Assessing the major ecosystem services offered by Ghana Keoladeo bird sanctuary in Rajasthan using GIS
Student name: Ms Shivali Sugandh
Guide: Dr P K Joshi
Year of completion: 2014
Host Organisation: UNESCO, New Delhi and TERI University
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Ram Boojh
Abstract: Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth. They provide an
array of ecological services which are essential for humans as well as their
environment to survive. Keoladeo National Park is a manmade wetland of
International Importance in India which is known for its avian biodiversity.
Considerable changes have taken place in the Land use Land cover of wetland in the
past 12 years on account of irregular water supply and subsequent invasion of many
exotic species. This has further affected the ecosystem services offered by the park
spatially and temporally. The study uses GIS and InVEST model, a spatially explicit
modeling tool to quantify the present net Value of 3 ecosystem services: Carbon
Sequestration, Habitat Quality for wetland Avifauna (indicator of wetland habitat
quality) and Recreational services offered by the Park. Estimates of the economic
value of these ecosystem services are based on Value transfer method from reviewed
literature (based on meta analysis approach). The study thus helps to identify the
conservation priorities, tradeoffs between various ecosystem services and appraise
options for preserving the ecosystem services of the park. By integrating these
recommendations and values in decision making, the Park can be protected from
deterioration in the near future.
Key words: Ecological, Wetland, InVEST, Value Transfer, Meta Analysis
