Tropical Plant Research
An International Journal by Society for Tropical Plant Research
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2023, VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3Pages: 97-106
Exploring relationship between ecosystem services and socioeconomic development in the East Kolkata and Haiderpur wetlands of India
Stalin Nithaniyal, O. N. Maurya*, S. Sachan, B. Lakshamanudu and A. K. Verma
*Botanical Survey of India, Central Regional Centre, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract:
The world's most productive ecosystems at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial environments are known as Wetlands. They are unique concerning their structure and functions and are regarded as the cultural heritage of humanity. As per reports, India comprises over 7 lakh wetlands, of which only 75 have been designated Ramsar sites. These wetlands naturally help to mitigate climate change, maintain hydrological cycles, and reduce the carbon footprint. In fact, wetlands provide opportunities for fisheries, agriculture, energy resources, recreation, and tourism, which directly benefit the livelihoods of local communities. For instance, the East Kolkata Wetland recycles and reuses the city's sewage water through longstanding aquaculture and agriculture practices. At the same time, it supports employment and revenue generation through aquaculture products. Similarly, our exploration at Haiderpur wetland in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, witnessed the socio-economic potential through Trapa natans (water caltrop) cultivation. Though wetlands offer several direct and indirect ecosystem services, more than 35% of wetlands have been degraded or lost since 1970. According to the Ramsar convention reports, wetlands disappear three times faster than forests. Therefore, it is a prerequisite to protect the vulnerable wetlands and disseminate information on the importance of local wetlands through case studies and create public awareness as envisioned by the 'Wetland Mitra,' a government initiative for wetlands conservation. Considering the above-mentioned facts, the present work was undertaken, which mainly focused on assessing the potential of selected wetlands in the context of ecosystem service and sustainable livelihoods.
The world's most productive ecosystems at the interface between aquatic and terrestrial environments are known as Wetlands. They are unique concerning their structure and functions and are regarded as the cultural heritage of humanity. As per reports, India comprises over 7 lakh wetlands, of which only 75 have been designated Ramsar sites. These wetlands naturally help to mitigate climate change, maintain hydrological cycles, and reduce the carbon footprint. In fact, wetlands provide opportunities for fisheries, agriculture, energy resources, recreation, and tourism, which directly benefit the livelihoods of local communities. For instance, the East Kolkata Wetland recycles and reuses the city's sewage water through longstanding aquaculture and agriculture practices. At the same time, it supports employment and revenue generation through aquaculture products. Similarly, our exploration at Haiderpur wetland in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, witnessed the socio-economic potential through Trapa natans (water caltrop) cultivation. Though wetlands offer several direct and indirect ecosystem services, more than 35% of wetlands have been degraded or lost since 1970. According to the Ramsar convention reports, wetlands disappear three times faster than forests. Therefore, it is a prerequisite to protect the vulnerable wetlands and disseminate information on the importance of local wetlands through case studies and create public awareness as envisioned by the 'Wetland Mitra,' a government initiative for wetlands conservation. Considering the above-mentioned facts, the present work was undertaken, which mainly focused on assessing the potential of selected wetlands in the context of ecosystem service and sustainable livelihoods.
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