Evaluation of the Importance of Ecological Service Function and Analysis of Influencing Factors in the Hexi Corridor from 2000 to 2020

Abstract

The Hexi Corridor plays a pivotal role in safeguarding China’s ecological security, functioning as a crucial conduit between economic and ecological systems. This study employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating climate, evapotranspiration, and other variables, to analyze the trend in factors influencing ecological function and to evaluate the import of ecological service functions in the Hexi Corridor from 2000 to 2020. The findings reveal a distinctive spatial distribution pattern for regulating functions, with higher concentrations observed in the southern regions and lower concentrations in the northern regions. These functions include the storage of carbon, quality of habitat, the conservation of water, and soil and water conservation. It can be observed that the areas of general importance for ecosystem services are predominantly distributed across the northern and western sections of the Hexi Corridor, collectively representing 76.96% of the total area. Conversely, areas of general importance for ecosystem services are situated in regions characterized by a high altitude, intricate topography, and extensive glaciers as well as permafrost.