Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world, while providing numerous essential ecosystem services (ES) to humans. Despite their importance, research on freshwater ecosystem services is limited. Here, we examine how freshwater studies could help to advance ES research and vice versa. We summarize major knowledge gaps and suggest solutions focusing on science and policy in Europe. We found several features that are unique to freshwater ecosystems, but often disregarded in ES assessments. Insufficient transfer of knowledge towards stakeholders is also problematic. Knowledge transfer and implementation seems to be less effective towards South-east Europe. Focusing on the strengths of freshwater research regarding connectivity, across borders, involving multiple actors can help to improve ES research towards a more dynamic, landscape-level approach, which we believe can boost the implementation of the ES concept in freshwater policies. Bridging these gaps can contribute to achieve the ambitious targets of the EU’s Green Deal.

淡水生态系统是世界上受威胁最严重的生态系统之一，同时为人类提供了许多基本的生态系统服务 (ES)。尽管它们很重要，但对淡水生态系统服务的研究是有限的。在这里，我们研究了淡水研究如何帮助推进 ES 研究，反之亦然。我们总结了主要的知识差距并提出了专注于欧洲科学和政策的解决方案。我们发现了淡水生态系统独有的几个特征，但在 ES 评估中却经常被忽视。向利益相关者的知识转移不足也是一个问题。知识转移和实施似乎对东南欧不太有效。专注于淡水研究在连通性方面的优势，跨境，涉及多个参与者可以帮助改善 ES 研究，使其更具活力，景观层面的方法，我们认为可以促进 ES 概念在淡水政策中的实施。弥合这些差距有助于实现欧盟绿色协议的宏伟目标。