title: An ecosystem service approach to support integrated pond management: a case study using Bayesian belief networks--highlighting opportunities and risks.
abstract: Freshwater ponds deliver a broad range of ecosystem services (ESS). Taking into account this broad range of services to attain cost-effective ESS delivery is an important challenge facing integrated pond management. To assess the strengths and weaknesses of an ESS approach to support decisions in integrated pond management, we applied it on a small case study in Flanders, Belgium. A Bayesian belief network model was developed to assess ESS delivery under three alternative pond management scenarios: intensive fish farming (IFF), extensive fish farming (EFF) and nature conservation management (NCM). A probabilistic cost-benefit analysis was performed that includes both costs associated with pond management practices and benefits associated with ESS delivery. Whether or not a particular ESS is included in the analysis affects the identification of the most preferable management scenario by the model. Assessing the delivery of a more complete set of ecosystem services tends to shift the results away from intensive management to more biodiversity-oriented management scenarios. The proposed methodology illustrates the potential of Bayesian belief networks. BBNs facilitate knowledge integration and their modular nature encourages future model expansion to more encompassing sets of services. Yet, we also illustrate the key weaknesses of such exercises, being that the choice whether or not to include a particular ecosystem service may determine the suggested optimal management practice.
authors.affiliation: Unit Environmental Modelling-RMA, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium; Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: dries.landuyt@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Dries
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Landuyt
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pieter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lemmens
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'hondt
authors.affiliation: Unit Environmental Modelling-RMA, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Broekx
authors.affiliation: Unit Environmental Modelling-RMA, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium.
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liekens
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Bie
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Postbus 50, 6700 AB Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Steven A J
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Declerck
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation, KU Leuven, Charles Deberiotstraat 32, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Meester
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Jozef Plateaustraat 22, B-9000 Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter L M
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Goethals
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D001530:Belgium; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004463:Ecology / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D033181:Information Dissemination; D015233:Models, Statistical; D061005:Ponds; D012306:Risk
keywords: BBN; Cost-benefit analysis; Decision support system; Risk assessment; Scenario analysis