Analysing the potential to restore the multi‐functionality of floodplain systems by considering ecosystem service quality, quantity and trade‐offs

Abstract

River floodplains are hotspots of productivity and biodiversity and recognized to fulfil vital ecosystem functions and services. Restoration measures of the decoupled Danube floodplains east of Vienna aim to re‐establish multi‐functionality, that is, ensure navigation, preserve and restore unique fluvial and riparian habitats and re‐establish natural processes and service provisioning. Side‐channels are proposed for reconnection combined with the removal of embankments and groins. We evaluated how a programme of measures influences the diversity and quantity of specific ecosystem services (ES) and therefore, the overall multi‐functionality of the floodplain compared to the current situation. Therefore, regulating ecosystem services (RES), such as nutrient retention and habitat provisioning, were modelled and predicted using multivariate regression models. Also, the potential of cultural ecosystem services (CES) was assessed based on mapping of recreational activities. The impact of proposed measures on ES quantity, that is, quantitative spatial representation, and quality, that is, biodiversity and nature experience, as well as potential synergies and trade‐offs were analysed. Our results show clear synergies especially for RES (habitat for the rheotopic community and nutrient retention) and the CES of nature experience. Those services have a weak and local trade‐off with the quantitative availability of opportunities for recreation. This pattern could only be detected by considering both, quantitative as well as qualitative aspects of ES. Overall, our results show that the restoration measures have a high potential to increase the multi‐functionality of the floodplain system by supporting the provisioning of RES including habitat for endangered species and selected CES.

Managing floodplains using nature‐based solutions to support multiple ecosystem functions and services

“…The high degree of biodiversity and level of primary productivity of floodplains exceed the production of either purely terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems (Tockner and Stanford, 2002). The dynamics and naturally high biodiversity of floodplains are responsible for their high multifunctionality (Meli et al, 2014;Funk et al, 2020). Focusing on the value of global ecosystem services, Costanza et al (1997) found that floodplains are the second best ranked ecosystem type, behind estuaries, in terms of their per hectare value to society.…”

Riverine landscapes: Challenges and future trends in research and management

“…Their study reveals trade‐offs between agricultural food production (provisioning ES) and most regulating and cultural ES, whereby the latter were positively affected by a low amount of arable land in the catchment and a large active floodplain area. Likewise, Funk et al (2021) observed strong synergies between regulating ES (biodiversity, nutrient retention) and specific cultural ES on a Danube floodplain east of Vienna. Trade‐offs existed between but also within ES categories, for example, between stagnotopic and rheotopic communities.…”

Freshwater systems and ecosystem services: Challenges and chances for cross-fertilization of disciplines

“…While there are several frameworks according to which landscape-level decisions could be made (optimization, e.g. according to pareto-optimal combinations of ES- Vallet et al 2018), within the ES-related topics, it is often multifunctionality that is promoted as the best solution (Sanon et al 2012;Funk et al 2020). Sensitive and protected areas might however not always be outstanding in terms of multifunctionality.…”

“…For example, reviews on riverine ES found only 69-89 studies across the past years (Hanna et al 2018;Kaval 2019), and 1026 studies for lake and wetland ES together (Xu et al 2018), while Reynaud and Lanzanova (2017) found 133 studies focusing solely on lake economic valuation. A systematic review on the assessment and conservation management in large floodplain rivers revealed that only 1.6% of the studies addressed ES , even though considering ES can be highly relevant when assessing the effects of river restoration as shown in the recent study by Funk et al (2020). On the other hand, a review of * 3.000 publications showed that many papers on ES were published in general environmental journals, or specific sectoral journals (forestry, agriculture, etc.…”