Assessment of the Selected Regulating Ecosystem Services Using Ecosystem Services Matrix in Two Model Areas: Special Nature Reserve Obedska Bara (Serbia) and Protected Landscape Area Dunajske Luhy (Slovakia)

Ivan Laco

doi:10.3390/land10121401

Abstract

In this paper we are analyzing the potential of land cover features to provide three regulating ecosystem services (ESs), ES Local climate regulation, ES Water quality regulation and ES Biodiversity promotion, in two case study areas: Special nature reserve (SNR) Obedska bara (Serbia) and Protected landscape area (PLA) Dunajske luhy (Slovakia). Regulating ESs are not only important for proper functioning of ecosystems, but they are also crucial for the existence of human society. To assess the potential of land cover features to provide regulating ESs, we used biophysical methods. The maps of land cover potential to provide regulating ES are the result of the analyses. The results indicate that forests are the most important ecosystems that provide ES Local climate regulation and ES Water quality regulation. For ES Biodiversity promotion, the most important ecosystems were natural and seminatural meadows, wetlands, natural and seminatural rivers and water bodies as well as forests. Overall SNR Obedska bara has higher potential to provide all three regulating ESs than PLA Dunajske luhy. These findings point to the importance of natural areas in ensuring the provision of regulating ESs. Properly selected landscape management is the key for maintaining or improving the potential of land cover features to provide regulating ESs. The research can help local authorities in decision making and in creating conservation strategies for selected protected areas.

Highlights

The efforts to ecologically and sustainably use natural resources, to conserve world’s biodiversity, to mitigate or eliminate negative impacts on nature, and to prevent and limit actions that damage, threaten or destroy living conditions and life forms are increasing nowadays [1]
The case study area Special nature reserve (SNR) Obedska bara is located in five municipalities in Northern Serbia in Vojvodina, in Southeastern Sriem on the left bank of the Sava River in an altitude 71–82 m above sea level (Figure 1)
We asked 23 stakeholders to rate the potential of land cover features to provide three selected ecosystem services (ESs) (Local climate regulation, Water quality regulation and Biodiversity promotion)

Summary

Introduction

The efforts to ecologically and sustainably use natural resources, to conserve world’s biodiversity, to mitigate or eliminate negative impacts on nature, and to prevent and limit actions that damage, threaten or destroy living conditions and life forms are increasing nowadays [1]. The concept of ESs provides new, anthropogenic justification for conservation of species and habitats. It is based on our dependence on goods and services that ecosystems provide us [2]. In the first decade of the new millennium, global research was dedicated to biodiversity and natural capital [6], which led to large-scale projects, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment [7] project that defined ESs such as benefits that people obtain from ecosystems. The concept of ESs is increasing in popularity [8] and the number of studies concerning ESs in Slovakia has grown in the last decade

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion