Search

The comprehensive protection and restoration of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts is critical for enhancing ecological environmental quality and fulfilling the aspirations of ecological civilization in the modern era. Centered on the key project area of the Mountain-River Project within the Luohe River Basin of the Eastern Qinling Mountains, this study employs the InVEST model to assess spatiotemporal variations in habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), carbon sequestration (CS), and soil retention (SR) for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020. This study further examines the trade-offs and synergies among these ecosystem services, integrates the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) and GIS methodology with human activity patterns, determines the optimal management scenario, and offers targeted recommendations for optimization. The findings reveal that areas of high habitat quality, carbon sequestration, and soil retention are predominantly concentrated in the western and southwestern regions of the basin, whereas high-value zones of water yield are primarily situated in the southern and southwestern sectors. Habitat quality demonstrates significant synergies with other ecosystem services, whereas water yield presents a notable trade-off with soil retention. By conducting a comparative analysis of protection efficiency, we identified priority conservation areas predominantly located in the southern and southwestern regions of the basin. Moreover, through overlaying the priority conservation zones with the Human Footprint Index (HFI), the priority conservation area was precisely delineated to encompass 5.41 × 105 hectares. This methodology provides critical guidance for the implementation of the Mountain-River Project and offers substantial value in scientifically advancing ecological restoration initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The monetary value assigned to ecosystems and their essential goods and services is known as ecosystem service value (ESV). Fragile ecological environments, susceptible to climate change and human disturbances, require significant ecological protection. This protection is vital not only for stabilizing socio-economic conditions but also for fostering a positive feedback loop within natural systems. Looking ahead, identifying priority conservation areas and regions of particular concern in fragile environments based on ESV changes is a proactive approach. Until now, current studies on ESV in fragile ecological environments have been insufficient, falling short of adequately serving the purpose of ecological protection in such areas. The Hexi region (HXR), situated in the interlaced area of the Qilian Mountains and the Alxa Plateau in northwest China, possesses a fragile ecological environment. Due to the intricate interactions between humans and the environment, it stands out as a crucial area for studying ecosystem services in fragile habitats. Hence, this study aims to systematically analyze the ESV in the HXR over the past 30 years. Here, the values of 11 ecosystem service categories in HXR during 1990–2020 were calculated, clarifying their spatiotemporal difference and dynamic changes based on land use/cover (LULC) products for years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020, using an improved equivalent factors method. The findings revealed that the unit standard equivalent factor is 1.51 × 105 CNY·km−2·a−1, and the total ESV value has grown from CNY 182.50 to 185.48 billion from 1990 to 2020. Hydrologic regulation, climate regulation, and soil conservation service values are the principal single ESV categories across HXR. Over the past three decades, ESV changes in HXR have been primarily driven by water area, grassland, and wetland, with the sensitivity of ESV to LULC generally increasing (0.15~9.10%). Natural forcing and anthropogenic perturbations have combined to cause changes in LULC in HXR, influencing ESV fluctuations. Future ecosystem protection activities in HXR should prioritize the maintenance of grasslands, water regions, and wetlands to ensure the preservation of ESV. This study clarifies the impacts of LULC change on ESV in fragile natural environments and highlights the significance of focusing on ESV changes for the health promotion of natural-social systems. The findings provide a foundation for constructing a sustainable development model that is in harmony with both people and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of ecosystem services (ESs) has been widely recognized and studied since 2000. However, research on the interactions (synergies and trade-offs) among ESs and hotspots of ESs is limited. This study focused on the Asian Water Tower (AWT) region (17 countries) and assessed the importance of five critical ESs by four quantitative models, analyzed the interactions among ESs, and identified hotspots of ESs using hotspot analysis. The results showed that the areas with “high importance” of the composite ESs accounted for 6.3% of the AWT region, and they were distributed mainly in mountain and coastal areas. Additionally, high synergies among the five ESs were observed in areas with “high importance” of the composite ESs, whereas poor synergies among ESs were found in areas with “relatively high importance” of the composite ESs. Furthermore, a total of 132 hotspot basins (28.4% of the AWT region) of the composite ESs were identified, and 23.2% of the hotspot basins were areas with “highly and relatively highly synergistic” ESs. The results provide evidence-based support for setting ecosystem protection goals, achieving win-win ESs, and improving ecosystem management efficiency. Overall, this study can deepen the understanding of the interactions and hotspots of ESs in the AWT region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem services (ESs) simply refer to those services conferred by Mother Nature for the survival of her offspring living within. But the provision of ESs is continuously affected by human activity and related changes like transformations in land use and land cover. The present study has been initiated to evaluate the pattern of landscape transformation and its impact on ecosystem service, along with estimating the per capita availability of ESs based on remotely sensed data in the Dhanbad district, Jharkhand, India. The result shows that the total ecosystem service value (ESV) loss of the district was $2251959.76 during 1990–2020. The highest loss of ESV was recorded due to the conservation of agricultural land to built-up area ($15884988.50) and vegetation cover on agricultural land ($14451545.01), while the increased vegetation cover on other types of land helped the district to gain back some balance over the loss. But in a smaller scale study, 5 out of the 8 spatial units are facing negative change in ESV, and unfortunately, they are altogether inhabited by more than 85% of the district's total population. That means the loss of ESV is greater where it needs to be more as per population. Moreover, the per capita ESs in the district decreased by 68.48%, while among the spatial units in Dhanbad it decreased the most (89.60%), which is a serious cause for worry in the future. Therefore, this study can contribute to the process of decision-making, proposing ecological conservation and sustainable development plans for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The conversion from desert to grassland has promoted the enhancement of ESV. • The ecological compensation standards for the Qilian Mountain National Park are set at 3.78–28.28 billion RMB annually. • It is necessary to enhance the protection of water bodies and grasslands to promote the enhancement of ESV. • The impacts of ongoing ecological protection mechanisms on enhancing ESV have been explored. Qilian Mountain National Park (QMNP) is a critical ecological barrier and water conservation area in northwestern China. Its diverse ecosystems provide significant ecosystem services, yet the valuation of these services and their dynamic responses to land use/cover (LULC) changes and ecological protection measures require detailed investigation. This study employs an improved equivalent factor method, tailored to the specific ecosystem types and LULC patterns of QMNP, to evaluate the ecosystem service value (ESV) across different LULC types. Using an elasticity analysis model, the sensitivity of ESV to LULC changes from 1990 to 2022 was quantitatively assessed. The results indicate that the ESV of QMNP increased from 46.13 billion RMB to 50.97 billion RMB between 1990 and 2022, mostly due to the growth of grassland and forest areas. The primary route for increasing the region's ESV is the conversion of desert to grassland, and this should be a major area of emphasis for next ecological conservation initiatives. Regulating services form the core of the ESV in QMNP, with climate and hydrological regulation contributing significantly to the overall ESV. Maintaining the stability of forest, wetland, and water body areas is crucial for sustaining the total ESV of QMNP. Through the application of carbon emission coefficients and ESV methods, the average range for long-term ecological compensation standards in QMNP is expected to be between 3.78 billion RMB and 28.28 billion RMB annually. Additionally, we explore the impacts of ongoing ecological protection mechanisms on enhancing ESV. There is a pressing need to formulate integrated policy frameworks that balance ecological conservation with sustainable economic development. The study also highlights the necessity of strengthening the protection and foundational research of grasslands and water bodies to enhance the ESV of QMNP. These insights serve as a foundation for potential planning and management strategies in QMNP, aiming to maintain and enhance its ecosystem functions and services, thereby contributing to broader regional and global ecological stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the largest alpine peat swamp wetland distribution area in the world, the Zoige has important ecological functions, including water conservation and biodiversity maintenance. In the past 20 years, the regional ecological protection and restoration measures continuously strengthened under the leadership of the local government have led to gradual improvements in the ecological environment of the region. In this study, multisource satellite remote-sensing image data were used to carry out quantitative monitoring and assessment of the main ecological elements (vegetation and water), as well as the regional leading ecosystem service function in the Zoige. Combined with local ecological protection management policies and measures, we analyzed the characteristics and effectiveness of ecological protection. We compared the ecosystem change trends of the Zoige reserve and the county, from 2001 to 2020, and found that the fractional vegetation cover (FVC) of Zoige county has increased at a rate of 0.25%/year. The growth rate was highest between 2015 and 2020, and the growth rate of FVC in the Zoige Wetland National Nature Reserve is approximately 1.89-fold that of the whole county. The water area also shows similar variation characteristics. On the whole, the water conservation capacity of the Zoige showed a significant increase from 2001 to 2020. We used high-resolution satellite remote-sensing images to capture the details of land use changes brought about by local ecological protection policies and measures, and together with macroecological indicators, we reflected on the effectiveness of regional ecological protection measures. We observed that the ecological effects of nature reserves are more direct and rapid, and the amount of water conservation within the nature reserve is about 1 × 104 m3/km2 higher than that of the surrounding grasslands. Satellite remote-sensing images can not only capture the multiscale change information of ecological indicators, such as vegetation and water, in a timely manner, but can also help us to identify the effectiveness of conservation measures by distinguishing and analyzing the causes of these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sacred natural sites (SNSs) are examples of community‐level governance for sustainable management of natural resources, which can greatly benefit nature conservation. However, the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the role of SNSs in conservation has resulted in overly simplistic classifications of SNSs that challenge current SNS research and conservation practice. Here, we propose an SNS classification framework based on the types and levels of material and spiritual services that SNSs provide, and applied this framework in the Khawa Karpo, an important sacred area in the Tibetan region of China based on detailed field surveys conducted from 2000 to 2004 and 2015 to 2017 that addressed six types of SNSs, including sacred mountains, Ri Vgags, sacred lakes, sacred rocks, sacred caves, and sacred trees. We found that SNSs in this region played a crucial role in sustaining traditional cultures and providing material services. Adoption of our classification framework will assist with the development of management strategies and targeted conservation actions for individual SNSs, thus improving conservation levels particularly in the Tibetan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Kunming-Montreal GBF), which puts forward higher ecological conservation requirements for countries to carry out sound spatial planning to realize the ultimate vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It is urgent to adopt a comprehensive and refined spatial planning method to provide spatial guidance for efficient actions. Ecological security patterns (ESP) are an integrated approach that effectively reduces the impact of production and daily life on nature, promoting regional ecological sustainability, which can provide efficient spatial planning support for Kunming-Montreal GBF implementation. Taking the Xishuangbanna tropical region as a research case, a biodiversity hotspot in China and the world, this study attempts to improve and optimize the ecological network construction process of the ESP research paradigm "ecological sources identification-ecological resistance surfaces construction-ecological corridors extraction" around higher ecological objectives, and further identifies the priority areas for ecological conservation and restoration. Overall, it has been determined the ecological network spaces of five species groups in the Xishuangbanna tropical region. Key biodiversity areas of 2768.19 km2 play an important maintenance role in the overall biodiversity and ecosystem services of the region, and 213 high importance and connectivity corridors that have significant contributions to the migration of species are determined. The priority areas for ecological conservation (2467.71 km2) and ecological restoration (514.67 km2) are further determined. This study provides a demonstration case for constructing an integrated ESP to maintain regional species and ecosystem stability, enhance integrity and connectivity, and further identify priority areas. For the Xishuangbanna tropical region and other global biodiversity hotspots, a systematic, comprehensive, and sustainable ecological management model should be established, where limited funding and resources for ecological actions should be directed to priority areas of the most valuable outcomes. • Constructed ESP ensured species and ecosystems security. • Ecological sources were identified using habitat quality and ecosystem services. • Circuit theory and MCR model were used to determine ecological corridors and nodes. • ESP was evaluated through overlay analysis, gravity model, and PC index. • Identification of priority areas is essential to conserve and restore ecosystem well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the ecological conservation behavior of farmers usually focus on individual and socio-economic characteristics without consideration of the underlying psychological constructs, such as farmers' intention and perceptions. This study uses the theory of planned behavior (TPB), a typical social psychology construct, to analyze the factors affecting the intention and behavior of farmers for conserving the ecological achievements from payment for ecosystem service (PES) programs in eco-environmentally fragile areas. Questionnaires based on TPB were administered to 1004 farmers from the Grain to Green Program area in the Loess Plateau, China, with the resulting dataset used to identify the underlying factors determining farmers' intention and behavior based on the structural equation model. The results show that the farmers' intention and behavior toward conserving ecological achievements were explained well by TPB. The farmers'behavior was significantly positively affected by their intention toward conserving ecological achievements, and their intention was significantly influenced by their attitude (positive or negative value of performance), the subjective norm (social pressure in engaging behavior), and perceived behavioral control (perceptions of their ability). The farmers' degree of support for PES programs and their recognition of environmental effects were the factors that most influenced the farmers' attitude. Pressure from neighbors was the most potent driver of the subjective norm. Meanwhile, perceptions of their ability to perform the behavior were the most potent factors affecting intention and it was mostly driven by the farmers' feelings toward environmental improvement and perceived ability (time and labor) to participate in ecological conservation. The drivers of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control can be used by policy makers to direct farmers' intention and behavior toward conserving ecological achievements in fragile eco-environmentally areas through PES programs. Thus, this strategy can improve the sustainability of ecological and environmental restoration programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grassland has always had a difficult economic–ecological relationship, as coordination between its ecological conservation and the sustainable development of animal husbandry is required. Nature-based Solutions (NbS), who make full use of the natural ecosystem services, have successfully solved some economic–ecological issues, but still have unclear implementation prospects for grassland management. The Xilin Gol grassland is one of the most typical pastoral areas in China; there is a village chief named Bateer, who has already used NbS for grassland management. To confirm whether the solutions employed by Bateer have been effective for both increasing economic profits and protecting grassland ecosystem, we interviewed him, and many other herdsmen, using questionnaires about their livelihood. Based on these questionnaires, we calculated and compared their income–cost ratios. Meanwhile, we analyzed the NDVI variations inside their rangelands through high-resolution remote sensing images. The results showed that the herdsmen in Bateer's village had a much higher disposable income and income–cost ratio than others, and their rangelands also had a higher value and a more obvious increasing trend of NDVI. Bateer's success proves that the NbS can also play a positive role in grassland management, which can provide a valuable guidance for economic–ecological coordination in pastoral areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]