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.
Highlights
Ecosystem services (ESS) represent direct or indirect benefits human beings can derive from ecosystem functions that are essential for their survival, livelihoods, and wellbeing [1,2,3]
(2.04 billion USD) of the ESS loss in the basin. This result is consistent with the findings reported in various studies in Ethiopia and elsewhere, which indicates the existence of typical trade-offs among multiple ESS provided by natural ecosystems and artificial ecosystems [21,38,75,76,77]
This study investigated the effect of Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change on the value of ecosystem service in Abaya-Chamo Basin (ACB)
Summary
Ecosystem services (ESS) represent direct or indirect benefits human beings can derive from ecosystem functions that are essential for their survival, livelihoods, and wellbeing [1,2,3]. Areas covered by native grasslands, forests, and wetlands are continuously replaced by croplands, tree plantations, and urban areas, and only a few landscapes remain relatively undisturbed globally [12,13,14] Such changes can have a large impact on status of the world’s ecosystems and the services they can provide [13,15,16,17,18]. Costanza et al [12] reported the reduction of the global value of ESS by 4.3–20.2 trillion USD per year over the period of 1997–2011 due to Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) change This change is not felt uniformly in all areas; rather, it varies from region to region and fluctuates over time, either increases or decreases, depending on the direction and intensity of ecosystem changes, as well as local socio-ecological context, of a particular region. Arowolo et al [19] reported an increase in the total value of ESS in Nigeria between 2000 and 2010, whereas Song and Deng [20] reported a decrease in the total value of ESS in China between 1988 and
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