Quantifying the Spatial Association between Land Use Change and Ecosystem Services Value: A Case Study in Xi’an, China

Yajing Shao, Xuefeng Yuan, Chaoqun Ma, Ruifang Ma and Zhaoxia Ren
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Yajing Shao: School of Land Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Xuefeng Yuan: School of Land Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Chaoqun Ma: School of Land Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Ruifang Ma: School of Land Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China
Zhaoxia Ren: School of Land Engineering, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710054, China

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 11, 1-20

Abstract: The impact of land use and land cover (LULC) change on ecosystem services value (ESV) varies in different spatial locations. Although many studies have focused on quantifying the effect of LULC change on ESV, few have considered the spatial heterogeneity of the relationship between LULC change and ESV. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between ESV and LULC change from a spatial perspective in Xi’an City. We divide the study area into 10,522 grid cells, based on land cover data from 2000 to 2018, and we identify the spatial-temporal dynamics of LULC change. Next, we employ the Benefits Transfer Method (BTM) to evaluate the ESV, and the ESV is corrected by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). A geographically weighted regression (GWR) model and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression model are used to assess the spatial association of LULC change and ESV. The results show that the total ESV loss is 6.57 billion yuan (Chinese yuan), and the loss rate is 12.18%. The distribution of ESV shows an obvious spatial heterogeneity, and the low-value area of ESV expands eastward from the main urban area. More than 50% of total ESV is provided by woodland. From 2000 to 2018, the land use pattern in Xi’an underwent a significant change with the developed land increasing by 64.09%, whereas farmland decreased by 12.49%. Based on the GWR model, the relationship between LULC change and ESV in Xi’an showed a significant negative association and spatial heterogeneity. Our study results provide a new way to effectively identify the relationship between LULC change and ESV, and in turn, to fully understand the ecological trends at the regional scale, laying a foundation for regional sustainable development.

Keywords: land use and land cover change; ecosystem services value; spatial regression; GWR model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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