Your search found 124 records
1 Getnet, Kindie; MacAlister, Charlotte. 2012. Integrated innovations and recommendation domains: paradigm for developing, scaling-out, and targeting rainwater management innovations. Ecological Economics, 76:34-41. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2012.02.003]
Rain water management ; Water harvesting ; Rainfed farming ; Ecological factors ; Agronomic practices ; Technology ; Indicators ; Economic aspects ; Corporate culture
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H044800)
(0.39 MB)
The technical, economic, and ecological aspects of rainwater management are interlinked and spatially bounded. Developing, scaling-out, and targeting rainwater management innovations as adaptive strategies to upgrade rainfed agriculture are therefore preferably best approached through integrated innovations and recommendation domains as a paradigm. At the level of scenario development, the integrated innovations paradigm helps to understand and address integrity between technical, economic, and ecological issues that affect technology adoption, impact, and sustained use. At the level of scaling-out and targeting, recommendation domains provide the spatial dimension that embraces the economic, institutional, biophysical, and agro-ecological conditions in which integrated rainwater management innovations can be accommodated to address heterogeneity. This paper reviews Ethiopia's experience in rainwater management (adoption, performance, and impact) to get insights about the proposed paradigm and the factors entering the aradigm.The findings suggest that integrated innovations and the conditions of success embraced in a recommendation domain provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for a successful rainwater management intervention at a landscape level.
2 Siddiqui, Salman; Bharati, Luna; Pant, Menuka; Gurung, Pabitra; Rakhal, Biplov. 2012. Nepal: building climate resilience of watersheds in mountain eco-regions - climate change and vulnerability mapping in watersheds in middle and high mountains of Nepal. ADB Technical Assistance Consultant's Report for Department of Soil Conservation and Watershed Management (DSCWM), Government of Nepal. Kathmandu, Nepal: Asian Development Bank (ADB). 96p.
Climate change ; Watersheds ; Mountains ; Ecological factors ; Rain ; Landslides ; Flooding ; Drought ; Risks ; Socioeconomic environment ; Adaptation ; Indicators ; Mapping ; Data ; Analytical methods ; Sensitivity analysis ; Models / Nepal / Middle Mountains Regions / High Mountains Regions
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H045011)
http://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/project-document/73085/44214-023-nep-tacr.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045011.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H045011.pdf
(5.46 MB) (5.46MB)
Project Preparatory Technical Assistance 7883-NEP
3 Kotze, D. 2013. Assessing the ecological sustainability of wetland cultivation: experiences from Zambia and Malawi. In Wood, A.; Dixon, A.; McCartney, Matthew. (Eds.). Wetland management and sustainable livelihoods in Africa. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.138-159.
Wetlands ; Ecological factors ; Ecosystems ; Hydrology ; Land cover ; Erosion ; Soil organic matter ; Cultivation ; Vegetation / Zambia / Malawi / Chikakala / Katema
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H045889)
4 Wichelns, D. 2014. Virtual water and water footprints. In Lautze, Jonathan (Ed.). Key concepts in water resource management: a review and critical evaluation. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.75-90. (Earthscan Water Text)
Virtual water ; Water footprint ; Water conservation ; Arable land ; International trade ; Living standards ; Ecological factors ; Carbon
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.91 G000 LAU, e-copy SF Record No: H046520)
5 Biggs, E. M.; Boruff, B.; Bruce, E.; Duncan, J. M. A.; Haworth, B. J.; Duce, S.; Horsley, J.; Curnow, Jayne; Neef, A.; McNeill, K.; Pauli, N.; Van Ogtrop, F.; Imanari, Y. 2014. Environmental livelihood security in Southeast Asia and Oceania: a water-energy-food-livelihoods nexus approach for spatially assessing change. White paper. Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 114p. [doi: https://doi.org/10.5337/2014.231]
Environmental sustainability ; Environmental management ; Ecological factors ; Biodiversity ; Living standards ; Water security ; Energy conservation ; Food security ; Climate change ; Temperature ; Precipitation ; Cyclones ; Agriculture ; Farmland ; Demography ; Urbanization ; Sociocultural environment ; Gender ; Community management ; Institutions ; Political aspects ; Remote sensing ; Natural disasters ; Monitoring ; Sustainable development ; Assessment / Southeast Asia / Oceania
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H046758)
(5 MB)
6 Roe, D.; Elliott, J.; Sandbrook, C.; Walpole, M. (Eds.) 2013. Biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation: exploring the evidence for a link. Oxford, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. 336p. (Conservation Science and Practice Series 12) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118428351]
Biodiversity conservation ; Poverty ; Ecosystem services ; Ecological factors ; Natural resources management ; Forests ; Species ; Nature conservation ; Pastoralism ; Coastal area ; Arid zones ; Climate change ; Sustainable agriculture ; Community development ; Economic aspects ; Local organizations / Africa / Namibia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.9516 G000 ROE Record No: H046829)
(0.39 MB)
7 Clement, Floriane; Pokhrel, Paras; Sherpa, Tashi Yang Chung. 2015. Sustainability and replicability of multiple-use water systems (MUS). [Project report submitted to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the project “Study for the Market Access and Water Technology for Women” by IWMI, iDE, SAPPROS, Samjhauta and NTAG]. Kathmandu, Nepal: International Water Management Institute (IWMI). 72p.
Water use efficiency ; Multiple use ; Sustainability ; Indicators ; Performance indexes ; Water distribution ; Water users ; Households ; Farmers ; Land use ; Irrigation systems ; Drip irrigation ; Gender ; Women ; Equity ; Vegetable growing ; Marketing ; Socioeconomic environment ; Ecological factors ; Institutions ; Case studies / Nepal / Bhandarekhola / Lumle
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046890)
(2.38 MB)
8 Kurchania, A. K.; Rathore, N. S. 2014. Renewable energy policies to shrink the carbon footprint in cities: developing CSR programmes. In Maheshwari, B.; Purohit, R.; Malano, H.; Singh, V. P.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie. (Eds.). The security of water, food, energy and liveability of cities: challenges and opportunities for peri-urban futures. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.165-179. (Water Science and Technology Library Volume 71)
Renewable energy ; Policy ; Carbon dioxide ; Greenhouse gases ; Sustainability ; Periurban areas ; Environmental effects ; Ecological factors ; Solar energy ; Biomass ; Biofuels ; Hydrogen ; Geothermal energy ; Water power ; Wind power ; Social welfare ; Ecology ; Case studies
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047027)
The need for urban development patterns that are more ecologically sustainable becomes obvious in present context. Therefore, renewable energy is gaining importance day by day, particularly in the era of rapid urbanisation. As such, renewable energy could help in an organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). As part of a CSR initiative, a business can set up renewable energy systems in urban and peri-urban areas that will be maintained by local residents who have undergone training. Installing a mix of solar panels, wind mills and biogas plants can make urban and peri-urban areas energy self-sufficient. By adding renewable energy projects to their CSR activities, businesses will make a very positive intervention that will go a long way in improving the socio-economic lot of the disempowered. Increased use of renewable energy sources and thus energy conversation is the main pillar of a sustainable energy supply. This paper deals with the importance of Renewable Energy Sources in this context and strategies to be adopted for integrating these sources as a means of a sustainable development mechanism for procuring carbon credits and meeting different energy tasks in urban and peri-urban areas.
9 Vervoort, R. W. 2014. Maintaining landscape functionality under land use change. In Maheshwari, B.; Purohit, R.; Malano, H.; Singh, V. P.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie. (Eds.). The security of water, food, energy and liveability of cities: challenges and opportunities for peri-urban futures. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.393-401. (Water Science and Technology Library Volume 71)
Landscape ; Land use ; Urbanization ; Urban development ; Periurban areas ; Flooding ; Runoff ; Hydrology ; Models ; Policy ; Ecological factors / Australia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047049)
Peri-urban growth can affect local flood and drought risks, which are exacerbated by climate change. Research into optimal planning and arrangement of landscape functions is needed to manage local flood and drought risks. As a first step, simple hydrological models are required to study the range of feedbacks and interactions within the peri-urban areas. A demonstration, using a simple modeling example, indicates how including buffer zones will reduce local flooding and how such models can be used for virtual experiments. Further development of such simple tools into spatial and agent based models will support new field studies and policy development for peri-urban areas.
10 Mehra, S. P.; Mehra, S. 2014. Perspective on water and biodiversity issues in peri-urban landscapes: a case study of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, India. In Maheshwari, B.; Purohit, R.; Malano, H.; Singh, V. P.; Amerasinghe, Priyanie. (Eds.). The security of water, food, energy and liveability of cities: challenges and opportunities for peri-urban futures. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. pp.419-434. (Water Science and Technology Library Volume 71)
Biodiversity ; Periurban areas ; Landscape ; Ecological factors ; Wetlands ; Vegetation ; Water management ; Flooding ; National parks ; Flora ; Habitats ; Fauna ; Species ; Invertebrates ; Vertebrates ; Social aspects ; Community participation ; Case studies / India / Bharatpur / Keoladeo National Park / Chak Ramnagar
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047051)
Keoladeo National Park (KNP) at Bharatpur, locally known as ‘‘Ghana,’’ is acknowledged as one of the most enchanting and outstanding wetland reserves in the world. The wetland ecosystem is a system of small dams, dykes and sluice gates created to control the water level in different blocks. This park became the hunting preserve of the Bharatpur royalty and one of the best duck-shooting wetlands in the world from the 1850s through to the mid-1960s. It was designated as a bird sanctuary in 1956 and recognized as a Ramsar site in 1981. In 1982, it was established as a national park and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985. A socio-ecological study was carried out in the adjoining areas of KNP to assess the perception of children towards water and KNP. The paper highlights the historical perspective of water management in Bharatpur and its importance for the betterment of the unique ecosystem that is KNP. Further, change in the perception towards water through community management of water resources is discussed along with resolving local water problems through sustainable natural solutions with the support of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. The community participatory works invoke that the wetland management strategies need to be carefully integrated with land use planning and management at catchment and landscape levels.
11 Wehrheim, P.; Schoeller-Schletter, A.; Martius, C. (Eds.) 2008. Continuity and change Land and water use reforms in rural Uzbekistan: socio-economic and legal analyses for the region Khorezm. Halle (Saale), Germany: Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Central and Eastern Europe (IAMO). 203p. (Studies on the agricultural and food sector in Central and Eastern Europe 43)
Water use ; Land use ; Land reform ; Agrarian reform ; Legal aspects ; Agricultural production ; Cotton ; Markets ; Water allocation ; Water user associations ; Farms ; Farmers ; Crop management ; Hydrology ; Simulation models ; Technological changes ; State intervention ; Policy ; Ecological factors ; Rural areas ; Socioeconomic development / Uzbekistan / Khorezm Region
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 333.9113 G782 WEH Record No: H047294)
(1.79 MB) (1.79 MB)
12 Feola, G.; Lerner, A. M.; Jain, M.; Montefrio, M. J. F.; Nicholas, K. A. 2015. Researching farmer behaviour in climate change adaptation and sustainable agriculture: lessons learned from five case studies. Journal of Rural Studies, 39:74-84. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2015.03.009]
Climate change adaptation ; Sustainable agriculture ; Farmers attitudes ; Smallholders ; Research projects ; Agricultural production ; Decision making ; Models ; Economic aspects ; Social aspects ; Ecological factors ; Case studies / India / Philippines / Central Mexico / Colombia / USA / California
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047440)
(0.54 MB)
Understanding farmer behaviour is needed for local agricultural systems to produce food sustainably while facing multiple pressures. We synthesize existing literature to identify three fundamental questions that correspond to three distinct areas of knowledge necessary to understand farmer behaviour: 1) decision-making model; 2) cross-scale and cross-level pressures; and 3) temporal dynamics. We use this framework to compare five interdisciplinary case studies of agricultural systems in distinct geographical contexts across the globe. We find that these three areas of knowledge are important to understanding farmer behaviour, and can be used to guide the interdisciplinary design and interpretation of studies in the future. Most importantly, we find that these three areas need to be addressed simultaneously in order to understand farmer behaviour. We also identify three methodological challenges hindering this understanding: the suitability of theoretical frameworks, the trade-offs among methods and the limited timeframe of typical research projects. We propose that a triangulation research strategy that makes use of mixed methods, or collaborations between researchers across mixed disciplines, can be used to successfully address all three areas simultaneously and show how this strategy has been achieved in the case studies. The framework facilitates interdisciplinary research on farmer behaviour by opening up spaces of structured dialogue on assumptions, research questions and methods employed in investigation.
13 Ebrahim, Girma Yimer; Villholth, Karen Grothe. 2015. Assessment of groundwater availability from recession flows and instream flow requirements of rivers in South Africa. Gezina, Pretoria, South Africa: Water Research Commission. 60p. (Water Research Commission Report KV 339/15)
Groundwater recharge ; Groundwater extraction ; Water storage ; Water availability ; Water allocation ; Water requirements ; Stream flow ; Flow discharge ; Rivers ; Catchment areas ; Drainage ; Environmental flows ; Rain ; Multiple use ; Ecological factors ; Aquifers / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047542)
(4.38 MB)
Groundwater is an important resource for multiple uses in South Africa. However, setting limits to its sustainable abstraction while assuring basic human needs is a must. Due to prevalent data scarcity related to groundwater replenishment, which is the traditional basis for estimating groundwater availability, the present report presents a novel method for determining allocatable groundwater in quaternary catchment through information on streamflows. Using established methodologies for assessing baseflows, recession flows, and instream ecological flow requirements, the methodology develops a combined stepwise methodology to determine annual groundwater storage volumes in the catchments using linear reservoir theory, essentially linking low flows proportionally to upstream groundwater storages. The approach was trialled for twenty-one perennial and relatively undisturbed quaternary catchments with long-term and good streamflow records. Using the Desktop Reserve Model to estimate instream ecological flow requirements of the streams and equating these with ecological groundwater reserve, excess baseflows were converted into groundwater storages on an annual basis. Results show that groundwater development potential exists in nineteen of the catchments, with upper limits to allocatable groundwater volumes ranging from 0.01 to 1.58 MCM/yr over the catchments. With a secured availability of these volumes 75% of the years, variability between years is assumed to be manageable. A significant (R2 = 0.86) correlation between baseflow index and the drainage time scale for the catchments underscored the physical basis of the methodology and also enables the reduction of the procedure by one step, omitting recession flow analysis. The method serves as an important complementary tool for the assessment of the groundwater part of the Reserve and the groundwater directed measures.
14 Grum, B; Hessel, R.; Kessler, A.; Woldearegay, K.; Yazew, E.; Ritsema, C.; Geissen, V. 2016. A decision support approach for the selection and implementation of water harvesting techniques in arid and semi-arid regions. Agricultural Water Management, 173:35-47. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.04.018]
Water harvesting ; Techniques ; Indicators ; Decision support systems ; Arid zones ; Semiarid zones ; Watersheds ; Socioeconomic environment ; Ecological factors ; Biophysics ; Cultivated land ; Soils ; Rain ; GIS ; Mapping ; Stakeholders ; Case studies / Ethiopia / Upper Geba Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047605)
(3.70 MB)
Water harvesting techniques (WHTs) improve the availability of water, which is essential for growing crops, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. A decision support approach can help in the selection of WHTs suitable under site-specific bio-physical and socio-economic conditions. This paper describes a participatory approach for the selection of suitable WHTs in watersheds in (semi) arid regions. It builds on a database of suitability indicators for WHTs, which was developed by integrating worldwide knowledge on their suitability. Once developed, the approach was applied on a case study for WHTs in the upper Geba watershed in northern Ethiopia. First, based on evaluation criteria and participants’ scientific and local knowledge, a pre-selection of most promising WHTs took place in a multi-stakeholder workshop. Next, the suitability indicators and a GIS-based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) were used to identify suitable areas for these WHTs. The results of the MCA were presented to stakeholders during a second stakeholder workshop. At this workshop, a final selection of WHTs to test was made based on a participatory ranking of WHTs using economic, ecological and socio-cultural criteria. The MCA approach was validated by comparing the predicted suitable areas with the already existing WHTs in the watershed. This led to the result that 90% of the existing check dams and 93% of the percolation ponds were correctly identified by the approach. We conclude therefore that this approach can be successfully applied for the participatory selection of WHTs and the identification of suitable areas for their implementation. Given that this approach is based on the newly developed database of WHTs, it can be easily applied in other (semi) arid regions.
15 Vayda, A. P. 2009. Explaining human actions and environmental changes. Lanham, MD, USA: AltaMira Press. 303p.
Environmental effects ; Human behaviour ; Forest fire management ; Mangroves ; Planting ; Pest management ; Insect control ; Indigenous knowledge ; Deforestation ; Tropical forests ; Highlands ; Social sciences ; Anthropology ; Interdisciplinary research ; Ecological factors ; Models ; Land conflicts ; War ; Political aspects ; Case studies / Indonesia / Philippines / New Guinea / Maring
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: 304.2 G000 VAY Record No: H047655)
(0.34 MB)
16 Kansiime, M. K.; Mastenbroek, A. 2016. Enhancing resilience of farmer seed system to climate-induced stresses: insights from a case study in West Nile region, Uganda. Journal of Rural Studies, 47(Part A):220-230. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.08.004]
Farmers attitudes ; Seed sources ; Climate change ; Adaptation ; Resilience ; Drought tolerance ; Seed industry ; Performance evaluation ; Beans ; Maize ; Cassava ; Crop production ; Models ; Households ; Social aspects ; Ecological factors ; Case studies / Uganda / West Nile Region
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047685)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0743016716302418/pdfft?md5=6954cbf875da9b8f64efcfc5afdaa8dc&pid=1-s2.0-S0743016716302418-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047685.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047685.pdf
(1.17 MB) (1.17 MB)
Given the challenges facing African agriculture resulting from climate-induced stresses, building resilience is a priority. Seed systems are important for enhancing such resilience as seed security has direct links to food security, and resilient livelihoods in general. Using data from a case study in West Nile region in Uganda, we studied practices in farmer seed systems and decisions, particularly in response to climate-induced stress. Results helped to generate recommendations for enhancing seed system resilience. We used social-ecological framework and multinomial logit model to analyze seed systems and factors influencing farmers' decisions about seed use respectively. Farmers ranked drought as the most important climate factor affecting crop production. With over 50% of farmer seed sourced on farm, the effect of climate factors on seed system functioning was perceived in relation to diminishing levels in quantity and quality of yield. Decline in yield affected farmer seed saving, increased grain prices due to high demand, affecting seed availability and affordability. The relative importance of seed sources varied during normal and stress periods, and by crop. Farmers tended to shift from farm-saved seed to social networks and local markets during stress periods. Local Seed Businesses emerged as an alternative source of planting material during stress periods. Formal seed enterprises were important in delivering improved seed, especially for maize, though their importance during stress periods diminished. Farmer characteristics and ecological factors played a role in defining the type of seed used, though their significance varied by crop. We recommend an approach that integrates farmer seed systems with the formal system in general, but specifically focusing on strengthening social networks, promoting farmer seed enterprises and crop adaptation practices at farm scale.
17 Ebrahim, Girma Y.; Villholth, Karen G. 2016. Estimating shallow groundwater availability in small catchments using streamflow recession and instream flow requirements of rivers in South Africa. Journal of Hydrology, 541:754-765. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.07.032]
Groundwater assessment ; Water availability ; Water allocation ; Water storage ; Catchment areas ; Rivers ; Stream flow ; Models ; Aquifers ; Recharge ; Hydrogeology ; Drainage ; Rain ; Ecological factors ; Time series analysis ; Uncertainty / South Africa
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047700)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022169416304620/pdfft?md5=3b57079c21f59a0cad04768743f3435b&pid=1-s2.0-S0022169416304620-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047700.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047700.pdf
(2.86 MB) (2.86 MB)
Groundwater is an important resource for multiple uses in South Africa. Hence, setting limits to its sustainable abstraction while assuring basic human needs is required. Due to prevalent data scarcity related to groundwater replenishment, which is the traditional basis for estimating groundwater availability, the present article presents a novel method for determining allocatable groundwater in quaternary (fourth-order) catchments through information on streamflow. Using established methodologies for assessing baseflow, recession flow, and instream ecological flow requirement, the methodology develops a combined stepwise methodology to determine annual available groundwater storage volume using linear reservoir theory, essentially linking low flows proportionally to upstream groundwater storages. The approach was trialled for twenty-one perennial and relatively undisturbed catchments with long-term and reliable streamflow records. Using the Desktop Reserve Model, instream flow requirements necessary to meet the present ecological state of the streams were determined, and baseflows in excess of these flows were converted into a conservative estimates of allocatable groundwater storages on an annual basis. Results show that groundwater development potential exists in fourteen of the catchments, with upper limits to allocatable groundwater volumes (including present uses) ranging from 0.02 to 3.54 × 106 m3 a-1 (0.10–11.83 mm a-1) per catchment. With a secured availability of these volume 75% of the years, variability between years is assumed to be manageable. A significant (R2 = 0.88) correlation between baseflow index and the drainage time scale for the catchments underscores the physical basis of the methodology and also enables the reduction of the procedure by one step, omitting recession flow analysis. The method serves as an important complementary tool for the assessment of the groundwater part of the Reserve and the Groundwater Resource Directed Measures in South Africa and could be adapted and applied elsewhere.
18 Gunawardhana, W. D. T. M.; Jayawardhana, J. M. C. K.; Udayakumara, E. P. N. 2016. Impacts of agricultural practices on water quality in Uma Oya catchment area in Sri Lanka. Procedia Food Science, 6:339-343. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profoo.2016.02.068]
Water quality ; Agricultural practices ; Catchment areas ; Habitats ; Invertebrates ; Species ; Chemical compounds ; Pollutant load ; Ecological factors ; Farmland ; Land use ; Principal component analysis / Sri Lanka / Uma Oya
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047770)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211601X16000699/pdf?md5=4576562be7b258c1f31fbba8a85dc634&pid=1-s2.0-S2211601X16000699-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047770.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047770.pdf
(0.24 MB) (240 KB)
Sustainability of global food production is highly depending on the quality of the environment. In many parts of the world increase of agricultural production heavily depend on intensive agricultural practices which are having negative impact on the environment. The impacts of agricultural practices on surface water quality is given special attention currently since the safe and ample supply of freshwater is fundamental to humans and for the sustainability of ecosystem function. Intensive agricultural practices in river catchments often pose threat to the ecological integrity of river ecosystems. Uma Oya watershed in the upper Mahaweli watershed in Sri Lanka is an intensively cultivated landscape. In most parts of the catchment previously forested lands have been cleared and converted to agricultural lands. However, the empirical evidence on quantitative assessment of such land use conversion impacts on stream ecological health is lacking in the context of river catchments in Sri Lanka. Therefore the present study was aimed at evaluating the agricultural land use impacts on stream physical habitat quality, water quality and macroinvertebrate indices in the Uma Oya catchment at different spatial scales. The relationship between catchment and site scale % agricultural lands, water quality and macroinvertebrate indices were evaluated using univariate and multivariate approaches. The results indicated that stream physical habitat quality, water quality parameters and macroinvertebrate indices are significantly (p<0.05) affected by catchment scale % agricultural land cover. Among the water quality variables that were tested NO2-N, NH3-N, PO4-P and BOD5 level in sites with higher percentage of agricultural land cover exceeded the drinking water quality standards during dry season. PO4-P and BOD5 level in those sites exceeded the proposed ambient water quality standards for inland waters in Sri Lanka for aquatic life and for irrigation purposes. Findings of the present study suggest that catchment scale interventions are crucial for the management of Uma Oya watershed and for the improvement of water quality and sustainable agricultural production.
19 Smakhtin, Vladimir; Bharati, Luna. 2016. Environmental flows: keeping the basin rivers alive. In Bharati, Luna; Sharma, Bharat R.; Smakhtin, Vladimir (Eds.). The Ganges River Basin: status and challenges in water, environment and livelihoods. Oxon, UK: Routledge - Earthscan. pp.175-187. (Earthscan Series on Major River Basins of the World)
Environmental flows ; Water resources development ; River basins ; Runoff ; Assessment ; Water policy ; Riparian zones ; Cultural factors ; Ecological factors ; Hydrological factors / Nepal / India / Bangladesh / Ganges River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H047815)
20 Sinare, H.; Gordon, L. J.; Kautsky, E. E. 2016. Assessment of ecosystem services and benefits in village landscapes – a case study from Burkina Faso. Ecosystem Services, 21(Part A):141-152. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2016.08.004]
Ecosystem services ; Agricultural landscape ; Crop yield ; Compensation ; Small scale farming ; Smallholders ; Living standards ; Poverty ; Participatory approaches ; Social aspects ; Ecological factors ; Villages ; Spatial distribution ; Case studies / Sahel / Burkina Faso / Boursouma / Oula / Reko / Lebda / Koalma / Zarin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047869)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041616302170/pdfft?md5=aa435fe7e4a089aac54b0eb3d1770afc&pid=1-s2.0-S2212041616302170-main.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047869.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H047869.pdf
(4.49 MB) (4.48 MB)
Most methods to assess ecosystem services have been developed on large scales and depend on secondary data. Such data is scarce in rural areas with widespread poverty. Nevertheless, the population in these areas strongly depends on local ecosystem services for their livelihoods. These regions are in focus for substantial landscape investments that aim to alleviate poverty, but current methods fail to capture the vast range of ecosystem services supporting livelihoods, and can therefore not properly assess potential trade-offs and synergies among services that might arise from the interventions. We present a new method for classifying village landscapes into social-ecological patches (landscape units corresponding to local landscape perceptions), and for assessing provisioning ecosystem services and benefits to livelihoods from these patches. We apply the method, which include a range of participatory activities and satellite image analysis, in six villages across two regions in Burkina Faso. The results show significant and diverse contributions to livelihoods from six out of seven social-ecological patches. The results also show how provisioning ecosystem services, primarily used for subsistence, become more important sources of income during years when crops fail. The method is useful in many data poor regions, and the patch-approach allows for extrapolation across larger spatial scales with similar social-ecological systems.
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