An integrated assessment of the effects of natural and human disturbances on a wetland ecosystem: a retrospective from Phobjikha Conservation Area, Bhutan

Research Report 2014/1

This report discusses the increasing pressure of converting the Phobjikha wetland (Bhutan) for economic development and its impact on region's ecosystem resilience to various drivers of change, including climate change. It argues that enhancing economic development without compromising the wetland is a significant challenge and therefore socioeconomic development must be integrated to promote holistic landscape-level understanding and management interventions.

The report highlights the state of the ecosystems and biodiversity, socioeconomic development, and the effects of climate variability and other drivers of change on weather-dependent biodiversity resources, such as wetland ecosystems, agriculture, and migratory species. Particular attention is paid to the impact of climate change on ecosystem goods and services and their consequences for communities’ livelihoods. The report discusses in detail the factors influencing people’s adaptive capacity, along with the identification of coping strategies communities have adopted in response to perceived changes. It discusses the prospect of management zonation for enhancing ecosystem services, addressing aspects of community vulnerabilities, and socioeconomic development.