A local-scale spatial analysis of ecosystem services and ecosystem service bundles in the upper Hun River catchment, China

Abstract

Spatially explicit analyses of ecosystem services are needed by policy-makers. The lack of spatial water supply data is an obstacle to spatially explicit analyses. In this study, the spatial water quality is obtained by taking water samples at key sites during key periods. The relationships between water quality and ecosystem services were analyzed at a small watershed scale, using areas ranging from 0.03km2 to 160.19km2. Our results shows that (1) water quality indexes are negatively correlated with the provision of regulating ecosystem services, except for NPP (net primary product). (2) That NPP is positively correlated with water quality indexes and crop field ratio suggests increasing NPP is correlated with degradation of water quality, because of the fertilization in croplands. (3) The growth of crop is the main contribution to the variation in NPP. Therefore, the relationship between NPP and forest area ratios can’t reflect the real relationship between carbon sequestration and forest. (4) The ecosystem services bundles analysis at small watershed scale would benefit the understanding of local characteristics of interactions among ecosystem services and help making targeted policy meets the needs of local conditions in diverse landscapes.