A Catalogue of Ecosystem Services in Slovakia: Benefits to Society

Abstract

This book provides the first comprehensive assessment of ecosystem services (ES) for the territory of the Slovak Republic. Although the ES approach is widely used for the evaluation of the benefits of natural capital and biodiversity for people, this book has a unique character. It provides an assessment of 18 individual ES, which are divided into three main groups - provisioning, regulatory/supporting and cultural ES. For each of ES, a brief theoretical and methodological overview is given, followed by spatial assessment based on own original methodology and dataset of 40 map layers. Besides, an evaluation of main ES groups and overall ES assessment is realized. This book emphasizes the key role of nature protection areas, large areas of forest ecosystems and mountain and sub-mountain areas, for the preservation of the various functions of the healthy landscape and ecosystems. The complexity of the book guarantees its usefulness - not only as the knowledge base for the territory of Slovakia but also as the methodological tool for worldwide researchers.