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Despite covering only 2–6% of land, wetland ecosystems play an important role at the local and global scale. They provide various ecosystem services (carbon dioxide sequestration, pollution removal, water retention, climate regulation, etc.) as long as they are in good condition. By definition, wetlands are rich in water ecosystems. However, ongoing climate change with an ambiguous balance of rain in a temperate climate zone leads to drought conditions. Such periods interfere with the natural processes occurring on wetlands and restrain the normal functioning of wetland ecosystems. Persisting unfavorable water conditions lead to irreversible changes in wetland habitats. Hence, the monitoring of habitat changes caused by an insufficient amount of water (plant water stress) is necessary. Unfortunately, due to the specific conditions of wetlands, monitoring them by both traditional and remote sensing techniques is challenging, and research on wetland water stress has been insufficient. This paper describes the adaptation of the thermal water stress index, also known as the crop water stress index (CWSI), for wetlands. This index is calculated based on land surface temperature and meteorological parameters (temperature and vapor pressure deficit—VPD). In this study, an unmanned aerial system (UAS) was used to measure land surface temperature. Performance of the CWSI was confirmed by the high correlation with field measurements of a fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (R = −0.70) and soil moisture (R = −0.62). Comparison of the crop water stress index with meteorological drought indices showed that the first phase of drought (meteorological drought) cannot be detected with this index. This study confirms the potential of using the CWSI as a water stress indicator in wetland ecosystems.
Wojciech Ciężkowski; Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska; Małgorzata Kleniewska; Jacek Jóźwiak; Tomasz Gnatowski; Piotr Dąbrowski; Maciej Góraj; Jan Szatyłowicz; Stefan Ignar; Jarosław Chormański. Remotely Sensed Land Surface Temperature-Based Water Stress Index for Wetland Habitats. Remote Sensing 2020, 12, 631 .
AMA StyleWojciech Ciężkowski, Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska, Małgorzata Kleniewska, Jacek Jóźwiak, Tomasz Gnatowski, Piotr Dąbrowski, Maciej Góraj, Jan Szatyłowicz, Stefan Ignar, Jarosław Chormański. Remotely Sensed Land Surface Temperature-Based Water Stress Index for Wetland Habitats. Remote Sensing. 2020; 12 (4):631.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWojciech Ciężkowski; Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska; Małgorzata Kleniewska; Jacek Jóźwiak; Tomasz Gnatowski; Piotr Dąbrowski; Maciej Góraj; Jan Szatyłowicz; Stefan Ignar; Jarosław Chormański. 2020. "Remotely Sensed Land Surface Temperature-Based Water Stress Index for Wetland Habitats." Remote Sensing 12, no. 4: 631.
Planet Earth is undergoing significant changes which are driven by natural and anthropogenic factors. However, it is difficult to identify the drivers and their effect on the environment and ecosystems because there are many interdependencies. In this study we present a multi-parameter approach to assess the effect of changes in human-induced and natural drivers on a wetland ecosystem. The study area is one of the most prominent European wetlands: the Biebrza Basin, located in north-eastern Poland. We analysed long-term (ca. 1960–2000) changes in meteorology, hydrology, soil and vegetation, and also conservation history. This approach enabled us to identify interactions between environmental change and management. We found significant trends (1960–2012) indicating climate change: increases in temperature, evapotranspiration and earlier start of spring floods. We identified (1970–2000) a shift towards drier vegetation types after drainage. However, we also found that restoration measures that were implemented have mitigated climate change effects and have led to increases in soil moisture and wetter vegetation types. We conclude that, if carried out sufficiently frequently, the management measures implemented in the Biebrza Basin, which are a combination of different restoration measures (blocking drainage, not clearing aquatic vegetation, bush removal, mowing), can to some extent mitigate the effects of climate change.
Tomasz Berezowski; Martin Wassen; Jan Szatyłowicz; Jarosław Chormański; Stefan Ignar; Okke Batelaan; Tomasz Okruszko. Wetlands in flux: looking for the drivers in a central European case. Wetlands Ecology and Management 2018, 26, 849 -863.
AMA StyleTomasz Berezowski, Martin Wassen, Jan Szatyłowicz, Jarosław Chormański, Stefan Ignar, Okke Batelaan, Tomasz Okruszko. Wetlands in flux: looking for the drivers in a central European case. Wetlands Ecology and Management. 2018; 26 (5):849-863.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTomasz Berezowski; Martin Wassen; Jan Szatyłowicz; Jarosław Chormański; Stefan Ignar; Okke Batelaan; Tomasz Okruszko. 2018. "Wetlands in flux: looking for the drivers in a central European case." Wetlands Ecology and Management 26, no. 5: 849-863.
Future climate change is projected to have significant impact on water resources availability and quality in many parts of the world. The objective of this paper is to assess the effect of projected climate change on water quantity and quality in two lowland catchments (the Upper Narew and the Barycz) in Poland in two future periods (near future: 2021–2050, and far future: 2071– 2100). The hydrological model SWAT was driven by climate forcing data from an ensemble of nine bias-corrected General Circulation Models—Regional Climate Models (GCM-RCM) runs based on the Coordinated Downscaling Experiment—European Domain (EURO-CORDEX). Hydrological response to climate warming and wetter conditions (particularly in winter and spring) in both catchments includes: lower snowmelt, increased percolation and baseflow and higher runoff. Seasonal differences in the response between catchments can be explained by their properties (e.g., different thermal conditions and soil permeability). Projections suggest only moderate increases in sediment loss, occurring mainly in summer and winter. A sharper increase is projected in both catchments for TN losses, especially in the Barycz catchment characterized by a more intensive agriculture. The signal of change in annual TP losses is blurred by climate model uncertainty in the Barycz catchment, whereas a weak and uncertain increase is projected in the Upper Narew catchment.
Paweł Marcinkowski; Mikołaj Piniewski; Ignacy Kardel; Mateusz Szcześniak; Rasmus Benestad; Raghavan Srinivasan; Stefan Ignar; Tomasz Okruszko. Effect of Climate Change on Hydrology, Sediment and Nutrient Losses in Two Lowland Catchments in Poland. Water 2017, 9, 156 .
AMA StylePaweł Marcinkowski, Mikołaj Piniewski, Ignacy Kardel, Mateusz Szcześniak, Rasmus Benestad, Raghavan Srinivasan, Stefan Ignar, Tomasz Okruszko. Effect of Climate Change on Hydrology, Sediment and Nutrient Losses in Two Lowland Catchments in Poland. Water. 2017; 9 (3):156.
Chicago/Turabian StylePaweł Marcinkowski; Mikołaj Piniewski; Ignacy Kardel; Mateusz Szcześniak; Rasmus Benestad; Raghavan Srinivasan; Stefan Ignar; Tomasz Okruszko. 2017. "Effect of Climate Change on Hydrology, Sediment and Nutrient Losses in Two Lowland Catchments in Poland." Water 9, no. 3: 156.
In our study, we analyzed the combined standard uncertainty of water table slope assessment done using differential global positioning system (DGPS)-based measurements of water table elevation and distances between measurement locations. We compared and discussed uncertainties in water table slope assessments done in various hypothetical environments of lowland floodplains (water table slopes typically ranged from 1.25 · 10−4 to 1 · 10−3). Our analyses referred to elevation measurements done with the static GPS and DGPS real-time kinematic (RTK) approaches, which are currently among the most frequently used elevation measurement techniques worldwide. Calculations of the combined standard uncertainty of water table slope allowed us to conclude that the DGPS-RTK approach used in water table slope assessment can result in assessment errors as high as 50 % at short (<200 m) distances. Acceptable water table slope measurement errors (lower than 5 %) occur at distances longer than 11,320 m in the case of DGPS-RTK measurements, while, in the case of static GPS measurements, acceptable measurement errors at the same level occur at distances as low as 1350 m. Errors in water table slope assessment as high as 50 % occur at distances of 1130 m and 140 m for DGPS-RTK and static GPS measurements, respectively. We conclude that, although the DGPS-RTK methodology—due to its ease of use and time-saving capabilities is very often applied to water level measurements in lowland riparian wetlands, the application of the DGPS-RTK methodology for water table slope assessment at distances shorter than a few couples of meters results in very low accuracy (errors greater than 50 %) and should not be used for calculating local slopes in low slope areas such as lowland riparian zones.
Dorota Mirosław-Świątek; Robert Michałowski; Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska; Stefan Ignar; Mateusz Grygoruk. Unraveling uncertainties of water table slope assessment with DGPS in lowland floodplain wetlands. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2016, 188, 625 .
AMA StyleDorota Mirosław-Świątek, Robert Michałowski, Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska, Stefan Ignar, Mateusz Grygoruk. Unraveling uncertainties of water table slope assessment with DGPS in lowland floodplain wetlands. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2016; 188 (11):625.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDorota Mirosław-Świątek; Robert Michałowski; Sylwia Szporak-Wasilewska; Stefan Ignar; Mateusz Grygoruk. 2016. "Unraveling uncertainties of water table slope assessment with DGPS in lowland floodplain wetlands." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 188, no. 11: 625.
In this chapter the general context of protection and management of wetlands in legal frameworks of water management is discussed. We present the background of the book, referring to its main conclusions and achievements. The main finding is that the existing regulations of the European environmental policy are sufficiently accurate and provide adequate tools to maintain good status of ecosystems as well as to restore the degraded ecosystems that provide a potential of reaching the favourable environmental status. However, implementation of these regulations requires attention and enhancement, as in selected cases it fails to fulfil their environmental objectives. We state that the main attention of the EU environmental policy the day before, when the good status of waters and aquatic ecosystems demanded by the water framework directive has to be met by the member states, should pay special attention at assessment of the implementation efficiency of existing legal regulations rather than at the development of the new ones. We conclude that in order to succeed with the adaptive management of wetlands facing climate change, social sciences should be more deeply involved in EU environmental policy inducing attitudes of managing authorities and users of valuable wetlands.
S. Ignar; M. Grygoruk. Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change. Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin 2015, 1 -7.
AMA StyleS. Ignar, M. Grygoruk. Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change. Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin. 2015; ():1-7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleS. Ignar; M. Grygoruk. 2015. "Wetlands and Water Framework Directive: Protection, Management and Climate Change." Flood Risk in the Upper Vistula Basin , no. : 1-7.
The integration of water management goals in protected wetland areas agriculturally managed in an intensive manner recalls the comparison of apples (ecological values) and oranges (economic dimension of agriculture). Sustainable wetland management frequently fails if environmental features are not referred to as ecosystem services and quantified in economic terms. In our hydrological-economical study on floodplain wetlands located in the Lower Basin of the Biebrza Valley, we attempt to quantify the monetary value of water storage in the floodplain during flood phenomena as an important ecosystem service. The unit monetary value of water storage in the catchment of Biebrza Valley was assessed on the basis of small artificial water reservoirs, constructed in recent years and located in the area of research, and reached 0.53 EUR·m−3·year−1. In a GIS-based study on hydrological floodplain processes in the years 1995–2011, we assessed the average annual volume of active water storage in the floodplain which reached 10.36 M m3 year−1, giving a monetary value of EUR 5.49 million per annum. We propose that the methodology presented in our analysis could be applied as water storage subsidies in valuable floodplains, to prevent their deterioration originating from agriculture intensification.
Mateusz Grygoruk; Dorota Mirosław-Świątek; Weronika Chrzanowska; Stefan Ignar. How Much for Water? Economic Assessment and Mapping of Floodplain Water Storage as a Catchment-Scale Ecosystem Service of Wetlands. Water 2013, 5, 1760 -1779.
AMA StyleMateusz Grygoruk, Dorota Mirosław-Świątek, Weronika Chrzanowska, Stefan Ignar. How Much for Water? Economic Assessment and Mapping of Floodplain Water Storage as a Catchment-Scale Ecosystem Service of Wetlands. Water. 2013; 5 (4):1760-1779.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMateusz Grygoruk; Dorota Mirosław-Świątek; Weronika Chrzanowska; Stefan Ignar. 2013. "How Much for Water? Economic Assessment and Mapping of Floodplain Water Storage as a Catchment-Scale Ecosystem Service of Wetlands." Water 5, no. 4: 1760-1779.
River flooding is important for the ecological functioning of river floodplains. It is implicitly assumed that in many river floodplains during floods, river water is spreading all over the floodplain. We hypothesize that during flood events a spatial distribution of water types exists, which is correlated to different water sources (river water, atmospheric water and groundwater) and to the spatial distribution of vegetation types. The objective of this paper is to assess a new methodology to determine the extent of flooding and the spatial distribution of different water sources during the flood, using GPS, multispectral remote sensing and hydrochemical analyses. This methodology is applied to the Biebrza River Lower Basin, which has little human impact. Remote sensing resulted in a map distinguishing inundated areas from dry areas, which showed 85% agreement with GPS field measurements. Principal Component Analyses and Cluster Analyses on the measured water chemistry identified different water sources during the flood (river water, groundwater, rainwater) and showed the effects of human impact on water quality. River flood water dominated the entire inundation zone in the northern Lower Basin, which is narrower and steeper than the southern Lower Basin where groundwater and rainwater were significant contributors to the major part of the inundated area. Vegetation in the river flood zone is distinctly different from the rest of the floodplain. Due to mixing of ground- and rainwater, correlation analyses between vegetation and water type were not possible outside the river flood zone. The new methodology is effective in distinguishing inundated areas from dry regions and in separating river flood water from other water sources during a flood.
J. Chormanski; Tomasz Okruszko; Stefan Ignar; Okke Batelaan; K.T. Rebel; M.J. Wassen. Flood mapping with remote sensing and hydrochemistry: A new method to distinguish the origin of flood water during floods. Ecological Engineering 2011, 37, 1334 -1349.
AMA StyleJ. Chormanski, Tomasz Okruszko, Stefan Ignar, Okke Batelaan, K.T. Rebel, M.J. Wassen. Flood mapping with remote sensing and hydrochemistry: A new method to distinguish the origin of flood water during floods. Ecological Engineering. 2011; 37 (9):1334-1349.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Chormanski; Tomasz Okruszko; Stefan Ignar; Okke Batelaan; K.T. Rebel; M.J. Wassen. 2011. "Flood mapping with remote sensing and hydrochemistry: A new method to distinguish the origin of flood water during floods." Ecological Engineering 37, no. 9: 1334-1349.
Evaluation and verification of the WetSpa model based on selected rural catchments in Poland The paper presents results of calibration and verification of the WetSpa model, which enables the modelling of rainfall-runoff process based on mass and energy balance in the soil-plantatmosphere system in the catchment. It is a model with distributed parameters, using the structure of raster GIS model to determine the spatial diversity of the catchment environment. This enables simulation of runoff from the catchment, including: precipitation, evapotranspiration, interception of plant surface and soil cover, infiltration and capillary rise in soil and groundwater runoff. Simulated processes depend on the required non-distributed parameters, which were calibrated based on hydrometeorological data from the three rural catchments with different physical and geographical characteristics: Mławka, located in the Wkra basin in Central Poland and the rivers Kamienna and Sidra, which are tributaries of the upper Biebrza in north-eastern part of the country. Distributed catchment parameters were specified on the basis of digital soil maps, land use maps and digital elevation model using GIS techniques. Non-distributed model parameters were calibrated for the three catchments using automatic techniques based on the PEST algorithm. The obtained values of these parameters were scrutinized in order to analyse differences resulting from various characteristics of the study areas. The quality of the model was verified upon dependent and independent data. Appropriate quality measures, including Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency measure, were used to assess model quality. For two catchments (the Sidra and Kamienna) the model showed a satisfactory quality for modelling high flows, it was, however, not satisfactory for low flows. The values for the Mławka catchment justified the assessment of the model quality measurements as very good and good. The factors most affecting the process of river outflow formation were determined using the analysis of model sensitivity to relative changes in parameter values. It was found that the evaluation of the model quality depended largely on the quality of meteorological data and proper parameterization of the soil cover.
Laura Porretta-Brandyk; Jaroslaw Chormanski; Stefan Ignar; Tomasz Okruszko; Andrzej Brandyk; Tomasz Szymczak; Katarzyna Krężałek. Evaluation and verification of the WetSpa model based on selected rural catchments in Poland. Journal of Water and Land Development 2010, 14, 115 -133.
AMA StyleLaura Porretta-Brandyk, Jaroslaw Chormanski, Stefan Ignar, Tomasz Okruszko, Andrzej Brandyk, Tomasz Szymczak, Katarzyna Krężałek. Evaluation and verification of the WetSpa model based on selected rural catchments in Poland. Journal of Water and Land Development. 2010; 14 (1):115-133.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLaura Porretta-Brandyk; Jaroslaw Chormanski; Stefan Ignar; Tomasz Okruszko; Andrzej Brandyk; Tomasz Szymczak; Katarzyna Krężałek. 2010. "Evaluation and verification of the WetSpa model based on selected rural catchments in Poland." Journal of Water and Land Development 14, no. 1: 115-133.