The Matrix: Assessing Ecosystem Services in Marine Protected Areas

Ecosystem services (ES) are the benefits that human obtain directly and indirectly from the ecosystems which contribute to their well-being. When developing an integrated management plan for a protected area, understanding the supply and demand of ES within is crucial.  ES supply is the capability of an area to offer ecosystem goods and services within a time, whereas ES demand is the ecosystem goods and services being consumed and used in the area over time.

A high level of demand exceeding the level of supply in an area may lead to unsustainable use of ecosystem goods and services.  Therefore, identifying the mismatches between ES supply and demand, and mapping the ES within the area could facilitate the evaluation of trade-offs and synergies associated with decision-making and management for natural resource use.

One approach to assess the ES has been proposed recently, which is the ES assessment matrix. It has been mostly used in European countries but remains to be utilised for the management of Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in tropical countries.

During the second Lunchtime Talk Series powered by PechaKucha which was held on 15 June 2021, Dr Lim Voon-Ching from the School of Science presented to the audience the ES assessment matrix which included the challenges of applying the matrix, solutions to the challenges and implications for the management of MPAs.