The role of nature reserves in conservation effectiveness of ecosystem services in China

Yue Liu; Wenwu Zhao; Zhijie Zhang; Ting Hua; Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118228

The role of nature reserves in conservation effectiveness of ecosystem services in China

J Environ Manage. 2023 Sep 15:342:118228. doi: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118228. Epub 2023 Jun 7.

Authors

Yue Liu¹, Wenwu Zhao², Zhijie Zhang³, Ting Hua¹, Carla Sofia Santos Ferreira⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China. Electronic address: zhaoww@bnu.edu.cn.
³ State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Ecology, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China; Institute of Land Surface System and Sustainable Development, Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; Zhuhai Branch of State Key Laboratory of Earth Surface Processes and Resource Ecology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University at Zhuhai, Zhuhai 519087, China.
⁴ Department of Physical Geography and Bolin Centre for Climate Research, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden; Research Centre for Natural Resources, Environment and Society (CERNAS), Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, Coimbra Agrarian Technical School, Coimbra, Portugal.

PMID: 37295148
DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.118228

Abstract

Establishing nature reserves (NRs) is a common method to avoid biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystem services (ESs). The evaluation of ESs in NRs and the exploration of associated influencing factors are the basis for improving ESs and management. However, the ES effectiveness of NRs over time remains questionable, namely due to the heterogeneity of landscape characteristics inside and outside of NRs. This study (i) quantifies the role of 75 NRs in China in maintaining ESs (i.e., net primary production (NPP), soil conservation, sandstorm prevention and water yield) from 2000 to 2020, (ii) reveals the trade-offs/synergies, and (iii) identifies the main influencing factors of the ES effectiveness of NRs. The results show that more than 80% of NRs had positive ES effectiveness, which was greater in older NRs. For different ESs, effectiveness over time increases for NPP (E_NPP), soil conservation (E_SC) and sandstorm prevention (E_SP) but declines for water yield (E_WY). There is a clear synergistic relationship between E_NPP and E_SC. Moreover, the effectiveness of ESs is closely correlated with elevation, precipitation, and perimeter area ratio. Our findings can provide important information to support site selection and management of reserves to improve the delivery of critical ecosystem services.

Keywords: Ecosystem services; Effectiveness; Nature reserve; Trade-off and synergy.

MeSH terms

Biodiversity
China
Conservation of Natural Resources* / methods
Ecosystem*
Soil

Substances

Soil