In the Mediterranean region, urbanisation is an important driver both of changes in land use and ecosystems, as well as of changes in population consumption patterns and service demand. The focus of urbanisation and ecosystem services is a trending topic, but studies rarely address the question of the transition and the sustainability of ecosystem services flows relatively to urbanisation dynamics.

This abstract focuses on preliminary assessments based on, in particular, the transition of rural to urban population the Mediterranean region and its impact spatial and temporal mismatches between ecosystem services supply and, as following step, our research will focus on ecosystem services demand.

Maps and statistical data from literature and accessible data sources were analysed to determine and assess five large urban areas in the Mediterranean basin (three in Europe and two in North Africa).

Additionally, the impact of urbanisation on regional ecosystem services supply was quantified based on land-use change over a period of sixteen years (1990-2006).

The methodology conducted in this research (urban areas selection, boundaries description, urban areas buffers, land-use change) and the results linked with relative land-use change and ecosystem services provision are showed in this poster.

The analyses of ecosystem service supply gave an impression of how urbanisation is likely changing the provision of ecosystem services and, as a next step, we will show how the demanded services depend on a regional supply.