Ecosystem Services

Global ecosystems - communities of plants, animals and their environment, interacting with each other - provide us with valuable goods and services such as clean drinking water, food, timber and medicines. These benefits are central to the wellbeing of human beings and all living organisms, although they currently face increasing threats from a range of sources including climate change, habitat loss and pollution. Earthwatch ecosystem services research focuses on multi-functional landscapes that maintain a balance between providing services and supporting biodiversity. Our ecosystem services research includes four initiatives:

  • Biodiversity Conservation: enhancing biodiversity conservation through effective landscape management.
  • Sustainable Agriculture: researching alternative land management plans in order to maintain sustainable farming practices.
  • Sustainable Forestry: maintaining ecosystem services and biological diversity in productive forests.
  • Freshwater: improving the availability and quality of freshwater for communities and wildlife.

Research Results

Saving Kenya’s Black Rhinos

Lead PI: Dr. Geoffrey Wahungu

For the last nine years Earthwatch habitat monitoring has provided baseline data on the effects of confinement of black rhinos, elephants and giraffe on Acacia (A. Drepanolobium) woodlands in the Olpejeta Conservancy, Kenya. It has been observed that elephants are largely responsible for the destruction and degredation of Acacia trees. There are significant seasonal variations in the destruction of Acacia xanthophloea by elephants at the Sweetwaters game reserve. Destruction is most critical during drought conditions. This seasonal pattern correlates positively with elephant movements and utilisation of microhabitats in the reserve. Destruction is most severe in the current or past artificial salt lick areas and in drinking and elephant river crossing areas. This situation is replicated in marshy areas which are obviously dry season foraging areas. Campsites and other human habitation areas recorded less damage.

Conversely, the effect of rhino damage on Acacia reduced even as rhino numbers in the reserve increased. Rhinos continued to occupy areas of the conservancy that were least used by elephants, indicating habitat segregation.

Results from the Earthwatch project on Saving Kenya’s Black Rhinos are used to develop vegetation and zonation maps which provide information needed for conservation management of Acacias, the black rhino and elephant populations. Giraffe damage to Acacia has been reduced, and trees are flowering in the old reserve section for the first time since the programme began in 1999. The project findings also resulted in a management action at Olpejeta. Controlled burning in Acacia  habitat was stopped after results indicated burning was detrimental to Acacias and therefore interfered with the productivity of rhino habitat.

See more results from our Ecosystem Service projects

Our ecosystem service projects currently support (with updated 2009 info):

  • 29 ecosystem service projects
  • In 17 countries
  • Providing over 86, 600 hours of fieldwork
  • Studying over 250 species
  • Enhancing 18 species
  • Supporting over 90 management plans, policies and conventions

Learn more about how we evaluate our projects with our Measures of Success