Value Of Services Research Articles

Assessment and Dynamic Prediction of Green Space Ecological Service Value in Guangzhou City, China

As an important part of the urban ecosystem, urban green space provides a variety of ecosystem services, including climate regulation, soil conservation, carbon sink and oxygen release, and biodiversity protection. However, existing remote sensing evaluation methods for ecological service value lack the evaluation indicators of ecosystem service value for Guangzhou, China, and the evaluation method depends on the land cover type. Based on remote sensing technology and random forest algorithm, this study addresses these gaps by integrating remote sensing technology with a random forest algorithm to enhance the accuracy and rationality of ESV assessments. Focusing on Guangzhou, China, we improved the ecological service value evaluation system and conducted dynamic predictions based on land-use change scenarios. Our results indicate that the total ESV of Guangzhou’s green space was USD 7.323 billion in 2020, with a projected decline to USD 6.496 billion by 2030, representing a 12.37% reduction due to urbanization-driven land-use changes. This research highlights the noticeable role of green spaces in urban sustainability and provides robust, data-driven insights for policymakers to design more effective green space protection and management strategies. The improved assessment framework offers a novel approach for accurately quantifying urban ecosystem services and predicting future trends.

The Implications of Plantation Forest-Driven Land Use/Land Cover Changes for Ecosystem Service Values in the Northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia

In the northwestern Highlands of Ethiopia, a region characterized by diverse ecosystems, significant land use and land cover (LULC) changes have occurred due to a combination of environmental fragility and human pressures. The implications of these changes for ecosystem service values remain underexplored. This study quantifies the impact of LULC changes, with an emphasis on the expansion of plantation forests, on ecosystem service values in monetary terms to promote sustainable land management practices. Using Landsat images and the Random Forest algorithm in R, LULC patterns from 1985 to 2020 were analyzed, with the ecosystem service values estimated using locally adapted coefficients. The Random Forest classification demonstrated a high accuracy, with values of 0.97, 0.98, 0.96, and 0.97 for the LULC maps of 1985, 2000, 2015, and 2020, respectively. Croplands consistently dominated the landscape, accounting for 53.66% of the area in 1985, peaking at 67.35% in 2000, and then declining to 52.86% by 2020. Grasslands, initially the second-largest category, significantly decreased, while wetlands diminished from 14.38% in 1985 to 1.87% by 2020. Conversely, plantation forests, particularly Acacia decurrens, expanded from 0.4% of the area in 2000 to 28.13% by 2020, becoming the second-largest land cover type. The total ecosystem service value in the district declined from USD 219.52 million in 1985 to USD 39.23 million in 2020, primarily due to wetland degradation. However, plantation forests contributed USD 17.37 million in 2020, highlighting their significant role in restoring ecosystem services, particularly in erosion control, soil formation, nutrient recycling, climate regulation, and habitat provision. This study underscores the need for sustainable land management practices, including wetland restoration and sustainable plantation forestry, to enhance ecosystem services and ensure long-term ecological and economic sustainability.

Land use modeling and carbon storage projections of the Bosten Lake Basin in China from 1990 to 2050 across multiple scenarios

Given the escalating issue of global climate change, it is imperative to comprehend and quantify the effects of land use change on carbon storage (CS), which pertains not only to the preservation of ecosystem functions but also directly influences the equilibrium and stability of the global carbon cycle. This study examines the correlation between CS and land use change, forecasts the future spatial distribution of CS, and offers a reference for the rational planning of watershed space. Focusing on the Bosten Lake Basin of Xinjiang in China, employing the land use simulation (PLUS) model and the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and trade-offs (InVEST) model to forecast the spatial distribution of carbon stocks across three developmental scenarios, while also examining the shift in the center of gravity of CS and the autocorrelation of their spatial distribution. The findings derived from the study are as follows: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the predominant land use type in the Bosten Lake Basin was grassland, while there was an upward trend in the areas of cropland, forest land, built-up land, and wetland, alongside a downward trend in the areas of grassland, water, and unused land. (2) In the long term, the regional CS exhibits an upward trend, with the most significant increase anticipated in the EPS scenario. Grassland constitutes the most extensive carbon reservoir in the Bosten Lake Basin, while wetlands exhibit the highest carbon sequestration potential. (3) The alteration in the center of gravity of CS is associated with the expansion or reduction of the major regional carbon reservoirs and types characterized by significant carbon sequestration potential. (4) In the long term, the spatial correlation of CS in the Bosten Lake Basin exhibits a consistent upward trend, with the most pronounced spatial correlation observed under EPS.

The influence of service quality, Guanxi, value co-creation and corporate image in building developers apartments loyalty toward contractors in apartment construction industry

The influence of service quality, Guanxi, value co-creation and corporate image in building developers apartments loyalty toward contractors in apartment construction industry

Spatiotemporal dynamics and driving factors of ecosystem services value in Lanzhou City, China

Aligned with the imperatives of national ecological civilization construction, the systematic investigation into the intricate interplay between shifts in land utilization and the assessment of ecosystem services plays a pivotal and indispensable role in advancing ecological civilization. This endeavor holds significant implications. It aids in optimizing the ecological landscape at the regional level and fosters harmonious coexistence between humanity and the natural world. The study utilizes land-use remote sensing interpretation data from three time periods (2000, 2010, and 2020) and employs various methodologies, including equivalent factor coefficient correction, sensitivity analysis, and spatial autocorrelation. The objective is to uncover the spatiotemporal dynamics of land-use changes and Ecosystem Service Value (ESV) in Lanzhou City. Furthermore, geographic detectors are applied to explore the driving factors influencing ESV spatial heterogeneity and their interactions. The research findings indicate the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, grassland and cropland were the predominant land-use types in Lanzhou City, with cropland and urban land experiencing the most active changes. (2) ESV in Lanzhou City increased from 179.37 billion RMB in 2000 to 193.86 billion RMB in 2020, reflecting an ESV total growth rate of 8.07% and a gradual improvement in the ecological environment. Spatially, ESV exhibits a “west high, east low” distribution pattern, with the center shifting towards the northwest and southeast, gradually reducing spatial imbalance. (3) Analysis of ESV spatial autocorrelation reveals that high-high clusters are predominantly found within the Tulu Gou National Forest Park and the Xinglong Mountain National Natural Reserve, while low-low clusters are primarily concentrated in the central urban area of Lanzhou City. Over the period from 2000 to 2020, the spatial clustering effect of ESV within the study area has progressively intensified. 4)NDVI, precipitation, and GDP emerge as pivotal factors influencing spatial differentiation within Lanzhou City, with natural and societal elements exerting interactive effects on ESV spatial disparities. The research results integrate environmental considerations into the decision-making process, offering valuable insights for formulating targeted ecological protection policies in Lanzhou City. This study embodies concrete measures taken by Lanzhou City in practicing China’s concept of “green water and green mountains are golden silver mountains,” providing a theoretical basis for the harmonious and sustainable development of the ecological economy.

Economic Valuation of Ecosystem Services of Coastal Area of Kinondoni District, Tanzania

This study investigates the often overlooked economic values of ecosystem services in the coastal area of Kinondoni District, Tanzania, in the context of spatial and temporal changes in land use and land cover (LULC). The primary objectives were to assess how ecosystem services and functions have been affected by LULC changes over a 30-year period, from 1993 to 2023. The study employs a benefit transfer method, integrating local and global estimations of ecosystem service value (ESV) with field survey, remote sensing and GIS techniques. The findings reveal that the annual changes in ESV during the study period are estimated at US$ 0.024 million and US$ 0.034 million using local and global coefficients, respectively. Over the three decades, there has been a significant annual loss of US$ 0.72 million locally and US$ 2.11 million globally, primarily due to the degradation of mangrove forests and bushland. The decline in ecosystem functions is largely driven by reductions in regulating services, which account for 54.1% of the total decrease in local valuations and 31.6% in global valuations. Supporting services also experienced substantial declines, with reductions of 39.7% in local valuations and 55.8% in global valuations. The study underscores the urgent need to review and enhance management and conservation strategies to ensure the sustainability of the coastal ecosystems in Kinondoni District, Tanzania.

Pharmacogenomics concierge service as an opportunity for pharmacist reimbursement and practice-based learning

ObjectiveTo assess the feasibility of a pilot pharmacogenomics concierge service that incorporates student practice-based learning opportunities and a survey to determine patients’ interest and willingness to pay. MethodsParticipants in the pilot study (n=34) completed a survey to determine their willingness to pay for concierge services. Six participants indicating the highest level of interest were selected to participate in the program free of charge. Students conducted preliminary genetic testing to assess the potential value of a pharmacogenomics service. For the subset of participants (n=6) invited to the concierge service, confirmatory genetic testing was completed by a third-party lab. A layered learning model allowed senior students to mentor and train junior students in the area of pharmacogenomics. ResultsSix invited participants completed the concierge program and third party pharmacogenomic testing, and the majority (83%) received pharmacogenomic consultation with the pharmacist. Completed surveys from participants in the pilot program (n=34) indicated a willingness to pay $25-50 a month to have continued access to a pharmacist. Surveyed individuals rated their likelihood of utilizing the concierge service at a mean rating of 8.6 (SD=1.88) on a scale of 1 to 10 although this rating dropped significantly if insurance did not cover the cost. The pilot program offered opportunities for practice-based learning through a layered learning model. ConclusionThis pilot concierge program presented several successes and challenges which may help others avoid common pitfalls and spur discussion on optimal ways to develop new pharmacy services and experiential opportunities for students.

Ecosystem service value in the context of urbanization: comparison among economic-social regions of Vietnam

Urbanization is one of the important features of socio-economic development and it has a major impact on the value of ecosystem services (ESV). This study aims to quantify ESV for the entire country of Vietnam with the research unit being 6 socio-economic regions. This can be considered the first study in Vietnam to quantify the ESV for the entire country. The study calculated the annual urban land growth index (AI) and the annual urban land expansion rate (AER) to determine the urbanization status in the six study areas. The study collected input data from JAXA for four years: 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. Research results show that urban land area tended to increase and forest land area decreased sharply. The AI and AER indicated that the period 2000–2010 was a period of rapid growth in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the ESV for all of Vietnam increased year by year. The period 2000–2010 witnessed a growth in ESV about 2.35 times higher than the period 1990–2000, and about 0.1% lower than the period 2010–2020. Overall, MKD was the region showing strong growth in ESV from 1990 to 2020. Compared to that, NMR was the region with the largest decline in the 20 years from 1990 to 2010, and CHR in the past 10 years. This research contributes to enriching reference sources for Vietnamese and world researchers to have a broader view of ESV as well as the annual urban growth rate in Vietnam from 1990 to 2020.

Veterinary clients prefer benefit-focused online communication while clinic websites uncommonly communicate benefits of preventive care services.

To explore client preferences for how value is communicated via written means and to assess the consistency of this preference with how veterinary clinic websites present this information for preventive care services. First, a questionnaire was developed to assess clients' preference between 2 researcher-developed paragraphs recommending senior pet screening (one focused on the function of screening, the other on pet benefits of screening) and distributed from August 17 to November 2, 2023. Second, veterinary clinic websites were retrieved with a search engine using predefined search phrases related to 4 preventive care topics (flea and tick prevention, heartworm prevention, dental cleaning, and senior bloodwork). Each website was coded for the frequency of 4 codes related to how the value of the preventive care service was communicated (feature, function, pet benefit, or client benefit). From the questionnaire, 58.0% (166/286) of participants preferred the benefit-focused communication. Those who saw the benefit-focused paragraph were more likely to indicate being "extremely likely" to discuss senior pet screening with a veterinarian. Of the 128 website pages coded, the mean text percentages for each code were 13.3% feature, 10.5% function, 6.4% pet benefit, and 1.0% client benefit. Results suggest that opportunities exist to increase communication of the benefits of veterinary care on veterinary clinic websites, which may align more with clients' preferences. Through online communication, veterinary professionals may have an opportunity to increase client engagement with preventive care services by emphasizing the benefits of preventive care services in addition to the function.

Economic evaluation of the direct use values of goods and services provided by the Bagré wetland in Burkina Faso

Economic evaluation of the direct use values of goods and services provided by the Bagré wetland in Burkina Faso

The nexus between economic, demographic, policy and human development in South Africa: An econometric analysis

The Human Development Index, which accounts for both net foreign income and the total value of goods and services generated domestically, illustrates how income becomes less significant as Gross National Income (GNI) rises by using the logarithm of income. South Africa ranks 109th out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI) within the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) economic bloc, raising long-term sustainability concerns. The study explores the relationship between economic, demography, policy indicators and human development in South Africa. South Africa’s unique status as a developing country within the BRICS economic group, alongside its lengthy history of racial discrimination, calls for a sophisticated approach to understanding Human Development. Existing research considered economic, demography, policy indicators independently; the gap of understanding their interconnection and long-term effects in the South African contexts exists. The study addresses the gap by using Autoregressive-Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to investigate the short-term and the long-term relationship between economic, demography, policy indicators and human development in South Africa. By discovering these links, the study hopes to provide useful insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable human development in South Africa. The findings indicate that growth in GDP is a key factor in the HDI since it shows that there are more financial resources available for human development. By discovering these links, the study hopes to provide useful insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable human development in South Africa.

Evaluating wetland ecosystem services value and dominant functions: Insights from the Pearl River Delta

Weakening wetland ecosystem services (ES) significantly hinders the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is essential to combine multiple methods for evaluating wetland ecosystem services value (ESV) and to clearly depict the spatial distribution of ESVs. Based on the local conditions of the Pearl River Delta (PRD), this study proposed a monetary evaluation system for wetland ESV, developed a method for spatially allocating individual ESVs, and identified the dominant wetland functions across different cities and types of wetlands. The results yielded the following findings: (1) The wetland ESV system effectively identifies differences in ESV across cities and wetland types. The PRD's ESV increased by 23.29% between 2000 and 2020. (2) The new spatial allocation method analyzed individual ESVs to provide spatial references for improving wetland ESV. Fishery products and flood control and water storage are the two largest wetland functions in the PRD. All ESVs increased except for temperature regulation and water purification. (3) The identification and classification of dominant wetland functions provide insights into site-specific management of urban wetlands informed by ESV. These results provide a reference for assessing wetland ESV in other delta regions facing high population density and wetland degradation pressures. Understanding the role of wetland ESs in supporting the SDGs and how they interconnect and contribute to their achievement will be a key future research topic.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Characteristics of Population and Ecosystem Service Value at the Township Level on the Tibetan Plateau

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Characteristics of Population and Ecosystem Service Value at the Township Level on the Tibetan Plateau

Spatiotemporal Change Analysis and Multi-Scenario Modeling of Ecosystem Service Values: A Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration, China

Ecosystem service value (ESV) assessment is a crucial indicator of regional ecological quality and ecological management effectiveness. Ecosystem services (ES) provide the environmental foundation for human existence and social advancement. However, the future course of land use change (LUC) in urban agglomerations and its implications for human society remains uncertain, which presents a challenge to maintaining a balance between ecological service functions and regional socioeconomic growth. This paper took the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration as an example and used the future land use simulation (FLUS) model to project the spatial distribution of land use under the natural development scenario (NDS), food security scenario (FSS), and ecological priority scenario (EPS) of BTH in 2030, 2040, and 2050. Next, the changes to ESV under various scenarios were investigated through the equivalent coefficient method. In order to make more targeted recommendations for regional development, the study also used hotspot analyses to explore the impacts of LUCs on ESV. The results showed that: (1) from 2000 to 2020, the LUC in the BTH was dramatic and mainly focused on the interconversions among the three land use categories of cropland, grassland, and built-up land. The total ESV demonstrated the tendency to decrease from CNY 386,859.89 × 106 in 2000 to CNY 371,968.78 × 106 in 2020. (2) Compared with 2020, the ESV in BTH in 2050 under the FSS loses 16,568.78 × 106 CNY, followed by the NDS (CNY 10,960.84 × 106), while the ESV under the EPS increases by CNY 9373.74 × 106. The results of the scenario simulation showed that there was significant variability in ESV under different political orientations. (3) Hotspot analysis indicated that the ESV changes were clustered in the northeastern part and the eastern coastal region of the BTH. On this basis, we identified Chengde, Beijing, Tianjin, and Zhangjiakou as the key cities to focus on and made meaningful suggestions for their future regional environmental protection and sustainable development. This research can serve as a guide in creating sustainable BTH development policies and offer fresh perspectives for investigating how land use patterns affect the ecological environment’s regional quality under various policy trajectories.

Spatiotemporal Variations in Gross Ecosystem Product and Its Relationship with Economic Growth in Ecologically Vulnerable Watershed Areas: A Case Study of Yongding River Basin

Ecosystem service value is crucial for balancing economic growth and ecological preservation in ecologically vulnerable watershed areas. Although Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) has received significant attention, most existing studies have focused on how to measure it. Few studies have explored spatiotemporal variations in GEP and how land-use changes affect these variations regarding ecological restoration at the river basin level. Additionally, while many studies have examined the relationship between ecosystem service value and economic growth, there is little research on how components of GEP influence economic growth. Analyzing the spatiotemporal structure of GEP and its components could offer new insights into optimizing ecological restoration strategies and promoting sustainable development in vulnerable watershed regions. In this study, we used ArcGIS, InVEST, SPSS, and Python to analyze spatiotemporal variations in GEP in the Yongding River Basin within the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Economic Region from 1995 to 2020. Moran’s Index and variance decomposition were applied to analyze the spatiotemporal structure. The grey prediction model forecasted GEP trends from 2025 to 2035. The random forest model was used to assess land-use changes’ impacts on GEP. Paired T-tests were used to compare GEP and GDP, and a dynamic panel model was used to examine how ecosystem service value factors influenced economic growth. The results show the following: (1) Regarding values, GEP accounting and variance decomposition results indicated that ecosystem cultural service value (ECV) and ecosystem regulating service value (ERV) each contributed about half of the total GEP. Ecosystem provisioning service value (EPV) showed an upward trend with fluctuations. Regarding the spatial distribution, Moran’s I analysis showed significant positive spatial correlations for EPV and ERV. The grey prediction model results indicated significant growth in GEP from 2025 to 2035 under current ecological restoration policies, especially for ERV and ECV. (2) In terms of the influence of land-use changes, random forest analysis showed that the forest land area was consistently the most influential factor across GEP, EPV, and ERV. Unused land area was identified as the most significant factor for ECV. (3) Before 2010, GEP was larger than GDP, with significant differences between 1995 and 2000. From 2010 onwards, GDP surpassed GEP, but the differences were not statistically significant. Dynamic panel regression further showed that the water conservation value significantly boosted GDP, whereas the water purification value significantly reduced it. This study highlights the importance of integrating GEP into ecological restoration and economic development to ensure the sustainability of ecologically vulnerable watershed areas.

Dynamicity of ecosystem service value driven by land use/land cover alteration in Vadodara City, India

The ecosystem is considered the fundamental unit of ecology which plays a crucial role in providing a range of essential services to individuals. These services include the provision of food and shelter, as well as the regulation of climate and environment, either directly or indirectly. However, the emergence of urban industrial cities has witnessed the uncontrolled exploitation of resources, the decline of biodiversity, unprecedented population growth and climate change. Consequently, these factors contribute to environmental crises as ecosystem services increase in urban areas, where higher ESV values adversely affect the environment. Considering this, the current study examines the relationship between land use change and the status of ecosystem services in Vadodara City, India. The ecosystem service value was calculated using the methodology proposed by (Costanza et al. in Ecol Econ 25:3–15, 1997;Costanza et al. in Glob Environ Chang 26:152–158, 2014;), while the contribution of Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) was determined using the Maximum Likelihood Classification. The findings highlighted that LULCs are critical drivers for the loss of ecosystem services. During 2001–2021, it was found that built-up and water bodies increased by 24.48% and 0.21%, respectively, while vegetation, agricultural and barren land decreased by 1.11%, 25.61% and 0.19% respectively. The valuation of ecosystem services in 2001 observed $3,517,118 and $125,607,186 using the corresponding coefficients of (Costanza et al. in Ecol Econ 25:3–15, 1997;Costanza et al. in Glob Environ Chang 26:152–158, 2014;), while in 2021, their cumulative value slightly increased to $3,629,024 based on the 1997 coefficient and $131,537,398 based on the 2014 coefficient. Furthermore, the study analyses the response of ecosystem service values to land use alterations and the elasticity value at the zonal level to gain insight into spatial variation.

Understanding Customer Satisfaction: A Study of Convenience Stores

This study explores the impact of customer satisfaction on purchasing behavior within convenience stores, focusing on four key determinants: service quality, perceived value, product quality, and trust, perceived value, and trust. The growing population and increasing consumer demand have prompted companies to enhance productivity and service standards across their convenience store branches. To maintain competitiveness and attract a diverse customer base—comprising existing, new, and potential customers—businesses need to review and refine their operational strategies continuously. The study’s methodology involved a structured approach to gathering quantitative data from a specific sample of convenience store customers in Bentong City. By using surveys and questionnaires, the research aimed to capture relevant information directly from the consumers, providing insights into their experiences and satisfaction with the convenience stores. The non-probability convenience sampling method facilitated the collection of data from readily available participants, ensuring a practical and timely data collection process. Using a data set collected from 220 respondents who utilized products and services at a convenience store, this research aims to empirically investigate the relationships between service quality, perceived value, product quality, and trust, perceived value, trust, and overall customer satisfaction. The findings indicate that while all four factors contribute to customer satisfaction, service quality, perceived value, and trust exert a significantly stronger influence compared to product quality. These insights underscore the importance of prioritizing service enhancement, value creation, and trust-building initiatives in the strategic management of convenience stores, thereby ensuring sustained customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Forest ecosystem services of water-related filtration and regulation, a multi-source assessment and economic valuation in Mangla watershed

ABSTRACT Watershed forests offer crucial ecosystem services for hydrological systems. This study provides comprehensive insights into sediment retention within the Mangla watershed. We analyzed spatial layers from Sentinel-2 imagery, land use data, weather, soil properties, and terrain characteristics to identify soil erosion and sediment delivery hotspots. Using the Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs-sediment delivery ratio (InVEST-SDR) model, we quantified sediment exported to the downstream Mangla Dam. The InVEST-sediment retention (InVEST-SR) model estimated the sediment retention capacity of various land cover types. Our findings show that forests retained 20,300.70 tons of sediment in 2017 and 29,887.60 tons in 2021, making them the primary source of sediment retention. The economic value of this ecosystem service was approximately USD 2.59 trillion for 973,168.51 ha of forest in 2017 and USD 4.02 trillion for 1,023,927 ha in 2021. Understanding the dynamics and economic value of this forest ecosystem service at a large watershed scale provides essential insights for decision-making and conservation efforts aimed at protecting water resources and ecological integrity.

Construction and Optimization of Ecological Security Patterns Based on Ecosystem Services in the Wuhan Metropolitan Area

Rapid urbanization has affected ecosystem stability, and the construction of ecological security patterns (ESPs) can rationally allocate resources and achieve ecological protection. Priority evaluation of critical areas can maximize the benefits of ecological protection, which is crucial for sustainable urban development. However, most prior studies have focused on assessing individual elements of the ESP, rarely considering both the protection priority of ecological sources and corridors. We constructed ESPs for the Wuhan Metropolitan Area (WMA) from 2000 to 2020 and evaluated the priority of ecological sources and corridors for protection. The findings indicated that high-level ecological sources exhibited higher overall landscape connectivity and ecosystem service values with lower patch fragmentation. The average area proportions of primary, secondary, and tertiary ecological sources in 2000, 2010, and 2020 were 41.11%, 23.03%, and 29.86%, respectively. High-level ecological corridors had shorter lengths and offered higher comprehensive ecosystem service values. The total length of secondary corridors exceeded that of primary corridors by 1951.19 km, 650.39 km, and 2238.18 km in 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively. Primary corridors, which connected fragmented and isolated sources, should have their ecological land percentage increased to enhance connectivity. Secondary corridors connected two independent and distant sources, providing the basis for ecological protection in the intervening area, whose surrounding habitats should be protected. This study identifies the ecological protection priority and offers a theoretical basis and practical reference for balancing urban development with ecological protection.

Research on ecological compensation based on ecosystem service flow: A case study in Guangdong province, China

Ecological compensation (EC) is not only an essential tool for correcting the externalities of ecosystem services (ESs) and fostering sustainable development but also a crucial means to alleviate poverty and promote balanced development across regions. Based on the ecosystem service flow (ESF) theory, this article presents a universal framework for screening ESs in EC research, and employs multiple models and multisource data to measure the supply and demand of five ESs. Moreover, this study examined the transfer values of air-mediated ESs (AMESs) and water-mediated ESs (WMESs) using the field strength model and flow allocation method, respectively, due to their significant differences in flow direction, flow rate and attenuation characteristics. The results indicate that: (1) there is a significant disparity between the supply and demand of the five ESs in Guangdong, with the scope and extent of the mismatch varying among the different ESs. Generally, deficit areas are located in the central urban regions of the Pearl River Delta (PRD) cities and cities in eastern and western Guangdong. (2) The transfer values of all the surplus areas of the AMESs and WMESs to their corresponding deficit areas are 37.02 billion yuan and 37.43 billion yuan, respectively, accounting for 62.9% of the AMESs supply value in the study area and 2.5% of the output value of the WMESs in the surplus areas, indicating that a significant amount of the output value has been transferred to areas outside of the study area. (3) The total transfer in/out value between surplus and deficit areas is 71.83 billion yuan, and is economically acceptable for deficit areas. (4) Compared with the results of this study, some economically developed regions with high ecosystem service value (ESV) outputs in Guangdong have not been compensated, and the current EC standard is relatively low. We suggest that Guangdong pilot horizontal EC, explore various market-oriented trading systems, increase vertical EC standards and enrich EC methods. This study provides a reference for the quantification of ESFs with different transmission carriers and the improvement of EC policy in Guangdong.