Partition of some key regulating services in terrestrial ecosystems: Meta-analysis and review.
Our knowledge about the functional foundations of ecosystem service (ES) provision is still limited and more research is needed to elucidate key functional mechanisms. Using a simplified eco-hydrological scheme, in this work we analyzed how land-use decisions modify the partition of some essential regulatory ES by altering basic relationships between biomass stocks and water flows. A comprehensive meta-analysis and review was conducted based on global, regional and local data from peer-reviewed publications. We analyzed five datasets comprising 1348 studies and 3948 records on precipitation (PPT), aboveground biomass (AGB), AGB change, evapotranspiration (ET), water yield (WY), WY change, runoff (R) and infiltration (I). The conceptual framework was focused on ES that are associated with the ecological functions (e.g., intermediate ES) of ET, WY, R and I. ES included soil protection, carbon sequestration, local climate regulation, water-flow regulation and water recharge. To address the problem of data normality, the analysis included both parametric and non-parametric regression analysis. Results demonstrate that PPT is a first-order biophysical factor that controls ES release at the broader scales. At decreasing scales, ES are partitioned as result of PPT interactions with other biophysical and anthropogenic factors. At intermediate scales, land-use change interacts with PPT modifying ES partition as it the case of afforestation in dry regions, where ET and climate regulation may be enhanced at the expense of R and water-flow regulation. At smaller scales, site-specific conditions such as topography interact with PPT and AGB displaying different ES partition formats. The probable implications of future land-use and climate change on some key ES production and partition are discussed.
INTA, EEA Anguil, Grupo de Investigaciones en Gestión Ambiental (GIGA), Av. Spinetto 785, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; INCITAP-CONICET, Ruta 35, km 335, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; UNLPam, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Av. Uruguay 151, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina. Electronic address: evigliz@cpenet.com.ar.
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Viglizzo
CONICET, Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, San Luis, Argentina; Grupo de Estudios Ambientales IMASL, Ejército de los, Andes 950, 5700 San Luis, San Luis, Argentina.
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Jobbágy
INCITAP-CONICET, Ruta 35, km 335, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina; UNLPam, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Av. Uruguay 151, 6300 Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina.
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Ricard
Laboratorio de Análisis Regional y Teledetección, Departamento de Métodos Cuantitativos Sistemas de información, Facultad de Agronomía and IFEVA, Universidad de Buenos Aires and CONICET, Av. San Martín 4453, 1417 Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Paruelo
D018533:Biomass; D057965:Carbon Sequestration; D057231:Climate Change; D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem; D012987:Soil; D014867:Water
D012987:Soil; D014867:Water
Biomass stock; Eco-services; Ecological functions; Scale-dependent control; Topography; Water pathways