Anthropogenic stressors in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot over recent decades have tak... more Anthropogenic stressors in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot over recent decades have taken a toll on otter populations. Low public awareness and a lack of routine monitoring data hamper conservation strategies. Social media has the potential to generate both positive and negative perceptions about otter species among target stakeholder groups. This approach can serve as a tool to generate vital conservation information and promote public knowledge and interest. This paper examines the role of social media as a tool to reinforce contemporary conservation initiatives, advocating its stronger utilisation for the potential protection of otterspecies in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. The proposed approach is also maintained through a case study from the region
The dispersed wetlands in the Darbhanga District of northern Bihar, India, provide a diversity of... more The dispersed wetlands in the Darbhanga District of northern Bihar, India, provide a diversity of niches supporting substantial floral and faunal richness. The aquatic macrophytes of a representative range of perennial water bodies were surveyed fortnightly from June to September 2019, supported by a market survey undertaken with local stakeholders. A total of 61 species of vascular macrophytes was recorded, the majority of them Angiosperms (33 species of Dicotyledons from 21 families, and 26 Monocotyledons from 13 families) and two were Pteridophytes. This paper highlights the distribution pattern and potential commercial and medicinal values of aquatic macrophytes found in different wetland systems in northern Bihar. It further stresses their importance for subsistence, medicinal and economic purposes supporting the livelihoods of local people. Current trends and risks contributing to the degradation and loss of this diverse flora and its supporting habitats are considered. W...
International Journal of River Basin Management, 2020
ABSTRACT Native fish species provide significant ecosystem services, including as food (provision... more ABSTRACT Native fish species provide significant ecosystem services, including as food (provisioning services), as organisms with specific cultural and spiritual importance (cultural services), and contributions to supporting and regulatory services across the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. Fisheries in the Himalayan midhills and foothills, including in the Shivalik Hills and parts of the Terai (between the lower Himalayan foothills and the plains), provide livelihood security and cultural values for millions of people. Multiple anthropogenic stressors compounded by climate change have significantly depleted native fish populations over recent decades. Literature survey, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews reveal that the decrease in native fish species undermines freshwater-dependent livelihood security in the region with ‘knock-on’ impacts on downstream ecosystem functions and services. Better understanding of the current distribution, habitat requirement and dispersal of native fish species important from a local perspective is essential to manage the growing threats to livelihoods in the Indian Himalayan region.
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020
Broad habitat type (mandatory) select 1-2: river < Broad habitat type General theme or applicatio... more Broad habitat type (mandatory) select 1-2: river < Broad habitat type General theme or application (mandatory) select 1-2: disturbance < General theme or application Broad taxonomic group or category (mandatory, if relevant to paper) select 1-2: fish < Broad taxonomic group or category Impact category (mandatory, if relevant to paper) select 1-2: alien species < Impact category http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aqc Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 1 1 Potential impacts of non-native fish on the threatened mahseer (Tor) species of the Indian 2 Himalayan biodiversity hotspot 3 4
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020
1. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and Asian sma... more 1. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) have all been reported previously from the Indian state of Uttarakhand. However, little information is available about their current distribution in a mountainous region that is subject to increasing human-induced stressors (such as hydropower plants, pollution, sand and boulder mining, destructive fishing techniques, poaching).
Reestablishment of fish passage, including facilitating overcoming barriers presented by impoundm... more Reestablishment of fish passage, including facilitating overcoming barriers presented by impoundments or restoration of defunct structures, is attracting interest amongst scientists and policy-makers as a mechanism to enable recovery of target fish species or fish communities. A diversity of multispecies fish passage designs are in place in North and South America, Europe, and Australia, with varying efficacy for different species. However, only a few such fish passes have been constructed in dams in the Indian Himalayan region, and their efficacy is largely unproven. Major problems associated with fish passage designs include uneven success across a range of species, and largely untested effectiveness at the large scale of many major dams. A new approach is therefore required to understand the operational drawbacks of the pass way, and to take an adaptive approach to both design and operational using field data to improve fish pass efficiency. These measures could contribute significantly to the conservation of threatened migratory fish in the increasingly impounded rivers of the Indian Himalayan region. Background Globally, artificial means promoting fish passage through man-made barriers such as dams have been designed and implemented since the late 1800s. In 1911, a "Fish Ladder" was constructed at Itaipana Dam on the Pardo River in Brazil, South America, to promote the passage of migratory river species (Pompeu et al. 2012); and a "Vertical slot" fish pass was constructed to conserve native fish populations at Queensland State in Australia (Jensen 2001). Clay (1995) reported that more than 37 fish passage designs brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk
The Hindu Kush Himalaya is a biodiversity hotspot subject to multiple anthropogenic stressors, in... more The Hindu Kush Himalaya is a biodiversity hotspot subject to multiple anthropogenic stressors, including hydropower plants, pollution, deforestation and wildlife poaching, in addition to changing climate. Bird photography tourism, as a locally important element of avitourism, has the potential to integrate sustainable development and wildlife conservation. We conducted field surveys around the reaches of four Indian Himalayan rivers—the Kosi, western Ramganga, Khoh, and Song—outside of protected national parks (the Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves) to ascertain the distribution of bird species along river corridors that could be sites of avitourism. Species richness along the surveyed reaches were: Kosi (79), western Ramganga (91), Khoh (52), and Song (79). This study contributes critical data to the existing baseline information on the avifaunal species of Uttarakhand. It further discusses the possibility of developing avitourism for knowledge generation on species distribution...
Nepal's predominantly rural population depends on the ecosystem services of heterogeneous mountai... more Nepal's predominantly rural population depends on the ecosystem services of heterogeneous mountainous landscapes that are degrading under changing climate and development pressures. Invasive alien plants (IAPs) compound threats to ecosystem services including water resource security from mid-hill springs, though implications for Nepal's water resources are under-researched. South Africa's Working for Water (WfW) programme addresses linked policy priorities related to IAP management including water, biodiversity and employability. We use the STEEP (Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political) framework to explore success criteria behind WfW and their potential translation into the geographically, culturally and politically different Nepali context, including local considerations at three sites in Kavrepalanchok district. An adapted WfW approach could potentially contribute to water, food, biodiversity, forest, soil, gender equity, community development and security outcomes in Nepal, delivering national and international policy priorities. Evidence from study sites suggests four priority IAPs-Lantana camara, Ageratina adenophora, Chromolaena odorata and Pinus roxburghiiof differing characteristics, extents of invasion and perceived impacts at selected sites requiring control. These initial observations warrant trial management of IAPs in a test area with monitoring to evaluate outcomes for water, food and livelihood security, with potential for subsequent regional or national roll-out of a management programme. IAPs generate multiple, potentially significant challenges including impacts on water security, particularly in water-stressed environments, affecting linked ecosystem services such as food production, soil erosion and fire risk, disproportionately affecting poorer and marginalised people especially in mountain regions (Asbjornsen et al., 2007). In Australia, evaporative loss from one hectare of alien willows (Salix spp.) equates to water use by 17 households (Doody and Benyon, 2011). Water security is one of the primary negative impacts associated with many IAPs in South Africa, particularly trees such as Australian Eucalyptus and Acacia species that have far greater evaporative loss compared to native species (Dye and Jarmain, 2004). Rooting depth is a key factor in depletion of water recharge (Seyfried and Wilcox, 2006). In South Africa, IAPs are conservatively estimated to use 2.9% of mean annual runoff (Le Maitre et al., 2016), with reductions of more than
Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services providing be... more Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services providing benefits over multiple scales but also suffering significant poverty and vulnerabilities. Case studies in two contrasting village communities in the Indian Middle Himalayas explore linkages between people and adjacent forest and river ecosystems. Interviews with local people and direct observations revealed low food availability and decreasing self-sufficiency, under the combined pressures of increasing foraging by wildlife (primarily pigs and monkeys) coupled with seasonal to permanent outmigration by younger men seeking more secure income and alternative livelihoods. Much of the income remitted by migrants to their villages was not retained locally but flowed back out of the Himalayan region through purchases of food produced and marketed in the plains. This threatens the economic viability of villages, also placing asymmetric pressures on resident female, elderly and young people who concentrate labour on local livestock production to the neglect of crop agriculture, further compounding land abandonment and wildlife foraging. Significant traditional knowledge remains, along with utilitarian, cultural and spiritual connections with the landscape. Many beneficiaries of locally produced ecosystem services are remote from village communities (particularly water flows downstream to the plains), but no recompense is paid to stewards of the forested Himalayan landscape. Although local people currently perceive high biodiversity as a constraint to agriculture and other economic activities, the Himalayan landscapes could potentially constitute an asset with appropriate institutional development through promotion of managed bioprospecting, guided ecotourism and payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes for water supply and under REDD+.
International Journal of River Basin Management, 2017
Anthropogenic activities impose major threats to global biodiversity, compounded by changing clim... more Anthropogenic activities impose major threats to global biodiversity, compounded by changing climatic variables. Freshwater ecosystems are amongst the most vulnerable habitats, integrating multiple pressures across catchment landscapes. Introductions of non-native fish species exert multiple direct and indirect impacts on native species and the ecosystems of which they are part, with further impacts on the socioeconomic wellbeing of communities. Field studies and an in-depth literature survey have recorded 15 non-native freshwater fish species from the Indian Himalaya. Three of these species (common carp, brown trout and rainbow trout, all highly invasive fish species globally) were documented from multiple locations between 2010 and 2017, raising environmental concern among scientists. In the wake of changing climatic variables and a range of linked population, land use and river impoundment and conversion pressures across the Indian Himalaya, there is an urgent need to understand the behaviour of these non-native fish species, and identify factors which provide them an ecological advantage over native fish species. This can support a case for cessation of stocking with alien species. Further collection of long-term field data, integrative quantitative models, public awareness and education programmes could greatly assist in addressing these knowledge gaps and identification of effective control measures.
International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2015
the natural world and ecosystem services are important to well-being and economic prosperity. Whi... more the natural world and ecosystem services are important to well-being and economic prosperity. While this report was generally well received by the scientific and policy community, some have questioned whether it provided an operational and usable evidence-base to inform decisions [1]. The 'UK National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-on: Synthesis of Key Findings' (NEAFO) sought to build on the previous report, but focused more closely on developing an improved evidence-base for decisions about ecosystem services. It was conducted and peer reviewed by more than 150 experts from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, who were split into distinct working groups. In this followon report, new information and tools are provided, extending the scope of the initial assessment, by making advances in several areas; for example, in valuing cultural ecosystem services that are frequently overlooked in decision-making.
Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services beneficial o... more Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services beneficial over multiple geographical scales but suffering significant vulnerabilities. A case study in Lileng village (Arunachal Pradesh, Indian north-east Himalayas) explored linkages between a community with protected tribal rights and the forest and river ecosystems within which they are situated. Evidence was gathered through interviews and literature review about ecosystem service benefits, using the Rapid Assessment of Wetland Ecosystem Services approach. Subsequent analysis using the social, technological, environmental, economic, political framework found close, synergistic relationships between local people and the ecosystems for which they have protected tribal rights. Authoritative local governance arrangements prioritise community subsistence needs, limiting the influence of external state government and private actors on natural resource exploitation. Further sustainable economic development could stem from recognition of the value of ecosystem services produced by intact and functional habitats, and the potential for development of 'payment for ecosystem services' markets in addition to ecotourism and cultural tourism. Low food sufficiency and poverty observed in a previous study conducted in Uttarakhand state of the central Indian Middle Himalayas, principal drivers of out-migration and gender/age inequalities, were not evident in Lileng or surrounding areas, apparently linked to tribal rights and authoritative local governance in Arunachal Pradesh leading to greater resource security. Better understanding of ecosystem-community relationships in areas with protected tribal rights can highlight sustainable policies and practices that may be translated into wider geo-political areas, especially in the wake of projected climate change stresses.
This research addressed measures necessary to overcome barriers to the implementation of integrat... more This research addressed measures necessary to overcome barriers to the implementation of integrated resource management solutions delivering multiple ecosystem services, using the case of the Anne Valley integrated constructed wetlands (ICWs) in County Waterford, Ireland. The benefits of ICWs are reviewed, and feedback from interviews with a range of people from farming, national government and policy, business, County Council and other perspectives, is analysed using the STEEP framework. Whilst we acknowledge bias in interviewee selection, there is considerable local support for ICWs reflecting multiple social, environmental and economic benefits. Indeed, the Irish government has published design guidance for ICWs. However, there remain disconnects between some regulatory and other bodies, which appear to be related to their tradition of looking at issues from a more narrow, disciplinespecific perspective. These barriers are not unique to Ireland, but representative of the areas of cultural change necessary to enable more connected ways of thinking, technological development and implementation and its subsequent licensing and regulation. The experience therefore has generic relevance not merely for the broader pervasion of the benefits of ICWs across Ireland and the wider world, but also in evaluating and implementing the efficacy of similar multi-benefit solutions.
Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matte... more Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matter both of longterm protection of the lake ecosystem and of the economic and social progress that depends upon it. This must be addressed at catchment-scale to protect the 'ecosystem services' that constitute the region's primary resources. Sustainability principles highlight energy, fertilisers, pesticides and other aspects of chemical use, plastics, erosion and sedimentation, wildlife, water and socio-economic issues as central to sustainable development strategy, influenced by both intensive and subsistence farms across the catchment. Market forces and long-term self-interest provide compelling arguments for sustainable development, the delivery of which will depend upon education and the spreading of good practice, perhaps backed up by stewardship schemes. Alternatively, the adverse consequences of continued unsustainable practice are highly significant for the region.
Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric ... more Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric map, a paleolimnological study of fossil invertebrate assemblages in lake sediment, an overview of lake level fluctuations throughout the 20th century, and identification of a dynamic assemblage of macrophyte zones that has responded both to these changes in lake level and to more recent, alien species. Sediment samples collected from the rivers systems and the lake were examined physically and chemically. River sediment characteristics reflect geology and geomorphological processes in the catchment, whereas lake sediment stratigraphy has responded to past lake level changes. Such changes have caused significant changes in aquatic vegetation assemblages. Present day sediment dynamics in the lake are governed by the presence of river point sources in the north and wave-induced re-suspension, such that sediments introduced by rivers are transported in easterly and southerly directions, and are eventually deposited in the eastern, central and southern parts of the lake. Sedimentary deposition is also occurring in northern areas that once were protected by papyrus swamp vegetation but now only have a narrow fringe, highlighting the important role of swamp vegetation in filtering out suspended particulates and thereby controlling water quality in the lake. Geochemical analyses of river and lake sediments indicate that they represent fairly undisturbed background conditions. Higher-than-expected concentrations of cadmium, iron, nickel and zinc found in both river and lake sediment are likely to derive from volcanic rocks and/or lateritic soils found in the lake catchment.
Lake Naivasha is unique in the chain of East African Rift Valley lakes in being the only freshwat... more Lake Naivasha is unique in the chain of East African Rift Valley lakes in being the only freshwater ecosystem in an otherwise soda/saline lake series. Catchment rivers have never previously been surveyed. Valley topography, precipitation patterns and geology create a diversity of river systems draining into Lake Naivasha. Semi-quantitative assessment using the River Habitat Survey technique demonstrates a diversity of habitats and erosion/sedimentation patterns, reflecting the tectonic origin of the area. The survey descriptions form a basis for identification of areas where efforts will need to be directed for physical and biological protection.
The diverse river systems of the Lake Naivasha catchment provide a wide range of habitats. Distri... more The diverse river systems of the Lake Naivasha catchment provide a wide range of habitats. Distribution of a number of flowering plant species along river corridors appears most strongly linked with altitude and topography, although some species have an affinity with river edges. A distinct dry land/savannah flora is represented close to river channels in the lower, temporary rivers, while other plant species are ubiquitous. More physically diverse river habitats support more diverse plant assemblages. Bird biodiversity and abundance appears to be strongly linked with habitat diversity and feeding guild data suggest that this is related to the availability of a range of food items. Diversity is not linked with rarity. Changes in land use patterns and intensity in the catchment can affect its capacity to support rich biological communities.
Anthropogenic stressors in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot over recent decades have tak... more Anthropogenic stressors in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot over recent decades have taken a toll on otter populations. Low public awareness and a lack of routine monitoring data hamper conservation strategies. Social media has the potential to generate both positive and negative perceptions about otter species among target stakeholder groups. This approach can serve as a tool to generate vital conservation information and promote public knowledge and interest. This paper examines the role of social media as a tool to reinforce contemporary conservation initiatives, advocating its stronger utilisation for the potential protection of otterspecies in the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. The proposed approach is also maintained through a case study from the region
The dispersed wetlands in the Darbhanga District of northern Bihar, India, provide a diversity of... more The dispersed wetlands in the Darbhanga District of northern Bihar, India, provide a diversity of niches supporting substantial floral and faunal richness. The aquatic macrophytes of a representative range of perennial water bodies were surveyed fortnightly from June to September 2019, supported by a market survey undertaken with local stakeholders. A total of 61 species of vascular macrophytes was recorded, the majority of them Angiosperms (33 species of Dicotyledons from 21 families, and 26 Monocotyledons from 13 families) and two were Pteridophytes. This paper highlights the distribution pattern and potential commercial and medicinal values of aquatic macrophytes found in different wetland systems in northern Bihar. It further stresses their importance for subsistence, medicinal and economic purposes supporting the livelihoods of local people. Current trends and risks contributing to the degradation and loss of this diverse flora and its supporting habitats are considered. W...
International Journal of River Basin Management, 2020
ABSTRACT Native fish species provide significant ecosystem services, including as food (provision... more ABSTRACT Native fish species provide significant ecosystem services, including as food (provisioning services), as organisms with specific cultural and spiritual importance (cultural services), and contributions to supporting and regulatory services across the Indian Himalayan biodiversity hotspot. Fisheries in the Himalayan midhills and foothills, including in the Shivalik Hills and parts of the Terai (between the lower Himalayan foothills and the plains), provide livelihood security and cultural values for millions of people. Multiple anthropogenic stressors compounded by climate change have significantly depleted native fish populations over recent decades. Literature survey, focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews reveal that the decrease in native fish species undermines freshwater-dependent livelihood security in the region with ‘knock-on’ impacts on downstream ecosystem functions and services. Better understanding of the current distribution, habitat requirement and dispersal of native fish species important from a local perspective is essential to manage the growing threats to livelihoods in the Indian Himalayan region.
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020
Broad habitat type (mandatory) select 1-2: river < Broad habitat type General theme or applicatio... more Broad habitat type (mandatory) select 1-2: river < Broad habitat type General theme or application (mandatory) select 1-2: disturbance < General theme or application Broad taxonomic group or category (mandatory, if relevant to paper) select 1-2: fish < Broad taxonomic group or category Impact category (mandatory, if relevant to paper) select 1-2: alien species < Impact category http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aqc Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 1 1 Potential impacts of non-native fish on the threatened mahseer (Tor) species of the Indian 2 Himalayan biodiversity hotspot 3 4
Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 2020
1. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and Asian sma... more 1. The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra), smooth-coated otter (Lutrogale perspicillata), and Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) have all been reported previously from the Indian state of Uttarakhand. However, little information is available about their current distribution in a mountainous region that is subject to increasing human-induced stressors (such as hydropower plants, pollution, sand and boulder mining, destructive fishing techniques, poaching).
Reestablishment of fish passage, including facilitating overcoming barriers presented by impoundm... more Reestablishment of fish passage, including facilitating overcoming barriers presented by impoundments or restoration of defunct structures, is attracting interest amongst scientists and policy-makers as a mechanism to enable recovery of target fish species or fish communities. A diversity of multispecies fish passage designs are in place in North and South America, Europe, and Australia, with varying efficacy for different species. However, only a few such fish passes have been constructed in dams in the Indian Himalayan region, and their efficacy is largely unproven. Major problems associated with fish passage designs include uneven success across a range of species, and largely untested effectiveness at the large scale of many major dams. A new approach is therefore required to understand the operational drawbacks of the pass way, and to take an adaptive approach to both design and operational using field data to improve fish pass efficiency. These measures could contribute significantly to the conservation of threatened migratory fish in the increasingly impounded rivers of the Indian Himalayan region. Background Globally, artificial means promoting fish passage through man-made barriers such as dams have been designed and implemented since the late 1800s. In 1911, a "Fish Ladder" was constructed at Itaipana Dam on the Pardo River in Brazil, South America, to promote the passage of migratory river species (Pompeu et al. 2012); and a "Vertical slot" fish pass was constructed to conserve native fish populations at Queensland State in Australia (Jensen 2001). Clay (1995) reported that more than 37 fish passage designs brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk
The Hindu Kush Himalaya is a biodiversity hotspot subject to multiple anthropogenic stressors, in... more The Hindu Kush Himalaya is a biodiversity hotspot subject to multiple anthropogenic stressors, including hydropower plants, pollution, deforestation and wildlife poaching, in addition to changing climate. Bird photography tourism, as a locally important element of avitourism, has the potential to integrate sustainable development and wildlife conservation. We conducted field surveys around the reaches of four Indian Himalayan rivers—the Kosi, western Ramganga, Khoh, and Song—outside of protected national parks (the Corbett and Rajaji tiger reserves) to ascertain the distribution of bird species along river corridors that could be sites of avitourism. Species richness along the surveyed reaches were: Kosi (79), western Ramganga (91), Khoh (52), and Song (79). This study contributes critical data to the existing baseline information on the avifaunal species of Uttarakhand. It further discusses the possibility of developing avitourism for knowledge generation on species distribution...
Nepal's predominantly rural population depends on the ecosystem services of heterogeneous mountai... more Nepal's predominantly rural population depends on the ecosystem services of heterogeneous mountainous landscapes that are degrading under changing climate and development pressures. Invasive alien plants (IAPs) compound threats to ecosystem services including water resource security from mid-hill springs, though implications for Nepal's water resources are under-researched. South Africa's Working for Water (WfW) programme addresses linked policy priorities related to IAP management including water, biodiversity and employability. We use the STEEP (Social, Technological, Environmental, Economic, Political) framework to explore success criteria behind WfW and their potential translation into the geographically, culturally and politically different Nepali context, including local considerations at three sites in Kavrepalanchok district. An adapted WfW approach could potentially contribute to water, food, biodiversity, forest, soil, gender equity, community development and security outcomes in Nepal, delivering national and international policy priorities. Evidence from study sites suggests four priority IAPs-Lantana camara, Ageratina adenophora, Chromolaena odorata and Pinus roxburghiiof differing characteristics, extents of invasion and perceived impacts at selected sites requiring control. These initial observations warrant trial management of IAPs in a test area with monitoring to evaluate outcomes for water, food and livelihood security, with potential for subsequent regional or national roll-out of a management programme. IAPs generate multiple, potentially significant challenges including impacts on water security, particularly in water-stressed environments, affecting linked ecosystem services such as food production, soil erosion and fire risk, disproportionately affecting poorer and marginalised people especially in mountain regions (Asbjornsen et al., 2007). In Australia, evaporative loss from one hectare of alien willows (Salix spp.) equates to water use by 17 households (Doody and Benyon, 2011). Water security is one of the primary negative impacts associated with many IAPs in South Africa, particularly trees such as Australian Eucalyptus and Acacia species that have far greater evaporative loss compared to native species (Dye and Jarmain, 2004). Rooting depth is a key factor in depletion of water recharge (Seyfried and Wilcox, 2006). In South Africa, IAPs are conservatively estimated to use 2.9% of mean annual runoff (Le Maitre et al., 2016), with reductions of more than
Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services providing be... more Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services providing benefits over multiple scales but also suffering significant poverty and vulnerabilities. Case studies in two contrasting village communities in the Indian Middle Himalayas explore linkages between people and adjacent forest and river ecosystems. Interviews with local people and direct observations revealed low food availability and decreasing self-sufficiency, under the combined pressures of increasing foraging by wildlife (primarily pigs and monkeys) coupled with seasonal to permanent outmigration by younger men seeking more secure income and alternative livelihoods. Much of the income remitted by migrants to their villages was not retained locally but flowed back out of the Himalayan region through purchases of food produced and marketed in the plains. This threatens the economic viability of villages, also placing asymmetric pressures on resident female, elderly and young people who concentrate labour on local livestock production to the neglect of crop agriculture, further compounding land abandonment and wildlife foraging. Significant traditional knowledge remains, along with utilitarian, cultural and spiritual connections with the landscape. Many beneficiaries of locally produced ecosystem services are remote from village communities (particularly water flows downstream to the plains), but no recompense is paid to stewards of the forested Himalayan landscape. Although local people currently perceive high biodiversity as a constraint to agriculture and other economic activities, the Himalayan landscapes could potentially constitute an asset with appropriate institutional development through promotion of managed bioprospecting, guided ecotourism and payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes for water supply and under REDD+.
International Journal of River Basin Management, 2017
Anthropogenic activities impose major threats to global biodiversity, compounded by changing clim... more Anthropogenic activities impose major threats to global biodiversity, compounded by changing climatic variables. Freshwater ecosystems are amongst the most vulnerable habitats, integrating multiple pressures across catchment landscapes. Introductions of non-native fish species exert multiple direct and indirect impacts on native species and the ecosystems of which they are part, with further impacts on the socioeconomic wellbeing of communities. Field studies and an in-depth literature survey have recorded 15 non-native freshwater fish species from the Indian Himalaya. Three of these species (common carp, brown trout and rainbow trout, all highly invasive fish species globally) were documented from multiple locations between 2010 and 2017, raising environmental concern among scientists. In the wake of changing climatic variables and a range of linked population, land use and river impoundment and conversion pressures across the Indian Himalaya, there is an urgent need to understand the behaviour of these non-native fish species, and identify factors which provide them an ecological advantage over native fish species. This can support a case for cessation of stocking with alien species. Further collection of long-term field data, integrative quantitative models, public awareness and education programmes could greatly assist in addressing these knowledge gaps and identification of effective control measures.
International Journal of Environmental Studies, 2015
the natural world and ecosystem services are important to well-being and economic prosperity. Whi... more the natural world and ecosystem services are important to well-being and economic prosperity. While this report was generally well received by the scientific and policy community, some have questioned whether it provided an operational and usable evidence-base to inform decisions [1]. The 'UK National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-on: Synthesis of Key Findings' (NEAFO) sought to build on the previous report, but focused more closely on developing an improved evidence-base for decisions about ecosystem services. It was conducted and peer reviewed by more than 150 experts from a range of disciplinary backgrounds, who were split into distinct working groups. In this followon report, new information and tools are provided, extending the scope of the initial assessment, by making advances in several areas; for example, in valuing cultural ecosystem services that are frequently overlooked in decision-making.
Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services beneficial o... more Mountains host high biological and cultural diversity, generating ecosystem services beneficial over multiple geographical scales but suffering significant vulnerabilities. A case study in Lileng village (Arunachal Pradesh, Indian north-east Himalayas) explored linkages between a community with protected tribal rights and the forest and river ecosystems within which they are situated. Evidence was gathered through interviews and literature review about ecosystem service benefits, using the Rapid Assessment of Wetland Ecosystem Services approach. Subsequent analysis using the social, technological, environmental, economic, political framework found close, synergistic relationships between local people and the ecosystems for which they have protected tribal rights. Authoritative local governance arrangements prioritise community subsistence needs, limiting the influence of external state government and private actors on natural resource exploitation. Further sustainable economic development could stem from recognition of the value of ecosystem services produced by intact and functional habitats, and the potential for development of 'payment for ecosystem services' markets in addition to ecotourism and cultural tourism. Low food sufficiency and poverty observed in a previous study conducted in Uttarakhand state of the central Indian Middle Himalayas, principal drivers of out-migration and gender/age inequalities, were not evident in Lileng or surrounding areas, apparently linked to tribal rights and authoritative local governance in Arunachal Pradesh leading to greater resource security. Better understanding of ecosystem-community relationships in areas with protected tribal rights can highlight sustainable policies and practices that may be translated into wider geo-political areas, especially in the wake of projected climate change stresses.
This research addressed measures necessary to overcome barriers to the implementation of integrat... more This research addressed measures necessary to overcome barriers to the implementation of integrated resource management solutions delivering multiple ecosystem services, using the case of the Anne Valley integrated constructed wetlands (ICWs) in County Waterford, Ireland. The benefits of ICWs are reviewed, and feedback from interviews with a range of people from farming, national government and policy, business, County Council and other perspectives, is analysed using the STEEP framework. Whilst we acknowledge bias in interviewee selection, there is considerable local support for ICWs reflecting multiple social, environmental and economic benefits. Indeed, the Irish government has published design guidance for ICWs. However, there remain disconnects between some regulatory and other bodies, which appear to be related to their tradition of looking at issues from a more narrow, disciplinespecific perspective. These barriers are not unique to Ireland, but representative of the areas of cultural change necessary to enable more connected ways of thinking, technological development and implementation and its subsequent licensing and regulation. The experience therefore has generic relevance not merely for the broader pervasion of the benefits of ICWs across Ireland and the wider world, but also in evaluating and implementing the efficacy of similar multi-benefit solutions.
Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matte... more Sustainable development remains a pressing priority for the Lake Naivasha Ramsar site, as a matter both of longterm protection of the lake ecosystem and of the economic and social progress that depends upon it. This must be addressed at catchment-scale to protect the 'ecosystem services' that constitute the region's primary resources. Sustainability principles highlight energy, fertilisers, pesticides and other aspects of chemical use, plastics, erosion and sedimentation, wildlife, water and socio-economic issues as central to sustainable development strategy, influenced by both intensive and subsistence farms across the catchment. Market forces and long-term self-interest provide compelling arguments for sustainable development, the delivery of which will depend upon education and the spreading of good practice, perhaps backed up by stewardship schemes. Alternatively, the adverse consequences of continued unsustainable practice are highly significant for the region.
Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric ... more Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric map, a paleolimnological study of fossil invertebrate assemblages in lake sediment, an overview of lake level fluctuations throughout the 20th century, and identification of a dynamic assemblage of macrophyte zones that has responded both to these changes in lake level and to more recent, alien species. Sediment samples collected from the rivers systems and the lake were examined physically and chemically. River sediment characteristics reflect geology and geomorphological processes in the catchment, whereas lake sediment stratigraphy has responded to past lake level changes. Such changes have caused significant changes in aquatic vegetation assemblages. Present day sediment dynamics in the lake are governed by the presence of river point sources in the north and wave-induced re-suspension, such that sediments introduced by rivers are transported in easterly and southerly directions, and are eventually deposited in the eastern, central and southern parts of the lake. Sedimentary deposition is also occurring in northern areas that once were protected by papyrus swamp vegetation but now only have a narrow fringe, highlighting the important role of swamp vegetation in filtering out suspended particulates and thereby controlling water quality in the lake. Geochemical analyses of river and lake sediments indicate that they represent fairly undisturbed background conditions. Higher-than-expected concentrations of cadmium, iron, nickel and zinc found in both river and lake sediment are likely to derive from volcanic rocks and/or lateritic soils found in the lake catchment.
Lake Naivasha is unique in the chain of East African Rift Valley lakes in being the only freshwat... more Lake Naivasha is unique in the chain of East African Rift Valley lakes in being the only freshwater ecosystem in an otherwise soda/saline lake series. Catchment rivers have never previously been surveyed. Valley topography, precipitation patterns and geology create a diversity of river systems draining into Lake Naivasha. Semi-quantitative assessment using the River Habitat Survey technique demonstrates a diversity of habitats and erosion/sedimentation patterns, reflecting the tectonic origin of the area. The survey descriptions form a basis for identification of areas where efforts will need to be directed for physical and biological protection.
The diverse river systems of the Lake Naivasha catchment provide a wide range of habitats. Distri... more The diverse river systems of the Lake Naivasha catchment provide a wide range of habitats. Distribution of a number of flowering plant species along river corridors appears most strongly linked with altitude and topography, although some species have an affinity with river edges. A distinct dry land/savannah flora is represented close to river channels in the lower, temporary rivers, while other plant species are ubiquitous. More physically diverse river habitats support more diverse plant assemblages. Bird biodiversity and abundance appears to be strongly linked with habitat diversity and feeding guild data suggest that this is related to the availability of a range of food items. Diversity is not linked with rarity. Changes in land use patterns and intensity in the catchment can affect its capacity to support rich biological communities.
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