Rhodolith beds are complex marine habitats that sustain high biodiversity and provide a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), including habitat provision, fisheries support, and carbon cycling. However, despite their ecological relevance, these habitats remain underrepresented in ecosystem services accounting and marine management frameworks. This study proposes the application of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting – Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) as an operational framework for assessing the ecosystem services provided by rhodolith beds.

The proposed approach integrates ecological and spatial datasets to evaluate ecosystem extent and condition through habitat mapping techniques, including acoustic surveys and in situ observations. Indicators such as live rhodolith cover, structural complexity, and biodiversity indexes are used to characterize ecosystem condition. These biophysical accounts are then linked to provisioning, regulating, and cultural ecosystem services according to the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES).

The framework also incorporates the effects of major direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures, including bottom trawling, climate change, and pollution, on ecosystem condition and ecosystem services supply. This enables the identification of potential degradation pathways and supports the evaluation of management-related trade-offs. Organizing ecological information into standardized ecosystem accounts provides a consistent and spatially explicit assessment of ecosystem services.

Overall, this study highlights the potential of the SEEA-EA framework as a decision-support tool for integrating rhodolith beds into conservation policies and marine spatial planning. By providing a standardized assessment of ecosystem services, this approach supports evidence-based management and contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal ecosystems.