Assessment of watershed management ecosystem services in India: a meta-analysis.

Besides increasing agricultural productivity, well-developed watersheds have immense potential to minimize land degradation, mitigating the adverse impact of climate change and generating several other ecosystem services (ES). Quantifying these services is quintessential in operationalizing the concept of management and decisionmaking relating to watershed management. The present study estimates the value of regulating (soil conservation and carbon sequestration) and supporting ES (groundwater recharge) generated by watersheds in India, and examines the factors that influence the flow of ES from watersheds. The study followed a meta-analysis approach using information from 221 watersheds in 5 major agroclimatic zones of the country. We found that the watershed generates ES to the tune of Rs 34,113 per ha, with water recharging alone accounting for 60% of it. It shows that people's participation in the planning, implementation and management of watersheds significantly enhances ES. Macro-watersheds (≥ 1000 ha) are more effective in generating ES, underscoring the need for investment in watersheds management in the semi-arid tropical regions, where problems of degradation of natural resources are more pronounced. This study suggests policies for land restoration and payment for ES to increase their flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]