International Journal of Pure & Applied Bioscience (IJPAB)
Year : 2018, Volume : 6, Issue : 1
First page : (196) Last page : (205)
Article doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5493
Ecosystem Services, Drivers of Ecosystem Deterioration and Institutional Arrangements for their Management: The case of Kuttanad Coastal Wetland Ecosystem of Kerala
Sulakshana Rao1* and R. Balasubramanian2
1Ph.D. Scholar, 2Professor
(Agricultural Economics), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore
*Corresponding Author E-mail: gowripriyarao@gmail.com
Received: 21.08.2017 | Revised: 30.09.2017 | Accepted: 3.10.2017
ABSTRACT
Ecosystems provide a range of services, many of which are of fundamental importance to human well-being, for health, livelihoods, and survival. Wetlands are diverse and productive ecosystems with ecological and economic values. Kuttanad wetland ecosystem is such of a kind situated in the fertile lands of Vembanad Lake in Alleppey district of Kerala. Kuttanad ecosystem is a complex interaction between the various endemic floras, fauna, birds, fishes, livestock, ducks, crops with the human beings. But due to enormous anthropogenic activities, this region is deteriorating. Hence, in spite of being a source of livelihood their multiple-use potential is seriously undermined due to a narrow management regime focusing only on direct agricultural benefits. Therefore, in this paper the wetland ecosystem services, drivers of change in ecosystem services and the institutional arrangements for managing the Kuttanad wetlands. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from different stakeholders. Discussions with wetland specialists revealed a total of 22 ecosystem services, and a high level of dependency on these services by the residents. The major drivers of ecosystem deterioration are household sewage discharge and tourism encroachments. This suggests that there is an urgent need to have deeper insights into the multiple—often unrecognized—direct and indirect benefits of wetland ecosystems and also actions are required to manage the wetland ecosystem and its services in order to sustain these benefits to the current and future generations.
Key words: Kuttanad wetland; Ecosystem services; Drivers of deterioration; Institutional arrangementsFull Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782
Cite this article: Rao, S. and Balasubramanian, R., Ecosystem Services, Drivers of Ecosystem Deterioration and Institutional Arrangements for their Management: The case of Kuttanad Coastal Wetland Ecosystem of Kerala, Int. J. Pure App. Biosci.6(1): 196-205 (2018). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.5493
