Agricultural drainage ditches, their biological importance and functioning

Herzon, Irina; Helenius, Juha

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2008.03.005

Cited by 391Ecology and biodiversity studiesLand Use and Ecosystem ServicesFreshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology

Agricultural drainage ditches, their biological importance and functioning

Herzon, Irina, Helenius, Juha·2008·Biological Conservation

DOI 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.03.005

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Abstract

We reviewed studies on the biological state of agricultural drainage ditches in the temperate and boreal zones of the Northern Hemisphere. We looked at the relative importance of ditches for farmland biota as compared to that of other habitats, and assessed the degree to which biological communities of ditches contribute to the provisioning of ecosystem services. We evaluated impacts pertaining to replacement of open drains by subsurface drainage, removal of main ditches, rehabilitation of old drainage systems, and maintenance of ditches. Most ditches support species also common elsewhere. Whenever comprehensive surveys were conducted, ditches were shown to provide valuable wet vegetated non-cropped habitats to both aquatic and terrestrial taxa, supply food resources lacking in otherwise dry and intensively managed cropland, and perform connectivity functions within a wider landscape. Regionally ditches were shown to harbour rare species or species not found presently in other farmland habitats. Some functions of drainage ditches, such as regulating water flow and nutrient retention, are likely to depend on the composition and structure of biological communities of ditches, though the issue remains poorly explored. The biggest threat to the quality of ditch networks as ecosystems is presented by a severe runoff from the fields, management in disregard of a habitat value of ditches, and removal of ditches.

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The potential for ditches to be adaptively managed for greater diversity of ecosystem services exists.
“Many of these future considerations presented will be opportunities, for ditches are rife with these; the potential for ditches to be adaptively managed for greater diversity of ecosystem services 13,18,21 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
Despite their fundamental importance to society and potential to supplement ecosystem services, ditches remain understudied and undervalued.
“Unfortunately, despite their fundamental importance to society and potential to supplement ecosystem services, ditches remain understudied and undervalued 21,22 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
Ditches are frequently overlooked by researchers in many disciplines.
“However, ditches are frequently overlooked by researchers in many disciplines.”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
The diverse ecosystem services from ditches often conflict when they sometimes could synergize to deliver multifunctionality.
“Yet the diverse ecosystem services from ditches often conflict when they sometimes could synergize to deliver multifunctionality (i.e., multiple ecosystem services simultaneously) 20,21 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [21]
Many ditches represent novel ecosystems with distinct biotic communities.
“Despite this, many ditches represent novel ecosystems with distinct biotic communities 21,[184][185][186] , and can support a high biodiversity of aquatic macroinvertebrates 106,187 ), waterbirds 188,189 , amphibians 190 , macrophytes 191,192 and fish 193,194 .”
From Lines in the landscape (2025) · cites this paper as [21]

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Authors: Herzon, I., & Helenius, J.
Affiliations: University of Helsinki (FI)
Corresponding author: Herzon, Irina
ORCID: Herzon, Irina
Helenius, Juha
Venue: Biological Conservation
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Published: 2008-05
Volume: 141
Issue: 5
Pages: 1171-1183
ISSN: 0006-3207 (ISSN-L)
DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2008.03.005
OpenAlex: W2059574774
Cited by: 391
References: 107
Citations by year: 2026: 25 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 31 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 13
FWCI: 7.50
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations: Biological Conservation (publishedVersion)
Funders: Suomen Kulttuurirahasto
Topics: Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Ecology and biodiversity studies
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
Keywords: agricultural drainage ditches, ecosystem services, wetland habitat, species connectivity, rare species, subsurface drainage, nutrient retention, water flow control, agricultural runoff

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Agricultural drainage ditches, their biological importance and functioning

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