Connecting air quality regulating ecosystem services with beneficiaries through quantitative serviceshed analysis

In response to the growth of ecosystem services research, many concepts have emerged to understand how we connect ecosystem services with the human populations whom receive the benefits. Servicesheds are one of these emerging concepts and can be qualitatively described as the areas which provide ecosystem services to specific beneficiaries. Previous research lacks the use of mathematical, spatially-explicit models to connect beneficiaries with the ecosystem services that are provided to them by neighboring ecosystems. Working with an atmospheric dispersion model, CALPUFF, this research focuses on air quality regulating ecosystem services and specifically, dry deposition of gaseous pollutants. Multiple quantitative, reproducible, and spatially-explicit definitions of the serviceshed concept are proposed. The various definitions are dependent on the model's results for concentration and dry deposition values. To discuss the application of these quantitative serviceshed definitions, a case study is conducted for a biodiesel manufacturing site in Cincinnati, OH. The results of the proposed serviceshed definitions yield different and complimentary information for the air quality regulation services. The results of these spatially-explicit definitions yield maps with serviceshed boundaries, which can inform ecosystem restoration and management decisions.