Wetland Evaluation Decision Support System WEDSS

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Wetland Evaluation Decision Support System - WEDSS

• Aims to link
• Assessment of wetland functions
• Spatial data
• Societal values of wetlands

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WEDSS - Key Steps

• Data input Delineation and characterisation of
  hydrogeomorphic units (field and office)
• Functional assessment of each HGMU and production
  of maps
• Linkage of functional outputs with value
  criteria in each HGMU
• Spatial aggregation of values to produce score
  for whole wetland
• Comparison of different wetlands or scenarios
  using multi-criteria analysis

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WEDSS Structure
Spatial Database
Multi-Criteria Analysis
Wetland Functional Evaluation
Knowledge Base
Models
Evaluation Outputs (maps, charts and tables)
Management Decision
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The Wetland Functional Analysis Research Programme

• To develop a methodology for evaluating the
  functioning of European wetland ecosystems based
  on detailed process studies.
• For a variety of non-expert users
• Rapid implementation
• Three projects
• Functional Analysis of European Wetlands - FAEWE
  (1991-1994)
• FAEWE II (1994-1999)
• Procedures for the Operationalisation of
  Techniques for the Functional Analysis of
  European Wetland Ecosystems - PROTOWET (1996-1999)

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Key Developments

• FAEWE
• Identification of key processes and functions in
  river marginal wetlands
• Assessment of human impacts on functioning
• System of functional analysis
• FAEWE II
• More detailed studies
• Incorporation of socio-economic valuations
• Pan-European consultation of users
• PROTOWET
• Generic classification of European wetlands
• High latitude, estuarine and lake marginal
  wetlands

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Functional Assessment - Developments in
EVALUWET/TECWET

• Hydrological functions
• Supplemented by rapid quantification methods
• Biogeochemical functions
• Semi-quantitative outputs associated with several
  processes (e.g. denitrification)
• New trace element functions developed
• New DOC functions developed
• Ecological functions
• Semi-quantitative outputs associated with some
  processes (e.g. biomass production)
• More reference to European legislation

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Functional Assessment - Developments in
EVALUWET/TECWET

• General improvement
• Extended introduction
• More supporting material
• diagrams
• references
• photographs
• Visual basic version of FAPs

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Knowledge Base
Controlling variables e.g. Nutrient input
Organic matter status of soil Soil water regime
Vegetation type Landform
Indicators e.g. Topsoil moisture Hydrological
code Top 20cm Soil Water Table Fluctuations
Wetland processes e.g. Long-term retention of
nutrients Storage of nutrients (N P) in soil
organic mater) Adsorption of N as Ammonium . . .
Wetland functions e.g. Nutrient retention
(water quality function)
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HGMU delineation - Tetcott Barton
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Sediment Retention Evaluation
4/1 There is evidence that the function is not
performed.
1/3 The HGMU retains suspended sediments
from river/lake water during frequent floods,
but it is unknown if this forms a significant
proportion of the suspended sediment load in the
river/lake. A lack of erosion-indicators
suggests that the retention will be long-term.
1/7 The HGMU is very likely to retain suspended
sediments but it is unknown if the sediment
source is river/lake water or surface runoff. A
lack of erosion-indicators suggests that the
retention will be long-term.
1/13 The HGMU retains suspended sediments from
river/lake water during frequent floods, but it
is unknown if this forms a significant
proportion of the suspended sediment load in
the river/lake. Some erosion -indicators suggest
that the retention may be short-term.
1/6 The HGMU is likely to retain suspended
sediments from river/lake water but flooding is
rare or the flooding frequency is unknown. A
lack of erosion -indicators suggests that the
retention will be long-term.
Legend
Code
1/3
1/6
1/7
1/13
4/1
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Export of Nutrients through Vegetation Management
Quantification gt 10 but lt 50 kg N ha-1 y-1 gt 1
but lt 5 kg P ha-1 y-1
No results
1/d The HGMU receives either a direct or
indirect nutrient input. Grassland vegetation
indicative of a high rate of nutrient uptake is
present. The HGMU experiences a low degree of
disturbance from drought, waterlogging,
ploughing, mining or extraction or construction
work, so the ability of plants to take up
nutrients is not affected. Grazing results in
the export of nutrients taken-up by the plants.
The amount of nutrients exported through
grazing is always less than the amount of
nutrients exported through harvesting, because
not all vegetation will be grazed and
animals spill a lot of (nutrient-rich) plant
material i.e. not all plant material will end
up in the mouth of the animal. Some material
will fall down after it is bitten by animals.
This material is more nutrient-rich than plant
material deposited after plant mortality because
of senescence. This phenomenon is particularly
important with regard to geese. Additionally
nutrients can return to the system in the form
of excrement.
2 Shrubs or trees indicative of a high rate of
nutrient uptake are present, but they are not
felled and removed. NB The process of
long-term retention of nutrients can be
performed. This process is assessed in section
3.2.A.1.
2 No (management) activities resulting in the
export of nutrients take place. NB The process
of long-term retention of nutrients can
be performed. This process is assessed in
section 3.2.A.1.
Legend
Key
-0.205
-0.204
0
0.612
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Provision of Microsites for Macro-Invertebrates
1/1 The AA is of international, national or
local conservation importance, and is
already protected or considered worthy of
protection. The HGMU represents a typical
wetland habitat of the Atlantic or central
European zone, and has a very wide ranging
diversity of microsites that are available for
occupancy by macro -invertebrates.
1/2 The HGMU represents a non-typical wetland
habitat of the Atlantic or central European
zone, and has a very wide ranging diversity of
microsites that are available for occupancy by
macro-invertebrates
1/3 The AA is of international, national or
local conservation importance, and is already
protected or considered worthy of protection.
The HGMU represents a non-typical wetland
habitat of the Atlantic or central European
zone, and has a limited ranging diversity of
microsites that are available for occupancy by
macro-invertebrates.
2 The AA is not of conservation importance with
regards to macro-invertebrates. The HGMU has a
very low ranging diversity of microsites that
are available for occupancy by Carabidae,
Syrphidae, or Molluscs.
Legend
Code
1/1
1/2
1/3
2
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Linking functions to socio-economic criteria

• Generic list of criteria developed
• relevant ones selected
• Processes linked by simple models to
  socio-economic criteria (range 0-1)
• Other criteria are not defined by functional
  outputs but are user defined
• For ease of analysis criteria grouped together in
  categories
• Scores spatially aggregated

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List of Criteria Water Quality
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List of Criteria Water Quantity Climate Change
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List of criteria Biodiversity and Biomass
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List of Criteria Heritage and Local Economy
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Water Quality Enhancement (N)
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2
3
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Species diversity - Fauna
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2
3
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Comparison of Scenarios

• WEDSS run for each option
• Compared using MCA (see later)