REGIONAL EXPERT ADVISORY WORKSHOP REPORT 01 MAR 2011 VIENTIANE, LAO PDR WETLANDS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND BIODIVERSITY AND CC

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1 Mekong Wetlands ecosystem services and biodiversity and Climate Change Peter-John Meynell, based on paper by Mark Bezuijen Outline Wetland Ecosystem services a means of valuing the importance of wetlands Provisioning Regulating Cultural and aesthetic Controlling Climate change implications for Biodiversity System for Biodiversity Vulnerability Assessment Biodiversity and adaptation to climate change

2 Provisioning Food production of fish, wild game, fruits, and grains Fresh water storage and retention of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use Fiber and fuel production of logs, fuelwood, peat, fodder Biochemical extraction of medicines and other materials from biota Genetic materials genes for resistance to plant pathogens, ornamental species, and so on Regulating Climate regulation - source of and sink for greenhouse gases; influence local and regional temperature, precipitation, and other climatic processes Water regulation - hydrological flows, groundwater recharge/discharge, Water purification and waste treatment - retention, recovery, and removal of excess nutrients and other pollutants Erosion protection and retention of soils and sediments Natural hazard regulation - flood control, storm protection

3 Cultural and aesthetic Spiritual and inspirational - source of inspiration; many religions attach spiritual and religious values to aspects of wetland ecosystems Recreational - opportunities for recreational activities Aesthetic appreciation of natural features Educational - opportunities for formal and informal education and training Supporting Biodiversity habitats for resident or transient species Fish spawning and nursery areas Soil formation - sediment retention and accumulation of organic matter Nutrient cycling - storage, recycling, processing, and acquisition of nutrients Pollination - habitat for pollinators

4 Present importance of Mekong ecosystem services and future trends without Climate change Hydro-ecological Zones Ecosystem services Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3 Zone 4 Zone 5 Zone 6 Provisioning Present Future Present Future Present Future Present Future Present Future Present Future Food production of fish, wild game, fruits, and grains Low Medium High High High High Fresh water storage and retention of water for domestic, industrial, and agricultural use Low Low Medium High High High Fiber and fuel production of logs, fuelwood, peat, fodder Low Low Low Low Low Low Biochemical extraction of medicines and other materials from biota Low Low Low Low Low Low Genetic materials genes for resistance to plant pathogens, ornamental species, and so on Low Low Low Low Low Low Regulating Climate regulation source of and sink for greenhouse gases; influence local and regional temperature, precipitation, and other climatic processes High High High High High High Water regulation (hydrological flows) groundwater recharge/discharge, High High High High High High Water purification and waste treatment retention, recovery, and removal of excess nutrients and other pollutants High High High High High High Erosion protection and retention of soils and sediments High High High High High High Natural hazard regulation, flood control, storm protection High High High High High High Cultural Spiritual and inspirational source of inspiration; many religions attach spiritual and religious values to aspects of wetland ecosystems High High High High High High Recreational opportunities for recreational activities Low High High High High High Aesthetic - appreciation of natural features High High High High High High Educational opportunities for formal and informal education and training Low Medium Low Medium Medium Low Supporting Biodiversity - habitats for resident or transient species High High High High High High Fish spawning and nursery areas Medium Medium Medium High High Medium Soil formation sediment retention and accumulation of organic matter High Medium Medium High Medium High Nutrient cycling storage, recycling, processing, and acquisition of nutrients High Medium Medium High Medium High Pollination habitat for pollinators Low Low Low Medium Medium Low Importance of the flow regime Flow regime determines habitats and species Species have evolved life histories in response to flow regimes Maintenance of connectivity essential to viability of populations Invasion of aliens and success of introduced species is facilitated by alteration of flow regimes

5 Climate changes that may affect biodiversity Rainfall and evaporation Storm events and drought Wetland hydrology Habitat change Temperature Dissolved oxygen in water? Increased primary production? Sea level rise Associated salinity changes Elevated levels of Carbon dioxide Biodiversity and climate change Wetland flora and fauna at risk include Lowland riverine i and floodplain l vegetation communities i Mangrove and sea grass areas Restricted range riparian flora Endemic molluscs and crustaceans Aerial aquatic insects (dragonflies and mayflies) Some frogs, lizards and snakes, one crocodile species Over 200 wetland bird species 7 large mammal species

6 Why can not some species adapt? Many species have specialised habitat requirements Low tolerance to climate change Breeding season shifts Gender shifts in population Shortage of food at critical times Loss of hydrological triggers, e.g. for spawning and migration etc. Inability to move to more suitable locations Sedentary not very mobile or widely dispersed species Loss of connectivity Effect of increasing temperature on amphibians and reptiles

7 Impacts will include Changes in distribution (geographic extent, latitude and elevation) Changes in abundance of some species Altered community composition Invasion of alien species Extirpation of populations p from Mekong Possible global extinction of some species Synergistic effects Wetland species already under severe pressure from existing threats, Infrastructure construction dams, irrigation, flood protection Wildlife hunting/trade Over fishing Loss of habitat - rocky rapids and floodplain vegetation Over the next decades climate change is unlikely to become principal i driver of biodiversity it loss in LMB But CC in synergy with these may become a tipping point causing large scale declines in populations

8 Important risks Outright extinction of some communities e.g. endemic molluscs and host fish species Potential decline of some aquatic invertebrates and wetland insects important because these form basis of food chains Threats to many of the endangered species Cause for optimism? Lower Mekong still relatively undeveloped with low levels of water pollution River still maintains good connectivity North-south orientation Natural resilience organisms have opportunity to shift to new climate spaces by dispersing northwards and upwards to higher elevations Note: Loss of biodiversity does not necessarily mean loss of productivity of wetland But: Loss of biodiversity reduces the resilience of the wetland to adapt to climate change

9 Biodiversity and CC vulnerability Step 1. Conduct an assessment of biodiversity conservation priorities for all wetland flora and fauna in the Lower Mekong Basin and which includes the potential impacts of climate change. (Keystone and symbolic species/flagship species) Step 2. Identify the predicted changes in climate which will occur at the MRC demonstration site. Step 3. Site biodiversity inventory. At the case study sites, identify keystone and representative species Step 4. Global and national threat status. Where possible clarify global and national threat status Step 5. Define the variables to be assessed for the vulnerability assessment Step 6. Conduct the trial vulnerability assessment Step 7. Limitations. Acknowledge the limitations of the approach. Species Vulnerability assessment variables Exposure High, medium, low Sensitivity Geographic range in LMB High, medium, low Population size in LMB High, medium, low Resilience High, medium, low Adaptive capacity High, medium, low Assumptions for successful adaptation of species Vulnerability based on Exposure + Sensitivity + Adaptive capacity High, medium, low Vulnerability + Other threats

10 Adaptation mechanisms Maintain natural resilience to climate change Enhance natural resilience to climate change Mitigate / avoid direct impacts of climate change Rehabilitation and restoration Monitoring the effectiveness of adaptation actions