Impacts of different Land Management practices on Ecosystem Services at Agew Maryam Watershed Wag-Himra zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

Accelerated soil erosion driven by anthropogenic activities has numerous adverse impacts on ecosystem services mainly affecting forest, rangeland, and agricultural ecosystems. To tackle the problem, substantial resources and efforts were invested in promoting soil and water conservation measures to improve agricultural production and environmental conditions and reduce land degradation. The study aimed to identify the impacts of different land management practices that hold different soil and water conservation measures on the provisions and regulations of ecosystem services. In this study, InVEST model version, 3.12.0 was used for other ecosystem services and to generate the scenario. The data type used for the model digital elevation model (DEM), rainfall erosivity map, soil erodibility map, land use map, watershed boundary, nutrient runoff proxy, and biophysical table were prepared from collected row data with Arc GIS 10.7.1. The total amount of sediment exported to the stream was 14.64t ha-1yr-1. Agew_Maryam watershed total score belongs slight rank. Sediment retention that had ecosystem service had minimized and retained soil from being eroded and transported in the Agew_Maryam watershed where 517.9 t ha-1yr-1 sediment ecosystem service is served and the difference of sediment retention from the bare land. Ecosystem service of nitrogen and phosphorus retention is 0.098 %ha−1 yr−1 and 5.6PPM ha−1 yr−1 of nitrogen and phosphorus retained in the watershed per hectare impacts on avoided treatment costs and or improved water security through access to clean drinking water. The watersheds have considerably avoided export and avoid erosion. That can service retention of sediment and nutrients by cover factors and conservation practices that decrease total suspended solids impacting health and distribution of aquatic populations, in reservoir sedimentation diminishing reservoir performance or increasing sediment control costs impact. Attention should be taken to land management with soil and water conservation practices to deserve better ecosystem service meant for livelihood.