Ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation: an introduction to the RUBICODE project
The well-being of humans is integrally linked to the well-being of the other species with which we share the planet. There is now wide acceptance that if the current rate of loss of biological resources is continued, the result will be catastrophic for humankind within a few generations. This loss of species and genetic diversity decreases the resilience of ecosystems, but at the same time ecosystems are experiencing growing pressures from drivers such as climate change, land use change, pollution and invasive species. The challenge is to translate these threats to biodiversity into tangible and quantifiable factors which can be used by policy-makers to promote the development of flexible and effective conservation strategies. Increasing knowledge and awareness of the services provided by ecosystems, and the importance of conserving them for maintaining our own quality of life, can help to address this challenge. Ecosystem services are the benefits that people recognise as obtained from ecosystems. They support, directly or indirectly, their survival and quality of life (modified from the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005). They include provisioning services (e.g. food, fibre and water), regulating services (e.g. climate regulation and water purification), cultural services (e.g. recreation and aesthetic experiences), and supporting services which are needed for the production of all other ecosystem services (e.g. soil formation and nutrient cycling). Research on ecosystem services has grown dramatically since the review of the state of the world’s ecosystems and their ability to deliver services that benefit human wellbeing by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) (2005). The RUBICODE project (www.rubicode.net) built on the work reported by the MA to review and advance methodologies for assessing the state of Europe’s ecosystem services.