Cultural ecosystem services can be correlated with bio-physical variables using geo-tagged digital images in forested landscapes of Southern Patagonia

MARTÍNEZ PASTUR G.; PERI P.L.; LENCINAS M.V.; GARCÍA-LLORENTE M.; MARTÍN LÓPEZ B.

Tartu

Conferencia; IUFRO Landscape Ecology Conference; 2015

IUFRO

Developing methodological approaches that spatially and explicitly address the social importance of cultural ecosystem services (CES) is needed for regional planning, but few studies have analysed their distribution on the basis of social perceptions. The objective was to identify CES hotspots and factors that characterize such hotspots, by defining spatial associations between CES in Southern Patagonia (Argentina). We used geo-tagged digital images that local people and visitors posted in the Panoramio web platform to identify hotspots of four CES (aesthetic value, existence value, recreation and local identity) and related these hotspots with sociobiophysical landscapes features. Aesthetic value was the main CES tagged by people, followed by the existence value of biodiversity, local identity, and recreational activity. The spatial distribution of these CES is associated with different socio-biophysical characteristics, such as the presence of water bodies, vegetation types, protected areas, urbanization, accessibility and tourism potential. The employed methodology allows us to define hotspots for different CES and to determine the socio-biophysical characteristics associated with their provision, according to specific particularities in the studied regions.