ARTICLE
TITLE

Assessment of ecosystem services provided by a periurban basin of Queretaro (Mexico)

SUMMARY

Human activities have an impact on the environment and on the capacity of ecosystems to provide ecosystem services. In this research, ecosystem services of a periurban microbasin of Querétaro are evaluated and mapped in order to generate a panorama of the potential supply and its association with the demand that inhabitants could have. Fifteen local ecosystem services were analysed. For decision makers they could allow to implement shortand medium-term measures in topics such as risk management and adaptation to climate change. The biophysical evaluation carried out is based on an evaluation based on expert knowledge and the application of a survey to recognize the most demanded services. Eight types of ecosystems were analyzed to evaluate all the ecosystem services in a general way. Then, four local ecosystem services were selected, representative of each type of service (provision, regulation and cultural) to map them through GIS. The results show the different capacities that the ecosystems of the El Nabo microbasin have to provide ecosystem services, and in spite of the fact that the supply of some ecosystem services in the area with natural ecosystems is greater than the demand, the urban area has a high deficit of services and this surplus of supply is insufficient to cover the needs demanded by the inhabitants. Having maps of potential supply, demand and balance of the ecosystem services represents an important contribution for future applications and serves as a basis for the proposal for payments for ecosystem services that is beingdiscussed in México.

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