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Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems in the Souss-Massa River Region: An Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services

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The Souss‐Massa River Basin, Morocco

Part of the book series: The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry ((HEC,volume 53))

Abstract

Groundwater plays an integral role in sustaining certain types of aquatic, terrestrial, and coastal ecosystems and associated landscapes, both in humid and arid climatic regions. It is thus a key factor in efforts to maintain the ecological integrity of some key ecosystems. In Chtouka Aït Baha region, all ecosystems including the agroecosystem, forest, wetlands, etc., are depending on groundwater for their continuity. Because of lack of reports valuing ecosystem services in the region and to raise the interest and importance of showing the economic value of ecosystems to policy and decision-makers, we have determined the total economic value (TEV) of Chtouka Aït Baha ecosystem focusing on the main ecosystem services having a direct impact on the socioeconomic, ecological, and cultural development of the region. A detailed description of existing ecosystems and their services is presented as well as determination of their economic value. It was shown that the agroecosystem contributes by more than 74% in the TEV of the whole ecosystem. This percentage shows the important development of the agricultural sector especially this region is the most productive region in Souss-Massa region as well as Morocco. The forest ecosystem who contributes by more than 13% in the TEV has more regulating services than provisioning services compared to agroecosystem where climate regulation, CO2 sequestration, and erosion control services contribute by more than 43% of the TEV of this ecosystem compared to agroecosystem where regulating services contribute only by 3% in the TEV of the ecosystem. Recreation and ecotourism represents about 6% in the TEV of the whole ecosystem of Chtouka Aït Baha region which reflects its importance in the ecological and socioeconomic development of the region. Groundwater or aquifer ecosystem contributes by 5%; however, it is the most important ecosystem on which the whole ecosystem is depending for its sustainability. Thus an integrated management of groundwater resources taking into consideration the links between groundwater and other ecosystems should be improved and implemented in water management strategies and policies.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Convention on Wetlands, called the RAMSAR Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

  2. 2.

    According to World Bank Database (http://data.worldbank.org/country/morocco).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Agadir, Morocco

    Abdelaziz Hirich & Redouane Choukr-Allah

  2. International Center for Biosaline Agriculture, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

    Abdelaziz Hirich

  3. Souss-Massa-Drâa Hydraulic Basin Agency, Agadir, Morocco

    Abdessadek Nrhira

Authors
  1. Abdelaziz Hirich
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  2. Redouane Choukr-Allah
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  3. Abdessadek Nrhira
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Abdelaziz Hirich .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticulture, Hassan II Institute of Agronomy and Veterinary Medicine, Agadir, Morocco

    Redouane Choukr‐Allah

  2. Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, CEH, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    Ragab Ragab

  3. Department of Earth Sciences, University Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco

    Lhoussaine Bouchaou

  4. Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain

    Damià Barceló

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Hirich, A., Choukr-Allah, R., Nrhira, A. (2016). Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems in the Souss-Massa River Region: An Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services. In: Choukr‐Allah, R., Ragab, R., Bouchaou, L., Barceló, D. (eds) The Souss‐Massa River Basin, Morocco. The Handbook of Environmental Chemistry, vol 53. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2016_73

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