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Ecosystem Services Provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak

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Ecosystem Services Provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak REPORT 5873 • DECEMbeR 2008 RAPPORT 5507 • NOVEMBER 2006 Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Kajsa Garpe SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Orders Phone: + 46 (0)8-505 933 40 Fax: + 46 (0)8-505 933 99 E-mail: [email protected] Address: CM Gruppen AB, Box 110 93, SE-161 11 Bromma, Sweden Internet: www.naturvardsverket.se/bokhandeln The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Phone: + 46 (0)8-698 10 00, Fax: + 46 (0)8-20 29 25 E-mail: [email protected] Address: Naturvårdsverket, SE-106 48 Stockholm, Sweden Internet: www.naturvardsverket.se ISBN 978-91-620-5873-9.pdf ISSN 0282-7298 © Naturvårdsverket 2008 Digital publication Cover photos: Johan Resele, Global Reporting Sweden AB SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Preface The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, by assignment of the Swedish Government, has carried out a project, led by Katrin Zimmer to gather information about the economic impacts of the human influence on the Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak1 environment. The project, based on already existing material, attempts to compare the situation if no further measures are implemented compared to if further measures are implemented. The countries around the Baltic Sea have been invited to participate in the project and the search for economic marine information has been carried out in every state that borders the Sea. The goal of the project is to provide decision makers with the information available regarding the economic benefits of ecosystem services, the cost of measures re- quired to protect these services, as well as the estimated costs of non-action. The assignment was divided into different subprojects which resulted in different reports. 1. Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak 2. The economic value of ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak - Existing information and gaps of knowledge 3. Trends and scenarios exemplifying the future of the Baltic Sea and Skager- rak - Ecological impacts of not taking action 4. The costs of environmental improvements in the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak - A review of the literature 5. Costs and benefits from nutrient reductions to the Baltic Sea 6. Tourism and recreation industries in the Baltic Sea area - How are they af- fected by the state of the marine environment? - An interview study 7. Economic information regarding fisheries - Swedish Board of Fisheries Each of the reports 1-5 contains information on knowledge gaps and suggestions of new research or how existing information could be compiled. All subprojects have been compiled into one synthesis report with the title What´s in the Sea for me – Ecosystem Services of the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak. This report presents the concept of ecosystem services and subsequently classifies and gives a broad review of all services obtained from the Baltic Sea and Skager- rak. By providing thorough descriptions, accompanied numerous examples, of each of 24 ecosystem services provided by coastal and marine ecosystems, the author seeks to qualitatively illuminate the importance of the various services. The ecosys- 1 The project defines the Baltic Sea and the Skagerrak as the waters of the Bothnian Bay, the Bothnian sea, the Gulf of Finland, the Gulf of Riga, the Baltic Proper, the Danish Straits, the Kattegat and the Swedish coast of the Skagerrak. 3 SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information tem service perspective is relatively recent and therefore guidelines on how to quantify the different services, remains to be developed. However, quantification and monetary valuation lies beyond this report. Why do we need to classify processes and resources of the marine environment into ecosystem services? Although the ecosystem services provided merely constitute the consequences of living organisms natural functioning, it is important to integrate them in the topics discussed in media and politics, which often only mention the end products like fish and tourism. Defining the ecosystem processes, all their functions and all goods and services provided by them is necessary if the right political decisions to really sustainably manage the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak are to be taken. Hence the overall purpose of this report is to translate the complex- ity of marine biodiversity, and its prerequisites, into services or functions of eco- nomic or societal value, which can be more readily understood, for example by policy makers and non-scientists. The report was financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Opin- ions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official view of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Stockholm, May 2008 Swedish Environmental Protection Agency 4 SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Contents PREFACE 3 REPORT IN BRIEF 14 INTRODUCTION 24 What are ecosystem services? 24 A variety of benefits free of charge 25 The value of ecosystem services 27 Our marine environment 28 Trade in ecosystem services 29 The scope of this report 30 SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S1: MAINTENANCE OF BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLING 33 Definition 33 Related processes and services 33 Oxygen cycle 33 Hydrological cycle 34 Carbon cycle 34 Nitrogen and phosphorus cycles 34 Interaction with other ecosystem services 35 Status, threats and consequences 36 Maintaining biogeochemical cycles 37 Examples of knowledge gaps 37 SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S2: PRIMARY PRODUCTION 38 Definition 38 Related processes and services 38 Status, threats and consequences 38 Primary production and climate change 39 How to maintain primary production 39 Examples of knowledge gaps 40 SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S3: MAINTENANCE OF FOOD WEB DYNAMICS 41 Definition 41 Related processes and services 41 5 SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Status, threats and consequences 43 Unsustainable harvest of cod causes trophic cascades 43 Bioaccumulation of hazardous substances 45 Introduced species alter food web dynamics 45 Varying response to climate change 46 How to maintain food web dynamics 47 Examples of knowledge gaps 48 SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S4: MAINTENANCE OF BIODIVERSITY 49 Definition 49 Related processes and services 49 Status, threats and consequences 50 Biodiversity in the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak 51 Threatened species 51 Habitat degradation 52 Excessive exploitation & bycatch 53 Pollution 53 Alien species 53 Climate change 53 Consequences of biodiversity loss 54 How to maintain biodiversity 54 Examples of knowledge gaps 55 SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S5: MAINTENANCE OF HABITAT 56 Definition 56 Related processes and services 56 Status, threats and consequences 57 Sea-grass meadows 57 Algal beds 58 Mussel beds 58 Shallow soft bottoms 58 Offshore banks 59 Cold-water coral reefs 59 How to maintain habitats 60 Examples of knowledge gaps 63 6 SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES S6: MAINTENANCE OF RESILIENCE 64 Definition 64 Related processes and services 64 Status, threats and consequences 64 How to maintain resilience 66 Examples of knowledge gaps 66 REGULATING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES R1: CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERIC REGULATION 67 Definition 67 Extent of use and importance to society 67 Oxygen provision 67 Carbon sequestration 67 Regulation of local climate 68 Interactions with other ecosystem services 68 Status, threats and consequences 69 Expected consequences of the reduction of carbon sequestration 70 Marine acidification: the cost of climate regulation 70 Expected consequences of seawater acidification 71 Effects of no action 72 How to maintain climate regulation 72 Examples of knowledge gaps 73 REGULATING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES R2: SEDIMENT RETENTION 75 Definition 75 Extent of use and importance to society 75 Interaction with other ecosystem services 76 Status, threats & consequences 76 How to secure and strengthen sediment retention and disturbance mitigation 77 Examples of knowledge gaps 77 REGULATING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES R3: MITIGATION OF EUTROPHICATION 78 Definition 78 Extent of use and importance to society 78 Interaction with other ecosystem services 80 7 SWEDISH ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Report 5873 • Ecosystem services provided by the Baltic Sea and Skagerrak Economic Marine Information Status, threats and consequences 80 How to strengthen natural alleviation of eutrophication 81 Examples of knowledge gaps 83 REGULATING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES R4: BIOLOGICAL REGULATION 84 Definition 84 Extent of use and importance to society 84 Interactions with other ecosystem services 84 Status, threats and consequences 84 How to strengthen biological regulation 85 Examples of knowledge gaps 85 REGULATING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES R5: REGULATION OF HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES 86 Definition 86 Extent of use and importance to society 86 Interaction with other ecosystem services 87 Status, threats and consequences 87 How to strengthen the regulation of hazardous substances 88 Examples of knowledge gaps 88 PROVISIONING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES P1: PROVISION OF FOOD FIT FOR CONSUMPTION
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