Ecosystem services provided by a complex coastal region: challenges of classification and mapping.

ABSTRACT: A variety of ecosystem services classification systems and mapping approaches are available in the scientific and technical literature, which needs to be selected and adapted when applied to complex territories (e.g. in the interface between water and land, estuary and sea). This paper provides a framework for addressing ecosystem services in complex coastal regions. The roadmap comprises the definition of the exact geographic boundaries of the study area; the use of CICES (Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services) for ecosystem services identification and classification; and the definition of qualitative indicators that will serve as basis to map the ecosystem services. Due to its complexity, the Ria de Aveiro coastal region was selected as case study, presenting an oppor

SUBMITTER: Sousa LP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4786800 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature