Workshop 2

Introduction :: Presentations :: Schedule overview

Integrated eco-hydrological assessment: Coupling ecological methods with hydrological and water quality models in gis

12-14 September 2003, Goniadz - Biebrza National Park

University of Antwerp, International Centre for Ecology PAS, Copernicus Institute, University of Utrecht, Warsaw Agricultural University

Organizers

Prof. Dr Patrick Meire, University of Antwerp
Prof. Dr Martin Wassen, Copernicus Institute, University of Utrecht
Prof. Dr Maciej Zalewski, International Centre for Ecology, Polish Academy of Sciences

Logistics

According the practical aspects and logistics of the course, please contact:
Jan Bocian - International Centre for Ecology PAS, bocian@biol.uni.lodz.pl
co-operation:
Dorota Morawska - Warsaw University of Agriculture D.Morawska@levis.sggw.waw.pl

Introduction

Land use is one of the factors which most directly influence biodiversity. Large parts of the Earth surface have been used for food production. The intensity of current production methods and the impacts on the physical and chemical conditions of the soil (such as water and nutrient status) are important driving forces of the biodiversity decrease. Furthermore, land use also affects the remaining nature areas, through environmental impacts such as desiccation, acidification, eutrophication and fragmentation. Knowledge of key-processes important for ecosystem functioning is therefore required in order to improve ecosystem quality, as a condition of biodiversity conservation.
In wetlands and semi-natural ecosystems in lowland areas, hydrology is the major driving factor for the ecosystem development. Groundwater and surface water flow is the spatially connecting factor between land use and ecosystem impacts. Both quantity and quality of water are of utmost importance in this respect. Eco-hydrology is the interdisciplinary research field in which hydrology and ecology come together. It may be defined as the study of the functional relations between hydrology and biota at the catchment scale. It is a landscape ecological specialization focusing on the impact of water (fluxes and quality) on wetland ecosystems (structure, species composition, functional processes). Resource managers and land use planners seek for eco-hydrological knowledge enabling them to design effective land use plans and water management strategies.
This workshop explores the possibilities for integrating spatially explicit ecological and hydrological models for wetland areas. It focuses on possibilities and constraints in this integration and scaling issues. The major questions to be answered are:
- What is the minimum required hydrological output (variables, dynamics, spatial resolution) if the aim to be achieved is delivering input for ecological models?
- How can abiotic-biotic feedbacks be incorporated in the models?
- Which pools and flows of nutrient cycles are quantitatively most important to ecosystems?
These questions are to be analysed in the workshop and the implications for the design of catchment management and restoration prospects is to be evaluated. 

Contents

The workshop focuses on possibilities and constraints in incorporation of ecological knowledge in models and their integration with hydrological, water quantity and water quality models in GIS aided tools. All participants will present their proposed paper related to the workshop topics. At the second day, the working groups will be formed to exchange the knowledge and expertise. The focus will be put to integrated work between scientists of different fields, mainly hydrologists and ecologists. 

Objectives

- Integrate knowledge on the relations between hydrology and ecology and the implementation in GIS aided integrated models.
- Understand the spatially connecting function of groundwater and surface water flow in the landscape.
- Understand the feedbacks between hydrology and soil processes on one hand and plant processes on the other hand.
- Get acquainted with hydrological and ecological models and methods for integrated assessment in water management. 

Products

The workshop results in a manuscript for a scientific paper written by the workshop participants and co-authored by the organizers. The papers should be submitted as soon as possible after the closure of the workshop. The international journals: Ecological Modelling or Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology invites to submit the papers.

Method of working

It is highly recommended, that the participants should prepare themselves to actively participate in the meeting, by reading a number of scientific papers before the start of the course. They also are requested to formulate a statement explaining the reasons of their will to participate in the meeting and the kind of expertise or data they are going to bring in to the workshop. The organisers - Meire, Wassen and Zalewski are present during the entire course, giving introductory lectures and acting as mediators. A number of participants will bring in their own experience in integrated spatially explicit modelling. The first day the participants will discuss and focus the subject of the paper to be written. The second day will be used for writing in small groups, reporting to the rest of the participants and dividing tasks and setting deadlines for the work to be done after the closure of the workshop.

Duration of the workshop:

The workshop will start on the 12th of September (Friday), 5 pm in the afternoon and finish on the 14th of September (Sunday) at 1 pm.
The workshop will take place at Goniądz - Biebrza National Park, one of the biggest natural marshes systems in Europe. For more information please visit the web site: http://www.mos.gov.pl/kzpn/en/bieb_gb.htm. Detailed program will be provided to the participants after selection.

Fellowships:

There are 18 fellowships available to cover the travel and accommodation costs of the workshop. The selection will be based on the three major criteria:
    - abstract of the proposed paper and presentation,
    - CV of participants,
    - reference letter,
The deadline for the submission of application form is the 20th of August 2003. 
The application form together with abstract, CV and reference letter should be send to:

Jan Bocian
International Centre for Ecology PAS,
Warsaw-Dziekanow Lesny,
1 M. Konopnickiej St.; 05-092 Lomianki, Poland
e-mail: bocian@biol.uni.lodz.pl; mce-pan@biol.unicom.pl
tel/fax +48 22 751 41 16 

Travel:

The bus transport will be provided form Warsaw airport and the main train station on the 12th of September 2003. (between 1.00-2.00 PM , depends on participants arrival). 
Return by bus to the airport in Warsaw is planed on the 14th of September (Sunday) about 4 pm.

Suggested literature:

For instance:

DISCLAIMER:
wetHYDRO is a research project supported by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme and contributing to the implementation of the Key Action "Sustainable Management and Quality of Water" within the Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development Contract n°: EVK1-CT-2002-80011 WETHYDRO.
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