The nexus between human well-being of peri-urban communities and ecosystem services: A case study of Panju island, Mumbai metropolitan region, India

The well-being of humans depends on the natural environment in multiple ways. For example, the benefits we receive from the natural environment – ecosystem services – play a major role in sustaining our well-being. The dependency ranges from food and fibre, as provisioning ecosystem services, to enjoying a beautiful landscape, as a cultural ecosystem service. However, the question is whether everyone receives these benefits in the same way. Does assessing the cumulative availability of ecosystem services translate to well-being outcomes? No, multiple factors mediate the outcome, such as the capabilities of individuals (e.g., education level and skills). Current mainstream ecosystem service research does not consider these mediating factors and focuses on aggregated perspectives. This is because such explicit characterisations are complex in large-scale studies. This study investigates such aspects at a micro-level through a bottom-up approach. It explores the availability, use, and changes related to ecosystem services at an individual level. It highlights the importance of such ecosystem service information in the local-level decision-making process and management.