Provision Of Ecosystem Services Research Articles

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Ecosystem Supply and Demand Bundles: A Case Study in the Sichuan-Yunnan Ecological Buffer Area, China

Identifying the spatial characteristics of ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand is crucial for effective ecosystem management and restoration. Past related studies have primarily focused on balancing ES supply and demand and supply clustering, with less attention focused on the drivers of demand clustering and their spatial evolution. This study explored the spatiotemporal supply–demand dynamics in four crucial ecosystem services (ESs) in the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer area region between 2005 and 2019, namely water yield, net primary production, soil conservation, and habitat quality. Self-organizing maps and geographical detectors were used to classify supply–demand ES bundles as their main drivers, respectively. The main results of the study included: (1) A decline in habitat quality, whereas net primary productivity, water yield, and soil conservation increased. However, there were increasing demands for habitat quality, water yield, and net primary productivity, despite the decrease in demand for soil conservation. (2) Demand for habitat quality was met by supply, whereas there were deficits in soil conservation, water yield, and net primary productivity, which contributed to the demand in the east exceeding that elsewhere. (3) The proportion of ES bundle 2 increased, whereas those of the remaining ES bundles declined. Similarly, the areas of ES demand bundles (ESDBs) 1 and 4 decreased, whereas those of 2 and 3 increased. While the spatial extent of the ESBs remained relatively stable, those of the ESDBs in the northern regions increased. Key factors influencing the spatial distribution of ES supply include human activities, population density, and precipitation, whereas land use, population density, and the human activity index primarily affect demand distribution. The results of this study can act as a reference for comprehensive regional ecosystem management.

MEGA Vision: Integrating Reef Photogrammetry Data into Immersive Mixed Reality Experiences

Abstract. Coral reefs and submerged cultural heritage sites are integral to supporting marine biodiversity, preserving human history, providing ecosystem services, and understanding drivers of ecosystem health and function. Despite the importance of these submerged underwater habitats, accessibility to these environments remains limited to specialized professionals. The MEGA Vision mixed reality application integrates photogrammetry-derived data products with augmented reality (AR) technologies to transcend this barrier, offering an immersive and educational platform for the broader public. Using high-resolution imagery from SCUBA expeditions, the app presents users with realistic and spatially accurate 3D reconstructions of coral reefs and submerged archaeological artifacts within an interactive interface developed through Unity and Vuforia. The applications’ instructional design includes multimedia elements for enhancing user comprehension of marine and historical sciences. This mixed reality tool exemplifies the convergence of scientific data visualization and public engagement, offering a unique educational tool that demystifies the complexities of marine ecosystems and maritime history, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation and stewardship of underwater environments. By enabling accessible, interactive, and immersive experiences, the application has the potential to revolutionize the way we interact with and contribute to marine sciences, aligning technology with conservation and research efforts to cultivate a more informed and environmentally conscious public.

Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem Services Supply and Demand of the Kilombero Valley Floodplain, Tanzania

Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem Services Supply and Demand of the Kilombero Valley Floodplain, Tanzania

Connecting forest soil properties with ecosystem services: Toward a better use of digital soil maps—A review

AbstractThe soil supports many ecosystem services (ES) essential to human well‐being. Rapid developments in digital soil mapping (DSM) allow the mapping of soil types and soil properties with improved resolution and accuracy. However, the potential of DSM to improve the assessment and mapping of ES is not fully exploited. To better understand this potential, we synthesized the peer‐reviewed literature. We examined what empirical studies reveal about the role of soil properties in the assessment of four major ES provided by the forest: (I) timber production, (II) soil carbon storage, (III) regulation of water flow and provision of clean water, and (IV) the soil as a habitat for organisms. Results revealed that soil properties are strongly related to the provision of ES. Therefore, using DSM could greatly improve the assessment of the ES provided by forests. Several variables were related to specific ES regardless of region or ecosystem types, but others were found to be situation‐specific (climate and soil type) and need to be considered at the proper scale or within a proper land classification framework. DSM products have the potential to greatly improve the assessment of ES by turning qualitative relationships between soil and ES to quantitative ones. This could also lead to the discovery of new soil–ES relationships. For this potential to be realized, progress should be made in mapping the most crucial soil parameters with greater precision and in promoting the use of soil parameters in ES assessment.

Field Collection and Laboratory Maintenance of Canopy-Forming Giant Kelp to Facilitate Restoration.

Canopy-forming kelps are essential foundation species, supporting biodiversity and providing ecosystem services valued at more than USD$500 billion annually. The global decline of giant kelp forests due to climate-driven ecological stressors underscores the need for innovative restoration strategies. An emerging restoration technique known as 'green gravel' aims to seed young kelps over large areas without extensive underwater labor and represents a promising restoration tool due to cost-effectiveness and scalability. This video article illustrates a protocol and tools for culturing giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera. It also provides a resource for further studies to address the successes and limitations of this method in field settings. We outline field and laboratory-based methods for collecting reproductive tissue, sporulating, inoculating, rearing, maintaining, and monitoring substrates seeded with early life stages using the 'green gravel'technique. The protocol simplifies and centralizes current restoration practices in this field to support researchers, managers, and stakeholders in meeting kelp conservation objectives.

Enhancing Water Ecosystem Services Using Environmental Zoning in Land Use Planning

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes alter the structure and functioning of natural ecosystems, impacting the potential and flow of ecosystem services. Ecological restoration projects aiming to enhance native vegetation have proven effective in mitigating the impacts of LULC changes on ecosystem services. A key element in implementing these projects has been identifying priority areas for restoration, considering that resources allocated to such projects are often limited. This study proposes a novel methodological framework to identify priority areas for restoration and guide LULC planning to increase the provision of water ecosystem services (WESs) in a watershed in southeastern Brazil. To do so, we combined biophysical models and multicriteria analysis to identify priority areas for ecological restoration, propose environmental zoning for the study area, and quantify the effects of LULC changes and of a planned LULC scenario (implemented environmental zoning) on WES indicators. Previous LULC changes, from 1985 to 2019, have resulted in a nearly 20% increase in annual surface runoff, a 50% increase in sediment export, a 22% increase in total nitrogen (TN) export, and a 53% increase in total phosphorus (TP) export. Simultaneously, they reduced the provision of WESs (baseflow −27%, TN retention −10%, and TP retention −16%), except for sediment retention, which increased by 35% during the analyzed period. The planned LULC scenario successfully increased the provision of WESs while reducing surface runoff and nutrient and sediment exports. The methodology employed in this study proved to be effective in guiding LULC planning for improving WES. The obtained results provide a scientific foundation for guiding the implementation of WES conservation policies in the studied watershed. This method is perceived to be applicable to other watersheds.

Challenges and prospects for teaching ocean literacy in Brazilian schools

This study took as a case study the perspective of teachers working in the State of Rio de Janeiro by 53 interviews to investigate the challenges and prospects of including content about the ocean in Brazilian school classrooms. The data were subjected to content analysis and explored quantitatively using Descending Hierarchical Classification (DHC) and Factor Correspondence Analysis (FCA) of word and terms used by teachers in their discourse. The main difficulties reported in including themes related to the ocean and marine environments in classes were the absence of OL in the school curriculum and university education, as well as the limited time to work on these subjects in classes, which is in line with the challenges faced by teachers from other countries. On the other hand, Brazilian teachers cited particular problems of Brazilian formal education, such as the need for professional development, support for an education with an interdisciplinary emphasis, and provision of financial resources for schools. However, DHC analysis also indicates strong connection of the teachers with the ocean due to sea fascination (24% of the answers in the textual corpus), spiritual and emotional connection (26.7%), leisure (22.7%) and professional interest (26.7%). Furthermore, the textual corpus also identified that teachers recognize the importance of teaching marine topics due to: students live in coastal areas (32.2%), the provision of ecosystem services (19.9%), preservation issues (34.2%), and limited student knowledge on these themes (13.7%). These data can help formulate educational policies to mitigate OL teaching barriers in Brazilian schools.

Assessing the Home Range, Foraging Pattern and Roost Fidelity of Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus sphinx) in a Semi-Urban Environment

Radio telemetry is a method used in wildlife ecology to examine the movements and behaviours of animals, as well as to define their home ranges and habitat preferences. Bats, a highly diverse group of mammals, are recognized for their essential contributions to ecosystems, including seed dispersal, pollination, and pest control through their foraging activities. This study utilised radio telemetry to explore the basic foraging behaviours, range of movement, and roosting flexibility of the Cynopterus sphinx species. A total of 15 bats were equipped with compact, hand-wired, two-stage transmitter radio devices, including two harem males, nine harem females, and four non-harem males. Three groups used TRX-1000S receivers and collapsible 5-element Yagi antennas to track these radio-tagged bats. Our findings indicate that the radio-tagged female bats were the first to leave their roosts, with emergence times between 18:15 and 19:18 hrs. In contrast, harem males emerged last, following the quicker departure of non-harem males. The harem males covered an average foraging distance of 2.4 km (±0.3 km), whereas non-harem males travelled further. Both male and female bats visited multiple feeding sites nightly, with females travelling an average distance of 4.5 km (±0.9 km). Time spent at foraging sites varied among individuals. Males show higher roost fidelity than females, who frequently move between harems and roost sites. The study highlighted gender-specific differences in emergence times and distinct foraging behaviours, underlining the importance of understanding these patterns for conservation and habitat management efforts, which are crucial for supporting bats' roles as providers of ecosystem services.

Spatial variability of clay minerals in a semi-arid region of Turkiye

Clay minerals are the source of many chemical and physical properties that influence the provision of soil-based ecosystem services. This study aimed to identify the most significant soil characteristics contributing to the spatial variability of clay minerals in a semi-arid region of Turkiye. Additionally, the study assessed the predictive capabilities of Classification and Regression Tree (CART), Random Forest Regression (RF) and eXtreme Gradient Boosting Regression (XGBoost) in estimating soil clay mineral content. Smectite+vermiculite (SMVR) was the most abundant clay mineral in the study area, followed by illite and kaolinite. Hyperparameter tuning significantly improved model accuracy, with root mean square error (RMSE) reductions ranging from 2.53% to 97.3%. The machine learning algorithms demonstrated varying performances in spatial prediction accuracy. The RF model achieved the lowest RMSE (8.587%) and the highest R2 values (0.796) for predicting SMVR. The XGBoost outperformed other models for kaolinite (RMSE: 4.814%, R2:0.713) and illite (RMSE:7.368%, R2:0.613). Exchangeable cations, particularly magnesium (Mg) and calcium (Ca), were identified as crucial factors influencing the spatial distribution of clay minerals. Among these, M concentration had the strongest influence on predicting both SMVR (38.1%) and illite (26.3%). Conversely, for kaolinite prediction, Ca concentration played the most significant role (38.7%), followed by Mg (19.93%). In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of machine learning models, particularly XGBoost which achieved the lowest RMSE for all clay minerals investigated. These models offer a valuable tool for predicting clay mineral content in the Kazova Plain. The findings highlight the importance of parent material, weathering processes, and specific soil properties, such as exchangeable cations, in shaping clay mineral distribution. This knowledge not only contributes to a deeper understanding of soil formation in semi-arid environments but also practical applications. For instance, by predicting the abundance of SVMR, known for its high cation exchange capacity land managers can develop targeted strategies for optimizing fertilizer application in the Kazova Plain.

Using the analytic hierarchical process to identify potential sites for rural ecological infrastructure investment in South Africa: examples from Cacadu and Tsitsa Catchments

Climate change, population growth, and land degradation are causing various socio‐economic consequences in low‐ to medium‐income countries. To address this, it is essential to prioritize restoration interventions at specific locations to maximize their effectiveness and the supply of valuable ecosystem services, such as water regulation. A stakeholder‐driven spatial multi‐criteria analysis was applied in two degraded and rural catchments in the Eastern Cape (the Cacadu and Tsitsa River Catchments), South Africa. The process combined metrics for ecosystem health, hydrological functionality, and socio‐economic benefit to visualize areas that can be targeted to maintain or enhance flow regulation. These criteria were identified based on the guidance of local stakeholders concerning their valuable ecological infrastructure (EI). The EI types investigated were wetlands, riverbanks, rangelands, and old croplands. Human and climate change impacts threaten these EIs but are the most relevant for communal needs and sustainability. According to the analysis, more places require better management to maintain the existing flow regulation service of focal catchments than areas that require a high level of human intervention (implying areas that can enhance flow regulation). This work highlights the importance of including and contextualizing the socio‐economic benefits expected from Nature‐based Solutions or EI investment initiatives.

What secondary research evidence exists on the effects of forest management after disturbances: a systematic map protocol

BackgroundForest disturbances are projected to increase in intensity and frequency in the upcoming decades. The projected change in disturbance regimes is expected to alter the provision of ecosystem services and affect biodiversity. Both are critical for forest ecosystems to provide livelihoods for human societies. Forest management after natural disturbances shapes successional pathways of forest ecosystems. Therefore, the management of post-disturbance sites deserves critical attention to avoid negative effects of management interventions on ecosystem services and biodiversity. The two most common management interventions after natural disturbances are salvage logging (comparator: no salvage logging) and tree planting (comparator: natural regeneration). This planned systematic map of reviews aims to aggregate the existing evidence syntheses on the implications of common forest management interventions after natural disturbances on successional trajectories with regard to selected ecosystem services and biodiversity. Evidence-based post-disturbance management is highly relevant for protected area management as well as for the management of commercial forests.MethodsWe will systematically search the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and the Forest Science Collection of the CABI Digital Library for reviews and meta-analyses (after 2003). We will apply eligibility criteria for review selection and assess the evidence synthesis validity of selected reviews using the most recent version of CEESAT (Collaboration for Environmental Evidence Synthesis Assessment Tool). The results will be displayed in topic subgroups in summary of scope and summary of findings tables.

The Potential of Three Summer Legume Cover Crops to Suppress Weeds and Provide Ecosystem Services—A Review

Recently, there has been growing interest in the use of summer cover crops that can be grown during summer fallow periods of crop rotation. This study evaluates the potential of sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), velvetbean [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.] and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.]. as three annual legumes summer cover crops. The main objective of this review was to conduct global research comparing these summer cover crops to investigate the benefits, challenges, and trade-offs among ecosystems services when implementing these summer cover crops. In European agriculture, there are three main windows in crop rotation when these summer legumes can be grown: Around mid-spring after winter fallow, early summer after harvest of a winter crop, and mid- to late summer after harvest of an early-season crop. All three legumes can suppress weeds while they are actively growing. After termination, their mulch can create unfavorable conditions for weed emergence. Sunn hemp and velvetbean cover crops can cause a reduction in weed biomass of more than 50%. In addition to their ability to suppress weeds, sunn hemp, velvetbean, and cowpea provide a variety of ecosystem services, such as improving soil health, quality, and fertility, controlling pests, and sequestering carbon. The review highlights their promising role in weed suppression and their contribution to sustainable agricultural practices. However, further research is needed to evaluate their performance in weed management and their environmental impact in field trials under different soil-climatic conditions, as cover cropping is an effective practice but highly context-specific.

Commercial maize hybrids have smaller root systems after 80 Years of breeding

Roots have gained attention for their role in improving plant function in high-stress environments and providing ecosystem services such as soil organic carbon storage. An important step in breeding for enhanced root phenotypes is understanding how root traits have changed historically due to selection for yield and other aboveground traits. However, among the few era panel studies focused on roots, there are conflicting findings about how breeding has altered traits such as root system length and biomass, while other traits such as root depth distribution, root size class distribution, and tissue quality remain largely unexplored. Our aim was to assess breeding-driven changes in root traits that are relevant to resource acquisition and soil carbon sequestration. We grew twelve maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids from the Corteva/Pioneer ERA panel, spanning from 1936 to 2014, in 1.5 m deep mesocosms. At the eight-leaf stage, intact root systems were imaged and analyzed using a custom root phenotyping platform, and roots and shoots were subjected to carbon and nitrogen analysis and Diffuse Reflectance FTIR to assess variation in tissue composition. We found that the newest hybrids produced 40% less root biomass and 36% less root length than the oldest hybrids, with declines of 0.024 g year−1 (s.e.: 0.005, p < 0.01) and 0.86 m year−1 (s.e.: 0.23, p < 0.01) with no changes in maximum rooting depth, which averaged 113 cm (±5.62). , and no directional shifts in chemical composition. We also found a decline in the root-to-shoot ratio from 0.58 g g−1 to 0.46 g g−1 (s.e.: 0.0006, p < 0.05). Our results suggest that selection for yield has indirectly decreased root system size over 80 years of maize breeding. Smaller root systems of modern hybrids may contribute to the higher optimum plant populations and higher yields of modern maize hybrids.

Neighborhood ethnicity is related to mammal occupancy and activity across a desert metropolitan area

AbstractCities support abundant human and wildlife populations that are shaped indirectly and directly by human decisions, often resulting in unequal access to environmental services and accessible open spaces. Urban land cover drives biodiversity patterns across metropolitan areas, but at smaller scales that matter to local residents, neighborhood socio‐cultural factors can influence the presence and abundance of wildlife. Neighborhood income is associated with plant and animal diversity in some cities, but the influence of other social variables is less well understood, especially across desert ecosystems. We explored wildlife distribution across gradients of neighborhood ethnicity in addition to income and landscape characteristics within residential areas of metropolitan Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Utilizing data from 38 wildlife cameras deployed in public parks and undeveloped open spaces within or near suburban neighborhoods, we estimated occupancy and activity patterns of common mammal species, including species native to the Sonoran Desert (coyote [Canis latrans] and desert cottontail rabbit [Sylvilagus audubonii]), and non‐native domestic cat (Felis catus). Neighborhood ethnicity (percentage of Latino residents) appeared to exhibit a negative relationship with occupancy for coyotes and cottontail rabbits. Additionally, daily activity patterns of coyotes occurred later in the evenings and mornings in neighborhoods with higher proportions of Latino residents, but activity was unaffected by differences in neighborhood income. This study is one of the first to show that social‐ecological mechanisms associated with patterns of neighborhood ethnicity as well as income may help to shape wildlife distribution in cities. These findings have implications for equitable management and provisioning of ecosystem services for urban residents and highlight the importance of considering a range of social covariates to better understand biodiversity outcomes in urban and urbanizing areas.

Efficient carbon recycling between calcification and photosynthesis in red coralline algae.

Red coralline algae create abundant, spatially vast, reef ecosystems throughout our coastal oceans with significant ecosystem service provision, but our understanding of their basic physiology is lacking. In particular, the balance and linkages between carbon-producing and carbon-sequestering processes remain poorly constrained, with significant implications for understanding their role in carbon sequestration and storage. Using dual radioisotope tracing, we provide evidence for coupling between photosynthesis (which requires CO2) and calcification (which releases CO2) in the red coralline alga Boreolithothamnion soriferum (previously Lithothamnion soriferum)-a marine ecosystem engineer widely distributed across Atlantic mid-high latitudes. Of the sequestered HCO3 -, 38 ± 22% was deposited as carbonate skeleton while 39 ± 14% was incorporated into organic matter via photosynthesis. Only 38 ± 2% of the sequestered HCO3 - was transformed into CO2, and almost 40% of that was internally recycled as photosynthetic substrate, reducing the net release of carbon to 23 ± 3% of the total uptake. The calcification rate was strongly dependent on photosynthetic substrate production, supporting the presence of photosynthetically enhanced calcification. The efficient carbon-recycling physiology reported here suggests that calcifying algae may not contribute as much to marine CO2 release as is currently assumed, supporting a reassessment of their role in blue carbon accounting.

Geographic variation in growth and reproduction trade‐offs: Implications for future tree performance

AbstractForests play a crucial role providing ecosystem services to humans, yet many aspects of forest dynamics remain unknown. One key area is how climate change might impact reproduction of tree species. While most studies have focused on predicting tree growth, understanding how reproduction may change will be vital to forecasting future forest communities. Of particular interest is the relationship between annual growth and reproductive output, which has often been hypothesized as a trade‐off between allocating resources to growth or to reproduction. Two proposed pathways of this trade‐off, resource accumulation, that is, storage of resources over time, and resource allocation, that is, same year allocation of resources to reproduction, have been widely explored in relation to masting events. It has also been proposed that there is no internal trade‐off between the two functions, but rather there exists one or more climate variables that are intrinsically linked to both, that is, the weather hypothesis. In this study, we use 15 years of dendrochronological data and seed rain collections from forest stands at two latitudes to determine whether one or more of these strategies are taking place in two commonly occurring tree species: red maple, Acer rubrum; and sugar maple, Acer saccharum. We found evidence of a trade‐off in both species. We also found a combination of strategies was the norm, and there appeared to be evidence to also support the weather hypothesis. However, in both species, the strategy which dictated the trade‐off switched between the northern and southern regions, indicating a degree of plasticity that could be beneficial under changing environmental conditions. By identifying the ways in which growth and reproduction are connected and how these connections vary between different populations, we can gain insights into how trees allocate resources in response to changing conditions.

Response of Microbial Communities to Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material-Contaminated Sediments: A Microcosm-Based Study.

There is a growing need to understand the potential ecological impacts of contaminants in offshore oil and gas infrastructure, especially if that infrastructure is to be left in situ as a decommissioning option. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) is one type of contaminant found in solid deposits on internal surfaces of infrastructure that poses potential ecological harm if released into the marine environment. Microbes are important components of marine sediment ecosystems because they provide ecosystem services, yet the impacts of NORM contamination to these communities are not well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the response of benthic microbial communities to NORM-contaminated scale, collected from an offshore oil and gas system, via controlled laboratory microcosm studies. Changes to microbial communities in natural sediment and sediments spiked with NORM at radium-226 activity concentrations ranging from 9.5 to 59.8 Bq/kg (in partial equilibria with progeny) over 7 and 28 days were investigated using high-throughput sequencing of environmental DNA extracted from experimental sediments. There were no significant differences in microbial community composition between control and scale-spiked sediments over 7 and 28 days. However, we observed a greater presence of Firmicutes in the scale-mixed treatment and Chloroflexi in the scale-surface treatments after 28 days. This could suggest selection for species with contaminant tolerance or potential resilience to radiation and metal toxicity. Further research is needed to explore microbial tolerance mechanisms and their potential as indicators of effects of radionuclide-contaminated sediments. The present study demonstrated that microcosm studies can provide valuable insights about the potential impacts of contamination from oil and gas infrastructure to sediment microbial communities. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:1648-1661. © 2024 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

Managing European Alpine forests with close-to-nature forestry to improve climate change mitigation and multifunctionality

Close-to-nature forestry (CNF) has a long tradition in European Alpine forest management, playing a crucial role in ensuring the continuous provision of biodiversity and forest ecosystem services, including protection against natural hazards. However, climate change is causing huge uncertainties about the future applicability of CNF in the Alpine region. The question arises as to whether current CNF practices are still suitable for adapting forests to climate change impacts while also meeting the increasing societal demands regarding Alpine forests, including their potential contribution to climate change mitigation. To answer this question, we simulated forest development using the ForClim forest model at two Alpine study sites, together representing a large biogeographic gradient from high-elevation inner Alpine forests (Switzerland) to lower-elevation south-eastern Alpine forests (Slovenia). The simulations considered three climate scenarios (historical climate, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) and six alternative management strategies, including both current CNF management practices and climate-adapted versions. Using an indicator based multi-criteria decision analysis framework, we assessed the joint impacts of climate and management on biodiversity and key ecosystem services of the investigated regions, including carbon sequestration (CS) inside and outside the forest ecosystem boundary. The joint effects of climate change and CNF varied, both among and within the study sites along the biogeographical gradient. While CS was more resistant to climate change under current CNF at the south-eastern Alpine site, it was more sensitive at the inner Alpine site, where CS potentials decreased at lower elevations. This adverse effect could be partly mitigated by fostering the use of climate-adapted tree species. However, current CNF and adaptations of it did not meet multiple management objectives equally well: while protection from gravitation hazards and timber production also benefited from this silvicultural practice, biodiversity benefited from CNF variants with low-intensity or no management. In conclusion, CNF has a high potential to continue fulfilling its crucial role in European Alpine forests. A differentiated approach will be needed in the future, however, to identify forest stands where adaptive measures are required, especially at sites particularly vulnerable to climate change. In combination with less intensively managed or unmanaged areas, CNF provides a management portfolio that will help European Alpine forests to meet the demands of future society.

Ecosystem Services Supply from Peri-Urban Watersheds in Greece: Soil Conservation and Water Retention

The main objective of this study is to investigate the supply of ecosystem services (ESs) within peri-urban watersheds (PUWs) across Greece, utilizing earth observation (EO) data and empirical models. To achieve these goals, several open-access geospatial datasets were utilized and processed within a GIS environment. Specifically, the supply of soil conservation and water retention services was assessed at the watershed scale. The results indicates that the supply soil conservation service withing the examined PUWs range from 44.41 t ha−1 y−1 to 441.33 t ha−1 y−1 with an average value of 161.99 t ha−1 y−1. Water retention services vary from 35.09 to 154.63 mm within the PUWs, with an average of 91.45 mm. Additionally, the variation in ES values across distinct altitudinal zones and ecosystem types provides useful insights for implementing protection and management measures. It is evident from the analysis that the soil conservation service gradually increases with elevation, with alpine and subalpine areas exhibiting the highest values. Moreover, mountainous and semi-mountainous regions demonstrate higher values compared to the estimated average soil conservation services of the entire study area. Furthermore, the provision of water retention services varies across different altitudinal zones. Specifically, the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas exhibit the highest values, followed by the subalpine and hilly regions, while lower values are observed in the lowland and alpine regions. The analysis also reveals distinct patterns in ecosystem services across various ecosystem types within the PUWs. Woodland and forest, along with heathland and shrubs, demonstrate higher values in terms of both soil conservation and water retention services. Our findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of ESs in PUWs, highlighting their significance for sustainable land management, and informing policy decisions aimed at preserving ecosystem health and resilience.

Evaluation of Phosphate and E. coli Attenuation in a Natural Wetland Receiving Drainage from an Urbanized Catchment

A natural wetland receiving drainage from a 24-ha urbanized catchment in the Falls Lake Watershed of North Carolina was evaluated to determine if it was providing ecosystem services with regards to phosphate and Escherichia coli (E. coli) attenuation. Inflow and outflow characteristics including nutrient and bacteria concentrations along with physicochemical properties (discharge, pH, oxidation reduction potential, temperature, and specific conductance) were assessed approximately monthly for over 2 years. The median exports of phosphate (0.03 mg/s) and E. coli (5807 MPN/s) leaving the wetland were 85% and 57% lower, respectively, relative to inflow loadings, and the differences were statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). Hydraulic head readings from three piezometers installed at different depths revealed the wetland was a recharge area. Phosphate and E. coli concentrations were significantly greater in the shallowest piezometer relative to the deepest one, suggesting treatment occurred during infiltration. However, severe erosion of the outlets is threatening the stability of the wetland. Upstream drainageway modifications were implemented to slow runoff, and septic system repairs and maintenance activities were implemented to improve water quality reaching the wetland and Lick Creek. However, more work will be needed to conserve the ecosystem services provided by the wetland.