Valuing wetland ecosystem services based on benefit transfer: A meta-analysis of China wetland studies

While wetlands contribute significantly to ecosystem services, their nature as a public good implies that the public sector, rather than the market, values their conservation, utilization, and trade-offs among various ecosystem services. Thus, the valuation of wetlands and their ecosystem services is important for policy makers. This study conducts a meta-analysis of valuation research on China’s wetlands based on 133 independent studies involving 146 cases published during 2000–2017. The study evaluates the weight of different factors in the existing valuation results, discusses the errors of benefit transfer, and applies the benefit transfer method to evaluate the ecosystem services of Yancheng wetland in Jiangsu province. The primary results are as follows. Wetland size influences wetland service valuation results most significantly. The value of all ecosystem services increases as wetland area increases with an average elasticity of 0.83. Factors such as economic and social development level, wetland type, research time, literature source, and valuation methods have impacts only on several individual service types. It is feasible to apply the meta-analysis results to benefit transfer. Compared with the per unit area value model, which is more stable in transfer errors, the wetland service value has better goodness of fit. Therefore,in conducting benefit transfer, the wetland service value models are suggested. •We conduct a meta-analysis of Chinese wetland valuation research during 2000–2017.•We determine important factors that may impact wetland valuation results.•Wetland size influences the wetland ecosystem service valuation results most.•Value of wetlands and ecosystem service functions rise as wetland area increases.•It is feasible to apply the meta-analysis results to benefit transfer.