Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of the ecosystem services (ESs) trade-off/synergy relationships has become increasingly important for ecological management and sustainable development. This study employed the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region in China as the study area and investigated the spatiotemporal changes in three ESs, namely, carbon storage (CS), water purification (WP), and habitat quality (HQ). A trade-off/synergy degree (TSD) indicator was developed that allowed for the quantification of the trade-off/synergy intensity, and the spatial pattern of the TSD between ESs in the YRD region to be analyzed. Furthermore, a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to analyze the relationship between the influencing factors and trade-offs/synergies. The results revealed that CS, WP, and HQ decreased by 0.28%, 2.49%, and 3.38%, respectively, from 2005 to 2015. The TSD indicator showed that the trade-off/synergy relationships and their magnitudes were spatially heterogeneous throughout the YRD region. The coefficients of the natural and socioeconomic factors obtained from the GWR indicated that their impacts on the trade-offs/synergies vary spatiotemporally. The impact factors had both positive and negative effects on the trade-offs/synergies. The findings of this study could improve the understanding of the spatiotemporal dynamics of trade-offs/synergies and their spatially heterogeneous correlations with related factors.
Highlights
Ecosystem services (ESs) refer to the products and services obtained from ecosystems
From 2005 to 2015, built-up land increased by 5971.06 km2, which accounted for the largest proportion of change in land cover
We investigated spatiotemporal changes in three ESs, namely, carbon storage (CS), water purification (WP), and habitat quality (HQ), in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2005 to 2015
Summary
Ecosystem services (ESs) refer to the products and services obtained from ecosystems. In the process of pursuing socioeconomic benefits, human beings have significant impact on the ESs interactions, which is manifested as the ES trade-off and synergy. The dramatic socioeconomic development leads to an improvement in one ES at the expense of other ESs, threatening the stability and security of ecosystems and significantly influencing human wellbeing [4]. Ecosystem management should pursue single ecosystem service benefits and consider the balance among multiple ESs to maximize the overall benefits and promote regional sustainable development. Many efforts have been made to describe and assess changes in ESs and their complex interactions (trade-offs and synergies) as well as the urbanization process and land cover changes [7,9,10]. Prior findings suggest that ecosystem management should coordinate various ESs to promote their overall benefits [13,14]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call