Research project NG| DOWES: Disclosing the Overlooked Wetlandscape Ecosystem Services
A wetlandscape can comprise large regions with different wetland bodies connected by groundwater or surface flows and, in turn, include more ecosystems, land covers, and communities existing in the landscape.
The role of wetlandscapes for the well-being of human communities is evident throughout human history, as societies have developed and thrived in their spatial domains. Wetlands are well known to provide a range of provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting ecosystem service. Yet, the complexity arising from the spatial aggregation of wetland units into wetlandscapes invites a reconsideration of the provision of wetlandscape ecosystem services (WES).
Project description
While wetlands are individual ecosystems with permanent or temporary waters, the novel term “wetlandscapes” refers to systems of wetlands that are hydraulic, hydrological, and ecologically coupled. Although wetland ecosystem services have been investigated for decades, the spatial aggregation of wetlands into wetlandscapes invites their reconsideration. This is most relevant concerning various types of services, such as food and water security services provided to ecosystems and communities beyond the direct area of influence.
The main objective of DOWES is to resolve the interlinkages between water availability in wetlandscapes, their responses and stressors, and the provision of ecosystem services within and beyond their area of influence through synthesis across multiple wetlandscapes. Comprised of six well-known institutions across Sweden, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and Brazil, DOWES will, in five work packages, address the main objective across six iconic wetlandscape ecosystems.
The first determines high-resolution changes in the hydrological regime using the latest radar and altimetric missions. The second relateswater availability to wetlandscape ecosystem responses and stressors. The third develops a participatory approach to identify perceptions of potential cultural ecosystem services. The fourth adds a layer of complexity by quantifying the provision of ecosystem services of wetlandscapes beyond the area of influence.
Finally, the fifth work package combines these four to develop metrics and guidelines to track and quantify the provision of wetlandscape ecosystem services.
Project members
Members
Fernando Jaramillo
Associate professor, Docent
Anna Scaini
Researcher
