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Enhancing Small-Medium IsLands resilience by securing the sustainability of Ecosystem Services: the SMILES Cost Action.

Authors :
Vogiatzakis, Ioannis Ν.
Balzan, Mario V.
Drakou, Evangelia G.
Katsanevakis, Stelios
Padoa-Schioppa, Emilio
Tzirkalli, Elli
Zotos, Savvas
Álvarez, Xana
Külvik, Mart
Fonseca, Catarina
Moustakas, Aristides
Martínez-López, Javier
Mackelworth, Peter
Mandzukovski, Dejan
Ricci, Liana
Srdjevic, Bojan
Tase, Mirela
Terkenli, Theano S.
Zemah-Shamir, Shiri
Zittis, George
Source :
Research Ideas & Outcome Journal; 11/23/2023, p1-14, 14p
Publication Year :
2023

Abstract

European islands are hotspots of biological and cultural diversity, which, compared to mainland, are more vulnerable to climate change, tourism development, uncontrolled landuse changes and the consequences of financial crisis. These drivers of change have increasingly resulted in severe impacts on socio-economic and environmental parameters. Projected climate, land-use and socio-economic change will impact on islands' biodiversity, ecosystem services and, in turn, on the quality of life of island inhabitants. Even if the existing methods can adequately predict the abovementioned changes of the larger islands, this is not the case for small and medium-size islands, where there is a need for refinement. Although ecosystem services (ES) assessments have been carried out worldwide in different geographical areas, islands are still under-represented. Despite the recognised islands' importance and vulnerability, efforts to date have focused solely on the pressures they face. Still, we know little about ES supply, flow and demand and their spatio-temporal variability, whilst integrated approaches that consider ES cross-island realms (terrestrial, marine and their interface) remain scarce. Even more underrepresented are studies that explore the telecoupled relationship amongst islands and their mainland counterparts. Moreover, the current conceptual approaches guiding ES mapping and assessment need further refinement to account for the complex manifestations of nature and culture arising from peoples' interaction with island spaces. This paper discusses the creation of a platform for coordinated interdisciplinary research on several aspects of mapping and assessment of ES in small and medium European islands in order to synthesise and strengthen the knowledge base for conservation of island realms and contribute to their sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
23677163
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Research Ideas & Outcome Journal
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
174432399
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.9.e116061