Ecosystem services can be defined as the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. An ecosystem is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and the non-living environment functioning as a functional unit. Ecosystem services include products such as food, fuel and fibre; regulating services such as climate regulation and disease control; and non-material benefits such as spiritual or aesthetic benefits (UNEP 2004).

The state of a particular area of land can be measured in terms of its capacity to provide ecosystem services. Different ecosystems differ in the suite of services they provide. Ecosystems on agricultural and have been deliberately modified to enhance their capacity to provide products desired by society. In the Signposts for Australian Agriculture framework, the ‘state of agricultural land’ is subdivided into ‘capacity to produce food and fibre’ and ‘capacity to provide other ecosystem services.’ Three ‘other’ ecosystem services are specifically identified: biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration and cultural services (non-material benefits). Others are likely to be added as our understanding of ecosystem services increases.

Water- related ecosystem services are currently included within the ‘effects on the water cycle’ rather than under ‘state of agricultural land.’ This is in acknowledgement of the large and complex interactions between agriculture and water. Some agricultural industries are major modifiers of the water cycle extracting water from systems beyond the boundaries of their agricultural land and redistributing it in time and space as well as influencing the quality and quantity of water that flows from their land. This decision on the location of water-related ecosystem services within the overall component tree structure can be revisited at any time.

By regarding an agricultural industry as accountable for the a specific area of land, the ecosystems within it and hence the ecosystem services they provide, the Signposts framework provides a direct link between the evaluation of an industry’s contribution to ESD and the assessment of ecosystem health by initiatives such as the United Nations Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (UNEP 2004). In theory, combining results for the ‘state of agriculture lands’ component across all agricultural industries should provide the assessment sought by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment or State of Environment reporting.

References

UNEP (2004) Ecosystems and Human Well-being: A Framework for Assessment.

United Nations Environment Program- Millenium Ecosystem Assessment. Website: http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/products.aspx, Accessed 8/7/2004.