Biodiversity and Ecosystem service

Why?

By exploring the role of biodiversity within the emerging concept of ‘ecosystem services’, we aim to consider the broader indirect benefits that it brings to human society.

Protecting and enhancing biodiversity requires:

• Policy responses that have a greater level of local or community involvement
• Improved knowledge of the role of species and habitats in a multi-functional landscape
• Adaptive management schemes that can incorporate flexibility and resilience in response to environmental

Schemes promoting biodiversity have often had mixed success
because of their narrow focus and piecemeal development.
Understanding ecosystem services at the landscape scale can allow greater scope in integrating management objectives with differing land uses and local contexts.

Current projects

• Evaluation of Economic Incentives and the provision of Ecosystem Services in Rural Development policy
• Influence of Culture and Identity on Farmers' decision-making
• Modelling of Land Management policies and Biodiversity
• Habitat Suitability and Multifunctional Landscapes

Outcomes

• Policy guidance and development of sustainable agro-ecosystem goals in the Scottish Rural Development Plan
• Understanding the links between species,habitat and management at the landscape scale
• Identification of the local cultural issues which can clash
  with high-level biodiversity plans
• Evaluation of the ecosystem services concept for delivery of enhanced biodiversity

Contacts

Dr.Gerald Schwarz