Restoration of estuarine nature: luxury or essential building blocks for a sustainable future. Lippenbroek as an example Prof. Dr. Patrick Meire University

Restoration of estuarine nature: luxury or essential

building blocks for a sustainable future.

Lippenbroek as an example

Prof. Dr. Patrick MeireUniversity of Antwerp Ecosystem management research group, Chair of Integrated Water Management

2

Intro

Nature Harbour

Ecology Economy?This conflict is clearly unsustainable, but unfortunately worldwide still very common!

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Conceptual framework

The world consists of many different ecosystems, each characterised by complex interactions between organisms and with the abiotic environment.

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• Each ecosystem is characterised by a certain carrying capacity for specific organisms.

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• The carrying capacity depends on:- The amount of food and water,- The possibility to hide, nest, ….- The general conditions (eg climate)- ….

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• Carrying capacity (CC) of an ecosystem (river basin, estuary or coastal sea,…) is the possibility to sustain a certain amount of human activities

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• The development of man and its civilization over thousands of years was characterized by a gradual increase of the carrying capacity of our environment due to changes to our environment

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Time

Numberofpeople

9

10Droughts

Floods

Pollution

health

Notwithstanding many billions of euro’s have been spend on watermanagement over a very long time span, society is still confronted with major floodings, droughts, water quality problems etc.

Habitat loss

overexploitation

global change

11

Carrying capacity

Ecosystem services

12

13

Salmon mousse with corn salad

Fillets of Norman Sole with puree of potatoes

Jaffa-fondant cake

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Ingredients

1 cornsalad

2 coriander leaves

3 celery leaves

4 shallots

5 cucumber

6 lemon

7 black pepper

8 olive oil olives

9 smoked salmon

10 sour cream cows

Ingredients

11 fillets of sole

12 broth of fish different species

13 white wine grapes

14 mussels

15 shrimps

16 mushrooms

17 flour wheat

18 eggs chickens

19 lemon

20 parsley

21 potatoes

Ingredients

22 sugar sugarbeet

23 cacao

24 maizena

25 walnuts

26 oranges

Salmon mousse on cornsalad fillets of Norman Sole with

puree of potatoes Jaffa-fondantcake

+ aperitif, coffee, etc. at least 30 species necessary!!

15Ingredients Price/kg/L

1 cornsalad 12 €

2 coriander leaves 1,5 €

3 celery leaves 1 €

4 shallots 1,5 €

5 cucumber 1 €

6 lemon 2 €

7 Black pepper 15 €

8 olive oil olives 8 €

9 smoked salmon 25 €

10 sour cream cows 2,5 €

Ingredients Price/kg/l

11 fillets of sole 30 €

12 broth of fish different species

2 €

13 white wine grapes 5 €

14 mussels 10 €

15 shrimps 20 €

16 mushrooms 4 €

17 flour wheat 1 €

18 eggs chicken 0,20 €

19 lemon 2 €

20 parsley 5 €

21 potatoes 1 €

Ingredients

22 sugar sugerbeet 1,5 €

23 cacao 7 €

24 maïzena 1 €

25 walnuts 6 €

26 oranges 2 €

16

1 Day

2 days

19 days

6 days28 days

Sole

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• During different growth phases, the sole needs different types of food

• From phytoplankton to worms, shells and crustaceans.

Ecosystem services

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Plankton

DaphniaBosmina

19

MOLLUSCA

slijkgaper strandgaper

20

ANNELIDA

21

ARTHROPODA

vlokreeftje

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• The diet of an average juvenile sole and schrimp consists of about 25 species, when adult sole needed more than 70 different prey species to get at that stage!

• All these species have specific requirements to the environment where they occur and need in their turn other species to feed on!

• Also different habitats are needed during the lifecycle

Ecosystem services

23

24

• Products with a high market value (eg Sole) are dependent on species WITHOUT market value and on specific habitats as well without market value

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26

27

28

29

Ecological functioning versus Economy

“Goods and services”

(Costanza et al., Nature 1997)

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30

31

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As we goggle at the fluttering financial figures, a different set of numbers passes us by. Last Friday, Pavan Sukhdev, the Deutsche Bank economist leading a European study on ecosystems, reported that we are losing natural capital worth between US$2 trillion and US$5 trillion every year as a result of deforestation alone. The losses incurred so far by the financial sector amount to between US$1 trillion and US$1.5 trillion. Sukhdev arrived at his figure by estimating the value of the services — such as locking up carbon and providing fresh water — that forests perform, and calculating the cost of either replacing them or living without them. The credit crunch is petty when compared to the nature crunch.

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Ecosystem services

Nature Harbour

Ecology EconomyEcosystemservices

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Conclusion 1

• The carrying capacity of the earth for men is based on the “provisioning services” that we increased due to many different management activities.

• These services are, however, completely dependent on the supporting and regulating services and these deteriorated due to the human activities. The consequences are much more far reaching than just the loss of habitat and species

• There is a clear link between ecosystem services and the economy

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?

Will this difference depentOn how we are able toManage ecosystemGoods and services?

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What does this mean for the Schelde?

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Antwerpen

Gent

Vlissingen

BELGIUM

THE NETHERLANDS

WESTERSCHELDE

ZEESCHELDE

37

38

35853

42341

28,4

20,3

32000

34000

36000

38000

40000

42000

44000

1900 1990

Year

Su

rfac

e (h

a)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

% in

tert

idal

are

a

total surface % intertidal

-150

-130

-110

-90

-70

-50

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010

Year

Dep

th (

dm

GL

LW

S)

Borssele Hansweert Bath Zandvliet

39

40 km

Van Braeckel et al. 2006

Changing tidal characteristics

40

Drainage ofPolder water

Increase of high waters

Subsidence of the land

increased risk of floodingnow 1 in 70 year in Antwerpen

4 meter

ES from past to present

41Vigor Organisation Resilience

Supporting services

primary productivitynutrient cyclingwater cycling

biodiversityhabitat for rare species or for global population nursery functionmigration route

soil formation

Regulating services

Air quality regulationclimate regulationWater purification and waste treatmentRegulation of transport of nutrients and contaminants

disease regulationpest regulationpollinationTrophic-dynamic regulation

Waterregulation (protection against flooding)Erosion regulation and sediment trapMaintaining habitat structure and features (eg. tidal characteristics) natural hazard regulation

Provisioning services

fresh waterclean air

FoodFiberFuelgenetic resourcesbiochemicals, natural medicines and pharmaceuticalsornamental resources

fresh water

• water regulation and protection against flooding- Risks of flooding has increased significantly present management:

• Sigmaplan / Deltaplan- Heightening of dikes- Controlled inundation areas- Storm surge barrier

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Slope , current speed marsh erosion

Continuing habitat loss

43

Coastal squeeze


Supporting services



soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

• protection against erosion- Many dikes are not protected by marshes, present managament:

• Reinforcement of dikes with stones and other forms of hard engineering


Supporting services



soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

• sediment trap- Due to a lack of sedimentation areas, extremely high

rates present managament:

• Dredging (up to 500.000 ton DW.y-1 removed from the area)• NO link to sediment management in basin

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Aan

tal

soorten

ben

th

os

Zoet Brak ZoutFresh Brackish Marine

Expected number of species


Supporting services


habitat for rare species or for global population biodiversitynursery functionmigration route

soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

• trophic-dynamic regulations of populations• habitat for resident and transient populations• important habitat for global population• nursery• migration route

severely impacted present management:

• “classical nature management”- Juridical measures- Species oriented measures- Vegetation management

no impact at all on major problems like water quality

IMPROVING WATER QUALITY?

0100200

300400

96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08

mon

thly

ave

rage

d di

scha

rge

(m³/s

)

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

chlorofyl a (µg/l)

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 0

1 4 0

afst

and

to

t V

lissi

ng

en (

km)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0

50

100

150

200

96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07

ma

an

dg

em

idd

eld

de

bie

t (m

³/s

)

less nutrientsbut

more algae

Hypothesis: suppression of algal blooms

Dis

tan

ce t

o m

ou

th (

km)

NEW PROBLEMS?

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Silicium (mg/l)

6 0

8 0

1 0 0

1 2 0

1 4 0

Afs

tan

d t

ot

Vlis

sin

gen

(km

)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Dis

tan

ce t

o m

ou

th (

km)

FREQUENT DSI DEPLETION

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diatoms

DIATOMS

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Eutrophication

Phaeocystis sp. blooms:

“foam algae”

Gonyaulax sp. blooms

Toxic “red tides”

ES from past to present


Supporting services



soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

• Primary productivity- Reduced- No management

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Percentage of the load that reaches the North Sea

1974Billen et al. 1985

1985Soetaert &

Herman, 1995

2002Cox et al. in prep.

48%55.000 t

77%66.000

74%70.000

RISK OF EUTROFICATION, POLLUTION

27.500 49.500 51.800


Supporting services



soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

• regulation net transport contaminants to North Sea

• regulation net transport of nutrients to North Sea

- Strongly reduced!- Present management

• Reduction of imissions by environmental legislation no link to processes univariate approach


Supporting services



soil formation

Regulating services







fresh water

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• Increase of energy in the system Tides and discharge from the basin Organic material (chemical energy)

• Capacity of the systeem to cope with this has been strogly reduced (the resilience of the systeem decreased) Further habitat loss/degradationFurther loss of speciesLOSS OF ECOSSTEM SERVICES

ES from past to presentConclusions

Measure

New Measure

New ProblemProblem

New measure

???

Present management is an endless vortex leading to a further decrease of the carrying capacity of the system from both an economic and ecological point of view.

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• Environmental management is more or less like changing an aircraft to increase the size without adapting the motors! It is obvious that this will result in a crash….

• An aircraft is however seen as a system in which each part has its function and each part is adapted to that function, taking into account the overall performance of the system!

• This system approach is needed for our own environment!

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An integrated strategy

• Requires:- Understanding of ecosystem services- Quantification of ES

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HT

LT

Role of marshes

Tidalflat

Exchange betweenmarsh and pelagic

150 – 300 ton BSi

100 – 200 ton Si

Struyf et al. 2005

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• Requires:- Understanding of ecosystem services- Quantification of ES

determine conservation objectives!• What biodiversity we need to have (structural

approach)?• Which and how much services the ecosystem

must deliver (functional approach)?

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• Ecosystem services can be:- A volume of water that can be stored on marshes (

safety)- Amount of primary production needed to sustain the

nursery function- Retention of nutrients- Buffering tidal energy- recreation- = This are different ways to express a carrying

capacity of the system


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Tidal marsh

mudflats

Shallow waterService :

Primary

Production

Si regeneration

Pelagic habitat

River

Zm/Zp

Phyto

plankton

Organic

Load/ Si

Regulation of nutrients

biodiversity

Habitat function

Regulation of nutrients

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Final CO: Max (surface S1,..Sn; F1,…,Fm)

Habitat quality

Habitat

1

Conservation Objectives (CO)

Species 1

populationSurface S1

habitat quality

density

Function 1

habitat quality

volume

Surface F1unit

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• Understanding and quantification of ES• Formulation of objectives• The calculation of habitats surface needed• Measures to maintain or restore habitats


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Ketenisse

Marsh restoration

Pilot studyLippenbroek

Lippenbroek

1: Ring Dike

2: FCA dike

3: Inlet sluice

4: Outlet sluice1

23

1

4

1

1

Management scenario Lippenbroek

10 ha of tidal nature developping since March 2006

Pilot project Lippenbroek

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Ecology:

- Introducing estuarine ecosystem

- Tidal regime in area

- Two times a day!

Ring Dike Lowered FCA dike

FCA estuary

Outlet

polder

Concept FCA - CRTsafety, ecology and a new ecosystem

Safety:

- Lowered dike stretch

- Critical tides: whole storage capacity

- Only few times/year!

‘New’ ecosystem: Lippenbroek since March 2006!

- Area below high water level

- Separate in- and outlet sluices at different heights:

First CRT in the world with neap-spring tide cycle!

Ring Dike Lowered FCA dike

CRT estuary

Outlet

Inlet

polder

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Pilot project Lippenbroek

10 ha of tidal nature developping: May 2008

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

7/04 12/04 17/04 22/04 27/04 2/05 7/05

date

leve

l (m

TA

W)

Schelde (De Plaat)

Lippenbroek

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

7/04 12/04 17/04 22/04 27/04 2/05 7/05

date

leve

l (m

TA

W)

Lippenbroek

Schelde (De Plaat)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

7/04 12/04 17/04 22/04 27/04 2/05 7/05

date

leve

l (m

TA

W)

Lippenbroek

Schelde (De Plaat)

Introducing macrotidal regime

Reduction of high water level by 3 meter No reduction of spring – neap variation

74Water Quality

NO3-N

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

tijdstip (uur)

mg

/lmeasurements 3/7/2006

instream outstream

75

SiO2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

time (hrs)

mg

/l

Water Quality

measurements 3/7/2006

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77Managed realignment

1990 1998

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Required surface of different habitats

Habitattype opp (ha) Buitendijks brak 740 Buitendijks zoet 1040 Binnendijks bos alluviaal 570 Binnendijks anderen 370 Binnendijks grasland dotter (RBB) 840 Binnendijks grasland anderen 910 Binnendijks riet/ruigte 560 Binnendijks plas/oever 240

The integrated approach

Tidal habitats

Non tidal habitats

79

Spatial distribution of CO-Schelde:

The integrated approach

Structure

Fu

nct

ion

Return to pristine situationis impossible.

Sustainable solutions:

Restoring functions

Managed realignment? - Elevation often not suitable - Not always compatible with safetyplan

Flood control area: restoring safetyControlled reduced tide: restoring ecology

Schelde: solutions?

81

conclusions

• Ecosystems deliver services to society:- Ecosystem services

• But are therefore dependent on the presence of species and habitats and their performance.

not delivering these services has a high cost for society

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• Ecosystem services determine the carrying capacity of the system for human use!

• Improving the estuarine functioning will also improve the possibilities for recreation

• A network of nature education centers along the estuary might also be crucial to inform the public about ecosystem services and create in this way the necessary public support for restoration measures

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Thanks for your attention

Documents

Restoration of estuarine nature: luxury or essential building blocks for a sustainable future. Lippenbroek as an example Prof. Dr. Patrick Meire University