IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science | 2021
Ecosystem biotechnologies for the enhancement of ecohydrological potential of the catchments – Water, Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Resilience, Culture and Education
Abstract
One of the threats for biosphere sustainability in the face of climatic changes is the amplification of water and nutrient cycling stochasticity, which means intensive floods, droughts, and pollution. This is largely due to the increase of industrial agriculture and random urbanization, which results in a cumulative impact. To reverse the effect of cumulative intermediate impacts, which often are major factors of degradation of the ecological potential at catchments, a profound understanding of the water-biota interplay is most important. This is because water has been the major determinant of ecosystem structure as it drives carbon, phosphorus, and nitrogen cycling and determines ecosystem services for society. Thus the fundamental for the development of innovative Ecohydrological Nature Based Solutions (EH NBS) for water is the profound understanding of water–biota interplay from molecular to catchment scale. The above Ecohydrological framework serves not only to mitigate intermediate forms of impact but also to increase the ecological potential of a river basin expressed by a multi-dimensional goal – Water, Biodiversity, ecosystem Services for society, Resilience to climatic changes, Culture, and Education (WBSRCE), which helps to harmonize the enhanced ecosystem potential with social needs and, in turn, achieve sustainability of river basins. As far as Ecohydrology is empirical science, international advanced study courses where scientists, and pro-activists can share experience at UNESCO IHP Demosites should also be an important tool for dissemination.