The impact of aquatic ecosystems provisioning services on tourism in the Danube Delta
Constantin Cazacu, Cristian Mihai Adamescu (UB)
The Danube Delta is the second largest delta in Europe, after that of the Volga River and one of the best preserved in the world. The geomorphology of the area is formed by the dynamics of the river arms, low altitudes and the presence of the sea, creating a complex landscape of freshwater ecosystems (canals, shallow lakes, and wetlands), flood plains, alluvial forests, reed-beds, lagoons and coastal area. Due to its high biodiversity and uniqueness of landscapes, the delta attracts about 150000 tourists every year, which is ten times the number of inhabitants. We developed a storyline aimed at assessing trade-offs between ecosystem provisioning services and tourism and recreation in the delta. System productivity is reflected by water quality and biodiversity, which may influence the tourists’ distribution and interests within the area.
For details on the case study, see Section 6.4 in ECOPOTENTIAL Deliverable 7.3