Potential contributions of remote sensing to ecosystem service assessments

Abstract

Abstract. Ecological and conservation research has provided a strong scientific underpinning to the modeling of ecosystem services (ESs) over space and time, by identifying the ecological processes and components of biodiversity (ecosystem service providers, functional traits) that drive ES supply. Despite this knowledge, efforts to map the distribution of ESs often rely on simple spatial surrogates that provide incomplete and non-mechanistic representations of the biophysical variables they are intended to proxy. However, alternative datasets are available that allow for more direct, spatially nuanced inputs to ES mapping efforts. Many spatially explicit, quantitative estimates of biophysical parameters are currently supported by remote sensing, with great relevance to ES mapping. Additional parameters that are not amenable to direct detection by remote sensing may be indirectly modeled with spatial environmental data layers. We review the capabilities of modern remote sensing for describing biodiversity, plant traits, vegetation condition, ecological processes, soil properties, and hydrological variables and highlight how these products may contribute to ES assessments. Because these products often provide more direct estimates of the ecological properties controlling ESs than the spatial proxies currently in use, they can support greater mechanistic realism in models of ESs. By drawing on the increasing range of remote sensing instruments and measurements, datasets appropriate to the estimation of a given ES can be selected or developed. In so doing, we anticipate rapid progress to the spatial characterization of ecosystem services, in turn supporting ecological conservation, management, and integrated land use planning. Keywords I IntroductionNatural and managed ecosystems provide physical, emotional, and economic wellbeing to human societies via benefits known as ecosystem services (ESs). There are a great many ways by which ecosystems benefit humanity. Conceptually, this diversity of ecosystem services is often grouped into provisioning (natural resources provided by ecological systems such as food, forage, and timber), cultural (spiritual and heritage values derived from natural and managed systems, as well as natural areas tourism and recreation), and regulating and supporting services (life support services such as air or water purification, climate regulation, 2 and ecological processes that maintain functioning ecosystems, contributing to all services) (MEA, 2005).Historically, ESs have been given little formal attention, especially those services that are not traditionally traded in a market (Costanza et al., 1997), leading to unsustainable land use practices with unintended consequences (Bennett et al., 2009;MEA, 2005). There is growing recognition that conservation and land use planning should strive to maintain the multifunctionality of natural and managed systems through balanced portfolios of ESs. Knowledge about the environmental and anthropogenic controls of ESs and the spatial distribution o...

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