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

• DOI: 10.1002/rra.3669
• Publication Date: 2020-07-07T06:53:57Z
• Authors: Barbara Stammel; Christine Fischer; Bernd Cyffka; Christian Albert; Christian Damm; Alexandra Dehnhardt; Helmut Fischer; Francis Foeckler; Lars Gerstner; Tim G. Hoffmann; Janette Iwanowski; Hans D. Kasperidus; Kathrin Linnemann; Dietmar Mehl; Simone A. Podschun; Marin Rayanov; Stephanie Ritz; Andrea Rumm; Mathias Scholz; Christiane Schulz...; Julia Thiele; Markus Venohr; Christina von Haaren; Martin T. Pusch; Marion Gelhaus
• Keywords: Water Framework Directive; Flood control

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