A Study of the ecological services provided by the Puttalam lagoon in the Puttalam Divisional Secretariat Division.

Abstract

The use of lagoon ecosystems is a prevalent environmental problem in today's world. As the biomass production of lagoons has increased, the lagoon ecosystem is gradually being destroyed with human use. As the population grows, the damage is escalating. Over-consumption of natural resources globally and due to the degradation, those scarce resources are now being ecologically charged a value. The main objective of this study is to identify the ecological services of the Puttalam Lagoon (PL). Puttalam Divisional Secretariat Division selected as the study area for this research. Primary data collected through questionnaires and interviews from thirty randomly selected persons in five Grama Niladhari Divisions in the boundary of the PL. Also, the data verified through the observation. To analyze the data, both quantitative and descriptive methods were used. MS excel software is used to analyze quantitative data and tables, charts, and maps that were used to interpret the data. According to the above analysis, the ecological services provided by the lagoon environment were categorized as production services, environmental phenomena protection services, cultural services, and services to other ecosystems. These services have been a great help to the daily life of the people living in the area. But it was also proved by the observation that there was a misuse of resources in terms of the way it was used. It is necessary to study the nature of these services to preserve the ecosystem in the lagoon. When obtaining services from the lagoon, it is time to consider future generations and ensure that they do not harm the lagoon's environment. Enforcing the existing rules in this regard is strategic. Further, residents should be properly educated and encouraged to protect the lagoon.