Scale effects and spatial heterogeneity of driving factors in ecosystem services value interactions within the Tibet autonomous region

Widespread land development, deforestation, and wetland degradation have disrupted the physical integrity and functional capacity of ecosystems, leading to a reduction in ecosystem service values (ESV). However, comprehensive research addressing ESV interactions that represent various ecosystem services from multifaceted angles is limited. Moreover, the relative significance and spatiotemporal diversity of natural and socio-economic variables influencing ESV demand further investigation. This study conducts both quantitative and qualitative assessments of the spatiotemporal dynamics and interrelationships of ESV in the Tibet autonomous region from 2000 to 2020. Geographical detector and geographically weighted regression models are applied to ascertain the relative importance and spatial heterogeneity of diverse ESV determinants. The findings reveal the following key insights: (1) Barren lands experienced the most substantial expansion from 2000 to 2020, indicating an exacerbation of desertification in the Tibet autonomous region. (2) Over the two decades, ESV exhibited an overall upward trajectory, with regulation of water flows, water bodies, and forests making the most significant contributions to ESV and its growth. (3) The quantitative and qualitative assessment of ESV interrelations has identified the number of trade-offs and synergies, along with spatial occurrences, offering a detailed foundation for the scientific management of ecosystems. Specifically, quantitative results portray ESV correlations as positive or negative, qualitative spatial mapping elucidates intricate local interactions among ESV. (4) The primary driver of ESV in the Tibet autonomous region is NDVI (0.072), with elevation following closely behind, underscoring the predominant influence of natural factors relative to socio-economic variables. This research serves as a scientific underpinning for the development of ecological conservation policies and the execution of ecological restoration initiatives.

Quantifying the Relationship between Land Use Intensity and Ecosystem Services' Value in the Hanjiang River Basin: A Case Study of the Hubei Section

An increased land use intensity due to rapid urbanization and socio-economic development would alter the structure and function of regional ecosystems and cause prominent environmental problems. Revealing the impact of land use intensity on ecosystem services (ES) would provide guidance for more informed decision making to promote the sustainable development of human and natural systems. In this study, we selected the Hanjiang River Basin (HRB) in Hubei Province (China) as our study area, explored the correlation between land use intensity and ecosystem Services' Value (ESV), and investigated impacts of natural and socio-economic factors on ESV variations based on the Geographical Detector Model (GDM) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The results show that (1) from 2000 to 2020, land use intensity in HRB generally showed an upward trend, with a high spatial agglomeration in the southeast and low in the northwest; (2) the total ESV increased from 295.56 billion CNY in 2000 to 296.93 billion CNY in 2010, and then decreased to 295.63 CNY in 2020, exhibiting an inverted U-shaped trend, with regulation services contributing the most to ESV; (3) land use intensity and ESV had a strong negative spatial correlation, with LH (low land use intensity vs. high ESV) aggregations mainly distributed in the northwest, whereas HL (high land use intensity vs. low ESV) aggregations were located in the southeast; (4) natural factors, including annual mean temperature, the percentage of forest land, and slope were positively associated with ESV, while socio-economic factors, including GDP and population density, were negatively associated with ESV. To achieve the coordinated development of the socio-economy and the environment, ES should be incorporated into spatial planning and socio-economic development policies.

Multi-Scenario Simulation of Ecosystem Service Values in the Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration, China

Rapid urbanization and human activities enhanced threats to the degradation of various ecosystem services in modern urban agglomerations. This study explored the response of ecosystem service values (ESVs) to land use changes and the trade-offs among various ESVs in urban agglomerations under different future development scenarios. The patch-general land use simulation (PLUS) model and ESV calculation method were used to simulate the ESVs of Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration under the Business As Usual scenario (BAU), Ecological Conservation scenario (EC), and Economic Development scenario (ED) in 2030. Global and local Moran’s I were used to detect the spatial distribution pattern, and correlation analysis was used to measure trade-offs among ecosystem services. The results showed that: (1) The simulated result of land use in Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration showed high accuracy compared to the actual observed result of the same period, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.912. From 2000 to 2030, land use changes were significant, with the rapid decrease in farmland and an increase in construction land. The area of woodland increased significantly under the EC scenario, and the area of construction land increased rapidly under the ED scenario. (2) The decline of total ESV was CNY 218 million from 2000 to 2020, and ESVs remained the downward trend in the BAU and ED scenarios compared to 2020, decreasing by CNY 156 million and CNY 4731 million, respectively. An increasing trend of ESV showed under the EC scenario, with a growth of CNY 849 million. (3) Significant spatial autocorrelation showed in Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration, as the Global Moran’s I were all positive and the p-values were zero. The ESV grids mainly showed “High-High” clusters in the mountainous areas and “Low-Low” clusters in plain areas. Except for food production, a majority of ecosystem services exhibited positive synergistic relationships. In future planning and development, policymakers should focus on the coordinated development of the urbanization process and ecological preservation to build an ecological safety pattern.