Case Study on Coastal wetlands

Françoise Breton (ETC-TE)

Expert meeting on Land use and ecosystem accounting

18-19 May 2006

Index

• 1.Wetlands and the coast

• 2.Wetland accounting : main objectives

• 3.Wetland diagnosis. Main symptoms– Crucial limits (Global)– Local limitsmarkers

• 4.Wetland functions (Goods and services). How to orient land use accounting– Suporting primary production– Provisioning– Regulating: climate and floods/desease regulation

• 5. Accounting for wetlands: some directions

1.Wetlands and the coast

The state of the environment in the coastal areas of Europe

Updated from ETC/TE 2005 deliverable (version 2.1) prepared by:

Françoise Breton (Project coordinator),

Carlota Montori & Aleix Canalís (UAB), Alejandro Iglesias (JdA)

With collaborations from Oscar Gomez, Roger Milego and Ferran Pàrramo (GIS team-ETC-TE), Stefan Kleeshulte and Jaume Fons

(ETC-TE), Dominique Richard and Sophie Condé (ETC-BD), Steve Nixon (ETC-W), Sebastien Colas (IFEN), Gonzalo Malvárez (UPO)

and EU WG-ID on ICZM

EIONET comments incorporated: October 2005

English revision performed: November 2005

06 March 2006

EEA Project manager:

Andrus Meiner

An integrated assessment based on land accounting...

Between 1990-2000 wetlands have a net loss of 390 km2

Strong wetland loss in the Atlantic coast : ↑↑ artificialisation, arable land and forest

↓↓ pastures, mixt agriculture, grasslands, wetlands

-10 -5 0 5 10 15

Artificial surfaces

Arable land & permanent crops

Pastures & mixed farmland

Forests and transitional woodland

Natural grassland & semi-naturalvegetation

Open spaces with little or no vegetation

Wetlands

Water bodies

% change

Black

Mediterranean

Atlantic

North

Baltic

...urban land take and increase are more important in the 1st km

Figure 4 Change of built-up areas in 0–10 km and 0–1 km coastal zones

0

24

6

810

12

1416

18

North Sea Mediterranean Black Sea Baltic Sea Atlantic

% a

rea

% 1990 10km

% 2000 10km

% 1990 1km

% 2000 1km

Source: ETC-TE

...nature protection which is mostly concentrated on the 1st km of coast...

Figure 11 Distribution of NATURA 2000 sites in coastal zone by 1 km bands from the coastline

and in the marine 10 km zone (blue)

662686

261

150 132108 103 88 88 90 85

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

-10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Distance to the coast (km)

Nu

mb

er

of

sit

es

Source: ETC-TE and ETC-BD/ EEA. 2005, based on Natura2000 database

Other data to account for vulnérability of coastal systems

12% of the EU coastal zones are under5 m elevation and are

potentially vulnerable to the sea level rise and associated floods

The EU coastal regions (NUTS3) have140 millions inhabitants,

or 46.5% of the total polulation of the coastal countries.

2. Wetland accounting : main objectives

• Principles of health ecosystem: theory of Ecosystem Distress Syndrome

• Reflexion: Most important elements for diagnosis? relevant information?HOW TO SELECT THE MARKERS AND WHICH MARKERS FOR WETLANDS

• First diagnostic approach: probabilistic at global level– Global limits for wetland sustainability?

• Sediment availability• SLR

– Fuzzy ensembles

• Second approach: Which items to be looked at locally?– Related with life functions: disorder in the nutrient chain, capacity to fix carbon…– Disorganisation of the the ecosystems pattern: Fragmentation, change in patch

size, hydric stress, intoxication(bad functioning)– Composition in species: opportunist character, invasion of commune species,

loss of endemic species

3. Wetland diagnosis. Main symptoms (I): Crucial limits (Regional)

3.1. Sediment availability3.1. Sediment availability

Annual déficit of 100 Mt

Contribute to the erosion dynamic

The role of dams…

Dams as a barrier to sediment fluxes

Dams are signicative obstacles. 6103 big dams

are inventoried in EEA countries and fragment

rivers…

Base1900

1925195019752000

Bayside Effects

Sediment availability as a marker

Data need for the coastal interface

Freiner construction de l’urbaindiffusinfrastructures nouveaux pays et leur effet

Assurer espaces naturels tampons espaces littoraux encore non touchés +assurer continuité processus littoraux

Gérer usages de la mer et de la plateforme

Risques

• perte biodiversite,

•inondations,

•élévation du niveau de la mer,

• prevention tsunami

Securité des littoraux.

Limit territo

rial waters (4-12 nm)

Limit Exclusive Economic Zone

Base line

Territorial waters

Juridictional waters

Continental waters

Deep sea

Directive/Marine StrategyMarine sub-regions

Chemical status

1Nautic Mile WFD

Water Framework DirectiveWatershed management, water bodies

Integration of EU policies Integration of EU policies in coastal zones :in coastal zones : River River catchments, marine and catchments, marine and coastal zonescoastal zones

ICZM Recommendation

Emergent marine policies -UE

3. Wetland diagnosis. Main symptoms (II): crucial limits (global/regional)

•Scientific Basis•Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability•Mitigation

3.2. Sea Level Rise3.2. Sea Level RiseIntergovernmental Panel on Climate ChangeIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Assessment ReportsAssessment Reports1990, 1995, 2001, 200_1990, 1995, 2001, 200_

Wetland Loss - Negative Sediment Budget - Sea-Level Rise

Water surface: more water, less sediments

Some numbers for Spain

• In Spain : scenario 2050

– SLR expected: 4 mm/year 4/5 cm more each 10 years– Wave high: between 20 and 50 % more more erosion– Loss of beaches between 20 and 70 meters

WETLANDS will be also most affected:Ebro DeltaDoñana coastal marshesManga del Mar menor

will desappear

See: Report on Climate change in Spain, MMA

Wetlands at local scale: Basic stocks/flows accounts :

4.1.1. Inland marshes

Total 2000: 31.999 Ha

90-00: +139 Ha (56 Ha from 2.4.3.; and 83 Ha from water bodies)

4.2.1. Salt marshes

Total 2000: 865 Ha

90-00: no change

4.2.2 Salines

Total 2000: 4.978 Ha

90-00: + 54 Ha from inland marshes

No major changes INSIDE because of protection statusMajor changes around, land wards & seawards (SLR) Importance of contextual system & connectivity.

Counts of distress symptoms: some markers for Doñana diagnosis. Ecosystem integrity/diversity (lo cal)

• Birds – Wetlands with water in summer (al least 50 cm water depth)– Salination

presence of flamingos

Doñana context: Green background and protection intensity

Legend

naturilis

Value

0 - 0

0 - 0

0 - 0

511

512

213

411

412

421

422

423

521

522

s5_ebg

Value

0 - 21

22 - 43

44 - 66

67 - 87

88 - 100

Counts of distress symptoms: some markers for Doñana diagnosis. Ecosystem integrity/diversity(local+ regional)

• Over exploiting of ground water aquifers

In agriculture areas around Doñana excessive amounts of water have been/are extracted to cater for the tourist industry and irrigation, specially for cotton and rice– Stats on water consumption

•Toxic cyanobacteria/algae bloom (inside Doñana)

high bird mortality. Monitoring. Related with intensive

agriculture inputs around Doñana.

•Exotic species

monitoring of exotic species in diff. Sites in and around Doñana (in grids)

Marker for diagnosis: Wetlands temperature (building pressure)

• Wetlands temperature . Smoothing

Ebro Delta context: Green Background & protection intensity

Legend

naturilis

Value

0 - 0

0 - 0

0 - 0

511

512

213

411

412

421

422

423

521

522

s5_ebg

Value

0 - 21

22 - 43

44 - 66

67 - 87

88 - 100

4.Wetland functions (Goods and services). How to orient land use accounting ?

Ref to Millennium Ecosystem Assessment:

Supporting primary production

Shallow water seagrass beds are vanishing• Seagrass beds are in decline around the world, scientist Frederick

Short says. With these underwater meadows also commercially valuable shellfish and fish, waterfowl and other wildlife are disappearing,while water quality declines and erosion prevention decreases.

• Seagrass beds serve as protective nurseries for juvenile fish and shellfish, a habitat for many marine species, and a feeding ground for predatory fish, waterfowl and large sea creatures like manatees and sea turtles. According to Short the disappearance of seagrass beds will have a major impact.

• Fishing communities are threatened in their existence.See: www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2006/2006-03-28-03.aspwww.seagrassnet.orgdata on shallow water benthic communities (IFREMERproject) - Catches statistics

Provisioning

To ta l a re a : 5 .8 0 0 sq .km

Legend

Restoration areas: 15,025 ha

Agriculture: 39,974 haFishculture: 35,967 ha

Forestry: 6,442 ha

POLDERS: 97,408 haNATURAL AREAS: 482,592 ha

TULCEA

Ukraine

(courtesy Danube Delta National Institute)

Inserting in grid:

•Agricultural stats

•Aquaculture stats

•Forestry stats

•Frequentation stats

•Tourism, hunting, recreational fishing…

Regulating climate and floods

exposition sensibility adaptationcapacity

(wetlands as buffer zones)

impacts

Vulnerability (settlements + populations)

12% of EU coastal zones have less than 5 m elevation and are potentialy vulnerable to Sea Level Rise and associated floodings

Statistics on capital & human at risk/scenarios

Example of Louisiana Hurricane Katrina (Sept.2005)

Wetland buffer . Better that?

…or that?

-Insurance statistics for estimate value goods, infrastructures and people loss

-flood events (places and water levels)

Desease regulation

Restoration of wetlands is key to reducing future threats of avian flu• Restoring tens of thousands of lost and degraded wetlands could go a

long way towards reducing the threat of avian flu pandemics a new report published on April 11th says.

• The loss of wetlands around the globe is forcing many wild birds onto alternative sites like farm ponds and paddy fields, bringing them into direct contact with chickens, ducks, geese, and other domesticated fowl. Close contact of wild birds and poultry species is believed to be a major cause behind the spread of avian influenza.

• The report has been commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) from a team led by leading Canadian academic Dr David Rapport.

www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=475&ArticleID=5255&l=en

-routes and number of migrating birds- Stocks of wetlands and main areas of bird habitats (winter/summer)- Agriculture and poultry raising areas near wetlands (tº)

5. Accounting for wetlands: some directions

• How many, how much? (land cover units, small ecosystems, rivers, biomass, water...) At the face of global change (sediment availability/SLR) At local scale

• In which state/health? (¤ homeostasis ¤ resilience ¤ modification process with no return ¤ collapsus) (global first/local)

• Which supply of goods and services? (availability and use) (local first/global)

• What are the stresses and stressors? (the responsible sectors) (global first/local)

• Wealth and other values, the Natural Capital

CLC as common reference

Scale matters!

Corine land cover as a common reference

CLC2000CLC2000

Wetlands in Corine land cover

Legend

Land uptake by urban

Value

0 - 2

2 - 5

5 - 100

Inland marshes

Peat bogs

Salt marshes

Salines

Intertidal flats

Water courses

Water bodies

Coastal lagoons

Estuaries

NB:• Rice fields can be isolated as well and added to the list above• CLC maps landscape units > 25 ha and broder than 100 m small wetlands can be found in other CLC classes, in particular in mosaics of agricuture and nature

CLC EUNIS Habitat Directive Annexe 12.1.3. Rice fields l1 Arable land & market garden

E1E2E3 6410, 6420, 6440, 6450 Wet grasslandE4E5E1E2E3 Wet grasslandE4E5E6

B1

1610, 1640, 2110, 2120, 2130, 2140, 2150, 2160, 2170, 21A0, 2210, 2220, 2230, 2240 Coastal dunes and sandy shore

B2C3 Litoral zone of inland surface water bodiesE1C3 Litoral zone of inland surface water bodiesD2 Valley mires, poor fens and transition miresD4 Base-rich fens and calcareous spring miresD5 Reed beds without free standing water

4.1.2.Peat bogs D1 7110, 7120, 7130 Blanket bogs D2 7140, 7150, 7160 Valley mires, poor fens and transition miresD3 7310, 7320 Aapa, palsa and poligon miresA2 1310, 1320, 1330, 1410, 1420, 1630 Litoral sedimentD6 1310, 1340, 1410 Inland saline and brakish marsehes and reedbeds

4.2.2.Salines J5 Artificial man made waterA1A2 1140, 1610, 1620, 1630 Litoral sedimentC2 3210, 3220, 3260, 3280, 3290 Surface running waterC3 3220, 3270 Litoral zone of inland surface water bodiesJ5 Artificial man made waterC1 3110, 3120, 3130, 3140, 3150, 3160, 3180 Standing watersC3 3170 Litoral zone of inland surface water bodiesJ5 Artificial man made waterX02 1120, 1150 Saline coastal lagoonsX03 1150 Brakish coastal lagoons

5.2.2.Estuaries X01 1130 Estuaries

2.3.1. Pastures

3.2.1.Natural grassland

3.3.1.Beaches, dunes, sand

4.1.1.Inland marshes

5.2.1. Coastal lagoons

4.2.1.Saltmarshes

4.2.3.Intertidal flats

5.1.1.Water courses

5.1.2.Water bodies

Selection of CLC classes for wetlands

• 2.1.3 Rice fields (good extraction of rice fields in CLC)• 4

– 4.1.1 Inland marshes– 4.1.2 peat bogs– 4.2.1 Salt marshes– 4.2.2 Salines – 4.2.3 Intertidal flats

• 5– 5.1.1 Water courses (?)– 5.1.2 Water bodies– 5.2.1 Coastal lagoons– 5.2.2 Estuaries– 5.2.3 Sea and ocean (NO)

Global Counts of wetland integrity

Wetcoastlis: Coastal wetland intensity

versus wave high previsions

versus storms/surge previsions

Coastal wetland intensity

versus nature protection intensity

versus urban and agriculture (wetland temperature)

Regional accounts: Example

-Impacts to 2025 -Impacts to 2095

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/publications/impacts/sealevel/maps/maps.html

Ongoing studies in New Jersey:

Elements of diagnosis : markers. Extreme vulnerability of the system : Urban sprawl in the province of Venice, 1990-2000, cells of 1 km x 1 km – wetlands in the background:

Legend

Land uptake by urban

Value

0 - 2

2 - 5

5 - 100

Inland marshes

Peat bogs

Salt marshes

Salines

Intertidal flats

Water courses

Water bodies

Coastal lagoons

Estuaries

Wetlands

Net Change in Land Cover % of initial year

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

6 Artificial surfaces

Arable land &permanent cropsPastures & mixedfarmlandForests and transitionalwoodlandNatural grassland &semi-natural vegetationOpen spaces with littleor no vegetationWetlands

Water bodies

Despite possible threats from sea level rise and the permanent ecological problems of the lagoon due to agriculture eutrophication surpluses, urban and infrastructures development has continued in the province of Venice.