New publication in Ecosystem Services

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People share a whole lot of nature photos on social media: a day at the beach, a mountain hike, or a stroll through the woods. In theory, scientists can learn a lot about human-environment relationships from these images. Andrea Ghermandi, Fulvia Calcagni, Johannes Langemeyer and Uta Schirpke investigated just how suitable such social media images actually are for scientific analysis in a new review study published in the journal Ecosystem Services.

For the study, the authors analysed 218 scientific articles in which social media data was used to investigate cultural ecosystem services: non-material benefits we derive from and within nature, such as recreation, aesthetics or cultural heritage.

The results at a glance: what researchers should bear in mind in future

• Distinguish between benefits mentioned by users and those derived from the researchers’ interpretation
• Distinguish between ecosystem services and the benefits they generate
• Ensure that both ‘ecological’ and ‘use’ criteria are met
• Engage with related fields of research
• Address hybrid nature experiences

Read the paper