Topic 8: The effects of infrastructure development on ecological and ecosystem service network properties in river systems

Introduction/background

The transformation of riverine systems into industrialized riverine landscapes (IRL) has led to fundamental changes in connectivity, spatial arrangements and source-sink properties of IRL at different spatial scales, affecting ecosystem functions, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Societal infrastructures such as dams, flood protection structures, road- and rail networks and many other interventions fragmented or disconnected subsystems of riverine networks accelerating changes in resource flows and biodiversity dynamics, as well as ecosystem provision. Currently discussed conceptual frameworks such as the Socio-Ecohydrological System (SEHS) and the Meta – Ecosystem approach may provide a conceptual basis for the analysis.

Main objective/research question/hypothesis

During industrialization, IRL as SEHS have changed in spatial arrangements and connectivity properties. To gain a better process understanding, a meta-ecosystem approach can be combined with the Ecosystem Properties, Potentials, and Services (EPPS) framework to analyze consequences and changed interactions due to SEHS transformation. Research questions are: (1) Which type of infrastructure development (e.g. barriers, roads) dominates which ecological properties and ecosystem service provision at river network scale? (2) What is the importance of spatial arrangement and position of specific infrastructure types at network scale for connectivity patterns, ecological properties and ES provision at network scale? (3) How did biodiversity, ecosystem functions and ES provision respond to these past changes, and how do current and future management interventions have the potential to influence responses and interactions?

Approach/methods and time frame (Sites, areas, region of investigation)

Network analyses will be applied to investigate different connectivity effects of infrastructure on riverine networks (e.g. graph-based approaches) and associated biodiversity and ES aspects based on a meta-ecosystem approach. Meta-ecosystem properties will be analyzed by e.g., eDNA metabarcoding for biodiversity aspects, ecosystem metabolism, societal aspects by the EPPS and used for network analyses for different time steps including future scenarios. Bayesian networks (BNs) will be used to analyze the socio-ecological interactions and management options. This research will investigate selected sub-catchments primarily in the Upper Danube Basin following gradients of infrastructure development. The project is structured in three phases: (1) developing network models for infrastructure development and large river systems, (2) elaborating the meta-ecosystem and EPPS framework for the case study area, (3) analysing the interactions and potential future management scenarios (e.g. mitigation of effects of infrastructure, service providing areas, spatial arrangement of protected areas and ecological corridors).