Abstract

ContextLand use and land cover (LULC) changes may affect the provision of ecosystem services. However, little is known how LULC changes influence the spatio-temporal variation in ecosystem service and their interactions along altitudinal gradients.ObjectivesHere we assessed the spatio-temporal variation of eight ecosystem services in an altitudinal gradient between the year of 1986 and 2015, and quantified the effect of LULC transitions on the provision and interactions of ecosystems services.MethodsWe modelled and mapped eight ecosystem services in an altitudinal gradient characterized by low (< 600 m), middle (600–1200) and high altitudes (> 1200) in Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. We quantified changes in ecosystem services by contrasting ecosystem service maps between 1986 and 2015, and explored how four common LULC transitions affected the variation and the interactions between the eight ecosystem services.ResultsThe spatio-temporal analysis indicated that six out of eight ecosystem services increased from 1986 to 2015, while soil erosion control and water flow regulation decreased. In areas above 1200 m, regulating services dominated, while in areas below 1200 m provisioning service were most evidenced. LULC transitions from forest to agricultural areas, and vice versa, resulted in trade-offs between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services.ConclusionsLULC changes drive the spatio-temporal variation of ecosystem services along an altitudinal gradient with contrasting biophysical conditions. Future management of ecosystem services in the landscapes should take into the account the biophysical conditions and the consequences of specific LULC transitions.

Highlights

  • Human-modified landscapes are complex socio-ecological systems, and in the face of global changes, the future of human wellbeing will be shaped by our capability to manage these complex environments to provide multiple ecosystem services that meet societal demands (Reyers et al 2013; Valles-Planells et al 2014; WWDR 2018)

  • Key findings of our study are that (i) overall, the provision of six out of eight ecosystem services increased in the study area, (ii) the spatio-temporal variation of ecosystem services showed contrasting responses in the three altitude zones due to different biophysical conditions, and (iii) conversion of forest to coffee or pasture has strong negative impacts on erosion control and water flow regulation, with mostly trade-offs and dissynergies between ecosystem services

  • Conversion of pasture or coffee to forest has a positive impact on most ecosystem services, except livestock production and coffee production, with the predominance of synergies between regulating ecosystem services

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Summary

Introduction

Human-modified landscapes are complex socio-ecological systems, and in the face of global changes, the future of human wellbeing will be shaped by our capability to manage these complex environments to provide multiple ecosystem services that meet societal demands (Reyers et al 2013; Valles-Planells et al 2014; WWDR 2018). Spatiotemporal patterns of ecosystem services can be influenced by a range of abiotic and biotic factors, as well socio-economic factors (Pan et al 1999; La Notte et al 2017; Mayor et al 2017). Biophysical conditions, such as temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil type and vegetation types, can vary sharply along altitudinal gradients. Mountainous areas offer a unique opportunity to study how provision patterns of ecosystem services change over time in heterogenous environments with contrasting biophysical conditions

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