Ecosystem Service Function Research Articles

Shifting from Trade-Offs to Synergies in Ecosystem Services Through Effective Ecosystem Management in Arid Areas

Human activities continuously alter the delivery of ecosystem services (ESs), which play a crucial role in human well-being. There is a pressing need for effective ecological management strategies that consider the spatial heterogeneity of ESs to support the transition from trade-offs to synergies. This study focuses on the Haba River Basin and examines characteristics of land-use change and the shift from trade-offs to synergies. The results indicate that from 1990 to 2000, the initial phase of land development, 10.65% of the land experienced change. Subsequently, during the intensive period of land development from 2000 to 2010, 30.29% of the land underwent significant transformation, with approximately 78% of grassland, sparse grassland, forested land, and desert converted into arable land. However, between 2010 and 2020, as the focus shifted towards the establishment of native vegetation. The intensity of land development decreased, and only a small percentage (3.65%) of the total area underwent changes. Based on an in-depth analysis of spatial heterogeneity from 1990 to 2020, it is believed there has been a shift from trade-offs to co-benefits between 2000–2010 and 2010–2020. The years 2010 and 2020 were pivotal time nodes for the transition from trade-offs to synergies and for reducing trade-offs, with NPP identified as a critical driving factor for comprehensive ES (CES) functions. By considering the trade-off–synergy relationship and hotspots of ecological service functions, combined with unified water resource management policies, comprehensive ecological management measures tailored to different regions are proposed. These measures have facilitated the implementation of robust ecological protection policies to shift ES development from trade-offs to synergies in arid areas, thereby enhancing overall ecosystem service functions in the Haba River Basin. The research findings offer crucial scientific support and guidance for ecosystem management in arid areas, particularly within Central Asia.

Research Framework of Regional Economic-Ecological System Vulnerability Evolution and Adaptive Leap under the Background of Climate Change

This study focuses on the vulnerability evolution mechanism of regional economic-ecological systems and its adaptive leapfrogging path under the background of climate change. Based on the theory of complex adaptive systems and the framework of social-ecological system coupling, a regional economic-ecological system vulnerability assessment index system was constructed. Using the system dynamics model and scenario simulation method, the impact transmission mechanism of climate change on regional economic-ecological systems was analyzed, and the spatiotemporal evolution law of system vulnerability was revealed. The study found that climate change has aggravated the vulnerability of regional economic-ecological systems by changing resource endowments, disturbing industrial structure, and affecting ecological service functions. In response to this problem, this study proposed a leapfrogging path based on adaptive management: including building a climate-resilient industrial system, optimizing resource allocation efficiency, enhancing ecosystem service functions, and improving regional adaptive governance mechanisms. The research results have important theoretical value and practical significance for promoting regional sustainable development and ecological civilization construction.

Emergy-Based Evaluation of Xiaolangdi Reservoir’s Impact on the Ecosystem Health and Services of the Lower Yellow River

The disturbance in river ecosystems caused by reservoirs and dams has become a critical topic, attracting increasing attention. However, the extent to which reservoir and dam construction and operation impact downstream river ecosystem health and ecosystem service functions is not fully understood. This research examines the Xiaolangdi Reservoir and the Lower Yellow River (LYR) ecosystem in China as a case study. We analyzed the complex material and energy flows in the LYR ecosystem using emergy theory and developed a set of emergy-based indicators for the quantitative assessment of river ecosystem health and services under reservoir operation interference. The results indicate that the total natural capital and environmental endowments of the LYR ecosystem have remained relatively stable after the operation of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir, with an increase in renewable emergy input. The ecosystem’s vigor decreased slightly, while the biomass emergy diversity index remained stable. However, the total emergy inputs increased significantly, with external feedback inputs becoming the most important emergy source for the LYR ecosystem. The resilience of the LYR ecosystem improved, with a significant increase in emergy density and a decrease in the emergy sustainability index. These findings suggest that although the river ecosystem continues to provide supporting services to human society, the extent of these services has diminished compared to pre-perturbation levels. In this research, a methodology for analyzing the impact of key reservoir operations on the ecosystem health and services of a large river is proposed to provide support for large river sustainable development studies.

Evaluation and Trade-Offs/Synergies of Ecosystem Services in an Ecologically Fragile Region: A Case Study of Western Jilin Province

Ecosystem services (ES) are the foundation for the survival and development of human society. It is of great significance to clarify the trade-off and synergy between different types of ES in promoting regional sustainable development. This paper selects the western Jilin Province as a case, focusing on exploring the trade-offs and synergies of ES in ecologically fragile areas, enriching the geographical types of research on the relationships between ecosystem services. Utilizing the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, this study focused on quantifying four pivotal services—carbon storage, water yield, soil conservation, and habitat quality index—over a two-decade span encompassing the years 2000, 2010, and 2020, and analyzed the trade-offs/synergies between the four ecosystem service functions. The results show that from 2000 to 2020, among the four ecosystem services, water yield and soil conservation increased by 13.57 × 109 m3 and 220.61 × 106 t, respectively, while carbon storage and habitat quality decreased by 5.09 × 106 milligrams and 0.01 units, respectively. At the regional scale, there were only synergistic relationships between carbon storage and soil conservation, and carbon storage and habitat quality. This study provides scientific references to promote sustainable development in the western Jilin Province and offers new insights into the trade-off and synergy of ecosystem services in ecologically fragile areas.

Evaluation of the Ecosystem Services Value of Agricultural Industrial Parks under the Background of Tianfu Granary Construction - A Case Study of the Daoming and Longxing Districts in Chongzhou City

In the new era, China faces two major challenges of food security and ecological protection. The agricultural industrial parks constructed in the process of developing the Tianfu Granary play a significant role in China's food supply and ecological security as a special type of farmland ecosystem. Accurately calculating the value of ecosystem services in agricultural industrial parks is of great importance for achieving sustainable agricultural development and comprehensively realizing rural revitalization. This paper takes the Daoming and Longxing Agricultural Industrial Parks in Chongzhou City as the research subjects, constructs an evaluation index system for ecosystem service value, and assesses and calculates the supply, support, regulation, and cultural services of the agricultural industrial parks. The research findings show that the total value of ecosystem services reaches 260.64 million yuan, which is 4.65 times the value of the agricultural products supplied, and its significant ecosystem service value cannot be ignored. Among the ecosystem service values of the park, the cultural service value is the highest, followed by the social security service value. Based on the above conclusions, this paper discusses how to achieve high-standard construction of agricultural industrial parks, providing a scientific basis for the government and policymakers to make correct decisions in the rational use of resources, reduce and avoid short-term economic behaviors that damage ecosystem service functions, and promote sustainable agricultural development.

Spatiotemporal Eolution and Prediction of Ecosystem Service Value in Taihang Mountains Based on MCCA Land Use Scenario Simulation

Ecosystem service value （ESV） is an important indicator related to regional ecological well-being, and understanding its evolution can provide references for regional ecological civilization construction and sustainable development. The Taihang Mountains, an important ecological security barrier in North China, were taken as an example. Based on land use data from 2000 to 2020, this study revealed the changes in land use and ecosystem service value in the Taihang Mountains and conducted multi-scenario simulations of ESV in 2035. Additionally, the land use transfer matrix, improved equivalent factor method, and mixed-cell cellular automata model were used. The results showed that： ① From 2000 to 2020, the main land use types in the Taihang Mountains were cropland, forest land, and grassland. The area of cropland and grassland significantly decreased, whereas the area of forest land and construction land remained stable. The scale of land use transfer was 2.06×104 km2, with a high intensity of transfer from cropland and grassland to other areas, mainly guided by ecological construction. ② The ecosystem service functions in the Taihang Mountains were mainly dominated by regulation services, and the overall ESV showed a stable upward trend, increasing by 1.51×1010 RMB from 2000 to 2020. The spatial distribution of ESV was uneven, and the polarization phenomenon was evident, with high-value areas concentrated in the high-altitude areas in the northern and central-southern parts and low-value areas mostly located in the flat foothills and central plateaus on both sides. They were greatly influenced by human activities. ③ By 2035, compared with that in 2020, the ESV in the Taihang Mountains was projected to increase by 5.37 billion RMB in the natural growth scenario, 4.34 billion RMB in the urban development scenario, and 7.64 billion RMB in the ecological tourism scenario, mainly due to the conversion from cropland and grassland to forest land. The natural growth scenario showed a high intensity of spatial transformation of ESV, the urban development scenario experienced severe ESV loss in cropland, and the ecological tourism scenario showed a significant increase in ESV, which was an effective path for promoting green development in the Taihang Mountains. The research results can provide scientific references for the healthy management and sustainable development of the ecosystem in the Taihang Mountains.

Evaluating Ecological Drought Vulnerability from Ecosystem Service Value Perspectives in North China

Existing studies on the vulnerability assessment of ecological drought often focus on analyzing vegetation phenotypic characteristics, overlooking the impact of drought on ecosystem services. This study proposes an ecosystem vulnerability assessment method under ecological drought stress from the perspective of ecosystem service value (ESV), considering the characteristics and interactions of hazard-causing factors and hazard-bearing bodies. The spatiotemporal evolution of ecological drought, the spatial characteristics of ecosystem vulnerability, and the vulnerability characteristics of different ecosystem types in the North China region from 1991 to 2021 were evaluated. The results showed that: (1) ecological drought exhibited a trend of intensification followed by alleviation, with the most severe droughts occurring between 2002 and 2011, affecting up to 64.3% of the region; (2) ESV was mainly influenced by vegetation cover and precipitation gradients, displaying a spatial pattern of high values in the southeast and low values in the northwest, with total ESV averaging CNY 18.23 trillion; (3) grasslands exhibited higher sensitivity to drought compared to forests, and the sensitivity was higher in summer and autumn than in winter and spring. This method assessed the vulnerability of ecological drought from the perspective of ecosystem services, providing a new approach for a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of drought on ecosystem service functions.

Construction of an Ecological Security Pattern for the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest on the Basis of the Importance of the Function and Sensitivity of Its Ecosystem Services

The National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest (NPHTR) plays the crucial role of an ecological barrier for Hainan Island. It also serves as a valuable repository of tropical biological heritage for the world. The scientific establishment of an ecological security pattern (ESP) for the NPHTR is therefore essential for ensuring the robustness and stability of this regional ecosystem, safeguarding tropical biodiversity, and promoting sustainable development. This study integrates ecosystem service functions (ESFs) and ecological sensitivity to identify ecological sources (ESs) so that regional integrity is promoted and ecological security is ensured. Ecological corridors (ECs) are established on the basis of a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory. We integrate ESs, nodes, and corridors to construct the ESP of the NPHTR. The areas of extreme importance and sensitivity in the NPHTR account for 25.17% and 25.47% of its overall area, respectively, and are predominantly situated in the higher elevations of its eastern and central regions. Further, the ESs are mainly distributed in its western region, specifically Ba Wangling (BWL), Jian Fengling (JFL), and Ying Geling (YGL), covering an area of 1624.67 km2 (38.06% of the total area) of the NPHTR. After correction, 47 ECs with a distance of 870.9 km have been established, with BWL and YGL serving as the core areas. The ecological pinch- and barrier points in the NPHTR cover areas of 11.49 km2 and 16.35 km2, respectively, primarily consisting of man-made landscapes such as farmlands and buildings. These areas are significantly disturbed by human activities. The NPHTR has an ESP of “one screen, one district, three belts, multiple points, and multiple corridors”. BWL and YGL, which contain numerous sources and corridors, are crucial ecological functional zones. To ensure the horizontal connectivity of rare wildlife, such as of Nomascus hainanus and Cervus eldii hainanus, the NPHTR should establish buffer or development zones. These findings offer valuable insights for the development and planning of ecological civilization on Hainan Island, as well as for the establishment and management of the ESP of other national parks and nature reserves.

Coupling coordination analysis and spatiotemporal heterogeneity between urban land green use efficiency and ecosystem services in Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

Rapid urbanization has resulted in the conversion of different land types, leading to a serious disruption of the balance of ecosystems, and the contradiction between land use and ecological security becomes increasingly severe. As a key factor affecting ecosystem services (ESs), improving the urban land green use efficiency (ULGUE) can effectively mitigate the decline in the ecosystem services function. This study tried to verify the profound impact of land use on ESs by measuring the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between ULGUE and ESs from the perspective of coupling coordination. However, the traditional CCD model suffers from volatility and non-comparable confidence levels in results. For this background, this study adopted the improved CCD model to measure the association between ULGUE and ESs in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). Also, a comprehensive spatial evolution of the CCD was further explored. The main conclusions are as follows: (a) The overall level of ULGUE in YREB showed an increasing trend with the distribution of ULGUE in most cities ranging from 0.71 to 1.00, showing a higher level overall and the spatial distribution character of “small aggregation, large distribution”; (b) The ESs of YREB from 2005 to 2020 demonstrated a decreasing trend and majority of cities’ current ecological protection efforts are lagging behind the extent of ecosystem damage caused by human activities; (c) The overall average CCD of YREB was largely at basically balanced level and the average CCD change ranges from 0.38 to 0.45 between 2005 and 2020, but the overall CCD had a strong spatial correlation strength. (4) To some extent, the improved CCD model solved the problems of volatility and credibility based on the traditional CCD results, which have strong rationality and scientific validity. Identifying the coupling and coordination characteristics and mechanisms can effectively provide theoretical support for the sustainable development of watersheds.

The largest single-species Nanozostera japonica seagrass meadow of China: Its decline, restoration attempts, and short-term effects on macrobenthos and soil bacterial communities

Seagrass beds support vital ecological functions so that when seagrass experience severe degradation, their ecosystem service functions are diminished or lost. The largest Nanozostera japonica seagrass bed in China, situated in the Yellow River Delta, has undergone significant degradation due to Spartina alterniflora invasion and the impact of Typhoon Lekima (2019). The lack of seeds and overwintering shoots makes natural seagrass recovery challenging, prompting the urgent need for seagrass ecological restoration. In the present study, seed sowing experiments were conducted with varying burial depths, seed sources, and sowing times, as well as transplantation experiments with different transplant unit sizes and intervals in the severely degraded seagrass bed. Subsequently, changes in macrobenthos and soil bacterial diversity were tracked after seagrass recovery. According to the results, the optimal burial depth for N. japonica seeds varies across different sediment types, with 4 cm being suitable for sandy soil and 2 cm for silty soil. Seeds sown in May did not survive due to high temperatures. Seeds from Dalian exhibited superior growth after sowing, making them ideal material for seed restoration projects. Transplanting N. japonica sods with 25 × 25 cm transplant units and 50-cm intervals resulted in the most robust growth, indicating it as a suitable method for adult transplantation. Following seagrass re-establishment, macrobenthos and soil bacterial diversity increased significantly. The findings of the present study provide valuable technical guidance and theoretical support for the ecological restoration of N. japonica. Future efforts should prioritize the restoration of seagrass bed ecological functions, with longer-term effects examined.

The Accelerating Loss of Resilience in Suburban Woodlands Can Largely Be Attributed to the Changes in Urban Precipitation Patterns.

Vegetation resilience holds significant importance for stabilizing ecosystem service functions in a changing climate. While global land surface vegetation resilience changes have been extensively studied, the impact of urbanization on the resilience of suburban woodlands remains inadequately understood. In this study, we utilized two critical slowing down (CSD) indicators, namely lag-one autocorrelation (LOA) and variance (VA), to assess the vegetation resilience, its long-term trends, and influencing factors in suburban woodlands across 1356 cities worldwide. The recovery rates estimated by LOA ( ) and VA ( ) showed close alignment in suburban woodlands with low suburban forest coverage (SFC) areas (correlation coefficient (r) = 0.95). However, a notable divergence was observed in areas with high SFC (r = 0.73). Suburban woodlands with high SFC typically exhibited lower recovery rate estimates, thus indicating greater vegetation resilience compared to areas with lower SFC. From 1986 to 2022, the recovery rates of suburban woodland areas in over 83% of the cities demonstrated a significant upward trend, with an average of 3.23 × 10-3 year-1 for both and , signifying a widespread decline in vegetation resilience. The accelerating pace of urbanization led to higher rising rates of and during 2010-2022 (5.11 × 10-3 year-1) compared to 1986-1999 (0.49 × 10-3 year-1). The notable decrease in resilience of forestland was primarily attributed to reduced precipitation in urban suburbs, which can be explained by urbanization-induced heat island and building barrier effects, causing a shift of precipitation center from urban suburbs to central cities. In summary, this study revealed that urbanization diminishes the vegetation resilience of urban suburban woodlands by altering urban precipitation patterns. These findings underscore the necessity of augmenting water availability in urban suburbs to restore resilience in these woodlands, thereby enhancing their ecosystem service value.

The Legal System of Natural Ecological Protection and Restoration in Newly Built Areas Based on the Multi-Dimensional Character-Istics of the Ecosystem

Natural environment protection compensation refers to the legal system that protects the natural ecological environment, protects the natural environment and makes the beneficiaries of the natural environment get compensation by some means, so as to adjust the interests of the relevant subjects of natural ecological environment protection. This paper discusses the ecosystem service function and its type division of newly built areas in Ganjiang, and the emergy evaluation of ecosystem service function of newly built areas in Ganjiang, establishes the regular scheduling and joint optimal scheduling models of natural ecosystem service value single reservoir, intro-duces the corresponding model solving methods, and applies the ant colony algorithm to the optimal schedule is a lesson. According to the ant colony algorithm, the best way to study the region is to determine these algorithms. Combined with the kernel density analysis method, the spatial scope, potential corridors and key recovery points of ecological corridors are identified, and the optimization mode of natural ecological security pattern of Shule River is constructed. The experimental results show that the optimized ant colony algorithm proves that joint scheduling plays a more prominent role in ecological environment protection, mainly in ecological support and ecological regulation. At the same time, it verifies the applicability of ant colony algorithm in joint scheduling, and improves the average protection efficiency of natural ecology to 20.9%.

Quantifying the Ecological Performance of Migratory Bird Conservation: Evidence from Poyang Lake Wetlands in China.

Protected areas are essential for the conservation of biodiversity. However, the rapid expansion of urbanization and the intensification of human activities have significantly disrupted environmental integrity, leading to a continuous deterioration in both the quantity and quality of large ecological patches. This has further diminished the connectivity among ecological patches, leading to significant consequences for regional biodiversity conservation. Taking Poyang Lake as a case study, which serves as a crucial wintering habitat for migratory birds along the East Asia-Australasia flyway, this research employs ArcMap technology. It considers various factors including land use type, slope, and elevation to evaluate habitat quality and degradation through the application of the InVEST model. Additionally, the study utilizes the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model alongside circuit theory to delineate ecological corridors within the area and to establish a comprehensive ecological network system. The research results in this paper are as follows. (i) During the period from 2000 to 2020, there was an overall decline in habitat quality within the study area, indicating a clear trend of habitat degradation. However, it is worth noting that there was an increase in habitat quality in certain local areas within the protected area. (ii) The ecological resistance values in the core area of the migratory bird reserve in Poyang Lake are generally low. However, the ecological resistance values of the habitats have shown a consistent increase from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, there has been a significant decrease in the density of ecological corridors during this time period. (iii) Over the period from 2000 to 2020, both the number and connectivity of ecological corridors decreased and their integrity and functionality degraded. Consequently, this weakened role of the ecological network has had implications for maintaining regional biodiversity and ecosystem service functions. The findings indicate two conclusions. (i) Ecological connectivity is essential for the conservation of migratory bird habitats. Strengthening control measures aimed at expanding ecological corridors can effectively safeguard flagship and umbrella species, thereby promoting biodiversity conservation. (ii) The establishment of ecological corridors can help reconcile conflicts between conservation efforts and development objectives. This reconciliation carries significant theoretical implications for fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and birds in Poyang Lake's migratory bird sanctuary.

Evaluation of water supply function in the Economic Belt of the Northern Slope of the Tianshan Mountains based on the InVEST model

The Economic Belt of the Northern Slope of the Tianshan Mountains (EBNSTM) is a composite ecosystem with mountains, oases, and desert areas; it also serves as an active area for anthropogenic activities. Frequent changes in soil and water resources have significant impacts on regional ecosystems. However, research on the ecosystem water yield function of EBNSTM is relatively limited; additionally, the spatiotemporal variations in the water supply function based on land use changes have not been sufficiently elucidated. This study aimed to explore the land use changes and the spatial variability of water supply service functions in the region at the macro level and uses the land transfer matrix as an important tool to study the changes in land use in the different years of 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. Using the InVEST model, we conducted a quantitative assessment and comprehensive study on the water supply function of EBNSTM across the aforementioned years. Additionally, the study delved into the structure of ecosystem service functions, alongside investigating the spatial and temporal variability of ecosystem services under the multi-scale units of administrative divisions, ecological zones, and land classes. We found that during the 20-year period, the area of construction land of EBNSTM increased by 1089 km2, with the highest dynamic change rate of 4.09 %; 2015–2020 period was the most drastic period of change for each land use type. The average multi-year depth of water production was 87.49 mm, totaling 71.59 × 108 m3. The spatial distribution pattern of the water supply function in the study area during the last 20 years consistently exhibited a distinct pattern: mountainous areas displayed the highest water supply capacity, followed by oases, and deserts ranked the lowest. Further, the water supply service function within the study area is currently experiencing a modest rate of increase. The rate of change in water supply depth was 2.76 mm/a, while the rate of change in water supply volume was 0.47 × 108 m3/a. Areas with enhanced water supply capacity are mostly distributed in the southeast of EBNSTM, whereas the northwest, encompassing the mountainous areas, exhibited a declined water supply capacity. Between 2000 and 2020, the water supply capacity in the study area was ranked as follows: woodland > grassland > unutilized land > cultivated land > urban construction land, with woodland displaying the strongest water supply capacity. When woodlands, grasslands, and croplands were converted to other land use types, their water supply functions generally decreased, and vice versa. Our findings provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management of water and soil resources in EBNSTM.

Farmers’ Perception of Shelter Forests and the Influencing Factors in Windy Desert Areas of the Hexi Corridor, China

Shelter forest systems in the sandy areas mainly comprise farmland shelter forests (FSF) and windbreak and sand-fixing forests (WSF). Through a questionnaire survey of farmers in the oasis–desert transition zone of the windy desert areas of the Hexi Corridor in China, a perception assessment model of farmers’ perception of the status quo and ecosystem service function of shelter forests was constructed, and the willingness of farmers to pay for shelter forest construction and protection was measured. Influencing factors for the farmers’ perception of shelter forests were analyzed by a multiple regression analysis. The results showed problems with pests and diseases all present in FSF and WSF, the destruction of farmland in FSF, and water scarcity in WSF. Farmers evaluated the ecological role of shelter forests as the most obvious in windbreak and sand fixation; intermediate in the four ecological roles of leisure and recreation, agricultural production, a sense of locality, and climate regulation; and the smallest in soil improvement. Nearly 95% of farmers are willing to donate funds to shelter forest construction and protection, and the average amount the farmers were willing to pay was CNY 54.30 per year. Willingness to pay, annual household income, gender, environmental experience, age, and interview area have significant effects on farmers’ perception of shelter forests. Finally, in this paper, we recommend increasing motivation through government financial support and training for farmers to address pests and diseases, water security, and the destruction of farmland in shelter forests to ensure healthy and sustainable growth.

Identification of Ecological Compensation Zones and Compensation Amounts: A Case Study of the Yellow River Delta

Accurately identifying ecological compensation areas and scientifically determining appropriate compensation amounts are crucial for establishing a robust ecological compensation mechanism, which in turn is key to promoting the coordinated development of ecological protection and high-quality economic growth. This study innovatively proposes a framework for ecological compensation termed “Accounting of Ecosystem Services Value–Identification of Priorities for Payers and Recipients–Calculation of Ecological Compensation Amount (ESV–PPR–ECA)”. It utilizes the InVEST model and the emergy method to assess the value of ecosystem services, constructs the Ecosystem Payment and Recipient Priority Sequence (EPRPS) Model to identify the payers, recipients, and their priorities for ecological compensation, and employs the conversion factor method to calculate the Ecological Compensation Amount (ECA). This framework aims to address the questions of “How should compensation be provided?”, “Who should compensate whom?”, and “How much compensation is necessary?”, ensuring the optimal use of ecological compensation funds and providing a scientific basis for inter-regional ecological compensation. The study’s findings indicate that the total Ecological Compensation Amount for the Yellow River Delta in 2020 was 3.848 billion RMB, with the total amount receivable being 4.032 billion RMB and the total amount payable being 184 million RMB. The compensation funds should be prioritized for tideland and the Yellow River, and venture, cropland and industrial land should be the first to contribute compensation. Additionally, the Ecosystem Service Value of the Yellow River Delta showed a declining trend from 2015 to 2020, underscoring the urgent need to establish a horizontal compensation mechanism for the region. Such a mechanism would incentivize environmental protection and the construction of ecological civilization, ultimately enhancing ecosystem service functions. Therefore, we recommend the implementation of horizontal fiscal transfers, where financial assistance is provided from paying areas to recipient areas, offering a scientific reference for the establishment of a horizontal compensation mechanism within the Yellow River Delta.

UAV Quantitative Remote Sensing of Riparian Zone Vegetation for River and Lake Health Assessment: A Review

River and lake health assessment (RLHA) is an important approach to alleviating the conflict between protecting river and lake ecosystems and fostering socioeconomic development, aiming for comprehensive protection, governance, and management. Vegetation, a key component of the riparian zone, supports and maintains river and lake health (RLH) by providing a range of ecological functions. While research on riparian zone vegetation is ongoing, these studies have not yet been synthesized from the perspective of integrating RLHA with the ecological functions of riparian zone vegetation. In this paper, based on the bibliometric method, the relevant literature studies on the topics of RLHA and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing of vegetation were screened and counted, and the keywords were highlighted, respectively. Based on the connotation of RLH, this paper categorizes the indicators of RLHA into five aspects: water space: the critical area from the river and lake water body to the land in the riparian zone; water resources: the amount of water in the river and lake; water environment: the quality of water in the river and lake; water ecology:aquatic organisms in the river and lake; and water services:the function of ecosystem services in the river and lake. Based on these five aspects, this paper analyzes the key role of riparian zone vegetation in RLHA. In this paper, the key roles of riparian zone vegetation in RLHA are summarized as follows: stabilizing riverbanks, purifying water quality, regulating water temperature, providing food, replenishing groundwater, providing biological habitats, and beautifying human habitats. This paper analyzes the application of riparian zone vegetation ecological functions in RLH, summarizing the correlation between RLHA indicators and these ecological functions. Moreover, this paper analyzes the advantages of UAV remote sensing technology in the quantitative monitoring of riparian zone vegetation. This analysis is based on the high spatial and temporal resolution characteristics of UAV remote sensing technology and focuses on monitoring the ecological functions of riparian zone vegetation. On this basis, this paper summarizes the content and indicators of UAV quantitative remote sensing monitoring of riparian zone vegetation for RLHA. It covers several aspects: delineation of riparian zone extent, identification of vegetation types and distribution, the influence of vegetation on changes in the river floodplain, vegetation cover, plant diversity, and the impact of vegetation distribution on biological habitat. This paper summarizes the monitoring objects involved in monitoring riparian zones, riparian zone vegetation, river floodplains, and biological habitats, and summarizes the monitoring indicators for each category. Finally, this paper analyzes the challenges of UAV quantitative remote sensing for riparian zone vegetation at the current stage, including the limitations of UAV platforms and sensors, and the complexity of UAV remote sensing data information. This paper envisages the future application prospects of UAV quantitative remote sensing for riparian zone vegetation, including the development of hardware and software such as UAV platforms, sensors, and data technologies, as well as the development of integrated air-to-ground monitoring systems and the construction of UAV quantitative remote sensing platforms tailored to actual management applications.

A Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of the Model of Salt-Tolerant Crops Irrigated by Mariculture Wastewater Based on a Field Plot Experiment

The intensified development of aquaculture and excessive use of agricultural fertilizers pose a threat to natural resource availability and deteriorate the environment. Utilizing aquaculture wastewater from mariculture for agricultural irrigation can mitigate pollution and alleviate the pressure on natural resources. This study investigated the comprehensive benefits of using freshwater and mariculture wastewater for irrigation, employing two concentration levels of mariculture wastewater in a pot experiment with saline-tolerant rice. Furthermore, we quantitively assessed the integrated benefits for farmland by utilizing an ecosystem service function value assessment and emergy value theory. The results indicate a significant enhancement in the growth and yield of saline-tolerant rice when irrigated with mariculture wastewater. Specifically, the theoretical yield increased by 9.01% relative to freshwater irrigation. Irrigation using aquaculture wastewater significantly enhanced the nutrient concentrations in the soil, including soil organic carbon (SOC), avail-K (AK), Olsen-P (OP), and alkali-N (AN). Additionally, the uptake of these nutrients by salt-tolerant crops during their late reproductive stage effectively mitigated the rise in soil salinity induced by the wastewater irrigation practice. Under experimental conditions, wastewater irrigation conferred superior ecological benefits compared with freshwater irrigation. The comprehensive benefits of wastewater irrigation, valued at 104,439.10 RMB/hm2, exceeded those of freshwater irrigation by 188.8%. The utilization of mariculture wastewater effectively enhances the coastal environment, augments crop yields, and diminishes treatment costs. From the perspectives of revenue enhancement, environmental compatibility, and sustainability, the model of utilizing salt-tolerant crops irrigated with mariculture wastewater holds substantial promotional and practical significance.

Incorporating Ecosystem Service Trade-Offs and Synergies with Ecological Sensitivity to Delineate Ecological Functional Zones: A Case Study in the Sichuan-Yunnan Ecological Buffer Area, China

Enhancing regional ecosystem stability and managing land resources effectively requires identifying ecological function zones and understanding the factors that influence them. However, most current studies have primarily focused on ecosystem service bundles, paying less attention to the trade-offs, synergies, and ecological sensitivity, leading to a more uniform approach to functional zoning. This study aimed to analyze and describe the spatial and temporal patterns of four essential ecosystem services, including water yield (WY), net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC), and habitat quality (HQ), in the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer area over the period from 2005 to 2019. Spatial overlay analysis was used to assess ecological sensitivity, trade-offs, synergies, and ecosystem service bundles to define ecological functional zones. Geographic detectors were then applied to identify the primary drivers of spatial variation in these zones. The findings showed a progressive improvement in ecosystem service functions within the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer zone. Between 2005 and 2019, NPP, soil conservation, and water yield all demonstrated positive trends, while HQ displayed a declining trend. There was significant spatial heterogeneity and distinct regional patterns in ecosystem service functions, with a general decrease from southwest to northeast, particularly in NPP and HQ. Trade-offs were evident in most ecosystem services, with the most significant between WY and HQ and most in the northeast and east regions. Ecological sensitivity decreased from southwest to northeast. Regions with a higher ecological sensitivity were primarily situated in the southwestern region, and their spatial distribution pattern was comparable to that of high habitat quality. The spatial overlay analysis categorized areas into various types, including human production and settlement zones, ecologically vulnerable zones, ecological transition zones, and ecological conservation zones, accounting for 17.28%, 22.30%, 7.41%, and 53.01% of the total area, respectively. The primary environmental factor affecting ecological function zoning was identified as precipitation, while the main social variables were human activity and population density. This study enhances the understanding of ecological functions and supports sustainable development in the Sichuan-Yunnan ecological buffer area, offering important guidance for ecological zoning.

Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Ecosystem Services and Driving Factors in the Yellow River Basin of Henan Province, China

The Henan Yellow River Basin is an ecological support belt for the entire basin. It holds a significant position in high-quality development and ecological conservation within the Yellow River Basin. However, due to improper development activities, such as urban expansion and deforestation of farmland, certain areas of the region have encountered a series of ecological issues, posing significant challenges to ecosystem services. The scientific foundation for the sustainable development of the ecological environment in the Henan Yellow River Basin is established by research on the evolution characteristics and driving factors of ecosystem service functions. This study focuses on the Henan Yellow River Basin, by introducing remote sensing data and biomass data, assessing the spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem service by the InVEST model—including carbon stock, water yield, and soil conservation—from 2000 to 2020. It analyzes the ecosystem service functions of different land use types. It employs the Geodetector to identify the dominant driving factors behind the changes in these functions based on the improved InVEST model evaluated results. The findings reveal that from 2000 to 2020, total carbon stock increased by 1.86%, carbon stock per unit area rose by 1.81%, and the spatial distribution remained largely stable. The high-value regions were clustered in the west and part of the north, primarily consisting of forest land. Carbon stock capacity in other regions, mainly farmland and construction land, was poor, with forest land having the strongest carbon sequestration capacity, followed by grassland. Total water yield decreased by 20.08%, and water yield per unit area decreased by 20.03%, with a spatial distribution closely following the trend of precipitation distribution. The high-value regions were clustered in the south, primarily in forest land and farmland. The total amount of soil conservation decreased by 19.96%, and soil conservation per unit area decreased by 19.93%, with spatial distribution patterns similar to those of carbon stock and water yield. The high-value regions were concentrated in the southwestern and northern forested regions, while soil conservation capacity in areas primarily consisting of farmland and construction land was weaker. The divergence of carbon stock was most influenced by population density, water yield by precipitation, and soil conservation by slope. In conclusion, during the study period, while carbon storage increased, the significant decline in water yield and soil conservation highlighted critical issues in the ecosystem service functions of the region. These findings indicate the need for targeted conservation measures and sustainable development strategies to address the decline in ecosystem services and mitigate adverse environmental impacts, ensuring the long-term health of the region’s ecosystems. This study offers an in-depth understanding of the differentiation of ecosystem service functions and their driving factors, enabling precise assessment of regional ecosystem services, and providing a theoretical foundation for formulating effective regional ecological conservation policies.