Identifying and setting the natural spaces priority based on the multi-ecosystem services capacity index

Abstract

The loss and fragmentation of natural spaces in rapidly urbanized areas have greatly reduced their capacity to provide multiple ecosystem services (ESs). It is of great importance to identify natural spaces with key ecological functions, which are used to construct effective and efficient ecological networks, especially in urbanized areas where natural spaces are limited. This paper individually evaluated five key ESs provided by natural spaces in the Su-Jia-Hu area. By constructing an evaluation model coupling individual ESs, the multi-ecosystem service capacity index (MESC index) of each natural space was calculated. The index evaluation results showed that the overall level of ES supply was the highest in the two types of natural space, which were lakes and forests. The results of the clustering analysis on this basis showed that the natural space priority could be divided into six grades: the first grade was the large ecological conservation area, the second and third grades were the important ecological hubs, and the fourth, fifth and sixth grades were the potential stepping stones and structural corridors. The method based on the MESC index evaluation proposed here provided a scientific and repeatable framework for the identification and management of important natural spaces in ecological network planning and useful reference information for planners and decision makers.