TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparing the Applicability of Commonly Used Hydrological Ecosystem Services Models for Integrated Decision-Support

AU - Lüke, Anna

AU - Hack, Jochen

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments: We acknowledge support from the German Research Foundation and the Open Access Publishing Fund of Technische Universität Darmstadt. Further we want to express our gratitude to three anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments on the manuscript.

PY - 2018/1/29

Y1 - 2018/1/29

N2 - Different simulation models are used in science and practice in order to incorporate hydrological ecosystem services in decision-making processes. This contribution compares three simulation models, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, a traditional hydrological model and two ecosystem services models, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model and the Resource Investment Optimization System model. The three models are compared on a theoretical and conceptual basis as well in a comparative case study application. The application of the models to a study area in Nicaragua reveals that a practical benefit to apply these models for different questions in decision-making generally exists. However, modelling of hydrological ecosystem services is associated with a high application effort and requires input data that may not always be available. The degree of detail in temporal and spatial variability in ecosystem service provision is higher when using the Soil andWater Assessment Tool compared to the two ecosystem service models. In contrast, the ecosystem service models have lower requirements on input data and process knowledge. A relationship between service provision and beneficiaries is readily produced and can be visualized as a model output. The visualization is especially useful for a practical decision-making context.

AB - Different simulation models are used in science and practice in order to incorporate hydrological ecosystem services in decision-making processes. This contribution compares three simulation models, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, a traditional hydrological model and two ecosystem services models, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model and the Resource Investment Optimization System model. The three models are compared on a theoretical and conceptual basis as well in a comparative case study application. The application of the models to a study area in Nicaragua reveals that a practical benefit to apply these models for different questions in decision-making generally exists. However, modelling of hydrological ecosystem services is associated with a high application effort and requires input data that may not always be available. The degree of detail in temporal and spatial variability in ecosystem service provision is higher when using the Soil andWater Assessment Tool compared to the two ecosystem service models. In contrast, the ecosystem service models have lower requirements on input data and process knowledge. A relationship between service provision and beneficiaries is readily produced and can be visualized as a model output. The visualization is especially useful for a practical decision-making context.

KW - Decision support

KW - Ecosystem service quantification

KW - Hydrological ecosystem services

KW - Hydrological modelling

KW - Model comparison

KW - Nicaragua

KW - River basin management

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85041188309&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/su10020346

DO - 10.3390/su10020346

M3 - Article

VL - 10

JO - Sustainability

JF - Sustainability

SN - 2071-1050

IS - 2

M1 - 346

ER -