Progress in ecosystem services research: A guide for scholars and practitioners

Abstract The study of ecosystem services enables the understanding of the services that ecosystems provide at the landscape level by explaining the relationship between natural capital, ecosystem services, and human wellbeing. The limited number of studies summarizing important themes and approaches used in this area constrain the ability of scholars and practitioners to initiate or incorporate ecosystem services in their own domains of research. This paper develops a structured process that traces efforts in this domain of knowledge and proposes a systematic review of key themes and approaches that have developed over the last 40 years. Further, this study identifies emerging and dominant areas of interest in the field. Key themes represent underlying meanings or ideas widely used in the ecosystem services field and includes trending or rising topics. Approaches include tools, frameworks, perspectives and management strategies to analyze, assess, and quantify ecosystem services. Analyses showed that, among key themes, conservation of biodiversity and landscape planning had the most activity and interest. Among approaches, economic valuation showed the highest levels of activity, while conceptual framework was the most cited. This review paper contributes a guide to progress in ecosystem service research and provides a comprehensive understanding of its evolution and development.