National Floodplains Program - Contribution to Climate Change mitigation and conservation of biodiversity
Background and Goals
In the first work step in this R&D project, an assessment is made of the actual and potential contribution of floodplains in Germany to the preservation of biodiversity, climate protection and adaptation to the climate change. In a second step, the development potential of floodplains in Germany will be identified, and the effects on biodiversity for climate change adaptation and climate protection, the functions of the floodplains and other ecosystem services will be specified and quantified more tangibly in the form of scenarios. Economic aspects will be included. Knowledge from past large-scale revitalisation projects for floodplains will be included in the scenarios, in order to permit estimates of time horizons and costs in each case.
Objectives:
Within the framework of the project, the development potential of floodplains in Germany will be identified, and the effects on biodiversity for climate change adaptation and climate protection, the functions of the floodplains and other ecosystem services will be specified and quantified tangibly in the form of scenarios. The results are to be used to determine courses of action for protecting and developing the floodplains, at a national level.
Based on national data on wetlands and flood plains (see Floodplain Conditions Report (“Auenzustandbericht”)) the objective of this study is to concretize nationwide statements about the functions and ecosystem roles of floodplains and quantify and describe the effects of different scenarios on floodplain ecology. Central questions are:
- What important role do flood plains play in ecosystems?
- What is the extent of the contribution of floodplains to ecosystems?
- How can we evaluate and quantify this?
Content time
toResearch area/region
Country
- Germany
Steps in the process of adaptation to climate change
Step 1: Understand and describe climate change
Approach and results
No own climate scenarios will be created: climate projections reflecting the current state of knowledge will be taken into account; cooperation and use of the findings of the GLOWA-Elbe project
Possible scenarios are:
- Status quo
- Ecology-friendly land uses, e.g. as part of a nature conservation master plan
- Optimum scenarios: e.g., reactivation of large floodplain areas
Parameter (climate signals)
- River flooding
- Low water
Further Parameters
river run-off
Step 2a: Identify and assess risks - climate effects and impact
Approach and results
Examination of the effects of the climate change and of climate adaptation measures in river landscapes on biodiversity and floodplain ecology. The functions of floodplain ecology considered are:
- Assessment and classification of high water retention;
- Accounting of nutrient retention in floodplains based on recent estimations of nitrogen and phosphorus reserves;
- Assessment of carbon stock in flood plains and accounting of CO2 and greenhouse gas sink or source function in organically shaped floodplains;
- Representation of the habitat function by means of important aspects of floodplains from a conservation point of view.
Step 2b: Identify and assess risks - Vulnerability, risks and chances
Urgency and priorization of adaptation needs
In particular, the extensive loss of flood plains, which on the great rivers in Germany is about by 80%, shows the need for the creation of new retention areas, such as through dyke realignment.
Step 3: Develop and compare measures
Measures and/or strategies
To identify opportunities and synergies in river landscapes for adaptation to the climate change through a nature-oriented development of waterbodies and floodplains and to describe the effects on biodiversity, climate protection and other ecosystem services.
Conflicts / synergies / sustainability
Presentation of synergies between climate adaptation measures, climate protection measures and biodiversity conservation measures.
In particular, the naturally shaped river landscapes of North-East Germany have a high potential to serve as carbon sinks, however, due to dehydration and non-site appropriate local land use, they are currently also a source of climate-affecting greenhouse gases.
Participants
Funding / Financing
Federal Office for Nature Conservation (BfN) with funds from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB)
Project management
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Department of Economics
Cooperation/Partners
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Department Aquatic Ecosystems Analysis;
- biota – Institute for Ecological Research and Planning, Bützow;
Contact
Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung - UFZ
Department Naturschutzforschung
Permoserstraße 15
D-04318 Leipzig
