Integrating Capabilities and Ecosystem Services Approaches to evaluate Indigenous connections with nature in a global biodiversity hotspot of Western Ghats, India

Advances in Ecosystem Services Valuation Studies in India: Learnings from a Systematic Review

Ecosystem services (ES) concept has gained global momentum as they hold immense importance for human well-being. On the other hand, direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss have led to deterioration of ecosystem health and their capacity to deliver ecosystem services. Worldwide, ES assessments have been increasingly used by administrators to formulate sustainable and environment centric policies. Similarly, there has been continuous expansion of ES related work in India to capture the material and non-material benefits derived from diverse ecosystems in the country. In the current paper, 105 research articles/reports have been reviewed to assess the growing trajectory of ES research and also to map their methodological approaches. The lacunae in the studies and literature have been critically examined. Analysis of the study shows that ES derived from forests have been captured widely while marine ecosystems have not received appropriate scholarly attention. Similarly, dearth of studies focusing on long- and short-term implications of climate change and other environmental challenges on the ES delivery was also evident. A strong need is felt to integrate interdisciplinary approaches for holistic ES assessment. Also, future ES assessments must assimilate traditional as well as indigenous knowledge systems within ES assessment framework to ensure formulation of tangible, sustainable policies.

Land use changes in Zhangjiakou from 2005 to 2025 and the importance of ecosystem services

Changes in local land use affect regional ecological services, development planning, and optimal use of space. We analyzed the effects of changes in land use from 2000 to 2025 on the spatial distribution of ecosystem services using CLUS-S modeling to evaluate ecosystem functions in Zhangjiakou, China. We found that the urban ecosystem area in Zhangjiakou increased and farmland decreased between 2000-2025. Water conservation was relatively high and was concentrated in the nature reserves of southern Zhangjiakou. Soil conservation was mainly distributed in eastern and southern counties. The results of the CLUE-S model showed that the relative operating characteristics of the six land use types were > 0.70, and the logistic regression equation was able to successfully explain the distribution pattern of the different types of land use.