Gaps in the protection of European lakes

Abstract

Protected areas represent the main tool for halting the continuing loss of biological diversity. The number and extent of protected areas is gradually increasing, but this expansion does not always ensure the efficient protection of key species, habitats, and ecosystem functioning. Today, the Natura 2000 network encompasses more than 27 000 sites, representing the cornerstone of conservation strategies throughout Europe. About one‐fifth of the terrestrial surface of the European Union (EU) is now covered by the Natura 2000 network; yet, knowledge remains limited about its efficiency to encompass inland water ecosystems sufficiently. This study aimed to determine the extent to which the Natura 2000 network covers 5132 European lakes that host fish species and freshwater lake habitat types of conservation interest. A key question investigated was whether the protection coverage of the water bodies reflects the coverage of the terrestrial areas surrounding the lakes. Geographical, socio‐economic, and political parameters were considered as potential descriptors of the observed patterns. The results demonstrated that although most of these sensitive ecosystems have high protection coverage at water body level, Natura 2000 largely ignores their surroundings. At the catchment level, lower conservation coverage was detected, raising concerns about whether the network offers sufficient protection to wetland species, habitats, and ecosystem functioning against numerous threats operating in the terrestrial areas surrounding water bodies. The results also identified different patterns of coverage in different EU Member States, which might reflect a lack of common practices regarding the implementation of key EU directives. This study highlighted the necessity of redefining conservation planning towards a systematic, integrated approach. The spatial properties of the landscape and the distribution of potential pressures should be considered at the catchment level of water bodies, as these pressures alter the functionality and services of inland water ecosystems.

Lakeshore areas of conservation interest: Characteristics of nursery areas of the threatened lake‐dwelling grayling, Thymallus thymallus

“…Biodiversity within Natura 2000 areas has been considered particularly important, and the aim is to prevent its significant degradation. However, the primary focus has been on terrestrial biodiversity (with 20% of the European Union's terrestrial area being covered), there are no strict conservation or development guidelines for these areas, and the areas have had limited success in protecting freshwater fish (Gavioli et al., 2023; Hermoso et al., 2015; Trochet & Schmeller, 2013; Tsavdaridou et al., 2019). This seems to be true also for grayling populations in the Vuoksi watershed, including those in Lake Puruvesi, which have been declining during the recent decades (Seppovaara, 1982; Sundell, 2008; Urho et al., 2019).…”

Economic Analysis under the Water Framework Directive: The State of the Art and Way forward

“…Tsavdaridou et al [16] Analysis of protected areas surrounding lakes under Natura2000 network. Kahlert et al [17] Assessment of monitoring gaps in the Baltic Sea.…”

“…A different meaning is given to the GA in Tsavdaridou et al [16]: the authors want to investigate the role of the Natura 2000 network in protecting European lakes by confronting the protection coverage of these water bodies and of the terrestrial area within the catchment of each lake. Instead of relating the actual water status to the good ecological status, this paper performs a GA in terms of the spatial extent of the environmental measures so that it might be considered as an ex-post analysis of the efficiency of the PoM more than an ex-ante scenario aimed at defining such measures.…”