QGIS ESValuator Help

Plug-In Description

The QGIS EcoValuator provides a simple means of estimating the dollar value of ecosystem services, such as for recreation, water supply, food, and others. In the first step, the EcoValuator clips and attaches raster data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) to a user-supplied polygon or polygon layer and attaches a set of per-unit-area values based on the land cover type of each pixel. Output from this step includes a new raster including just the clipped data and a table of aggregate ecosystem service values (in dollars per year) for each land cover-and-ecosystem service combination. In second step the EcoValuator generates a raster for a chosen ecosystem service so that users can view the spatial variation in that service’s value across the study region. By repeating this step for other ecosystem services, the user can create a series of maps of different values that can be layered or stacked to show combined value for multiple services.

Step 1

National Land Cover Database 2011 (NLCD 2011) is the most recent national land cover product created by the Multi-Resolution Land Characteristics (MRLC) Consortium. NLCD 2011 keeps the same 16-class land cover classification scheme that has been applied consistently across the United States at a spatial resolution of 30 meters, and is based primarily on a decision-tree classification of circa 2011 Landsat satellite data.

Include: Common Errors and Solutions

I.e.

-Option for automatic CRS NLCD file?

Step 2

Ecosystem Services:

Aesthetics

Formation of landscapes that are attractive to people

Climate Regulation

Modulation of regional/local climate

Air Quality

Removal of contaminants from the air flowing through an ecosystem, including through filtration or decomposition

Cultural, Other

non-material benefits people obtain from ecosystems through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, and more, excluding recreation and aesthetics

Passive Use

Includes existence value of an ecosystem and the value of its future use for oneself or others

Energy

Resource utilization to produce renewable energy, specifically hydropower from open water

Protection from Extreme Events

Extreme weather events or natural hazards include floods, storms, tsunamis, avalanches and landslides. Ecosystems and living organisms create buffers against natural disasters, thereby preventing possible damage

Food/Nutrition

Ecosystems provide the conditions for growing food. Food comes principally from managed agro-ecosystems but marine and freshwater systems or forests also provide food for human consumption. Wild foods from forests are often underestimated.

Biodiversity

The process of genetic diversity across and within species

Raw Materials

Materials for construction and fuel including wood, biofuels and plant oils that are directly derived from wild and cultivated plant species.

Medicinal

Ecosystems and biodiversity provide many plants used as traditional medicines as well as providing the raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.

Recreation

Leisure and activity derived from ecosystems

Soil Formation

Process by which soil is created, including changes in soil depth, structure, and fertility

Erosion Control

Control of the processes leading to erosion, for example, by controlling the effects of water flow, wind, or gravity

Waste Assimilation

Removal of contaminants from the soil in an ecosystem, including through biological processes such as decomposition

Water Supply

Regulation of the flow, timing of flow, and purification of water.

Pollination

Contribution of insects, birds, bats and other organisms to pollen transport resulting in the production of fruits and seeds. May also include seed and fruit dispersal