Monitoring Changes in Ecosystem Service Valuation of Arial Beel, Bangladesh

Abstract

Wetlands are an important part of the environment that maintains the ecological balance and provide critical ecosystem services. They are an integral part of the life and livelihood of the rural communities and are essential for biodiversity conservation. The aim of this study is to quantify the temporal change of Ecosystem Service Value (ESV) in Arial Beel, Munshiganj, Bangladesh, from 2000 to 2025. For this, Landsat 9, 8 OLI/TIRS, and Landsat 5 TM imagery were used for Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) mapping. Then the ESV was calculated, and a sensitivity analysis was conducted to check the robustness of the ESV coefficients. This study found that, over the 25 years, cropland and urban settlement of the study area almost doubled at the cost of its Beel area (wetland) and water bodies (Rivers and Streams). This resulted in a decrease in the ESV of the study area by 2.29 million USD per year. Moreover, nine ecosystem service functions were assessed in this study, among which eight showed a decreasing trend over time in the study area. Lastly, the results of the sensitivity analysis indicated that the ESV coefficients used in the study were inelastic and reliable. This study will provide a clear understanding of the ecosystem services condition of the Arial Beel and foster recognition of the need for wetland conservation to sustain its ecosystem services. 

The Dhaka University Journal of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vol. 15(1), 2026, P 139-156