Multidimensional assessment of soil conservation ecosystem services and multiscale analysis of influencing mechanisms

Abstract

Soil conservation ecosystem services (SCESs) are related to food production, safety of residents, water quality, and public health. However, the traditional assessment framework only focuses on a single dimension of SCESs, and the efficiency and development trends are often overlooked. A multidimensional assessment framework was established to assess SCESs in terms of the total output, efficiency, development trend temporally and spatially. Additionally, the traditional perspective of influencing mechanism analysis was expanded to include spatial heterogeneity. The influencing strength and distance were quantitatively revealed at pixel resolution. The results indicate that (1) the SCESs in Minnesota were generally improved from 1998 to 2018. (2) 70% and 78% of the counties experienced low-output and low-efficiency problems, respectively. (3) The Twin Cities constituted the degradation cores of SCESs in Minnesota. (4) The cropland and forestland proportions and rainfall were the top three influencing factors, causing SCES changes of 0.9959%, 0.4937%, and 0.1536%, respectively, for every 1% change in these factors. (5) According to the influence scopes, the soil organic carbon (SOC) content, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and soil silt content were classified as long-distance factors, the soil sand content, slope and soil clay content were categorized as moderate-distance factors, and the remaining variables were identified as short-distance factors. (6) The influencing factors imposed both positive and negative influences on the SCESs, and attenuation or alteration of the adverse influences on SCESs through specific human interventions is a very promising approach.