Ecological Compensation Standards Research Articles

Ecological Compensation Based on the Ecosystem Service Value: A Case Study of the Xin’an River Basin in China

To establish a sound ecological compensation (EC) mechanism in the Xin’an River Basin, this study suggested utilizing ecosystem service valuation to determine the compensation amount. In this study, the first step was to establish a reasonable watershed EC model using the ecological compensation supply coefficient (ECSC) based on the value spillover theory (VST) of the ecosystem services and the ecological compensation demand coefficient (ECDC). The second step was to classify the ecosystem services of the Xin’an River Basin into three categories, including supply service, regulating service, and cultural service, with 14 specific functions to determine the ecological compensation standard accounting scope in these services. Then, a case study on the Xin’an River Basin for EC standards was presented. The total ecosystem service value (ESV) in the Xin’an River Basin was estimated to be CNY 70.271 billion, with supply service accounting for 22.7%, regulating service accounting for 24.6%, and cultural service accounting for 52.7%. Based on the compensation scope, the ecosystem service values for the upper and lower limits of the EC were calculated as CNY 57.779 billion and CNY 17.292 billion. Combined with the results of the ECSC and ECDC, the upper and lower limits of the EC standard in the Xin’an River Basin were computed to be CNY 4.085 billion and CNY 1.438 billion, respectively. Therefore, the ESV-based EC model for the Xin’an River Basin can effectively address the challenge of inadequate EC in the watershed. It also facilitates balanced regional development and serves as a theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for the government to establish a unified national policy on cross-border river basin ecological compensation.

Ecosystem service value and ecological compensation in Qilian Mountain National Park: Implications for ecological conservation strategies

Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNP) is a critical ecological barrier and water conservation area in northwestern China. Its diverse ecosystems provide significant ecosystem services, yet the valuation of these services and their dynamic responses to land use/cover (LULC) changes and ecological protection measures require detailed investigation. This study employs an improved equivalent factor method, tailored to the specific ecosystem types and LULC patterns of QMNP, to evaluate the ecosystem service value (ESV) across different LULC types. Using an elasticity analysis model, the sensitivity of ESV to LULC changes from 1990 to 2022 was quantitatively assessed. The results indicate that the ESV of QMNP increased from 46.13 billion RMB to 50.97 billion RMB between 1990 and 2022, mostly due to the growth of grassland and forest areas. The primary route for increasing the region’s ESV is the conversion of desert to grassland, and this should be a major area of emphasis for next ecological conservation initiatives. Regulating services form the core of the ESV in QMNP, with climate and hydrological regulation contributing significantly to the overall ESV. Maintaining the stability of forest, wetland, and water body areas is crucial for sustaining the total ESV of QMNP. Through the application of carbon emission coefficients and ESV methods, the average range for long-term ecological compensation standards in QMNP is expected to be between 3.78 billion RMB and 28.28 billion RMB annually. Additionally, we explore the impacts of ongoing ecological protection mechanisms on enhancing ESV. There is a pressing need to formulate integrated policy frameworks that balance ecological conservation with sustainable economic development. The study also highlights the necessity of strengthening the protection and foundational research of grasslands and water bodies to enhance the ESV of QMNP. These insights serve as a foundation for potential planning and management strategies in QMNP, aiming to maintain and enhance its ecosystem functions and services, thereby contributing to broader regional and global ecological stability.

Ecological footprint in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration: Evolution characteristics, driving mechanism, and compensation standard

Unbalancing ecological supply-demand is an obstacle to sustainable development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTHUA), which can be efficiently addressed through regional ecological compensation. However, the driving mechanism of this unbalance is unclear, and the determination of ecological compensation standard (ECS) is not unified. This study uses the ecological footprint (EF) model and integrated inversion model to complete the intelligent evaluation and prediction of ecological supply-demand performance in the BTHUA. The extended nonlinear STIRPAT model and geographic detector are integrated to identify the driving mechanism of EF and its spatial differentiation. ECS at different spatiotemporal scales are then given with consideration of ecological service value and Monte Carlo simulation. Results reveal that EF of the BTHUA exhibits a downward trend, especially under the sustainable scenario (SSP1), falling by 16.85 %. But all cities would be still in unsafety states by 2035, with an average EF value of 6.210 hm2/cap, which is over 27 times greater than its EC. The spatial distribution of EF differs significantly, and high-value areas gradually migrate to the north. The variation of EF is primarily influenced by industrial structure, with population factors and environmental factors following. Per capita GDP is a key factor causing spatial differentiation of EF. The key driving factors and their explanatory powers on EF vary across cities, and the interaction of multiple factors affects EF more than a single in the BTHUA. Past-to-future ECS of the BTHUA shows a decreasing trend, with high-value areas distributed in the pivotal cities for economic development. A total of 19.13 × 1010 CNY needs to be paid to compensate for ecological damage of the BTHUA. Uncertainty analysis shows that ECS is extremely sensitive to grassland footprint in most cities. Furthermore, environmental footprints as well as system dynamics considering multiple factors are still required for comprehensively evaluating the ecological environment quality and further exploring ecological compensation evaluation framework with incorporating various ecological service functions such as carbon sinks in the BTHUA. Findings can facilitate improving regional sustainability and provide a valid approach to determine ECS for the BTHUA and similar regions worldwide.

Exploring ecological compensation standards in the urbanization process: An ecosystem service value-based perspective

Understanding the spatiotemporal changes in ecosystem service value (ESV) under urbanization, as well as the supply–demand relationship between different regions, can provide a consultation for ecological compensation (EC) standards. Taking Suzhou, a typical city experiencing rapid urbanization in the Yangtze River Delta, as a case study, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal changes in land use and ESV from 2000 to 2020. To quantify the ecosystem service flow (ESF), we apply the breakpoint formula and field strength model. Additionally, an EC standard is established, taking population, area and GDP into account while specifying compensation. The findings reveal that urbanization has led to a substantial increase in built-up land in Suzhou, accompanied by continuous reductions in farmland and water bodies. As a result, ESV decreased from 153.07 billion CNY to 138.81 billion CNY. Furthermore, the research identifies a spatial pattern where ESV increases with distance from the city center but decreases with distance from the lake center. This pattern suggests a directional flow of ESV from lakes to cities. Notably, ESF mainly occurs in the southwestern and central areas of Suzhou, with areas closer to Taihu Lake experiencing greater ESV transfer. The transfer value ranges from 5.11 and 32.57 billion CNY. There is an imbalance between the supply and demand of ecosystem services. Therefore, specific county-level cities in Suzhou, namely, the Kunshan District and Industrial Park, emerge as contributors of EC and should contribute 71.94 and 80.74 billion CNY, respectively, to other cities. By formulating a novel EC policy for Suzhou, this paper provides a scientifically informed reference for promoting sustainable development.

Dynamic Changes in Ecosystem Service Value and Ecological Compensation in Original Continuous Poverty-Stricken Areas of China

The original contiguous poverty-stricken areas of China (OCPSAC) are a regional complex with natural and human attributes. Their ecosystem services are highly complex in their contribution to human well-being. The region’s ecosystem is unstable and socio-economic development is unbalanced, making it a key area for research and the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, it has become the focus of social attention. This study obtained satellite remote sensing images of the Landsat8 based on the Google Earth Engine. The dynamic characteristics of the spatial and temporal distribution of the OCPSAC’s land use changes in 2015 and 2022 were analyzed. The characteristics of the changes in ecosystem service value (ESV) were quantitatively evaluated through the revised ESV equivalent scale, and the ecological compensation (EC) standards and EC priority level suitable for the region were explored. The research results showed that: (1) the OCPSAC land use types were mainly grassland, forests, and deserts, accounting for more than 80% of the research area; (2) the OCPSAC’s ESV reached CNY 115.578 billion, and the Tibet Region (TR) and Tibetan Region of Four Provinces (TRFP) had the highest ESVs, accounting for 32.28% and 19.64%, respectively. Among individual ESVs, hydrological regulation (HR) and climate regulation (CR) had the highest values, accounting for 55.23% of the research area; (3) the ESV of the research area presented the characteristics of being high in the middle and low at both ends. From the terrain perspective, the areas with a higher ESV per unit area were distributed in the second altitude gradient, followed by China’s third altitude gradient, and the first altitude gradient was the lowest; (4) in the period of 2015–2022, the ESV increased by CNY 21.39 billion, of which TR’s ESV increased by CNY 17.44 billion. From the perspective of a single ESV, the value of waste treatment (WT), HR, nutrient cycle (NC), and provide aesthetic landscape (PAL) increased by CNY 24.38 billion; and (5) in 2022, the EC standard of the OCPSAC was CNY 917.14 billion. High-EC-value areas were mainly distributed in TR and TRFP, accounting for 72.79% of the total compensation amount, of which only TR’s EC amount exceeded a GDP of 2022, accounting for 4.77% of the total compensation. The purpose of this study was to provide a reference for ecosystem sustainability and EC.

Influencing factors and the establishment of a basin ecological compensation mechanism from the perspective of water conservation: A case study of the upper Yangtze River in China

Under the dual impacts of global environmental degradation and human activities, ecosystem service functions have steadily declined. Ecological compensation has emerged as an important direct and efficient motivator for countries to implement ecosystem protection and restoration. At present, few studies have considered ways in which to establish ecological compensation mechanisms or have analyze the related influencing factors. The ecological compensation threshold is in the conceptual analysis stage; thus, quantitative simulation studies are lacking. In this study, the relationship between water conservation and ecological compensation was analyzed. Scenario simulation and the minimum data method were combined to establish an ecological compensation mechanism for the upper Yangtze River (UYR) basin, and the ecological compensation thresholds were quantitatively assessed. Finally, the factors influencing ecological compensation and the interactions among the factors were analyzed using an optimal parameters-based geographical detector. The results showed that (1) the different land use scenarios for the UYR resulted in notable water conservation differences, with greater differences under the fallow-to-forest scenario than under the fallow-to-grass scenario and existing scenario. (2) Furthermore, 27 subbasins were suitable for the implementation of the fallow-to-forest scenario, with an average ecological compensation threshold of 46.48 yuan/m3 and an average new water conservation amount of 22.02 × 108 m3; and 21 subbasins were suitable for the implementation of the fallow-to-grass scenario, with an average ecological compensation threshold of 107.87 yuan/m3 and an average new water conservation amount of 3.72 × 108 m3. (3) The drivers with the highest and lowest impacts on the ecological compensation thresholds were the grain yield and NDVI, respectively, while their impacts on ecological compensation were significantly enhanced by interactions among the influencing factors. In this study, the differences in ecological compensation standards were compared at the basin scale and administrative scale in different regions worldwide. Moreover, the need to establish a basin-scale ecological compensation mechanism as an effective reference for promoting the implementation and development of ecological compensation policies was explored.

Horizontal ecological compensation standards based on ecosystem services flow

The determination of compensation standards is the core of horizontal ecological compensation (HEC). However, existing studies focused on the ecological value stocks of ecosystem services (ESs) within an administrative area but ignored their spatial mobility when determining standards, so the HEC policies had difficulty in achieving the desired goals. This study takes the upper-middle reaches of the Yangtze River as the study area, adopts the gravity model to calculate the ecosystem services flow (ESF) in the eight provinces of the area, and formulates a HEC standard accounting model to determine the compensation standards. The results show that there are inhomogeneous distributions of ESs supply and demand from 2005 to 2020. The ESs supply tends to decline, then increase, whereas the demand continuously increases. The total ESF volume from the ESs-providing areas (ESPAs) to the ESs-benefiting areas (ESBAs) first increases and then decreases. In 2020, Tibet, Qinghai, Chongqing, and Hunan are the ESPAs, with Qinghai obtaining the highest compensation standard of 308.56 million CNY and accounting for more than 50% of the total. The ESBAs include Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei, and Jiangxi, among which Sichuan is the main source of HEC funds with payments of 375.79 million CNY. This study can provide theoretical references for improving HEC rationality, as well as resolving the contradictions between environmental protection costs and benefits externalities for large-scale regions.

Study on the Ecological Compensation Standard in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China under the Perspective of Natural Capital Supply and Demand

The fundamental component of the ecological compensation system, as well as the crucial basis for its efficient functioning, is calculating the ecological compensation amount and establishing the ecological compensation standard. This study integrates the ecological footprint with natural capital monetization and other methods by introducing a natural capital accounting system. From the standpoint of natural capital supply and demand, it also builds an accounting framework for ecological compensation standards that is standardized, dynamic, and regionally differentiated while taking local socioeconomic aspects into account. We determined the amount of ecological compensation by using Xinjiang as the research object and calculating and analyzing the features of regional and temporal changes in the monetary and physical quantities of natural capital in Xinjiang from 2010 to 2020. The findings show that from 2010 to 2020, Xinjiang’s ecological footprint increased by 1.26 times in physical terms and 1.21 times in monetary terms and that its ecological carrying capacity increased by 4.13% in physical terms and 9.42% in monetary terms. The ecological deficit continues to grow in physical and monetary terms, with a per capita ecological deficit in 2020 of 19.92 s-nha/cap and 70,100 CNY/cap in physical and monetary terms, respectively. The amount of ecological compensation required to be paid in Xinjiang increased from CNY 5659 million to CNY 10,259 million, and the per capita ecological compensation payment standard increased from 259.42 CNY/cap/yr to 396.11 CNY/cap/yr. In summary, Xinjiang’s natural capital supply is insufficient to meet the demand for consumption, and the ecological deficit is growing with time, necessitating the payment of ecological compensation. The study’s results lay the foundation for formulating and implementing ecological compensation policies in Xinjiang and provide theoretical support for constructing ecological civilization in Xinjiang. In addition, the ecological compensation accounting framework constructed in this study organically integrates natural capital theory, ecosystem services, and socioeconomic influencing factors, which enriches the methodology of accounting for ecological compensation standards, and, at the same time, can be used as a paradigm of a dynamic and equitable ecological compensation accounting framework to further promote its use at different scales and regions.

Interprovincial agricultural water footprint in China: Spatial pattern, driving forces and implications for water resource management

The increasing domestic grain trade is prompting the regional transmission of agricultural virtual water in China. Understanding the factors driving this flow is important for mitigating the agricultural water footprint (AWF). Nevertheless, comprehending the water flow within China's agricultural industry and spatial relationship between driving factors and the flow has been lacking. This study employs the multiregional input-output (MRIO) method and geographical detector to examine China's interprovincial AWF and the influencing factors in 2012, 2015 and 2017. The results indicate a decrease in China's AWF from 390.27 billion m3 in 2012 to 376.62 billion m3 in 2017, with an increasing proportion involved in provincial transfer. The spatial pattern of AWF is generally high in the north of China, with Xinjiang and Heilongjiang as the largest AWF provinces over the three years. The average intensity of AWF (AWFI) decreased from 107.44 m3/thousand yuan in 2012 to and 81.25 m3/thousand yuan in 2017, which indicating an improve of agricultural efficiency in terms of water use per agricultural output. Over 42 % of China's AWF is transferred between regions, highlighting the significance of remote interactions in terms of agricultural virtual water. However, the agricultural water flow pattern lacks rationality, primarily moving from water-deficient areas to water-rich areas. Factors representing regional agricultural development determine the distribution of AWF and the outflow, while the social and economic factors significantly influence AWFI and the virtual water inflow. Based on the results, suggestions for reducing AWF and optimizing water flow were proposed from both producers' and consumers' perspectives. Producers are advised to decreased chemical fertilizers usage, promote efficient irrigation technologies, and optimize planting structures, while consumers should adjust dietary patterns to reduce water-intensive consumption, raise awareness about the water-saving consumption, and establish ecological compensation standards based on AWF.

Determining the ecological compensation standards based on willingness to accept (WTA) for intensive agricultural production areas: A case in China

Ecological compensation is an effective way to encourage farmers to use minimal chemical fertilizers by paying for their losses when agricultural planting methods change. In this research, we conducted field surveys and created a conceptual framework to determine the compensation standard based on farmers' willingness to accept (WTA) and ecosystem service values in a rotational double cropping area of winter wheat–summer maize, Huantai County, China. The results showed that the farmers’ average WTA on the chemical fertilizer reduction application fluctuates within a range of 250.00–7740.00 CNY/hm2. The limiting compensation standards range from 362.74 to 4823.43 CNY/hm2 and the ceiling standard is from 367.29 to 4851.83 CNY/hm2 by reducing chemical fertilizer application from 5% to 95%. Huantai County has a potential of 15%–35% for chemical fertilizer reduction, and the compensation standard is the lowest (362.74 CNY/hm2) when 25% of the current chemical fertilizer usage is reduced. Our research provided a valid approach to determining ecological compensation standards toward the aims of efficiency and sustainability for protecting farmland ecology and highlighting the critical ecosystem service changes caused by the farmland fertilizer reduction program in China.

The Base Value of the Ecological Compensation Standard in Transboundary River Basins: A Case Study of the Lancang–Mekong River Basin

The ecological compensation standard in transboundary river basins should be determined by the basin countries through negotiation on the basis of the base value of the ecological compensation standard. This paper calculated the base value range of the ecological compensation standard, determining the upper limit based on the spillover value of ecosystem services for the ecosystem-service-consuming country and the lower limit according to the cost of ecological protection for the ecosystem-service-supplying country. The final range was determined by integrating this with the willingness to pay and the actual effort in each basin country. Taking, for example, the Lancang–Mekong River basin, the results indicate that the spillover value of ecosystem services in Laos, China and Myanmar was positive and these three countries were ecosystem-service-supplying countries, while in Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand it was negative and these three countries were ecosystem-service-consuming countries. Among the ecosystem-service-supplying countries, the cost of ecological protection of them was in descending order of Laos, China and Myanmar, which was related to their own level of economic development. Considering the adjustment coefficient for the payment of ecosystem service value and the cost-sharing coefficient of each basin country, the feasible range for the base value of the ecological compensation standard was determined to be [2.47, 229.67] × 108 $, which provided the basis for the negotiation on the determination of the ECS. In addition, implementation suggestions were proposed from three aspects: establishing a basin-information-sharing mechanism and platform, establishing an integrated management organization for transboundary river basins, and strengthening and improving the coordination and supervision model of ecological compensation.

Research on the cumulative effect of multiscale ecological compensation in river basins: A case study of the Minjiang River Basin, China

A program of ecological compensation (EC) is an effective means to solve the potential unfairness caused by the difference in environmental quality between the upper, middle, and lower reaches of river basins, alleviate the conflict of economic interests between regions. By constructing an EC accounting model, this study defines the carbon emissions of construction land as the consumption of ecological services to avoid the problem of lower EC in the upper reaches than the middle and lower reaches when only the ecosystem service value (ESV) is used as the compensation basis. We calculate the cumulative EC standards in the basin from 2000 to 2018 at the county, major functional oriented zone, and basin section scales, divide the subjects unto those provide EC and the subjects receiving EC, and finally introduce the comparative ecological radiation force to simulate the direction and scale of the ecosystem service flow (ESF) of the subjects receiving EC. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) The ESV of the Minjiang River Basin shows a downward trend in time and a spatial distribution pattern of high in the north and southwest parts and low in the middle and southeast parts. (2) Carbon emissions from construction land in all counties (cities and districts) in the Minjiang River Basin show an upward trend in time and a spatial distribution pattern of high in the middle part and low in the north and south parts. (3) The cumulative EC standard in the Minjiang River Basin from 2000 to 2018 is 279.401 billion CNY, which indicates ESV spillover. On the county scale, 22 subjects receive EC and 23 subjects providing EC. The subjects receiving EC are generally located in the southwestern parts of the upper and lower reaches, and the subjects providing EC are concentrated in the national key development zone in the middle reaches. (4) The ESF goes from north to south in the upper reaches, towards the north and south sides in the middle reaches, and towards the east and north in the lower reaches. Our findings provide an important reference for EC practices in the Minjiang River Basin.

Ecological Asset Assessment and Ecological Compensation Standards for Desert Nature Reserves: Evidence from Three Different Climate Zones in China

The ecological environments of nature reserves with desert ecosystems are fragile, and it is necessary to implement scientific and effective ecological compensation strategies. However, the development of an ecological compensation theory for desert ecosystems is relatively immature, and no proprietary, theoretical basis or system has yet been formed. When formulating compensation standards for ecological protection, it is usually necessary to draw on other types of compensation theories to formulate ecological compensation strategies. This study focuses on three nature reserves located in different desert climatic zones as the research object—a hyper-arid desertification area, an arid desertification area, and a semi-arid desertification area—which serve as the main bodies for evaluating ecological assets. Considering the direct costs and opportunity costs of the ecological protection of nature reserves, we can estimate appropriate ecological compensation standards. The study’s results show that the ecological asset value per unit area and the ecological compensation standard are the greatest in the semi-arid desertification climate area. The ecological asset value per unit area of Haba Lake nature reserves is 6.59 × 104 CNY/hm2, and the ecological compensation standard is 1.18 × 104 CNY/hm2. The cost of ecological protection of Anxi nature reserves is 8204.09 × 104 CNY/hm2, and the ecological compensation standard is 0.15 × 104 CNY/hm2. The cost of ecological protection is the greatest, and the standard of ecological compensation is the lowest, in the hyper-arid desertification climate area. The ecological compensation coefficients of the hyper-arid, arid, and semi-arid desertified areas were 0.181, 0.183, and 0.180, respectively. The research results could provide a scientific basis for the formulation of differentiated ecological protection compensation standards for nature reserves with desert ecosystems, and they provide an effective theoretical basis and technical support for the construction of other types of ecological protection compensation models.

Synoptic Weather Patterns and Atmospheric Circulation Types of PM2.5 Pollution Periods in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

The variation of PM2.5 concentration in the atmosphere is closely related to the variation in weather patterns. The change in weather pattern is accompanied by the corresponding change in atmospheric circulation characteristics. It is necessary to explore the relationship between PM2.5 concentration changes and atmospheric circulation characteristics during pollution periods. In this paper, Lamb-Jenkinson objective classification method is applied to classify daily atmospheric circulation. The pollution periods are calculated and the atmospheric circulation variation rule is obtained. Combined with the physical parameter field (humidity, potential temperature, and potential height), a typical pollution period is analyzed. Additionally, the influence of atmospheric circulation type variation on PM2.5 concentration and transport channel during the pollution period was obtained. The results show that atmospheric circulation types in the study period are dominated by A-type (anticyclonic), N-type (north), and NE-type (northeast), indicating obvious seasonal differences, and the proportion of C-type (cyclonic) circulation was increased significantly in summer. During the pollution period analysis from 2 to 4 January 2019, atmospheric circulation type changed from N-type to NE-type (northeast), the wind direction changed from southeast wind, and the change of pressure gradient was consistent with the trend of the wind field. Moreover, the physical parameter field assisted in verifying the process of the pollution period from the conducive to the accumulation of PM2.5 to conducive to the deposition of pollutants and external transport. The research results would provide theoretical support for PM2.5 prediction during the pollution period and also supply a theoretical and technical basis for the establishment of ecological compensation standards for air pollution and atmospheric environmental control.

Quantitative Assessment of Horizontal Ecological Compensation for Cultivated Land Based on an Improved Ecological Footprint Model: A Case Study of Jiangxi Province, China.

Cultivated land horizontal ecological compensation is an essential means of reconciling agricultural ecosystem protection and regional economic development. It is important to design a horizontal ecological compensation standard for cultivated land. Unfortunately, there are some defects in the existing quantitative assessments of horizontal cultivated land ecological compensation. In order to raise the accuracy of ecological compensation amounts, this study established an improved ecological footprint model based on the ecosystem service function, focused on estimating the value of ecosystem service function, ecological footprint, ecological carrying capacity, ecological balance index and ecological compensation values of cultivated land in all cities of Jiangxi province. It then analyzed the rationality of ecological compensation amounts in Jiangxi province, which is one of the 13 provinces of major grain-producing areas in China. The results show the following: (1) The total value of soil conservation service function, carbon sequestration and oxygen release service function and ecosystem service function in Jiangxi province showed a spatial distribution trend of "gradually increasing around Poyang Lake Basin". (2) The cultivated land ecological deficit areas in Jiangxi province are Nanchang City, Jiujiang City and Pingxiang City; ecological surplus areas are Yichun City, Ji'an City and eight other cities; and there is an obvious "Spatial Agglomeration" phenomenon in ecological deficit and ecological surplus areas where ecological deficit areas are mainly concentrated in the northwest region of Jiangxi. (3) The amount needed to attain fair ecological compensation for cultivated land is 5.2 times the payment amount for cultivated land; this indicated there is larger arable land, a favorable condition for agricultural cultivation, and better supply capacity of ecosystem services in most of the cities of Jiangxi. (4) The compensation amount for cultivated land ecological surplus areas in Jiangxi province is generally higher than the cost of ecological protection, and its proportion in GDP, fiscal revenue and agriculture-related expenditure is significantly higher than that in ecological deficit areas; this indicated that the compensation value of cultivated land could play the driving role in the protective behavior for cultivated land. The results provide a theoretical and methodological reference for the construction of horizontal ecological compensation standards for cultivated land.

Regional horizontal ecological compensation and ecosystem service value based on water resources pattern and insurance gain.

Ecological compensation plays an important role in maintaining ecosystem services and promoting regional green development. We built a regional horizontal ecological compensation model based on water resources pattern and insurance gain, and which was used to solve the problems of single compensation method and low compensation efficiency. Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as an example, we analyzed water footprint and water ecological carrying capacity from 2000 to 2019. The compensation subject and object and water footprint compensation amount were determined according to the input cost of ecological protection and allocation factor. Then, the insurance pricing model was introduced to determine ecological insurance premium rate. We calculated insurance compensation, ecological compensation standard and different types of ecosystem service value. Results showed that the whole region was at a state of water ecological deficit, with the agricultural water footprint accounting for 94.5%. From the perspective of the compensation subject and object, Beijing and Tianjin, as the compensation subject, needed to pay 0.402 billion yuan and 0.396 billion yuan (the amount of compensation) to Hebei Province each year. Hebei Province obtained a total of 0.228 billion yuan of ecological insurance with an insurance premium rate of 1.4%, and should receive an average annual ecological compensation standard of 0.81 billion yuan from Beijing and Tianjin. Hydrological regulation was the core ecosystem service in the region, with an average value of 187.974 billion yuan. It was of strategic significance to introduce ecological insurance mechanism to construct horizontal ecological compensation mechanism, improve ecosystem service function, and enhance the value of ecosystem services in the study area.

Wetland Ecological Restoration and Payment for Ecosystem Service Standard: A Case Study of Ganjiangyuan National Wetland Park

Wetland resources in wetland parks are unique natural resources. Discussing the ecological restoration and compensation standards of wetland parks plays an important guiding role in the construction of wetland protection systems. Based on the characteristics of wetland resources, using wetland ecosystem evaluation, ecosystem services evaluation, alternative cost, and conditional value methods, nine secondary indices were determined to evaluate the ecosystem services of Ganjiangyuan National Wetland Park. The results are as follows: (1) Ganjiangyuan National Wetland Park ecosystem evaluation result was “excellent,” the ecosystem service value of the wetland park is 43,922,014.39 yuan/hm2·year, among which the hydrology regulation value is the largest (19,257,869.14 yuan/hm2·year) and the food production value is the smallest (12,900.76 yuan/hm2·year). (2) The ecological restoration of Ganjiangyuan National Wetland Park should be based on improvements in hydrological regulations, waste treatment, entertainment culture, and biodiversity conservation. In conjunction with the strategic needs of wetland protection and social economy, wetland park restoration can contribute to urban development. (3) The upper and lower limits of the ecological compensation standard in the study area were calculated to be 310.49 and 257.87 yuan/hm2·year, respectively. Research shows that the ecosystem service value of wetland parks is huge, especially in terms of water conservation and waste treatment. It is necessary to pay attention to ecological benefits while reaping the economic benefits of wetland parks. Therefore, the results of this study provide a theoretical reference for the ecological compensation of wetland parks.

Exploring the response of ecosystem service value to land use changes under multiple scenarios coupling a mixed-cell cellular automata model and system dynamics model in Xi'an, China

Land use is a crucial factor affecting ecosystem service value (ESV), and forecasting future land use changes and ESV response can guide urban planning and sustainable development decisions. However, the traditional Cellular Automata (CA) model supposes that each cell has only one land use type at each time step, neglects the mixed structure and proportional distribution of land use units, does not take into account its quantitative continuous dynamic change, and lacks the exploration of land use quantity structure and spatial pattern optimization. This study employed a novel mixed-cell cellular automata (MCCA) approach, coupled with the system dynamics (SD) model to predict the spatiotemporal pattern of land use under the natural increase scenario (NIS), economic development scenario (EDS) and ecological protection scenario (EPS) in Xi’an, China, in 2030. The equivalent coefficient method was utilized to investigate the heterogeneity distribution and sensitivity of ESV. The results demonstrated that SD-MCCA exhibited remarkable prediction accuracy and robustness. The main changes in land use in 2000–2015 were due to urban expansion, the conversion of arable land into construction land, and the conversion between grassland and arable land. The total ESV increased from 19554.36×106 CNY in 2000 to 19618.39×106 CNY under the EPS in 2030, and the contribution of climate regulation and hydrological regulation to ESV was the highest. Spatial heterogeneity of ESV revealed a certain regularity, and the high value region was chiefly concentrated in woodland and grassland with favorable ecological conditions. Land use variations under NIS and EPS improved ESV, while the ESV had a negative response to land use transformations under the EDS. This research provides a new way to identify the relationship between future land utilization scenarios and ESV, which is of great significance for the management of land resources and formulation of ecological compensation standards.

武汉城市圈县域空间横向碳生态补偿研究——基于土地利用碳收支差异

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 武汉城市圈县域空间横向碳生态补偿研究——基于土地利用碳收支差异 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202204130976 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金项目（71774064）；湖南省自然科学基金项目（2021JJ30190） County-level carbon ecological compensation of Wuhan Urban Agglomeration under carbon neutrality target: based on the difference in land use carbon budget Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: The National Natural Science Foundation of China (General Program, Key Program, Major Research Plan) 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:认识和探讨区域土地利用碳收支并构建碳生态补偿模式，对于引导区域低碳协调发展、促进实现碳中和目标具有重要理论和现实意义。探究基于土地利用碳收支的碳生态补偿原理，并以武汉城市圈县域为实证研究对象，依据区域土地利用碳收支差异，在碳中和目标下估算城市圈各县（市、区）的碳生态补偿标准，明确碳生态补偿支付或受偿次序。结果表明：（1）研究期内城市圈各县（市、区）土地利用净碳排放空间差异显著。土地利用净碳排放呈现"西高东低，南北低中心高"的空间分布特点，且该空间分布特征逐渐强化；（2）武汉城市圈有14个碳生态补偿支付区，大多位于城市圈中部和西部地区，其中包括5个优先支付区、6个次级支付区、3个潜在支付区；（3）武汉城市圈有25个碳生态补偿受偿区，大多位于城市圈东部及外围地区，其中包括5个优先受偿区、9个次级受偿区、11个潜在受偿区，并针对不同类型支付和受偿区提出差别化的低碳发展对策建议。 Abstract:It is of great theoretical and practical significance to understand and explore the regional land use carbon budget and to construct a carbon ecological compensation model, which can guide the regional low-carbon coordinated development and promote the achievement of carbon neutrality. This paper investigates the principle of carbon ecological compensation based on land use carbon budget, and takes Wuhan Urban Agglomeration as the empirical research object. Based on the difference in regional land use carbon budget, the carbon ecological compensation standard of each county (city, district) in urban agglomeration is estimated under the carbon neutrality goal, and the order of carbon ecological compensation payment or compensation is clarified. The results showed that:(1) during the study period, there were significantly spatial differences in net carbon emission from land use among counties (cities, districts) in the urban area. The net carbon emission from land use showed the spatial distribution characteristics of high in the central and western parts of the urban agglomeration and low in the northern, southern, and eastern parts, and the spatial distribution characteristic was gradually strengthened. (2) There were 14 carbon ecological compensation payment zones in the Wuhan Urban Agglomeration, mostly located in the central and western parts of the urban agglomeration, including 5 priority payment zones, 6 secondary payment zones and 3 potential payment zones. (3) There were 25 carbon ecological compensation reception zones in Wuhan Urban Agglomeration, mostly located in the eastern part of the urban agglomeration and peripheral areas, including 5 priority reception zones, 9 secondary reception zones, and 11 potential reception zones, and differential countermeasures for low carbon development were proposed for different types of zones. And it also proposed the differentiated low-carbon development countermeasures for different types of payment and reception zones. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Assessment of the Ecological Compensation Standards for Cross-Basin Water Diversion Projects from the Perspective of Main Headwater and Receiver Areas

This paper aims to explore how to develop reasonable ecological compensation standards to improve the effectiveness of water diversion projects. Watershed ecological compensation is an important means to coordinate watershed protection and development and, additionally, compensation standard accounting is the core issue of ecological compensation. The previous literature has mainly calculated watershed ecological compensation standards from a single perspective, such as the main headwater or receiver areas, meaning the interests of another under-appreciated area would inevitably be ignored. The calculation results of different perspectives and methods vary greatly, directly affecting the implementation of watershed ecological compensation mechanisms. In this paper, the world's largest water diversion project, the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, was selected as the study area. The total cost correction model was selected from the perspective of the main headwater areas. The water resources input-output model was selected from the perspective of the receiver areas to evaluate the ecological compensation criteria and compare the differences between the two models. The results show that the ecological compensation standards based on the perspective of water source areas are mainly influenced by the ecological construction expenditures and industrial opportunity cost losses in the watershed, with higher compensation costs in the early period but a more moderate growth trend in the later period. The ecological compensation standards based on the perspective of the receiver areas increase with the annual increase in project water diversion, with a low compensation cost in the early period, but a faster growth trend in the later period. The ecological compensation standards calculated by different perspectives and methods differ significantly; the main contribution of this paper is to enrich the ecological compensation research on cross-basin water diversion projects from multiple perspectives.