Changes in Ecosystem Service Values in Response to the Planting ofEucalyptus and AcaciaSpecies in the Gilgel Abay Watershed, Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

Plantation of Eucalyptus and Acacia species emerges as a promising alternative in the tropics in a scenario of high demand for provisional and regulating ecosystem services. The research aimed to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of ecosystem service values in response to planting practices of Eucalyptus and Acacia species in the Gilgel Abay watershed, Northwest Ethiopia. The threshold values of NDVI were employed to classify land-use/covers using cloud-free satellite imagery data in 1984, 1998, 2013, and 2021. The benefit transfer method of modified value coefficient was used to estimate ecosystem service values (ESVs) of the study watershed. Total ESV decreased from 1984 to 1998 due to the expansion of cultivated land at the expense of natural forests, shrubs, and grasslands. As food production increased, performance levels of climate regulation, erosion control, and nutrient cycle declined. In contrast, the service values of erosion control, climate regulation, and nutrient cycles were the major contributors to the overall increase in ESV from 1998 to 2021. This was caused by expanding Acacia and Eucalyptus species plantation at the expense of cultivated land in the watershed. The research revealed a trade-off relationship between provisional and other ecosystem services, such as regulating and supporting ecosystem service values in response to land-use system transformation. As a result, it is suggested that synergistic interactions between regulating, provisional, and supporting ecosystem service values be developed by merging plantation and cultivated land. Maintaining the right proportions of degraded plantations, protected natural forests, farmlands, and wetland ecosystems can be the most effective way to provide optimal multiple ecosystem services.

The impacts of land use/cover changes on values of ecosystem service in Tul watershed, Northwest Ethiopia

“…The conversion of natural vegetation covers, such as forests, shrubs, and grasslands to cultivated land has contributed to a drop in the total values of ecosystem service (Anley et al, 2022;Berihun et al, 2019;Debie & Anteneh, 2022;Gashaw et al, 2018;Godebo et al, 2018;Hu et al, 2008;Kindu et al, 2016;Li et al, 2019;Shiferaw et al, 2019;Temesgen et al, 2018;Wang et al, 2017). The decreasing ecosystem service values reflected the effects of land use/cover changes on ecological degradation (Anley et al, 2022).…”

“…Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) impact the availability and value of ecosystem services, as well as human welfare (Kindu et al, 2016;Temesgen, 2018). The total ecosystem service values (ESVs) decreased as cultivated land increased at the expense of natural woods, bushes, and grasslands (Debie& & Anteneh, 2022).…”

“…Because natural forests provide more ecosystem services than plantations (Paudyal et al, 2020;Thammanu et al, 2021), effective community management of these areas is required to increase their value. To enhance the many advantages of ecosystem services, a mosaic agricultural space composed of plantations, natural forests, agroforestry, and wetlands must be developed (Debie & Anteneh, 2022).…”

“…In the last three decades, the value of ecosystem services has progressively decreased as the cost of wetlands, forests, bushes, and grasslands has increased due to farming and barren land (Kindu et al, 2013;Temesgen et al, 2018;Godebo et al, 2018;Assefa et al,2021;Nigussie et al, 2021;Anley et al,2022;Debie& & Anteneh, 2022). For instance, according to Anley et al (2022), the Rib watershed's total value of ecosystem service decreased from US$ 68.6 million in 2000 to US$ 59.3 million in 2020 due to environmental degradation.…”

Changes in total and per-capital ecosystem service value in response to land-use land-cover dynamics in north-central Ethiopia

“…Additionally, land cover changes are the major causes of global environmental change and sustainable development 15 – 18 . Anthropogenic activities have a significant impact on changes in ecosystem service values 19 , 20 . These changes affect all the structure, processes, and biodiversity, which in turn determine the ESV in a landscape 7 , 14 – 17 .…”