Abstract:
The main aim is to investigate long-term changes of surface water bodies, located in a close proximity to Mala Planina as an ecosystem service. The studied basins are Aldomirovtsi Marsh and Bistritsa Dam. Long-term changes in surface water are crucial for the functioning of ecosystems and their healthy state. The basis is a global study, dealing with mapping of global surface water and its long-term changes, applied to a local scale. Changes in global surface water at 30-metre resolution for the past 32 years are quantified and the indicators taken into account are: water occurrence, water occurrence change intensity, water seasonality, annual water recurrence, water transitions and maximum water extent. The habitat ecosystem service, provided by Aldomirovtsi Marsh, is at present, although a decrease of the surface waters is observed. Bistritsa Dam’s surface waters are more permanent, providing fish and development as a place of tourist and recreation character.
