ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND THEIR DEFICITS IN INDIAN METROPOLITAN REGIONS

Abstract

Metropolitan regions (MRs) of India face challenges related to its natural environment and unscientific infrastructure development, which has significantly affected the ecosystems and their services. The ecosystem services (ES) generated and consumed in this region need to be more adequately studied, leading to a better understanding of the status of key ES, such as habitat management, carbon storage, and water availability. In this study, we assessed the production and consumption of three ES, namely Habitat Quality (HQ), Carbon Storage and Sequestration (CSS), and Water Yield (WY), in ten MR of India i.e., NCR Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Pune, Surat, and Lucknow for the years 2005 and 2020 to understand the temporal changes in their availability and consumption patterns. The assessment is performed using the InVEST model at a spatial resolution of 30 m utilising the land cover data from NRSC, Hyderabad. Our findings revealed a concerning deterioration in HQ within 15 years, which can be attributed to rapid urbanisation and land cover alterations. Compared to other regions, only Mumbai MR has less than 60% area classified as poor HQ due to the significant presence of dense forests. A substantial difference in CSS between 2020 and 2005 was also observed, indicating shifts in the landscape, carbon emission, and sequestration dynamics. For water yield, different components of runoff (quick flow, local recharge, and baseflow) were quantified, and an increase in water yield was observed, particularly in artificial urban areas. Moreover, there were also shifts in the spatial pattern of higher TY (total yield) in regions like NCR Delhi, Bangalore, and Ahmedabad MRs. The carbon storage deficit in NCR Delhi, Pune, and Bangalore MRs showed a surplus in the study period, while other MRs revealed a significant deficit, especially the Surat MR. In the case of water storage deficit, all the ten MRs unveiled high deficit values. In conclusion, the study emphasises the need for effective land management that benefits both nature and human beings. Moreover, there is a need for sustainable use of water and land resources through conservation strategies.