Trends in ecosystem service research: early steps and current drivers

Abstract

Over the past 50 years, human beings have influenced ecosystems more rapidly than at any similar time in human history, drastically altering ecosystem functioning. Along with ecosystem transformation and degradation, a number of studies have addressed the functioning, assessment and management of ecosystems. The concept of ecosystem services has been developed in the scientific literature since the end of the 1970s. However, ecosystem service research has focused on certain service categories, ecosystem types, and geographical areas, while substantial knowledge gaps remain concerning several aspects. We assess the development and current status of ecosystem service research on the basis of publications collected from the Web of Science. The material consists of (1) articles (n = 353) from all the years included in the Web of Science down to the completion of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and (2) more recent articles (n = 687) published between 2006 and 2008. We also assess the importance of international processes, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Kyoto Protocol and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, as drivers of ecosystem service research. Finally, we identify future prospects and research needs concerning the assessment and management of ecosystem services.

Fig. 1

Number of publications by ecosystem service category

Fig. 2

Number of publications by ecosystem type

Fig. 3

Number of publications by target area (a) and by geographical area of researcher affiliation (b)

Fig. 4

Accumulation of ecosystem service studies and timing of background processes: Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), Kyoto Protocol (Kyoto), Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), Johannesburg World Summit of Sustainable Development (WSSD) and launch of EU emission trade. Pie chart depicts proportions of studies by search term (* indicates truncation of term)