Contribution in an anthology

Appeared in: Environmental assessments in the Okavango region

Editor list: Odeland, J.; Erb, C.; Finck, M.; Jürgens, N.

Publication year: 2013

Pages: 185-193

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.7809/b-e.00274

Title of series: Biodiversity & ecology

Number in series: 5

Abstract: 

Trade-off analysis can be defined as an approach to natural resource management that incorporates multiple objectives for the management of a given area (and its resources) within a decision framework. The analysis of trade-off or synergetic relationships among multiple objectives for a given system is essential for the implementation of interdisciplinary (ecological, social and economic) research results into policy making. While research concerning trade-offs in ecosystem services (ESS) is still nascent, several types of trade-offs/synergies have already been investigated, including spatial trade-offs in the provision of ESSs, temporal trade-offs, trade-offs related to stakeholder values, as well as trade-offs between causally related ESSs (such as provisioning and regulating or supporting services), and trade-offs between economic, social and ecological objectives in land use. The last two types of trade-offs address directly the issue of sustainability. Methods of investigation aim at (1) the quantification of trade-offs/synergies using an array of tools borrowed from modeling, behavioral economics, econometrics, etc.… or/and (2) at ranking ESSs via e.g. multi-criteria analyses (MCA). The Future Okavango (TFO) research project intends to incorporate trade-off analysis in its assessment of ESS in order to support management decisions at the scale of the river basin in the Okavango region. It uses a variety of methods which complement one another and enable the incorporation of the concept of ESS into decision making. A description of the ESSs compared using trade-off analysis, as well as of the methods used and their interrelations constitutes the second part of the paper.

Harvard Citation style: Domptail, S., Nuppenau, E., Azebaze, N., Brown, L., Falk, T., Finckh, M., et al. (2013) Using trade-offs and synergies in ecosystem services for resource management, in Odeland, J., Erb, C., Finck, M. and Jürgens, N. (eds.) Environmental assessments in the Okavango region. Hamburg: BEE, pp. 185-193. https://doi.org/10.7809/b-e.00274

APA Citation style: Domptail, S., Nuppenau, E., Azebaze, N., Brown, L., Falk, T., Finckh, M., Große, L., Kowalski, B., Pöpper, M., Stellmes, M., & Overmann, J. (2013). Using trade-offs and synergies in ecosystem services for resource management. In Odeland, J., Erb, C., Finck, M., & Jürgens, N. (Eds.), Environmental assessments in the Okavango region (pp. 185-193). BEE. https://doi.org/10.7809/b-e.00274