title: Science for the sustainable use of ecosystem services.
abstract: Sustainability is a key challenge for humanity in the 21st century. Ecosystem services-the benefits that people derive from nature and natural capital-is a concept often used to help explain human reliance on nature and frame the decisions we make in terms of the ongoing value of nature to human wellbeing. Yet ecosystem service science has not always lived up to the promise of its potential. Despite advances in the scientific literature, ecosystem service science has not yet answered some of the most critical questions posed by decision-makers in the realm of sustainability. Here, we explore the history of ecosystem service science, discuss advances in conceptualization and measurement, and point toward further work needed to improve the use of ecosystem service in decisions about sustainable development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Resource Sciences and McGill School of Environment, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada.
authors.forename: Elena M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.affiliation: Natural Capital Project, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaplin-Kramer
keywords: conservation; human impact; human wellbeing; sustainable development