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Natural and artificial lakes provide multiple cultural ecosystem services (CES), but they are largely underrepresented in CES assessments, which mostly focus on individual large lakes. Social media data may offer an opportunity to analyse CES of lakes at regional scales. This study therefore aims at exploring the use of photos uploaded to the photo-sharing platform Flickr for analysing CES of 2,807 lakes in the European Alps. We (1) explained the spatial distribution of photo-user-days (PUD), (2) examined the importance of lakes in providing CES, and (3) identified key CES through text analysis of user-generated tags. Our results indicate that good physical accessibility and proximity to densely populated areas mostly increase PUD density, although temporal accessibility is limited to a few summer months for mountain lakes. Based on 418 unique tags, we identified 12 different CES, including aesthetic experiences and recreation. Less prominent CES included sense of place or ‘culture & heritage’. Our findings suggest that lakes are important for providing multiple CES, but future research should include user survey data to deepen the understanding of people’s perceptions and preferences.
Uta Schirpke; Erich Tasser; Manuel Ebner; Ulrike Tappeiner. What can geotagged photographs tell us about cultural ecosystem services of lakes? Ecosystem Services 2021, 51, 101354 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Erich Tasser, Manuel Ebner, Ulrike Tappeiner. What can geotagged photographs tell us about cultural ecosystem services of lakes? Ecosystem Services. 2021; 51 ():101354.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Erich Tasser; Manuel Ebner; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2021. "What can geotagged photographs tell us about cultural ecosystem services of lakes?" Ecosystem Services 51, no. : 101354.
The growing pressure on society due to global change requires better integration of ecosystem services (ES) into decision-making. Despite a growing number of ES assessments, Europe-wide information on recent changes of multiple ES is still rare. This study aimed at analysing changes in ES values between 2000 and 2018 across Europe based on land use/land cover (LULC) distribution. We mapped 19 ES for 52 ecoregions and identified six major groups of ecoregions with similar LULC distribution and trends. Our results indicated that provisioning ES mainly increased in the forest-dominated region (G2), decreasing in the near-natural grassland region (G1), the region with agricultural mixed systems (G3), and the intensively-used steppic region (G6). Regulating ES slightly decreased in G1 and G6, but increased in G2 and the wetland-dominated region (G5). Cultural ES had generally low negative trends for most ecoregions. In addition, our results revealed ecoregions with differing trends in ES that could be related to specific socioeconomic developments. Our findings provide spatial and quantitative information that can be used for policy development at European national and regional levels—as well as for monitoring of ES.
Uta Schirpke; Erich Tasser. Trends in Ecosystem Services across Europe Due to Land-Use/Cover Changes. Sustainability 2021, 13, 7095 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Erich Tasser. Trends in Ecosystem Services across Europe Due to Land-Use/Cover Changes. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (13):7095.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Erich Tasser. 2021. "Trends in Ecosystem Services across Europe Due to Land-Use/Cover Changes." Sustainability 13, no. 13: 7095.
Mountain lakes are highly sensitive to global change, requiring sustainable management strategies that support crucial ecosystem services (ES). However, small mountain lakes are rarely in the focus of ES assessments, and indicators are potentially lacking. Therefore, this study aimed at comprehensively assessing key ES of 15 study lakes located in two regions in the European Alps. We involved local stakeholders and experts to identify important ES. We quantified eight ES in non-monetary terms, using 29 indicators based on limnological, spatial and socio-economic data. Finally, we evaluated ES in relation to the socio-ecological context of the study lakes. The most important ES included surface water for non-drinking purposes, maintaining populations and habitats, outdoor recreation, aesthetic value, entertainment and representation, scientific research, education as well as existence, option, or bequest value. Quantitative results indicate varying levels of ES across the study lakes. Based on 12 different socio-ecological variables, we identified four groups of lakes differing also in five ES. Maintaining populations and habitats, aesthetic value as well as existence, option or bequest value were rather independent from the socio-ecological context. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of ES of mountain lakes, also supporting the development of sustainable management strategies in mountain regions.
Uta Schirpke; Manuel Ebner; Hanna Pritsch; Veronika Fontana; Rainer Kurmayer. Quantifying Ecosystem Services of High Mountain Lakes across Different Socio-Ecological Contexts. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6051 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Manuel Ebner, Hanna Pritsch, Veronika Fontana, Rainer Kurmayer. Quantifying Ecosystem Services of High Mountain Lakes across Different Socio-Ecological Contexts. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (11):6051.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Manuel Ebner; Hanna Pritsch; Veronika Fontana; Rainer Kurmayer. 2021. "Quantifying Ecosystem Services of High Mountain Lakes across Different Socio-Ecological Contexts." Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6051.
Mountain regions provide crucial ecosystem services (ES) to their inhabitants and to the surrounding lowland populations. However, multiple anthropogenic drivers, such as land-use change, climate change, overexploitation, and population growth severely affect mountain socio-ecological systems, with huge effects on ES provision. This Special Issue (SI) collects 29 contributions addressing (i) current research gaps in our understanding of landscape dynamics and their effects on ES, (ii) ES in protected areas, and (iii) new approaches to a holistic assessment of socio-ecological systems. This introduction to the SI summarizes major findings related to (i) the impacts of global change on ES, (ii) the role of protected areas, and (iii) the challenges and research requirements to develop sustainable management strategies for mountain landscapes in the light of current and future challenges. The findings emphasize the specific environmental and cultural characteristics of mountain regions as well as their importance to a large part of the global population. Due to regional differences in socio-ecological characteristics, the needs and values of local communities need to be better integrated into decision-making, supported by inter- and trans-disciplinary cooperation, which would also lead to improved ES provision at the global level.
Uta Schirpke; Genxu Wang; Emilio Padoa-Schioppa. Editorial: Mountain landscapes: Protected areas, ecosystem services, and future challenges. Ecosystem Services 2021, 49, 101302 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Genxu Wang, Emilio Padoa-Schioppa. Editorial: Mountain landscapes: Protected areas, ecosystem services, and future challenges. Ecosystem Services. 2021; 49 ():101302.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Genxu Wang; Emilio Padoa-Schioppa. 2021. "Editorial: Mountain landscapes: Protected areas, ecosystem services, and future challenges." Ecosystem Services 49, no. : 101302.
The high visual quality of lakes bolsters aesthetic and recreational experiences, but little is known about the specific visual preferences related to mountain lakes. This study therefore aimed at assessing people’s preferences on visual characteristics of mountain lakes using an online questionnaire. Adopting a qualitative approach, we first identified major recognised characteristics of mountain lakes, i.e., respondents indicated that mountain lakes are typically small-sized lakes with clear, cold and blue water and are embedded in a natural mountain landscape. Then, we used different picture sets related to water clarity, water colour, presence of algae, lake shore and surrounding land cover to quantify preferences. Our results indicated a clear preference for blue, clear water and the absence of algae as well as large rocks at the lake shore and forest around the lake. In particular, preferences related to visual water characteristics were highly homogeneous across socio-cultural groups and confirmed previous findings. To illustrate the applicability of our findings, we integrated our results with spatial and limnological data to quantify aesthetic values for four selected study lakes in the European Alps. Finally, we discuss our findings in the context of increasing demand for nature-based experiences and the implications for decision-making.
Uta Schirpke; Rocco Scolozzi; Ulrike Tappeiner. “A Gem among the Rocks”—Identifying and Measuring Visual Preferences for Mountain Lakes. Water 2021, 13, 1151 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Rocco Scolozzi, Ulrike Tappeiner. “A Gem among the Rocks”—Identifying and Measuring Visual Preferences for Mountain Lakes. Water. 2021; 13 (9):1151.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Rocco Scolozzi; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2021. "“A Gem among the Rocks”—Identifying and Measuring Visual Preferences for Mountain Lakes." Water 13, no. 9: 1151.
Understanding the consequences of land-use changes on aesthetic values associated with mountain landscapes is important for decision-making and landscape planning. While most research on aesthetic landscape values has been carried out at small scales and disregarding landscape changes, this study aims at analysing changes in aesthetic landscape values for three time steps between 1950 and 2010 across the European Alps. We first map aesthetic values at the landscape scale for selected municipalities using a spatially explicit modelling approach that relates people’s landscape preferences with visual landscape characteristics. We then transfer mean values at the municipality level to compare aesthetic values across space and over time. Our results indicate heterogeneous spatial patterns of aesthetic values: Highest aesthetic values were located mainly in the central high-elevated Alps, while lowest aesthetic values occurred at lower elevations with intensive agriculture or dense settlement areas. Between 1950 and 2010, aesthetic values generally decreased due to changes in agricultural activities, with lower elevated areas being more affected than those at higher elevations. While the abandonment of summer pastures led to more homogeneous landscape patterns and hence to reduced aesthetic values due to an increase in forest areas and the closing of open patches, the change from arable land to other land-use/cover types had positive effects in some low-elevated areas. Such knowledge on the relationships between landscape changes and aesthetic values may provide an important basis for developing management strategies of mountain landscapes.
Uta Schirpke; Brenda Maria Zoderer; Ulrike Tappeiner; Erich Tasser. Effects of past landscape changes on aesthetic landscape values in the European Alps. Landscape and Urban Planning 2021, 212, 104109 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Brenda Maria Zoderer, Ulrike Tappeiner, Erich Tasser. Effects of past landscape changes on aesthetic landscape values in the European Alps. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2021; 212 ():104109.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Brenda Maria Zoderer; Ulrike Tappeiner; Erich Tasser. 2021. "Effects of past landscape changes on aesthetic landscape values in the European Alps." Landscape and Urban Planning 212, no. : 104109.
Mountain landscapes provide a variety of cultural ecosystem services (CES), but recent developments such as land-use and climate changes, population growth or urbanization seem to lead more frequently to conflicts among users or restrict the use of natural resources. An enhanced understanding of such conflicts and limitations may improve decision-making and management of mountain landscapes and maintain high levels of CES supply. However, conceptual and empirical research on identifying and evaluating conflicts and limitations of use in qualitative, quantitative and spatial terms as well as interdependencies in socio-ecological systems (SES) is still rare, and suitable methods are underdeveloped. Therefore, this paper elaborates the outcomes of an expert workshop and presents eleven case studies related to different CES and various contexts to conceptualise conflicts and limitations of CES use in mountain regions, complemented by assessment approaches to facilitate their identification and management. Using a multidimensional framework, we find that conflicts were mostly related to socio-economic changes and an increasing recreational use, whereas limitations of use greatly depended on accessibility and legal issues. Our findings contribute to the advancement of research on CES and are particularly useful for landscape management and decision-making to develop sustainable solutions and maintain CES in mountain landscapes.
Uta Schirpke; Rocco Scolozzi; Graeme Dean; Andreas Haller; Hieronymus Jäger; Jutta Kister; Barbara Kovács; Fausto O. Sarmiento; Birgit Sattler; Christian Schleyer. Cultural ecosystem services in mountain regions: Conceptualising conflicts among users and limitations of use. Ecosystem Services 2020, 46, 101210 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Rocco Scolozzi, Graeme Dean, Andreas Haller, Hieronymus Jäger, Jutta Kister, Barbara Kovács, Fausto O. Sarmiento, Birgit Sattler, Christian Schleyer. Cultural ecosystem services in mountain regions: Conceptualising conflicts among users and limitations of use. Ecosystem Services. 2020; 46 ():101210.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Rocco Scolozzi; Graeme Dean; Andreas Haller; Hieronymus Jäger; Jutta Kister; Barbara Kovács; Fausto O. Sarmiento; Birgit Sattler; Christian Schleyer. 2020. "Cultural ecosystem services in mountain regions: Conceptualising conflicts among users and limitations of use." Ecosystem Services 46, no. : 101210.
Increasing global pressure on natural resources requires that decision makers and land managers adopt sustainable solutions to ensure the long-term provision of essential ecosystem services (ES). Analysing the effects of land-use changes on ES can contribute to an improved understanding of the interactions between socio-economic development, landscape changes and ES, which is fundamental in order to avoid or mitigate the undesired consequences of today's decisions. Studies at longer timescales are still underrepresented, but are also fundamental for capturing slow social and ecological processes. This study therefore analysed the impacts of land-use/land cover (LULC) changes on ES values from the past to the future (1860–2100) in the Autonomous Province of South Tyrol (Italy). Future scenarios were based on socio-economic storylines and their spatial distribution mapped. By attributing ES values to LULC types, we assessed changes in ES values as well as their spatial patterns. Our results indicate that the abandonment of mountain grassland induced an ongoing shift in ES at higher elevations, from grassland-related ES towards forest-related ES. The intensification of use in the valley bottoms had predominantly negative effects on regulation & maintenance, and cultural ES in the past. Under future scenarios, changes in ES values at lower elevations greatly depend on expected socio-economic development. Negative effects on regulation & maintenance and cultural ES were highest for the ‘Food sovereignty’ scenario due to huge transformations of grassland and permanent cultures to arable land in order to optimise food provision at the regional level. In contrast, under the ‘Liberalisation’ and ‘Rewilding’ scenarios, there were positive trends for forest-related provisioning ES and less negative effects on regulation & maintenance and cultural ES within the study area, but the dependence on imported products increased. Our findings provide valuable information for decision-making and policy development in order to minimise negative consequences through targeted management measures or payments for environmental services.
Uta Schirpke; Simon Tscholl; Erich Tasser. Spatio-temporal changes in ecosystem service values: Effects of land-use changes from past to future (1860–2100). Journal of Environmental Management 2020, 272, 111068 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Simon Tscholl, Erich Tasser. Spatio-temporal changes in ecosystem service values: Effects of land-use changes from past to future (1860–2100). Journal of Environmental Management. 2020; 272 ():111068.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Simon Tscholl; Erich Tasser. 2020. "Spatio-temporal changes in ecosystem service values: Effects of land-use changes from past to future (1860–2100)." Journal of Environmental Management 272, no. : 111068.
There is extensive evidence today linking exposure to natural environments to favorable changes in mental and even physical health. There is also a growing body of work indicating that there are specific geometric properties of natural scenes that mediate these effects, and that these properties can also be found in artificial structures like buildings, especially those designed before the emergence of modernism. These geometries are also associated with aesthetic preference–we seem to like what is good for us. Here, using a questionnaire-based survey, we have tried to elucidate some of the parameters that play a role in formulating a preference for one form over the other. The images used were nature scenes from the Alpine landscape with various manipulations to alter their complexity, or with additions of computer graphics or various buildings. In all cases, the presence of a natural scaling hierarchy and of either fractal graphics or of ornate, non-local pre-modern buildings was always preferable to the alternative. We discuss these findings under the light of recent evidence in the field and conclude that they support the idea of the existence of a preference of our perceptive system for certain types of visual organization.
Alexandros A. Lavdas; Uta Schirpke. Aesthetic preference is related to organized complexity. PLoS ONE 2020, 15, e0235257 .
AMA StyleAlexandros A. Lavdas, Uta Schirpke. Aesthetic preference is related to organized complexity. PLoS ONE. 2020; 15 (6):e0235257.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexandros A. Lavdas; Uta Schirpke. 2020. "Aesthetic preference is related to organized complexity." PLoS ONE 15, no. 6: e0235257.
Multifunctional landscapes optimise the benefits for stakeholders by providing multiple demanded ecosystem services (ESs) within the same area. Although previous studies have indicated human-induced trajectories of landscape pattern and ESs supply in the European Alps, relationships between these aspects and the implications for landscape multifunctionality are little studied. In this case study in the Austrian Alps, we revealed significant changes in landscape pattern, a significant decline in provisioning ESs and an increase in cultural and regulating ESs between 1860 and 2015. Overall, multifunctionality (i.e., the sum of ESs) decreased from 1860 to the middle of the twentieth century and increased afterwards. These changes in multifunctionality can be explained by climate- and human-induced changes in landscape composition, particularly by an increase in the diversity of land use/land cover (LULC) types and a decrease in glacier and unused grassland areas. Landscape composition has been altered by inhabitants as economic focus shifted from agriculture to tourism. Our findings improve the understanding of interlinkages between changes in socioeconomic characteristics, LULC, landscape patterns and multiple ESs. Moreover, we indicate the importance of low-intensity agricultural activities and landscape protection to enhance multifunctionality in tourism-oriented land use systems.
Lisa Huber; Uta Schirpke; Thomas Marsoner; Erich Tasser; Georg Leitinger. Does socioeconomic diversification enhance multifunctionality of mountain landscapes? Ecosystem Services 2020, 44, 101122 .
AMA StyleLisa Huber, Uta Schirpke, Thomas Marsoner, Erich Tasser, Georg Leitinger. Does socioeconomic diversification enhance multifunctionality of mountain landscapes? Ecosystem Services. 2020; 44 ():101122.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLisa Huber; Uta Schirpke; Thomas Marsoner; Erich Tasser; Georg Leitinger. 2020. "Does socioeconomic diversification enhance multifunctionality of mountain landscapes?" Ecosystem Services 44, no. : 101122.
The application of ecosystem services (ES) models that rely on primary biophysical data is considered as most promising to generate accurate maps for decision making. However, to effectively apply these modelling approaches for ES mapping, representative functional spatial units with distinct socio-ecological characteristics are needed, which allow the upscaling of measured variables from the plot level to the landscape scale. In this study, we propose a theoretical framework for delineating functional spatial units based on abiotic and management variables. We apply this framework for an alpine grassland site and identify functional spatial units (here referred as to grassland trajectories) based on abiotic (elevation, slope, aspect) and management variables (fertilised or unfertilised) for three time steps (2015, 1953 and 1861). We test, via discriminant analyses, whether these grassland trajectories reflect variations in plant and soil traits. Our results indicate that the combination of topographical and management variables leads to significantly better classification results compared to land use/land cover (LULC) or topography alone. The best result could be obtained when information of past and present LULC was included, i.e. 51% of grassland trajectories were correctly classified. We finally use these grassland trajectories to map five ES (forage production and forage quality, carbon storage, water quality and soil fertility) based on trait-based models to exemplify the operational suitability of grassland trajectories to upscale plot-level data to the landscape scale. Current ES provision varies greatly for the different grassland trajectories, revealing the combined effects of abiotic and biotic drivers.
Uta Schirpke; Georg Leitinger; Erich Tasser; Johannes Rüdisser; Veronika Fontana; Ulrike Tappeiner. Functional spatial units are fundamental for modelling ecosystem services in mountain regions. Applied Geography 2020, 118, 102200 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Georg Leitinger, Erich Tasser, Johannes Rüdisser, Veronika Fontana, Ulrike Tappeiner. Functional spatial units are fundamental for modelling ecosystem services in mountain regions. Applied Geography. 2020; 118 ():102200.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Georg Leitinger; Erich Tasser; Johannes Rüdisser; Veronika Fontana; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2020. "Functional spatial units are fundamental for modelling ecosystem services in mountain regions." Applied Geography 118, no. : 102200.
Ecological footprint analyses demonstrate that the world’s more than 7.5 billion people consume multiple planets’ worth of resources. To incite and evaluate societal changes for the sustainable use of the environment and its natural resources, the ecosystem service (ES) concept was developed more than 20 years ago. To ensure the sustainable provision of indispensable ES, the concept has been refined and enhanced, enabling its application across various temporal and spatial scales. However, evidence-based strategies and policies are needed to preserve biodiversity and natural capital in our changing world. This Special Issue comprises studies advancing the frameworks, concepts, and applications related to ES assessment, with a particular focus on social–ecological systems. To broadly apply the ES concept in different social–ecological systems, several key issues emerged: (1) ES-related definitions and procedures should be improved and standardized; (2) the complexity of the interactions in a social–ecological system must be recognized, and knowledge about spatial and temporal dynamics and interactions among multiple ESs must be deepened; and (3) communication about ES, considering cultural and stakeholder differences, must be increased.
Johannes Rüdisser; Georg Leitinger; Uta Schirpke. Application of the Ecosystem Service Concept in Social–Ecological Systems—from Theory to Practice. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2960 .
AMA StyleJohannes Rüdisser, Georg Leitinger, Uta Schirpke. Application of the Ecosystem Service Concept in Social–Ecological Systems—from Theory to Practice. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (7):2960.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohannes Rüdisser; Georg Leitinger; Uta Schirpke. 2020. "Application of the Ecosystem Service Concept in Social–Ecological Systems—from Theory to Practice." Sustainability 12, no. 7: 2960.
Policy-makers and practitioners are increasingly interested in information about ecosystem services (ES), but the creation of indicators that are comprehensive and yet interpretable for stakeholders remains a challenge. In this study, we make use of the extensive body of research on ES and available data to quantify the value of land-use types from an ES perspective. Specifically, we estimate the supply of 19 important ES for the main land-use types on the basis of 58 ecosystem and landscape measures (capturing either state, quantity or process) derived from the literature. In addition, we used survey-based evidence of socio-cultural values of ES to integrate society’s demand for ES. Our approach allows for an integrative assessment and comparison of land-use types, considering both the supply and demand of multiple ES, and the production of outputs at three levels of aggregation, relating to (1) individual ES, (2) ES categories, and (3) land-use types. This makes it possible to flexibly adapt outputs according to the needs of stakeholders, while balancing concerns of comprehensiveness and ease of use. We conclude with a discussion of further avenues for future research, calling for a stronger coordination of ES research and the establishment of shared databases on ES.
Erich Tasser; Uta Schirpke; Brenda Maria Zoderer; Ulrike Tappeiner. Towards an integrative assessment of land-use type values from the perspective of ecosystem services. Ecosystem Services 2020, 42, 101082 .
AMA StyleErich Tasser, Uta Schirpke, Brenda Maria Zoderer, Ulrike Tappeiner. Towards an integrative assessment of land-use type values from the perspective of ecosystem services. Ecosystem Services. 2020; 42 ():101082.
Chicago/Turabian StyleErich Tasser; Uta Schirpke; Brenda Maria Zoderer; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2020. "Towards an integrative assessment of land-use type values from the perspective of ecosystem services." Ecosystem Services 42, no. : 101082.
Johannes Rüdisser; Uta Schirpke; Ulrike Tappeiner. Symbolic entities in the European Alps: Perception and use of a cultural ecosystem service. Ecosystem Services 2019, 39, 1 .
AMA StyleJohannes Rüdisser, Uta Schirpke, Ulrike Tappeiner. Symbolic entities in the European Alps: Perception and use of a cultural ecosystem service. Ecosystem Services. 2019; 39 ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJohannes Rüdisser; Uta Schirpke; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2019. "Symbolic entities in the European Alps: Perception and use of a cultural ecosystem service." Ecosystem Services 39, no. : 1.
Ecosystem services (ES) depend on coupled ecological and socioeconomic processes. We propose participatory modelling as a tool for sharing and co-creating knowledge about processes supporting (or eroding) local ES. The proposal consists of an open library of introductory ES dynamic models to be tailored for each case study. Such a library is illustrated by two ES examples and five models, published in an open-access web-platform. The results can contribute to the improvement of both analysis and deliberation, helping managers to design better policies and stakeholders to better formulate expectations.
Rocco Scolozzi; Uta Schirpke; Davide Geneletti. Enhancing Ecosystem Services Management in Protected Areas Through Participatory System Dynamics Modelling. Landscape Online 2019, 73, 1 -17.
AMA StyleRocco Scolozzi, Uta Schirpke, Davide Geneletti. Enhancing Ecosystem Services Management in Protected Areas Through Participatory System Dynamics Modelling. Landscape Online. 2019; 73 ():1-17.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRocco Scolozzi; Uta Schirpke; Davide Geneletti. 2019. "Enhancing Ecosystem Services Management in Protected Areas Through Participatory System Dynamics Modelling." Landscape Online 73, no. : 1-17.
The spatial relationships of ecosystem services are complex and poorly understood due to spatial mismatches between areas of provision and the areas that benefit. In this study, we assess the spatial flows of six key ecosystem services from and to mountain regions at the regional and global level. We identify major directions of spatial flow and illustrate different types and transfer mechanisms with detailed examples focusing on the European Alps and surrounding lowlands. Our results demonstrate that the spatial flows of ecosystem services range from local to global interactions and extend far beyond the regional level for most of the ecosystem services assessed. Transportation processes encompass passive biophysical processes and the active transportation of goods, distribution of information and traveling of people. Decision and policy-making can use this enhanced understanding to influence ecosystem service transfer and consequently manage natural resources in a sustainable way.
Uta Schirpke; Ulrike Tappeiner; Erich Tasser. A transnational perspective of global and regional ecosystem service flows from and to mountain regions. Scientific Reports 2019, 9, 1 -11.
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Ulrike Tappeiner, Erich Tasser. A transnational perspective of global and regional ecosystem service flows from and to mountain regions. Scientific Reports. 2019; 9 (1):1-11.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Ulrike Tappeiner; Erich Tasser. 2019. "A transnational perspective of global and regional ecosystem service flows from and to mountain regions." Scientific Reports 9, no. 1: 1-11.
Ecosystem services (ESs) are increasingly included into decision-making to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Although both concepts consider the interactions between humans and the environment, spatial relationships between ESs and sustainability have been rarely addressed. Therefore, this study aims at analyzing spatial congruencies and mismatches between ESs and sustainability in the greater Alpine region. Using hot spot and overlap analyses, we overlaid maps of supply, demand and flow of eight key ESs with the spatial distribution of sustainability based on 24 indicators. Our results reveal that, in most cases, supply of and demand for ESs are greatly dislocated. These mismatches are reflected also in the spatial distribution of sustainability. In contrast to ES demand hot spots, supply hot spots are generally characterized by high sustainability levels, especially in relation to the environment. However, due to discrepancies in the social and economic dimensions, it cannot be assumed that ES supply hot spots always correspond to high sustainability. Hence, using ES indicators for measuring sustainability provides rather limited insights. We conclude that both concepts should be applied in a complementary way to maximize ecological, social and economic benefits in land management and planning processes.
Uta Schirpke; Lukas Egarter Vigl; Erich Tasser; Ulrike Tappeiner. Analyzing Spatial Congruencies and Mismatches between Supply, Demand and Flow of Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Development. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2227 .
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Lukas Egarter Vigl, Erich Tasser, Ulrike Tappeiner. Analyzing Spatial Congruencies and Mismatches between Supply, Demand and Flow of Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Development. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (8):2227.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Lukas Egarter Vigl; Erich Tasser; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2019. "Analyzing Spatial Congruencies and Mismatches between Supply, Demand and Flow of Ecosystem Services and Sustainable Development." Sustainability 11, no. 8: 2227.
The demand for cultural ecosystem services (CES) is increasing, and aesthetic values contribute substantially to attract visitors to mountain regions, enhancing the socio-economic well-being. While most studies focused on the assessment of aesthetic values under current conditions, this study aimed to evaluate the historic development of aesthetic values from the perspective of today by analysing changes in the actual supply of this CES along roads and paths in Sölden in the Ötztal valley (Austria) since the beginning of tourism. We first mapped roads and paths for five time steps over the last 150 years to then estimate aesthetic values along these infrastructures, using a spatially explicit modelling approach. Furthermore, we compared spatial patterns of visitation preferences derived from social media data with predicted aesthetic values. Our results indicate that an increased access to areas of high aesthetic values was related to general increases in the supply of aesthetic values until 1950. Although the accessibility to high-elevation areas continued to increase until 2017, aesthetic values generally decreased due to landscape changes induced by the shift from mainly agricultural to touristic use. The abandonment of alpine pastures occurred mainly above the forest belt, which coincides with high levels of photo density, as most pictures were taken around mountain huts and on mountain peaks. If carefully planned and managed, mountain regions may actively enhance aesthetic experiences and foster the touristic use by providing good infrastructure, but land use policies and landscape management should support agricultural activities to maintain high levels of aesthetic values.
Uta Schirpke; Andreas Altzinger; Georg Leitinger; Erich Tasser. Change from agricultural to touristic use: Effects on the aesthetic value of landscapes over the last 150 years. Landscape and Urban Planning 2019, 187, 23 -35.
AMA StyleUta Schirpke, Andreas Altzinger, Georg Leitinger, Erich Tasser. Change from agricultural to touristic use: Effects on the aesthetic value of landscapes over the last 150 years. Landscape and Urban Planning. 2019; 187 ():23-35.
Chicago/Turabian StyleUta Schirpke; Andreas Altzinger; Georg Leitinger; Erich Tasser. 2019. "Change from agricultural to touristic use: Effects on the aesthetic value of landscapes over the last 150 years." Landscape and Urban Planning 187, no. : 23-35.
A key challenge in the sustainable management of freshwater is related to non-stationary processes and transboundary requirements. The assessment of freshwater is often hampered due to small-scale analyses, lacking data and with the focus on only its provision. Based on the ecosystem service (ES) concept, this study aims at quantitatively comparing potential water supply with the demand for freshwater in the European Alps and their surrounding lowlands. We propose an easy-to-use combination of different mapping approaches, including a large-scale hydrologic model to estimate water supply and the downscaling of regional data to the local scale to map demand. Our results demonstrate spatial mismatches between supply and demand and a high dependency of the densely populated lowlands from water providing mountain areas. Under expected climate variations and future demographic changes, our results suggest increasing pressures on freshwater in the south of the Alps. Hence, sustainable water management strategies need to assure the supply of freshwater under changing environmental conditions to meet the increasing water demand of urbanized areas in the lowlands. Moreover, national water management strategies need to be optimally concerted at the international level, as transboundary policies and frameworks can strengthen future water provision.
Claude Meisch; Uta Schirpke; Lisa Huber; Johannes Rüdisser; Ulrike Tappeiner. Assessing Freshwater Provision and Consumption in the Alpine Space Applying the Ecosystem Service Concept. Sustainability 2019, 11, 1131 .
AMA StyleClaude Meisch, Uta Schirpke, Lisa Huber, Johannes Rüdisser, Ulrike Tappeiner. Assessing Freshwater Provision and Consumption in the Alpine Space Applying the Ecosystem Service Concept. Sustainability. 2019; 11 (4):1131.
Chicago/Turabian StyleClaude Meisch; Uta Schirpke; Lisa Huber; Johannes Rüdisser; Ulrike Tappeiner. 2019. "Assessing Freshwater Provision and Consumption in the Alpine Space Applying the Ecosystem Service Concept." Sustainability 11, no. 4: 1131.
As Ecosystem Services (ES) are the products of complex socio–ecological systems, their mapping requires a deep understanding of the spatial relationships and pattern that underpin ES provision. Upscaling ES maps is often carried out to avoid mismatches between the scale of ES assessment and that of their level of management. However, so far only a few efforts have been made to quantify how information loss occurs as data are aggregated to coarser scales. In the present study this was analyzed for three distinct case studies in the eastern Alps by comparing ES maps of outdoor recreation at the municipality level and at finer scales, i.e. high-resolution grids. Specifically, we adopt an innovative and flexible methodology based on Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA), to disentangle the problem of the scale from the perspective of different levels of jurisdiction, by assessing in an iterative process how ES patterns change when upscaling high-resolution maps. Furthermore, we assess the sensitivity to the modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP) by calculating global statistics over three grid displacements. Our results demonstrate that spatial clusters tend to disappear when their extent becomes smaller than the features to which values are upscaled, leading to substantial information loss. Moreover, cross-comparison among grids and the municipality level highlights local anomalies that global spatial autocorrelation indicators fail to detect, revealing hidden clusters and inconsistencies among multiple scales. We conclude that, whenever ES maps are aggregated to a coarser scale, our methodology represents a suitable and flexible approach to explore clustering trends, shape and position of upscaling units, through graphs and maps showing spatial autocorrelation statistics. This can be crucial to finding the best compromise among scale mismatches, information loss and statistical bias that can directly affect the targeted ES mapping.
Michele Zen; Sebastian Candiago; Uta Schirpke; Lukas Egarter Vigl; Carlo Giupponi. Upscaling ecosystem service maps to administrative levels: beyond scale mismatches. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 660, 1565 -1575.
AMA StyleMichele Zen, Sebastian Candiago, Uta Schirpke, Lukas Egarter Vigl, Carlo Giupponi. Upscaling ecosystem service maps to administrative levels: beyond scale mismatches. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 660 ():1565-1575.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMichele Zen; Sebastian Candiago; Uta Schirpke; Lukas Egarter Vigl; Carlo Giupponi. 2019. "Upscaling ecosystem service maps to administrative levels: beyond scale mismatches." Science of The Total Environment 660, no. : 1565-1575.