ENHANCING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MAPPING WITH PRIMARY DATA: OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND NOVA SCOTIA’S MANAGED POLLINATION SERVICES CAPACITY

Abstract

Spatially explicit mapping of ecosystem services is a growing trend that shows potential as a decision-making tool. Using pollination services in Nova Scotia, Canada as a case study, this thesis had two primary goals: to investigate the impacts of incorporating field based primary data into ecosystem services mapping studies and to identify areas of the province best suited for hosting honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies. Results indicate field based data offers important insights that may be overlooked in remotely sensed data, and underscore the importance of matching the scale of data collection to the scale at which underlying biophysical processes driving ecosystem services occur. Building on these insights, the InVEST pollination model was used to identify areas of high quality land for honeybees. These results, when compared to the current distribution of colonies, indicate substantial opportunities for the province to host more colonies exist particularly in Colchester, Pictou and Inverness counties.