Quantification of ecosystem service value and its guidance to land use strategy in Loess Plateau region: A case study of Qingyang City

Abstract

Abstract Alterations in land use strategies significantly influence regional sustainable development, affecting ecosystem service functions, surface energy balance, and biodiversity. This study explores the impact of ecosystem service values on land use within Qingyang City, situated in the Loess Plateau. We employ an index system to assess ecosystem services at the Loess Plateau across four dimensions—supply, regulation, culture, and support. Utilizing physical and ecological value equivalent factors, we quantify these indices and the value of Qingyang City’s ecological service system. Specifically, the ecosystem equivalent factors for sloped cropland and terraced fields in Qingyang City are quantified as 1.1545 and 1.9788, respectively. Our findings reveal that ecosystem services significantly influence land use; notably, cropland and grassland, which collectively provide approximately 98% of climate regulation services, have experienced a reduction in their total climate regulation capacity by −14.19% and −9.42%, respectively, from 2010 to 2020. This reduction highlights a marked weakening in the climate regulatory capabilities of these land types, underscoring the need for Qingyang City to reassess and adjust its land use strategies to enhance the climate regulation service capacities of cropland and grassland.