Climate Change and Atmospheric Deposition as Drivers of Forest Ecosystem Integrity and Services

A Methodology for Assessing and Mapping Ecosystem Services across Time and Space

Authors: Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland

Book Series : SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science

Part of: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik"

Table of Contents

About this book

This book is intended to provide a hitherto missing English-language overview of a multi-year research project in which a comprehensive methodology was developed to assess a rule-based classification of the habitat services, the primary net biomass productivity and carbon sequestration capacity. The comprehensive methodology presented operationalises the specifications of the MAES working group quantitatively. The MAES classification framework for integrative ecosystem assessments comprises the mapping of ecosystems, the classification of ecosystem conditions (ecosystem condition information for individual indicators, ecosystem functions and ecosystem types), the classification of ecosystem services and their integration. The presented rule-based classification of the three ecosystem services examined in depth using quantitative indicators is unique in the EU to date.

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Introduction

Abstract

The condition of ecosystems and their services are influenced in particular by climate change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Due to this, the European Union has set the goal of assessing and mapping the condition of ecosystems and ecosystem services at the Union and Member State level in order to implement conservation or protection measures where necessary. So far, there is no rule-based quantitative methodology for this. Therefore, this contribution presents a methodology with which ecosystem services can be ordinally classified and mapped in a rule-based, transparent and automated way on the basis of empirical data and data modelled for projections for four spatial scales by examples of Germany.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Chapter 2. Rule-Based Methodology for Ordinating and Classification of Ecosystem Services

Abstract

Three ecosystem services of ecosystems in the pristine condition (before 1960) and under the influence of land use, climate change and nitrogen pollution currently (1991–2010) and expected in the future (until 2070) were quantified for 78 forest ecosystem type classes in Germany: habitat service, carbon sequestration service and primary biomass production. The respective ecosystem service classifications were mapped for the territory of Germany, for the federal state Saxony and for a Long Term Ecological Researched site (LTER). The rules for evaluating the three ecosystem services studied in depth were also applied to relevant open land biotopes.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Chapter 3. Data Basis and Mapping Results of Ecosystem Services at Different Levels

Abstract

In large regions with a large number of different ecosystem types, the application of the rules for the assessment of ecosystem services first requires a practical grouping of the types into ecosystem type classes. This chapter presents a method for grouping forest ecosystem types in Germany, which can also be applied to Central Europe.

The data basis for the Germany-wide assessment of the habitat function was derived from the BERN model (Bioindication for Ecosystem Regeneration towards Natural conditions) (Schlutow A, Kraft P, Scheuschner T, Schlutow M, Schröder W, Environ Sci Eur 36(1), 2024). The BERN database documents reference data on typical site parameters for the occurrence of plant communities.

The assessment of the biomass primary productivity and carbon sequestration service of ecosystem type classes was based on the spatial distribution of tree species in current forests and woodlands in Germany (BERN database in connection with Corine Land Cover) as well as on data on soil properties (soil overview map of Germany 1:1 million—BÜK1000N) and climate (30-year average 1991–2020).

For the assessment of the Kellerwald National Park, 105 vegetation surveys were the basis for the indication of soil parameters.

The derivation of climate change-adapted lead forest communities in Saxony is based on forest site mapping combined with climate projections up to 2070 and the BERN database.

The effects of acidifying and eutrophying air pollution impacts and climate change on biodiversity were already assessed by example of a Long-Term Ecological Research site (LTER) using timeseries of atmospheric sulphur and nitrogen deposition from year 1880 to year 2070 as well as timeseries of temperature and precipitation.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Chapter 4. Discussion

Abstract

For a validation of the rule-based rating of the three ecosystem services examined in more depth, the classification and mapping of 135 current near-natural ecosystem types (ANOEST) in Germany derived from vegetation and soil data of about 22,000 forest stands (Schröder W, Schlutow A, Dworcyk C, Jenssen M, Nickel S, Regelbasierte Einstufung und Kartierung von Ökosystemleistungen mit Daten zur Integrität von Waldökosystemtypen. In Handbuch der Umweltwissenschaften. 28. Erg. Lfg. [Rule-based classification and mapping of ecosystem services with data on the integrity of forest ecosystem types. In: Handbook of environmental sciences, 2020; Schlutow A, Schröder W, Jenssen M, Nickel S, Environ Sci Eur 33:87, 2021), was compared with the results at hand.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Chapter 5. Conclusions

Abstract

The presented methodology allows a transparent and, thus, reproducible quantitative assessment and mapping of ecosystem services in the pristine condition of wood ecosystems, which can be compared with those under current and expected future conditions considering nitrogen and sulphur deposition and climate change. The ordinal classification of ecosystem service potentials is used to derive the necessity and the type and scope of measures to restore the highest possible performance from the comparison of ecosystem service potentials in the pristine condition with current and expected future ecosystem service potentials. The rule-based classification of ecosystem types proposed enables the transfer of the methodology to areas outside Germany, especially to Central Europe. The methodology is also applicable to other spatial scales.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Chapter 6. Recommendations

Abstract

The methodology just is applicable to larger-scale regional and local scales as to single sites.

The classification of ecosystem type classes according to the proposed rules allows the transfer of the methodology to territories outside Germany, especially to Central Europe. The basis for the designation of ecosystem classes would have to be a soil map, a climate map and a vegetation type map respectively.

Angela Schlutow, Winfried Schröder

Title: Climate Change and Atmospheric Deposition as Drivers of Forest Ecosystem Integrity and Services
Authors: Angela Schlutow
Winfried Schröder
Publisher: Springer Nature Switzerland
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-031-67103-6
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-67102-9
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-67103-6