Sustainability assessment of coupled human and natural systems from the perspective of the supply and demand of ecosystem services

Abstract

The sustainability of coupled human and natural systems (CHANS), linked to several of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, affects both global sustainable development and human wellbeing. However, few studies have explored the relationship between the whole human system and the natural system from the perspective of supply and demand. Based on ecosystem service concept and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we constructed an ecosystem services supply index (ESSI) and a human demand index (HMDI) and then analyzed the spatial mismatch of the ESSI and HMDI in 338 prefecture cities in China. We propose a supply-demand balance index inspired by the doughnut theory and demonstrate the conflicts and synergies between ecosystems and human systems. Our results show that the ESSI decreased from 2000 to 2010, but remained almost unchanged from 2010 to 2020. The low ESSI values were mainly distributed over the North China Plain, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Sichuan Basin. The HMDI increased from 2000 to 2020, but the rate of increase has slowed since 2010. The high HMDI values were mainly distributed over the east coast of China, Inner Mongolia, and part of Xinjiang province. From 2000 to 2020, the cities with spatial mismatches of the ESSI and HMDI showed a significant increase and spatial agglomeration. The sustainability of most regions showed a decreasing trend, and the higher the value of the supply-demand balance index, the faster the speed of decrease. Overall, there were more regions in a state of conflict between the natural ecosystem and humans than in a synergistic state, although this number has decreased since 2010. Urban agglomerations and western regions should receive more attention for their ecological health. This study provides a new methodology to assess the sustainability of CHANS that could be applied to other locations. Our findings could support the Chinese government in regional ecosystem governance and territorial space planning.

The synergistic evolution of supply-demand composite system for airport green development: A case study in Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, China

“…From the perspective of supply and demand, the demand for airport green development encompasses the goals and driving factors necessary to achieve eco-friendly transformation in airports. Conversely, the supply for airport green development comprises the supporting and guaranteeing elements required to realize such eco-friendly goals [ 10 ]. The relationship between the supply and demand sides of airport green development is dialectical and unified.…”

“…In the study of the coordinated evolution of green airport development supply and demand, effectively assessing the current situation of green airport development supply and demand is a prerequisite for analyzing the coordinated evolution of supply and demand on both sides [ 10 ]. Thus, conducting a thorough analysis of the supply and demand dimensions of airport green development is crucial.…”

Construction and optimization of ecological security pattern based on landscape ecological risk assessment in the affected area of the Lower Yellow River

“…For the more developed Jinan and Zhengzhou, the need for socio-economic development needs to be seriously considered. At the same time, it is important to protect areas where natural habitats are concentrated, especially habitat margins and corridors, in order to achieve a positive balance between natural and economic interests (Liu et al, 2022). This approach can promote regional planning and support the healthy development of the city.…”

The Response of Composite Ecosystem Services to Urbanization: From the Perspective of Spatial Relevance and Spatial Spillover

“…Once the external interference exceeds the acceptable level, it may cause problems such as habitat degradation and biodiversity reduction. The contradiction between the high demand for ESs and the degradation of ESs caused by urbanization is increasingly prominent [7]. Therefore, ESs have attracted more and more attention from scholars and become one of the hot research topics in the world.…”