Hazard and living environment: combining industrial risk and landscape representations (original) (raw)
Restoration Ecology, 2005
The Long-Term Vision for the Schelde estuary was determined as ''the development of a healthy and multifunctional estuarine water system that can be utilized in a sustainable way for human needs.'' This Dutch-Flemish managerial plan sets quality targets for the condition of the estuary by the year 2030 and the management measures to achieve them. Targets were developed and integrated from three central perspectives: accessibility of the ports, safety against floods in the densely populated catchment, and ecosystem health. This study focuses on the ecological rehabilitation of the estuary and the creation of sustainable nature, seeking possible alliances with security measures against floods, navigation requisites for port activities, and enhancement of the estuary's educational and recreational values. The estuary and its valley were subdivided into ecologically relevant zones. Key parameters were identified, and a conceptual rehabilitation model was developed, based on a problem analysis. Goals were set in a semiquantified way for most attributes of the estuarine functioning and prioritized for each zone. Rehabilitation measures with maximal contribution to the priority goals were identified for each zone. Spatial analysis of the study area indicated optimal areas for the implementation of these measures. To exemplify the array of possibilities on an ecosystem level, two different rehabilitation plans were proposed, each from a different approach. The potential contribution to the rehabilitation of the estuary was compared for both alternatives.
2008
Over the last centuries, the Rhône River has been deeply modified by numerous uses and activities like navigation, irrigation, fight flooding, hydroelectricity production… Embankment, dams and groyns constructions, water diversion, and secondary channel artificial cutoff generated morphological changes such as channel degradation and narrowing, bank stabilization, and former channel terrestrialisation. These changes result in a fundamental modification of flowing conditions during floods and connections between channel and floodplain ecosystems. Within the framework of compensatory measures, the CNR (Compagnie Nationale du Rhône, i.e. the Rhône River manager) wants to carry out a restoration project along the downstream reach of the Rhône River (southern France, 100 km length upstream from the mouth). The ambition is to combine both a decrease in local flood risk (by enlarging flood-carrying capacity) and an enhancement of geomorphological and ecological properties of the margins into the reach (sediment reworking, pioneer species regeneration…). The Rhône River is a good case study for complex and deeply altered systems. Indeed, important issues have to be integrated: (i) flood risk for the major city along the reach (Arles), (ii) bank erosion control near cultivated areas, (iii) former channels loss of diversity due to terrestrialisation processes and floodplain forest deconnection because of the channel degradation, (iv) pollution risk if polluted sediments are reworked (contamination by metals, PCB and radionuclides), (v) navigation, and (vi) sediment deficit that impacts coastal evolution downstream the reach (Camargues delta). We present a step-by-step strategy to reach an equilibrium between human activities and ecological purposes. All aspects are discussed: can historical state be considered as a reference-state? How can we choose sites to test the actions? How to design these actions? Which monitoring strategy has to be developed? Which kind of ecosystems can be expected under Mediterranean climate (composition, recovery rate, presence of exotic species…)?
Land-use change in riverfront areas. Two case studies: Lyon (France) and Lleida (Spain)
2015
De nombreux projets de restauration écologique et de reconquête sociale et urbaine des espaces fluvio-urbains ont été mis en place en Europe depuis les années 1980. Cette politique a eu une signification particulière dans la gestion de certaines grandes villes comportant un fleuve, comme Lyon (France). Elle a aussi été importante, moins connue et peu divulguée, dans les petites ou moyennes communes comportant des berges fluviales, comme le cas de Lleida (Espagne), ville d'environ 130 000 habitants située sur le cours inférieur du Segre (à 150 km de Barcelone). Dans cet article, deux villes sont comparées à la fois sur le plan spatial et temporel : tout d'abord à l'international par l'élaboration d'une cartographie de l'utilisation des sols des espaces fluvio-urbains; mais aussi temporellement, sur une période de cinquante ans, afin d'essayer de comprendre et d'analyser les séries de processus similaires dans et entre les deux villes. En somme, dans les deux villes étudiées, l'accroissement de la sensibilité environnementale dans les projets urbains a favorisé une transformation profonde des berges fluviales. Elles sont devenues progressivement un élément de centralité urbaine et citoyenne, produit des mutations adaptées aux pressions et extensions d'origine anthropique.
Ecological Indicators, 2015
During 2002-2005, a new container terminal in the commercial harbour of Le Havre, named "Port2000", was built on the northern flank of the Seine estuary, northern France. This extension is already known to have modified the estuary current and sediment dynamics, as well as reducing biomass of the suprabenthos assemblage, for the whole downstream part of the system. However, studies on other biotic communities were largely inconclusive, and an ecosystem-wide analysis was still lacking. Here, we performed a before/after study of ecosystem dynamics of the different habitats of the Seine estuary, using a Linear Inverse Modelling technique (LIM-MCMC) to estimate all flows occurring in the food web. Ecological Network Analysis indices were calculated, summarising ecosystem functioning traits and giving indications about the habitat health status. Results showed that the southern flank (FS, Fosse Sud) exhibits all characteristics to be considered as the least stressed habitat of the estuary: system activity and functional specialisation of flows were stable between periods, ecosystem recycling processes and detrital dynamics were also stable; an increase in trophic specialisation (decrease in system omnivory) was the only change confirming a general ecological succession. The northern flank (FN, Fosse Nord), where the actual terminal was built, showed a food web with increased importance of lower trophic levels (increased detritivory and carbon recycling), increased stability and flow efficiency, but possibly regressed to a previous step in ecological succession. In the central navigation channel (CH), patterns of network indices were overall inconclusive and the general image is one of a constantly shifting food web, a condition possibly caused by the year-round dredging activities. The functioning of Please note that this is an author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available on the publisher Web site. the Seine estuaryespecially of FN and FSseems to have been modified by the combination of harbour construction and the related mitigation measures. Network indices partially captured this combination of changes and, although not fully operational yet, they are promising tools to comply with the European Union mandate of defining ecosystem health status. Highlights ► Six food web models of the Seine estuary, before and after harbour extension works. ► Ecological network analysis indices showed regression of stability in affected area. ► Other least affected habitat showed specialisation and normal ecological succession. ► ENA for ecosystem health indication is progressing towards operability.
Sustainability, 2023
Ecosystems are experiencing significant pressure from human activities, with 1 million species at risk of extinction. This is threatening to undermine the resilience of ecosystems, which provide multiple benefits to support human existence and are essential for the support of life on Earth. A number of conceptual frameworks have been developed as a guide for the assessment of ecosystem services (ESs) and nature’s contributions to people (NCPs), including Millennium Ecosystems Assessment, The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity report, France’s National Ecosystems Assessment, the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services, and the Global Assessment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. In this paper, we compare the existing conceptual frameworks for the assessment of ESs and NCPs and derive a unified structural framework. Several indicators for characterizing the ESs/NCPs provided are selected and integrated through normalization. On this basis, and enriched by a number of culture-specific indicators, we conduct a mapping exercise illustrating the ES/NCP provision for the whole of France in a spatially explicit form based on a 1 × 1 km scale. Finally, we generate integrated maps depicting distribution patterns of different services and contributions across the landscapes of France focusing on economic, social and ecological dimensions. The results indicate that a non-monetary assessment of the complexity and diversity of NCPs is feasible and presents tangible advantages as compared to monetary frameworks. The paper concludes that provisioning, regulating and cultural services and contributions are geographically unevenly distributed and further analysis is required to assess the degree of complementarity, feedback loops and tipping points among different services. Our pilot research clearly illustrated the feasibility of conducting a highly disaggregated multidimensional assessment of ESs/NCPs at the national scale to inform decision making. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY)
eco.mont (Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research), 2014
Nowadays, anthropogenic landscape fragmentation and land-use change are recognized as major driving forces for the ongoing worldwide loss of biodiversity. Though nature conservation areas, such as Austria's national parks, serve as retreat habitats for a broad range of biota, they are embedded in a complex of landscapes where diverse conflicts of interests meet, for instance tourism, agriculture and nature conservation. As a first step to improving the multifunctional quality of landscapes in terms of connectivity and flows of energy, material and information across the boundaries of protected zones, the status quo of such landscape mosaics has to be evaluated. The main aim of this study was to test if protected areas generally supply a higher share of environment-related ecosystem services than the surrounding landscape. We also investigated to which extent the structural composition and configuration of landscape sections reflects their volume of ecosystem service provision. We selected our study sites within the Austrian-Hungarian transnational study region around Lake Neusiedl and developed a methodological framework for assessing and mapping ecosystem services based on expert knowledge, spatial information and field data. The crucial linkage between landscape structure and its contribution for sustaining distinct ecological key functions was investigated through comprehensive use of landscape metrics, habitat and connectivity mapping. We were able to verify that levels of ecosystem service provision as well as the share and function of ecologically viable landscape elements were higher within the national park and that a statistical correlation between the aforementioned assessments exists. The outcomes of this study may support local stakeholders with valuable information on the service provision capacity and functional state inside and outside protected landscapes and illustrate hot and cold spots of network patterns. This in turn will allow the development of well-focused and efficient planning measures to strengthen ecosystematic functioning in terms of sustainable landscape development vis-à-vis society.
Promoting ecological restoration in France: issues and solutions
Restoration Ecology, 2017
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