Rethinking ecosystem service indicators for their application to intermittent rivers
Rethinking ecosystem service indicators for their application to intermittent rivers
In these times of strong pressure on aquatic ecosystems and water resources due to climate change and water abstraction, intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) (rivers that periodically cease to flow and/or dry) have become valuable assets. Indeed, not only do they supply water but they also offer services for humanity. Despite a growing recognition towards IRES, information for assessing their ecosystem services (ES) remains scarce. In a first step, an international interdisciplinary group of researchers developed a methodological framework to acknowledge ES provided by IRES using 109 indicators. A subset of selected ES indicators was then applied to two case studies: the Rio Seco in the Algarve (Portugal) and the Giofyros River in Crete (Greece). This paper discusses the applicability of these indicators, including the temporal and spatial variability of IRES flow regimes. Aspects of the framework, such as the methods and time required for data collection, the nature (demand or supply) and functionality of each indicator are discussed. The new framework accounts for flow intermittence in ES analyses and can help scientists and water managers to i) increase the ease and justification for IRES use in management approaches and ii) improve their conservation and restoration with a comprehensive set of appropriate indicators for IRES. In addition, the comprehensive nature of the proposed indicators ensures that they can be understood by a broad audience and easily applicable. Since they were designed through a public participation process, the setting has been prepared for holistic stakeholder analysis and education around IRES functions and associated ES. From a management point of view, it would be particularly relevant to perform an economic evaluation with this new framework to understand the value of each ES category and their trade-offs. For the scientific community, however, it is important to consider public preferences to design socially accepted policies. The proposed indicators can successfully bridge these elements, hereby establishing a solid basis for the assessment of ES provided by IRES.
Ecosystem services, Hydrological phases, Indicators, Intermittent rivers, Temporary rivers, River management, Flow regime
Pastor, A.V.
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Tzoraki, O.
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Bruno, D.
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Kaletova´,, T.
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Mendoza-Lera, C.
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Alamanos, A.
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Brummer, M.
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Datry, T.
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De Girolamo, A.M.
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Jakubínský, J.
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Logar, I.
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Loures, L.
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Ilh´eu, M.
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Koundouri, P.
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Nunes, J.P.
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Quintas-Soriano, C.
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Sykes, Tim
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Truchy, A.
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Tsani, S.
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Jorda-Capdevila, D.
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April 2022
Pastor, A.V.
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Tzoraki, O.
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Bruno, D.
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Kaletova´,, T.
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Mendoza-Lera, C.
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Alamanos, A.
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Brummer, M.
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Datry, T.
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De Girolamo, A.M.
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Jakubínský, J.
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Logar, I.
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Loures, L.
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Ilh´eu, M.
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Koundouri, P.
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Nunes, J.P.
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Quintas-Soriano, C.
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Sykes, Tim
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Truchy, A.
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Tsani, S.
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Jorda-Capdevila, D.
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Pastor, A.V., Tzoraki, O., Bruno, D., Kaletova´,, T., Mendoza-Lera, C., Alamanos, A., Brummer, M., Datry, T., De Girolamo, A.M., Jakubínský, J., Logar, I., Loures, L., Ilh´eu, M., Koundouri, P., Nunes, J.P., Quintas-Soriano, C., Sykes, Tim, Truchy, A., Tsani, S. and Jorda-Capdevila, D.
(2022)
Rethinking ecosystem service indicators for their application to intermittent rivers.
Ecological Indicators, 137 (108693), [108693].
(doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108693).
Abstract
In these times of strong pressure on aquatic ecosystems and water resources due to climate change and water abstraction, intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) (rivers that periodically cease to flow and/or dry) have become valuable assets. Indeed, not only do they supply water but they also offer services for humanity. Despite a growing recognition towards IRES, information for assessing their ecosystem services (ES) remains scarce. In a first step, an international interdisciplinary group of researchers developed a methodological framework to acknowledge ES provided by IRES using 109 indicators. A subset of selected ES indicators was then applied to two case studies: the Rio Seco in the Algarve (Portugal) and the Giofyros River in Crete (Greece). This paper discusses the applicability of these indicators, including the temporal and spatial variability of IRES flow regimes. Aspects of the framework, such as the methods and time required for data collection, the nature (demand or supply) and functionality of each indicator are discussed. The new framework accounts for flow intermittence in ES analyses and can help scientists and water managers to i) increase the ease and justification for IRES use in management approaches and ii) improve their conservation and restoration with a comprehensive set of appropriate indicators for IRES. In addition, the comprehensive nature of the proposed indicators ensures that they can be understood by a broad audience and easily applicable. Since they were designed through a public participation process, the setting has been prepared for holistic stakeholder analysis and education around IRES functions and associated ES. From a management point of view, it would be particularly relevant to perform an economic evaluation with this new framework to understand the value of each ES category and their trade-offs. For the scientific community, however, it is important to consider public preferences to design socially accepted policies. The proposed indicators can successfully bridge these elements, hereby establishing a solid basis for the assessment of ES provided by IRES.
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Accepted/In Press date: 14 February 2022
e-pub ahead of print date: 5 March 2022
Published date: April 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
The authors thank the SMIRES COST ACTION CA15113 from the European Cooperation in Science and Technology for funding part of this research and especially the research grant that AV Pastor received in 2017: STSM reference number: CA15113-41532 entitled « Assessment of ecosystem services of an intermittent river in the South of Portugal ». The authors also thank Cristina Viegas, municipality of Faro (PT), Cristina Veiga-Pires (University of Algarve), Marques Afonso (APA-ARH, Faro, Portugal), Miguel Rodrigues (CCV Alg, PT), Helena Correie (Centro de formacao profesionais de Faro, PT), Ines Monteiro (Field Portuguese translator to English) for the Rio Seco CS and Marinos Kritsotakis, Aggeliki Martinou and Ioanna Mari, Manolis Dretakis, Foukarakis Michalis - officer, Antonaki Anna - officer, Filipakis Dimitris, Dimosthenis Isaakiidis and Giannakakis Thanos for the Giofyros CS. Additional funding was obtained from the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, through funding attributed to the CE3C research center (UIDB/00329/2020). DB was supported by CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI) Síntesis de Datos de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (PTI-ECOBIODIV).
Funding Information:
The authors thank the SMIRES COST ACTION CA15113 from the European Cooperation in Science and Technology for funding part of this research and especially the research grant that AV Pastor received in 2017: STSM reference number: CA15113-41532 entitled « Assessment of ecosystem services of an intermittent river in the South of Portugal ». The authors also thank Cristina Viegas, municipality of Faro (PT), Cristina Veiga-Pires (University of Algarve), Marques Afonso (APA-ARH, Faro, Portugal), Miguel Rodrigues (CCV Alg, PT), Helena Correie (Centro de formacao profesionais de Faro, PT), Ines Monteiro (Field Portuguese translator to English) for the Rio Seco CS and Marinos Kritsotakis, Aggeliki Martinou and Ioanna Mari, Manolis Dretakis, Foukarakis Michalis - officer, Antonaki Anna - officer, Filipakis Dimitris, Dimosthenis Isaakiidis and Giannakakis Thanos for the Giofyros CS. Additional funding was obtained from the Portuguese Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, through funding attributed to the CE3C research center (UIDB/00329/2020). DB was supported by CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI) Síntesis de Datos de Ecosistemas y Biodiversidad (PTI-ECOBIODIV).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors
Keywords:
Ecosystem services, Hydrological phases, Indicators, Intermittent rivers, Temporary rivers, River management, Flow regime
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 473017
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/473017
ISSN: 1470-160X
PURE UUID: ab2467e3-d212-4e3c-9ce5-1be4b397cca4
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Date deposited: 06 Jan 2023 18:11
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 02:07
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Contributors
Author:
A.V. Pastor
Author:
O. Tzoraki
Author:
D. Bruno
Author:
T. Kaletova´,
Author:
C. Mendoza-Lera
Author:
A. Alamanos
Author:
M. Brummer
Author:
T. Datry
Author:
A.M. De Girolamo
Author:
J. Jakubínský
Author:
I. Logar
Author:
L. Loures
Author:
M. Ilh´eu
Author:
P. Koundouri
Author:
J.P. Nunes
Author:
C. Quintas-Soriano
Author:
A. Truchy
Author:
S. Tsani
Author:
D. Jorda-Capdevila
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