Sustainable Ecosystem Services of a Time-Honored Artificial River Ecosystem—Enlightenments from the Carp Brook, in Northern Fujian Province, China

Abstract

Building a harmonious relationship between human society and river ecosystems has attracted much attention from both government officials and the academy community. Based on the perspective of social-ecological systems (SES), taking the Carp Brook (located in northern Fujian Province, China) as an example, the construction and maintenance of a time-honored artificial river ecosystem was investigated, and its ecosystem services were analyzed. Findings show that the Carp Brook was constructed through a series of ecological engineering, including a transformation of the river channel, building a stable habitat, and breeding carps. The carps have been protected effectively by some folk customs, such as village regulations and folk belief. Meanwhile, the water quality has been maintained through some engineering and institutional measures, which were completed by the local government and villagers. Furthermore, some cultural elements with local characteristics have been formed during the long years of coexistence between human society and the Carp Brook. Based on a healthy ecosystem and abundant culture elements, the Carp Brook provided continuous ecosystem services to human society for more than 800 years, including regulation services (e.g., water purification and flood control) and cultural services (e.g., tourism, research and education, inspiration). Major enlightenments from the Carp Brook are: (a) the Chinese traditional view of nature is important for the construction and maintenance of an artificial ecosystem; (b) traditional folk customs have a strong binding force regarding the protection of the ecosystem; and (c) the choice between material and immaterial services should be made carefully.