Assessment of the potential responses of ecosystem services to anthropogenic threats in the Eten wetland, Peru

Introduction: Coastal wetlands are currently threatened by human drivers, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, and urban sprawl. Pressures on these ecosystems disturb their morphology and biogeochemical cycles, resulting in the degradation of ecosystem services. However, little has been...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecosystem health and sustainability 2021-01, Vol.7 (1)
Main Authors: Rojas, Tania V., Bartl, Karin, Abad, Jorge D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Aquatic habitats
Biodiversity
Biogeochemical cycles
coastal management
Ecosystem degradation
Ecosystem services
Ecosystems
Environmental assessment
Environmental changes
Environmental impact
Environmental regulations
Eten wetland
Geomorphology
Human influences
human-environment interactions
Hydraulic structures
Land use
Landscape
Urban sprawl
Urbanization
wetland functions
Wetlands
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Summary:Introduction: Coastal wetlands are currently threatened by human drivers, such as agriculture, infrastructure development, and urban sprawl. Pressures on these ecosystems disturb their morphology and biogeochemical cycles, resulting in the degradation of ecosystem services. However, little has been done to understand the wetland response to identify proper conservation strategies. Along the Peruvian coast, wetlands present a diversity of landscapes that face similar threats and pressures; however, the ecosystem response in each one may be different.Objective: This study aims to assess the environmental impacts on ecosystem services based on the understanding of geomorphic features and the status of the Eten coastal wetland (Peru).Methods: The methodology combines the application of open-source GIS tools and the collection of field data to characterize the geomorphic settings and to analyze the changes in environmental parameters. Then, the main threats and pressures on the Eten wetland are defined and related to impacts on ecosystem services using a cause-effect model.Results: Overall, the results indicated that the river plays a vital role in defining the wetland landscape and functions. The biological diversity of aquatic habitats is disturbed by hydraulic structures and agricultural activities. Current land use affects supporting and regulation services, such as water regulation.
ISSN:2096-4129
2332-8878
DOI:10.1080/20964129.2021.1942224