TY - JOUR

T1 - Identifying Spatial Patterns and Ecosystem Service Delivery of Nature-Based Solutions

AU - Guerrero, Paulina

AU - Haase, Dagmar

AU - Albert, Christian

N1 - Funding Information: The authors are grateful for the funding support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the Junior Research Group PlanSmart (funding code: 01UU1601A). Dagmar Haase benefited from the GreenCityLabHue Project (FKZ 01LE1910A) and the CLEARING HOUSE (Collaborative Learning in Research, Information-sharing, and Governance on How Urban forest-based solutions support Sino-European urban futures) Horizon 2020 project (No 821242). Dagmar further contributed to this paper as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project CONNECTING Nature—COproductioN with NaturE for City Transitioning, Innovation and Governance (Project Number: 730222). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for their very insightful and helpful comments which helped to improve this manuscript. The authors are grateful for the funding support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) through the Junior Research Group PlanSmart (funding code: 01UU1601A). Dagmar Haase benefited from the GreenCityLabHue Project (FKZ 01LE1910A) and the CLEARING HOUSE (Collaborative Learning in Research, Information-sharing, and Governance on How Urban forest-based solutions support Sino-European urban futures) Horizon 2020 project (No 821242). Dagmar further contributed to this paper as part of the EU Horizon 2020 project CONNECTING Nature—COproductioN with NaturE for City Transitioning, Innovation and Governance (Project Number: 730222). Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.

PY - 2022/4

Y1 - 2022/4

N2 - Compared to technical infrastructure, nature-based solutions, NBS, strive to work with nature and to move beyond business-as-usual practices in order to address societal challenges such as flood risks. This research aims to spatially identify possible NBS areas and evaluate the areas capacity to provide selected ecosystem services, ES, for the Lahn river landscape in Germany. The research follows the functional landscape approach using hydromorphological landscape units, HLU, based on specific biophysical spatial criteria, such as slope, to then identify locations which may be considered suitable for NBS. The current ES delivery of these possible NBS areas is then evaluated. The three ES assessed are carbon storage, nutrient retention and recreation. We then undertake a geospatial comparison analysis to show the spatial relationships and patterns that emerge in regards to the ES configuration of the distinct NBS apt areas. Results show the HLU method serves to delineate and identify areas where NBS may exist or be implemented. The data depicts a distinct spatial pattern for each possible NBS space and complementary ES delivery. This explorative method is a useful spatial approach that can support NBS implementation and serve to investigate the multiple benefits NBS provide. The use of ecosystem services to compare and understand NBS is a viable prospect that must, however, be cautiously, locally and scientifically approached. Noticeable limitations regarding ES assessment remain, as available methods are often insufficiently inclusive of natural ecosystem processes and functions. Further research should assess a broader spectrum of NBS and their delivery of ES.

AB - Compared to technical infrastructure, nature-based solutions, NBS, strive to work with nature and to move beyond business-as-usual practices in order to address societal challenges such as flood risks. This research aims to spatially identify possible NBS areas and evaluate the areas capacity to provide selected ecosystem services, ES, for the Lahn river landscape in Germany. The research follows the functional landscape approach using hydromorphological landscape units, HLU, based on specific biophysical spatial criteria, such as slope, to then identify locations which may be considered suitable for NBS. The current ES delivery of these possible NBS areas is then evaluated. The three ES assessed are carbon storage, nutrient retention and recreation. We then undertake a geospatial comparison analysis to show the spatial relationships and patterns that emerge in regards to the ES configuration of the distinct NBS apt areas. Results show the HLU method serves to delineate and identify areas where NBS may exist or be implemented. The data depicts a distinct spatial pattern for each possible NBS space and complementary ES delivery. This explorative method is a useful spatial approach that can support NBS implementation and serve to investigate the multiple benefits NBS provide. The use of ecosystem services to compare and understand NBS is a viable prospect that must, however, be cautiously, locally and scientifically approached. Noticeable limitations regarding ES assessment remain, as available methods are often insufficiently inclusive of natural ecosystem processes and functions. Further research should assess a broader spectrum of NBS and their delivery of ES.

KW - Ecosystem services

KW - GIS

KW - NBS

KW - Rivers

KW - Spatial analysis

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85126044778&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s00267-022-01613-y

DO - 10.1007/s00267-022-01613-y

M3 - Article

C2 - 35262773

AN - SCOPUS:85126044778

VL - 69

SP - 735

EP - 751

JO - Environmental management

JF - Environmental management

SN - 0364-152X

IS - 4

ER -