The relation
ship between biodiver
sity and each eco
sy
stem
service or bundle of eco
sy
stem
service
s (e.g. win&minu
s;win, win&minu
s;lo
se or win&minu
s;neutral) i
s an active field of re
search that require
s structured and con
si
stent information. The application of that re
search for con
servation and deci
sion-making can be hampered by the ambiguity found in the definition of the nur
sery function under the eco
sy
stem
service per
spective. In thi
s paper, we review how the role of nur
sery habitat
s i
s included in the eco
sy
stem
service
s literature, covering conceptual, biophy
sical and economic reflection
s. The role of eco
sy
stem
s a
s nur
serie
s i
s mo
stly analyzed in coa
stal environment
s. The main ob
servation i
s that there i
s no con
sen
su
s on the con
sideration of the nur
sery function a
s a
service (e.g. which
specie
s or habitat
s) or on how to a
sse
ss it (e.g. which indicator
s or valuation method
s). After that review, we analyze three different interpretation
s given to the nur
sery function, namely the ecological, con
servationi
st and economic point of view; and we di
stingui
sh between different type
s of a
sse
ssment that may con
sider the nur
sery function.
spar0010">We conclude that the nursery function can be considered an ecosystem service on its own right when it is linked to a concrete human benefit and not when it is represented with indicators of general biodiversity or ecosystem condition. Thus, the analysis of the delivery of ecosystem services should be differentiated from the analysis of ecological integrity. Only with this distinction science may be able to quantify the link between biodiversity and ecosystem services and policy may be effective in halting biodiversity loss. Similar considerations could apply for other biodiversity constituents that may be treated as ecosystem services.