Mateusz Grygoruk

Broad-scale ecosystem services of European wetlands—overview of the current situation and future perspectives under different climate and water management scenarios

Abstract An appropriate hydrological regime within a wetland is essential to maintain its goods and services. This regime is related to the source of the water, which differs for particular kinds of wetlands. This paper presents an overview of the ecosystem services of European wetlands, based on a representative sample of 102 protected wetlands larger than 5000 ha, and the implications of hydrological alterations caused by future climate and socio-economic changes. Six major ecosystem services of wetlands were assessed namely: biodiversity in terms of plants and animals, biomass production, nutrient removal, carbon storage and fish production. Data showed that, on average, four services were present in each wetland. The impact of climate change, water management and land-use change was examined under different future scenarios. Major potential changes in hydrological regime (i.e. precipitation, groundwater recharge and river flow) were quantified up to the 2050s using simulated runoff and river flow data of the WaterGAP model driven by the climate input of two different general circulation models (GCMs), IPCM4 and MIMR. Thresholds of hydrological change that would endanger each ecosystem service were identified. The impacts of future scenarios were distributed across Europe with potential threats to ecosystem services of European wetlands resulting in the loss of between 26 and 46% of all identified ecosystem services in 2050. The models and scenarios suggest that the most significant loss of ecosystem services is likely to occur in Central Europe (Hungary, Germany, France, Belarus, Poland). In general, the most fragile services (the largest number lost) are projected to be those connected to the surface water dynamics—mostly the services of wetland birds and fish spawning. Ecosystem services dependent on groundwater dynamics and water balance changes are seemingly more buffered against the expected hydrological stress. Editor D. Koutsoyiannis Citation Okruszko, T., Duel, H., Acreman, M., Grygoruk, M., Flörke, M. and Schneider, C., 2011. Broad-scale ecosystem services of European wetlands—overview of the current situation and future perspectives under different climate and water management scenarios. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56 (8), 1501–1517.

Groundwater Modelling and Hydrological System Analysis of Wetlands in the Middle Biebrza Basin

In the presented approach, a three dimensional finite-difference steady-state groundwater model was applied to analyze the groundwater flow system of the Middle Biebrza Basin. Study contains analysis of hydrogeological and morphological outline of the area, as well as the description of developed groundwater model including conceptual model description, model calibration and sensitivity analysis of parameters. Analysis of volumetric water budget of the model within assumed boundary conditions indicated that groundwater resources of the analyzed part of the Middle Biebrza Basin in approximately 80% come from lateral inflow from the adjacent plateaus. Analysis of spatial distribution of groundwater discharge indicated that the most intensive groundwater inflow to the top peat layer is concentrated within the “Czerwone Bagno”, where the peatlands are not degraded and wetland habitats develop naturally, not being directly impacted by drainage ditches and canals.

Climate-Induced Challenges for Wetlands: Revealing the Background for the Adaptive Ecosystem Management in the Biebrza Valley, Poland

In this chapter we analyse observed and prospective climate changes in the Biebrza Valley (NE Poland), in order to describe potential challenges for the adaptive management of valuable ecosystems and habitats, with consideration of stakeholder pressures. Historical, temporal changes in precipitation and dynamics of flooding within the riparian wetlands are preliminarily analysed in order to derive possible trends of changes. Prospective changes in air temperature and precipitation for the time horizon 2070–2100 derived from ten different GCM-RCM ensembles are referred to values measured in the Biebrza Valley in 2000–2011, in order to obtain prospective absolute dimensions of climate change which enforce challenges for ecosystem adaptation and stakeholder reaction. The research indicated that the climate change in the Biebrza Valley is likely to entail the ongoing decrease in summer sums of precipitation, increased frequency of extreme rainfall events in the summer and the increase of the average monthly air temperature. We conclude that in certain cases the same climate-related impacts are either negative or positive in both socio-economic and environmental dimensions. Therefore, an integrated adaptation approach in wetland management is needed in order to buffer and mitigate the possible direct and indirect negative consequences of climate change for both habitats and stakeholders.

Mind the gap! Lessons from science-based stakeholder dialogue in climate-adapted management of wetlands.

Effective stakeholder involvement is crucial for the management of protected areas, especially when new challenges like adaptation to climate change need to be addressed. Under these circumstances, science-based stakeholder involvement is required. However, there is often a gap between the information produced by science and the need for information from stakeholders. Along with the design and implementation of adaptive management strategies and policies, efforts must be taken to adjust messages about conservation and adaptation issues, to make them easier to understand, relevant and acceptable for stakeholders. In this paper, the experience of closing the gap between scientific information and the user needs of stakeholders in the Biebrza Valley is documented. The requirements of efficient stakeholder dialogue and the raising of awareness are then indicated. We conclude that many attempts to raise awareness of environmental conservation require improvements. Messages often need to be adjusted for different stakeholders and their various perception levels to efficiently anticipate the potential impacts of the changing climate on ecosystem management. We also revealed that the autonomous adaptation measures implemented by stakeholders to mitigate impacts of climatic change often contradict adaptive management planned and implemented by environmental authorities. We conclude that there is a demand for boundary spanners that can build a bridge between complex scientific outputs and stakeholder needs.

Developing an algorithm for enhancement of a digital terrain model for a densely vegetated floodplain wetland

Abstract. Airborne laser scanning survey data were conducted with a scanning density of 4  points/m2 to accurately map the surface of a unique central European complex of wetlands: the lower Biebrza River valley (Poland). A method to correct a degrading effect of vegetation (so-called “vegetation effect”) on digital terrain models (DTMs) was applied utilizing remotely sensed images, real-time kinematic global positioning system elevation measurements, topographical surveys, and vegetation height measurements. Geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) was performed to map vegetation within the study area that was used as categories from which vegetation height information was derived for the DTM correction. The final DTM was compared with a model obtained, where additional correction of the “vegetation effect” was neglected. A comparison between corrected and uncorrected DTMs demonstrated the importance of accurate topography through a simple presentation of the discrepancies arising in features of the flood using various DTM products. An overall map classification accuracy of 80% was attained with the use of GEOBIA. Correction factors developed for various types of the vegetation reached values from 0.08 up to 0.92 m and were dependent on the vegetation type.

Do Water Management and Climate-Adapted Management of Wetlands Interfere in Practice? Lessons from the Biebrza Valley, Poland

In this chapter the authors deal with the implementation of Water Framework Directive in the catchment of the Biebrza River (north-east Poland) that covers 7,120 km2. Special attention was paid to the context of conservation of riverine and wetland ecosystems facing pressures driven by the climatic change. Measures foreseen by the National Water-Environment Programme for the catchment of Biebrza are analysed in order to reveal whether the actions planned, expressing the implementation of Water Framework Directive, anticipate potential pressures originating from the observed and defined, climate-related pressures such as increasing frequency of summer flooding, ongoing decrease in summer sums of precipitation and increasing frequencies of extremely high summer rainfalls. The DPSIR feedback loops presenting selected relations between the climate-related pressures and potential negative responses of geoecosystems of the Biebrza catchment are described in order to verify whether the measures implemented aimed at conservation and improvement of the state of water bodies and water-dependent ecosystems are capable for assuring their good status. Basing upon the observations and facts analysed, the authors derive lessons learnt from the process of Water Framework Directive implementation, showing that the improvement of allocation of funds to the water management actions is needed in order to assure good ecological status of aquatic and wetland ecosystems, concerning qualitative and quantitative elements of the water-related environments, facing direct and indirect climate-related pressures.

Influence of technical maintenance measures on ecological status of agricultural lowland rivers – Systematic review and implications for river management

Intensification of agriculture and ongoing urban sprawl exacerbate pressures on rivers. Small rivers in agricultural landscapes are especially exposed to excessive technical actions implemented in order to allow for harvesting river water for irrigation, draining agricultural water and receiving sewage. Regular dredging and macrophyte removal strongly interfere with the global need for preserving river biodiversity that allows agricultural lowland rivers to remain refuges for a variety of species, and-accordingly-to keep water bodies resilient for the benefit of society. In order to provide a comprehensive look at the influence of agricultural lowland river management on the ecological status of these water bodies, we conducted a literature review and a meta-analysis. For the structured literature review we selected 203 papers reflecting on the response of aquatic ecosystems to dredging and macrophyte management actions. The database of scientific contributions developed for our study consists of papers written by the authors from 33 countries (first authorship) addressing dredging, macrophyte removal, status of fish and macroinvertebrates as well as the general ecological status of lowland agricultural rivers. We revealed that 96% of the analyzed papers indicated unilateral, negative responses of aquatic ecosystems, particularly macroinvertebrates, ichthyofauna and macrophyte composition, to maintenance measures. We revealed that studies conducted in the European Union on the ecological status of rivers appeared to significantly increase in quantity after the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. Finally, we concluded that day-to-day management of lowland agricultural rivers requires revision in terms of compliance with environmental conservation requirements and the recurrent implementation of technical measures for river maintenance.

Processing of airborne laser scanning data to generate accurate DTM for floodplain wetland

Structure of the floodplain, especially its topography and vegetation, influences the overland flow and dynamics of floods which are key factors shaping ecosystems in surface water-fed wetlands. Therefore elaboration of the digital terrain model (DTM) of a high spatial accuracy is crucial in hydrodynamic flow modelling in river valleys. In this study the research was conducted in the unique Central European complex of fens and marshes - the Lower Biebrza river valley. The area is represented mainly by peat ecosystems which according to EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) are called “water-dependent ecosystems”. Development of accurate DTM in these areas which are overgrown by dense wetland vegetation consisting of alder forest, willow shrubs, reed, sedges and grass is very difficult, therefore to represent terrain in high accuracy the airborne laser scanning data (ALS) with scanning density of 4 points/m2 was used and the correction of the “vegetation effect” on DTM was executed. This correction was performed utilizing remotely sensed images, topographical survey using the Real Time Kinematic positioning and vegetation height measurements. In order to classify different types of vegetation within research area the object based image analysis (OBIA) was used. OBIA allowed partitioning remotely sensed imagery into meaningful image-objects, and assessing their characteristics through spatial and spectral scale. The final maps of vegetation patches that include attributes of vegetation height and vegetation spectral properties, utilized both the laser scanning data and the vegetation indices developed on the basis of airborne and satellite imagery. This data was used in process of segmentation, attribution and classification. Several different vegetation indices were tested to distinguish different types of vegetation in wetland area. The OBIA classification allowed correction of the “vegetation effect” on DTM. The final digital terrain model was compared and examined within distinguished land cover classes (formed mainly by natural vegetation of the river valley) with archival height models developed through interpolation of ground points measured with GPS RTK and also with elevation models from the ASTER-GDEM and SRTM programs. The research presented in this paper allowed improving quality of hydrodynamic modelling in the surface water-fed wetlands protected within Biebrza National Park. Additionally, the comparison with other digital terrain models allowed to demonstrate the importance of accurate topography products in such modelling. The ALS data also significantly improved the accuracy and actuality of the river Biebrza course, its tributaries and location of numerous oxbows typical in this part of the river valley in comparison to previously available data. This type of data also helped to refine the river valley cross-sections, designate river banks and to develop the slope map of the research area.

Too wet and too dry? Uncertainty of DEM as a potential source of significant errors in a model-based water level assessment in riparian and mire ecosystems

Modelling groundwater depths in floodplains and peatlands remains a basic approach to assessing hydrological conditions of habitats. Groundwater flow models used to compute groundwater heads are known for their uncertainties, and the calibration of these models and the uncertainty assessments of parameters remain fundamental steps in providing reliable data. However, the elevation data used to determine the geometry of model domains are frequently considered deterministic and hence are seldom considered a source of uncertainty in model-based groundwater level estimations. Knowing that even the cutting-edge laser-scanning-based digital elevation models have errors due to vegetation effects and scanning procedure failures, we provide an assessment of uncertainty of water level estimations that remain basic data for wetland ecosystem assessment and management. We found that the uncertainty of the digital elevation model (DEM) significantly influenced the results of the assessment of the habitat’s hydrological conditions expressed as groundwater depths. In extreme cases, although the average habitat suitability index (HSI) assessed in a deterministic manner was defined as ‘unsuitable’, in a probabilistic approach (grid-cell-scale estimation), it reached a value of 40% probability, signifying ‘optimum’ or ‘tolerant’. For the 24 habitats analysed, we revealed vast differences between HSI scores calculated for individual grid cells of the model and HSI scores computed as average values from the set of grid cells located within the habitat patches. We conclude that groundwater-modelling-based decision support approaches to wetland assessment can result in incorrect management if the quality of DEM has not been addressed in studies referring to groundwater depths.

Survey on River Water Level Measuring Technologies: Case Study for Flood Management Purposes of the C2-SENSE Project

In our survey we point out the most relevant features of water level monitoring methods applicable in Flood Warning Systems with respect to the framework of C2-SENSE project. We discuss the most common approaches to water level measurements regarding their spatial and temporal distribution and continuity of data recording and transfer. In detail we refer to three the widest applied methods of water level measurements, namely standard water gauge-based water level assessment, automatic pressure transducers and radar measurements of water table elevation. We refer to the most common problems of water level measurements related to the uncertainty of measurements and flaws of technical solutions applied. We revealed that the most critical features of water level monitoring frameworks are (i) assuring high quality of measurements by permanent quality check of automatic measurements, (ii) avoiding human-based measurements of water levels as being inappropriate in critical and dangerous flood events and (iii) assuring – if possible – continuity of data transfer from monitoring stations to final user along with avoiding public GSM networks being overloaded by private users during floods. In this survey the contribution of the C2-SENSE project to improvement of water level measurements for flood warning systems.