Assessment of the Pressure Level over Lentic Waterbodies through the Estimation of Land Uses in the Catchment and Hydro-Morphological Alterations: The LUPLES Method

Daniel Morant,Antonio Camacho,Christian Perennou

doi:10.3390/app11041633

Daniel Morant, Antonio Camacho + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/app11041633

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Abstract

The features of lentic waterbodies largely depend on the surrounding environment. Mediterranean coastal lagoons have been historically altered, with their catchment being highly modified for agricultural, livestock, or urban uses. Changes in land uses induce pressures that impact the waterbodies and alter their ecological status. The objectives of this paper were: to develop a methodological approach (LUPLES: Land Uses for estimating Pressure Levels to approach the Ecological Status), to quantify the main pressures on the waterbodies and to forecast the possible impacts of these pressures on their ecological status. Corine-Land Cover maps and Geographic Information System technics were used to delineate and identify land uses in the catchments. Specific algorithms were created to quantify the main pressures from land uses in the catchment and hydro-morphological alterations in the immediate basin. The values of the estimated pressure levels were correlated with ecological status indicators using metrics developed for the European Water Framework Directive. Data were obtained from European and River Basin Authorities databases. Results showed statistically significant correlations between the pressure levels quantified by the LUPLES method and the impact level detected by biological, physical and chemical metrics. This method provides a useful approach to estimate the pressure levels affecting lentic waterbodies and could be applied to approach how they could affect their ecological status.

Highlights

Mediterranean lentic ecosystems have been historically altered [1], as pressures in their catchments can impact them to different degrees
The main aim of this work is to define a novel method, named LUPLES (Land Uses for estimating Pressure Levels to approach the Ecological Status), to estimate the pressure levels exerted on aquatic ecosystems using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, by identifying land uses and direct alterations in the catchment area
The first approach was based on the weighted assessment of the land uses in the catchment for the evaluation of pressures related to pollution, whereas the second approach evaluated the direct alterations of the hydro-morphological characteristics, both in the catchment area and in the waterbody immediate basin

Summary

Introduction

Mediterranean lentic ecosystems (standing waters) have been historically altered [1], as pressures in their catchments can impact them to different degrees. These include changes from natural land uses to croplands or pastures for livestock [2], accompanied by increasing land reclamation to urban uses, especially in coastal areas [3]. The ecological quality of lentic ecosystems is largely influenced by their catchments, as runoff ends in the waterbody and largely determines its characteristics [4]. Nutrients, sediments or specific pollutants can reach the waterbodies by runoff and diffuse sources [5]. Any activity or change produced in the catchment may have direct effects on the waterbody [9,10]

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