Loss of ecosystem services and the decapitalization of nature in El Salvador

Abstract

Land use change can reduce the wealth and wellbeing of a nation by modifying its biodiversity. We used value transfer methodology to estimate changes in the value of ecosystem services provided by natural ecosystems in El Salvador, a country particularly impacted by natural disasters. Ecosystem services (1998-2011) provided annually only by natural ecosystems declined by 2.6%, and are equal to 44% of El Salvador's GDP in 2011. Changes in services provided by tropical forests account for 90% of those losses, followed by 9% for coastal wetlands. However, sensitivity analysis of changes per biome revealed that changes for coastal wetlands are much more elastic than for tropical forests, emphasizing the severity that further losses in coastal wetlands may incur. Forests reduce soil erosion and landslides while coastal wetlands reduce hurricane damages. Focusing conservation efforts towards these ecosystems could reduce the occurrence of natural disasters, but their services should be complemented by those generated in the agricultural matrix during forest and mangrove resurgence.