Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Ecosystem Service Value in Shaanxi Province against the Backdrop of Grain for Green

Abstract

The Grain for Green Project (GGP) has influenced Shaanxi Province’s land-use pattern, resulting in a shift in ecosystem service value (ESV). Exploring the spatial and temporal evolution of the pattern of land use and ESV in Shaanxi Province, before and after the project’s implementation, can give a theoretical foundation for regional land-use planning. For this study, we used the transfer matrix and the value equivalent approaches to investigate the influence of project implementation on the spatial distribution and evolution of patterns of land use and ESV in Shaanxi Province based on four periods of land-use data from 1990 to 2020. The results suggest the following: (1) Farmland, forestland, and grassland were the most common land-types in Shaanxi Province. Farmland, forestland, and grassland in Shaanxi Province were all altered dramatically over the research period due to the GGP. Farmland was turned mostly into forestland and grassland, and forestland and grassland areas progressively grew. (2) The ESVs in Shaanxi Province were USD 3802.82, 3814.90, 3836.20, and 3806.50 billion in 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively. The most value was supplied by hydrological management, while water resources provided the lowest value. Forestland and grassland were the most valuable land-types in high-value locations, whereas built-up land was the most valuable land-type in low-value areas. (3) While the GGP has increased the ESV of forestland and grassland, it has harmed the acreage of other land-types, resulting in a decline in the total ESV in Shaanxi Province.