Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China
Urbanization poses a threat to ecosystems and contributes to the degradation of the environment. It is of great importance to identify coordinated economic, societal, and environmental relationships with key ecological functions and services to achieve regional sustainability. Based on a case study...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/707 |
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| author | Ying Huang Xiaoyu Gan Shaofei Niu Desheng Hao Bo Zhou |
| author_facet | Ying Huang Xiaoyu Gan Shaofei Niu Desheng Hao Bo Zhou |
| author_sort | Ying Huang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urbanization poses a threat to ecosystems and contributes to the degradation of the environment. It is of great importance to identify coordinated economic, societal, and environmental relationships with key ecological functions and services to achieve regional sustainability. Based on a case study in China, this study seeks to fill this gap by estimating the spatial distribution of ecosystem service multifunctionality (ESM) and its spatially heterogeneous response to urbanization. First, the biophysical values of five typical ecosystem services (ESs) (carbon storage, habitat quality, net primary production, soil conservation, and water yield) were assessed based on several simulation models. The biophysical values of these ESs were then standardized and summed to obtain the spatial distribution of ESM. Afterward, the urbanization level was evaluated, and finally, the spatial interaction between urbanization and ESM was exhibited based on the bivariate Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* statistic. The results showed that: (1) the ESM showed obvious spatial heterogeneity in southeastern and northwestern China, with a gradual decline from the coast to the interior; (2) ESM and urbanization had different spatial distribution patterns and produced significant local aggregation effects; and (3) harmonious relationships between ESM and urbanization were observed in southeastern coastal China and the surrounding areas of the North China Plain, which were related to the capacity of local coastal ecosystems, mangrove forests, and aquatic ecosystems to provide multiple services and goods simultaneously. Our results suggest that multifunctional ecosystems can realize a ‘win–win’ situation for ecological conservation and socioeconomic development. The results of this study can advance our understanding of the ecological effects of urbanization on ecosystems and provide valuable implications for the coordinated development of humans and nature in the rapid urbanization process. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fd083c40e22f418e8c0c20e68c1b4329 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:53:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-fd083c40e22f418e8c0c20e68c1b43292023-11-23T11:01:32ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072022-04-0113570710.3390/f13050707Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in ChinaYing Huang0Xiaoyu Gan1Shaofei Niu2Desheng Hao3Bo Zhou4College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, ChinaCollege of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, ChinaCollege of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, ChinaSchool of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, ChinaCollege of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, ChinaUrbanization poses a threat to ecosystems and contributes to the degradation of the environment. It is of great importance to identify coordinated economic, societal, and environmental relationships with key ecological functions and services to achieve regional sustainability. Based on a case study in China, this study seeks to fill this gap by estimating the spatial distribution of ecosystem service multifunctionality (ESM) and its spatially heterogeneous response to urbanization. First, the biophysical values of five typical ecosystem services (ESs) (carbon storage, habitat quality, net primary production, soil conservation, and water yield) were assessed based on several simulation models. The biophysical values of these ESs were then standardized and summed to obtain the spatial distribution of ESM. Afterward, the urbanization level was evaluated, and finally, the spatial interaction between urbanization and ESM was exhibited based on the bivariate Moran’s I and Getis-Ord Gi* statistic. The results showed that: (1) the ESM showed obvious spatial heterogeneity in southeastern and northwestern China, with a gradual decline from the coast to the interior; (2) ESM and urbanization had different spatial distribution patterns and produced significant local aggregation effects; and (3) harmonious relationships between ESM and urbanization were observed in southeastern coastal China and the surrounding areas of the North China Plain, which were related to the capacity of local coastal ecosystems, mangrove forests, and aquatic ecosystems to provide multiple services and goods simultaneously. Our results suggest that multifunctional ecosystems can realize a ‘win–win’ situation for ecological conservation and socioeconomic development. The results of this study can advance our understanding of the ecological effects of urbanization on ecosystems and provide valuable implications for the coordinated development of humans and nature in the rapid urbanization process.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/707ecosystem servicesecosystem service multifunctionalityurbanizationspatially heterogeneous responsesustainable development |
| spellingShingle | Ying Huang Xiaoyu Gan Shaofei Niu Desheng Hao Bo Zhou Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China Forests ecosystem services ecosystem service multifunctionality urbanization spatially heterogeneous response sustainable development |
| title | Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China |
| title_full | Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China |
| title_fullStr | Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China |
| title_short | Incorporating Ecosystem Service Multifunctionality and Its Response to Urbanization to Identify Coordinated Economic, Societal, and Environmental Relationships in China |
| title_sort | incorporating ecosystem service multifunctionality and its response to urbanization to identify coordinated economic societal and environmental relationships in china |
| topic | ecosystem services ecosystem service multifunctionality urbanization spatially heterogeneous response sustainable development |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/13/5/707 |
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