scholarly journals Identifying and Mapping the Responses of Ecosystem Services to Land Use Change in Rapidly Urbanizing Regions: A Case Study in Foshan City, China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4374
Author(s):  
Zhuo Wu ◽  
Rubo Zhou ◽  
Ziyao Zeng
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Research Framework ◽  
Response Index ◽  
Spatial Response ◽  
Foshan City

Rapid urbanization has degraded some important ecosystem services and threatens socioeconomic sustainability. Although many studies have focused on the effect of urbanization on ecosystem services, the effect and its threshold have not been well-identified spatially. In this study, we propose a research framework by integrating nighttime light data, the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Environmental Service and Tradeoffs) model, and a spatial response index to characterize the response of ecosystem services to rapid urbanization. We considered Foshan City as a case study to explore the effect of rapid urbanization on ecosystem services during 2000–2018. Our results showed that rapid urbanization resulted in a 49.13% reduction in agricultural production and a 10.13% reduction in habitat quality. The spatial response index of agricultural production, habitat quality, soil retention, water yield, and carbon sequestration were 14.25%, 2.94%, 0.04%, 0.78%, and 0.07%, respectively. We found that developing urban areas had the highest spatial response index, indicating that this area was the crucial area for future land management. We consider that our research framework can help identify the key areas affected by rapid urbanization. Visualizing the spatial response index and extracting the threshold for different levels of urbanization will be conducive to sustainable urban management and planning.

Response and Simulation of Trade-offs/synergies Among Ecosystem Services to Ecological Restoration Program: a Case Study of the Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration, China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiantian Chen ◽  
Li Peng ◽  
Qiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Carbon Sequestration ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Ecological Security ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Synergistic Relationships

Abstract The Grain to Green Program (GTGP), as a policy tool for advancing ecological progress, has been operating for 20 years and has played an important role in improving ecosystem service values. However, there are few studies on the trade-off/synergy changes in ecosystem services during the implementation of the GTGP and how to select the optimal scheme for regional ecological security based on the trade-off relationship. Thus, we took the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CCUA) in southwestern China as the study area; we used multisource data and the corresponding models and methods to estimate the regional food production, carbon sequestration, water yield, soil conservation and habitat quality services. Then, we clarified the trade-off/synergy relationships among ecosystem services from 2000 to 2015 by spatial analysis and statistical methods and evaluated the influential mechanism of the GTGP on trade-offs between ecosystem services. Finally, different risk scenarios were constructed by the ordered weighted average algorithm (OWA), and the regional ecological security pattern was simulated under the principle of the best protection efficiency and the highest trade-off degree. We found that (1) the trade-offs/synergies of regional ecosystem services changed significantly from 2000 to 2015. Among them, food production, water yield and soil conservation have always had trade-off relationships, while carbon sequestration, soil conservation and habitat quality have all had synergistic relationships. The relationships between carbon sequestration and water yield and food production changed from non-correlated to trade-off/synergistic, and the relationship between habitat quality and food production and water yield was not obvious. (2) Except for carbon sequestration service, the trade-off intensity between other ecosystem services decreased, indicating that the change trend of ecosystem services in the same direction was obvious. (3) The GTGP has been an important factor affecting the trade-off intensity of regional ecosystem services. On the one hand, it has strengthened the synergistic relationships among carbon sequestration, soil conservation and habitat quality; on the other hand, it has increased the constraints of water resources on soil conservation and vegetation restoration. (4) The decision risk coefficient α = 1.6 was the most suitable scenario, the total amount of regional ecosystem services was high, and the allocation was balanced under this scenario. The ecological security area corresponding to this scenario was also the area with high carbon sequestration and habitat quality services. The purpose of this study was to provide a scientific reference for the precise implementation of the GTGP.

scholarly journals Ecosystem Services and Their Relationships in the Grain-for-Green Programme—A Case Study of Duolun County in Inner Mongolia, China

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 4036 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongliang Dang ◽  
Xiaobing Li ◽  
Shengkun Li ◽  
Huashun Dou
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Ecological Environment ◽  
Vegetation Coverage ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Grassland Restoration ◽  
Ecological Health ◽  
Grain For Green

Grassland restoration projects are currently being implemented to mitigate human disturbance to the natural environment and reduce grassland degradation. China’s Grain-for-Green Programme (GFGP), including one project implemented in Duolun County, China, in 2000, has significantly improved the overall ecological health of this region. Using a modeling approach, this study quantified changes in four ecosystem services (ESs), including Net Primary Production (NPP), soil conservation (SC), water yield (WY), and sandstorm prevention (SP), in Duolun County between 2000 and 2016. We found the total NPP, water yield, and soil conservation increased by 80.44%, 248.2%, and 12.2%, respectively, during this period, while the sandstorm prevention decreased by 55.9%. Unlike other areas of GFGP implementation, the improvement of the ecological environment in Duolun County is largely attributed to the increased of vegetation coverage (88%) instead of land use circulation (12%). We found the grassland is a factor that reduces the trade-off while this effect was related with the grassland coverage. Future policies should be based on the mechanisms of vegetation underlying the ESs change and the relationships of ESs in order to achieve sustainable provision of ESs.

scholarly journals An Ecosystem Services Valuation Research Framework for Policy Integration in Developing Countries: A Case Study from Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 8250
Author(s):  
Ram Prasad Acharya ◽  
Tek Narayan Maraseni ◽  
Geoff Cockfield
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Policy Integration ◽  
Research Framework ◽  
Research Outcomes ◽  
Forest Ecosystem Services ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
High Investment ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Limited Application

Forest ecosystem services (ES) valuation research has increased exponentially in recent years, and scholars accept that such research could be useful in reshaping governments’ policies. Despite such scholarly efforts, the research outcomes have had limited application in actual policies and plans. This study explores reasons why ES valuation research recommendations are not reflected in policy processes and proposes a research framework which, when appropriately applied, would lead to the adoption of research findings. Literature review, semi-structured expert interviews (N = 29), and a workshop (N = 2), were used to achieve these objectives. Experts expressed that limited stakeholder engagement is the key factor hindering incorporation of ES research outcomes in policies and plans. We developed a framework that comprises four major components (inputs, actors, outcomes, impacts) and sets out the seven major steps involved in implementing this framework. Effective engagement of relevant stakeholders in each step is critical to integrate the ES research outcomes in policy and plans although this will demand a lengthy timeframe and a high investment requirement. Such engagement would create an environment of trust that enhances the acceptability of research outcomes among stakeholders. The acceptability of the research outcomes can increase ownership leading to more informed decision making, and ultimately yield desired outcomes in ES conservation.

scholarly journals From Environmental Soundness to Sustainable Development: Improving Applicability of Payment for Ecosystem Services Scheme for Diverting Regional Sustainability Transition in Developing Countries

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohui Ding ◽  
Chen Zhou ◽  
Volker Mauerhofer ◽  
Weizhou Zhong ◽  
Guoping Li
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Emerging Countries ◽  
Water Diversion ◽  
Regional Sustainability ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Spatial Targeting

In developing and emerging countries, rapid urbanization at an unprecedented pace and degradation of ecosystem services at an alarming rate have caused many regions, especially those in environmentally sensitive areas (ESAs), to encounter the “regional development dilemma” (RDD), in which regions can hardly divert their current development pattern to achieve a transition to sustainability. The main research focus of this study is to introduce—by means of a case study—a payments for ecosystem service (PES) scheme as a policy instrument that incorporates an ecosystem services (ES)-based baseline for payments and a spatial-targeting-based allocation plan to address that dilemma and to bridge, as well as achieve, sustainable development goals simultaneously at a regional scale. The water source areas of the Middle Route Project in the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China were used as the case study. Land Use/Land Cover Change (LUCC) of this area between 2002 and 2010 was detected by adopting remote sensing and spatial analysis technologies. The ecosystem services value (ESV) variation was then estimated and the eco-compensation plan was determined through comprehensively applying equivalent weighting factors of the ecosystem service of terrestrial ecosystems in China and the adjustment coefficient of the ecosystem service based on the notion of willingness to pay for ecosystem services. Results show that rapid urbanization has substantial impacts on the spatial dynamics and quality of ecosystems in the research area. From 2002 to 2010, the total ESV declined by CNY 6 billion. Therefore, the baseline eco-compensation from the benefit zone to the research area was CNY 1.1 billion under the assumption of commensurability. Responsibility ought to be shared by Henan and Hebei provinces, and Beijing and Tianjin, with payment of CNY 422.3, 388.5, 110.9, and 133 million, respectively. We drafted the allocation plan of eco-compensation based on the spatial pattern of ESV variation, and suggested policy tools tailored for subregions in the research area defined by LUCC change categories. Such an integrated study can lead to a more comprehensive understanding of regional PES schemes and provide a set of policy instruments with upgraded spatial-targeting and better cost-efficiency, particularly as blueprints for regional governments in developing and emerging countries that aim at leveraging regional sustainability through bridging and achieving SDGs.

scholarly journals Urban-rural gradients of ecosystem services and the linkages with socioeconomics

2015 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 1-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yin Hou ◽  
Felix Müller ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
Franziska Kroll
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Population Density ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Unemployment Rate ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Road Density ◽  
Urban Fabric ◽  
Housing Area ◽  
Urban Rural

The principle of urban-rural gradients can reveal the spatial variations of ecosystem services and socioeconomic dimensions. The interrelations between ecosystem services and socioeconomics have scarcely been considered in the context of urban-rural areas. We investigated the spatial gradients and the mutual linkages of several ecosystem services and socioeconomic variables in the urban-rural areas of Leipzig, Germany, and Kunming, China. The results showed some regularities in the spatial patterns of ecosystem services and socioeconomic dimensions in both study areas. Habitat quality and f-evapotranspiration of Leipzig and habitat quality of Kunming demonstrated apparent increasing trends along all gradient patterns. However, the other ecosystem services presented divergent spatial variabilities in different gradient patterns. Road density, urban fabric and population density showed identical declining trends in both case study areas. Differently, household size, housing area as well as unemployment rate in Leipzig presented inconsistent spatial dynamics with considerable fluctuations. With regard to the gradient interrelations, road density, urban fabric and population density were strongly correlated with most ecosystem services in both case study areas. In contrast, the gradients of household size, housing area and unemployment rate of Leipzig showed inconsistent correlations with the ecosystem services gradients. Our study provides evidence to the argument that typical patterns of ecosystem service gradients do not exist in different urban-rural areas.

Tradeoffs between agricultural production and ecosystem services: A case study in Zhangye, Northwest China

2020 ◽  
Vol 707 ◽  
pp. 136032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihui Li ◽  
Xiangzheng Deng ◽  
Gui Jin ◽  
Alnail Mohmmed ◽  
Aisha Olushola Arowolo
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Northwest China

scholarly journals Impacts of Strict Cropland Protection on Water Yield: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinli Ke ◽  
Liye Wang ◽  
Yanchun Ma ◽  
Kunpeng Pu ◽  
Ting Zhou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Invest Model ◽  
Integrated Valuation ◽  
The Impact

Land use and land cover change is a critical factor of ecosystem services, while water yield plays a vital role in sustainable development. The impact of urban expansion on water yield has long been discussed, but water yield change resulting from cropland protection is seldom concerned. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the impacts of cropland protection on water yield by comparing the water yield in two cropland protection scenarios (i.e., Strict Cropland Protection scenario and No Cropland Protection scenario). Specifically, the LAND System Cellular Automata for Potential Effects (LANDSCAPE) model was employed to simulate land use maps in the two scenarios, while Water Yield module in the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model was used to calculate water yield. The results show water yield would increase by 8.7 × 107 m3 in the No Cropland Protection scenario and 9.4 × 107 m3 in the Strict Cropland Protection scenario. We conclude that implementation of strict cropland protection in rapid urbanizing areas may cause more water yield, which is also a prerequisite of potential urban flooding risk. This study throws that it is not wise to implement strict cropland protection policy in an area of rapid urbanization.

scholarly journals Trade-Offs and Synergies of Ecosystem Services in the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 9155
Author(s):  
Qiongrui Zhang ◽  
Xuechao Sun ◽  
Kebin Zhang ◽  
Zhenni Liao ◽  
Songjun Xu
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Pearl River Delta ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Urban Agglomeration ◽  
Pearl River ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
The Pearl River Delta ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
The Pearl River

Since ecosystem services (ESs) have become effective tools for urban planning, spatiotemporal analysis of regional ESs and a deep understanding of the trade-offs among ESs are of great significance to regional governance. In this study, the spatial and temporal changes of four basic ESs were analyzed by combining statistical data with the InVEST model across the Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration, China. The trade-offs among the related ESs were analyzed at the urban agglomeration scale and the city scale by correlation analysis. The results showed that: (1) Construction land increased by 6.78% from 2000 to 2018, while cultivated land and forest decreased. (2) Water yield showed an increasing trend, while carbon storage, food production, and habitat quality showed a downward trend from 2000 to 2018. (3) The four ecosystem services were significantly correlated, with synergies existing between water yield and food production, and between habitat quality and carbon storage, while other relationships are trade-offs. What is more, the scale has little influence on the direction of ES trade-off or synergy but influences the degree of the relationship. This empirical evidence on ES relationships in urban agglomerations can provide a reference for the sustainable development of ESs and efficient management of urban agglomerations.

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