Abstract
Ecosystem services are highly vulnerable to a number of impacts due to the complex effects of human use of natural resources and subsequent land use change. Assessment of the impact of change in land use with respect to ecosystem services is necessary in order to implement appropriate land uses that enhance ecosystem services. This study analysed the impact of change in land use on ecosystem services using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model to map and quantify a set of ecosystem services, namely sediment retention, water yield, carbon stock, and habitat quality, in northern Thailand, which has experienced substantial policy induced land use change. The study also assessed the changes in land use from 1989 to 2013 and their impact on overall ecosystem services using GIS. Increased rubber plantation cultivation and built-up areas resulting in reduced forest cover were the major changes found in land use in the area. The results of the study show a general decrease in ecosystem services for the study period in the watershed, in particular, a negative impact on ecosystem services was observed in agricultural areas. The study findings on spatial and temporal distribution of ecosystem services can help guide the development of appropriate land use options to enhance ecosystem services.
Highlights
The agriculture sector in Thailand is vital for the social and economic wellbeing of local people as well as a significant source of foreign currency contributing to the national economy [1]
The agricultural land use type consisted of cassava, paddy rice, upland rice, sugarcane, corn, and mixed orchard
Forest had been converted to agricultural area and eventually farmers replaced their fields with commercial rubber plantations
Summary
The agriculture sector in Thailand is vital for the social and economic wellbeing of local people as well as a significant source of foreign currency contributing to the national economy [1]. By changing its agricultural policy, the Thai government has invested substantially to support the cultivation of commercial crops, such as the government scheme known as “Rubber Cultivation for Raising the Sustainable Income to Farmers in the New Planting Area,” since 2004, which has provided various incentives to farmers, eventually attracting many to convert farmland formerly used for food production to rubber cultivation. This scheme aimed to increase foreign exports of rubber in the international market
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