Spatio-temporal changes in ecosystem service value: Evidence from the economic development of urbanised regions

Abstract

This study investigates the spatial and temporal evolution of ecosystem service value (ESV) in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region using an improved equivalent factor method based on land use data for five periods from 2000 to 2020. The research also examines the mechanism and spatial spill-over effects of economic development and urbanisation on ESV using a spatial econometric model. The findings indicate that YRD region's ESV rose from 442,422 million to 1,304,068 million between 2000 and 2020 and considerable spatial spill-over impact is evident. Although local economic development contributes positively to the improvement of ESV, development in nearby cities has a reducing effect on local ESV, leading to an overall negative impact. Urbanisation's effect on ESV presents an inverted U-shaped curve. When the population urbanisation rate is less than 56.96 %, expansion is advantageous to ESV growth; however, when the rate is higher than this threshold, blind expansion of population urbanisation is not advantageous to growth. The study's findings provide useful insights for policy formulation and forging a course for sustainable regional eco-economic development.