Scholarly record

URBAN ECOSYSTEMS FUNCTION AND SERVICES. CHALLENGES WITH REGARD TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Mila Chilikova-Lubomirova

Abstract

Urban ecosystems function and maintenance are closely connected to the humans being, their interests and activities. As a result in many cases are observed serious anthropogenic works, causing a significant impact on the natural processes and conditions. Consequently urban ecosystem services become more specific, requiring more individual approaches for the related processes clarification and assessments. The understanding of such implementation recently is under a broad extension. Practices in the area widely increased. Various new procedures are proposed and developed. In help of the professionals in area this material is focused on the role of environment in ecosystem services concerning urban territories. For clarification purposes main related features are briefly presented focusing on principal actors and their role into the on-going processes. Most applicable practices and approaches are briefly presented, focusing on the environmental aspects and needed for their performance and processing indicators, data and information. Considering recent trends for their mapping and the huge variety concerning their type and form in the material is proposed implementation of an Ecosystem Services Information System. Its general structure and operational specifics with respect to the ecosystem services assessments purposes are briefly presented. Main benefits and challenges concerning related processes are generally clarified accounting the realistic perspectives for such realization.

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