Analyzing ecosystem functions in Bangladesh’s forests: a historical MODIS study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The accelerating degradation and damage of forest ecosystems worldwide due to human activities represent a pressing concern. This is particularly evident in Bangladesh, where the majority of terrestrial biodiversity is concentrated within forest ecosystems. Our study explores four ecosystem functions and nine indicators such as net primary productivity (NPP), gross primary productivity (GPP), land surface temperature (LST), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), leaf area index (LAI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), evapotranspiration (ET) and potential evapotranspiration (PET). These elements were assessed using MODIS remote sensing data gathered from four co-managed forest protected areas (CFPA) and two bio-diverse non-co-managed forest areas (BNCFA) from 2002 to 2020. While co-management activities in CFPAs aim to conserve biodiversity, reduce local costs, and promote equitable management, BNCFAs function without such collaborative management efforts. Our findings revealed statistically similar ecosystem functions and their indicators across CFPAs and BNCFAs (t-test, p > 0.05). Seasonal patterns of ecosystem functions also show similar patterns. Interestingly, despite concerted efforts and special initiatives, CFPAs did not exhibit superior ecosystem functions when compared to BNCFAs. In conclusion, our study indicates that ecosystem functions have exhibited similarities across both spatial and temporal scales in the two management regimes.