Complex interactions between benefits, ecosystem services and landscape dynamics: A synthesis of Lake Malombe, Malawi

Q3 Environmental Science
Rodgers Makwinja, Seyoum Mengistou, Emmanuel Kaunda, Tena Alamirew
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引用次数: 1

Abstract

African inland freshwater lakes experience a high level of exploitation, as evidenced by a decline in biodiversity, food production and rising poverty. Lake Malombe in Malawi provides the best example of this situation. The lake catchment is severely degraded and faces profound biodiversity losses. Households in the catchment are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty. Management decisions regarding Lake Malombe involve choices that reflect opportunity costs among the complex socio-ecological interactions that are often unnoticeable. Ecosystem managers unintentionally make decisions that diminish the value of some critical ecosystem services (ESs), while enhancing others. The present study used geospatial and participatory approaches to explore complex interactions between benefits, ESs and landscape dynamics. The study findings indicate the ecosystem provisioning services (EPSs) are the main livelihood sustenance vehicle for Lake Malombe's local population. The increased cultivated land from 52,932 to 78,983 ha and decreased forest land from 56,235 to 8585 ha between 1989 and 2019 are linked to EPSs changes at the expense of regulatory, supporting and cultural ecosystem services. The findings of the present study suggest an important need to balance the opportunity costs among the complex ESs dynamics and landscape transformation as a means of achieving management policy efficiency while at the same time also avoiding adverse outcomes from human activities.

效益、生态系统服务和景观动态之间的复杂相互作用:马拉维马伦贝湖的综合
非洲内陆淡水湖受到高度开发,生物多样性下降、粮食生产减少和贫困加剧就是明证。马拉维的马隆贝湖就是最好的例子。湖泊集水区严重退化,面临严重的生物多样性丧失。汇水区的家庭陷入了贫困的恶性循环。关于马伦贝湖的管理决策涉及的选择反映了复杂的社会生态相互作用中的机会成本,而这些相互作用往往是不被注意的。生态系统管理者在无意中做出了降低某些关键生态系统服务(ESs)价值的决策,同时增强了其他关键生态系统服务的价值。本研究使用地理空间和参与式方法来探索效益、生态环境和景观动态之间复杂的相互作用。研究结果表明,生态系统供给服务(eps)是马伦贝湖当地居民主要的生计维持工具。1989年至2019年期间,耕地从52,932公顷增加到78,983公顷,林地从56235公顷减少到8585公顷,这与生态系统的变化有关,而牺牲了监管、支持和文化生态系统服务。本研究的结果表明,有必要平衡复杂的生态系统动态和景观转变之间的机会成本,作为实现管理政策效率的手段,同时也避免人类活动的不利后果。
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来源期刊
Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management
Lakes and Reservoirs: Research and Management Environmental Science-Water Science and Technology
CiteScore
2.40
自引率
0.00%
发文量
29
期刊介绍: Lakes & Reservoirs: Research and Management aims to promote environmentally sound management of natural and artificial lakes, consistent with sustainable development policies. This peer-reviewed Journal publishes international research on the management and conservation of lakes and reservoirs to facilitate the international exchange of results.
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