Economic Evaluation of Posidonia oceanica Ecosystem Services along the Italian Coast

This study reports the quantification and analysis of the ecosystem services (ESs) value of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (1813) meadows in Italy (Liguria, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia, and Sicily regions). The ES evaluation method of P. oceanica meadows applied in this stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2022-01, Vol.14 (1), p.489
Main Authors: Scanu, Sergio, Piazzolla, Daniele, Bonamano, Simone, Penna, Marina, Piermattei, Viviana, Madonia, Alice, Manfredi Frattarelli, Francesco, Mellini, Simone, Dolce, Tania, Valentini, Riccardo, Coppini, Giovanni, Fersini, Giorgio, Marcelli, Marco
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Bioremediation
Carbon sequestration
Climate change
Coastal management
Coasts
Density
Economic aspects
Economics
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Environmental economics
Food
Food production
Geographic information systems
Geography
Gross domestic product
Marine ecosystems
Marine environment
Modularity
Natural resources
Oxygen production
Posidonia oceanica
Regions
Standard deviation
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Summary:This study reports the quantification and analysis of the ecosystem services (ESs) value of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile (1813) meadows in Italy (Liguria, Tuscany, Latium, Campania, Calabria, Apulia, Sardinia, and Sicily regions). The ES evaluation method of P. oceanica meadows applied in this study was obtained from a previous study in which the site-specific approach for the definition of the benefits and services was applied. The distribution of P. oceanica and the ESs economic value have been managed through an open-source geographic information system (QGIS), focusing on five essential ESs: carbon sequestration, bioremediation, oxygen production, erosion protection, and food production. The average value of the ESs obtained on the Italian national scale is €21,660.5 ha−1 yr−1, which is comparable with the values reported in the international literature concerning P. oceanica ESs. The results of this study confirm that the economic evaluation of ESs is an essential tool for the management of the coastal marine environment, especially considering the modularity of the applied approach. The value of the total benefits, considering the entire extension of the national P. oceanica meadows, represents significant value with respect to the Italian gross domestic product, and the individual budgets of the considered Italian regions.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su14010489