Indikatoren und Methoden zur Erfassung und Bewertung von Ökosystemleistungen in metropolitanen Räumen

In diesem Beitrag wird am Beispiel eines ausgewählten metropolitanen Raums ein wissenschaftlich fundierter und zugleich praxisrelevanter Vorschlag für Indikatoren und Methoden zur Erfassung und Bewertung von Ökosystemleistungen mit Relevanz für die Flächennutzungs- und Landschaftsplanung unterbreitet. Die Forschungsfragen zielen auf geeignete Ökosystemleistungen, Indikatoren und Methoden sowie auf eine Bewertung der vorgeschlagenen Ökosystemleistungsindikatoren hinsichtlich der Datenverfügbarkeit und des Erhebungsaufwandes. Als Fallbeispiel dient der Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main. Das methodische Vorgehen besteht aus der Erarbeitung einer angepassten Indikatorenliste auf der Basis relevanter Vorarbeiten und einer expertenbasierten, anwendungsorientierten Evaluation. Die entwickelte Vorschlagsliste für den Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main umfasst insgesamt 27 Ökosystemleistungen mit jeweils einem oder mehreren Indikatoren. Die anwendungsorientierte Evaluation zeigt, dass in metropolitanen Räumen üblicherweise für fast alle Ökosystemleistungsindikatoren geeignete Daten vorliegen, die mit insgesamt moderatem, aber individuell unterschiedlichem Aufwand erhoben und bewertet werden können. Abschließend werden Empfehlungen für die Umsetzung in der Praxis gegeben.This paper presents a scientifically credible and practically relevant set of indicators and methods to assess and evaluate ecosystem services of relevance for land use and landscape planning. The research questions are (i) to identify suitable ecosystem services, indicators, and methods, and (ii) to assess the proposed indicators regarding the respective data availability and assessment effort. The region of Frankfurt/Rhein-Main (Germany) serves as the case study. The methods include the synthesis of a specifically adapted list of ecosystem services indicators based on relevant prior research and an expert-based and application-oriented evaluation. The proposed list for the region of Frankfurt/Rhein-Main contains 27 ecosystemservices, with one or more associated indicators each. The evaluation reveals that metropolitan regions in Germany usually provide sufficient data to assess almost all ecosystem services. The assessment effort differs, but is generally moderate. The paper concludes with recommendations for practical application in the Frankfurt region and beyond

Assessing land use and flood management impacts on ecosystem services in a river landscape (Upper Danube, Germany)

Rivers and floodplains provide many regulating, provisioning and cultural ecosystem services (ES) such as flood risk regulation, crop production or recreation. Intensive use of resources such as hydropower production, construction of detention basins and intensive agriculture substantially change ecosystems and may affect their capacity to provide ES. Legal frameworks such as the European Water Framework Directive, Bird and Habitats Directive and Floods Directive already address various uses and interests. However, management is still sectoral and often potential synergies or trade‐offs between sectors are not considered. The ES concept could support a joint and holistic evaluation of impacts and proactively suggest advantageous options. The river ecosystem service index (RESI) method evaluates the capacity of floodplains to provide ES by using a standardized five‐point scale for 1 km‐floodplain segments based on available spatial data. This scaling allows consistent scoring of all ES and their integration into a single index. The aim of this article is to assess ES impacts of different flood prevention scenarios on a 75 km section of the Danube river corridor in Germany. The RESI method was applied to evaluate scenario effects on 13 ES with the standardized five‐point scale. Synergies and trade‐offs were identified as well as ES bundles and dependencies on land use and connectivity. The ratio of actual and former floodplain has the strongest influence on the total ES provision: the higher the percentage and area of an active floodplain, the higher the sum of ES. The RESI method proved useful to support decision‐making in regional planning.BMBF, 033W024A, ReWaM - Verbundprojekt RESI: River Ecosystem Service Index, Teilprojekt

Indicators and methods for assessing and evaluating ecosystem services in metropolitan regions

In diesem Beitrag wird am Beispiel eines ausgewählten metropolitanen Raums ein wissenschaftlich fundierter und zugleich praxisrelevanter Vorschlag für Indikatoren und Methoden zur Erfassung und Bewertung von Ökosystemleistungen mit Relevanz für die Flächennutzungs- und Landschaftsplanung unterbreitet. Die Forschungsfragen zielen auf geeignete Ökosystemleistungen, Indikatoren und Methoden sowie auf eine Bewertung der vorgeschlagenen Ökosystemleistungsindikatoren hinsichtlich der Datenverfügbarkeit und des Erhebungsaufwandes. Als Fallbeispiel dient der Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main. Das methodische Vorgehen besteht aus der Erarbeitung einer angepassten Indikatorenliste auf der Basis relevanter Vorarbeiten und einer expertenbasierten, anwendungsorientierten Evaluation. Die entwickelte Vorschlagsliste für den Ballungsraum Frankfurt/Rhein-Main umfasst insgesamt 27 Ökosystemleistungen mit jeweils einem oder mehreren Indikatoren. Die anwendungsorientierte Evaluation zeigt, dass in metropolitanen Räumen üblicherweise für fast alle Ökosystemleistungsindikatoren geeignete Daten vorliegen, die mit insgesamt moderatem, aber individuell unterschiedlichem Aufwand erhoben und bewertet werden können. Abschließend werden Empfehlungen für die Umsetzung in der Praxis gegeben.This paper presents a scientifically credible and practically relevant set of indicators and methods to assess and evaluate ecosystem services of relevance for land use and landscape planning. The research questions are (i) to identify suitable ecosystem services, indicators, and methods, and (ii) to assess the proposed indicators regarding the respective data availability and assessment effort. The region of Frankfurt/Rhein-Main (Germany) serves as the case study. The methods include the synthesis of a specifically adapted list of ecosystem services indicators based on relevant prior research and an expert-based and application-oriented evaluation. The proposed list for the region of Frankfurt/Rhein-Main contains 27 ecosystemservices, with one or more associated indicators each. The evaluation reveals that metropolitan regions in Germany usually provide sufficient data to assess almost all ecosystem services. The assessment effort differs, but is generally moderate. The paper concludes with recommendations for practical application in the Frankfurt region and beyond

Drought sensitivity of beech on a shallow chalk soil in northeastern Germany – a comparative study

Background We compare the climate sensitivity of European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) in two forest nature reserves in northeastern Germany. The one reserve, Schlossberg, is characterized by shallow chalk soils, whereas in the other reserve, Eldena, soils are deeper and more developed. Little is known about the drought sensitivity of beech on shallow chalk soils. Methods We collected increment cores at both research sites and established climate-growth relationships. Inter-tree variability was assessed by employing linear mixed-effect models. Results We expected to find distinctively higher drought sensitivity at Schlossberg due to limited water availability, but find only marginal differences in growth responses. At both sites, drought is the major climatic factor driving tree growth. Adaptations in tree architecture and an underestimation of the water holding capacity of shallow chalk soils are discussed as possible reasons for not finding more distinct climate responses. In analyzing climate-growth relationships, we specifically focused on growth responses of individual trees but observed only low inter-tree variability at both sites. Evident is a shift in climate response patterns from the first to the second half of the twentieth century with previous-year drought conditions becoming more important than current-year drought. This shift is discussed in relation to a warming trend over that same period, as well as possible trends in masting behavior of beech. Conclusion The investigated beech trees on the shallow chalk soil are only slightly more drought sensitive than beech trees on the reference site with deeper and more developed soils

Additional file 1: of Drought sensitivity of beech on a shallow chalk soil in northeastern Germany – a comparative study

Supplementary figures and table. (PDF 193 kb

The "habitat provision" index for assessing floodplain biodiversity and restoration potentials as an ecosystem service-method and application

River floodplains provide a large number of ecosystem services (ESSs) for human societies. However, human manipulations of rivers and floodplains have led to the loss of many ESSs, including the provision of habitats for typical floodplain flora and fauna. To quantify such losses, we present a new index, which incorporates the functional and structural quality of riverine and alluvial habitats and their communities. The assessment is based on publicly available biotic and abiotic data at a local scale (e.g., habitat type mapping, species data). The new evaluation method consists of three steps: First, an evaluation at habitat type level is done by using well-established assessment criteria (e.g., groundwater dependence, legal protection status, regenerability). Secondly, the individual habitats are assessed based on specific quality characteristics (e.g., presence of protected birds or backwater influence). Finally, these values are aggregated within 1-km floodplain compartments weighted by their spatial expansion. The index uses a five-step value to describe the importance of a floodplain area for typical species and habitats from “very high” (=5) to “very low” (=1). The aim of this “habitat provision index” is to provide a tool for planners and decision makers to compare and analyze the effects of past or future measures. The methodical approach is tested for two rivers: the Nahe and the Rhine. The performance of the index is analyzed by comparing the current conditions (status quo) against two different scenarios. The index is validated and shown to be sensitive to different water management scenarios (river restoration and technical polder scenario for flood risk enhancement), with both scenarios showing an improvement in the habitat provision value