Combining methods to estimate ecosystem integrity and ecosystem service potentials for crop and fodder production in Schleswig-Holstein
Abstract
Human well-being is strongly dependent on the benefits of nature, especially in food provision. This study aims to identify the suitability of different methods in ecosystem service assessments for crop and fodder provision in relation to multiple ecological integrity indicators (primary production, respiration, exergy capture, biotic water flows, abiotic heterogeneity, storage capacity, reduction of nutrient loss).
Spatial distribution of ecosystem integrity and subsequent services is investigated in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany. Three quantitative methods are used, including (i) a satellite imagine time series analysis (estimating ecological integrity, NDVI and temperature differences), (ii) a statistical inference method based on Bayesian approaches (assessing the crop suitability areas) and (iii) a statistical analysis of official data (related to actual yield and biomass).
Additionally, (iv) a qualitative spreadsheet method, which is based on expert evaluation, is used to identify the missing integrity and services potentials. The methods are introduced, the resulting maps are presented and the outcomes of the approaches are compared and interpreted with respect to distinct methodological demands and utilities.