Long-Term Dynamics of Ecosystem Services and Their Influencing Factors in Ecologically Fragile Southwest China

Mengyao Ci, Lu Ye, Changhao Liao, Li Yao, Zhiqin Tu, Qiao Xing, Xuguang Tang () and Zhi Ding ()
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Mengyao Ci: Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Lu Ye: Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Changhao Liao: Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Li Yao: Chongqing Jinfo Mountain Karst Ecosystem National Observation and Research Station, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Zhiqin Tu: School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Qiao Xing: The River Affairs Center of Chongqing, Chongqing 401147, China
Xuguang Tang: Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
Zhi Ding: Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, School of Geographical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-22

Abstract: Southwest China has one of the largest karst landscapes on the Earth and an ecologically fragile environment. A better understanding of how ecosystem services function in karst areas helps ecological preservation and policy implementation. However, little effort has been made to evaluate the long-term dynamics of ecosystem services across Southwest China. This study systematically analyzed the spatio-temporal patterns and the values of three typical ecosystem service functions, including water conservation, carbon sequestration, and soil conservation, as well as the effects of precipitation and land use changes between 2000 and 2020. The results showed that water conservation exhibited an overall decrease from southeast to northwest, while soil conservation showed the opposite trend. The regions with an increasing trend in carbon sequestration were mainly distributed in Guizhou, Guangxi, and Sichuan. Compared to the year 2000, the percentage of water conservation and soil conservation decreased by 4.50% and 0.76%, respectively. However, carbon sequestration increased by 94.35%. The total value of ecosystem services in Southwest China showed a 90.00% increase in 2020 relative to 2000. Water conservation and carbon sequestration had a much closer correlation with precipitation. The impact of soil conservation was more significantly influenced by land use changes.

Keywords: ecosystem services; karst; trend analysis; precipitation; land use changes (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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