The function of biodiversity for different social actors

PÉREZ HARGUINDEGUY, NATALIA; DÍAZ, SANDRA; CÁCERES, DANIEL; DIVERSUS COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH GROUP

Hyderabad

Conferencia; Towards Integrated Science, Assessments and Monitoring for the Rio Conventions. Rio Conventions Pavillion at the X Conference of Parties; 2013

Rio Conventions Pavillion

We do know that biodiversity is not only a response variable being deeply affected by human actions, but also an active factor of global change. This is because biodiversity underpins key ecosystem benefits (or services) to society, directly or indirectly through its effect on ecosystem properties. We also know that not all components of biodiversity are equally important for different ecosystem benefits, and there is a pressing need to demonstrate WHETHER and how different benefits to society relates different components of biodiversity, and how THESE COMPONENTS are affected by global change.until very recently, there were not many operational tools to assess, in an integrated way the links between biodiversity, ecosystem processes and the benefits to different social actors. And this has been our main contribution to the scientific and science-policy interface. We have developed a conceptual framework and practical tools for the integrated assessment functional biodiversity and its value to different sectors of society in Latin America (Aichi Target 1). We can conclude that knowing that not all components of biodiversity are equally important for different ecosystems properties and benefits has direct implications in designing biodiversity monitoring strategies. Equally fundamental is to understand what aspects of biodiversity are useful to different social actors with different, and often conflicting, views and priorities on ecosystem benefits.