Surveys and Analysis of Farmers' Perception about Wetland Ecosystem Services in Poyang Lake
Wetland ecosystems characterized by a broad variety of biodiversity as well as ecological, economic and cultural functions provide a quantity of resources for human and production, and play a critical role in balancing the ecological systems. It is considered a base for human survival and social and economic development. Different stakeholders would have different definitions about wetland ecosystem services. Even though countries and governments have fully recognized ecosystem services, there has little comprehensive analysis and understanding associated with farmers' perception about wetland ecosystem services, factors and reasons. In the present work, the author performed a questionnaire survey on this. The questionnaires comprised of more close-ended questions and less open-ended questions were designed and 310 questionnaires were sent to 12 villages in three counties. Then the authors looked into the general information on farmers and agricultural production, fishing, wetland conservation and biodiversity. The Poyang Lake areas investigated in the study belong to the waters of Poyang Lake and lake islets, ranging in latitude roughly between 28° 11' N to 29°51' N and in longitude between 115°31' E-117°06' E. They contains 12 cities and counties, covering an area of 20,970 km2 and accounting for 12.6% of the total area of Jiangxi Province. The Poyang Lake areas are grain, cotton, oil, and fish production base. The authors utilized SPSS 16.0 for statistical analysis for the survey. Results indicated that farmers showed more sound understanding of sustainable wetland ecosystem services related to their own interests. Higher perception includes functions of weather regulation, biodiversity, fishery products, water purification, plant products, tour and recreation. Different farmers in different survey plots would show appreciable differences in the importance of wetland ecosystem services, such as tour and recreation, fiber and fuel, fishery products and plant products. Major factors affecting farmers' perception are gender, age, occupation and total income. In general, farmers' perception of water purification, biodiversity, fishery products, plant products and flood regulation are in accordance with other results.
Poyang lake regionWetland ecosystem serviceFarmers' perception
NETL
NSTL
万方数据
维普
