The Impact of Territorial Spatial Transformation on Carbon Storage: A Case Study of Suqian, East China

Abstract

The carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, and the transformation of territorial space has a significant impact on the carbon cycle of a country’s terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, evaluating the impact of space transformation on carbon storage is essential for enhancing regional carbon storage potential and reducing carbon emissions. We use the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model to analyze the dynamic changes in territorial spatial transformation and carbon storage from 2000 to 2020 in Suqian, as well as their relationship. On this basis, the optimization strategy and specific path for improving territorial space carbon storage capacity were determined. The results show the following: that (1) from 2000 to 2020, territorial spatial transformation in Suqian was dramatic, with the most significant changes occurring between 2005 and 2010. The scale of mutual transformation between agricultural production space and urban–rural construction space was the largest. (2) Carbon storage gradually decreased in Suqian City, with a total reduction of 1.23 × 106 tons over 20 years and an annual decrease of 1.46%. The carbon density of forested space was significantly higher than that of other spaces. The conversion of agricultural production space and forestland space to urban–rural construction space was the main factor driving a decrease in carbon storage. (3) Territorial spatial transformation is a spatial manifestation of the evolution of human–land relationships. Regulating the function, scale, structure and layout of territorial space as a whole and implementing differentiated management of specific space will be beneficial to optimize carbon storage in Suqian.