Spatiotemporal Variation in Water-Related Ecosystem Services during 2000–2020 and Ecological Management Zoning in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China

Meirong Deng, Dehua Mao (), Yeye Li, Ting Wang and Zui Hu
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Meirong Deng: School of Geographic Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Dehua Mao: School of Geographic Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Yeye Li: College of Ecology and Environment, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830046, China
Ting Wang: School of Geographic Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
Zui Hu: College of Geography and Tourism, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang 421002, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-23

Abstract: Exploring the spatiotemporal distribution and interrelationships among water-related ecosystem services (WESs) and conducting ecological management zoning are crucial for regional sustainable development. Taking the Xiangjiang River Basin (XJRB) as an example, this study first quantified three primary WESs, including water conservation, soil retention, and water purification, from 2000 to 2020. Second, the spatiotemporal variation in the interrelationships among WESs were analyzed using global and local bivariate spatial autocorrelation. Third, a water ecological zoning rule was constructed to divide the watershed into three primary and eight secondary water ecological management zones. The results indicate a strong consistency in the changes in the three WESs throughout the period from 2000 to 2020 in the XJRB. Precipitation patterns and urban expansion were the primary factors affecting alterations in the WESs. Spatial heterogeneity and dependence were evident across these ecosystem services. Both trade-offs and synergies were observed among WESs, with synergies playing a dominant role. Positive synergies occurred primarily in woodlands and grasslands, while negative synergies were observed in cultivated land, water areas, and construction land. Three water ecological management zones, including core water ecological management zones, general management zones, and restoration management zones, were delineated at the grid and country scales according to the aggregation properties of the WESs. Ecological management strategies were proposed for different zones. These findings can offer valuable insights for policy makers in land use planning and water ecological management within the XJRB, and can facilitate similar management endeavors in other regions.

Keywords: water-related ecosystem services; InVEST model; ecological management zoning; trade-off and synergy; Xiangjiang River Basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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