MTA Fenntarthatóság(NP2022-II-3/2022) Támogató: MTA
Freshwaters provide essential ecosystem services (ESS) to humanity. However, most
studies on freshwater ESS focus on a few services and ignore temporal changes in driver–ESS
relationships. Using graph-based visualization, we examine co-occurrence patterns
among drivers and among ESS across characteristic sociopolitical eras in the history
of the largest shallow lake in Central and Eastern Europe (Lake Balaton, Hungary).
We also evaluate driver–ESS relationships to characterize whether there are distinct
clusters in these relationships, which can help to better understand how the different
types of drivers influence provisioning, regulating, and cultural ESS and basic ecological
functions of the lake. The analyses revealed that Lake Balaton suffers from several
alteration effects, which are frequently cited as top threatening drivers in the decline
of the ecological integrity and ESS of lake ecosystems. Of these, eutrophication,
the spread of invasive species, fishery, urbanization processes, and, recently, the
effects of climate change were the most important. Despite these threats, the lake
still maintains diverse ESS, which are in complex relationship with each other and
their drivers. We highlight that major past environmental changes substantially influence
present and forecasted future patterns of driver–ESS relationships. Based on these
results, we discuss the possibilities of management to ensure the sustainability of
ESS Lake Balaton provides to society. Overall, this study underscores the complex
influence of various drivers on freshwater ESS and emphasizes the importance of understanding
temporal changes in human-modified lakes, considering societal, ecological, and economic
factors comprehensively.