Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions

Estuaries worldwide are of substantial ecological value due to the presence of various gradients, such as salinity. Preserving the natural value of estuaries is vital for meeting the climate stabilization goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognizing nature as a stakeholder is imperative, given the surp...

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Main Authors: Soesja Brunink, Gijs G. Hendrickx
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Nature-Based Solutions
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411524000363
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author Soesja Brunink
Gijs G. Hendrickx
author_facet Soesja Brunink
Gijs G. Hendrickx
author_sort Soesja Brunink
collection DOAJ
description Estuaries worldwide are of substantial ecological value due to the presence of various gradients, such as salinity. Preserving the natural value of estuaries is vital for meeting the climate stabilization goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognizing nature as a stakeholder is imperative, given the surpassing value of ecosystem services over global gross domestic product. Quantifying the current ecological state and future ecological shifts faces challenges, including variable dependencies, spatial-temporal disparities, and the limitations in available information. This study introduces EMMA (Ecotope-Map Maker for Abiotics), a method for quantifying the effects of human interventions or climate change scenarios on estuarine ecosystems by linking abiotic characteristics derived from a hydrodynamic model to ecotopes. The Western Scheldt, an estuary connecting the Scheldt river to the North Sea in the Netherlands, serves as a case study. The method successfully reproduced an existing ecotope-map, which is dependent on real-time data such as aerial photographs. The developed method not only proves applicable in assessing the current ecological state and future ecological shifts for hypothetical scenarios but also demonstrates utility in predicting future situations, providing valuable insights for decision-makers in estuarine ecosystem management and contributing to climate and environmental preservation goals.
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spelling doaj-art-ecd0628b950c49eabcb267f7825b20402024-12-17T05:01:54ZengElsevierNature-Based Solutions2772-41152024-12-016100145Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutionsSoesja Brunink0Gijs G. Hendrickx1Department of Hydraulic Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; Arcadis, Amersfoort, the NetherlandsDepartment of Hydraulic Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.Estuaries worldwide are of substantial ecological value due to the presence of various gradients, such as salinity. Preserving the natural value of estuaries is vital for meeting the climate stabilization goals of the Paris Agreement. Recognizing nature as a stakeholder is imperative, given the surpassing value of ecosystem services over global gross domestic product. Quantifying the current ecological state and future ecological shifts faces challenges, including variable dependencies, spatial-temporal disparities, and the limitations in available information. This study introduces EMMA (Ecotope-Map Maker for Abiotics), a method for quantifying the effects of human interventions or climate change scenarios on estuarine ecosystems by linking abiotic characteristics derived from a hydrodynamic model to ecotopes. The Western Scheldt, an estuary connecting the Scheldt river to the North Sea in the Netherlands, serves as a case study. The method successfully reproduced an existing ecotope-map, which is dependent on real-time data such as aerial photographs. The developed method not only proves applicable in assessing the current ecological state and future ecological shifts for hypothetical scenarios but also demonstrates utility in predicting future situations, providing valuable insights for decision-makers in estuarine ecosystem management and contributing to climate and environmental preservation goals.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411524000363Ecotope mappingEstuarine ecosystemsHydrodynamic modelBuilding with Nature
spellingShingle Soesja Brunink
Gijs G. Hendrickx
Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
Nature-Based Solutions
Ecotope mapping
Estuarine ecosystems
Hydrodynamic model
Building with Nature
title Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
title_full Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
title_fullStr Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
title_full_unstemmed Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
title_short Predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data: Towards an ecological assessment of nature-based solutions
title_sort predicting ecotopes from hydrodynamic model data towards an ecological assessment of nature based solutions
topic Ecotope mapping
Estuarine ecosystems
Hydrodynamic model
Building with Nature
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772411524000363
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