Abstract
The Loess Plateau of China is one of the most severe soil and water loss areas in the world. Since 1999, the Grain to Green Program (GTGP) has been implemented in the region. This study aimed to analyze spatial and temporal variations of ecosystem services from 2000 to 2015 to assess the effects of the GTGP, including carbon sequestration, water regulation, soil conservation and sand fixation. During the study period, the area of forest land and grassland significantly expanded, while the area of farmland decreased sharply. Ecosystem services showed an overall improvement with localized deterioration. Carbon sequestration, water regulation and soil conservation increased substantially. Sand fixation showed a decreasing trend mainly because of decreased wind speeds. There were synergies between carbon sequestration and water regulation, and tradeoffs between soil conservation and sand fixation. It was concluded that ecological projects have contributed significantly to the rehabilitation of the fragile ecosystems of this region. To make these projects more successful and sustainable, long-term management procedures are necessary to maintain and consolidate the improvements.
Highlights
Ecosystem services are the benefits that people derive from nature, including both tangible products and intangible services [1], which can be divided into supporting services, provisioning services, regulation services and cultural services [2]
This paper focuses on the land use and ecosystem services changes since implementation of the Grain to Green Program (GTGP) in the Loess Plateau through spatial analysis and model simulation
Forest land and grassland areas increased by 8954.37 km2 and 5235.38 km2, respectively, while farmland area decreased by 22238.34 km2 in the period from 2000–2015
Summary
Ecosystem services are the benefits that people derive from nature, including both tangible products and intangible services [1], which can be divided into supporting services (soil formation, nutrient cycling), provisioning services (food, wood, water), regulation services (water regulation, climate regulation, land degradation) and cultural services (entertainment, consciousness, religion) [2]. These benefits contribute immensely to human welfare and play a vital role in supporting life on the planet [3]. Ecological problems are exacerbated, such as shrinkage of wetlands, soil
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