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Published VersionCC BY-NC V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Assessing the ecosystem health of Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest in Bangladesh using a modified forest quality index
Ecological Indicators, Vol.178, pp.1-15
2025
Abstract
Freshwater swamp forests are globally vulnerable ecosystems, facing significant degradation threats that compromise their ecological health. Understanding the current state of these imperiled ecosystems and the factors affecting their quality is vital for targeted conservation and management. The present study assessed the ecosystem health of the Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest (RFWSF), the only remaining freshwater swamp forest in Bangladesh. We developed a modified Forest Quality Index (FQI) to evaluate RFWSF’s ecosystem health by integrating five key components: biotic integrity, soil quality, water quality, socio-economic conditions, and ecotourism value. Each component was quantitatively assessed using corresponding indices—the Forest Biotic Integrity Index (FBII), Forest Soil Index (FSI), Forest Water Index (FWI), Forest Socioeconomic Index (FSEI), and Forest Ecotourism Index (FEI). Sixty randomly selected plots were established across three forest classes, based on canopy density: high dense forest (HD), moderate to low dense forest (MD), and low to no forest (LD). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to identify key variables contributing to the overall FQI. The FQI was categorized into five levels: 1 (Worst), 2 (Bad), 3 (Moderate), 4 (Good), and 5 (Excellent). Our findings indicate that all components were of moderate quality (FQI = 3) in both HD and MD areas, except for the FSEI, which was of poor quality (FQI = 2). The LD areas exhibited poor overall ecosystem health (FQI = 2), primarily due to reduced biotic and soil quality. Although water quality was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in HD and ecotourism zones, no significant difference in overall ecosystem health was observed between ecotourism and non-ecotourism zones. The mean Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) values were 0.48, 0.49, and 0.41, respectively, for HD, MD, and LD areas, aligning with the observed FQI trends. Spatial analysis of ecosystem health hotspots revealed good to excellent conditions concentrated in the central part of RFWSF, with degradation prevalent along its edges. Overall, our study finds RFWSF in a moderately healthy state and offers a component-based framework to guide site-specific conservation and sustainable management of similar wetland forest ecosystems.
Details
- Title
- Assessing the ecosystem health of Ratargul Freshwater Swamp Forest in Bangladesh using a modified forest quality index
- Authors
- Md. Sahinur Islam Fahim - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologyMd. Shydul Amin - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologyMd. Shamim Reza Saimun - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologyWahidur Rahman - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologySohag Ahammed - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologyMonwar Hossain - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologyFahmida Sultana - Shahjalal University of Science and TechnologySharif A. Mukul (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Tropical Forests and People Research CentreMohammed Abu Sayed Arfin-Khan (Corresponding Author) - Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
- Publication details
- Ecological Indicators, Vol.178, pp.1-15
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113938
- ISSN
- 1872-7034; 1470-160X
- Copyright note
- © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/4.0/).
- Data Availability
- The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
- Grant note
- We would like to express our gratitude to the Community Partnerships to Strengthen Sustainable Development (Compass) Program, an interagency initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bangladesh and the United States Forest Service, International Programs (USFS/IP), for their financial support in conducting this study. The study was further supported by funding from the SUST Research Center (FES/2023/2/01; FES/2024/1/01) to Mohammed Abu Sayed Arfin-Khan.
- Organisation Unit
- Tropical Forests and People Research Centre
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 991153711502621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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