Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China

Land-use/land-cover (LULC) change could have huge impacts on a wide range of ecosystem services, such as the quality, types, processes, temporal, and spatial patterns of ecosystem, leading to dramatic changes in different types of ecosystem services. China has implemented Grain-for-Green Programme (...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chao Xu, Yanan Jiang, Zhenhui Su, Yujun Liu, Jingyu Lyu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2022-04-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2200228X
_version_ 1818289302254125056
author Chao Xu
Yanan Jiang
Zhenhui Su
Yujun Liu
Jingyu Lyu
author_facet Chao Xu
Yanan Jiang
Zhenhui Su
Yujun Liu
Jingyu Lyu
author_sort Chao Xu
collection DOAJ
description Land-use/land-cover (LULC) change could have huge impacts on a wide range of ecosystem services, such as the quality, types, processes, temporal, and spatial patterns of ecosystem, leading to dramatic changes in different types of ecosystem services. China has implemented Grain-for-Green Programme (GFGP) to alleviate soil erosion, restore and improve ecosystem services. We selected Jinghe River basin, one of the main GFGP pilot areas in the central part of the Loess Plateau in China as study area. InVEST models were adopted to quantify three of the most important ecosystem services (water yield, sediment control and carbon storage) from 2000 to 2015, during which an important GFGP process happens. Results showed that compared with 2000, the area of farmland decreased by 466 km2, the area of degraded grassland decreased by 394 km2, while the area of forestland increased by 339 km2 (including shrub land) in Jinghe River basin. The average annual water yield and sediment export from 2000 to 2015 is 1.11 × 109 m3 and 9.67 × 107 t, which is 36.2% and 60.7% lower than the average of the previous 50 years. Unsurprisingly, carbon storage has increased 5907559.28 mg, about 2.4% more compared to 2000. There are trade-offs between water yield and sediment control as well as carbon storage, and there are synergies between sediment control and carbon storage. Our quantitative assessment has revealed the complex spatial and temporal trade-offs and synergies among competing ecosystem services during the GFGP process. In addition, the results of t-tests in the sub-basin showed that the water yield and sediment control of grassland restoration area and forestland restoration area are better than those of farmland. The water yield of grassland restoration area is better than that of forestland restoration area. But it is difficult to judge the sediment export in forestland restoration area and grassland restoration area. Therefore, considering the trade-offs between water yield and sediment control, grasses are better vegetation type of GFGP compared to trees for the Loess Plateau which has relatively limited precipitation. Our results showed that the control of the erosion by adding vegetation triggers to a diminution of water yield, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Decision making regards to future GFGP and ecological restoration projects should consider the complex and competing trade-offs and synergies in a wide range of ecosystem services, and optimize the planting structure and scale of vegetation in order to achieve long-term, secure, and sustainable provision of vital ecosystem services.
first_indexed 2024-12-13T02:10:07Z
format Article
id doaj.art-18a3282a3cf0469eb0e2b3c201e2aad7
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1470-160X
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T02:10:07Z
publishDate 2022-04-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Ecological Indicators
spelling doaj.art-18a3282a3cf0469eb0e2b3c201e2aad72022-12-22T00:03:02ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2022-04-01137108757Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, ChinaChao Xu0Yanan Jiang1Zhenhui Su2Yujun Liu3Jingyu Lyu4College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China; Corresponding author.College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, ChinaLand-use/land-cover (LULC) change could have huge impacts on a wide range of ecosystem services, such as the quality, types, processes, temporal, and spatial patterns of ecosystem, leading to dramatic changes in different types of ecosystem services. China has implemented Grain-for-Green Programme (GFGP) to alleviate soil erosion, restore and improve ecosystem services. We selected Jinghe River basin, one of the main GFGP pilot areas in the central part of the Loess Plateau in China as study area. InVEST models were adopted to quantify three of the most important ecosystem services (water yield, sediment control and carbon storage) from 2000 to 2015, during which an important GFGP process happens. Results showed that compared with 2000, the area of farmland decreased by 466 km2, the area of degraded grassland decreased by 394 km2, while the area of forestland increased by 339 km2 (including shrub land) in Jinghe River basin. The average annual water yield and sediment export from 2000 to 2015 is 1.11 × 109 m3 and 9.67 × 107 t, which is 36.2% and 60.7% lower than the average of the previous 50 years. Unsurprisingly, carbon storage has increased 5907559.28 mg, about 2.4% more compared to 2000. There are trade-offs between water yield and sediment control as well as carbon storage, and there are synergies between sediment control and carbon storage. Our quantitative assessment has revealed the complex spatial and temporal trade-offs and synergies among competing ecosystem services during the GFGP process. In addition, the results of t-tests in the sub-basin showed that the water yield and sediment control of grassland restoration area and forestland restoration area are better than those of farmland. The water yield of grassland restoration area is better than that of forestland restoration area. But it is difficult to judge the sediment export in forestland restoration area and grassland restoration area. Therefore, considering the trade-offs between water yield and sediment control, grasses are better vegetation type of GFGP compared to trees for the Loess Plateau which has relatively limited precipitation. Our results showed that the control of the erosion by adding vegetation triggers to a diminution of water yield, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. Decision making regards to future GFGP and ecological restoration projects should consider the complex and competing trade-offs and synergies in a wide range of ecosystem services, and optimize the planting structure and scale of vegetation in order to achieve long-term, secure, and sustainable provision of vital ecosystem services.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2200228XEcosystem servicesTrade-offs and synergiesGrain-for-Green ProgrammeInVEST modelJinghe River Basin
spellingShingle Chao Xu
Yanan Jiang
Zhenhui Su
Yujun Liu
Jingyu Lyu
Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
Ecological Indicators
Ecosystem services
Trade-offs and synergies
Grain-for-Green Programme
InVEST model
Jinghe River Basin
title Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
title_full Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
title_fullStr Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
title_full_unstemmed Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
title_short Assessing the impacts of Grain-for-Green Programme on ecosystem services in Jinghe River basin, China
title_sort assessing the impacts of grain for green programme on ecosystem services in jinghe river basin china
topic Ecosystem services
Trade-offs and synergies
Grain-for-Green Programme
InVEST model
Jinghe River Basin
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X2200228X
work_keys_str_mv AT chaoxu assessingtheimpactsofgrainforgreenprogrammeonecosystemservicesinjingheriverbasinchina
AT yananjiang assessingtheimpactsofgrainforgreenprogrammeonecosystemservicesinjingheriverbasinchina
AT zhenhuisu assessingtheimpactsofgrainforgreenprogrammeonecosystemservicesinjingheriverbasinchina
AT yujunliu assessingtheimpactsofgrainforgreenprogrammeonecosystemservicesinjingheriverbasinchina
AT jingyulyu assessingtheimpactsofgrainforgreenprogrammeonecosystemservicesinjingheriverbasinchina