Have rural settlement changes harmed ecosystem carbon in China?

Abstract

The rural landscape is undergoing rapid changes. In China, the expansion of rural settlements is widespread, causing problems to the environment. Previous studies have focused on the effects of built-up land expansion on ecosystem carbon, and this paper further explores the effects of rural settlement changes on ecosystem carbon and investigates the spatial heterogeneity of the relationship. The result shows: rural settlement expansion has led to a significant loss in carbon sinks and vegetation carbon stock, respectively. The main pathway of ecosystem carbon loss is the occupation of cropland. A total of 31% of the regions have a negative coupling relationship between the area of per capita rural settlement and the growth of carbon sinks. The regions where both rural settlements and carbon sink function have declined are mainly concentrated in the northwest, and ecological and rural development in these regions requires additional attention. 63% of the regions show great resilience in terms of carbon sink function in the face of rural settlement expansion.