Coupling management ecosystem service supply-supply trade-offs and supply–demand trade-offs: Framework and practice

Abstract

Ecosystem services (ESs) are the bridge between ecosystem and social system, and how to effectively manage different types of ES trade-offs is the key barrier to ensure that ecosystems provide sustainable benefits for human beings. The objective of this study is to propose a theoretical and methodological framework for the coupled management of ES supply-supply trade-offs and demand-demand trade-offs and to propose an ES trade-offs management scheme for the study area (Jiangxi Province) according to this framework. In this study, we evaluated the provision of ES and the intensity of two types of ES trade-offs in the study area through InVest model, and explored the driving mechanism of the two types of ES trade-offs through redundancy analysis. Finally, we proposed a land use structure in the study area that alleviates the intensity of both types of ES trade-offs through multi-objective nonlinear programming. The results showed that: (1) the water yield service supply in Jiangxi Province showed a pattern of high in the north and low in the south, and the carbon sequestration service supply showed a pattern of high in the south and low in the north. (2) The supply-supply trade-off intensity of two ES is generally low in the north and high in the south, and the supply–demand trade-off intensity of water yield service and carbon sequestration service is basically high in the densely populated area in the north of Jiangxi. (3) Forestland area, farmland area and water area are the supply–demand trade-off driving forces of water yield service and carbon sequestration service, grassland area is an independent driving force of carbon sequestration service, and farmland area and cultivated land area are the supply-supply trade-off driving forces. The study shows that in order to achieve the lowest supply-supply trade-off intensity and supply–demand trade-off intensity in Jiangxi Province at the same time, the forestland should reach at least 104470 km2, the water area should reach 12,900.7 km2, the farmland area should reach 281333.3 km2, and the grassland area should increase to 15,457.9 km2. The results are expected to provide a new perspective for ecosystem management research.