Wind erosion prevention and trans-boundary ecosystem service payments in the Hunshandake region

Abstract

Research on ecosystem services flow has attracted increasing interest as they provide essential knowledge to payments for ecosystem services (PES) by developing the spatial relationship between service benefit area and service providing area. In this study, we calculated the wind erosion prevention service (WEPS) in the Hunshandake region using the RWEQ model, simulated the WEPS flow trajectories using the HYSPLIT model, investigated the flow process of WEPS and its monetary values to develop the relationship between the beneficiary areas and the Hunshandake region, with the aim of proposing an integrated PES framework that links beneficiary areas to the Hunshandake region. The results indicated that the WEPS in the Hunshandake region were 2.67 × 1012 kg yr−1, 2.18 × 1012 kg yr−1, and 3.26 × 1012 kg yr−1 in 2010, 2015 and 2018, respectively, and their monetary values were 3.94 × 109 USD yr−1, 3.50 × 109 USD yr−1, and 4.93 × 109 USD yr−1, respectively. Most WEPS were transferred along the track to northern and northeastern China and continued on to Mongolia, Russia, North Korea, South Korea and Japan, while some were transported through central and eastern China to southern China and Southeast Asian countries. The Chinese beneficiary regions received between 69.75% and 70.81% of the total transferred WEPS from the Hunshandake region, with beneficiary countries outside of China receiving the remainder. We developed an integrated ecological payment framework based on the transferred values of WEPS and their demands in the beneficiary areas. The total payments for WEPS from beneficiary areas were 503.91 × 106 USD yr−1, 422.83 × 106 USD yr−1, and 609.18 × 106 USD yr−1 in 2010, 2015 and 2018, respectively. The ecological payments due from the beneficiary countries except China, the beneficiary provinces in China and the actual payments made as ecological fiscal transfers (EFT) from the Government of China; their percentages were 10.24%, 35.42% and 54.34%, respectively. Actualization of payments from benefitting countries and provinces within China were simulated with the percentage of EFT to the total transferred benefits in China decreasing from 60.54% to 40% and 20%; the value of payments from government would then reduce from 95.71 × 106 USD yr−1 to 63.24 × 106 USD yr−1 and 31.62 × 106 USD yr−1, respectively, alleviating the financial burden of government substantially. This study could provide a scientific basis for the government of China to formulate policies for payments from beneficiary provinces to Hunshandake region within China and facilitate negotiations with other countries on their potential payments to Hunshandake region providing WEPS to their benefit.