Ecological restoration programs and payments for ecosystem services as integrated biophysical and socioeconomic processes-China's experience as an example

Ecological restoration programs and payments for ecosystem services have both attracted broad academic and policy attention. While they are inherently linked and thus should be part of the integrated processes of ecosystem management, they have been largely pursued separately. The majority of restoration ecologists and socioeconomic scholars tend to dwell in their own “comfort zone” and concentrate on different, disciplinary facets of the same issues. However, this situation is not conducive to the accomplishment of their common cause. The objective of this paper is to make a case for more effective efforts in integrating ecological restoration programs and payments for ecosystem services and thus more substantive interdisciplinary collaboration in the science and practice of ecological restoration and ecosystem service provision. To that end, the relevant research developments and bodies of literature are carefully reviewed, and China's recent experience and lessons in retiring and converting degraded cropland extensively presented. It is hoped that these efforts will highlight the challenges and opportunities in the current state of affairs and convince scientists in different disciplines to work together in better and more broadly integrated research of ecological restoration programs and payments for ecosystem services.

► We argue that ecological restoration programs and payments for ecosystem services should feature linked social-ecological systems. ► A survey of the literature and an illustration with China's experience in converting degraded cropland are used to highlight our view. ► We call for ecologists, economists, and other scholars to work together in truly integrated assessment. ► It is essential to have more interdisciplinary collaboration in the science and practice of ecosystem restoration and management.