Assessing changes in the value of ecosystem services in response to land-use/land-cover dynamics in Nigeria

Aisha Olushola Arowolo; Xiangzheng Deng; Olusanya Abiodun Olatunji; Abiodun Elijah Obayelu

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.277

Assessing changes in the value of ecosystem services in response to land-use/land-cover dynamics in Nigeria

Sci Total Environ. 2018 Sep 15:636:597-609. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.277. Epub 2018 Apr 30.

Authors

Aisha Olushola Arowolo¹, Xiangzheng Deng², Olusanya Abiodun Olatunji³, Abiodun Elijah Obayelu⁴

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Nigeria.
² Centre for Chinese Agricultural Policy, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: dengxz.ccap@igsnrr.ac.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, People's Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
⁴ Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Ogun State, Nigeria.

PMID: 29723833
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.04.277

Abstract

Increasing human activities worldwide have significantly altered the natural ecosystems and consequently, the services they provide. This is no exception in Nigeria, where land-use/land-cover has undergone a series of dramatic changes over the years mainly due to the ever-growing large population. However, estimating the impact of such changes on a wide range of ecosystem services is seldom attempted. Thus, on the basis of GlobeLand30 land-cover maps for 2000 and 2010 and using the value transfer methodology, we evaluated changes in the value of ecosystem services in response to land-use/land-cover dynamics in Nigeria. The results showed that over the 10-year period, cultivated land sprawl over the forests and savannahs was predominant, and occurred mainly in the northern region of the country. During this period, we calculated an increase in the total ecosystem services value (ESV) in Nigeria from 665.93 billion (2007 US$) in 2000 to 667.44 billion (2007 US$) in 2010, 97.38% of which was contributed by cultivated land. The value of provisioning services increased while regulation, support, recreation and culture services decreased, amongst which, water regulation (-11.01%), gas regulation (-7.13%), cultural (-4.84%) and climate regulation (-4.3%) ecosystem functions are estimated as the most impacted. The increase in the total ESV in Nigeria associated with the huge increase in ecosystem services due to cultivated land expansion may make land-use changes (i.e. the ever-increasing agricultural expansion in Nigeria) appear economically profitable. However, continuous loss of services such as climate and water regulation that are largely provided by the natural ecosystems can result in huge economic losses that may exceed the apparent gains from cultivated land development. Therefore, we advocate that the conservation of the natural ecosystem should be a priority in future land-use management in Nigeria, a country highly vulnerable to climate change and incessantly impacted by natural disasters such as flooding.

Keywords: Agricultural expansion; Benefits transfer; Forests; Savannah; Value coefficients.