Simulation and measurement of soil conservation service flow in the Loess Plateau: A case study for the Jinghe River Basin, Northwestern China

Abstract

The research results based on ecosystem service evaluation are important basis for ecological decisions. However, the spatial flows of services from ecosystems to humans caused by the spatial disconnections between provisioning and benefiting areas, have received less attention. Taking the sediment reduction service of soil conservation service (SCS) as the research object, in this study, the amount, value, and paths of ecosystem service flow were quantified and mapped using the WATEM/SEDEM model framework through a case study in the Jinghe River Basin (JRB), China. And the net provisioning areas and net benefiting areas were determined by characterizing the actual supply received by beneficiaries in terms of flows. The results presents that the soil conservation service flow (SCF) in JRB was 3.64 × 109 t, which generates massive benefits (1.16 × 108 CNY). Spatially, the SCF shows a spatial decay pattern from upstream to downstream in basin, except in the north. The broken landform intermittently hindered service transports. Based on the SCF surplus, grassland was identified as main SCS provisioning area and the cultivated land was regarded as major SCS benefiting area. We recommend that it is necessary to improve vegetation cover on the basin upstream to ensure sustainable avoidance of soil erosion damages for beneficiaries. This study towards systematic assessment of regulating service flows provides references to measure and quantify spatial flow of ecosystem services and can contribute address imprecision in ecological compensation object and subject.