Agricultural Transformation and Its Impact on Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being in Peri-Urban Areas: The Case of Xi’an, China

Zhongxue Zhou,Xiaofang Liu,Bijun Zheng,Guy M Robinson,Bingjie Song

doi:10.3390/land11010110

Zhongxue Zhou, Xiaofang Liu + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/land11010110

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Abstract

There is a gap in understanding the relationships between the transformation of agricultural landscapes, ecosystem services and human well-being in the peri-urban fringe of major cities worldwide. In this paper, we use semi-structured interviews, perception surveys, social surveys and field mapping to examine linkages between agricultural and landscape transition, ecosystem services and human well-being in five sample villages in Xi’an metropolitan zone, China. The results indicate that: (1) Agricultural change has increased landscape fragmentation, with a shift from grain to more profitable horticulture and nursery production. The farming system is more diversified and exhibits a multifunctional character. (2) This transformation has had a significant impact on the character of the agroecosystem. (3) The agricultural transformation towards greater multifunctionality has increased the supply of ecosystem services, including tourism-related activities, potentially improving human well-being. (4) Different combinations of activities in the sample villages were evaluated with respect to a well-being index, indicating the importance of combining horticulture and tourism. (5) Linkages identified between agricultural transformation, ecosystem services and human well-being may have significant implications for potential approaches within future studies.

Highlights

A peri-urban area (PUA) is a dynamic transition zone between the city and the countryside, often affected by urban sprawl
(3) The agricultural transformation towards greater multifunctionality has increased the supply of ecosystem services, including tourism-related activities, potentially improving human well-being
(5) Linkages identified between agricultural transformation, ecosystem services and human well-being may have significant implications for potential approaches within future studies

Summary

Introduction

A peri-urban area (PUA) is a dynamic transition zone between the city and the countryside, often affected by urban sprawl. Rapid global urbanization, especially in Africa and Asia [1], is producing the expansion of many urban agglomerations and affecting the nature of PUAs [2,3]. This is changing agroecological landscapes on a global scale [4], for instance, consuming a large amount of productive cropland [5,6] and natural areas [7] and converting it to built-up land, transforming agricultural systems [8,9,10], leading to loss of biodiversity [6] and degrading the ecological capacity of the landscape. The decrease in open space around the city [15] and the degradation of landscape ecological security in PUAs have impeded sustainable agriculture and put grain production and food security at risk [16,17]

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