In the eye of the stakeholder: Changes in perceptions of ecosystem services across an international border

Orenstein, Daniel E.; Groner, Elli

doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2014.04.004

Cited by 87 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…The integration of local knowledge and perceptions, e.g., the above statement by a farmer from Jambi (Sumatra, Indonesia) enables scientific research to directly address local people's concerns (Ostrom 2009, Pahl-Wostl et al 2010, Scholz et al 2011, as cited in Binder et al 2013. Although the need for such problemdriven research has been emphasized in numerous studies, applied environmental research often fails to adequately integrate social analyses (Lele and Kurien 2011, Wandersee et al 2012, Tàbara and Chabay 2013, Sagie et al 2013, Reyers et al 2013, Orenstein and Groner 2014. Thus, we see a need for applied interdisciplinary studies that give credit to the embeddedness of environmental processes in socio-cultural processes by confronting local environmental perceptions with natural science measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water scarcity and oil palm expansion: social views and environmental processes

Merten¹,

Röll²,

Guillaume³

et al. 2016

E&S

104

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ABSTRACT. Conversions of natural ecosystems, e.g., from rain forests to managed plantations, result in significant changes in the hydrological cycle including periodic water scarcity. In Indonesia, large areas of forest were lost and extensive oil palm plantations were established over the last decades. We conducted a combined social and environmental study in a region of recent land-use change, the Jambi Province on Sumatra. The objective was to derive complementary lines of arguments to provide balanced insights into environmental perceptions and eco-hydrological processes accompanying land-use change. Interviews with villagers highlighted concerns regarding decreasing water levels in wells during dry periods and increasing fluctuations in stream flow between rainy and dry periods. Periodic water scarcity was found to severely impact livelihoods, which increased social polarization. Sap flux measurements on forest trees and oil palms indicate that oil palm plantations use as much water as forests for transpiration. Eddy covariance analyses of evapotranspiration over oil palm point to substantial additional sources of evaporation in oil palm plantations such as the soil and epiphytes. Stream base flow from a catchment dominated by oil palms was lower than from a catchment dominated by rubber plantations; both showed high peaks after rainfall. An estimate of erosion indicated approximately 30 cm of topsoil loss after forest conversion to both oil palm and rubber plantations. Analyses of climatic variables over the last 20 years and of a standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index for the last century suggested that droughts are recurrent in the area, but have not increased in frequency or intensity. Consequently, we assume that conversions of rain forest ecosystems to oil palm plantations lead to a redistribution of precipitated water by runoff, which leads to the reported periodic water scarcity. Our combined social and environmental approach points to significant and thus far neglected eco-hydrological consequences of oil palm expansion.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water scarcity and oil palm expansion: social views and environmental processes

Merten¹,

Röll²,

Guillaume³

et al. 2016

E&S

104

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“…There were no consistent effects of the socio-demographic variables on the behavior and opinion measures, and the effects that were significant were in the direction reported in previous research: men are less inclined than women to adopt private sphere proenvironmental behavior; urban dwellers report lower levels of economic dependency on environmental resources than rural residents; and older respondents are less engaged in "active" outdoor activities compared to younger respondents (Orenstein and Groner 2014). Table 11 displays results of the regression of nine environmental opinion questions that had to do with development issues on environmental tastes and socio-demographic variables.…”

Section: Factor Analysismentioning

confidence: 46%

“…In the most literal sense, ES are based on a biological dimension of the environment (Reid et al 2005). In some recent ES research, however, both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem are considered to provide services (Gray 2011, UK-NEA 2011, Orenstein and Groner 2014.…”

Section: Discussion Environmental Tastes Ecosystem Services and Lanmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We also included the southern coastal city of Eilat. The Arava Valley research site has proven particularly relevant for studying human-environment interactions, as its population has been shown to be particularly aware of its unique geographical, climatological, and ecological setting (Sagie et al 2013, Orenstein andGroner 2014).…”

Section: Research Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Differences in these taste dimensions may have a cascading impact on the way individuals perceive and benefit from other cultural ES (for instance, recreational activities) or how people perceive the economic importance of provisioning services. We are reminded that the general public does not fully understand the concept of ES or, more generally, human dependence on ecosystem integrity for providing ES (In Israel: Sagie et al 2013, Orenstein andGroner 2014;elsewhere: UK-NEA 2011). Because the term ES is not a common part of everyday language, its translation into measurable indicators is not clear cut.…”

Section: Social Valuation Of Ecosystem Services: More Than a Numbermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Environmental tastes, opinions and behaviors: social sciences in the service of cultural ecosystem service assessment

Katz‐Gerro¹,

Orenstein²

2015

E&S

Self Cite

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ABSTRACT. Cultural ecosystem services are the nonmaterial ways in which humans derive benefits from ecosystems. They are distinct from other types of ecosystem services in that they are not only intangible, but they require an entirely different set of research tools to identify, characterize, and value them. We offer a novel way to assess how individuals perceive and use their local ecosystem, thereby advancing the state-of-the-art of cultural ecosystem service assessment. We identify distinct environmental "tastes" that represent general dispositions, preferences, or orientations regarding particular characteristics of the environment. We then use these environmental tastes to explain environmental behaviors (e.g., engagement in outdoor activities and resource conservation efforts) and opinions (e.g., perceived economic dependence on various environmental resources and opinions regarding environmentally focused development issues). We identify three distinct environmental tastes: "Landscape" is associated with the visual and sensory landscape; "Biota" is associated with living elements of the environment; and "Desert" is associated with the extreme climatic characteristics of the environment. We report that the "Biota" environmental taste has wide-ranging impact on subsequent measures of pro-environmental behaviors and opinions. We maintain that this taste dimension is important for the ability of researchers, land use managers, and policy-makers to understand and evaluate cultural ecosystem services and to characterize how humans perceive them and benefit from them.

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Ecosystem Service Mapping and Assessment as a Support for Policy and Decision Making

Stępniewska

2016

CLEAN Soil Air Water

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The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential of ecosystem services (ES) research to support policy and decision-making. As the ES concept is a multitier framework, there is no ideal entry point for conducting useful ES analysis. The entry point depends on the particular empirical or policy question being researched. The information on ES potential can contribute to the management of ecosystems, which provides services, including identification of priority conservation and restoration areas. Understanding the ES flows helps to protect paths needed to transmit the services to users. The demand for ES determines society's ambitions for sustainable management and ensuring a continuous supply of desired services. In turn, budget analyses allow identification of supply-demand mismatches across landscapes, and point out the appropriate institutional scale for environmental decision-making. The benefit of trade-offs analysis is weighing the improvements in one ES against the decrease of another. Finally, the specific configuration of rivalry and excludability of particular services enables the arrangement of an appropriate scheme of payments for ES. The complex recognition of the range of possible ES mapping and assessment products can help to match the ES analysis with policy goals.Once we identify a good entry point for examining a specific policy question, we can adequately embed the planned study within the ES framework.

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In the eye of the stakeholder: Changes in perceptions of ecosystem services across an international border

Cited by 87 publications

References 53 publications

Water scarcity and oil palm expansion: social views and environmental processes

Water scarcity and oil palm expansion: social views and environmental processes

Environmental tastes, opinions and behaviors: social sciences in the service of cultural ecosystem service assessment

Ecosystem Service Mapping and Assessment as a Support for Policy and Decision Making

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