Spatial Configurations of Land Cover Influence Flood Regulation Ecosystem Services

Abstract

Urbanization is one of the most aggressive forms of land transformation, leading to negative impacts on surrounding aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. In terms of hydrology, urbanization compromises the ability of the natural landscape to absorb, store, and slowly release water. Watershed management strategies that strategically utilize spatial patterns of natural land cover (e.g., wetlands or forests) have shown initial promise to mitigate flash flood events through the enhancement of natural hydrologic mechanisms. The main objective of this work is to (1) identify spatial configurations of land cover that provide flood regulation ecosystem services; and (2) understand the areal extent of flood regulation services throughout the Blue River Watershed, in the central US states of Kansas and Missouri. We aim to understand the mechanisms that influence the biophysical supply of flood regulation services using a measure of stream flashiness to quantify changes in flood regulation services and landscape metrics to characterize changes in spatial patterns of land cover. Our results show that a landscape configuration of disaggregated wetland patches and a large percentage of low-density grassland patches will increase the provision of flood regulation ecosystem services. These findings are beneficial for watershed managers and/or regional planners who aim to minimize flood impacts through urban development strategies.