Elasticity in ecosystem services: exploring the variable relationship between ecosystems and human well-being
This study develops a concept of "ecosystem service elasticity" describing the sensitivity of human well-being to changes in ecosystems
Abstract
Although ecosystem services are increasingly recognized as benefits people obtain from nature, we still have a poor understanding of how they actually enhance multidimensional human well-being, and how well-being is affected by ecosystem change. We develop a concept of “ecosystem service elasticity” (ES elasticity) that describes the sensitivity of human well-being to changes in ecosystems. ES Elasticity is a result of complex social and ecological dynamics and is context dependent, individually variable, and likely to demonstrate nonlinear dynamics such as thresholds and hysteresis.
This research was supported by the Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) programme
Citation
Daw, T.M., Hicks, C.C., Brown, K., Chaigneau, T., Januchowski-Hartley, F.A., Cheung, W.W.L., Rosendo, S., Crona, B., Coulthard, S., Sandbrook, C., Perry, C., Bandeira, S., Muthiga, N.A., Schulte-Herbruggen, B., Bosire, J., McClanahan, T.R., Elasticity in ecosystem services: exploring the variable relationship between ecosystems and human well-being, Ecology and Society, vol.21, issue7, 2016