ECOSYSTEM SERVICES OF JIKWATHLAR SPRING AREA OF GARKIDA TAULA CATCHMENT, BIU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, BORNO STATE, NIGERIA

The Jikwathlar Spring ecosystem is located within the Garkida Taula Catchment, Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, Nigeria. The spring is deeply integrated into the cultural and ecological life of the Garkida community, serving as a spiritual, hydrological, and biodiversity resource. The study examined the tangible and intangible ecosystem services derived from this sacred spring environment and documented how indigenous knowledge and conservation practices have maintained ecological integrity and supported community livelihoods over decades. The study combined ecological field surveys with ethnographic methods such as Key Informant Interviews (KII) with community elders, women, youth and with custodians of the spring and the traditional leaders. Direct field observation, spatial mapping of land cover features around the spring and thematic classification of services using the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment framework were also integrated to acquire the needed data and information for identification and categorization of ecosystem services. The results revealed that the spring provides various ecosystem services including Provisioning Services like perennial water supply used for domestic use, irrigation, and livestock and medicinal resources, wild fruits and games. It also provides Regulating Services including vegetation and surface runoff control, tree microclimate stabilization and carbon sequestration. Other services are Cultural Services (sacred site embodying traditional spiritual beliefs and practices) and Supporting Services (supports biodiversity, including endemic bird species, insects, and diverse flora and various animal species). The findings suggest that this ecosystem represents an exemplary model of communitydriven conservation that contributes to sustainable resource management and biodiversity protection. The study recommended the recognition of sacred natural sites in environmental legislation, and the support for local conservation efforts for sustainable livelihood and agroecological practices