Variations of Ecosystem Service Value in Response to Land-Use Change in the Kashgar Region, Northwest China

Abstract

Abstract:Increasing anthropogenic activities have significantly altered ecosystems in arid oasis regions. Estimating the impact on a wide range of ecosystem services is important for decision making and the sustainable development of these regions. This study analyzed time-series Landsat data to determine the influences of oasis land-use changes on the ecosystem services in the Kashgar region in Northwest China. The following results were found. The total value of the ecosystem services in the Kashgar region were approximately $10, 845.3, $11,218.6, $10,291.7, and $10,127.3 million in 1986, 1996, 2005, and 2015, respectively. The water supply, waste treatment, biodiversity protection, and recreation and cultural services were the four ecosystem services with the highest service value, contributing 77.05% of the total ecosystem services. The combined contribution rate of food production and raw material value was only about 4.02%, relatively small. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the estimated total ecosystem service value (ESV) for this study area was relatively inelastic with respect to the value coefficients. The findings of this study will be crucial for maintaining the stability and sustainable development of the oasis region, where socio-economic development and the integrity of the natural ecosystem complement each other. Furthermore, the results provide a scientific basis for decision makers in land use management, and provide a reference for researchers in the Northwest China.

Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Change on Ecosystem Service Values: A Case Study of Khon Kaen City, Thailand

“…However, the corresponding ESV of urban and built-up areas and rangeland showed only a slight increase from 2.4 MM USD in 2006 to 14.44 MM USD in 2026 under Scenario II compared to the area expansion of both land use types. Consequently, based on the simple benefit transfer method of Costanza et al (1997) with the modified coefficient of ESVs from Mamat et al (2018), the overall trends of ESVs as a result of LULC changes were similar ( Figure 6).…”

“…In brief, the ecological, socio-cultural and economic value was evaluated based on ecological sustain-ability, equity, and cultural perceptions and efficiency and costeffectiveness, respectively (De Groot et al, 2002). This study used a simple benefit transfer method, which is used to estimate economic values for ecosystem services by transferring available information from the previous study of Mamat et al (2018) to the study area, because this method is a quicker and lower cost approach to estimating ecosystem valuation. Additionally, benefit values of different LULC types in term of ecosystem service was unavailable.…”

Impact of land use land cover changes on ecosystem service value – A case study of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao in South China

“…Thus, the endowment of ES, its structure, and functions greatly influenced by changes in patterns, practices, and intensity of land use land cover (LULC) [10][11][12][13][14]. Such changes in land cover have put both ecosystems and humans at risk and are expected to continue to increase in the future [5,15,16]. Therefore, increasing imbalance provision of ecosystems under the rapidly growing urbanization and development have become a focus of concern [7].…”

“…Since China initiated the opening of economic reform and policy in 1978, socioeconomic development and adaptation of several land use policies have driven significant changes in LULC with increasing speed, breath, and depth [17]. These changes have resulted in the urban expansion, loss of farmland [16,18], ecological damage [7], and horticultural development without proper planning and management of prevailing land resources [15]. China's total urban population has increased from 11.80% in 1950 to 58.52% in 2017, which is predicted to reach 76.10% by the end of 2050 [19].…”

“…China's total urban population has increased from 11.80% in 1950 to 58.52% in 2017, which is predicted to reach 76.10% by the end of 2050 [19]. The increasing human populace and socioeconomic development have confronted genuine difficulties in ecological land, various ecosystem services value, and food security both in space and time [5,16]. Thus, knowledge of economic valuation, analysis, and quantification of the effect of ongoing development on ES are necessary for policy decision makers in both the exploration of the means to achieve socioeconomic and ecological sustainable development [20][21][22].…”