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Abstract
Ecosystem services are crucial for sustaining environmental stability and supporting human well-being, especially in semiarid settings. This study assessed major provisioning (fodder biomass, soil organic matter) and regulating (soil temperature, soil moisture) ecosystem services in both vegetated and open land systems in the Soon Valley, Punjab. A comparative field-based approach was used, with soil samples collected from 0 to 15 cm depth and analysed using conventional procedures such as the Walkley-Black method for soil organic matter and gravimetric analysis for moisture content. The results found considerable disparities between land use categories. The mean soil temperature was much lower under vegetation (36.08°C) than on open ground (39.17 °C), with a very significant change (F = 66.86, p = 0.001). The soil moisture content was consistently greater beneath vegetation, ranging from 24.5 to 34.3%, whereas open land had lower values (17.0-25.9%). Soil organic matter (SOM) was significantly higher in vegetated regions (0.65-0.92%) than in open sites (0.45-0.69%), as confirmed by ANOVA (F = 62.23, p < 0.001). Vegetated systems had higher fodder biomass (338-528 g m⁻2) than open land (198-335 g m⁻²), suggesting better provisioning capability. These data show that vegetation greatly improves soil microclimatic conditions, increases moisture retention and carbon storage, and promotes higher biomass production. The study emphasizes the importance of vegetation in supporting ecosystem services and the necessity for appropriate land management measures to reduce environmental degradation in semiarid ecosystems.