Biodiversity and the provision of multiple ecosystem services in current and future lowland multifunctional landscapes
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Sch of Biological and Chemical Sciences
Abstract
Biodiversity underpins many ecosystem services - the benefits that people gain from the natural world, such as clean water, storage of greenhouse gases, crop pollination, and a pleasant and fulfilling environment. Yet the way in which biodiversity affects different services is poorly understood scientifically, especially when considering the real world rather than small-scale studies. Lowland agricultural landscapes are particular 'crunch' points, where food security needs to be balanced with the provision of other ecosystem services against the backdrop of a changing climate. Many of these services are in conflict, such as crop production, climate regulation and cultural services. Already, agricultural landscapes show signs of degradation, with consequences for their biodiversity and the provisioning and resilience of services.
The 'Wessex-BESS' project will address the fundamental challenge of the BESS program in linking biodiversity change with the delivery of ecosystem services across landscapes and into the future. We will do this by integrating experiments with large-scale biodiversity and environmental gradients existing in the Wessex Chalk landscape. This contains arable, grassland and riverine ecosystems, and offers a unique opportunity to exploit large-scale 'natural experiments'. Specifically, Salisbury Plain contains large areas of unfragmented semi-natural habitat and shares the topography and deeper chalk soils of surrounding intensive farmland, making comparisons possible. Furthermore, the area contains many ecological restoration programmes that we will use as experimental platforms for large-scale biodiversity manipulations. To allow the broad characterisation of biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, and a framework for other researchers to exploit, research will encompass: a wide range of ecosystems from terrestrial to freshwater; taxonomic groups from bacteria to birds; multiple biodiversity measures from genetic and species diversity to landscape heterogeneity; and regulating, provisioning and cultural services. Collaboration with other initiatives using this landscape (incl. NERC 'Macronutrients Cycle', Defra 'Demonstration Test Catchments', Natural England 'Nature Improvement Areas') will add scientific value and impact, and partnership with a large number of conservation and land/water management organisations will ensure the research and findings have applied and policy relevance.
We have a consortium comprising international leaders in biodiversity and ecosystem service research. Project partners will ensure that scientific outcomes influence best practice and policy. The collaborative approach (with partners involved in ecosystem service provision) represents a cost-effective way to understand the scaling of biodiversity-service relationships. The Wessex Chalk Area is an excellent test bed for possible futures as it faces imminent threats from both climate and land use change (e.g. agricultural intensification), which are already being addressed using large-scale restoration. We will focus on the contrasting services of crop production, climate regulation, water quality, and cultural services.
The 'Wessex-BESS' project will address the fundamental challenge of the BESS program in linking biodiversity change with the delivery of ecosystem services across landscapes and into the future. We will do this by integrating experiments with large-scale biodiversity and environmental gradients existing in the Wessex Chalk landscape. This contains arable, grassland and riverine ecosystems, and offers a unique opportunity to exploit large-scale 'natural experiments'. Specifically, Salisbury Plain contains large areas of unfragmented semi-natural habitat and shares the topography and deeper chalk soils of surrounding intensive farmland, making comparisons possible. Furthermore, the area contains many ecological restoration programmes that we will use as experimental platforms for large-scale biodiversity manipulations. To allow the broad characterisation of biodiversity-ecosystem service relationships, and a framework for other researchers to exploit, research will encompass: a wide range of ecosystems from terrestrial to freshwater; taxonomic groups from bacteria to birds; multiple biodiversity measures from genetic and species diversity to landscape heterogeneity; and regulating, provisioning and cultural services. Collaboration with other initiatives using this landscape (incl. NERC 'Macronutrients Cycle', Defra 'Demonstration Test Catchments', Natural England 'Nature Improvement Areas') will add scientific value and impact, and partnership with a large number of conservation and land/water management organisations will ensure the research and findings have applied and policy relevance.
We have a consortium comprising international leaders in biodiversity and ecosystem service research. Project partners will ensure that scientific outcomes influence best practice and policy. The collaborative approach (with partners involved in ecosystem service provision) represents a cost-effective way to understand the scaling of biodiversity-service relationships. The Wessex Chalk Area is an excellent test bed for possible futures as it faces imminent threats from both climate and land use change (e.g. agricultural intensification), which are already being addressed using large-scale restoration. We will focus on the contrasting services of crop production, climate regulation, water quality, and cultural services.
Planned Impact
Today, ca. 80% of the Earth's land surface shows evidence of human intervention. Radical action is needed to sustain well-functioning ecosystems and biodiversity, which together assure the delivery of ecosystem services at the level needed for a healthy planet and thus our own existence. These ecosystem services are benefits humans obtain from nature, and they underpin human well-being, by providing such essential goods as clean water, climate regulation, improved crop yield, hazard prevention, and a pleasant environment. By examining the provision of services for a particular landscape - the Wessex Chalk -and the underpinning role of biodiversity, this project will benefit society as a whole by demonstrating essential ecosystem services in the UK and by determining mechanisms to maintain services in a changing environment.
To consider more specific benefits. Local to the Wessex Chalk landscape, we have engaged with a wide range of end-users from the conception of the proposed research. They have actively helped to develop the proposal and guide the research by identifying their individual needs. The social science research in the project will broaden out form these specific contacts to consider benefits and involvement of a wider range of members of society, involving individuals as well as organisations. Thus, the research will provide real benefits and utility to local people and organisations. More broadly, the research will underpin policy efforts to focus activities on maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services. International activities include: Council of Europe - 2010 'A headline target of halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020"; the Nagoya 2010 new CBD 2020 targets including resilience of ecosystem services; the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets; the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) ; and TEEB (the ecology and economics of biodiversity). UK activities include: the UKNEA aiming to enhance understanding of the state of ecosystem services; Lawton review 'Making Space for Nature' and the linked Environment White Paper. These efforts are against a background of the need for increased food security, climate change and other major drovers of change. By linking mechanistic research with a detailed analysis of policy and societal needs, we will provide scientific evidence to inform future decisions
To consider more specific benefits. Local to the Wessex Chalk landscape, we have engaged with a wide range of end-users from the conception of the proposed research. They have actively helped to develop the proposal and guide the research by identifying their individual needs. The social science research in the project will broaden out form these specific contacts to consider benefits and involvement of a wider range of members of society, involving individuals as well as organisations. Thus, the research will provide real benefits and utility to local people and organisations. More broadly, the research will underpin policy efforts to focus activities on maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services. International activities include: Council of Europe - 2010 'A headline target of halting the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of ecosystem services in the EU by 2020"; the Nagoya 2010 new CBD 2020 targets including resilience of ecosystem services; the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, including Aichi Biodiversity Targets; the Inter-governmental Science-Policy Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) ; and TEEB (the ecology and economics of biodiversity). UK activities include: the UKNEA aiming to enhance understanding of the state of ecosystem services; Lawton review 'Making Space for Nature' and the linked Environment White Paper. These efforts are against a background of the need for increased food security, climate change and other major drovers of change. By linking mechanistic research with a detailed analysis of policy and societal needs, we will provide scientific evidence to inform future decisions
People |
ORCID iD |
John Jones (Principal Investigator) | |
John Murphy (Co-Investigator) |
Description | This project aimed to understand the role of biodiversity in delivering ecosystem services and the impact of landscape scale change in land use on delivery. We discovered that landscape setting, largely determined by geology, influences both biodiversity and the delivery of ecosystem services, but that agricultural intensification also plays a role, reducing the capacity of rivers to deliver irrespective of setting. |
Exploitation Route | By linking community struture to ecosystem service delivery we have provided a mechanism for assessing environmental quality based on ecosystem services. |
Sectors | Environment |
Description | We have been collecting data from the Hampshire Avon. We have arranged to give these data to the Environment Agency Catchment Officer for the Hampshire Avon and the Hampshire Avon Catchment Initiative project officer (Wessex Chalk Stream and Rivers Trust) to help them build the River Basin Management Plan for the Hampshire Avon |
First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
Sector | Environment |
Impact Types | Policy & public services |
Description | British Ecological Society 2016 Small Research Grant |
Amount | £4,610 (GBP) |
Funding ID | SR16/1153 |
Organisation | British Ecological Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2016 |
End | 10/2017 |
Description | Ranunculus as a Bioengineer in Chalk Stream Ecosystems |
Amount | £82,934 (GBP) |
Organisation | G & K Boyes Charitable Trust |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2015 |
End | 08/2019 |
Title | Benthic biofilm chlorophyll a content and biomass data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK |
Description | Benthic biofilm chlorophyll a content and biomass data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK. Data deposit with NERC EIDC |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - to be used in future publications |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/64a8cef6-2d5b-452b-8f60-0cfa85ae51bc |
Title | Benthic organic matter biomass data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK |
Description | Benthic organic matter biomass data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK, Data deposited with NERC EIDC |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - to be used in future publications |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/0446bf29-8f7e-4132-9b34-1b66b9ff5b78 |
Title | Cover of Land Cover Map 2007 broad habitat classes in the upstream catchment of the 20 Wessex chalkstream sites, England, UK |
Description | Cover of Land Cover Map 2007 broad habitat classes in the upstream catchment of the 20 Wessex chalkstream sites, England, UK. Data deposit with NERC EIDC |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - for use in future publications |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/b8a66584-da67-49e5-a0b0-d8e0b3e75b99 |
Title | Fish biomass and density data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK |
Description | Fish biomass and density data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK. Data deposit with the NERC EIDC |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - to be used in future publications |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/7eee41f8-dbde-4b5e-b2d5-7296b5bfc558 |
Title | Riparian vegetation structure data for 15 Wessex chalkstream sites, England, UK |
Description | Riparian vegetation structure data for 15 Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK. Data deposit with NERC EIDC. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - for use in future publications |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/49792936-9f11-4df6-98b3-9a9de595ee69 |
Title | Riparian vegetation structure data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK |
Description | Riparian vegetation structure data for 3 intensively studied Wessex chalk stream sites, England, UK. Data deposited with NERC EIDC |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2017 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | None as yet - to be used in future publications. |
URL | https://catalogue.ceh.ac.uk/documents/61170f63-5ce0-43e3-8b0e-49c5a47bd3d0 |
Description | BESS Annual Science Meeting 2015 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | This meeting was an opportunity to articulate how research findings could help different sectors and polices deliver the Ecosystem Approach in practice, specifically with respect to Biodiversity offsetting, Payment for ecosystem services, EU 2020 Biodiversity Targets, Cultural services and Food security and resilience. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.nerc-bess.net/index.php/meetings/235-bess-annual-science-meeting-2015-2 |
Description | British Ecological Society Brexit Policy Working Group |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | I have been invited to be part of the BES Brexit Policy Working Group. This work will involve developing a position advice for ecosystem service delivery in multifunctional landscapes. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Cranborne Chase AONB |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Camborne Chase AONB having been compiling a database on rate of delivery of Ecosystem Services, how these are measured and potential impacts. I provided details of our research activities for them. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Demonstration Test Catchments Stakeholder Group Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The plan for this project was presented to stakeholders of the Avon Demonstration Test Catchment (DTC), together with details of how the project will feed information to the DTC. The project generated considerable interest among user groups, and the wider DTC consortium. The Demonstration Test Catchments Stakeholder Group comprises landowners, agronomists, wildlife charities, the environment agency, natural england, wessex water, Defra, and others. AN outline of the project was given. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2011,2012,2014 |
URL | http://www.avondtc.org.uk/Events.aspx |
Description | ESManage advice |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I have been providing advice to the Irish Environmental Protection Agency regarding their research into using ecosystem services in management and policy regarding freshwaters. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | QUBBES - project board |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | I was invited to attend a workshop on the use of ecosystem services for the management of blanket bog in Ireland. The workshop is part of a project for the Irish Environmental Protection Agency. I have also been providing further advice to the EPA on the project as part of the steering committee. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
Description | University of Southampton |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presentation given to the University of Southampton Institute of the Environment |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |