Data Release for Testing ecosystem accounting in the United States: A case study for the Southeast
Ecosystems benefit people in many ways, but these contributions do not appear in traditional national or corporate accounts so are often left out of policy- and decision-making. Ecosystem accounts, as formalized by the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Experimental Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA EEA), track the extent and condition of ecosystem assets and the flows of ecosystem services they provide to people and the economy. While ecosystem accounts have been compiled in a number of countries, there have been few attempts to develop them for the United States. We explore the potential for ecosystem accounting in the United States by compiling ecosystem condition and ecosystem services supply and use accounts for a ten-state region in the Southeast. The pilot accounts include information related to air quality, water quality, biodiversity, carbon storage, recreation, and pollination for selected years from 2001 to 2015. Results from our pilot accounts illustrate how ecosystem accounts information can contribute to policy and decision-making. Using an example for Atlanta, we also show how ecosystem accounts can be considered alongside other SEEA accounts, such as land and water accounts, to give a more complete picture of a local area's environmental-economic status. The process by which we determined where to place metrics within the accounting framework, which was strongly informed by the National Ecosystem Services Classification System (NESCS), can provide practical guidance for future ecosystem accounts in the U.S. and other countries, and for expanding the scope of U.S. ecosystem accounts. Finally, we identify knowledge and data gaps that limit the inclusion of certain ecosystem services in the accounts and suggest future research and data collection that can close these gaps and improve future ecosystem accounts in the U.S.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Title | Data Release for Testing ecosystem accounting in the United States: A case study for the Southeast |
| DOI | 10.5066/P9MF0K9X |
| Authors | Katie Warnell, Marc Russel, Charles R Rhodes, Kenneth J Bagstad, Lydia Olander, David J. Nowak, Rajendra Poudel, Pierre D Glynn, Julie L. Hass, Satoshi Hiribayashi, Jane Carter Ingram, John Matuszak, Kirsten L. Oleson, Stephen M. Posner, Ferdinando Villa, Zachary H Ancona |
| Product Type | Data Release |
| Record Source | USGS Digital Object Identifier Catalog |
| USGS Organization | Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center |
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Testing ecosystem accounting in the United States: A case study for the Southeast
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Testing ecosystem accounting in the United States: A case study for the Southeast
Ecosystem accounts, as formalized by the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting Experimental Ecosystem Accounts (SEEA EEA), have been compiled in a number of countries, yet there have been few attempts to develop them for the U.S. We explore the potential for U.S. ecosystem accounting by compiling ecosystem extent, condition, and ecosystem services supply and use accounts for a ten-state regAuthorsKatie Warnell, Marc J. Russell, Charles Rhodes, Kenneth J. Bagstad, Lydia P Olander, David J. Nowak, Rajendra Poudel, Pierre D. Glynn, Julie L. Hass, Satoshi Hiribayashi, Jane Carter Ingram, John Matuszak, Kirsten L. L. Oleson, Stephen M. Posner, Ferdinando Villa - Connect
Kenneth J. Bagstad, Ph.D.
Research EconomistEmailPhoneZach Ancona
Physical ScientistEmailPhone