Mapping ecosystem services provided by benthic … ecosystem services provided by benthic habitats in the European Atlantic Ocean Ibon Galparsoro, Angel Borja and María C. Uyarra

Mapping ecosystem services provided by benthic habitats in the European Atlantic Ocean

Ibon Galparsoro, Angel Borja and María C. Uyarra

AZTI-Tecnalia; Marine Research Division

[email protected]

Coastal Ecosystem Services and the Land-Sea Interface

International Workshop

22nd -25th March 2015 Kiel, Germany

Mapping and Assessment Ecosystem

Services and Links to Good

Environmental Status

mailto:[email protected]

This presentation…

13-4-2015

1. Legal framework

2. End-point of mapping and assessing marine ES

3. Mapping ES provided by European Atlantic benthic habitats: step by step

4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?


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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

1. Legal framework

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Action 5 of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls EU Member States, with the assistance of the European Commission, to:

• map and assess the state of ecosystems and their services in their national territory by 2014

• assess the economic value of such services

• promote the integration of these values into accounting and reporting systems at EU and national level by 2020

Good progress on terrestrial ES, but little done on mapping marine ES

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/comm2006/2020.htm


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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

2. End-point of mapping and assessing ES

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• It is a keystone of the implementation of the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 (and the MSFD)

• Maps are useful for prioritisation and problem identification

• Evaluating the synergies and tradeoffs among different services

• Understanding how provision of services are affected by human actions

• Useful tool for communicating with stakeholders and decision-making processes


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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

3. Mapping ES provided by European Atlantic benthic habitats: step-by-step

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Objective

•Qualitative assessment and mapping of the ESs provided by benthic habitats within the European Atlantic Ocean; and

•To determine their spatial distribution pattern

NE Atlantic sub-regions based on the MSFD

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Data

EUSeaMap 1—Mapping European seabed habitats

Bathymetry

Benthic habitats

1. Cartographic information (publically available)

http://www.emodnet.eu/

http://www.meshatlantic.eu

http://www.emodnet-seabedhabitats.eu/

Geographic Information System 250 m res. DTM 250 m res. benthic habitat map EUNIS habitat classification whenever possible; otherwise EUSeaMap


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Classification of ES: adapted from MEA 2005 & Beaumont et al. 2007

Data

2. Benthic habitats services assessment (based on expert judgement)


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PROVISIONING REGULATING CULTURAL

Food provision Air quality and climate regulation Cognitive value

Raw materials (biological) (incl. biochemical, medicinal and ornamental)

Primary production (Photosysthesis and chemosynthesis)

Leisure, recreation and cultural inspiration

Disturbance and natural hazard prevention

Feel good or warm glow

Nutrient cycling

Reproduction and nursery

Maintenance of biodiversity

Water quality regulation and bioremediation of waste

Data



For each habitat, the level of provisioning of each ES was established at 3-different levels, based on Salomidi et al. 2012: •Negligible/Irrelevant/Unknown (white): 0 •Low (light blue): 1 •High (dark blue): 3

Data



EUSeaMap 1—Mapping European seabed habitats

Bathymetry Benthic habitats

2. Benthic habitats services (expert judgement)

http://www.emodnet.eu/

http://www.meshatlantic.eu

http://www.emodnet-seabedhabitats.eu/

250 m res. DTM 250 m res. benthic habitat map

Integration of cartographic information and ES information

Data

1. Cartographic information (publically available)



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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

Mapping 1.7million km2 map

38.9% EEZ - 88% continental shelf

- 18% deeper areas

62 benthic habitats and seabed seascape features

Celtic sea (98%) vs. Bay of Biscay (20%)

4. Main outcomes

Mapping 10 habitats = 75% mapped area

33 habitats = 0.5% mapped area

None provides 12 ES

4 habitats: 11 ES at high levels

4. Main outcomes

Outcomes: provisioning services

4. Main outcomes

Outcomes: regulating services

4. Main outcomes

Outcomes: cultural services

4. Main outcomes

Provisioning services are supplied at significantly higher levels than both regulating and cultural services

Regulating services are also provided at significantly higher levels than cultural services

Outcomes: Aggregated ecosystem services

4. Main outcomes

Outcomes: total ecosystem services

A decreasing gradient on the level of services provision, seawards and towards deeper areas The level of service provision varies significantly across sub-regions

4. Main outcomes


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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

• Use of published/available/free data

• Large spatial scale

• Pragmatic approach to provide a first snapshot of the distribution of ES

STRENGTHS

5. SWOT analysis

• For some areas, limited habitat mapping is available

• Level of detail of habitat mapping is variable; quality and reliability would need further consideration

• EUNIS classification is used, but this classification is being revised

• Not all habitats considered in the mapping have been classified under EUNIS

• Accurate valuations of services provided by ecosystems is at most cases not available

• Economic valuation considerations are under-rated

WEAKNESSES

5. SWOT analysis

• Assessment of ES is limited to experts that participated in Salomidi et al. 2012 (need for better expert assessment)

• Limited basic knowledge regarding the provision of certain ES (e.g. nursery) by certain habitats

• Only benthic (not pelagic) habitats have been considered: relatively small area providing services

• These are “static maps”: Same ecosystem at different depths, distances from shore, locations or times, provide different services. Not considered.

WEAKNESSES

5. SWOT analysis

• Define the ES classification to be used for marine ecosystems

• Enhance scientific knowledge on marine ecosystem functioning by finalizing detailed benthic habitats

• Opportunity for exploring deeper and pelagic habitats

• Promote multidisciplinary (and wide geographical coverage) discussions among experts for qualitative ES assessment

OPPORTUNITIES

5. SWOT analysis

• Need for integrating future scenarios (e.g. climate change, exploration, etc.)

• No single ecological, socio or economic methodology can capture the total value of ecosystem. New approaches may need developing.

OPPORTUNITIES

5. SWOT analysis

• Potential lack of comparability if each study uses different classifications (e.g. habitats, ecosystems, etc.), different approaches to ES valuations

• Integration issues

THREATS

5. SWOT analysis


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1. Legal framework



4. Main outcomes

5. SWOT analysis

6. What next?

6. What next?

Welcome papers on mapping marine ecosystem services!

http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmars.2014.00023/abstract

http://maps.devotes.eu/

Maps downloadable at:

Free access at:

4. Main outcomes

Annual Meeting, 2nd - 5th December, Ancona

Ibon Galparsoro, Angel Borja and María C. Uyarra

AZTI-Tecnalia; Marine Research Division

[email protected]

Mapping and Assessment Ecosystem Services and

Links to Good Environmental Status

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Mapping ecosystem services provided by benthic … ecosystem services provided by benthic habitats in the European Atlantic Ocean Ibon Galparsoro, Angel Borja and María C. Uyarra