Impacts of reclamation derived land use changes on ecosystem services in a typical gulf of eastern China: A case study of Hangzhou bay

Abstract

Reclamation activities can achieve considerable economic benefits, but also cause negative effects on regional ecosystems. Exploring the ecosystem services (ESs) in an economically developed but eco-environment fragile gulf region, and providing decision-making basis for the formulation of land use (LU) policies and ecological protection planning in the gulf region. Based on multi-year land use, meteorological and soil datasets, we analyzed spatiotemporal changes of ESs in Hangzhou Bay (HZB), China, and explored the impact of reclamation activities on ESs. The results showed that the LU change in HZB was marked by a fast increase of urban land and a large transfer of farmland to urban land. Per ES in HZB, water yield and carbon storage increased, while soil retention, habitat quality, and nitrogen export tended to decline. Various ESs failed to achieve coordinative development. The trade-off relationship of ESs was concentrated between carbon storage, nitrogen export, and water yield, and between habitat quality, water yield, and nitrogen export. With the intensification of reclamation activities in HZB, shoreline shrank; morphology tended to be more complicated; and reclamation activities had a significant impact on ESs. Based on the research results, four methods (policies and measures) to promote the coordination development of HZB ecosystem and social economy were proposed, so as to contribute to the high-quality development of the HZB Greater Bay Area.