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Glossary of terms

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(Actual) flow:

The match between ecosystem service (ES) potential and ES demand that corresponds to the use of ES flows. This is the assessment that fills the ES Supply and Use tables. The actual flow is assessed in both physical and monetary terms. It corresponds to the term ‘Ecosystem Service Use’.

Beneficiaries:

Economic units (according to the Statistical classification of economic activities in the European Community (NACE)) that obtain benefits.

Benefit:

The goods and services that are ultimately used and enjoyed by people and society (UN, 2021).

Economic units:

Entity engaged in economic activities and in transactions with other entities. They may be either households, or legal or social entities. In ecosystem service accounts economic unit are the users/beneficiaries of the ecosystem services

Economic valuation:

The process of expressing a value for a particular good or service in a certain context (e.g., of decision-making) in monetary terms (TEEB, 2010). In this report, economic valuation refers to the translation of biophysical model outcomes into monetary units.

Ecosystem accounting:

A spatially-based, integrated statistical framework for organizing biophysical and monetary information about ecosystem services and linking this information to measures of economic and human activity (adapted from UN, 2021).

Ecosystem accounting area:

The geographical territory for which an ecosystem account is compiled (UN, 2021).

Ecosystem assets:

Contiguous spaces of a specific ecosystem type characterized by a distinct set of biotic and abiotic components and their interactions ( UN, 2021).

Ecosystem capacity:

The ability of an ecosystem to generate an ecosystem service under current ecosystem condition, management and uses, at the highest yield or use level that does not negatively affect the future supply of the same or other ecosystem services from that ecosystem ( UN, 2021).

Ecosystem condition:

The quality of an ecosystem measured in terms of its abiotic and biotic characteristics (UN, 2021).

Ecosystem extent:

The size of an ecosystem asset in terms of spatial area ( UN, 2021).

Ecosystem service:

The contribution of ecosystems to the benefits that are used in economic and other human activity ( UN, 2021).

Ecosystem service demand:

The need for specific ecosystem services (ES) by society, particular stakeholder groups or individuals (Burkhard and Maes 2017). This assessment is not for filling Supply and Use table, but complementary accounting tables.

 Note: This definition is a novelty introduced by INCA.

Ecosystem service mismatch:

The mismatch between ecosystem service (ES) potential and ES demand. According to the type of ES, there can be three cases: 

  • The ES missed flow: The ES missed flow applies when a gap occurs between the whole ES potential and the ES actual flow (this case only applies when ES demand is the Global Society).
  • The ES overuse: The ES overuse applies when regeneration and absorption rates are exceeded.
  • The ES unmet demand: The ES unmet demand applies when there are no ecosystems to provide the ES that are needed by the ES demand.

This assessment is not for filling Supply and Use table, but complementary accounting tables.

Note: The definition and its specifications are a novelty introduced by INCA.

Ecosystem service potential:

Ecosystem contribution irrespective whether there is an ES demand or not (Burkhard and Maes 2017). It measures and map the supply from the ecosystem side that eventually becomes actual flow/use once it interacts with the ES demand. This assessment is not for filling Supply and Use table, but complementary accounting tables.

Note: This definition is a novelty introduced by INCA.

Ecosystem service types:

The set of abiotic and biotic components and their interactions. In addition to the conventional ecosystem type classification, it is possible to further conceptualise the different role played by ecosystems in delivering services:

  1. they can act as source of biomass (source-provision)
  2. they can absorb and store pollutants (sink)
  3. they could reduce the magnitude of flows (buffer)
  4. they can deliver information that does not modify the original state of the ecosystem (information).

Based on the ES types it is possible to establish whether there is the need for sustainable thresholds (La Notte et al, 2019).

Note: The identification of the ES types is a novelty introduced by INCA. This definition is mentioned in chapter 6 of SEEA EA.

Ecosystem service use:

The match between ecosystem service (ES) potential and ES demand that corresponds to the use of ES flows. This is the assessment that fills the ES Supply and Use tables. The use is assessed in both physical and monetary terms. It corresponds to the term ‘Actual flow’.

Ecosystem type:

A distinct set of abiotic and biotic components and their interactions ( UN, 2021).

Global society:

For overarching environmental targets such as Climate Change and Biodiversity loss, users of ecosystem services (ES) are beyond national borders. Global Society is an additional Economic Unit stated in the Use table to indicate the “pure public good” nature of specific ES.

Note: To insert “Global Society” in the Use table is a novelty introduced by INCA

Land cover:

The observed physical and biological cover of the Earth’s surface which  includes natural vegetation and abiotic (non-living) surfaces (UN, 2014a).

Users:

Actors (economic units and households) using the ecosystem service flow as primary recipients. In case there is no further transaction of the service flow, users correspond to  beneficiaries.