Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system

According to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), restoration actions are needed if the present-day ecological quality status (EcoQS) is worse than good. However, less stringent environmental objectives may be allowed if the water body’s natural condition is such that it may be unfeasible o...

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Autores principales:	Jane K. Dolven, Elisabeth Alve
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Elsevier 2021
Materias:	Ecological quality status Reference conditions Natural changing environment Water framework directive (WFD) Benthic foraminifera Ecology QH540-549.5
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/1f4a0b059b1c4372baa1f1fd036b27a9
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:1f4a0b059b1c4372baa1f1fd036b27a92021-12-01T04:59:50ZNaturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system1470-160X10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108162https://doaj.org/article/1f4a0b059b1c4372baa1f1fd036b27a92021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2100827Xhttps://doaj.org/toc/1470-160XAccording to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), restoration actions are needed if the present-day ecological quality status (EcoQS) is worse than good. However, less stringent environmental objectives may be allowed if the water body’s natural condition is such that it may be unfeasible or unreasonably expensive to achieve good conditions.In the Inner Skjolda- and Grindefjord, an isolated and shallow silled fjordsystem on the SW coast of Norway, the present EcoQS (based on benthic foraminifera and macroinvertebrates) is bad due to anoxic conditions in the bottom water. Paleoecological foraminiferal data in two dated sediment records were used to establish in situ reference conditions. The data revealed that the current bad EcoQS did not deviate from the natural reference condition which existed just prior to the onset of the industrial revolution. Further back in time, the record showed poor EcoQS and a strong dominance of the opportunistic foraminiferal species Stainforthia fusiformis, indicating unfavorable conditions for benthic foraminifera already >2000 years ago. The changing ecological status during the pre-industrial period was probably caused by the inner fjordsystem becoming gradually more isolated and stratified, and the bottom water more stagnant with decreasing oxygen concentrations, in response to isostatic uplift. Our study shows that reference conditions at a location may represent a natural succession of environmental changes i.e., the natural baseline does not have to represent only one environmental condition but may vary naturally over time. We therefore suggest that the conditions just prior to the onset of the industrial revolution should be used when defining reference conditions according to the WFD.Jane K. DolvenElisabeth AlveElsevierarticleEcological quality statusReference conditionsNatural changing environmentWater framework directive (WFD)Benthic foraminiferaEcologyQH540-549.5ENEcological Indicators, Vol 131, Iss , Pp 108162- (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Ecological quality status Reference conditions Natural changing environment Water framework directive (WFD) Benthic foraminifera Ecology QH540-549.5
spellingShingle	Ecological quality status Reference conditions Natural changing environment Water framework directive (WFD) Benthic foraminifera Ecology QH540-549.5 Jane K. Dolven Elisabeth Alve Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
description	According to the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), restoration actions are needed if the present-day ecological quality status (EcoQS) is worse than good. However, less stringent environmental objectives may be allowed if the water body’s natural condition is such that it may be unfeasible or unreasonably expensive to achieve good conditions.In the Inner Skjolda- and Grindefjord, an isolated and shallow silled fjordsystem on the SW coast of Norway, the present EcoQS (based on benthic foraminifera and macroinvertebrates) is bad due to anoxic conditions in the bottom water. Paleoecological foraminiferal data in two dated sediment records were used to establish in situ reference conditions. The data revealed that the current bad EcoQS did not deviate from the natural reference condition which existed just prior to the onset of the industrial revolution. Further back in time, the record showed poor EcoQS and a strong dominance of the opportunistic foraminiferal species Stainforthia fusiformis, indicating unfavorable conditions for benthic foraminifera already >2000 years ago. The changing ecological status during the pre-industrial period was probably caused by the inner fjordsystem becoming gradually more isolated and stratified, and the bottom water more stagnant with decreasing oxygen concentrations, in response to isostatic uplift. Our study shows that reference conditions at a location may represent a natural succession of environmental changes i.e., the natural baseline does not have to represent only one environmental condition but may vary naturally over time. We therefore suggest that the conditions just prior to the onset of the industrial revolution should be used when defining reference conditions according to the WFD.
format	article
author	Jane K. Dolven Elisabeth Alve
author_facet	Jane K. Dolven Elisabeth Alve
author_sort	Jane K. Dolven
title	Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
title_short	Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
title_full	Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
title_fullStr	Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
title_full_unstemmed	Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system
title_sort	naturally changing reference conditions: evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a sw norwegian fjord system
publisher	Elsevier
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/1f4a0b059b1c4372baa1f1fd036b27a9
work_keys_str_mv	AT janekdolven naturallychangingreferenceconditionsevidenceofisostaticupliftbeingthemaincauseofchangesinecologicalstatusinaswnorwegianfjordsystem AT elisabethalve naturallychangingreferenceconditionsevidenceofisostaticupliftbeingthemaincauseofchangesinecologicalstatusinaswnorwegianfjordsystem
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Naturally changing reference conditions: Evidence of isostatic uplift being the main cause of changes in ecological status in a SW Norwegian fjord system

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