Assessing Changes in the Ecosystem Services Value in Response to Land-Use/Land-Cover Dynamics in Shanghai from 2000 to 2020

Yuan Gong; Mengmeng Cai; Lei Yao; Linsong Cheng; Chunxu Hao; Zheng Zhao

doi:10.3390/ijerph191912080

Assessing Changes in the Ecosystem Services Value in Response to Land-Use/Land-Cover Dynamics in Shanghai from 2000 to 2020

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 24;19(19):12080. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912080.

Authors

Yuan Gong¹, Mengmeng Cai², Lei Yao³, Linsong Cheng³, Chunxu Hao⁴, Zheng Zhao¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Tourism, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China.
² Shanghai Institute of Tourism, Shanghai 201418, China.
³ School of Economics and Management, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.
⁴ Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, Beijing 100012, China.

Abstract

Land resources are foundational for human survival and development. In contrast, land use/land cover (LULC) dynamics drive considerable changes in ecosystem services. Recently, China witnessed a new stage of rapid urbanization. Therefore, investigating the relationships between ecosystem services value (ESV) and LULC in these areas is highly relevant. Based on the data of land use and socioeconomic development in Shanghai from 2000 to 2020, we adopted a land use/land cover dynamics analysis method and established the ESV per unit area at the city scale, discussed the impact of LULC on ESV spatially and quantitatively, and tested the research process based on the sensitivity analysis of the ESV coefficient. The results show that from 2000 to 2020, the LULC pattern in Shanghai rapidly changed. In particular, the area of cultivated land has shrunk by 123.96 thousand hm², while the construction land has expanded by 141.26 thousand hm², which has led to a decline in ESV of the entire city (especially regarding hydrological adjustment and biodiversity). Nevertheless, although the area of trench and lakes only occupies 1.67-3.16% of the total area of land, its ecological value accounts for an astonishing 23.80-50.70% of the total ESV. At the district level, the primary decline in eco-system services value was noted in the Chongming District in the north and Pudong New Area in the east of Shanghai. However, due to the overall planning of the city and the advantages of its resource endowment, Qingpu District and its surrounding areas in western Shanghai have witnessed improvements in terms of the values of hydrological adjustment, water supply, and environmental purification. This study presents a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of issues regarding ESV in rapidly urbanized areas, thereby providing an important reference for decision-makers regarding the rational layout of cities, sustainable use of land, and management of natural ecosystems.

Keywords: coefficient of sensitivity; ecosystem services value; land-use/land-cover dynamics.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

China
Cities
Conservation of Natural Resources*
Ecosystem*
Humans
Urbanization

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Development Research Center of State Forestry and Grassland Administration under grant number JYC-2021-00208 and Beijing Social Science Foundation under grant number 19GLA005.