Some Basic Issues in Ecosystem Services Research

servicesrefer to the goods and services that the ecosystem provides for us. They include food, water, air, minerals, raw materials and the processes that purify air and water as well as sequester or break down wastes. Ecosystem services link the functioning of ecosystem to human well-being. Ecosystem services research has become more and more important with the progress of science technology and the increasing degradation of environment over the past decade. Some basic issues in ecosystem services research, including the definition and classification, main characteristics, the supply, demand and use, and the valuation of ecosystem services were explored in this paper. The results indicate that: 1) The termecosystem servicehas been defined differently in literatures. The academic circle has different understandings about ecosystem services since they are defined in terms of their benefits to people. Therefore, a clear definition and implication relevant to the specific context should be presented in ecosystem services research; 2) Ecosystem services are the sources of human well-being. Ecosystem services have several key characteristics such as complexity, scale features, public-private goods aspect and benefit dependence, which are very important for the measuring, simulating, valuing and managing of the services; 3) The supply, demand and consumption of ecosystem services are three key points that link ecosystems and human well-being. They are of great importance to both ecological conservation and social equity. Integrated study on those three points must be carried out to form sound ecosystem management decisions; 4) The value of ecosystem services is viewed and expressed differently by different disciplines, cultural concepts, philosophical views and schools of thought. It mainly includes utilitarian value, ecological value, socio-cultural value and intrinsic value. And integration of the spatial dimension of ecosystem services in local decision-making would increase the potential for realizing the true value of these services.