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The authors are solely responsible for the content of this report. Material included herein does not represent the opinion of the European Community, and the European Community is not responsible for any use that might be made of it.
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Assuming that all these services have to be provided sustainably, the effect of optimizing structures and processes in function of a (set of) services on the long-term supply of the other services should be estimated. Unavoidably, any use of the estuary will have an impact. The challenge is to assess the risk of this impact to provoke system shifts which cannot be undone. This can only be achieved through building a comprehensive integrated model of the estuary, including quantitative data, verified indicators for ecological functioning and best available estimates, including uncertainties and knowledge gaps as risk factors. An illustrative backbone of such a conceptual model is shown in Figure 28.
From Figure 28, it is clear that all services depend on certain common key drivers, such as discharge and tidal water quantity, morphology, pollution and nutrient loads. These affect services directly, or indirectly by impacting on quality and amount of certain habitats, or with a time lag, when (use of) services impacts future conditions (gray arrows in Figure 28). Adopting a functional approach requires a comprehensive ecological understanding and threshold estimation based on empirical data, through the integration of existing models, data and expertise gathered in TIDE and present in other estuaries.
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How can public acceptance for management actions be increased?
How can the Ecosystem Services Approach be used to support management decisions?
How do TIDE estuaries deal with management problems?
How does habitat management affect the supply of ecosystem services?
How does the societal demand for ecosystem services vary along the estuary gradient?
What are the key areas of conflicts or synergies in TIDE estuaries?
What is important in establishing a zonation for estuaries?
Which aspects do I have to take into account in order to make a measure a success?
Which measures are suitable to achieve specific ecological targets?
Which measures are suitable to provide ecosystem services and benefits?
Which synergistic effects and conflicts can be expected by planning and implementing a certain measure?
“Working with nature”: What are the opportunities for sediment management in estuaries?
Ecosystem Service Assessment of TIDE Estuaries
Table of content
- 1. Summary
- 2. Introduction
- 2a. Ecosystem Services
- 2b. Ecosystem Services in Estuaries
- 2c. Key questions and general approach
- 3. TIDE ES - Assessment methodology
- 3a. From ES longlist to key ecosystem services
- 3b. Expert survey reliability: theory
- 3c. TIDE Survey methodology & reliability
- 4. Results: demand survey for ecosystem services in four EU estuaries
- 4a. Which are the key ecosystem services?
- 4b. Spatial aspects of ES demand
- 4c. Temporal aspects of ES demand
- 5. Supply of ecosystem services in four EU estuaries
- 5a. ES supply by habitats
- 5b. Determining conservation objectives with ES
- 5c. ES supply maps
- 5d. Functional ES supply
- 5e. Inter- and intra-estuarine ES supply patterns
- 5f. Habitat contributions to ES supply
- 6. Historical image of ES value
- 7. Trade-off risk assessment
- 8. Assessment of estuarine management measures
- 9. Ecosystem Services in TIDE: Conclusions
- 9a. Key question answers
- 9b. Future challenges
- 9c. Conclusion
- 10. Acknowledgements
- 11. References
Authors:
by Sander Jacobs, Wouter Vandenbruwaene, Dirk Vrebos, Olivier Beauchard, Annelies Boerema, Kirsten Wolfstein, Tom Maris, Sonja Saathoff and Patrick Meire
by Sander Jacobs, Wouter Vandenbruwaene, Dirk Vrebos, Olivier Beauchard, Annelies Boerema, Kirsten Wolfstein, Tom Maris, Sonja Saathoff and Patrick Meire
5d. Functional ES supply
Following the separate descriptions of structures and processes involved in supply of these ecosystem services, the many interactions and interdependences between them are clear (see also Figure 10). The services described in TIDE are final services, directly linked to benefits, as well as intermediate services, which regulate processes involved in provision of other services. However, these intermediate services can also have direct benefits. All services impact on the main structures and processes which determine the overall functioning of the system, while finally all services are more or less dependent on habitat and supporting functions.Assuming that all these services have to be provided sustainably, the effect of optimizing structures and processes in function of a (set of) services on the long-term supply of the other services should be estimated. Unavoidably, any use of the estuary will have an impact. The challenge is to assess the risk of this impact to provoke system shifts which cannot be undone. This can only be achieved through building a comprehensive integrated model of the estuary, including quantitative data, verified indicators for ecological functioning and best available estimates, including uncertainties and knowledge gaps as risk factors. An illustrative backbone of such a conceptual model is shown in Figure 28.
From Figure 28, it is clear that all services depend on certain common key drivers, such as discharge and tidal water quantity, morphology, pollution and nutrient loads. These affect services directly, or indirectly by impacting on quality and amount of certain habitats, or with a time lag, when (use of) services impacts future conditions (gray arrows in Figure 28). Adopting a functional approach requires a comprehensive ecological understanding and threshold estimation based on empirical data, through the integration of existing models, data and expertise gathered in TIDE and present in other estuaries.
Important to know
Reports / Measures / Tools
| Tool: | Ecosystem service trade-off risk tool (Decision support) |
|---|---|
| Tool: | Mapping tool for estuarine ecosystem service supply (Decision support) |
| Tool: | Survey tool for screening of estuarine ES demand and supply (Methodology) |
| Tool: | Defining Conservation goals based on Ecosystem Services in the Scheldt (Examples of good practice) |
Management issues
How can ecosystem services of estuaries be valued?How can public acceptance for management actions be increased?
How can the Ecosystem Services Approach be used to support management decisions?
How do TIDE estuaries deal with management problems?
How does habitat management affect the supply of ecosystem services?
How does the societal demand for ecosystem services vary along the estuary gradient?
What are the key areas of conflicts or synergies in TIDE estuaries?
What is important in establishing a zonation for estuaries?
Which aspects do I have to take into account in order to make a measure a success?
Which measures are suitable to achieve specific ecological targets?
Which measures are suitable to provide ecosystem services and benefits?
Which synergistic effects and conflicts can be expected by planning and implementing a certain measure?
“Working with nature”: What are the opportunities for sediment management in estuaries?