Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot
The investigation of soil and water-related ecosystem services (ES) and recognizing the spatiotemporal effects of land-use and land cover changes (LULC) are essential for the formulation of conservation strategies. The research employed the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (I...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402309847X |
| _version_ | 1797383922763431936 |
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| author | Wondimagegn Mengist Teshome Soromessa Gudina Legese Feyisa |
| author_facet | Wondimagegn Mengist Teshome Soromessa Gudina Legese Feyisa |
| author_sort | Wondimagegn Mengist |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The investigation of soil and water-related ecosystem services (ES) and recognizing the spatiotemporal effects of land-use and land cover changes (LULC) are essential for the formulation of conservation strategies. The research employed the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) models for the assessment of ES. The study was carried out in the Kaffa Forest Biosphere Reserve in Ethiopia, which is part of the eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspots. The aim of this investigation was to examine and map the temporal and spatial fluctuations in sediment retention, soil erosion, and water yield resulting from LULC modifications between 1986 and 2019, and to provide forecasts for the next three decades. According to the RUSLE analysis, the landscapes exhibited estimated soil losses ranging from zero to 1.5 tons ha-1 yr-1 in 1986, 2009, and 2019, respectively. The mean annual sediment exports for the years 1986, 1999, and 2019 were estimated to be 12.6, 9.9-, and 28.7-tons ha−1, respectively. The water yield of the site experienced a notable increase from 9.8 × 109 m3 in 1986 to 19.6 × 10 9 m3 in 1999, and subsequently rose to 39.3 × 109 m3 in 2019, which is considered to be a disadvantageous to the site. The study found a significant positive correlation between water yield and the expansion of settlement area (r = 0.99, P = 0.015) as well as agricultural land (r = 0.99, P = 0.05). It was also found that significant positive correlation found between vegetation dense area such as forest (r < 0.999, P < 0.001) and shrub & bamboo (r = 0.998, P = 0.036) with sediment retention service. The investigation discovered that there existed tradeoffs between the ES of sediment retention and water yield as the slope increased. The results may be attributed to the presence of dense vegetation cover on the elevated slope regions, rendering them unsuitable for agricultural activities, and the concurrent expansion of arable lands in the lower slope areas, which are flat terrains more conducive to cultivation. The transition from land with more vegetation density to land with lower or no vegetation coverage resulted in an increase in soil loss and water yield, while simultaneously decreasing the sediment retention service. Therefore, the findings can be used as a document to guide decision-makers to design soil-water conservation technologies to enhance the ecological integrity of the biosphere reserve. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:28:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49a72841111c45e5beef7779a8520c54 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:28:03Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-49a72841111c45e5beef7779a8520c542023-12-21T07:34:07ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-12-01912e22639Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity HotspotWondimagegn Mengist0Teshome Soromessa1Gudina Legese Feyisa2Department of Natural Resource Management, Debre Berhan University, Ethiopia; Center for Environmental Science, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; Corresponding author. Department of Natural Resource Management, Debre Berhan University, Ethiopia.Center for Environmental Science, Addis Ababa University, EthiopiaCenter for Environmental Science, Addis Ababa University, EthiopiaThe investigation of soil and water-related ecosystem services (ES) and recognizing the spatiotemporal effects of land-use and land cover changes (LULC) are essential for the formulation of conservation strategies. The research employed the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) and the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) models for the assessment of ES. The study was carried out in the Kaffa Forest Biosphere Reserve in Ethiopia, which is part of the eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspots. The aim of this investigation was to examine and map the temporal and spatial fluctuations in sediment retention, soil erosion, and water yield resulting from LULC modifications between 1986 and 2019, and to provide forecasts for the next three decades. According to the RUSLE analysis, the landscapes exhibited estimated soil losses ranging from zero to 1.5 tons ha-1 yr-1 in 1986, 2009, and 2019, respectively. The mean annual sediment exports for the years 1986, 1999, and 2019 were estimated to be 12.6, 9.9-, and 28.7-tons ha−1, respectively. The water yield of the site experienced a notable increase from 9.8 × 109 m3 in 1986 to 19.6 × 10 9 m3 in 1999, and subsequently rose to 39.3 × 109 m3 in 2019, which is considered to be a disadvantageous to the site. The study found a significant positive correlation between water yield and the expansion of settlement area (r = 0.99, P = 0.015) as well as agricultural land (r = 0.99, P = 0.05). It was also found that significant positive correlation found between vegetation dense area such as forest (r < 0.999, P < 0.001) and shrub & bamboo (r = 0.998, P = 0.036) with sediment retention service. The investigation discovered that there existed tradeoffs between the ES of sediment retention and water yield as the slope increased. The results may be attributed to the presence of dense vegetation cover on the elevated slope regions, rendering them unsuitable for agricultural activities, and the concurrent expansion of arable lands in the lower slope areas, which are flat terrains more conducive to cultivation. The transition from land with more vegetation density to land with lower or no vegetation coverage resulted in an increase in soil loss and water yield, while simultaneously decreasing the sediment retention service. Therefore, the findings can be used as a document to guide decision-makers to design soil-water conservation technologies to enhance the ecological integrity of the biosphere reserve.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402309847XBiosphere reserveEcosystem serviceManagement implicationsSediment retentionSoil lossWater yield |
| spellingShingle | Wondimagegn Mengist Teshome Soromessa Gudina Legese Feyisa Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot Heliyon Biosphere reserve Ecosystem service Management implications Sediment retention Soil loss Water yield |
| title | Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot |
| title_full | Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot |
| title_fullStr | Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot |
| title_full_unstemmed | Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot |
| title_short | Responses of soil and water-related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern Afromontane biodiversity Hotspot |
| title_sort | responses of soil and water related ecosystem services to landscape dynamics in the eastern afromontane biodiversity hotspot |
| topic | Biosphere reserve Ecosystem service Management implications Sediment retention Soil loss Water yield |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S240584402309847X |
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