UNRAVELING THE NEXUS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC-ENVIRONMENTAL SHIFTS AND THEIR IMPACT ON LENTIC WATER BODIES IN INDIA

Abstract

Lentic water bodies (LWBs) face the challenge of mitigating water degradation induced by swift socioeconomic development. The progression of technology, societal shifts, and economic advancements contributes to environmental shifts, culminating in the contamination or depletion of LWBs. The vital ecosystem services provided by LWBs, such as recreation and education, habitat connectivity biodiversity hotspots, etc., their preservation needs attention. Our contribution aims to unravel the intricate connections between socio-economic and environmental changes to discern actionable measures for preventing and conserving LWBs. The main point of our investigation is the comprehensive understanding of the environmental decline of both artificial and natural LWBs and their interplay with diverse socio-economic-environmental factors, including population, GDP, literacy rates, Green House Gas Emissions, and other pertinent variables. Four Indian states, Gujarat, Punjab, West Bengal, and Kerala, which feature a broad range of socio-economic-environmental characteristics, are considered as our study areas. The proposed methodology involves the extraction of water bodies and their dimensions utilizing remote sensing data from 1990 to 2020. The socio-economic-environmental data collected from these study areas suggests notable changes in the population, literacy rate, and other pertinent factors. The interrelationships among these critical elements are analyzed through statistical methodologies such as the Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Coupling Coordination Degree and Principal Component Analysis. Coupling Coordination Degree is used to analyze the development in social economy and water environment from 1990-2020.The correlation between LWBs and every socio-economic and environmental factor has been assessed through Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Principal Component Analysis. The resulting correlations helped us in establishing the link between fluctuations in the number and area of LWBs and socio-economic-environmental transformations. As a result, it is identified that the pivotal factors that contribute to the deterioration of LWBs are increase in agricultural and barren land due to increase in the population whereas factors such as GHG emissions have not affected LWBs much. Factors such as Temperature, Rainfall and LULC change have contributed in some areas. The results suggest the need for awareness regarding the importance of LWBs and focusing on their environmental significance, keeping in mind the facilitation of enhancement in their design, operation and maintenance.