The Nexus between spatiotemporal land use/land cover dynamics and ecosystem service values in the wabe river catchment, Omo Gibe River Basin, Ethiopia

A significant decline in ecosystem service values (ESVs) of US$3227.20 million was observed in the Wabe River catchment, Ethiopia, from 1986 to 2022, driven by substantial changes in land use/land cover (LULC). The study projected further ESV losses of US$1410.52 million by 2058, with built-up areas and agriculture expanding at the expense of grasslands, forests, and agroforestry. Future scenarios suggest continued degradation, particularly in midlands and highlands, while lowlands may see slight increases. The research employed supervised classification techniques using Landsat imagery, multilayer perceptron neural networks, and cellular automata-Markov chain algorithms to forecast LULC changes and quantify their impact on ESVs. These findings underscore the urgent need for sustainable land management and conservation efforts to mitigate ecosystem degradation in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mathewos, Y., Abate, B., Dadi, M., & Mathewos, M. (2024). The Nexus between spatiotemporal land use/land cover dynamics and ecosystem service values in the wabe river catchment, Omo Gibe River Basin, Ethiopia. Environmental Challenges, 17, 101053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2024.101053