Ecosystem Service Potentials and Their Indicators in Postglacial Landscapes: Assessment and Mapping

Ecosystem Service Potentials and Their Indicators in Postglacial Landscapes: Assessment and Mapping provides valuable guidance for anyone involved with ecosystem service potential monitoring, use and management―from landscape ecologists and environmental managers, to policymakers and environmental economists. The book highlights effective measurement tools for evaluating the overall potential of ecosystem services from multiple perspectives. Beginning with an introduction to ecosystem services and the theoretical assumptions and objectives associated with their assessment, the book goes on to outline interdisciplinary methods of evaluation and analysis that are fully supported and illustrated throughout using an insightful case study focused on Wigry National Park.

A range of different spatial reference units are also discussed, followed by chapters on both analytical and synthetic approaches to identifying service supply potential. In addition, the use of services and the impact of these uses on the assessment of potential is included, along with a discussion of the future shape of ecosystem service assessment.

• Outlines a transdisciplinary, holistic approach to assessing the overall potential of ecosystems and landscapes to support different ecosystem services
• Proposes a range of direct, indirect, simple and complex measurement indicators for multifaceted estimation and mapping
• Presents tools and guidelines to help shape effective decision-making processes in nature conservation and environmental planning

Dr Affek is an Assistant Professor at the Stanislaw Lescycki Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization where he takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human-environment relationships. His research interest include landscape ecology (patterns, processes and social perception), ecosystem services (potentials, pollination service, bumble bees), dynamics of spatial structures, and landscape transformation and the persistence of former land systems the Polish Eastern Carpathians.He is also interested in varied research methodologies, including modeling of relationships, phenomena and processes, statistical analysis of spatial data, psychometrics and surveys, Historical GIS (HGIS) and airborne and terrestrial laser scanning (LiDAR).

Professor Degórski has been Director General of the Stanisław Leszczycki Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization since 2010. His research interests include pedogenesis, properties and erosion of soil cover, landscape structure, methodology and comprehensive geography. He has won many awards for his work, including the President's Award for his work on forest ecosystems, and is a member of numerous scientific societies, committees, working groups and international advisory boards (including the European Integrated Monitoring of the Environment Task Force). Professor Degórski has presented his work at major international symposia and conferences across the globe, has sat on a number of editorial boards, and acts as both an editor-in-chief and reviewer for a range of international publications.

Dr Wolski leads the GIS and Cartography Workgroup at the Stanislaw Lescycki Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization. His research interests include: issues relating to areas deserted by population, transformations of rural landscapes, persistence of former spatial systems, environmental (biotic and abiotic) effects of changes in form and intensity of anthropogenic influences, methodology of interdisciplinary approach, the use of GIS tool and archival maps in environmental and historical research studies and Terrestrial Laser Scanning.

Jerzy Solon is a Professor in the Geographical Information Systems and Cartography Team at the Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization of the Polish Academy of Sciences, where he was the Head of Doctoral Studies from 2010-2015. With interests in landscape ecology and ecological-landscape indicators, ecology of plants and phytosociology, he has received multiple awards for both his scientific work, and his social and environmental activities. He has been particularly involved with producing protection plans for numerous national parks and ecologically important sites, was Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Polish Association of Landscape Ecology between 2007-2013, and has worked with teams around the world. Outside of work, Prof Solon’s interests include fishing and photography.

Dr Kowalska is an Assistant Professor at the Stanislaw Lescycki Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization where her research interest focus on geobotany, changes in plant communities, human activities in river valleys, geographic information system (GIS), nature protection and ecological education. In addition to her education and research, Dr Kowalska was a member of the Nature Protection Guard in the Masocia Landscape Park, and has given many lectures at primary and grammar schools as part of the Festival of Science.