Ecosystem services and disservices related to the presence of wild boar in Avellino province, Italy

The study consists of three phases distributed over 4 years of observation, and demonstrates that wild boar not only generates ecosystem disservices but also provides measurable ecosystem services. In the first phase, population size was estimated within a representative study area using integrated census methods. Concurrently, the presence of biodiversity elements listed in the Standard Data Forms of Natura 2000 sites within the study area was verified. The second phase involved the construction of a comprehensive dataset including both negative and positive impacts attributable to wild boar activity. In the third phase, these data were processed and evaluated using SimaPro software to perform a structured ecosystem services and disservices assessment. Ecosystem disservices were quantified as agricultural damage (€429,300) and road traffic accidents (€25,000). Ecosystem services were estimated as hunting-related revenue (€214,639.40) and cultural ecosystem benefits (€427,560). Overall, the balance between services and disservices indicated a net positive value of €187,899.40 of ecosystem services, although the habitat and biodiversity component could not be quantified. These findings highlight the importance of adopting a multi-level valuation approach for agroecosystems, demonstrating that wild boar populations generate both costs and benefits that should be jointly considered in sustainable wildlife management and ecosystem service assessment frameworks.