Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 101795 |
| Journal | Ecosystem Services |
| Volume | 76 |
| Early online date | 20 Nov 2025 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2025 |
Abstract
While rivers and floodplains provide critical ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, and recreational opportunities, they face increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Traditional river management has predominantly relied on technical interventions, which have frequently been associated with reductions in the ability of ecosystems to deliver these critical services. This study aims to provide a robust basis for assessing the potential impacts of technical and nature-based river management measures on ecosystem services in rivers and floodplains. Using a synthesis-of-reviews approach based on PRISMA guidelines findings from nine review publications – including 25 nature-based and 26 technical river management measures – were summarized. Results demonstrate that nature-based river management measures exhibit significantly more positive and fewer negative effects on ecosystem services compared to technical measures. Over 84 % (21 out of 25) of nature-based interventions positively influence 6 to 17 ecosystem services, whereas technical measures, on average, positively affect only one service (±1.4 standard deviation, SD) and negatively impact approximately 15 (±5.3 SD). Nature-based measures also enhance ecological integrity, biodiversity, and climate resilience, making them critical for achieving multifunctional river landscapes. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the need to prioritize nature-based measures in river management to enhance ecological conditions and sustain multiple ecosystem services. By integrating nature-based approaches, decision-makers can achieve more sustainable, multifunctional river systems that balance ecological, social, and economic objectives.
Keywords
- Benefits, Environmental management, Multifunctionality, Nature's contributions to people, River restoration, Trade-offs
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Environmental Science(all)
- Global and Planetary Change
- Social Sciences(all)
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Environmental Science(all)
- Ecology
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Environmental Science(all)
- Nature and Landscape Conservation
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Ecosystem Services, Vol. 76, 101795, 12.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancing multiple ecosystem services
T2 - Nature-based measures outperform technical interventions in river management
AU - Schmidt, Stefan
AU - Albert, Christian
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 The Author(s)
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - While rivers and floodplains provide critical ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, and recreational opportunities, they face increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Traditional river management has predominantly relied on technical interventions, which have frequently been associated with reductions in the ability of ecosystems to deliver these critical services. This study aims to provide a robust basis for assessing the potential impacts of technical and nature-based river management measures on ecosystem services in rivers and floodplains. Using a synthesis-of-reviews approach based on PRISMA guidelines findings from nine review publications – including 25 nature-based and 26 technical river management measures – were summarized. Results demonstrate that nature-based river management measures exhibit significantly more positive and fewer negative effects on ecosystem services compared to technical measures. Over 84 % (21 out of 25) of nature-based interventions positively influence 6 to 17 ecosystem services, whereas technical measures, on average, positively affect only one service (±1.4 standard deviation, SD) and negatively impact approximately 15 (±5.3 SD). Nature-based measures also enhance ecological integrity, biodiversity, and climate resilience, making them critical for achieving multifunctional river landscapes. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the need to prioritize nature-based measures in river management to enhance ecological conditions and sustain multiple ecosystem services. By integrating nature-based approaches, decision-makers can achieve more sustainable, multifunctional river systems that balance ecological, social, and economic objectives.
AB - While rivers and floodplains provide critical ecosystem services such as water purification, flood regulation, and recreational opportunities, they face increasing pressures from anthropogenic activities and climate change. Traditional river management has predominantly relied on technical interventions, which have frequently been associated with reductions in the ability of ecosystems to deliver these critical services. This study aims to provide a robust basis for assessing the potential impacts of technical and nature-based river management measures on ecosystem services in rivers and floodplains. Using a synthesis-of-reviews approach based on PRISMA guidelines findings from nine review publications – including 25 nature-based and 26 technical river management measures – were summarized. Results demonstrate that nature-based river management measures exhibit significantly more positive and fewer negative effects on ecosystem services compared to technical measures. Over 84 % (21 out of 25) of nature-based interventions positively influence 6 to 17 ecosystem services, whereas technical measures, on average, positively affect only one service (±1.4 standard deviation, SD) and negatively impact approximately 15 (±5.3 SD). Nature-based measures also enhance ecological integrity, biodiversity, and climate resilience, making them critical for achieving multifunctional river landscapes. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasizing the need to prioritize nature-based measures in river management to enhance ecological conditions and sustain multiple ecosystem services. By integrating nature-based approaches, decision-makers can achieve more sustainable, multifunctional river systems that balance ecological, social, and economic objectives.
KW - Benefits
KW - Environmental management
KW - Multifunctionality
KW - Nature's contributions to people
KW - River restoration
KW - Trade-offs
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105022313125&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2025.101795
DO - 10.1016/j.ecoser.2025.101795
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:105022313125
VL - 76
JO - Ecosystem Services
JF - Ecosystem Services
SN - 2212-0416
M1 - 101795
ER -