Abstract
In the Vecht river plain, the vegetation diversity has been diminished during recent decades, due to hydrological changes and resulting eutrophication. Different options are discussed for hydrological management aimed at abating the eutrophication and at stimulating the characteristic mesotraphent succession phases of the fen vegetation. The ecological impact of the management plans are estimated with the hydro-ecological model ICHORS; this model takes into account the relations between the non-biotic environment and the presence of hydrophytes and phreatophytes. The impact of the hydrological options is assessed, after rearrangement of the predicted values of the species to values of the required fen vegetation. These results are incorporated in the management options with the water balances of the polders. Information on the costs of the options is used as a basis for a cost-benefit analysis. Technical hydrological solutions such as purification of the supplied water might contribute to the eutrophication abatement, but they are on their own unlikely to restore the ecosystems. Contrastingly, options involving the restoration of the original hydrology would probably lead to the characteristic mesotraphent fen vegetation once more, and the financial implications of this are likely to be the more favourable in the long-term.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barendregt, A., J. T. De Smidt & M. J. Wassen, 1986. The impact of groundwater flow on wetland communities. In: Gehu, J. M. (ed.), Colloques Phytosociologiques XIII: 603–912. Kramer, Berlin.
Barendregt, A., M. J. Wassen & J. T. De Smidt, 1989. Regeneration and conservation of ecosystems by integral water management. In: L. Van Liere, R. M. M. Roijackers & P. J. T. Verstraelen (eds), Integral water management in the area with hill ridges and lakes in Het Gooi and Utrecht. CHO-TNO 22: 214–228, 's Gravenhage (in Dutch).
Barendregt, A., M. J. Wassen & A. Van Leerdam, 1990. Changes in hydrology and management adversely affect the vegetation in the area of the river Vecht. Landschap 7: 17–32 (in Dutch).
Barendregt, A. & M. C. Bootsma, 1991. The hydro-ecological model ICHORS (versions 3.1 en 3.2); the relations between aquatic and fen plants and environmental factors in the province of Utrecht. Department of Environmental Studies, University of Utrecht (in Dutch).
Best, E. P. H., D. De Vries & A. Reins, 1984. The macrophytes in the Loosdrecht Lakes: A story of their decline in the course of eutrophication. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 22: 868–875.
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Conservation and Fishery, 1990. Nature Management Plan. Den Haag (in Dutch).
Province of North-Holland, 1986. Provincial Grondwater Management Plan; plan and explanation. Haarlem (in Dutch).
Province of North-Holland, 1987. Wild plants in North-Holland; an research by the Province of North-Holland. Haarlem (in Dutch).
Province of North-Holland, 1990. Provincial Watermanagement. Plan of North-Holland. Haarlem (in Dutch).
Province of Utrecht, 1990. Policy plan for Nature and Landscape in the province of Utrecht. Utrecht (in Dutch).
Roijackers, R. M. M. & P. J. T. Verstraelen, 1988. Ecological investigations in three shallow lakes of different trophic level in the Netherlands. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 23: 489–495.
Roijackers, R. M. M. & P. J. T. Verstraelen, 1991. Eutrophication abatement programme for three North Holland Vecht Lakes. Verh. int. Ver. Limnol. 24: 768–772.
Schot, P. P., 1991. Solute transport by groundwater flow to wetland ecosystems. Thesis, University of Utrecht.
Schouten, P. H., P. J. T. Verstraelen, J. J. Buntsma, 1988. Restoration of the Vecht Lakes ecosystems surrounding the Horstermeer polder: a feasibility study. Agric. Wat. Mgmt. 14: 471–479.
Stam, S. M. E. & A. Barendregt, 1990. Assessment of aquatic and fen species by supply of water into the Lakes Stichts Ankeveen and Lakes Kortenhoef. Department of Environmental Studies, University of Utrecht (in Dutch).
Van den Berg, W. J. & J. T. De Smidt, 1985. The vegetation of the Eastern Vecht area 1935–1980. Stichting Commissie voor de Vecht en het Oostelijk en Westelijk Plassengebied. Hilversum (in Dutch).
Verstraelen, P. J. T., R. M. M. Roijackers & A. Barendregt, 1989. Conditions for restoration in the area of the Lakes Ankeveen and Kortenhoef. In: L. Van Liere, R. M. M. Roijackers, P. J. T. Verstraelen (eds), Integral water management in the area with hill ridges and lakes in Het Gooi and Utrecht. CHO-TNO 22: 214–28, 's Gravenhage (in Dutch).
Verstraelen, P. J. T., J. Wisserhof, Lj. Rodic & R. Eijsink, 1992. Eutrophication control strategies for three shallow Vecht lakes in the Province of North Holland. Hydrobiologia 233: 235–245.
Visser, C. M., P. J. T. Verstraelen & R. M. M. Rooijackers, 1989. Report of the lake sediments in the experimental project of the Lakes Ankeveen and Kortenhoef: the dredging considered. Agricultural University, Wageningen (in Dutch).
Wassen, M. J., 1990. Waterflow as a major landscape ecological factor in fen development. Thesis, University of Utrecht.
Williams, M., 1990. Wetlands, A Threatened Landscape. Basil Blackwell, Oxford.
Witmer, M. C. H., 1989. Integral water management at regional level. An environmental study of the Gooi and the Vechtstreek. Thesis, University of Utrecht.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Barendregt, A., Stam, S.M.E. & Wassen, M.J. Restoration of fen ecosystems in the Vecht River plain: cost-benefit analysis of hydrological alternatives. Hydrobiologia 233, 247–259 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00016113
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00016113