Impact of Fast Urbanization on Ecosystem Health in Mountainous Regions of Southwest China.

Yi Xiao,Luo Guo,Weiguo Sang

doi:10.3390/ijerph17030826

Abstract

Accelerated urbanization has changed land use patterns, leading to the deterioration of ecosystems. Assessments of ecosystem health (ESH) during the urbanization process are used to determine the reasons and mechanism for this, and to uncover negative factors. In this study, we assessed the ESH of Qiannan prefecture, in Guizhou Province, China, based on the ecosystem services value. We selected a series of indicators, including natural, social, and economic aspects, to detect the impact of urbanization on ecosystem services in 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The results show that ESH in Qiannan declined from 1990 to 2015, especially in the eastern and northern regions. Further, the results indicate that urbanization had a negative impact on ESH, of which the dominant factor was the proportion of construction land from 1990 to 2005. After 2005, moreover, the dominant factor was the gross domestic product. The impact of urbanization on EHS had spatial differences, however. The most significant negative impact was found in the east and north. After 2010, the western and central regions of Qiannan showed an urbanization trend in favor of ecosystem health. We recommend ecological restoration in regions with weak and relatively weak ESH levels to achieve sustainable development.

Highlights

Urbanization, along with economic development, population increase, and land use change, is the main path to social development [1,2,3]
After 2010, the western and central regions of Qiannan showed an urbanization trend in favor of ecosystem health
From 1990 to 2015, obvious changes were found in the total proportion of areas with relatively weak ecosystem heath (ESH), ordinary ESH, relatively strong ESH, and strong ESH

Summary

Introduction

Urbanization, along with economic development, population increase, and land use change, is the main path to social development [1,2,3]. Urbanization has caused increasing land fragmentation and land use pattern conversion from original to designed land cover, which has a significant influence on ecosystems, including the loss of habitats, decreases in agricultural and forest productivity, as well as the reduction of climate regulation function supply by plants [8,9]. Considering both the structures and functions of ecosystems, Rapport defined ecosystem heath (ESH) as the ability to maintain ecosystem structures and recover with self-regulating processes after disturbances [10]. Cheng [11] assessed river ecosystem health of the Haihe River

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion