Method for the quantitative evaluation of ecosystem services in coastal regions
Tomonari Okada,
Yugo Mito,
Erina Iseri,
Toshiyuki Takahashi,
Takanori Sugano,
Yoshihiro B. Akiyama,
Kenta Watanabe,
Toko Tanaya,
Hiroaki Sugino,
Kanae Tokunaga,
Takahiro Kubo,
Tomohiro Kuwae
Affiliations
Tomonari Okada
Marine Environment Division/Coastal, Marine and Disaster Prevention Department, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Yokosuka, Japan
Yugo Mito
Fukken Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan
Erina Iseri
Marine Environment Division/Coastal, Marine and Disaster Prevention Department, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Yokosuka, Japan
Toshiyuki Takahashi
Fukken Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan
Takanori Sugano
Fukken Co., Ltd., Hiroshima, Japan
Yoshihiro B. Akiyama
Marine Environment Division/Coastal, Marine and Disaster Prevention Department, National Institute for Land and Infrastructure Management, Yokosuka, Japan
Kenta Watanabe
Coastal and Estuarine Environment Research Group, Port and Airport Research Institute, Yokosuka, Japan
Toko Tanaya
Coastal and Estuarine Environment Research Group, Port and Airport Research Institute, Yokosuka, Japan
Hiroaki Sugino
Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Kanae Tokunaga
Ocean Alliance, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Takahiro Kubo
Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan
Tomohiro Kuwae
Coastal and Estuarine Environment Research Group, Port and Airport Research Institute, Yokosuka, Japan
Wetlands, tidal flats, seaweed beds, and coral reefs are valuable not only as habitats for many species, but also as places where people interact with the sea. Unfortunately, these areas have declined in recent years, so environmental improvement projects to conserve and restore them are being carried out across the world. In this study, we propose a method for quantifying ecosystem services, that is, useful for the proper maintenance and management of artificial tidal flats, a type of environmental improvement project. With this method, a conceptual model of the relationship between each service and related environmental factors in natural and social systems was created, and the relationships between services and environmental factors were clarified. The state of the environmental factors affecting each service was quantified, and the state of those factors was reflected in the evaluation value of the service. As a result, the method can identify which environmental factors need to be improved and if the goal is to increase the value of the targeted tidal flat. The method demonstrates an effective approach in environmental conservation for the restoration and preservation of coastal areas.
