An ecosystem services approach in the Tisza river basin

The Tisza River Basin in Hungary and Romania is increasingly impacted by floods and droughts. Ecosystems have the capacity to mitigate the effect of these weather extremes. The provision of ecosystem services – the benefits people obtain from ecosystems – is strongly affected by the way in which ecosystems are managed. This research assesses the influence of land and water management and weather extremes on ecosystems services as well as their importance in the Tisza River Basin. It is concluded that current water management impairs the natural capacity of ecosystems to fully provide their services, especially the water regulation, natural hazard regulation and water purification. For years water management has favoured wetland drainage and cutting river arms, ignoring ecosystem services. Recently some of the water and land management initiatives – in particular in Hungary – aim to capitalize on the potential of ecosystems to regulate floods and droughts