Trade-Offs Among Ecosystem Services and Disservices on a Florida Ranch

Abstract

How can we sustain ecosystem services and pro- ductivity on rangelands while avoiding strong, adverse ecological impacts?1 De ned as “the bene ts people obtain from ecosystems,” eco- system services are categorized as provisioning (e.g., food, ber, game harvest), regulating (e.g., ameliorating ood and drought, maintaining natural re regimes), cultural (e.g., sup- porting cultural practices of native peoples, distinctive cul- tures), and a fourth category of supporting services (e.g., net primary productivity, carbon sequestration, soil formation).2 Conversely, harmful ecological impacts such as excessive drainage, eutrophication, and introduction of invasive species are de ned as ecosystem disservices.3 Interdisciplinary ap- proaches are needed to evaluate trade-offs among ecosystem services and disservices and to consider trade-offs at spatial scales from local to regional to global.4 Further development of the ecosystem service concept in rangelands should con- sider the relative contributions of “goods” and “bads” and their in uence on ecosystem and economic resiliency.

DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v35i5_swain