Changes in ecosystem service benefit in Soma lignite region of Turkey

Abstract

Throughout the mining cycle, which includes exploration, operation, enrichment and closure stages, the ecosystems and services such as forests and wetlands, which form the other part of natural capital with the ore deposit, undergo significant changes. Today, mining and rehabilitation activities are progressing synchronously. In this study, the ‘ecosystem services valuation approach’ is first discussed in the theoretical framework. Later, the net benefits of ecosystem services and change profile emerged in the historical process is examined in the Soma coal region located in the western part of Turkey, where one-quarter of the lignite coal production of the country is carried out. This study aims to determine the change in the ecosystem benefit arising during the mining and rehabilitation process.The ecosystem valuation analysis conducted for the period 1972–2059 reveals that the change in ecosystem service benefit in the historical process is consistent with the spatial change in the use of land. In 1972–2010 sub-period, the forest area and ecosystem service benefits are decreasing. In 2010, the expandability limit for the open pit area was reached. The sub-period 2010–2059 can be characterized by an increase in ecosystem benefit proportional to the afforestation rate. The ecosystem service benefit for the period 1972–2059 is $310 million. This positive value means providing the net ecosystem service benefit during the mining process. Taking into account the income generated from commercial coal production, which is the other component of ‘natural capital’, the total ecosystem benefit was found to be very high. The total ecosystem benefit for the period 1972–2059 is about $4 billion. The 80% of this value is the commercial benefit provided from coal production. The investigation of the change in ecosystem services in the light of social welfare criteria is important for sustainability.