From biodiversity to health: Quantifying the impact of diverse ecosystems on human well-being

[摘要] 1. Ample evidence suggests positive effects of species diversity on ecosystemfunctioning and services in natural and agricultural landscapes. Less obvious andeven contested are the effects of such diversity on human well-being. This stateof art partly stems from methodological difficulties to evaluate and quantifythese effects and imprecise conceptual frameworks.2. Here we propose a conceptual framework that links different aspects of diversity, particularly species and genetic richness, to ecosystem functioning, ecosystem services and disservices, and different aspects of well-being. We reviewcurrent approaches for the study of diversity–well-being relationships and identify shortcomings and principle obstacles, mainly stemming from theoreticalpremises that are too imprecise.3. We discuss five basic methodological approaches to link diversity to well-being:matrix models, indirect inference, Price partitioning, structural equation modelling, and environmental inference.4. We call for a stricter terminology with respect to the different aspects of functioning, multifunctionality and well-being and highlight the need to evaluateeach step in the different pathways from diversity to well-being. A full understanding of ecological constraints on human well-being requires considerationof trade-offs in diversity effects, of contrasting perceptions of well-being, and ofecosystem disservices. We also call for appropriate long-term socio-ecological research platforms to gather relevant data about ecosystem functioning andwell-being across space and time.

[学科分类] 护理学

[关键词] diversity;ecosystem disservices;ecosystem services;matrix models;multifunctionality;statistical inference;structural equation modelling