Search Results (2,043)

Unveiling the scale effects on the interactions and driving factors of ecosystem services (ESs) contributes to the differentiated conservation of ESs across multiple scales. Utilizing models such as Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST), Self-organizing map (SOM), and Geographic Detector, we analyzed the spatiotemporal changes, interactions, and dominant driving factors of water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), carbon storage (CS), and habitat quality (HQ) in the Three River Source Basin (TRSB) from 2000 to 2020 at both grid and sub-watershed scales; explored the impact of scale effects; and proposed ecological conservation strategies. The results indicated the following: (1) Over the 20 years, the average values of WY, SC, CS, and HQ in the TRSB were 146.12 mm, 10.95 t, 224.77 gC m⁻², and 0.6942, respectively, which exhibited a distribution with lower values in the northwest and higher values in the southeast. Over the study period, WY and SC experienced declines at rates of −7.26 mm per 5 years and −0.08 t per 5 years, while CS and HQ showed increases at rates of 6.97 gC m⁻² per 5 years and 0.007 per 5 years. (2) The relationships among WY, SC, and CS were primarily synergistic, whereas HQ exhibited more trade-offs with other ESs, and as the scale increased, the trade-off effects diminished, and synergistic effects were enhanced. (3) ESs were influenced by a combination of factors, and the interactions among these factors strengthened the explanatory power regarding ESs. Increasing vegetation cover and reducing irrational human activities were effective approaches to enhance the ESs in the TRSB. This study helps to expand the understanding of the relationships among ESs and the effects of scale, providing support for the protection and sustainable development of the TRSB ecosystem. Full article

The land use system, which is endowed with the most crucial and fundamental natural resources for human survival and development, plays a pivotal role within the entire ecosystem. In recent years, cultural ecosystem services (CESs) have also gradually garnered widespread attention. The study of cultural ecosystem services in the land use system plays a significant role in the rational utilization of land resources and the resolution of contradictions between land resources and sustainable development. This review, framed in Land Use/Land Cover Change (LUCC), applies keyword clustering and keyword evolution analysis to comprehensively review and synthesize academic literature on cultural ecosystem services. The analysis is organized into two dimensions: the overall study of cultural ecosystem services in LUCC and the study of specific categories of cultural ecosystem services in LUCC. Relevant papers from CNKI and WOS academic databases are included. The results show that the number of papers retrieved from WOS was significantly higher than the number retrieved from CNKI, while both databases exhibited a clear upward trend in the number of papers. It is worth noting that in the literature retrieval results for different types of land research, the majority of the papers focused on water, accounting for 51% and 44% of the totals in WOS and CNKI, respectively. Among these papers, research centered on recreation and ecotourism was the richest. Through this review, it was further revealed that research on cultural ecosystem services was initiated and has gradually developed into a relatively complete knowledge system. However, research on cultural ecosystem services in LUCC still requires further exploration, particularly in terms of assessment methods. This review thus highlights the need for future research to focus more on cultural ecosystem services in the land use system and to delve deeper into evaluating their values. By employing more scientific and rational approaches, land resources can be effectively managed and utilized to address challenges related to land resources and sustainable development. Full article

Assessing land use-based changes in ecosystem service values (ESVs) is a beneficial approach for land resource planning and ecologically sustainable development. Located in the south of China, Guilin is one of the first Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Innovation Demonstration Zones set up by China. It is a typical ecotourism city with an important ecological and economic status. In recent years, the time series, model fit, and spatial scale of ESV assessment in Guilin have needed to be improved in the context of rapid urbanization and natural change. In this study, an improved ESV assessment methodology was utilized to incorporate the effects of biomass, soil conservation, and precipitation and to adjust the equivalence factors based on the ratio of geographic and environmental parameters to the national average to make them heterogeneous in time and space in improving the practical fit of the assessment results. The study analyzed the evolution of land use and its contribution to ESVs in Guilin from 2000 to 2020. County and 3 km × 3 km grid scales were combined to reveal both broad and detailed spatial and temporal characteristics of ESVs in Guilin. The results show that the expansion of building land in Guilin is notable, and the amount of land use transfer continues to increase. ESVs fluctuated in a lateral S-shape, with significant differences in ESV effectiveness between counties, consistently high ESVs near waterbodies and ecological reserves, and low ESVs near commercial and industrial land and cultivated land. Despite the recovery trend in ESVs in the later years, there is still a gap between 2020 and 2000. To a certain extent, it helps Guilin optimize land allocation from different perspectives and promote ecological improvement and resource planning optimization. Full article

As global cities rapidly develop, the realization of sustainable urban development has become a pressing global concern. As a critical component of the urban built environment, urban green spaces are essential for maintaining the sustainability of urban ecosystems by offering a variety of ecological benefits. However, there are some problems in the design and construction of urban green framework, which often disregard the real needs of residents and hinder the sustainable development of urban areas. Therefore, urban planning that takes into account the supply and demand relationship of urban green space is considered to be a key technology that should help to improve residents’ happiness and promote urban sustainable development. This paper takes Zunyi City as an example; selects six indicators; combines UAV images, population, economic, and environmental data to evaluate ecosystem services valuation existing green space in the city; and analyzes its social and ecological needs. Affected by land utilization and development density, the supply value showed low spatial density characteristics in the central urban area and high spatial distribution characteristics in the surrounding urban area. The correlation between demand value and population density is the largest, and the distribution pattern is similar to that of population density. The supply-demand ratio in the study area is −0.54, indicating a severe imbalance between supply and demand. The correlation analysis between the comprehensive supply and demand ratio and each influencing factor shows that the correlation with population density is the largest. The combination of supply and demand maps addresses a major problem in planning, namely, ensuring that communities have priority in providing urban green space based on society’s need for ecosystem services. In addition, these maps will help develop the best green space planting plans to meet the specific needs of different communities. Taken together, the findings can help city planners and decision makers improve the layout of urban green areas, increase ecosystem service potential, and improve urban environmental quality and sustainability. Full article

Coastal wetlands deliver essential ecosystem services, including cultural services, which provide non-material benefits such as recreation, education, and spiritual enrichment that are crucial for human well-being. This study investigates the cultural ecosystem services provided by a 40 ha coastal wetland in the Gulf of Manfredonia, southern Italy, within the Gargano National Park. By integrating an ecological survey of the bird community with a social survey of visitors to the King’s Lagoon Nature Reserve, the content of tailored planning strategies and management tools for the conservation of wetland biodiversity was developed. An ecological analysis of the bird community was carried out on the assumption that it could be representative of the total biodiversity observed in the wetland. On the other hand, a questionnaire was used to collect information from visitors to the reserve, highlighting the aspects of the wetland that they found most interesting and attractive according to their judgement and beliefs, and thus targeting a specific set of cultural ecological services. The two approaches were then combined to develop a comprehensive strategy. The bird community analysis led to the identification of the mixed biotope category (a combination of wetlands, aquatic/riparian ecosystems, semi-natural vegetated areas, and meadows together with agricultural areas) as the reference biotope for prioritizing wetland management. The Ardeidae family was chosen as a bird flagship group because of its high visibility, ease of identification, attractiveness to visitors, wide local distribution, and fairly constant presence in the study area throughout the year. Flagship species have a dual function: to guide conservation measures and actions by wetland managers, and to attract the interest, curiosity and active participation of potential visitors to the wetland. Based on the results, a list of guidelines for improving the birds’ habitats and providing them with resources (feeding, breeding, shelter, roosting, etc.) has been proposed. The aim of these measures is to optimize the presence and abundance of Ardeidae as flagship species, thereby preserving the biodiversity heritage in general and increasing the provision of cultural ecosystem services in the wetland. The resulting dynamic interplay ensures that both natural and cultural resources are fully and appropriately valued, protected, and maintained for the benefit of present and future generations. Full article

Ecological importance evaluation can clearly identify the ecological service functions and ecological values of a region. This paper takes the Yanshan-Taihang Mountain area in Hebei Province as the research area, utilizing 2020 land use data. With the help of various analytical models and GIS spatial analysis methods, this paper selects water conservation, soil and water conservation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration and oxygen release to evaluate the importance of ecosystem services, and selects soil and water loss sensitivity and land desertification sensitivity to evaluate the ecological sensitivity, so as to identify the important areas of ecological protection in the study area, analyze their spatial change characteristics and divide the leading ecological functions according to the results. The results show that the moderately important and highly important areas in the Yanshan-Taihang region of Hebei Province account for more than 70% of the total study area. Based on the importance evaluation results, three types of dominant ecological function zones were obtained using self-organized feature mapping neural network analysis in the R language, and control measures were proposed. The research results can provide strategic support for local ecological protection and regional ecological restoration, as well as serving as a reference for the optimization of land spatial development patterns. Full article

In the global context of biodiversity and ecosystem services loss, the integration of agriculture with ecological restoration is crucial. This study presents the biodiversity value (Bv) index for the first time as a tool for decision-making and securing funding for future restoration projects. The Bv index was used to assess biodiversity values in both restored natural habitats and agricultural areas in the saline lagoon of El Hito, a natural reserve located within an agricultural landscape in central Spain. Additionally, we estimated biodiversity gains from habitat transitions and explored the relationship between biodiversity, soil pH, and salinity. Sustainable agricultural practices, combined with ecological restoration methods, can lead to synergistic actions that reduce the potential detrimental effects of agriculture. Our results show that transitioning from agricultural to natural habitats consistently increases biodiversity. Among agricultural practices, multiannual vegetated fallows had the highest Bv values. Restoration led to a continuous biodiversity improvement, with the exception of the final transition from permanent pastures to Elymus 1410, which showed a slight decline in biodiversity. We also found that higher soil salinity and pH were associated with greater biodiversity values, likely due to historical agricultural practices that favored areas with lower salinity and pH for higher productivity. Salinity and pH act as limiting factors for biodiversity; therefore, agricultural plots with lower salinity and pH, particularly those adjacent to natural habitats, are expected to yield greater biodiversity gains if restored. Full article

Coastal areas are among the most densely populated areas globally and are crucial components of terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Investigating the interplay between population distribution and the ecosystem service value (ESV) in coastal regions, along with their spatial and temporal dynamics, is crucial for safeguarding coastal ecological security, fostering regional sustainable development, and facilitating a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. This study focuses on China’s coastal areas, utilizing land use and population data from 2000 to 2020 at the county-level scale. Several methods, such as geographic concentration, spatial autocorrelation, and the spatial mismatch index, are employed to reveal the relationships and spatial and temporal characteristics between population and the ESV. The main findings are as follows: (1) The population in China’s coastal areas increased from 580.6632 million to 700.7265 million, with a rising population density. The population distribution core is concentrated in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration, the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, and the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration, with secondary cores forming near provincial capitals. (2) The ecological geographic concentration in China’s coastal areas is lower than that of the population, displaying a distribution pattern of “low–high–low” from north to south. The ESV in these areas has increased by CNY 121.66 billion, with a significant decline in the per capita ESV. Low values of ecological geographic concentrations are concentrated in the northern part of the research area, particularly across the North China Plain. (3) The correlation between the ESV and population in China’s coastal areas is negative, with relatively good overall coordination. Increased human activities and urbanization in the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta have led to the degradation of ecological functions. Full article

Urbanization, despite driving regional economic growth, has led to significant disparities in development levels among cities. Many studies have made valuable suggestions for ecological conservation in economically underdeveloped regions. However, for medium-level cities with large economic development needs, the question of how to strike a balance between development and conservation in land development patterns is a critical issue to be addressed. By integrating ecosystem services assessment models and land use prediction models, we proposed a framework for guiding future land-use strategies based on ecosystem service values, using Jiaxing City as a case study. Firstly, we assessed and mapped the current status of ecosystem services value. Then, we simulated the land use distribution pattern and ecosystem services value under three development strategies: inertial development, cropland protection, and ecological development. Eventually, we determined the optimal urban land development pattern. The results showed that the total ecosystem service value for Jiaxing is CNY 124.82 billion, with climate regulation, water conservation, and flood mitigation contributing the most. The ecological development strategy yields the highest service value, with a 0.81% increase compared to the current situation, while the cropland protection and inertial development strategies result in decreases of 0.73% and 10.93%, respectively. Furthermore, the ecological strategy expands high-value service areas, concentrated in the northern river network and southern hilly regions. These findings offer valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers in formulating sustainable strategies and integrating ecosystem service values into economic policies to promote urban development. Full article

Chestnut orchards are a multifunctional resource, providing not only fruit or wood but also playing a role in the conservation of mountain and hillside landscapes. In the Piemonte Region, Italy, a rich genetic heritage of chestnut genotypes has contributed to considerable biodiversity and environmental value. The study aimed to valorize an important example of the chestnut agrobiodiversity in the Piemonte Region by focusing on the ‘Marrone di Chiusa Pesio’ (MCP) cultivar (cv). A multidisciplinary approach was applied, involving genetic and morphological analyses, Visual Tree Assessment (VTA), and phytochemical and nutritional profiling. The plant census provided identification and geolocation of 187 MCP specimens; the 20 most representative trees were genetically analyzed, and then, through the VTA, their morpho-functional status was evaluated. The nutraceutical properties and phytochemical composition were assessed by measuring the total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AOC), and other phytochemical classes through spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. The results showed significantly higher TPC values (ranged from 36.51 ± 1.60 mgGAE/100 g of dried weight—DW to 103.14 ± 1.24 mgGAE/100 g DW) compared to other ‘Marrone-type’ cultivars, along with high levels of key phenolic markers, bioactive compounds, and nutritional substances. These included tannins (about 22–28 mg/100 g DW) and cinnamic acids (about 23–25 mg/100 g DW), followed by flavonols, benzoic acids, organic acids, monoterpenes, vitamin C, and catechins, listed in order of predominance. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to observe the distribution of the samples and their correlations based on the chemical composition. The results confirmed the interesting phytochemical properties of the ‘Marrone di Chiusa Pesio’ nuts, together with their good morphological and functional properties. Given the ongoing genetic erosion of Castanea sativa cultivars, due to cultivation abandonment and climate change, the main factors contributing to the progressive loss of biodiversity worldwide, the presented approach aimed to provide an overview of the conservation status of the local agrobiodiversity. This study highlighted the value of a local chestnut cultivar, presenting the low conservation status of the few remaining specimens. The goal was to define the significant phenotypic variation regarding MCP in the considered area due to environmental variations, which may be of interest in its genetic adaptation to climate change. The study may potentially encourage the development of strategies for actively conserving the forest agrobiodiversity and hillside ecosystem services in the highly diverse landscapes of the Alpine valleys. Full article

The Blue Economic Zone of the Shandong Peninsula is located in the transitional zone between land and sea, with a complex ecological environment. The determination of hot and cold spots in various ecosystem services is crucial for the coordinated development of ecosystem services and the optimization of the spatial pattern of the ecological environment. This study, based on natural and socio-economic data, utilizes various ecological models to simulate water yield (provisioning service), carbon sequestration (regulating service), biodiversity (supporting service), and aesthetic and scientific research values (cultural service). Using a multi-criteria decision-making approach, it identifies hot and cold spots of ecosystem services in different development–conservation scenarios. Combining the protection efficiency of different areas, it proposes a spatial pattern promotion scheme. The research indicates significant spatial differences in ecosystem services without clear trade-offs and synergies. Changes in the weights of ecosystem services in 11 scenarios result in significant differences in hot and cold spots. Compared to the neutral scenario (S6), the distribution of hot and cold spots in protection scenarios (S1–S5) is relatively scattered, while in development scenarios (S7–S11), hot spots show an increasing trend of concentration in the southeast, with cold spots scattered in the west and northwest. Four spatial pattern promotion schemes are proposed based on protection efficiency and policy preferences. Promotion areas should focus on ecological restoration and improvement to raise local ecosystem service levels. Protection areas should emphasize maintaining their existing high-level ecosystem services to achieve a synergistic enhancement of various ecosystem services. Full article

Florida’s coral reef is the third-largest barrier reef system in the world and provides valuable ecosystem services, such as recreation and tourism, erosion protection, and other services. Florida’s reefs have been declining due to impacts from climate change, pollution, and other pressures. In response, various conservation strategies have been implemented, including education and outreach, growing corals in nurseries and transplanting them to degraded reef sites, and deploying artificial reefs. However, few studies have estimated an explicit value for different strategies to attain conservation goals. Understanding economic values for reef restoration and enhancement is needed to help inform decision-making and support marine policy. This study conducted a stated preference choice experiment survey to examine the way U.S. residents make economic trade-offs among different restoration strategies, including increasing coral cover, deploying artificial reefs, and limiting visitor access to reef sites. The results suggest that, on average, the economic value of increasing coral cover is about twice as high as the value of increasing the number of artificial reef sites. Economic values for reducing visitation were similar to values for increasing the number of artificial reefs. These results provide essential information to policy analysts concerning reef use, reef importance, and economic values for reef restoration. Full article

Amid the rapid socio-economic development of urban fringe areas, promoting the multi-functional supply of ecosystems and sustainable development is essential. Taking Jiangning District in Nanjing as a case study, this study explores the relationships and spatial clustering characteristics among various ecosystem service values in urban fringe areas, focusing on the trade-offs between ecological and social values. Ecological functional zones were delineated based on the ecosystem service clustering results and regional conjugation principles, followed by an analysis of the trade-offs and synergies among the values within each zone. The findings reveal the following: (1) trade-offs between ecological and social ecosystem service values are prevalent across the entire region, as well as within sub-regions in urban fringe areas; (2) Jiangning District can be divided into five key ecological functional zones—the Vibrant Industry-Urbanization Integration Zone, Important Habitat Conservation Zone, Livable Organic Renewal Zone, Characteristic Rural Landscape Development Zone, and Riparian Recreation and Ecological Conservation Zone. Each zone exhibits significant differences in the types and features of the services provided; and (3) understanding the relationships among ecological and social values within each zone may help to resolve trade-offs between them. This progressive trade-off analysis, from the regional to sub-regional level, enables more precise identification of ecosystem functions, providing reference for decision-making to enhance the overall regional value and guide sustainable planning and management practices in urban fringe areas. Full article

Adaptation to climate change has remained a major socio-ecological issue in the Northern Region of Cameroon since 1973. Presently, this region is subject to the severe chaos of drought, floods, and ecosystem degradation, causing harm and disrupting climatic patterns. Climate change results in the drying of surface water and crops, threatening food security and the well-being of households. It has a serious impact on the entire agricultural production system at global scale. Here, it is suggested that successive adjustments to deeper systemic and transformational adaptations through efforts from NGOs, the Government, and donors, as well as innovations, are necessary to offset the negative impact of climate change on the agricultural value chain. Therefore, this research aimed to identify adaptation strategies and practices for rural communities and households, who suffer from limited access to these agricultural innovations, for a transformative adaptation. Through surveys and focus group discussions carried out in several villages in the Northern Cameroon Region, this study provides empirical data on emerging agricultural innovations in contrasting socio-economic, agricultural, and ecological contexts. Our findings demonstrate that agricultural innovations fostered at the village level have several characteristics that contribute to adaptation and mitigation of the impact of climate change. To begin with, conservation agriculture is very interesting, because crop residues left on the soil protect it from rainfall and dry winds, and gradually add humus to the top soil. In addition, agroforestry plays an important role for the household regarding ecosystem services, including food supply, soil fertility, protection from erosion, regulation of water regime, and sociocultural value. Generally, heads of households (83%) were more involved in innovative initiatives than other social strata, resulting in unequal access and proximity to agricultural innovations. Furthermore, the results highlight a significant lack of coordination and poor visibility of permanent structures supporting agricultural innovations at local level, weakening the sustainable transformation of adaptation. From a scientific perspective, this study could help build a conceptual relationship between agricultural innovation and sustainability transformation, i.e., a climate-smart agriculture. In practice, it provides levers that can be used to multiply and expedite agricultural innovation processes, water conservation, and livestock sustainability, thus contributing to the sustainability of the whole agricultural system in Cameroon and within the Sahel region of Africa. Full article

This study aims to present a methodological approach based on the objectives of the Nature Restoration Law and the concept of Forest Landscape Restoration to identify areas that are best suited for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions for the improvement of landscape and habitat status in the city of Campobasso (1028.64 km²). Using open data (ISPRA ecosystem services and regional land use capability), an expert based approach (questionnaire), and a multicriteria analysis (Analytical Hierarchy Process), the Total Ecosystem Services Value index was determined as a weighted additive sum of the criteria considered. The index was then classified into eight clusters, and the land use “Cropland” was extracted. Cluster 1 croplands (740.09 Ha) were identified as the areas to be allocated to Nature-based Solutions since they were those characterized by fewer ecosystem services provisioning, while Cluster 8 croplands (482.88 Ha) were identified as valuable areas to be preserved. It was then possible to compare the “Forest” areas currently present in the study area with those of a possible future scenario, represented by the areas occupied today by forest with the addition of Cluster 1 croplands. A landscape analysis was conducted; it showed greater dispersion and fragmentation of forest patches in the future scenario, but also greater connectivity and thus greater ecological functionality of the patches. Full article