Ecosystem Service Trajectories in Restored Coastal Habitats

Abstract

Ecosystem restoration is urgently needed to restore, maintain, or increase valued ecosystem services provided by natural habitats. However, the provision of services in restored habitats, in comparison to natural, undegraded habitats, and the time required for them to be generated, is uncertain. Here, for the first time in coastal (or to our knowledge, any) ecosystems, we systematically outline why and how to characterize pathways of ecosystem service recovery following restoration. Using real-world and theoretical examples, mainly from coastal habitats, we outline seven key components required to characterize ecosystem service trajectories. These components are the baseline rate and variability of ecosystem service provisioning, and the trend type, direction, rate, time to natural equivalence and variability of restored ecosystem service provisioning. These components provide novel insights into the development of ecosystem services and values over time, and their use can help in planning on-ground restoration projects and monitoring regimes, valuing ecosystem services, and determining restoration success.