Ecology, Hydrology and Biodiversity of a Woodland Pond: Case Study for Ecosystem Services Provided by Riverine Floodplains

Ponds make a significant contribution to flood management, pollution control, recreation and local biodiversity. Often these benefits are considered in isolation; this work considers these multiple benefits and their interdependencies for the Gore Glen pond, located in a floodplain of a country Park in Midlothian, Scotland, UK. This was achieved through extensive ecological monitoring and modelling. Hydrological and hydrodynamic modelling shows the pond provides a valuable buffering mechanism for the alleviation of flood risk. Measurements of the chemical composition of the pond show it is affected by sediments brought into the pond during big rainfall events. The hypoxic conditions in the pond are found from July to October. The amount of nutrients accumulated within bottom sediments combined with nutrient release during hypoxic conditions affect the water quality and the hydrobiological community of the pond, and consequently its amenity. Nevertheless, the pond makes an important contribution to the local biodiversity and recreation value of the site. Overall, the analysis highlights the multiple benefits provided by the pond and the interdependencies between the flow of water into the pond, hydrology of the surrounding area, chemical composition of the pond and biological water quality, hydrobiological and terrestrial community, and the overall amenity value of the site. These interdependencies have implications for the environmental management of the site and are also relevant for further research and practical applications related to rural and urban blue-green infrastructure, hydrobiology, woodland biodiversity, and river restoration.