Ecosystem services vulnerability index: a novel framework to assess the vulnerability of species providing ecosystem service

Abstract

Wetlands, being rich habitats, constitute rich biodiversity while acting as the source of 40% of global ecosystem services. With the shrinkage of the wetland ecosystem, there is an imminent danger of losing several important flora and fauna that depend on this ecosystem. In India, around 589 species of aquatic plants have been recorded; however, there is no comprehensive data set on their distribution and importance in terms of ecosystem services delivered. Data on plant distribution, ecosystem services, habitat characteristics, and lifecycle have been compiled through various databases, including India Biodiversity Portal, Global Biodiversity Information Facility, and from literature, including the book on aquatic plants of India. Using GIS tools, the spatial distribution of wetland plants across India has been illustrated, showcasing the maximum distribution of wetland plants in the Western Ghats and Gangetic plains. Almost 50% of them were found to provide ecosystem services of economic importance. Finally, an attempt has been made to develop a novel framework (index) to assess the vulnerability of wetland plants known to provide ecosystem services of economic importance, named the 'Ecosystem Services Vulnerability Index (ESVI)'. The index included ecological characteristics, socio-economic drivers, and institutional parameters as attributes, and each was weighted accordingly. The ESVI highlighted that although most wetland plants were least vulnerable, 20 species among them need immediate conservation measures due to their high vulnerability. This study also highlighted the effectiveness of ESVI, through which more species were found vulnerable compared to the IUCN red list vulnerability index. This study suggests incorporating ESVI into future ecosystem services research to make it suitable for various ecosystems and habitats worldwide to conserve flora and fauna.