Effects of long range transported air pollution (LRTAP) on freshwater ecosystem services (ICP Waters report 115/2013)

Abstract

Acid deposition affects the services provided by freshwater ecosystems. The loss of sport fisheries is by far the most important ecosystem service affected. Both inland fisheries (such as brown trout) and anadromous fish (such as Atlantic salmon) are sensitive to acidification. Damage and loss of fish populations has large ramifications on other ecosystem services such as tourism, biodiversity, aesthetic value and cultural value. On-going work in both Europe and Canada indicates significant improvements in our ability to value in monetary terms the numerous potential benefits and costs of acid deposition abatement. There are still large gaps in the understanding of the nature and value of acid deposition impacts. Despite the fact that some economic-evaluation modelling capacity currently exists, economic-evaluation models for acid deposition do not adequately account for environmental benefits resulting from abatement.