Spatial–Temporal Variations of the Gross Ecosystem Product under the Influence of the Spatial Spillover Effect of Urbanization and Ecological Construction in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China

Abstract

Rapid development of urbanization and intense human activities had a profound influence on the ecosystem service functions. As an integrated monetary index for the evaluation of final ecosystem services, the gross ecosystem product (GEP) is widely used in the quantification of ecosystem service value (ESV). This study initially assessed and analyzed the spatial distribution of the GEP at the county-level scale using multisource data spanning 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020. Then, the spatial transfer characteristics of the GEP were measured. Finally, the study employed spatial panel econometric models and the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to investigate the spatial effect of urbanization and ecological construction on the GEP. The results indicated that: (1) In 2020, the GEP in the Yangtze River Delta Region was RMB 15.24 trillion, and the GEP per unit area was RMB 42.58 million per square kilometer. It exhibited a cumulative decrease of RMB 298.72 billion from 2000 to 2020. (2) The spatial transfer efficiency of the GEP in urban agglomerations showed a clear decline trend. During the period of 2000–2020, over 96% of county-level units exhibited a decline with RMB 90,076,103.17/km2, indicating a consistent downward trend from the central regions towards the periphery. (3) Based on the decomposition effects of the spatial Durbin mode, urbanization and the ecological construction indicator showed spatial spillover effects on the GEP, but their impact mechanisms varied substantially. Among them, the urbanization rate (UR), population density (PD), and the proportion of impervious land (ILP) had the largest negative effect on the GEP, and a 1% rise in ILP locally resulted in a 0.044% decline in the local GEP and a 0.078% rise in the GEP of neighboring units. And the area of ecological land had a positive effect on the GEP of both local and neighboring areas. Those conclusions can offer evidence in favor of encouraging ecologically responsible building practices and sustainable growth in urban agglomerations.