Provision of ecosystem services in the lagoon of Venice: an initial spatial assessment Silvia Rova Felix Müller (Christian-Albrechts-Universitӓt zu Kiel,

Provision of ecosystem services in the lagoon of Venice: an initial spatial assessment

Silvia Rova

Felix Müller (Christian-Albrechts-Universitӓt zu Kiel, Germany)Fabio Pranovi (Ca’ Foscari University, Venice, Italy)

Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel

Institute for Natural Resource ConservationDepartment of Ecosystem Management

ERASMUS MUNDUS MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ECOHYDROLOGY

Università Ca’ Foscari Venezia

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Motivation and objectives of the study

3. Methodology

4. Results and discussion

5. Conclusions

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1. Introduction

4

Human

What are Ecosystem Services (ESS)?

ESS are the contributions of ecosystem structure and function – in combination with other inputs – to human well-being (Burkhard et al., 2012)

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The concept of ESS provides a valuable framework to define and analyze linkages and dependencies between natural and human systems (Burkhard et al., 2010)

Environmental Systems

Human Systems

Human-Environmental Systems

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ESS classification


MA, 2005 TEEB, 2010;Bohnke-Henrichs et al., 2013

Beaumont et al., 2007; Atkins et al., 2011

Kandziora et al., 2013

Liquete et al., 2013

PROVISIONING

CULTURAL

REGULATING

Regulating and maintenanceSupporting Over-arching

support services

Habitat

Option use values

ESS classification

The following classification scheme is used in the present study:

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Regulating services: benefits that people obtain due to the regulation of natural processes, such as water purification and erosion control.

Provisioning services: all tangible products from ecosystems that humans make use for nutrition, processing and energy use.

Cultural services: intangible benefits that people receive from ecosystems in form of non-material spiritual, religious, inspirational and educational experience

(Kandziora et al., 2013)

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ESS and DPSIR

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Ecosystem service cascade

(Müller and Burkhard, 2012 ,Potschin and Haines-Young, 2011)

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The lagoon of Venice


2. Motivation and Objectives of the study

Motivation

The presence of man in the lagoon of Venice has always been linked to the numerous benefits provided by the lagoon.

On the other hand, the great variety of human activities carried out in the lagoon and its surroundings have lead to several issues threatening the lagoon ecosystem.

The aknowledgement the benefits we get from ecosystems, and of the effects of our activities on these services, is the first step towards a sustainable management of natural resources.


Objectives

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Obj. 1: to identify the relevant ESS in the lagoon of Venice

Obj. 2: to map the spatial distribution of a subset of them

Obj. 3: to analyze how the patterns of ESS supply change in the different Water Framework Directive’s water bodies, and to relate them with driver, pressures and state indicators

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3. Methodology

Study area

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Legend

subtidal flat

intertidal mudflat (natural)

intertidal mudflat (artificial)

salt marsh (natural)

salt marsh (artificial)

channel

fishing pond

land

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Methodology

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1) ESS selection and definition of indicators

2) ESS mapping

3) Zonal analysis

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Ecosystem service Sub-category Indicator

Provisioning services

Assessed

Aquaculture - Presence and intensity of fish harvest from aquaculture

Fish and Seafood Clam Intensity of clam harvesting

Fish (artisanal) Intensity of artisanal fishing activities

Wild Food Birds Catches from hunting activities

Fish (recreational) Catches from recreational activities

Crops - Crops production

Cultural services

Assessed

Recreation and tourism Tourism Density of cultural touristic attractions

Recreational navigation Intensity of leisure boats traffic

Knowledge systems Education Frequency of excursions with environmental education purpose

Tradition Presence and intensity of the following traditional activities: venetian rowing, lugsail sailing, artisanal fishing, extensive aquaculture practices and cultivation of traditional crops

Not assessed

Cultural heritage and cultural diversity

///////// /////////

Natural heritage and natural diversity

///////// /////////

Regulating services

Assessed

Erosion regulation Biostabilization Erosion threshold (critical bed shear stress)

Reduction of wind driven resuspension

Spatial distribution of depths at which the modeled wind driven bed shear stress is <0.7 Pa;Surfaces of water located leeward from emerged structures

Susceptibility to wind driven erosion (negative component)

Depth classes with different susceptibility to wind driven erosion

Not

assessed

Natural hazard protection ///////// /////////Water purification ///////// /////////

Nutrient regulation ///////// /////////

Global climate regulation ///////// /////////

Methodology

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2) ESS mapping

a) Provisioning and cultural ESS

b) Erosion regulation

3) Zonal analysis

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Legend

subtidal flat

intertidal mudflat (natural)

intertidal mudflat (artificial)

salt marsh (natural)

salt marsh (artificial)

channel

fishing pond

land

Zones

Overlay with service-specific spatial information sub-zones

Compilation of the “spatial units vs. service” matrix”. E.g. : Aquaculture

Zone Sub-zone AquacultureSubtidal flat 1Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marshes 1Channels 1

Fishing ponds

Active 2Inactive 1

Land 1

qualitative scale from 1 to 3, where: 1 = null or low relevant capacity to supply the selected ecosystem service, 2 = medium relevant capacity, 3 = high relevant capacity.

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Methodology

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2) ESS mapping



3) Zonal analysis

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Erosion regulation

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Definition: capacity to mitigate sediment erosion (adapted from Kandziora et al., 2013)

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Erosion regulation | Mechanisms

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Mechanism Detail Indicator

Biostabilization Increase of erosion threshold Erosion threshold (critical bed shear stress)


Fetch break Surfaces of water which are located leeward from emerged structures (with reference to Bora and Scirocco winds)

Effect of bathymetry Spatial distribution of depths at which the modeled wind driven bed shear stress is lower than 0.7 Pa

Negative component

Susceptibility to wind driven erosion

Different wind driven bed shear stress as a function of depth


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Sediment particle size Bottom vegetation

• seagrasses • macroalgae • benthic diatoms

τ0 = τ0[bare sediments] * BI / 100

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Negative component




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500 m buffer in SW and NW direction (leeward respect to Bora and Scirocco wind respectively )

®Scirocco

Bora

Area leeward respect to Scirocco

Area leeward respect to Bora

Emerged area

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Negative component




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(adapted from Fagherazzi et al, 2006)

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Negative component




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Methodology

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2) ESS mapping



3) Zonal analysis

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Zonal analyses

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WFD partitioning

(water bodies from Autorità di bacino dell’Adige et al., 2010)

Land zones

Zonal statistics for each service pattern of overall service provision in the different zones

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4. Results and discussion

4.1. ESS maps: provisioning and cultural services

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Aquaculture

Layer Sub-zone AquacultureSubtidal flat 1Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marshes 1Channels 1

Fishing ponds

Active 2Inactive 1

Land 1

Crops

Layer Sub-zone CropsSubtidal flat 1Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marche 1Channels 1Fishing ponds 1

LandArtificial surfaces 1Non-irrigated arable land 3Permanently irrigated land 3Vineyards 3Fruit trees and berry plantations 3Other permanent cultures 3Pastures 1Spontaneous pastures 1Complex cultivation patterns 3Forest and seminatural areas 1

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“Clam” “Fish (artisanal)”Fish and seafood

Layer Sub-zone [Fish&Seafood] Clam

Subtidal flat

GRAL concessions - highly exploited 3GRAL concessions - poorly exploited 2Areas of heavy illegal fishing 3Areas of medium illegal fishing 2Other 1

Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marshes 1Channels 1Fishing ponds 1Land 1

Layer Sub-zone [Fish&Seafood] Fish (Artisanal)

Subtidal flat

High fishing activities 3Medium fishing activities 2Other 1

Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marshes 1Channels 1Fishing ponds 1Land 1

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“Birds” “Fish (recreational)”Wild food

Layer Sub-zone [Wild Food] Birds

Subtidal flat

Hunting blinds and immediate surroundings 2Other 1

Intertidal mudflats

Hunting blinds and immediate surroundings 2Other 1

Salt marshes

Hunting farms 3Hunting blinds and immediate surroundings 2Other 1

Channels Hunting blinds and immediate surroundings 2Other 1

Fishing ponds

Hunting farms 3Not hunting farms 1

Land

Hunting farms 3Not hunting farms 1

Layer Sub-zone [Wild Food] Fish (Recreational)

Subtidal flat

Very close to inlets 3Close to inlets 2Far from inlets 1

Intertidal mudflats


Salt marshes 1

Channels


Fishing ponds 1Land 1

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“Tourism” “Recreational navigation”Recreation and tourism

Layer Sub-zone [Recr.&Tour.] Tourism

Subtidal flat 1Intertidal mudflats 1Salt marshes 1Channels 1Fishing ponds 1

Land

high n. attractions/km2 3

medium-low n. attractions/km2 2Other 1

Layer Sub-zone[Recr.&Tour]Recreational navigation

Subtidal flat

Surroundings of "Bacàn" 3Other 1

Intertidal mudflats

"Bacàn" 3Other 1

Salt marshes 1Channels

Connections marinas-Lido inlet 3Connections marinas-other inlets 2Other 1

Fishing ponds 1Land 1

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“Education” “Tradition”Knowledge systems

Sub-zone [Know.sys] EducationEnv. Education (Hi freq) 3Env. Education (Med freq) 2Other 1

Layer Sub-zone [Know.sys] Tradition

Subtidal flat

Voga alla veneta 3Vela al terzo (High) 3Vela al terzo (Med) 2High fishing activities 2Medium fishing activities 1Other 1

Intertidal mudflats Other 1

Salt marshes

Voga alla veneta 3Vela al terzo (High) 3Vela al terzo (Med) 2Other 1

Channels

Voga alla veneta 3Vela al terzo (High) 3Vela al terzo (Med) 2Others 1

Fishing ponds

Active 2Inactive 1

Land

Crops production in islands (see text) 2Other 1

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4.2. ESS maps: erosion regulation

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Biostabilization

Reduction of wind-driven resuspension

Susceptibility to wind-driven erosion

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Erosion regulation potential

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Sarretta et al., 2010

Erosion regulation potential “Sedimentation map”

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4.3. Zonal analysis and DPSIR cycle

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Impact III: socio-economic system (human well-being)

-Economic: income, employment, housing, infrastructure, security

- Social : demography, health, education, nutrition, leisure, social relations.

Resources exploitation

1) Ichthyic resources (clam, fish,...)

2) Other resources (eg. avifauna)

Loads

1) Pollutants loads (point sources, non-point sources, atmospheric fallout)

2) Nutrient loads

3) Freshwater discharge

4) Sediment load from the watershed

5) Sewage loads

Physical pressures

1) Relative sea level rise and flooding

2) Lagoon/sea exchanges - Water- Sediments (net loss)

3) Wave motion

4) Sediment resuspension

Modifications/uses of the lagoon

1) Water traffic (commercial, touristic, recreational, public transport)

2) Dredging of navigable channels

3) Land use changes

4) Morphological interventions for the lagoon safeguard

5) Overcrowding of the historical centre

6)Introduction of allochtonous spp

Agriculture

Industrial activities

Fishing and aquaculture

Anthropizationand sociopolitical development

Trade

Tourism

Climate (eg. wind)

+

Forces responsible of the exchanges with the sea

Past human interventions

Hydrodynamic regime

- Tidal currents, residence time, …

Morphology

- Bathymetry (erosion of tidal flats, siltation of channels)

- Erosion of salt marshes’ margins

- Degradation of urban and historical areas

Physical-chemical status

- Water (eutrophication)

- Sediments

Status of the biotic components

- plankton, benthos, nekton, avifauna, …

Impact I : ecosystem organization

-Biodiversity-Heterogeneity- Exergy capture- Entropy production-Nutrient and matter cycling, …

Service “potential”

Impact II: ecosystem service supply

1) Erosion regulation

2) Aquaculture

3) Fish and seafood- “fish (artisanal)”- “clam”

4) Wild food- “birds”- “fish

(recreational)”

6) Recreation and tourism- “tourism”- “recreational

navigation”

7) Knowledge systems- “education”- “tradition”

5) Crops

Response

- Interventions for the safeguard of Venice and the lagoon

- morphological restoration (protection, restoration and reconstruction of salt marshes and intertidal mudflats)

- Construction of the flood regulation gates (Mose system)

- local defenses of urban centers

- Laws and regulations for fishing, hunting activities, water traffic

- Reduction of the loads of nutrients and pollutants from the watershed

- Enhancment of systems for sewage treatment

- Maritime planning (trade, cruises)

- Monitoring

DRIVERS PRESSURES STATE IMPACT RESPONSE

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D P S AquacultureHunting

Res. exploitation

Good

D P S

AgricoltureAnthropization

Land use changesRes. exploitation

n.a.

D P S AnthropizationTourismAgricolture

Overcrowding Land use changes

n.a.

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D P S

Fishing (artisanal)Agricoulture and climatic forcings (catchment)

Res. ExploitationLoads from rivers

Good

D P S

Fishing (clam)Industrial activitiesAnthropization

Res. ExploitationLoads

Moderate (T.)Good (V.d.B)

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D P S

AnthropizationTradeTourism

LoadsWater trafficWave motion

Bad (C.S., C.)Good (L.)

D P S

FishingTrade

Res. exploitationWave motionSediment resusp.

GoodD P S

TourismAnthropizationFishing

Res. exploitationLoadsWave motionSediment resusp.

Moderate

D P S

Industrial activitiesAnthropizationTradeFishing

LoadsRes. ExploitationWater traffic

Moderate - Bad (M.)

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Limitations and further perspectives

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Future perspectives:

Quantification of services, especially the regulating ones

Deeper analyses of the interactions between the steps of the

DPSIR framework

Limitations:

-High degree of aproximation of the qualitative maps

- Regulating services are not properly represented in the work

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5. Conclusions

Conclusions

• Preliminary assessment, first work observing the lagoon of Venice from the

ecosystem service perspective.

mapping: easily understandable visualization of the ecosystem services provided

• Erosion regulation potential shows the central role of the lagoon self-regulation

capacity for the preservation of its morphological heterogeneity

however, pressurees are exceeding the regulation capacity in some areas

• DPSIR framework integrated with the ecosystem service cascade:

Characterization of the different areas of the lagoon from the human-

environmental viewpoint


References

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Autorità di bacino dell'Adige, Autorità di bacino dei fiumi Isonzo Tagliamento Livenza Piave Brenta-Bacchiglione, Ministero dell'Ambiente e Tutela del Territorio e del Mare, Regione Lombardia, Regione Veneto, Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Provincia autonoma di Trento, Magistrato alle acque, ISPRA, Ufficio di Piano, 2010. Subunità idrografica bacino scolante, laguna di Venezia e mare antistante - Piano di Gestione, Piano di Gestione dei bacini idrografici delle Alpi Orientali, p. 439.

Burkhard, B., Petrosillo, I., Costanza, R., 2010. Ecosystem services - Bridging ecology, economy and social sciences. Ecological Complexity 7, 257-259.

Burkhard, B., de Groot, R., Costanza, R., Seppelt, R., Jørgensen, S.E., Potschin, M., 2012. Solutions for sustaining natural capital and ecosystem services. Ecological Indicators 21, 1-6.

Fagherazzi, S., Carniello, L., D'Alpaos, L., Defina, A., 2006. Critical bifurcation of shallow microtidal landforms in tidal flats and salt marshes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 103, 8337-8341.

Kandziora, M., Burkhard, B., Müller, F., 2013. Interactions of ecosystem properties, ecosystem integrity and ecosystem service indicators—A theoretical matrix exercise. Ecological Indicators 28, 54-78.

Müller, F., Burkhard, B., 2012. The indicator side of ecosystem services. Ecosystem Services 1, 26-30.

Potschin, M.B., Haines-Young, R.H., 2011. Ecosystem services: Exploring a geographical perspective. Progress in Physical Geography 35, 575-594.

Sarretta, A., Pillon , S., Molinaroli, E., Guerzoni, S., Fontolan, G., 2010. Sediment budget in the Lagoon of Venice, Italy. Continental Shelf Research 30(8), 934-949.

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07/04/2014 Silvia Rova 50Thank you! Grazie!

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Documents

Provision of ecosystem services in the lagoon of Venice: an initial spatial assessment Silvia Rova Felix Müller (Christian-Albrechts-Universitӓt zu Kiel,