Ecosystem services provided by urban ponds and green spaces: a detailed study of a semi-natural site with global importance for research

Abstract

Ponds and the adjacent green spaces are an important part of urban blue-green Infrastructure (BGI) and contribute to a number of ecosystem services, including alleviation of flood risk, amelioration of climatic fluctuations, and improvement of runoff water quality, as well as biodiversity and amenity values. Multiple benefits associated with urban ponds have only recently started to be appreciated, and examples of in-depth interdisciplinary insights remain rare. This paper gives an account of the ecosystem services provided by Blackford Pond, a semi-natural water body located within a nature reserve and nominated as a site globally important for scientific research. Despite elevated levels of polluting substances and eutrophication, the overall species richness of the site is high and the biodiversity of the locality is enhanced by the ecotone effect. The diversity of available plant hosts and substrates appears to benefit the fungal community and the abundance of aquatic invertebrate fauna appears to benefit the higher trophic levels. Hydrological modelling clearly shows that the pond increases the flood resilience of the surrounding area, despite not having been designed as a drainage feature. The application of the Natural Capital Planning Tool (NCPT) also reveals higher values (in relation to the values of amenity grassland) of such ecosystem services categories as biodiversity (+4.76 per hectare), aesthetic values (+4.67), flood risk regulation (+0.41), air quality (+0.28), local (+0.6) and global (+0.14) climate regulations. The discussion highlights a number of trade-offs among different ecosystem services (e.g. water quality vs. diatom research value, flood resilience vs. air quality and carbon capture, biodiversity of ectomycorrhizal vs. lichenised fungi), and considers which of the multiple benefits provided by the site may have not been fully reflected in NCPT calculations or the economic estimates obtained using contingent valuation (e.g. effects on hydrology, water quality, wildlife corridors, education and research value). The simultaneous consideration of biodiversity, hydrology, water chemistry and amenity, education, research and other values presented in this paper contributes towards a better understanding of the ecology and overall functioning of urban ponds, and helps to increase appreciation of their benefits and promote their public acceptability and further implementation.

Environmental and Social Benefits of Extensive Green Roofs Applied on Bus Shelters in Edinburgh

“…Runoff water quality is important for the health and functioning of downstream ecosystems [101][102][103][104], but has not been explicitly accounted for in our calculations. When air pollutants such as NOx or PM are deposited on impervious surfaces, they are taken up by rainwater runoff ending in surface water, underground water and water bodies [105].…”

Urban ecosystem services and climate change: a dynamic interplay

“…Altered temperature and precipitation patterns influence urban vegetation yields, leading to heat stress and reduced productivity (Cârlan et al, 2020;Kabisch et al, 2021). This stress affects fish and aquatic plants in urban ponds, impacting aquaculture yields and water-related food production (Hill et al, 2017;Pagliaro and Knouft, 2020;Krivtsov et al, 2022). Changes in precipitation cause drought or excessive rainfall, affecting urban and peri-urban food production and water resources (Forkuor and Cofie, 2011;Sabiiti et al, 2014).…”

Addressing the trophic status in urban ponds: An evaluation of current trophic state indexes

“…Also, aquatic biodiversity can be threatened due to habitat fragmentation (Sawade, 2022). In spite of this, there is evidence that, when adequately managed, urban ponds can reach similar biodiversity values to those of non-urban areas (Oertli & Parris, 2019) and, together with their adjacent terrestrial environments, can achieve a considerable amenity value (Krivtsov et al, 2022).…”

“…Freshwater blue spaces (rivers, streams, shallow lakes, ponds) represent key environments in the urban landscape as they are beneficial for the citizens' health and well‐being (McDougall et al, 2022; Miró et al, 2018; Mitroi et al, 2022), and have high ecological value showing a positive impact on biodiversity (Hassall, 2014; Krivtsov et al, 2022; Oertli & Parris, 2019; Zamora‐Marín et al, 2021). In particular, urban ponds are often numerous and can act as refuges for threatened species, stepping stones for the migration of different organisms (Blicharska & Johansson, 2016; Hassall et al, 2016) allowing the movement of individuals and genes (Miró et al, 2018).…”

“…Notwithstanding their well‐manifested relevance regarding the provision of services to humans (e.g. aesthetic value, water purification, sediment trapping, water flow, environmental education and leisure activities) and their contribution to biological conservation (Krivtsov et al, 2022), ponds are generally understudied and neglected by wildlife and water managers (Cornea et al, 2016; Mitroi et al, 2022; Zamora‐Marín et al, 2021). Also, in spite of the high ecological and cultural values of these blue spaces, they are strongly threatened (O'Brien et al, 2016; Zamora‐Marín et al, 2021) and little is known about how to enhance their appropriate management (Hassall et al, 2016; Mitroi et al, 2022).…”