Mapping groundwater-dependent vegetation in temperate climates on the example of Central Germany

Abstract Groundwater-dependent ecosystems are biodiversity hotspots that provide habitat for specialized species. The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) stresses the importance of identifying and protecting these ecosystems. So far, most studies focus on (semi-) arid regions, where groundwater use by ecosystems is both more prevalent and easier to detect. In this study, we adapt groundwater-dependent vegetation (GDV) mapping approaches developed for dry climates to temperate regions by replacing seasonal drought-based indicators with contrasts between dry and wet years. We implement this concept by integrating for the first time to our knowledge, ECOSTRESS evapotranspiration data with high-resolution remote sensing, regional geospatial data and botanical field observations. To test our framework, we trained and validated random forest models with eight predictor variables using 166 vegetation plots to identify GDV in Central Germany. Ground-truth GDV plots prefer cooler, wetter, nutrient-richer and more acidic to alkaline environments compared to non-GDV. The final model using a phreatophyte cover threshold of 25% representing GDV plots achieved a testing accuracy of 0.97, identifying 2067 km² of GDV. Currently, only 19% is protected under the EU WFD. The proposed mapping framework offers a solution for identifying GDV in temperate regions. The new GDV maps can contribute to managing groundwater resources and preserving biodiversity hotspots in regions facing increasing droughts, ultimately supporting the implementation of the EU WFD.