Mapping and assessment of lake ecosystem services in Lithuania

Abstract

Lakes provide essential Ecosystem Services (ES) that support human well-being. However, due to anthropogenic environmental degradation, lake ecosystem conditions and related ES supply are affected. To assess these impacts and ES supply alterations, mapping and assessing lake ES is key. Spatiotemporal lake ES studies are lacking, especially at the national scale. In this study, we mapped and assessed lake ES nationally in Lithuania. In total, 1032 lakes were considered. The supply of five ES were studied in 1990, 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018: 1) fibres and other materials for construction (fibres ES); 2) water for non-drinking purposes (water ES); 3) the maintenance of nursery populations (nursery ES); 4) the maintenance of freshwater chemical conditions (nutrient regulation ES), and 5) direct and indirect cultural outputs (recreation ES). For fibres ES, an increase over time was observed, following an increase in reed areas around the lakes. The results showed that significant differences among periods were identified in all ES except for water ES supply. Generally, the supply of fibres, nutrient, nursery and recreation ES increased between 1990 and 2018. Spatially, the north-eastern, central and easternmost parts of Lithuania showed a high supply of multiple ES (e.g., fibres ES, nutrient ES), while the western parts of the country were seen as essential for nursery ES supply. Except for water ES supply, all ES showed a clustered pattern. The hot–cold spots identified followed the areas of high and low ES supply. Bundle analysis identified three clusters. Recreation ES supply was not associated with fibres, nursery, nutrient, and water ES supply. Fibres, nursery, and nutrient ES supply were not related to water ES supply. The results obtained in this work are critical for better management and help to identify lakes that supply high and low ES.