Project
Ecosysteembenadering & Voedselweb
To be able to assess the effects of management, development and use of large surface waters on its foodwebs and ecological carrying capacity it is important to incorporate environmental factors and processes on ecologically relevant, often large, spatial scales. These system-scale linkages and their interrelationships are investigated in this study.
Central theme in the national and international policy for the rivers, lakes and estuaries in the Netherlands is the pursuit of robust, dynamic and resilient nature in synergy with other uses.
In order to achieve this, knowledge is required about the ecological functioning under the current and future conditions. To be able to better assess the effects of management practices, current use and development in rivers, lakes, and estuaries on its food webs and ecological carrying capacity it is important to incorporate environmental factors and processes on ecologically relevant spatial scales.
Besides the relevance of processes on the local habitat scale for ecosystem functioning, also larger-scale processes play an important role, which often transcend landscape boundaries. For example, the food webs of the lakes and estuaries in the Netherlands are fueled by the transport of material from rivers and their basins or via the water outlets of polders.
In this study landscape-transcending ecosystem links on large spatial scales are analyzed and its importance for ecosystem processes in the receiving systems is quantified in relation to nature policy targets regarding biodiversity, restoration and economic activities related to the ecosystem.
Biotic interactions are investigated in relation to primary and secondary production on the lower trophic levels (phytoplankton, phytobenthos, macrophytes, zooplankton, zoobenthos) and the links to the higher trophic levels (fish, birds) to better understand the food web structure and the role of spatio-temporal dynamics therein, as well as that of non-trophic relationships between species.
Policy makers and water managers could use this knowledge to make decisions about interventions that have the intention to improve the ecological functioning of aquatic ecosystems, because its gives insight into the spatial scale which have to be taken into account for restoration measures to be effective.
Publications
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Gezond bodemleven als sleutel voor een robuust Markermeer
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Grevelingen van zout meer naar getempt getij
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Systeemanalyse van het IJsselmeergebied: verkenning van de water- en stoffenstromen in het IJsselmeergebied voor de toepassing in een systeemanalyse
Wageningen: Wageningen Environmental Research (Notitie Zoetwaterecosystemen, Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen UR ) - ISBN: 9789463958165 -
Rewilding in de grote wateren: kansen en knelpunten
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Organisch materiaal, de ontbrekende schakel in het ecologisch functioneren van de grote wateren?
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Verbrede blik op het voedselweb en ecologischfunctioneren van de Nederlandse grote wateren : Verkenning van de rol die het achterland speelt bij het ecologisch functioneren van het IJsselmeergebied aan de hand van stofstromen. Deel I, Theoretisch kader en casestudie IJssel-Vechtdelta
Wageningen: Wageningen Environmental Research (Rapport / Wageningen Environmental Research 3214) -
Connecting inland wetlands to artificial embanked lakes to improve lake ecosystem functioning
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Organisch materiaal als basis voor een verbeterd ecologisch functioneren van de grote wateren
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Hittestress bij schelpdieren op intergetijdenplaten van de Oosterschelde in 2021 en 2022
Yerseke: Wageningen Marine Research (Wageningen Marine Research rapport C066/23) -
Sturende factoren systeemgrensoverschrijdende organische stofstromen in de grote wateren