels of organization. In particular, we show how the service-provider concept can be applied at the population, functional group, and community levels. We strongly emphasize the need to identify and quantify the organisms and their characteristics (e.g., functional traits) that provide services, and to assess service provision relative to the demands of human beneficiaries. We use key examples from the literature to illustrate the new approach and to highlight gaps in knowledge, particularly in relation to the impact of species interactions and ecosystem dynamics on service provision.
0006-3568
223-235
Luck, G.W.
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Harrington, R.
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Harrison, P.A.
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Kremen, C.
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Berry, P.M.
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Bugter, R.
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Dawson, T.P.
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de Bello, F.
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Diaz, S
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Feld, C.K.
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Haslett, J.R.
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Hering, D.
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Kontogianni, A.
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Lavorel, S.
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Rounsevell, M.
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Samways, M. J.
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Sandin, L.
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Settele, J.
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Sykes, M. T.
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van den Hove, S.
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Vandewalle, M.
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Zobel, M.
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Luck, G.W.
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Harrington, R.
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Harrison, P.A.
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Kremen, C.
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Berry, P.M.
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Bugter, R.
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Dawson, T.P.
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de Bello, F.
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Diaz, S
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Feld, C.K.
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Haslett, J.R.
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Hering, D.
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Kontogianni, A.
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Lavorel, S.
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Rounsevell, M.
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Samways, M. J.
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Sandin, L.
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Settele, J.
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Sykes, M. T.
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van den Hove, S.
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Vandewalle, M.
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Zobel, M.
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Luck, G.W., Harrington, R., Harrison, P.A., Kremen, C., Berry, P.M., Bugter, R., Dawson, T.P., de Bello, F., Diaz, S, Feld, C.K., Haslett, J.R., Hering, D., Kontogianni, A., Lavorel, S., Rounsevell, M., Samways, M. J., Sandin, L., Settele, J., Sykes, M. T., van den Hove, S., Vandewalle, M. and Zobel, M. (2009) Quantifying the contribution of organisms to the provision of ecosystem services. BioScience, 59 (7), 223-235. (doi:10.1525/bio.2009.59.3.7).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Research on ecosystem services has grown rapidly over the last decade. Two conceptual frameworks have been published to guide ecological assessments of organisms that deliver services—the concepts of service-providing units (SPUs) and ecosystem service providers (ESPs). Here, we unite these frameworks and present an SPU-ESP continuum that offers a coherent conceptual approach for synthesizing the latest developments in ecosystem service research, and can direct future studies at all levels of organization. In particular, we show how the service-provider concept can be applied at the population, functional group, and community levels. We strongly emphasize the need to identify and quantify the organisms and their characteristics (e.g., functional traits) that provide services, and to assess service provision relative to the demands of human beneficiaries. We use key examples from the literature to illustrate the new approach and to highlight gaps in knowledge, particularly in relation to the impact of species interactions and ecosystem dynamics on service provision.

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Published date: March 2009

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 66753
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/66753
ISSN: 0006-3568
PURE UUID: c503cc39-09c7-4855-a970-c729aaaacd76

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Date deposited: 16 Jul 2009
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 18:37

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Contributors

Author: G.W. Luck
Author: R. Harrington
Author: P.A. Harrison
Author: C. Kremen
Author: P.M. Berry
Author: R. Bugter
Author: T.P. Dawson
Author: F. de Bello
Author: S Diaz
Author: C.K. Feld
Author: J.R. Haslett
Author: D. Hering
Author: A. Kontogianni
Author: S. Lavorel
Author: M. Rounsevell
Author: M. J. Samways
Author: L. Sandin
Author: J. Settele
Author: M. T. Sykes
Author: S. van den Hove
Author: M. Vandewalle
Author: M. Zobel

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