One Ecosystem's 2024 Editor's Choice Award

One Ecosystem has selected the winning research paper for its 2024 Editor's Choice Award: this is Optimising Marine Basic Spatial Units (MBSU) for Ocean Accounting using empirical data from Saleh Bay, Indonesia by authors Agavia Kori Rahayu, Risti Endriani Arhatin, Jordan Gacutan, Firdaus Agung, Jessica Pingkan, Annisya Rosdiana, and Irfan Yulianto. The journal gives the award annually to recognise outstanding contributions in ecology, and this year the chief editors selected the paper of Agavia Kori Rahayu and colleagues.
Using a case study of Saleh Bay, Indonesia, the study evaluates the impact of grid size and assignment methods for Marine Basic Spatial Units (MBSUs) to improve ocean accounting accuracy. The team observed that a larger grid size increased the error in the estimate of area, the inaccuracies. and the spatial configuration of ecosystem assets due to reduced data resolution. Their results “demonstrate the need to carefully consider grid size and method when designating basic spatial units for accounting activities, as they impact linked accounting tables and, in turn, have implications when providing information for management and policy.”
The work is part of Ecosystem Accounts, a One Ecosystem topical collection publishing ecosystem accounting tables.
“The contribution of Agavia Kori Rahayu et al. is a very good example of a practical application of the fairly new concept of the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounting – Environmental Accounting (SEEA EA). Ocean EA is a realm where not much work has been done yet, although oceans and adjacent coastal areas are covering the majority of the Earth's surface and provide multiple highly valuable ecosystem services to humankind. The study deals with challenging conceptual, methodological and data gap issues and suggests working solutions. The experience gained from the regional case study can be transferred to other areas and provide relevant information for environment-related decision-making,” says Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Benjamin Burkhard (Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany).
In recognition of this contribution, leading author Agavia Kori Rahayu will receive a voucher for a free publication in One Ecosystem.