Assessment of ecosystem services provided by grasslands and grassland-based systems by indicators: a regional perspective
Abstract
The many ecosystem services that grasslands and grassland-based systems can provide should be better quantified in indicator systems. The MultiSward Indicator System (MIS) is inspired by the agri-environmental indicators of the European Commission (EC) calculated at country level. Its structure is based on the DPSIR framework. The MIS focuses on grassland-based ruminant systems. Its scope is thus more restricted than the agri-environmental indicator system of the EC but it tries to be compatible with this system. The work is based on data that are available within EC institutions. The MIS includes two lists: the first one is calculated per farm type for a selection of regions and includes 21 indicators, and the second one is calculated per region for the same selection (all farm types merged) and includes 45 indicators. The MIS should be considered as a pilot project. It should be extended in the future to all European Union regions.