Comparing the Applicability of Commonly Used Hydrological Ecosystem Services Models for Integrated Decision-Support
1
Section of Engineering Hydrology and Water Management, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
2
Institute of Applied Geosciences, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2018, 10(2), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020346
Received: 30 November 2017 / Revised: 23 January 2018 / Accepted: 24 January 2018 / Published: 29 January 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable River Basin Management)
Different simulation models are used in science and practice in order to incorporate hydrological ecosystem services in decision-making processes. This contribution compares three simulation models, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool, a traditional hydrological model and two ecosystem services models, the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model and the Resource Investment Optimization System model. The three models are compared on a theoretical and conceptual basis as well in a comparative case study application. The application of the models to a study area in Nicaragua reveals that a practical benefit to apply these models for different questions in decision-making generally exists. However, modelling of hydrological ecosystem services is associated with a high application effort and requires input data that may not always be available. The degree of detail in temporal and spatial variability in ecosystem service provision is higher when using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool compared to the two ecosystem service models. In contrast, the ecosystem service models have lower requirements on input data and process knowledge. A relationship between service provision and beneficiaries is readily produced and can be visualized as a model output. The visualization is especially useful for a practical decision-making context.
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Keywords:
hydrological ecosystem services; hydrological modelling; decision support; model comparison; Nicaragua; ecosystem service quantification; river basin management
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MDPI and ACS Style
Lüke, A.; Hack, J. Comparing the Applicability of Commonly Used Hydrological Ecosystem Services Models for Integrated Decision-Support. Sustainability 2018, 10, 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020346
AMA Style
Lüke A, Hack J. Comparing the Applicability of Commonly Used Hydrological Ecosystem Services Models for Integrated Decision-Support. Sustainability. 2018; 10(2):346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020346
Chicago/Turabian StyleLüke, Anna; Hack, Jochen. 2018. "Comparing the Applicability of Commonly Used Hydrological Ecosystem Services Models for Integrated Decision-Support" Sustainability 10, no. 2: 346. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020346
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