An assessment of water yield ecosystem services in Periyar Tiger Reserve, Southern Western Ghats of India

Figures & data

Figure 1. Location map of Periyar Tiger Reserve

Figure 2. (a) Average annual potential evapotranspiration; (b) plant available water content; (c) soil depth; (d) land use and land cover; (e) average annual precipitation; and (f) watershed and sub-watersheds

Table 1. Land cover statistics and their classification in PTR

Sl. no	Vegetation class/Land cover	Area
		km2	%
1	Evergreen Forest	342.12	36.99
2	Semi Evergreen Forest	223.2	24.13
3	Moist Deciduous Forest	79.48	8.59
4	Plantations	55	5.95
5	Grassland-Savanna	199.2	21.53
6	Waterbody	26	2.81
	Total	925	100

Table 2. Biophysical details for PTR

LULC description	LULC code	LULC vegetation	Root depth (mm)	Kc
Evergreen Forest	1	1	2000	0.95
Semi Evergreen Forest	2	1	2000	0.92
Moist Deciduous Forest	3	1	2500	0.9
Plantations	4	1	1500	0.9
Grassland-Savanna	5	1	500	0.7
Water spread area	6	0	200	0.5

Figure 3. Water yield map of PTR

Figure 4. Water yield ratio of different forest ecosystems in PTR

Table 3. Area and water yield percentage of different ecosystems in PTR

Land cover/Vegetation class	Area (sq.km)	Water yield %
Evergreen Forest	342.12	40
Semi Evergreen Forest	223.2	23.5
Moist Deciduous Forest	79.48	6.5
Plantations	55	4.6
Grassland-Savanna	199.2	22.7
Waterbody	26	2.7
Total	925	100

Figure 5. Water yield of different forest ecosystems in PTR

Table 4. Periyar and Pamba rivers' ratio of different ecosystems

Name ofwatershed	Forest ecosystems (Area %)
	Evergreen	SEG	MDF	Plantation	Grassland	Water
Periyar	27.92	12.96	5.77	2.50	16.31	2.54
Pamba	12.21	12.05	0.96	2.19	4.58	0.00