Brief description of the SEcoRA concept

1. Conceptualizing the Role of Sediment in Ecosystem Service Frameworks Developing a framework for Sediment-Ecosystem Regional Assessment (SEcoRA) Sabine E. Apitz SEA Environmental Decisions, Ltd. *1 South Cottages, The Ford; Little Hadham, Herts, SG11 2AT, UK; +44 (0)1279 771890; drsea@cvrl.org Transform information into action… ©SEA Environmental Decisions, Ltd, 2011

2. Ecological risk assessment is the process that evaluates the probability of adverse effects to endpoints as a result of one or multiple stressors from Power, B., Crane, M., Bradford, P., 2008. Guidance on desk studies and conceptual site models in ecological risk assessment. Science Report – SC070009/SR2a. Environment Agency, Bristol, UK, p. 51.

3. Pathways for contaminated sediment impact in a typical EcoRA Conceptual Model All complete exposure pathways have the potential to cause negative effects

4. Pathways for contaminated sediment impact in a typical EcoRA Conceptual Model All complete exposure pathways have the potential to cause negative effects Sediment, on the other hand, cannot be treated as a typical stressor – it has both desirable and undesirable roles in ecosystems

5. Sediment as Habitat: Sediment organisms play critical roles in ecosystem functioning Animal burrows pH imaging O 2 imaging fluorescent SPI O 2 imaging Benthic photosynthsis www.cobo.org.uk 5 mm 5 mm

7. ...but sediment excess creates other problems, both when deposited... From Sediment Matters , Atkins Ltd, 2009

8. The assumptions behind sediment assessment are more complex than those behind contaminant assessment

9. The assumptions behind sediment assessment are more complex than those behind contaminant assessment Sediment-Ecosystem Regional Assessment (SEcoRA) Must Address the Complexity of Sediment-Endpoint Interactions

10. A range of river basin objectives are affected by sediment; these can be reflected by endpoints or Service Providing Units

11. A range of river basin objectives are affected by sediment; these can be reflected by endpoints or Service Providing Units Biotic Endpoints/ SPUs

12. There are a range of ecosystem services affected by sediment; these can be reflected by endpoints or Service Providing Units Abiotic Endpoints/ SPUs

13. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration

14. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration

15. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration

16. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration

17. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration

18. Landscape use and biophysical conditions define sediment status ; sediment role depends upon endpoint under consideration This then defines the desirable and undesirable effects of sediment on service providing units

19. Fine-Grained Soil/ Sediment Fisheries Supporting/ Regulating 1 ˚ Production Stabilization/ Habitat maintenance Provisioning/ game Cultural/ Recreation Fine-grained sediment pathways Fine Bed Coarse Bed Water Column Estuaries Mudflats Coastal Floodplain Upland Floodplain Wetlands River and Nav Channel/Bank Lakes, Ponds, Reservoirs Salmonids/ cyprinids Column Feeding Fish Bottom Feeding Fish Invertebrates Coarse Bed Invertebrates Fine Bed Diatoms Coarse Bed Diatoms Fine Bed Macrophytes Coarse Bed Macrophytes Fine Bed Waterfowl

20. Fine-Grained Soil/ Sediment Fisheries Supporting/ Regulating 1 ˚ Production Stabilization/ Habitat maintenance Provisioning/ game Cultural/ Recreation Sediment of a given status... Arrvies at locations throughout a watershed... Having positive and negative effects on endpoints... Which are necessary to sustain ecosystem services. Fine-grained sediment pathways Fine Bed Coarse Bed Water Column Estuaries Mudflats Coastal Floodplain Upland Floodplain Wetlands River and Nav Channel/Bank Lakes, Ponds, Reservoirs Salmonids/ cyprinids Column Feeding Fish Bottom Feeding Fish Invertebrates Coarse Bed Invertebrates Fine Bed Diatoms Coarse Bed Diatoms Fine Bed Macrophytes Coarse Bed Macrophytes Fine Bed Waterfowl

21. Natural ecosystems provide a “bundle” of services From de Groot et al 2009

22. The more intensively we manage land to enhance specific services, the more others suffer From de Groot et al 2009

23. More sustainable mangement seeks to optimise the bundle of services From de Groot et al 2009

24. Different land use types result in different ecosystem service bundles from Rausdepp-Hearne et al 2010

25. Different land use types result in different ecosystem service bundles from Rausdepp-Hearne et al 2010 Utilization of ecosystem services on the landscape affects soil, sediment and water status From de Groot et al 2009

26. Landscape Biophysical Conditions Landscape Management Soil Status Sediment Status Aquatic Biophysical Conditions Aquatic Management Landscape Ecosystem Services Aquatic Ecosystem Services Sediment provides connections between landscape service use and aquatic services

27. Landscape Biophysical Conditions Landscape Management Soil Status Sediment Status Aquatic Biophysical Conditions Aquatic Management Landscape Ecosystem Services Aquatic Ecosystem Services Sediment provides connections between landscape service use and aquatic services Thus, these cannot be assessed or managed independently

28. Both intrinsic landscape properties and management activities (service use practices) affect sediment status Agricultural land use Quality parameters: Sediment-associated contaminants (C), nutrients (N), pathogens (P), organic-rich particles (O), fine sediment (FS), and coarse sediment (CS)

29. Both intrinsic landscape properties and management activities (service use practices) affect sediment status Agricultural land use Quality parameters: Sediment-associated contaminants (C), nutrients (N), pathogens (P), organic-rich particles (O), fine sediment (FS), and coarse sediment (CS)

30. Sediment status as a result of land use can be modelled using site-specific or probabilistic conditions *From S E Apitz, S Casper, A Angus and S M White (2010) The Sediment Relative Risk Model (SC080018) – A User’s Guide.

31. The transport/location continuum. In terms of SEcoRA, these are exposure factors, and must be addressed

32. Exposure issues can be modelled Calculation module for evaluating river transport issues* *From S E Apitz, S Casper, A Angus and S M White (2010) The Sediment Relative Risk Model (SC080018) – A User’s Guide.

33. We manage the landscape (on land and in water) to optimize chosen ecosystem services... Watershed image from Natural Resources Conservation Service © 2011 S E Apitz

34. This affects the status of water, soils and sediments at sites and in downstream systems... Watershed image from Natural Resources Conservation Service © 2011 S E Apitz

35. Ultimately, this affects the viability and sustainability of a variety of aquatic ecosystem services Watershed image from Natural Resources Conservation Service © 2011 S E Apitz

36. Watershed image from Natural Resources Conservation Service These trade-offs must be assessed and managed in a spatially explicit manner © 2011 S E Apitz

37. We have been developing models and tools that allow us to evaluate how management choices from the landscape perspective affect downstream aquatic ecosystem services From Apitz et al (2010) The Sediment Relative Risk Model (SC080018) – A User’s Guide

38. In future, landscape, aquatic and coastal management should be considered in terms of maximizing ecosystem services while minimizing impacts, at many scales, at sea and upland Mapping and zoning for Marine Spatial Planning