Linking land use change, ecosystem services and human well-being: A case study of the Manas River Basin of Xinjiang, China

Abstract

The relationship between LUCC (land-use and land-cover change), ecosystem services and human well-being is not only an important cross topic in studies of natural ecological and social economic systems but also the key research direction and content of the GLP (Global Land Project) and Future Earth program, indicating its significance to the development of regional policy and the promotion of regional sustainable development. In the present study,“3S” (GIS, RS, GPS) technology, the Equivalence Factor Evaluation Method of Ecosystem Services and the Index System Evaluation Method of Human Well-being were separately used to analyze land use changes, ecosystem services and human well-being in the Manas River Basin in 2003 and 2013 and to characterize the relationship between these factors. The following conclusions were drawn: 1. In the past ten years, driven by the market economy, the structure of land use in the basin has obviously changed. Croplands and developed lands markedly increased, leading to a marked reduction in aquatic, grassland and woodland regions. 2. The land use changes resulted in a large increase in human economic income, in contrast with the obvious decrease in the value of climate regulation, gas regulation and other various types of ecosystem services influenced by the decrease in grasslands, woodlands and aquatic regions. 3. Most aspects of human well-being were improved. The most important aspect was the economic income well-being as a result of land use changes. However, the well-being associated with natural ecological resources showed a significant decline. 4. The extreme increase of croplands and developed lands has resulted in a structural imbalance of the ecosystem services and abnormal development of the structure of human well-being. Thus, to enhance the stability of the “nature-society-economy” system of the basin and pursue sustainable development, it is imperative to slow down or even stop the existing development trend of land use, and it is urgent to improve the structure of ecosystem services and human well-being.