基于"要素-服务-产品"框架的水生态产品分类及价值实现路径OA

A crucial step toward developing ecological civilization and turning natural resources into financial gains is recognizing the value of aquatic ecological products.However,current research and practice face numerous systemic challenges.First,the conceptual definition of aquatic ecological products remains ambiguous,with frequent conflation of ecological elements,services,and final products,leading to unclear accounting objects.Second,existing classification systems often rely on single attributes,resulting in overlapping categories and poor alignment with valuation methods and realization pathways.Third,valuation techniques are often incompatible with product characteristics.For instance,the same technique is used for both public-good services like water conservation and water supply,which have unambiguous property rights,leading to overestimation or market failure.Fourth,there is no systematic framework to match realization pathways with product types;instead,pathways such as government compensation,market trading,and industrial operations are developed separately.The lack of an analytical framework that incorporates the full value chain from ecological endowment to finished product is the primary cause.This study proposes a unified conceptual framework that enables classification,valuation,and pathway selection for various types of aquatic ecological products. Literature review and theoretical deduction,as the primary methods,were used to represent the value-generation logic of aquatic ecosystems;we developed a three-level conceptual framework of"elements-services-products"based on the ecosystem service cascade model and property rights theory.The framework divides the value chain into three layers:(1)the element layer,which includes the material endowment and structural foundation(e.g.,water bodies,aquatic organisms,hydropower potential);(2)the service layer,which includes regulating and supporting services(e.g.,water conservation,water purification,flood regulation);and(3)the product layer,which represents the final outputs that humans can directly use or consume.According to the dominant generation pathway,aquatic ecological products are classified into three types:element-dependent products(derived directly from the element layer,such as raw water and hydropower),service-transformed products(derived from the service layer,such as stable base flow and clean water quality),and experience-integrated products(developed through industrialization based on the first two types,such as water-based tourism and ecological brands).An integrated accounting system based on the"classification-indicators-methods"framework is created,defining functional and value indicators for each product type.Corresponding valuation methods are assigned:the direct market method for element-dependent products,the substitute market method for service-transformed products,and the simulated market method for experience-integrated products.Finally,differentiated value realization pathways are proposed,drawing on domestic and international practices,including watershed compensation,water rights trading,and eco-industrial development.The proposed framework clearly distinguishes three product types and outlines clear pathways for value realization.For element-dependent products(e.g.,water supply,hydropower,aquatic agricultural products),the direct market method using market prices is most appropriate.Their value is best realized through direct market transactions and property rights transfers,as exemplified by water rights trading and resource consolidation platforms such as Fujian Province's"Water Ecological Bank".The substitute market method,particularly the replacement cost method,is appropriate for service-transformed products(e.g.,water conservation,flood regulation,water purification),using functional indicators such as water retention volume and pollutant purification capacity.Their value realization should begin with government-led ecological compensation(e.g.,the Xin'an River cross-provincial compensation)and gradually transition to market-based ecological credit trading,as demonstrated by the U.S.wetland mitigation banking system.For experience-integrated products(e.g.,water-based tourism,premium real estate,branded aquatic products),the simulated market method(e.g.,travel cost method,willingness-to-pay method)together with the market value method is applicable.Their value realization is based on industrial operations and green finance instruments such as"water rights loans"and eco-industry integration models like EOD(Ecology-Oriented Development).The framework provides a coherent theoretical basis for linking product attributes,valuation techniques,and realization pathways. This study introduces a novel conceptual framework"Elements-Services-Products"that clarifies the value-generation logic of aquatic ecological products and resolves confusion among ecological endowments,functions,and final outputs.Classifying products into three types enables systematic matching of valuation methods and realization pathways,thereby addressing the core problems of methodological mismatch and pathway detachment.The integrated system of classification,indicators,methods,and pathways provides useful guidance for policy formulation,market mechanism development,and regional application.Future research should focus on empirical validation across diverse watersheds,improving accounting precision through big data and remote sensing,designing institutions for property rights and ecological credit standards,and integrating ecology,economics,management,and law.This framework facilitates the transition from conceptual analysis to mechanism design to realize the value of aquatic ecological products.