Developing a Novel Approach Integrating Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity for Identifying Priority Ecological Reserves

Abstract

The protection of biodiversity (BD) and ecosystem services (ESs) is of great significance to sustainability. However, little is known concerning the spatial assessment and dynamic adjustment mechanisms aimed at the synergistic protection of BD and ESs. This study employed a combined modeling approach, MaxEnt-InVEST-Zonation, to identify the theoretically prioritized protected areas for BD. This approach considers the potential distribution of species under the influence of natural conditions and human activities. The InVEST and CASA models were used to evaluate the theoretically prioritized protected areas for ESs. Then, the theoretically prioritized protected areas for BD and ESs were integrated to obtain a comprehensive theoretically prioritized ecological reserve (PER) that realized the integration of the areas with high levels of ecosystem function and suitable habitats for rare species. The integrated BD and ES assessment approaches were implemented in Xiamen City, China. A total area of 374.52 km2 of PER was identified, and 62.3% of the existing ecological redline had high ES and BD protection values. The unprotected PER accounted for 9.46% of the total area of Xiamen. With an increasing intensity of human activities, the theoretically prioritized protected areas for BD and ESs along with their spatial consistency gradually decreased. The proposed approach for identifying PER by integrating BD and ESs could be used to evaluate the rationality and effectiveness of the existing ecological redline and provide a basis for the dynamic adjustment management of PER.