A socio-ecological assessment of watershed ecosystem services in southern Patagonia

Background/Question/Methods

Increasing recognition among academics and decision makers of human-nature feedbacks has created a need to further consolidate theoretical and empirical frameworks and methods to facilitate a better understanding of these complex patterns and processes, as well as fully employing and testing existing proposals in real-world scenarios. Therefore, we used the Pulse-Press Dynamics (PPD) model to link social and ecological domains of ecosystems via ecosystem services (ES) and as a way to conduct an integrated social-ecological assessment of watersheds in the sub-Antarctic biome of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego (Chile and Argentina). Given that >90% of the region’s human inhabitants reside in cities, we measured the ability of four urban watersheds to provide local communities with high quality ES, specifically determining the provisioning of clean water by estimating aquatic indicators of biological integrity and quantifying phyisco-habitat variables in urban stream reaches compared to reference sites. Additionally, we evaluated the social perceptions of ES and watershed management from 277 general community members and 35 regional researchers and decision-makers (specialists) that influence the management of local natural resources. 

Results/Conclusions

Our findings showed that in spite of being identified as a remote and pristine wilderness area, southern South America’s human-inhabited areas are significantly impacting the ability of watersheds to provide ES, ultimately posing potential risks to the welfare of these communities. Additionally, we discovered that specialists and the general community share many similar values regarding ES, but at the same time specialists’ views did not capture the full diversity of values represented within the broader community. Both social groups perceived a lack of communication and access to basic scientific information in current management structures. Based on these results, we recommend a community-based approach be integrated into the watershed management framework to develop strategies that would better embody the diversity of ecosystem values that exist in these communities, while enhancing the science-society dialogue. Ultimately, by creating more locally-relevant and adaptive management structures in this region, it is hoped that ecosystem changes and their subsequent impacts to social and ecological well-being can be dealt with more effectively given the increasing pressures that these ecosystems are likely to face.