Biodiversity is integral to almost all ecosystem processes, with some species playing key functional roles that are essential for maintaining the value of ecosystems to humans. However, many ecosystem services remain nonvalued, and decisionmakers rarely consider biodiversity in policy development, in part because the relationships between biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services are not generally appreciated. To date, the majority of work in which the functional importance of biodiversity has been examined has been conducted in relatively species-poor systems. Focusing on forest and agroforest systems, we synthesize recent research on the role of biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services and provide examples of biodiversity science that informs ecosystem management and policy. Finally, we highlight barriers to the transfer of knowledge from scientists to decisionmakers and suggest that scientists can be much more effective at informing policy and improving resource management by asking policy-relevant questions and providing timely and consistent information to decisionmakers and the public on the linkages among biodiversity, ecosystem services, and their value to people.
How to translate text using browser tools
1 December 2011
Forest Biodiversity and the Delivery of Ecosystem Goods and Services: Translating Science into Policy
Ian D. Thompson,
Kimiko Okabe,
Jason M. Tylianakis,
Pushpam Kumar,
Eckehard G. Brockerhoff,
Nancy A. Schellhorn,
John A. Parrotta,
Robert Nasi
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
It is not available for individual sale.
This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
It is not available for individual sale.
BioScience
Vol. 61 • No. 12
December 2011
Vol. 61 • No. 12
December 2011
biodiversity
ecosystem services
forest management
natural resources policy
valuation
