While the concept of ecosystem services which links biodiversity to human wellbeing, is by now well-known, its translation into actual management decisions is still uneven. African Biosphere Reserves, which are to be living labs for sustainable development, embody the idea of synergies between people and nature. Gaining knowledge about the provision, the use and the trends of ecosystem services in these reserves is essential to ensure their global change-proof management. The diversity of rapidly evolving ecosystem services assessment tools requires a systematic and informed selection, in order to ensure that prospective tool users select the most adequate tool, aligned to their needs and context. Based on a Delphi survey of future tool users, and on a review of ecosystem services assessment tools, we propose guidance to users to select the most suited tool based on the context of African Biosphere Reserves, and on tool requirements regarding data input, necessary skills, outputs and types of ecosystem services addressed. The use of the Delphi survey and the focus on African Biosphere Reserves are new elements that contribute to the theory and practice of ecosystem services assessment.

虽然将生物多样性与人类福祉联系起来的生态系统服务的概念目前已广为人知，但将其转化为实际管理决策的观点仍然不均衡。非洲生物圈保护区将成为可持续发展的活实验室，体现了人与自然之间协同增效的想法。了解这些保护区中生态系统服务的提供，使用和趋势的知识对于确保其全球防变化管理至关重要。快速发展的生态系统服务评估工具的多样性要求系统地，明智地进行选择，以确保准工具的使用者根据自己的需求和背景选择最合适的工具。基于对未来工具用户的Delphi调查，以及对生态系统服务评估工具的回顾，我们建议用户根据非洲生物圈保护区的背景以及有关数据输入，必要技能，产出和所处理生态系统服务类型的工具要求，选择最适合的工具。德尔菲调查的使用以及对非洲生物圈保护区的关注是有助于生态系统服务评估理论和实践的新要素。