Quantifying the scientific value of ecosystems
The scientific benefits of ecosystems are often overlooked. Dr Daniel Friess and co-authors, created 11 new indicators to quantify the scientific value of ecosystems. Their study is published in Ecological Indicators.
Coastal habitats provide a diverse range of direct and indirect benefits to people living in them such as the provision of resources, coastal protection and recreational services. Among these, cultural ecosystem services are often underappreciated due to their intangible nature.
Scientific value is a form of cultural ecosystem benefit that is defined as the characteristics of an ecosystem, which contribute to opportunities for scientific investigation, discovery, and knowledge. To accurately measure scientific value, it needs to first be quantified using different indicators.
external pageDr Daniel Friess, external pageDr Erik Yando, external pageLynn Wei Wong and external pageDr Natasha Bhatia, created 11 such indicators to better quantify the scientific value of ecosystems by conducting a systemic review of 656 articles written about 10 coastal ecosystems around Singapore. They noted at least 2201 unique observations across these ecosystems, which indicates that scientific value differs from one location to another. They also note that mangroves, coral reefs, and open water systems are currently the most studied ecosystems in Singapore and thus, have the highest scientific value.
Quantifying the scientific benefits of an ecosystem is crucial in providing more information on under-recognised ecosystems services to aid decision-making processes for coastal management.
Their work “external pageIndicators of scientific value: An under-recognised ecosystem service of coastal and marine habitats” is published in the journal Ecological Indicators, in 2020.