The Impacts of Land-Use Changes on Ecosystem Service Value in the Yunnan–Kweichow Plateau, China

Abstract

The Yunnan–Kweichow Plateau serves as a critical ecological security barrier in southwest China. The region has witnessed substantial transformations in land use patterns due to rapid urban expansion, economic development, and population growth. These changes have significantly impacted the structure and services of regional ecosystems. Conducting a quantitative analysis of the influence of land-use changes on ecosystem service value (ESV) proves to be invaluable for guiding regional land planning and environmental conservation efforts. Utilizing land use data, we calculated ESV variations linked to dynamic land-use changes spanning the period from 1980 to 2020. This comprehensive study delved into the spatiotemporal fluctuations and regional disparities in ESV. To enhance the reliability of our evaluation, we applied a regional coefficient to adjust the equivalent factor of ecosystem service value. Over the 40 years, the total ESV exhibited a decrease from USD 122,215.03 million to USD 121,838.82 million. Notably, water supply experienced the most significant decline, while hydrological regulation witnessed the largest increase. The continuous decline in water supply service capacity raises concerns about exacerbating water resource shortages in the region. Spatially, the ESVs in the study region primarily concentrated within the medium-low to medium-high value range. However, except for regions with medium values, the area of other level regions is expanding, and is particularly evident in the increase in low-value regions. The reduction of forestland, grassland, and cultivated land, coupled with the expansion of built-up land, emerged as the primary contributors to the overall ESV decrease. In particular, the negative ecological contribution rate of built-up land reached 37.97%, and the ESV decreased by USD 866.64 million, underscoring that the expansion of water bodies could not compensate for this loss. The study highlights the increasing sensitivity of ESV to land-use changes in the region. As a response, there is a pressing need for managers to reinforce the implementation of ecological engineering and engage in rational planning for production, living, and ecological spaces. This research serves as a crucial reference for establishing an ecological security pattern system and fostering the sustainable development and utilization of land resources in the region.