Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador
Ecosystem services (ES) refer to the benefits that people obtain from the ecosystem. In this sense, <i>Prunus serotina</i> is associated with the provision of ES; however, these services have been scarcely studied. The objective of this research was to determine the knowledge and percept...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Land |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/5/1086 |
| _version_ | 1797599431857537024 |
|---|---|
| author | Juan Carlos Carrasco Baquero Luis Felipe Lema Palaquibay Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez Verónica Caballero-Serrano Rachel Itle Dario J. Chavez |
| author_facet | Juan Carlos Carrasco Baquero Luis Felipe Lema Palaquibay Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez Verónica Caballero-Serrano Rachel Itle Dario J. Chavez |
| author_sort | Juan Carlos Carrasco Baquero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ecosystem services (ES) refer to the benefits that people obtain from the ecosystem. In this sense, <i>Prunus serotina</i> is associated with the provision of ES; however, these services have been scarcely studied. The objective of this research was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of individuals in rural areas regarding the importance of ES, as well as the factors that influence them. Surveys were applied in three study areas (Chimborazo, Tungurahua, and Cotopaxi) of the central Andes of Ecuador that detailed the sociodemographic and perception characteristics of ES based on the predefined ES of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA). In the assessment, the interview data were analyzed to obtain the relationships between the variables using Spearman’s correlation in the R-studio software. The results showed that individuals’ level of education, age, and gender play an important role in variations in peoples’ knowledge of ES. A total of 21 ES were identified; the most representative services, according to their ecosystem category, were support (shelter for birds and insects and soil formation), provisioning (food, insecticide, wood, and firewood), regulation (improvement in the quality of air and climate regulation), and culture (scenic beauty and the maintenance of traditions). This analysis of the social perception of ES works as a strategy for the maintenance of <i>Prunus serotina</i> in the orchards and plots of families in the central Andes of Ecuador. The identification of ES through the social perception of their existence facilitates an understanding of the importance of ES in rural localities, which lays the foundation for strategies to be developed in the future for their conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:34:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4e0ed3e37ffe4ab3a3aba8a27e3cda89 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-445X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:34:20Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Land |
| spelling | doaj.art-4e0ed3e37ffe4ab3a3aba8a27e3cda892023-11-18T02:07:47ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2023-05-01125108610.3390/land12051086Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of EcuadorJuan Carlos Carrasco Baquero0Luis Felipe Lema Palaquibay1Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez2Verónica Caballero-Serrano3Rachel Itle4Dario J. Chavez5Faculty of Natural Resources, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH), Riobamba 060155, EcuadorCAPULI—Investigation Project, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo, Ecuador & Investigation Institute, Riobamba 060155, EcuadorFaculty of Natural Resources, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH), Riobamba 060155, EcuadorFaculty of Natural Resources, Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH), Riobamba 060155, EcuadorDepartment of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30229, USADepartment of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30229, USAEcosystem services (ES) refer to the benefits that people obtain from the ecosystem. In this sense, <i>Prunus serotina</i> is associated with the provision of ES; however, these services have been scarcely studied. The objective of this research was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of individuals in rural areas regarding the importance of ES, as well as the factors that influence them. Surveys were applied in three study areas (Chimborazo, Tungurahua, and Cotopaxi) of the central Andes of Ecuador that detailed the sociodemographic and perception characteristics of ES based on the predefined ES of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA). In the assessment, the interview data were analyzed to obtain the relationships between the variables using Spearman’s correlation in the R-studio software. The results showed that individuals’ level of education, age, and gender play an important role in variations in peoples’ knowledge of ES. A total of 21 ES were identified; the most representative services, according to their ecosystem category, were support (shelter for birds and insects and soil formation), provisioning (food, insecticide, wood, and firewood), regulation (improvement in the quality of air and climate regulation), and culture (scenic beauty and the maintenance of traditions). This analysis of the social perception of ES works as a strategy for the maintenance of <i>Prunus serotina</i> in the orchards and plots of families in the central Andes of Ecuador. The identification of ES through the social perception of their existence facilitates an understanding of the importance of ES in rural localities, which lays the foundation for strategies to be developed in the future for their conservation.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/5/1086social perceptionecosystem services<i>Prunus serotina</i>sociodemographiccapuliAndes |
| spellingShingle | Juan Carlos Carrasco Baquero Luis Felipe Lema Palaquibay Carlos Renato Chávez Velásquez Verónica Caballero-Serrano Rachel Itle Dario J. Chavez Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador Land social perception ecosystem services <i>Prunus serotina</i> sociodemographic capuli Andes |
| title | Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador |
| title_full | Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador |
| title_fullStr | Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador |
| title_short | Social Perception of the Ecosystem Services of <i>Prunus serotina</i> subsp. <i>capuli</i> in the Andes of Ecuador |
| title_sort | social perception of the ecosystem services of i prunus serotina i subsp i capuli i in the andes of ecuador |
| topic | social perception ecosystem services <i>Prunus serotina</i> sociodemographic capuli Andes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/5/1086 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juancarloscarrascobaquero socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador AT luisfelipelemapalaquibay socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador AT carlosrenatochavezvelasquez socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador AT veronicacaballeroserrano socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador AT rachelitle socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador AT dariojchavez socialperceptionoftheecosystemservicesofiprunusserotinaisubspicapuliiintheandesofecuador |