scholarly journals Provisioning Ecosystem Services of Rhododendron-Rich Forests in the Western Himalayas

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 70
Author(s):  
Sanchi Singh ◽  
Sudipto Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Keystone Species ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Sustainable Utilization ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Native Communities ◽  
Medicinal Value ◽  
Provisioning Ecosystem Services

Himalayan forests are an important component of the global biodiversity and play a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem balance. The genera of Rhododendron belongs to the Ericaceae family and are found at an altitudinal range of 1500–3000 m in the Himalayan region. It acts as an important keystone species in the Himalayan ecosystem with high ecological and medicinal value. The present study focuses on highlighting the provisioning ecosystem services offered by the Rhododendron species, which provides a variety of services to the locals and its extraction for commercial utilization provides many livelihood opportunities for the Himalayan native communities. However, due to the high demand for Rhododendron products and services there has been a rampant harvest of the species in the Himalayan region posing a risk to the Rhododendrons which are an important keystone species for maintaining the Himalayan ecosystem. Hence our research lies in the assessment of the provisioning ecosystem services of the Rhododendron species and provides various conservation strategies for its sustainable utilization in the Western Himalayas.

scholarly journals Research Progress on Changes in Land Use and Land Cover in the Western Himalayas (India) and Effects on Ecosystem Services

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 4504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Partho Protim Mondal ◽  
Yili Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Western Himalaya ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Lulc Change ◽  
Western Himalayan Region

Western Himalaya is an important region in terms of its enriched biodiversity and immense ecosystem services (ESS). However, its biodiversity and ESS are under tremendous pressure from rapid population growth, developmental activities, unplanned urbanization, agricultural expansion, climate change, and the associated changes in land use and land cover (LULC). This study provides a systematic review of the composition and pattern of LULC (from existing literature) and the effects of LULC change on various ESS provided by the western Himalayan ecosystems. Despite being such a significant area, data and studies concerning the impacts of LULC change on the spatial distribution of ESS, focused particularly on the western Himalayan region are inadequately reported. Most existing studies indicate a general decrease in forest cover and an increase in forest fragmentation along with generally increasing trends in built-up areas, croplands, and barren lands. These results imply ecosystem degradation and a reduction in the potential for the sustainable flow of ESS from this region. In this respect, this study suggests that quantification and spatial mapping of ESS in the western Himalayan region is conducted.

scholarly journals Assessment of freshwater ecosystem services in the Beas River Basin, Himalayas region, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 379 ◽  
pp. 67-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sikhululekile Ncube ◽  
Lindsay Beevers ◽  
Adebayo J. Adeloye ◽  
Annie Visser
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystem ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Services Delivery ◽  
Provisioning Ecosystem Services ◽  
Flood Regulation ◽  
High Flows ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. River systems provide a diverse range of ecosystem services, examples include: flood regulation (regulating), fish (provisioning), nutrient cycling (supporting) and recreation (cultural). Developing water resources through the construction of dams (hydropower or irrigation) can enhance the delivery of provisioning ecosystem services. However, these hydrologic alterations result in reductions in less tangible regulating, cultural and supporting ecosystem services. This study seeks to understand how multiple impoundments, abstractions and transfers within the upper Beas River Basin, Western Himalayas, India, are affecting the delivery of supporting ecosystem services. Whilst approaches for assessing supporting ecosystem services are under development, the immediate aim of this paper is to set out a framework for their quantification, using the macroinvertebrate index Lotic-Invertebrate Index for Flow Evaluation (LIFE). LIFE is a weighted measure of the flow velocity preferences of the macroinvertebrate community. Flow records from multiple gauging stations within the basin were used to investigate flow variability at seasonal, inter-annual and decadal time scales. The findings show that both mean monthly and seasonal cumulative flows have decreased over time in the Beas River Basin. A positive hydroecological relationship between LIFE and flow was also identified, indicative of macroinvertebrate response to seasonal changes in the flow regime. For example, high LIFE scores (7.7–9.3) in the winter and summer seasons indicate an abundance of macroinvertebrates with a preference for high flows; this represents a high potential for instream supporting ecosystem services delivery. However, further analysis is required to understand these hydroecological interactions in the study basin and the impact on instream supporting ecosystem services delivery.

scholarly journals Towards an enhanced indication of provisioning ecosystem services in agro-ecosystems

2021 ◽  
Vol 193 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Bethwell ◽  
Benjamin Burkhard ◽  
Katrin Daedlow ◽  
Claudia Sattler ◽  
Moritz Reckling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Strong Dependence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Conceptual Base ◽  
Provisioning Ecosystem Services ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
Anthropogenic Contributions

AbstractProvisioning ecosystem services play a vital role in sustaining human well-being. Agro-ecosystems contribute a significant share of these services, besides food and fodder and also fuel and fibre as well as regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Until now, the indication of provisioning ecosystem services of agro-ecosystems has been based almost only on yield numbers of agricultural products. Such an indication is problematic due to several reasons which include a disregard of the role of significant anthropogenic contributions to ecosystem service co-generation, external environmental effects and strong dependence on site conditions. We argue for an enhanced indication of provisioning ecosystem services that considers multiple aspects of their delivery. The conceptual base for such an indication has been made by prior publications which have been reviewed. Relevant points were taken up in this article and condensed into a conceptual model in order to develop a more holistic and expanded set of indictors, which was then exemplarily applied and tested in three case studies in Germany. The case studies represent different natural conditions, and the indicator set application showed that ecosystem services (ES) flow—in terms of output alone—does not characterise agro-ecosystems sufficiently. The proposed aspects of provisioning ecosystem services can give a fuller picture, for example, by input-output relationships, as it is possible by just using single indicators. Uncertainties as well as pros and cons of such an approach are elaborated. Finally, recommendations for an enhanced indication of provisioning ecosystem services in agro-ecosystems that can help to integrate agricultural principles with ideas of sustainability and site-specific land use are derived.

scholarly journals Improving the knowledge of plant potential biodiversity-ecosystem services links using maps at the regional level in Southern Patagonia

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yamina Micaela Rosas ◽  
Pablo L. Peri ◽  
María Vanessa Lencinas ◽  
Romina Lasagno ◽  
Guillermo J. Martínez Pastur
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Cultural Ecosystem Services ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Southern Patagonia

Abstract Background Biodiversity supports multiple ecosystem services, whereas species loss endangers the provision of many services and affects ecosystem resilience and resistance capacity. The increase of remote sensing techniques allows to estimate biodiversity and ecosystem services supply at the landscape level in areas with low available data (e.g. Southern Patagonia). This paper evaluates the potential biodiversity and how it links with ecosystem services, based on vascular plant species across eight ecological areas. We also evaluated the habitat plant requirements and their relation with natural gradients. A total of 977 plots were used to develop habitat suitability maps based on an environmental niche factor analysis of 15 more important indicator species for each ecological area (n = 53 species) using 40 explanatory variables. Finally, these maps were combined into a single potential biodiversity map, which was linked with environmental variables and ecosystem services supply. For comparisons, data were extracted and compared through analyses of variance. Results The plant habitat requirements varied greatly among the different ecological areas, and it was possible to define groups according to its specialization and marginality indexes. The potential biodiversity map allowed us to detect coldspots in the western mountains and hotspots in southern and eastern areas. Higher biodiversity was associated to higher temperatures and normalized difference vegetation index, while lower biodiversity was related to elevation and rainfall. Potential biodiversity was closely associated with supporting and provisioning ecosystem services in shrublands and grasslands in the humid steppe, while the lowest values were related to cultural ecosystem services in Nothofagus forests. Conclusions The present study showed that plant species present remarkable differences in spatial distributions and ecological requirements, being a useful proxy for potential biodiversity modelling. Potential biodiversity values change across ecological areas allowing to identify hotspots and coldspots, a useful tool for landscape management and conservation strategies. In addition, links with ecosystem services detect potential synergies and trade-offs, where areas with the lowest potential biodiversity are related to cultural ecosystem services (e.g. aesthetic values) and areas with the greatest potential biodiversity showed threats related to productive activities (e.g. livestock).

Optimizing conservation strategies for Mexican free-tailed bats: a population viability and ecosystem services approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruscena Wiederholt ◽  
Laura López-Hoffman ◽  
Colleen Svancara ◽  
Gary McCracken ◽  
Wayne Thogmartin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
Conservation Strategies

scholarly journals A Framework for Assessing Instream Supporting Ecosystem Services Based on Hydroecological Modelling

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sikhululekile Ncube ◽  
Annie Visser ◽  
Lindsay Beevers
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Water Resources Planning ◽  
River Systems ◽  
Human Needs ◽  
Flood Regulation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Resources Planning

River systems provide diverse ecosystem services (ES), such as flood regulation (regulating), fresh water (provisioning), nutrient cycling (supporting), and recreation (cultural), among others. The construction of infrastructure (e.g., for hydropower, irrigation) enhances the delivery of tangible ES for example food or energy (generally provisioning) to meet human needs. However, the resulting change to river flows threatens both the ecological health of a river and its ability to provide intangible but vital ES, for example those which support the delivery of other services. Understanding these supporting ES processes in river systems is essential to fully recognise the impact of water resources development on ES delivery. Whilst approaches for assessing instream supporting ES are under development, to date few provide quantitative methods for assessing delivery. Thus, this paper sets out a framework for the assessment of instream supporting ES using hydroecological modelling. It links supporting ES delivery to fluvial hydrological indicators through the use of ecologically relevant hydrological indices and macroinvertebrate flow preferences. The proposed framework is demonstrated on the Beas River basin (Western Himalayas, India), and is flexible enough to be transferred to a basin-wide model, thereby allowing ES relationships to be accounted for in basin-wide water resources planning.

scholarly journals Challenges of assessment and mapping of ecosystem services in Bulgarian (Rhodope) and Russian (Altai) mountain protected areas in the context of post-socialist transformations and new conservation paradigms

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-68
Author(s):  
Dmitry V. Chernykh ◽  
Maria Glushkova ◽  
Dmitry K. Pershin ◽  
Miglena Zhiyanski ◽  
Alina E. Zinovieva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Altai Mountains ◽  
Altai Mountain ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
Mountainous Regions ◽  
Forest Exploitation ◽  
Different Types

The overarching goal of this survey was to identify the challenges of ecosystem services assessment and mapping in Russian and Bulgarian mountain protected areas in the context of post-socialist transformations, new conservation paradigms and climate change. The Altai Mountains in Russia and the Rhodope Mountains in Bulgaria were selected as key mountain territories for comparison due to their similar characteristics: agriculture, forest exploitation, tourism activities, etc. Both in Bulgaria and in Russia, perceptions of the protected areas functioning have been changing, facilitated by global shifts. Thus, the concept of ecosystem services has now been actively introduced in nature and biodiversity conservation policies. Based on WDPA data the emergence of different types of protected areas in Russia and Bulgaria was determined. Key problems of assessment and mapping of ecosystem services in Russian and Bulgarian mountain protected areas were recognised, mainly related to the shortage and quality of baseline data. At the same time, there were also some specifics for the two countries due to their size and national legislation. Like many other mountainous regions in the world, the Rhodopes in Bulgaria and the Altai Mountains in Russia are flagships in the improvement of nature conservation strategies. These regions often participate in a variety of international conservation programmes and are constantly expanding the range of protected areas. It is generally accepted that the Altai Mountains and the Rhodopes are not only centres of biodiversity richness in their countries, but also hotspots of a variety of ecosystem services.

scholarly journals Melia dubia and its Importance: A Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 029-033
Author(s):  
Manika Goswami ◽  
◽  
Shikha Bhagta ◽  
Dushyant Sharma ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Unit Area ◽  
Farm Forestry ◽  
High Demand ◽  
Multipurpose Tree ◽  
Short Rotation ◽  
Medicinal Value ◽  
The World ◽  
Current Article ◽  
Melia Dubia ◽  
Agro Forestry

Melia dubia popularly known as Malabar Neem is a promising multipurpose tree highly suitable for farm forestry and agro forestry for generating higher income per unit area. Melia dubia is one of the fastest growing trees in the world and considered as a money spinning tree of short rotation due to its high demand in pulpwood, plywood and timber industries. It is a good fuel and fodder yielding tree. In addition to this, Melia dubia also has extensive medicinal, pharmacological, ethnomedicinal and conventional properties and uses. The current article reviews literature on importance of Melia dubia for timber industry and medicinal value.

scholarly journals A case study on the public knowledge and awareness of the Philippine Pangolin Manis culionensis (Mammalia: Pholidota: Manidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 14484-14489
Author(s):  
Frances Mae Tenorio ◽  
Joselito Baril
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
High Demand ◽  
The Public ◽  
Illegal Market ◽  
Medicinal Value ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Degree

Pangolins are poorly known species despite their high demand in the illegal international trade.  This study has been conducted to analyze the awareness of Filipinos towards the endemic Philippine Pangolin Manis culionensis and how much they would be willing to contribute to its conservation.  The respondents were selected from the social media reach of the researchers.  The results showed that most of the respondents know about the pangolin from mass media such as news from television.  Social media is also a factor in their awareness of the animal.  They unanimously agreed that pangolins are important ecologically rather than its medicinal value in the illegal market trade.  Overall, the respondents showed a high degree of knowledge of pangolins and have favorable attitudes towards its conservation.

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