Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services
Valuations of ecosystem services often use data on land cover class areal extent. Area estimates from land cover maps may be biased by misclassification error resulting in flawed assessments and inaccurate valuations. Adjustment for misclassification error is possible for maps subjected to a rigorou...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2015
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28877/ |
| _version_ | 1848793663785664512 |
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| author | Foody, Giles M. |
| author_facet | Foody, Giles M. |
| author_sort | Foody, Giles M. |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Valuations of ecosystem services often use data on land cover class areal extent. Area estimates from land cover maps may be biased by misclassification error resulting in flawed assessments and inaccurate valuations. Adjustment for misclassification error is possible for maps subjected to a rigorous validation program including an accuracy assessment. Unfortunately, validation is rare and/or poorly undertaken as often not regarded as a high priority. The benefit of map validation and hence its value is indicated with two maps. The International Geosphere Biosphere Programme’s DISCover map was used to estimate wetland value globally. The latter changed from US$1.92 trillion yr-1 to US$2.79 trillion yr-1 when adjusted for misclassification bias. For the conterminous USA, ecosystem services value based on six land cover classes from the National Land Cover Database (2006) changed from US$1118 billion yr-1 to US$600 billion yr-1 after adjustment for misclassification bias. The effect of error-adjustment on the valuations indicates the value of map validation to rigorous evidence-based science and policy work in relation to aspects of natural capital. The benefit arising from validation was orders of magnitude larger than mapping costs and it is argued that validation should be a high priority in mapping programs and inform valuations. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:03:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-28877 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:03:53Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-288772020-05-04T17:01:37Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28877/ Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services Foody, Giles M. Valuations of ecosystem services often use data on land cover class areal extent. Area estimates from land cover maps may be biased by misclassification error resulting in flawed assessments and inaccurate valuations. Adjustment for misclassification error is possible for maps subjected to a rigorous validation program including an accuracy assessment. Unfortunately, validation is rare and/or poorly undertaken as often not regarded as a high priority. The benefit of map validation and hence its value is indicated with two maps. The International Geosphere Biosphere Programme’s DISCover map was used to estimate wetland value globally. The latter changed from US$1.92 trillion yr-1 to US$2.79 trillion yr-1 when adjusted for misclassification bias. For the conterminous USA, ecosystem services value based on six land cover classes from the National Land Cover Database (2006) changed from US$1118 billion yr-1 to US$600 billion yr-1 after adjustment for misclassification bias. The effect of error-adjustment on the valuations indicates the value of map validation to rigorous evidence-based science and policy work in relation to aspects of natural capital. The benefit arising from validation was orders of magnitude larger than mapping costs and it is argued that validation should be a high priority in mapping programs and inform valuations. Elsevier 2015-03-01 Article PeerReviewed Foody, Giles M. (2015) Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services. Ecological Economics, 111 (March). pp. 23-28. ISSN 0921-8009 Remote sensing Map accuracy Misclassification bias Valuation error http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800915000166 doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.01.003 doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2015.01.003 |
| spellingShingle | Remote sensing Map accuracy Misclassification bias Valuation error Foody, Giles M. Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title | Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title_full | Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title_fullStr | Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title_full_unstemmed | Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title_short | Valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| title_sort | valuing map validation: the need for rigorous land cover map accuracy assessment in economic valuations of ecosystem services |
| topic | Remote sensing Map accuracy Misclassification bias Valuation error |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28877/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28877/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/28877/ |