Unravelling the non-linear response of ecosystem services to urban-rural transformation in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China

Abstract

In our transforming world, ecosystem services (ESs) and biodiversity are threatened by urban sprawl with rapid urban-rural transformation (URT), jeopardizing human well-being. Understanding the effect of URT on ESs is critical, particularly in areas those have undergone rapid urbanization. Taken the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region of China as a typical case, this study measures the URT from the population-land-industry perspective and elucidates the influence of each index of URT on ESs at different stages. The URT process experienced a decline in population growth, an increase in land urbanization, and stability in non-agriculturalization rate. In particular, this study reveals an intricate and complex non-linear relationship between URT and ESs. URT negatively affects grain production (GP), habitat quality (HQ), soil retention (SR), and carbon sequestration (CS) and has a positive impact on water yield (WY). Furthermore, it was found that the response threshold of ESs to URTIs increased over time, indicating that ESs can maintain a certain degree of stability and resilience in the face of URT activities. However, ensuring the continued stability and resilience increasingly depends on the implementation of effective management and protection measures. This study advances our knowledge of the complex dynamics between URT and ESs in rapidly urbanizing areas and provides valuable insights for policymakers and planners to guide sustainable development and effective resource management.