ural capitai, natural resource management the case for a bolistic research approach, which means that ecological, economic and institutional perspectives are inte- grated to produce insights into mid- to long-term human impacts on ecosystems and the welfare effects of management policies. The MA did not, however, deliver a fully operational method to implement the concept, which would assist policy makers and provide policy oriented researchens with sufficient dosis for taking provisioning of natural goods and services into account(Amnsworth et al. 200), As a result, the ecosystem service label is currently used in a range of studies with widely differing aims. This variation presents a problem for policy makers as well as researchers because it makes it difficult to assess the credibility of assessment results and reduces the comparability of studies. To strengthen the political relevance of the concept, we need to improve the scientific basis for its practical implementation(Ash et al 2010). uthors. Journal of Applied Ecology c 2011 British Ecological Society