Monitoring the Health of Urban Riverine Ecosystems In Gent

Urban aquatic ecosystems play a vital role in providing various invaluable ecosystem services but face growing challenges such as water pollution, which poses risks to ecosystems and human health (Hakeem et al., 2020). In Belgium, the main pressures leading to habitat degradation and fragmentation of urban ecosystems are urban and industrial expansion as well as agriculture activities (Convention on Biological Diversity). Additionally, climate change is a pressing problem with significant impacts on these ecosystems and their biodiversity, which in turn has consequences for humans. Specifically, tick bites are of growing concern in Belgium because ticks can carry bacteria that cause Lyme disease and pose a risk to humans. In 2017, 8500 tick bites were reported in Belgium, with 58% of the bites occurred in Flanders (Sciensano). The peak tick season coincides with increased outdoor activities from May to July due to good weather conditions and holidays. Therefore, monitoring water quality, hydro-morphological characteristics of streams, indicators of ecosystem health and health risks is of paramount importance to ensure that these ecosystems meet the required health standards. It is also crucial for raising public awareness and taking precautionary measures.

The OneAquahealth team at Ghent University undertook intensive field campaigns from June to August aiming to assess the current status of the freshwater ecosystems in the urban areas of Gent and neighbouring municipalities (Merelbeke, Melle, Oosterzele, Zottegem and Zwalm). Biofilms and water samples were collected, as well as environmental parameters (e.g. dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH and temperature) were measured on-site using multiprobes (see image below). Hydro-morphological characteristics of streams such as flow types, channel and bank substrate types and water depth and width were also assessed.