The impact of restoration of Lithuanian peatlands on the economic value of certain ecosystem services

IF 3.9 2区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ECOLOGY

Ecological Engineering Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107475

Gintarė Sujetovienė, Giedrius Dabašinskas

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to assess spatial and temporal changes in the economic values of ecosystem services provided by Lithuanian peatlands and to assess the benefits of restoring drained peatlands in comparison to the costs. Lithuania has lost about 75 % of its peatlands, most of which are drained fens (74 %), and most of which remain intact were raised peatlands (65 %). Forestry and agriculture were the main drivers of peatland loss. The examined ecosystem services provided by undrained peatlands, compared to drained ones, were mainly related to climate and water flow regulation, waste management, biodiversity, and recreation. Based on this selection of ecosystem services (ES), the value of intact peat ecosystem services is $1336 million per year. Undrained peatlands, occupying less than half the area of drained peatlands, provide twice as many benefits in terms of ES as drained ecosystems. If these drained peatlands were restored by 2050, they would account for $4006 million per year. A cost-benefit analysis has shown that the benefits outweigh the costs, making restoration efforts economically justifiable. More effective management measures could achieve a balance between the use of these ecosystems and the benefits they provide to human well-being.

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来源期刊

Ecological Engineering 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

8.00

自引率

5.30%

发文量

293

审稿时长

57 days

期刊介绍： Ecological engineering has been defined as the design of ecosystems for the mutual benefit of humans and nature. The journal is meant for ecologists who, because of their research interests or occupation, are involved in designing, monitoring, or restoring ecosystems, and can serve as a bridge between ecologists and engineers. Specific topics covered in the journal include: habitat reconstruction; ecotechnology; synthetic ecology; bioengineering; restoration ecology; ecology conservation; ecosystem rehabilitation; stream and river restoration; reclamation ecology; non-renewable resource conservation. Descriptions of specific applications of ecological engineering are acceptable only when situated within context of adding novelty to current research and emphasizing ecosystem restoration. We do not accept purely descriptive reports on ecosystem structures (such as vegetation surveys), purely physical assessment of materials that can be used for ecological restoration, small-model studies carried out in the laboratory or greenhouse with artificial (waste)water or crop studies, or case studies on conventional wastewater treatment and eutrophication that do not offer an ecosystem restoration approach within the paper.