Abstract
Background and purpose: The importance of forest ecosystem services, related to provisioning of fresh water and water purification are of increasing importance, especially in urbanized areas. This study investigates key indicators for ecosystem services, related to drinking water protection, provided by urban and peri-urban forests. Materials and methods: Seven different monitoring programs, projects or directives, assessing water quality variables were analysed. We determined which indicators, describing the drinking water protection services in forest ecosystems, can be applied to urban forests. A list of core indicators sensitive to the specifics of the drinking water supply and urban forest ecosystems in Ljubljana were suggested. Results and conclusions: Analysis included over 86 potential indicators related to nutrient regulation, storage capacity and water purification in forest canopies, forest soils, surface streams, lakes and groundwater. Through scientific review and the application of “necessary” and “feasible” criteria to urban forests the number of indicators was reduced to 62. According to the specifics of drinking water supply and urban forest in Ljubljana 52 core indicators have been selected. Due to the influence of urbanization on water bodies, special emphasis should be given to indicators for storage capacity and water purification capacity of urban forest ecosystems for hazardous substances. This might increase the willingness of decision and policy makers to acknowledge the water protection capacity of urban forests.
Highlights
Forests are identified as the key landscape element for the provision of pristine surface and groundwater resources
Analysis included over 86 potential indicators related to nutrient regulation, storage capacity and water purification in forest canopies, forest soils, surface streams, lakes and groundwater
Due to the influence of urbanization on water bodies, special emphasis should be given to indicators for storage capacity and water purification capacity of urban forest ecosystems for hazardous substances
Summary
Forests are identified as the key landscape element for the provision of pristine surface and groundwater resources. Influence of forest cover on total runoff from a catchment [1,2,3] and water quality in rivers is increasing according to increasing share of forest cover in the basin [4, 5]. Forest ecosystem services of provisioning fresh water and water purification are of particular importance in those urbanized areas, where a great share of water sources (mainly for drinking use) comes from forested water catchments and drainage basins. The importance of forest ecosystem services, related to provisioning of fresh water and water purification are of increasing importance, especially in urbanized areas. This study investigates key indicators for ecosystem services, related to drinking water protection, provided by urban and peri-urban forests
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