Assessing Changes in Ecosystem Service Values over 1985–2050 in Response to Land Use and Land Cover Dynamics in Abaya-Chamo Basin, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) dynamics on the value of ecosystem services in Abaya-Chamo basin over 1985-2050. The main objectives of the study were to estimate the value of ecosystem services of Abaya-Chamo basin using local and global ecosystem service value coefficients, assess how it changes over time, and develop tools to inform policy and public decision-making to protect lands and waters in the region. The study utilized observed (1985 and 2010) and predicted (2030 and 2050) LULC datasets and ecosystem service value coefficients obtained from publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals. The results indicated that the total ecosystem service value of Abaya-Chamo basin was 12.13 billion USD in 1985 and 12.45 billion USD in 2010. The value is predicted to increase to 12.47 billion USD by the year 2050, which is 2.84% (344.5 million USD) higher than the total value of ecosystem services of the basin in 1985. Although the total ecosystem service value of the basin showed a slight increase over the study period, it was observed that the total value of services obtained from natural ecosystems is expected to decline by 36.24% between 1985 and 2050. The losses of services obtained from natural ecosystems, such as water regulation and erosion control, are major concern as the consequence has already been reported in the basin in the form of reduced water quality and productivity of the lakes due to an increased soil erosion and sediment transport in the basin. Therefore, special attention should be given to the rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems and the protection of remaining natural vegetation and water bodies to enhance natural capital and ecosystem services in the basin. A large-scale dissemination of eco-agricultural land use practices, which provide multiple ecosystem services (such as agroforestry and heterogeneous agricultural areas) in the basin, needs to be considered in the future.

Trade-Off and Projecting Effects of Land Use Change on Ecosystem Services under Different Policies Scenarios: A Case Study in Central China

“…Land use change is the most direct response and manifestation of natural ecosystems to human activities [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Based on different social development needs, human beings create different land use patterns on the land surface, thereby driving changes in regional land use types and in the structure, process, and function of the ecosystem [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. These changes are reflected and characterized through the evolution of ecosystem service value (ESV) [ 12 , 13 , 14 ].…”

The impacts of land-use and land-cover change on wetland ecosystem service values in peri-urban and urban area of Bahir Dar City, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Northwestern Ethiopia

“…Wetlands are highly biodiverse and the most valuable ecosystems on our planet Gosselink 2000, 2015). They deliver a wide range of direct and indirect benefits both locally and globally (Costanza et al 2014(Costanza et al , 1997de Groot et al 2012;MEA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) 2005; Russi et al 2013;Van der Ploeg et al 2010). These include supporting (e.g., nutrient recycling, soil formation, biodiversity support), regulating (e.g., hydrological flows, erosion regulation), provisioning (e.g., fish and fiber, genetic materials), and cultural services (e.g., tourism, source of inspiration) (MEA (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment) 2005).…”

Analysis and Prediction of Ecosystem Service Values Based on Land Use/Cover Change in the Yiluo River Basin

“…The other is the equivalent coefficient method, where ESVs are estimated based on the equivalent coefficient of various ecosystem services and combined with the unit area of the ecosystem [16,22,23]. Compared with the previous method, such an approach is more convenient to evaluate the spatial-temporal distribution of ESVs, especially for the ESVs evaluation results of LUCC [24][25][26][27]. A great number of researchers used this method to analyze the change of ESVs in different regions of the world, such as in Ebinur Lake [28], Qinghai-Tibet Plateau [29], Gangetic plain [30], the coastal zone of Tanzania [31], but these studies were mainly focused on the influences of historical LUCC on ESVs.…”