472 / 2024-04-09 16:52:20

Developing an Ecosystem Services Index for Wetland Evaluation

analytic hierarchy process,Ecosystem service index,Extreme weather,Nature-based Solutions,Wetlands

Subtheme 5: Climate Change: Adaptation, Mitigation and Resilience > Topic 1: Hydrology and Water Resources response to climate change

Recently, many countries around the world have experienced an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events (droughts, floods, high and low temperature, etc.). Extreme weather events have a significant impact on urban areas with high levels of impervious surface. In order to mitigate the environmental impacts of climate change and extreme weather in urban areas, various Nature-based Solutions (NbS), including wetlands, are widely being applied. Wetlands are vital NbS based on plants and microorganisms that produce a variety of benefits. However, the ecosystem service function of wetlands has not been properly evaluated due to their application as a wastewater treatment method. Therefore, this study was conducted to develop an ecosystem service-based valuation technique for wetlands. The ecosystem service index of wetlands was developed to include regulatory efficiency (RE), cultural efficiency (CE), biodiversity efficiency (EE), and landscape and maintenance efficiency (ME). Regulatory efficiency included water purification, inundation and flood reduction, and carbon sequestration. Cultural efficiency was assessed based on the utilization of recreational space by residents, ecological education and tourism, and citizen participation in wetland management. Moreover, biodiversity efficiency was assessed based on maximization of the function of habitats, including wetland habitats, landscape habitats, and blue-green networks. Landscape and maintenance efficiency were selected to maximize the functionality of the habitats, including wetland vegetation management, landscape vegetation management, and other facility management. The weights of each item in the index were derived through an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis. The ecosystem service index will be applied to 12 urban wetlands nationwide to identify problems and improvement measures based on the evaluation of the effectiveness of the wetlands. The ecosystem service index of wetlands can be utilized for ecological design to secure resilience and sustainability of wetlands.