Disclosing the Overlooked Wetlandscape Ecosystem Services – DOWES

While wetlands are individual ecosystems with permanent or temporary waters, the novel term “wetlandscapes” refers to systems of wetlands that are hydraulically, hydrologically and ecologically coupled. Although the ecosystem services of wetlands have been investigated for decades, the spatial aggregation of wetlands into wetlandscapes invites a reconsideration of the provision of ecosystem services. This is most relevant concerning food and water security services provided to ecosystems and communities beyond the direct area of influence. The main objective of the Consortium DOWES is to resolve the interlinkages between water availability in wetlandscapes and the provision of ecosystem services within and beyond their area of influence, over space and time, and through synthesis across multiple wetlandscapes. Comprised of six well-known institutions across Sweden, Italy, the United Kingdom, Colombia and Brazil, DOWES will address the main objective across six iconic and important wetlandscape ecosystems and through six work packages. The first determines high-resolution changes in surface water extent, level, storage and hydrologic connectivity using the latest radar and altimetric missions. The second relates water availability to wetlandscape ecosystem responses. The third develops a participatory approach framework to identify the main human and climatic stressors driving these changes, quantify local ecosystem services, and sketch potential ecosystem services beyond the area of influence. The fourth adds the final layer of complexity by quantifying the provision of ecosystem services of wetlandscapes beyond the area of influence. Finally, the fifth work package combines these four to develop metrics and guidelines to track and quantify the provision of wetlandscape ecosystem services. DOWES addresses Topics 1 and 2 of the Water4All 2023 Joint Transnational Call across three subtopics (ST): ST1.1., ST1.4 and ST2.1 by quantifying overlooked ecosystem services, finding how these ecosystem services change in time and space and their relationship with human and climatic drivers. Most importantly, it delivers metrics and guidelines for such quantification and tracking. The Proposal is also aligned with the main theme of the call as it studies wetlandscapes, which are considerably understudied compared to other water resources. It also couples with the main vision of Water4all by focusing on water security via the provision of ecosystem services, using state-of-the-art technologies such as hydrogeodesy, paleolimnology, atmospheric moisture tracking and participatory methodologies. The participatory approach involves and disseminates knowledge among wetland researchers, local and national authorities related to wetlands, international wetland organisations like the Ramsar Convention and Wetlands International, and the general public via a phone-based game application where the public can “play” to quantify wetlandscape ecosystem services.