Characteristics and Framework for Assessing Supply and Demand Relationship for Ecosystem Services Using a Trade-off and Synergy Lens

Abstract

Ecosystem services (ESs) are a pivotal interface between ecological and societal systems. Comprehending the balance between what nature offers and society demands is indispensable for fostering human prosperity. This study seeks to fill the gaps in existing knowledge, including inconsistencies in terminology, limited exploration of driving mechanisms, and the lack of a comprehensive management strategy framework in ES supply and demand research. The article comprehensively reviews the conceptual connotations and assessment methods related to ES supply and demand. The paper delves into the specific traits of studies examining the interplay between supply and demand, focusing on relationship identification, driving mechanisms, threshold effects and management strategies. And the review articulates a theoretical framework to examine the interplay of ES supply and demand as well as emphasises directions for further research. The results show that: (1) a unified definition for ES supply and demand has yet to be agreed upon. The critical part played by humans in ES supply is often neglected, and there is a corresponding scarcity of demand evaluations for such services. (2) Previous research has identified trade-offs and synergies, analysed underlying forces and threshold effects, and proposed management strategies for the dynamics between ES supply and demand based on quantitative assessment. (3) Prospectively, the beneficiaries need to be considered more. Additional research is required to explore in-depth the underlying processes of multi-scale ES supply and demand. Adaptive management provides opportunities for ecosystem management.