Science paper set priorities for ecosystem research

Contact: Jessica A. Knoblauch, News Writer for Environmental Science and Policy Program: (517) 432-3823 or knoblau7@msu.edu

October 13, 2006

A massive research agenda is needed for improved management of ecosystem services to support sustainable and equitable growth in human well-being. That's the conclusion that team members came to after evaluating the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, an international work program designed to meet the needs of decision makers and the public for scientific information concerning the consequences of and options for responding to ecosystem change.

The results of that evaluation will appear in the October 13th edition of Science magazine, a leading journal of scientific research, global news and commentary. The paper is titled "Millennium Ecosystem Assessment: Research Needs."

Tom Dietz, director of the Environmental Science and Policy Program at Michigan State University and co-author of the paper, says that while the Millennium Assessment was based on the best available science, it also revealed important gaps in the scientific community's knowledge. "This paper, written by a team who were extensively involved in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, tries to highlight key gaps in our understanding where research could provide information we urgently need to advance human well-being," says Dietz.

According to the team's assessment, research priorities that are key to improved management of ecosystem services include: thresholds and non-linear responses, links between ecosystem services and human well-being, cross-scale effects, data gaps, analyses of policies, tradeoffs among ecosystem services, indirect drivers, effectiveness of institutional arrangements and valuation.

The paper concludes with the advisory statement that "the MA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) has provided a road map; now we need to start the journey."

The full paper can be found on the web at: http://www.environment.msu.edu/MA_Research_Priorities.pdf [179 KB, pdf]