Grant Susie M, Hill Simeon L, Trathan Philip N, Murphy Eugene J
British Antarctic Survey , NERC , High Cross , Madingley Road , Cambridge CB3 0ET , UK.
Antarct Sci. 2013 Oct;25(5):603-617. doi: 10.1017/S0954102013000308. Epub 2013 Jun 12.
Ecosystem services are the benefits that mankind obtains from natural ecosystems. Here we identify the key services provided by the Southern Ocean. These include provisioning of fishery products, nutrient cycling, climate regulation and the maintenance of biodiversity, with associated cultural and aesthetic benefits. Potential catch limits for Antarctic krill ( Dana) alone are equivalent to 11% of current global marine fisheries landings. We also examine the extent to which decision-making within the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) considers trade-offs between ecosystem services, using the management of the Antarctic krill fishery as a case study. Management of this fishery considers a three-way trade-off between fisheries performance, the status of the krill stock and that of predator populations. However, there is a paucity of information on how well these components represent other ecosystem services that might be degraded as a result of fishing. There is also a lack of information on how beneficiaries value these ecosystem services. A formal ecosystem assessment would help to address these knowledge gaps. It could also help to harmonize decision-making across the ATS and promote global recognition of Southern Ocean ecosystem services by providing a standard inventory of the relevant ecosystem services and their value to beneficiaries.
生态系统服务是人类从自然生态系统中获得的益处。在此，我们确定了南大洋提供的关键服务。这些服务包括渔业产品供应、养分循环、气候调节以及生物多样性的维持，并伴有相关的文化和美学效益。仅南极磷虾（磷虾属）的潜在捕捞限额就相当于当前全球海洋渔业上岸量的11%。我们还以南极磷虾渔业的管理为例，研究了南极条约体系（ATS）内的决策在多大程度上考虑了生态系统服务之间的权衡。该渔业的管理考虑了渔业业绩、磷虾种群状况和捕食者种群状况之间的三方面权衡。然而，关于这些组成部分在多大程度上代表了可能因捕捞而退化的其他生态系统服务，缺乏相关信息。关于受益者如何评估这些生态系统服务，也缺乏相关信息。正式的生态系统评估将有助于填补这些知识空白。它还可以通过提供相关生态系统服务及其对受益者价值的标准清单，帮助协调南极条约体系内的决策，并促进全球对南大洋生态系统服务的认可。
