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<p>We tested whether shoreline trampling by tourist affects shallow‐water macrophyte cover in an oligo-mesotrophic Lake Bile (Ukraine). We analyzed nearly four decades of Landsat 5, 8, 9 and a decade of Sentinel-2 vegetation index time series, calibrated with WorldView-2 imagery and validated against in situ littoral surveys to compare trampled and undisturbed plots. Trampled plots exhibited a persistent loss of vegetation index signal with no seasonal recovery, whereas undisturbed reference plots showed only minor fluctuations. Elevated visitor loads further depressed index values, accelerating a long-term downward trend in shoreline macrophyte density. Spatial change maps revealed that sandy shallows around beaches have experienced the most pronounced declines, and extending into intact littoral zones. Field observations confirmed fragmentation and decline of vegetation complexes, thinning helophyte communities, loss of floating-leaf patches, and near-absence of submerged stands in high-use swimming areas. Direct trampling and high visitor density have driven losses of shallow water macrophyte thickets, with implications for habitat quality and recreational value. These outcomes highlight the need for visitor-capacity guidelines to minimize impacts on the shoreline vegetation of vulnerable aquatic ecosystems.</p>

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Visualization of recreation pressure on aquatic macrophytes of vulnerable freshwater habitats

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年10月1日

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  • Mariana Prokopuk,
  • Olha Tomchenko,
  • Artem Andreiev,
  • Maksym Netsvetov,
  • Lesya Zub

摘要

We tested whether shoreline trampling by tourist affects shallow‐water macrophyte cover in an oligo-mesotrophic Lake Bile (Ukraine). We analyzed nearly four decades of Landsat 5, 8, 9 and a decade of Sentinel-2 vegetation index time series, calibrated with WorldView-2 imagery and validated against in situ littoral surveys to compare trampled and undisturbed plots. Trampled plots exhibited a persistent loss of vegetation index signal with no seasonal recovery, whereas undisturbed reference plots showed only minor fluctuations. Elevated visitor loads further depressed index values, accelerating a long-term downward trend in shoreline macrophyte density. Spatial change maps revealed that sandy shallows around beaches have experienced the most pronounced declines, and extending into intact littoral zones. Field observations confirmed fragmentation and decline of vegetation complexes, thinning helophyte communities, loss of floating-leaf patches, and near-absence of submerged stands in high-use swimming areas. Direct trampling and high visitor density have driven losses of shallow water macrophyte thickets, with implications for habitat quality and recreational value. These outcomes highlight the need for visitor-capacity guidelines to minimize impacts on the shoreline vegetation of vulnerable aquatic ecosystems.