18.4.2 Over-Exploitation of a Few Ecosystem Services
at the Expense of Others
Often, one or a few ecosystem services provided by natural ecosystems are overexploited and then the provision of other ecosystem services is reduced. This is
known as a trade-off across ecosystem services (Rodríguez et al. 2006). These
trade-offs can arise as a result of explicit management choices, but can also occur
without any awareness that a trade-off is taking place. Trade-offs between ecosystem services can occur both across space (when one ecosystem service is used
in one location, another is depleted somewhere else) (Pérez-Maqueo et al., submitted for publication) and over time (when the exploitation of one ecosystem
service negatively affects another ecosystem service in the future) (MendozaGonzález et al. 2012). Finally, some groups of ecosystem services are more frequently chosen over others. For instance, Rodriguez et al. (2006) found that
provisioning and regulating services are frequently preferred over supporting and
cultural services.
In the case of the beach and coastal dunes, direct explicit choices are made in
which the recreational, aesthetic, and protective functions are generally exploited,
at the expense of many other ecosystem services. That is, regulatory (storm protection) and cultural (recreational, aesthetic) services are the most frequently used
ecosystem services in the beach and coastal dunes. These trade-offs occur in space
and time. Spatially, when for instance the scenic beauty of the coast is chosen, then
urban infrastructure is developed and the potential for protection is lost along with
all the ecosystem services listed in Table 18.1. Urbanized coasts can become
‘‘deserts’’ with no natural plants or animals, and with a flat topography; these
systems are non-functional and offer zero ecosystem services, except for aesthetics
and recreation, although in a degraded system, even these are diminished. When
the beach and coastal dunes are damaged or lost, ecosystem services for the future
are also lost. Obviously, this is not the best possible scenario for the future. Ideally,
biodiversity and dynamism should be preserved, which in turn would help
maintain ecosystem services (Balvanera et al. 2001). Successful management
policies need to consider ecosystem service trade-offs on different spatial and
temporal scales (Rodríguez et al. 2006) and should aim to minimize the effects of
trade-offs.
18.5 Conclusions
Beaches and coastal dunes provide many ecosystem services to society of which a
few are excessively over-exploited. Such over-exploitation results in a degraded
and even lost natural ecosystem and, consequently, valuable ecosystem services
are also lost as well. In consequence, restoration efforts are becoming increasingly
necessary at increasingly high costs.
18 The Coasts and Their Costs
301
at the Expense of Others
Often, one or a few ecosystem services provided by natural ecosystems are overexploited and then the provision of other ecosystem services is reduced. This is
known as a trade-off across ecosystem services (Rodríguez et al. 2006). These
trade-offs can arise as a result of explicit management choices, but can also occur
without any awareness that a trade-off is taking place. Trade-offs between ecosystem services can occur both across space (when one ecosystem service is used
in one location, another is depleted somewhere else) (Pérez-Maqueo et al., submitted for publication) and over time (when the exploitation of one ecosystem
service negatively affects another ecosystem service in the future) (MendozaGonzález et al. 2012). Finally, some groups of ecosystem services are more frequently chosen over others. For instance, Rodriguez et al. (2006) found that
provisioning and regulating services are frequently preferred over supporting and
cultural services.
In the case of the beach and coastal dunes, direct explicit choices are made in
which the recreational, aesthetic, and protective functions are generally exploited,
at the expense of many other ecosystem services. That is, regulatory (storm protection) and cultural (recreational, aesthetic) services are the most frequently used
ecosystem services in the beach and coastal dunes. These trade-offs occur in space
and time. Spatially, when for instance the scenic beauty of the coast is chosen, then
urban infrastructure is developed and the potential for protection is lost along with
all the ecosystem services listed in Table 18.1. Urbanized coasts can become
‘‘deserts’’ with no natural plants or animals, and with a flat topography; these
systems are non-functional and offer zero ecosystem services, except for aesthetics
and recreation, although in a degraded system, even these are diminished. When
the beach and coastal dunes are damaged or lost, ecosystem services for the future
are also lost. Obviously, this is not the best possible scenario for the future. Ideally,
biodiversity and dynamism should be preserved, which in turn would help
maintain ecosystem services (Balvanera et al. 2001). Successful management
policies need to consider ecosystem service trade-offs on different spatial and
temporal scales (Rodríguez et al. 2006) and should aim to minimize the effects of
trade-offs.
18.5 Conclusions
Beaches and coastal dunes provide many ecosystem services to society of which a
few are excessively over-exploited. Such over-exploitation results in a degraded
and even lost natural ecosystem and, consequently, valuable ecosystem services
are also lost as well. In consequence, restoration efforts are becoming increasingly
necessary at increasingly high costs.
18 The Coasts and Their Costs
301