Ecosystem services as a tool for decision-making in Patagonia.

PL PERI; L NAHUELHUAL; G MARTÍNEZ PASTUR

Ecosystem Services in Patagonia: A Multi-criteria approach for an integrated assessment

Springer

Lugar: Cham; Año: 2021; p. 1 - 17

The Patagonia region that lies within two countries (12% in Chile and88% in Argentina) has some of the most extensive wilderness areas in the planet(forests, shrublands, grasslands, and wetlands), as well as many low affectedcoastal-marine ecosystems. However, this ?last frontier of capitalism? has started toexperience the simultaneous expansion of the green and blue growth sectors, withunknown consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services (ES) and livelihoods.In this chapter, we (i) present a conceptual framework for the sustainable managementof the natural ecosystems in Patagonia that guides the chapters of this bookand (ii) highlight the importance of the ES approach for better decision-making.Our conceptual framework starts from a non-dichotomous conception of the relationshipsbetween society and ecosystems. This determines a socio-ecosystem composedby a biophysical, economic-productive and socio-political-culturalsub-system. One major challenge in Patagonia is that ES are often unrecognized andundervalued and, therefore, ignored in market transactions, government policiesand land and ocean management practices. In this context, this book aims to highlightthe multiple ES provided by Patagonian ecosystems, their relation to ecosystems?functioning, how they sustain human well-being and the threats they aresubjected to.