Germany’s Ecosystem Services – State of the Indicator Development for a Nationwide Assessment and Monitoring

By

Grunewald, Karsten
Syrbe, Ralf-Uwe
Walz, Ulrich
Richter, Benjamin
Meinel, Gotthard
Herold, Hendrik
Marzelli, Stefan

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2017-7-6

Original Publication

One ecosystem : ecology and sustainability data journal

Volume

2

Pages

1--18

Subjects

Biodiversity , CICES-classification , ecosystem condition , flood protection , MAES-framework , Soil erosion , urban green space , wood accrual

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/oneeco.2.e14021

 

Abstract

The obligations of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2020 are generating a need to create national maps and monitoring systems for the state of biodiversity and ecosystem services (ES) on the basis of indicators. The paper gives an overview of the ecosystem services indicators being developed for Germany in the context of ongoing research projects. Additionally, it provides the indicator specifications, which are aligned with the EU MAES framework concepts (initiative on Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services).<br> We illustrate aspects of data selection, calculation and negotiation procedures, results and target values in general and by way of examples. The German indicator-based approach presents measures and sums up ES in their spatial expression and temporal change and compares them with objectives. As far as possible, this is carried out according to the demand-supply concept. A prioritization of ES classes to be processed was carried out in the framework of an expert-based assessment. The results indicated that 21 of the 48 CICES classes (Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services) were most relevant for Germany in recent years. We proposed a total of 51 indicators, of which 14 indicators for 4 ES classes were accepted, implemented and published by the end of 2016. The development of ES maps and the indicator-based assessment on a national scale is a process. Consequently, the necessary further steps are shown.