Ecosystem services in agriculture: understanding the multifunctional role of invertebrates

Abstract

The ecosystem services concept was developed in the 1980s and 1990s to promote the understanding that nature is essential for human survival and well-being (Westman, 1977; Ehrlich & Mooney, 1983; Daily, 1997). Of course, this idea is not new. Humans have appreciated the benefits nature provides for millennia. However, incorporating the concept into modern science and developing meaningful ways to quantify and value ecosystem services has been complicated. There are also broad misconceptions about the concept. Although much of the lit- erature on ecosystem services has focused on economics and accounting systems, the concept is not simply about 'putting a price on nature'. As a conceptual framework, it has direct application to basic and applied research on species and systems that interact with humans. Quantifying how species and their interactions provide benefits to humans is a valuable way to inform biodiversity conservation programmes and sustainable production systems.