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7
Environmental Impacts of Tourism on
Lakes
Martin T. Dokulil
M. T. Dokulil ()
Ex-Institute of Limnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Eisenaustrasse 20,
5310 Mondsee, Austria
e-mail: martin.dokulil@univie.ac.at
Abstract
Ecosystem services are the benefits provided to people by ecosystems and biodiversity.
Fresh water is a ‘provisioning’ service referring to the human use of fresh water for several
purposes. The hydrological cycle also sustains inland water ecosystems, including rivers,
lakes and wetlands. These ecosystems provide regulating, supporting and cultural services
that contribute directly and indirectly to human well-being through recreation, scenic values and fisheries. To maintain ecosystem health or ecosystem integrity, external or internal
perturbations must be kept below the carrying capacity.
Anthropogenic disturbances of freshwater resources as a consequence of tourism are diverse. In many regions of the world, lakes and ponds in particular are important freshwater
habitats providing significant attraction for the public. Impacts to lakes from tourist activities occur directly to the lake water and shoreline, or can affect the water body indirectly
through various actions in the catchment. The response of a specific freshwater ecosystem
depends on the type of interference as well as the type and size of the lake. Shallow lakes
are affected and hence behave differently from deep lakes. Large lakes react in a different
way than small lakes. Impacts are also modified and mediated by the characteristics of the
catchment, such as morphology, size, land-use and population structure.
Impacts to tourist lakes are classified as direct and indirect effects and are analysed and
exemplified.
7.1 Introduction
The human population benefits from a multitude of resources and processes that are supplied by natural ecosystems.
These benefits are collectively known as ecosystem services. Fresh water as a water resource is a ‘provisioning’ service referring to the human use of fresh water and includes
products like pure drinking water or clean water for recreation. In the near future, global change will alter the supply
of ecosystem services that are so vital for us (Schröter et al.
2005).
Anthropogenic disturbances of freshwater resources as a
consequence of tourism are very diverse. Lakes and ponds
are particular important freshwater habitats providing significant attraction for the public. The intention of this review
is to compile and summarize touristic impacts on lakes of
any size.
Keywords
Ecosystem service · Eutrophication · Recreation · Water quality
A. A. Ansari, S. S. Gill (eds.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences and Control,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7814-6_7, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014
7
Environmental Impacts of Tourism on
Lakes
Martin T. Dokulil
M. T. Dokulil ()
Ex-Institute of Limnology, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Eisenaustrasse 20,
5310 Mondsee, Austria
e-mail: martin.dokulil@univie.ac.at
Abstract
Ecosystem services are the benefits provided to people by ecosystems and biodiversity.
Fresh water is a ‘provisioning’ service referring to the human use of fresh water for several
purposes. The hydrological cycle also sustains inland water ecosystems, including rivers,
lakes and wetlands. These ecosystems provide regulating, supporting and cultural services
that contribute directly and indirectly to human well-being through recreation, scenic values and fisheries. To maintain ecosystem health or ecosystem integrity, external or internal
perturbations must be kept below the carrying capacity.
Anthropogenic disturbances of freshwater resources as a consequence of tourism are diverse. In many regions of the world, lakes and ponds in particular are important freshwater
habitats providing significant attraction for the public. Impacts to lakes from tourist activities occur directly to the lake water and shoreline, or can affect the water body indirectly
through various actions in the catchment. The response of a specific freshwater ecosystem
depends on the type of interference as well as the type and size of the lake. Shallow lakes
are affected and hence behave differently from deep lakes. Large lakes react in a different
way than small lakes. Impacts are also modified and mediated by the characteristics of the
catchment, such as morphology, size, land-use and population structure.
Impacts to tourist lakes are classified as direct and indirect effects and are analysed and
exemplified.
7.1 Introduction
The human population benefits from a multitude of resources and processes that are supplied by natural ecosystems.
These benefits are collectively known as ecosystem services. Fresh water as a water resource is a ‘provisioning’ service referring to the human use of fresh water and includes
products like pure drinking water or clean water for recreation. In the near future, global change will alter the supply
of ecosystem services that are so vital for us (Schröter et al.
2005).
Anthropogenic disturbances of freshwater resources as a
consequence of tourism are very diverse. Lakes and ponds
are particular important freshwater habitats providing significant attraction for the public. The intention of this review
is to compile and summarize touristic impacts on lakes of
any size.
Keywords
Ecosystem service · Eutrophication · Recreation · Water quality
A. A. Ansari, S. S. Gill (eds.), Eutrophication: Causes, Consequences and Control,
DOI 10.1007/978-94-007-7814-6_7, © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014