Science for managing ecosystem services: Beyond the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment

Spatiotemporal patterns and influencing factors of coupling coordination development of ecosystem services and urbanization: a case of western border counties in China

Introduction

The spatial distribution of border regions highly overlaps with key ecological function zones and economically underdeveloped areas, making the coordination between urbanization and ecosystem service value (ESV) crucial.

Methods

Taking China's western border counties as a case study, this study explores the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of ESV, urbanization levels, and their coupling coordination relationship. By applying the Obstacle Degree Model and the geodetector analysis, we identify the factors that obstruct and drive the coordinated development of the ESV-urbanization coupling system from both internal and external perspectives.

Results

(1) From 2000 to 2020, ESV in China's western border counties declined gradually, while the urbanization increased with significant spatial imbalances in development. (2) In most border counties, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of ESV and urbanization was either mildly or severely unbalanced, and a growing number of counties experienced lagging ESV. In particular, some counties exhibited synchronous declines in both ESV and urbanization, posing a significant threat to regional sustainable development. (3) The main obstacle factors of CCD include social security, industrial structure and ecological regulation functions, while the primary driving factors are precipitation, temperature, and net primary productivity (NPP). (4) The interaction of tourism, stable ecological areas and government actions with other factors significantly enhances the driving effect on CCD in border counties.

Conclusion

This study provides policy recommendations and a practical basis for promoting synergistic development between ESV and urbanization in China's western border counties and other similar border regions.

Integrated trade-offs/synergies and interactions approach to quantifying the direct and indirect effects of environmental factors on ecosystem services

The driving mechanisms of ecosystem services (ESs) involve two aspects: the effects of environmental factors (e.g., precipitation and slope) on ESs and the effects of trade-offs/synergies on ESs. Clarifying the complex causal relationships between environmental factors and ESs is essential for decision-makers to formulate ES management. However, existing studies have focused more on identifying the main drivers of ESs without adequately exploring the direct and indirect effects of environmental factors on ESs, especially those based on the interactions between environmental factors and trade-offs/synergies on ESs. In this study, we proposed an integrated approach of trade-offs/synergies and interactions to quantify the direct and indirect effects of environmental factors on ESs by differentiating between the effects of trade-offs/synergies on ESs and the effects of environmental factors on ESs. Three typical ESs, net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC), and water yield (WY), were estimated in Sichuan Province from 2000-2020. The trade-offs/synergies between ES pairs were subsequently explored using correlation analysis and the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. The interactions between environmental factors and ESs were verified and separated utilizing the Geodetector model and partial correlation analysis. Finally, the direct and indirect effects of environmental factors on ESs were measured through the bootstrap method. The results revealed that (1) from 2000-2020, three ESs exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity in Sichuan Province. (2) Complex trade-offs and synergies among these ESs were apparent at the provincial scale, characterized by distinct spatial heterogeneity. (3) DEM, temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity were the dominant factors affecting the spatial heterogeneity of ESs. Notably, the interactions involving environmental factors and ESs demonstrated more robust explanatory power for ESs and their trade-offs/synergies than individual drivers did. (4) DEM and temperature had significant direct and indirect effects on ESs when NPP and WY served as the mediating variables, and these mediating variables contributed significantly to the total effect. The integrated trade-offs/synergies and interactions approach deepens our understanding of ES mechanisms and provides a theoretical basis and reference for decision-making, rather than blindly pursuing the maximization of a particular service at the expense of others.

Forest Fragmentation and Warmer Climate Increase Tick-Borne Disease Infection

Anthropogenic disturbances degrade ecosystems, elevating the risk of emerging infectious diseases from wildlife. However, the key environmental factors for preventing tick-borne disease infection in relation to host species, landscape components, and climate conditions remain unknown. This study focuses on identifying crucial environmental factors contributing to the outbreak of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), a tick-borne disease, in Miyazaki Prefecture, southern Japan. We collected data on SFTS case numbers, annual temperature and precipitation, species richness of large- and middle-sized mammals, forest perimeter length (indicating the amount of forest boundaries), percentage of agricultural land, human population, and sightseeing place numbers for each 25 km2 grid cell encompassing Miyazaki Prefecture. Through the construction of a model incorporating these factors, we found that longer forest perimeter and higher temperature led to a higher number of SFTS cases. Precipitation, mammal species richness, percentage of agricultural land, human population, and sightseeing point numbers had no effect on SFTS case numbers. In conclusion, climate condition and forest fragmentation, which increase the opportunity for human infection, played a pivotal role in SFTS outbreak.

Towards a 'people and nature' paradigm for biodiversity and infectious disease

Zoonotic and vector-borne infectious diseases are among the most direct human health consequences of biodiversity change. The COVID-19 pandemic increased health policymakers' attention on the links between ecological degradation and disease, and sparked discussions around nature-based interventions to mitigate zoonotic emergence and epidemics. Yet, although disease ecology provides an increasingly granular knowledge of wildlife disease in changing ecosystems, we still have a poor understanding of the net consequences for human disease. Here, we argue that a renewed focus on wildlife-borne diseases as complex socio-ecological systems-a 'people and nature' paradigm-is needed to identify local interventions and transformative system-wide changes that could reduce human disease burden. We discuss longstanding scientific narratives of human involvement in zoonotic disease systems, which have largely framed people as ecological disruptors, and discuss three emerging research areas that provide wider system perspectives: how anthropogenic ecosystems construct new niches for infectious disease, feedbacks between disease, biodiversity and social vulnerability and the role of human-to-animal pathogen transmission ('spillback') in zoonotic disease systems. We conclude by discussing new opportunities to better understand the predictability of human disease outcomes from biodiversity change and to integrate ecological drivers of disease into health intervention design and evaluation.This article is part of the discussion meeting issue 'Bending the curve towards nature recovery: building on Georgina Mace's legacy for a biodiverse future'.

Population and community ecology: past progress and future directions

Population and community ecology as a science are about 100 years old, and we discuss here our opinion of what approaches have progressed well and which point to possible future directions. The three major threads within population and community ecology are theoretical ecology, statistical tests and models, and experimental ecology. We suggest that our major objective is to understand what factors determine the distribution and abundance of organisms within populations and communities, and we evaluate these threads against this major objective. Theoretical ecology is elegant and compelling and has laid the groundwork for achieving our overall objectives with useful simple models. Statistics and statistical models have contributed informative methods to analyze quantitatively our understanding of distribution and abundance for future research. Population ecology is difficult to carry out in the field, even though we may have all the statistical methods and models needed to achieve results. Community ecology is growing rapidly with much description but less understanding of why changes occur. Biodiversity science cuts across all these subdivisions but rarely digs into the necessary population and community science that might solve conservation problems. Climate change affects all aspects of ecology but to assume that everything in population and community ecology is driven by climate change is oversimplified. We make recommendations on how to advance the field with advice for present and future generations of population and community ecologists.

Ecosystem service indicators on military-managed drylands in the Western United States

Lands devoted to military use are globally important for the production of ecosystem services and for the conservation of biodiversity. The United States has one of the largest military land estates in the world, and most of these areas occur in water-limited landscapes. Despite many of these areas receiving intense or sustained disturbance from military training activities, the structure and function of ecosystems contained within their boundaries continue to provide critical benefits to people across spatial scales. The land owned and managed by the Department of Defense is subject to regulation across local, state, and federal governing bodies, constraining and shaping both how land management is conducted and how ecosystem services are prioritized. Here, we explored the supply of ecosystem services from military lands in dryland areas of the United States using key indicators of ecosystem services: biodiversity estimates derived from range maps, ecosystem productivity estimates from satellite observations, and spatially explicit, hierarchical ecosystem classifications. Additionally, we utilized content analysis of the environmental management plans of these areas to describe the unique set of demands and regulatory constraints on these areas. We found that the US military land estate in drylands contains many types of ecosystems and provides a large and diverse supply of ecosystem services, comparable to the sum of services from public lands in these areas. Additionally, the degree to which the ecosystem services concept is captured in environmental management plans is strongly shaped by the language of the governing legislation that mandated the use of environmental management plans in these areas, although these plans do not explicitly address land management using the concept of ecosystem services. Collectively, our findings suggest that military use and management of land represents an important source of ecosystem services, that military land use can be considered a cultural ecosystem service unto itself, and that top-down regulation can affect how these services are identified and valued. Our work highlights the need for the research and conservation communities to quantify ecosystem services from individual military installations so that both services and biodiversity can be safeguarded in an era of military conflict across the globe.

Study on driving factors of island ecosystem health and multi-scenario ecology simulation using ecological conservation and eco-friendly tourism for achieving sustainability

Maintaining ecosystem health on islands is essential for constructing an ecologically balanced civilization and supporting sustainable development of island tourism. This study provided a quantitative analysis of the ecosystem's evolution on Hainan Island from 2000 to 2020, meticulously investigating the interplay between biodiversity, tourism, and local economic activities on ecosystem health. Additionally, it simulated ecosystem health in 2030 across four distinct scenarios: ecological conservation, eco-friendly tourism, natural development, and economic growth. Finally, practical management suggestions were proposed for achieving multifaceted sustainable ecosystem development. The findings indicated: (1) Ecosystem health on Hainan Island exhibited an overall declining trend from 2000 to 2020, with a noticeable decrease moving from the central mountainous to the plains area. (2) Variations in ecosystem health were primarily shaped by natural geographic factors such as altitude and slope, though socio-economic factors and tourism development increasingly influenced these trends. In addition, natural environmental factors and tourism factors contributed positively to ecosystem health, while socio-economic factors had a negative effect. (3) Simulation predictions demonstrated that prioritizing ecological protection alongside promoting tourism can positively impact ecosystem health on Hainan Island, whereas exclusive emphasis on economic growth may jeopardize long-term sustainability. This study offers invaluable perspectives for conserving biodiversity, fostering socio-economic progress, and aligning ecological conservation with tourism development towards a harmonious multi-objective strategy.

Exploring the natural-socioeconomic driving and response mechanisms of ecosystem services interactions to optimize ecosystem management: A case study in the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin

Revealing the complex interactions between ecosystem services (ESs) and their underlying mechanisms is a prerequisite for formulating sustainable ecological management strategies. However, few studies have conducted a comprehensive analysis of the driving and response mechanisms of ESs interactions. Therefore, this study established an integrated framework to first quantify the interactions between ESs, then identify their dominant natural-socioeconomic drivers, explore their spatial non-stationary responses, and ultimately propose corresponding strategies to optimize ecosystem management. The results indicated that: (1) from 2000 to 2020, food supply and carbon sequestration increased by 18.86 % and 3.79 %, respectively, while soil conservation and water purification decreased by 9.36 % and 4.52 %, respectively, and the remaining ESs were relatively stable; spatially, apart from food supply, the other six ESs exhibited a pattern of being higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest; (2) among the 21 pairs of ESs, synergies predominated, while trade-offs occurred only between food supply and other ESs, all exhibiting weak trade-offs (r < 0.3, p < 0.001); (3) ESs interactions were more influenced by natural factors, particularly climate, than by socioeconomic factors. Moreover, the responses of ESs interactions to their dominant drivers exhibited significant spatial non-stationarity, based on which targeted strategies were proposed to optimize ecosystem management. This study not only provides a reference for ESs interactions research in other regions but also offers guidance for promoting regional sustainable development.

Ensemble modeling of aquatic plant invasions and economic cost analysis in China under climate change scenarios

Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, Alternanthera philoxeroides, and Cabomba caroliniana are officially recognized as invasive aquatic plants in China. Accurately predicting their invasion dynamics under climate change is crucial for the future safety of aquatic ecosystems. Compared to single prediction models, ensemble models that integrate multiple algorithms provide more accurate forecasts. However, there has been a notable lack of research utilizing ensemble models to collectively predict the invasive regions of these four species in China. To address this gap, we collected and analyzed comprehensive data on species distribution, climate, altitude, population density, and the normalized difference vegetation index to accurately predict the future invasive regions and potential warnings for aquatic systems concerning these species. Our results indicate that suitable areas for invasive aquatic plants in China are primarily located in the southeastern region. Significant differences exist in the suitable habitats for each species: P. stratiotes and E. crassipes have broad distribution areas, covering most water systems in southeastern China, while C. caroliniana is concentrated in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the estuaries of the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. A. philoxeroides has an extensive invasion area, with the North China Plain projected to become a suitable invasion region in the future. The main factors influencing future invasions are human activities and climate change. In addition, under climate change, the suitable habitats for these invasive aquatic plants are expected to expand towards higher latitudes. We also estimated the economic costs associated with invasive aquatic plants in China using the Invacost database, revealing cumulative costs of US$5525.17 million, where damage costs (89.70%) significantly exceed management costs (10.30%). Our innovative approach, employing various ensemble algorithms and water system invasion forecasts, aims to effectively mitigate the future invasions and economic impacts of these species.

Incorporating Ecosystem Services into Solar Energy Siting to Enhance Sustainable Energy Transitions

Solar energy is expected to play a large role in decarbonization of the energy sector globally. In the United States, solar energy is forecasted to generate roughly 45% of the electricity by 2050. Although solar energy mitigates the negative effects of climate change by providing electricity without releasing greenhouse gases, little is known about the implications of solar energy development for ecosystem services. In this study, we developed a spatially explicit, techno-ecological solar suitability model consisting of six scenarios designed to evaluate the trade-offs between ground-mounted solar energy generation and multiple ecosystem services. By incorporating solar suitability modeling with ecosystem service evaluation, we develop a method that provides a comprehensive understanding of potential techno-ecological trade-offs. To test our methodology, we used Connecticut (USA) as a study site for analyzing the potential trade-offs of future solar energy facilities, but the methods can be widely applied. Our results suggest that well-sited solar energy development can decrease sediment and nutrient export while offsetting carbon emissions from power plants. This study provides a holistic assessment of incorporating ecosystem services in future solar energy development decision-making and presents an approach for minimizing trade-offs and maximizing sustainable outcomes.

Modelling the Banni social-ecological system using participatory system dynamics for building insights on invasive species management and stakeholder engagement

Invasive species are a significant driver of environmental change in social-ecological systems (SES) globally. Given that SES are inherently complex adaptive systems (CAS), they continuously reorganize themselves and adapt to change, including changes in ecological composition, as well as in associated lives and livelihoods. Decision-making on invasive species management in such systems can be contested and fraught with tradeoffs. The Banni Grasslands in Kutch, India, is one such system where the introduction of Prosopisjuliflora (P.juliflora), an invasive woody species, has over decades resulted in deeply coupled social-ecological change. Removal of P.juliflora for land restoration is as of date a contested policy choice. Through a participatory transdisciplinary process comprising workshops and consultations with the local community (Maldharis), civil society and researchers involved in long term research on Banni, a system dynamics simulation model was developed which synthesizes the SES dynamics as a set of feedback loops. The model was used to simulate 'what-if' scenarios of interest up to 2050, to study consequences of restoration and the impact of climate extremes, to generate insights which could be useful in aiding decision making. The runs show how vis-à-vis a Business-As-Usual Scenario, restoration could help Maldharis increase livestock populations and livestock income, although there would still be a limit to the growth, with livestock reaching a higher normal. The runs show how it would also mean a loss in the P.juliflora-dependent charcoal-based income and livelihoods, and the extent of the loss, raising the question of finding alternative livelihoods. In a climate extremes scenario, the system, being more resource-intensive owing to growing livestock population, and loss of the relatively climate proof P.julilfora-based income, counterintuitively shows higher sensitivity to climate change impacts resulting in more pronounced impact on income variation. In order to engage stakeholders via 'live' simulation and scenario building, a user-friendly app encoding the simulation model was developed and used to carry out a participatory scenario planning exercise with the community to allow for live appraisal of the scenarios and their implications for decision-making. The paper summarizes insights from the simulation runs and from taking the app back to the community.

A social-ecological approach to support equitable land use decision-making

Human-driven land use change can result in unequitable outcomes in the provision and appropriation of ecosystem services (ES). To better address equity-related effects of land use change in decision-making, analyses of land use and ES changes under different land use management alternatives should incorporate ecological and social information and take a disaggregated approach to ES analysis. Because such approaches are still scarce in the literature, we present a generalized social-ecological approach to support equitable land use decision-making (in terms of process and outcomes) and an example of its application to a case study in southwestern Ethiopia. We propose a six-step approach that combines scenario planning with equity-focused, disaggregated analyses of ES. Its application in our study area made equity-related effects of land use change explicit through the recognition of different beneficiary groups, value types, and spatial locations. We recommend the application of our approach in other contexts, especially in the Global South.

A two-dimensional four-quadrant assessment method to explore the spatiotemporal coupling and coordination relationship of human activities and ecological environment

Human activities that involve diverse behaviors and feature a variety of participations and collaborations usually lead to varying and dynamic impacts on the ecological environment. Quantitative analysis of the dynamic changes and complex relationships between human activities and the ecological environment (eco-environment) can provide crucial insights for ecological protecting and balance maintaining. We proposed a two-dimensional four-quadrant assessment method based on the dynamic changes in Human Activity Index (HAI) - Environmental Ecological Condition Index (EECI) to analyze the dynamic trends and coupling coordination degree (CCD) between HAI and EECI. This approach was applied in an empirical study of Hainan Province. A comprehensive HAI at a resolution of 1 km × 1 km is established to measure human activities, while an EECI is developed to evaluate ecological environment quality. The eco-environment showed continuous improvement, with the HAI initially rising and then declining. Analysis of coupling coordination revealed a ratio of 6:1 between coordinated development regions and conflict regions, indicating a gradual improvement in overall coupling coordination. The interaction between the HAI and EECI is strengthening, though variations exist across different locations. Using the geodetector method, we identified Net Primary Productivity (NPP), Land use and land cover (LULC), and Particulate Matter (PM) as the primary factors influencing changes in coupling coordination between HAI and EECI. These factors indirectly affect the stability and carrying capacity of the ecological environment. This method facilitates a quantitative examination of the dynamic relationship between HAI and EECI in different regions, offering insights into ecosystem functionality, biodiversity maintenance, and the effect of HAI on the region.

Assessment and simulation of eco-environmental quality changes in rapid rural urbanization: Xiong'an New Area, China

Xiong'an New Area was established as a state-level new area in 2017 and serves as a typical representative area for studying the ecological evolution of rural areas under rapid urbanization in China. Remote sensing-based ecological index (RSEI) is a regional eco-environmental quality (EEQ) assessment index. Many studies have employed RSEI to achieve rapid, objective, and effective quantitative assessment of the spatio-temporal changes of regional EEQ. However, research that combines RSEI with machine learning algorithms to conduct multi-scenario simulation of EEQ is still relatively scarce. Therefore, this study assessed and simulated EEQ changes in Xiong'an and revealed that: (1) The large-scale construction has led to an overall decline in EEQ, with the RSEI decreasing from 0.648 in 2014 to 0.599 in 2021. (2) Through the multi-scenario simulation, the non-unidirectional evolution of RSEI during the process of urban-rural construction has been revealed, specifically characterized by a significant decline followed by a slight recovery. (3) The marginal effects of urban-rural construction features for simulated RSEI demonstrate an inverted "U-shaped" curve in the relationship between urbanization and EEQ. This indicates that urbanization and EEQ may not be absolute zero-sum. These findings can provide scientific insights for maintaining and improving the regional EEQ in urban-rural construction.

An improvement on the assessment of ecosystem services value of urban wetlands under consideration of water yield at regional scale

Urban wetlands are gaining more attention and showing more important play in the sustainability. Surge findings are attached on the assessment of Wetland Ecosystem Service Value (WESV) in urban areas. While determining WESV in urban areas, it is still difficult to capture the nature of wetlands due to neglecting the impact of related impervious surfaces. It is necessary to improve the existing evaluating methods of WESV when seeking the truth. In order to narrow this issue, based on InVEST model, this study employed Equivalent Factors (EF) to determine WESV in urban areas with a case of Hengyang City, China. The main materials of this study included high-resolution images, DEM, precipitation, evapotranspiration, soil, vegetation, and statistical yearbook of the case. By comparing the uncorrected results with precipitation corrected and water yield corrected results of WESV, this study confirmed that: (1) the corrected results can reflect more real status than uncorrected; (2) in terms of EF, the water yield factor is more conducive to finding the truth than precipitation. Through this study, the water yield factor can effectively reduce the adverse effects of climate and improve the accuracy when determining WESV in urban areas.

Spatial scale effects on the value of ecosystem services in China's terrestrial area

Identifying the response characteristics of ecosystem service value (ESV) to changes in spatial scales, known as spatial scale effects, is crucial in guiding the development of corresponding management strategies. This paper examines ESV in China's terrestrial area during the year 2020, revealing the spatial aggregation characteristics of ESV and the trade-off and synergistic relationships of ecosystem services at different spatial scales, ranging from 1 km × 1 km-10 km × 10 km, with a gradient of 1 km. The results indicate: 1) The distribution pattern of ESV in China's terrestrial area is "high in the southeast and low in the northwest." 2) The spatial characteristics of ESV in China's terrestrial area undergo a distinct transition at the 3 km × 3 km scale. In detail, the spatial clustering features show a trend of first rising and then falling with the increase in spatial scale, while the synergistic relationships between different ecosystem services strengthen and the trade-off relationships weaken with the increase of the spatial scale. These findings can inform the formulation of differentiated ecological protection compensation policies and enable cross-area trading of ecological values in China.

A review of social-ecological system vulnerability in desertified regions: Assessment, simulation, and sustainable management

Desertified regions face considerable vulnerability due to the combined effects of climate change and human activities, which threaten regional ecological security and societal development. It is therefore necessary to assess, simulate, and manage the vulnerability of desertified regions from the perspective of the social-ecological system, to support desertification control and sustainable development. This study is a systematic review of the vulnerability of the social-ecological system in desertified regions (SESDR) based on a bibliometric analysis, and a summary of the research progresses in vulnerability assessment, simulation, and sustainable management is provided. It was found that SESDR vulnerability research started relatively late, but has developed rapidly in recent years, with an emphasis on the coupling between natural systems and human activities, and multi-scale interactions and dynamics. Using various indicators at different scales, SESDR vulnerability could be assessed in terms of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability. Modeling the complex interactions among natural and human factors across multiple scales is essential to simulate the vulnerability dynamics of the SESDR. The sustainable management of SESDR vulnerability focuses on rational spatial planning to achieve the maximum benefits, with the right measures in the right places. Four priority research directions were proposed to develop a better understanding of the mechanisms of vulnerability and smart restoration of desertified land. The findings of this study will enable researchers, land managers, and policymakers to develop a more comprehensive understanding of SESDR vulnerability, thereby enabling them to better address the challenges posed by complex resource and environmental issues.

Global trends and scenarios for terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem services from 1900 to 2050

Based on an extensive model intercomparison, we assessed trends in biodiversity and ecosystem services from historical reconstructions and future scenarios of land-use and climate change. During the 20th century, biodiversity declined globally by 2 to 11%, as estimated by a range of indicators. Provisioning ecosystem services increased several fold, and regulating services decreased moderately. Going forward, policies toward sustainability have the potential to slow biodiversity loss resulting from land-use change and the demand for provisioning services while reducing or reversing declines in regulating services. However, negative impacts on biodiversity due to climate change appear poised to increase, particularly in the higher-emissions scenarios. Our assessment identifies remaining modeling uncertainties but also robustly shows that renewed policy efforts are needed to meet the goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Ecological transformation is the key to improve ecosystem health for resource-exhausted cities: A case study in China based on future development scenarios

Numerous cities are currently grappling with the challenge of ecological transformation, especially those categorized as resource-exhausted cities. In these urban areas, land use change is a highly scrutinized issue, as different land use strategies can lead to varied outcomes, impacting the ecological environment in multiple dimensions. Assessing ecosystem health reflects the quality of the regional ecological environment and serves as a comprehensive indicator for evaluating the sustainability and stability of urban ecosystems. To this end, a multi-objective optimization model was constructed to predict land use changes under four future development scenarios (four ecological transformation modes), using Shizuishan City (China), a resource-exhausted city situated in an ecologically fragile area, as an example. The "vigor-organization-resilience" assessment framework was employed to evaluate the ecosystem health conditions in each scenario from three dimensions. The study results showed: (1) The ranking of the average ecological health levels in Shizuishan City for 2022 and different future development scenarios is as follows: Low-Carbon Economic Development Scenario (0.302) > Ecological-Economic Coordinated Development Scenario (0.291) > Baseline Scenario (0.290) > Economic Development Scenario (0.281) > 2022 (0.248). (2) Compared to 2022, the ecosystem health levels under the four ecological transformation modes had all improved, with improvement areas accounting for over 60 %, highlighting the urgent necessity of ecological transformation in Shizuishan City. Among them, the Low-Carbon Economic Development Scenario exhibited the largest improvement area, reaching 75.81 %. (3) Ecological system vitality was identified as the dominant dimension influencing the ecological health in this region. This study emphasized multi-objective development needs and provided an integrated ecosystem health assessment method for assessing the comprehensive ecological effects of future ecological transformation modes in resource-exhausted cities.

The impact of cross-regional social and ecological interactions on ecosystem service synergies

Increasing socioecological systems (SESs) sustainability requires establishing a reasonable cross-regional social and ecological interaction. In this study, we examine how cross-regional ecological and social interactions affect synergistic effects. Using InVEST and correlation analysis with data from 2010 through 2020, we assessed ESs (i.e., water retention-WR, nutrient retention-NR, and carbon storage-CS) in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. A small watershed, a river network, and settlement development capacity are used to delineate ecological and social interactions units. Based on a Bayesian network model that considers population, economy, and spatial agglomeration patterns between social units, we assessed the potential for achieving a synergistic improvement of ESs and the driving forces behind them. The results show that ESs in the BTH region compete, only a small percentage (6.38%) shows synergetic improvement across CS, WR, and NR. It is beneficial for upstream watersheds to retain water and nutrients, but to maintain carbon storage they may sacrifice water retention. Upstream areas with less development and higher vegetation density have better ecosystem integrity of up- and down-stream watersheds, and can be enhanced with minimal human impact, as social interactions and settlement spatial structures influence ES synergies. There is a higher risk for ecological issues in downstream areas, but greater awareness and collaboration can lead to better ES synergies.

Which Has a Greater Impact on Plant Functional Traits: Plant Source or Environment?

The deterioration of water quality caused by human activities has triggered significant impacts on aquatic ecosystems. Submerged macrophytes play an important role in freshwater ecosystem restoration. Understanding the relative contributions of the sources and environment to the adaptive strategies of submerged macrophytes is crucial for freshwater restoration and protection. In this study, the perennial submerged macrophyte Myriophyllum spicatum was chosen as the experimental material due to its high adaptability to a variable environment. Through conducting reciprocal transplant experiments in two different artificial environments (oligotrophic and eutrophic), combined with trait network and redundancy analysis, the characteristics of the plant functional traits were examined. Furthermore, the adaptive strategies of M. spicatum to the environment were analyzed. The results revealed that the plant source mainly influenced the operational pattern among the traits, and the phenotypic traits were significantly affected by environmental factors. The plants cultured in high-nutrient water exhibited a higher plant height, longer leaves, and more branches and leaves. However, their physiological functions were not significantly affected by the environment. Therefore, the adaptation strategy of M. spicatum to the environment mainly relies on its phenotypic plasticity to ensure the moderate acquisition of resources in the environment, thereby ensuring the stable and efficient operation of plant physiological traits. The results not only offered compelling evidence on the adaptation strategies of M. spicatum in variable environments but also provided theoretical support for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development.

Considering pollinators' ecosystem services in the remediation and restoration of contaminated lands: Overview of research and its gaps

The concept of ecosystem services provides a useful framework for understanding how people are affected by changes to the natural environment, such as when a contaminant is introduced (e.g., oil spills, hazardous substance releases) or, conversely, when contaminated lands are remediated and restored. Pollination is one example of an important ecosystem service; pollinators play a critical role in any functioning terrestrial ecosystem. Other studies have suggested that consideration of pollinators' ecosystem services could lead to better remediation and restoration outcomes. However, the associated relationships can be complex, and evaluation requires synthesis from numerous disciplines. In this article, we discuss the possibilities for considering pollinators and their ecosystem services when planning remediation and restoration of contaminated lands. To inform the discussion, we introduce a general conceptual model of how pollinators and the ecosystem services associated with them could be affected by contamination in the environment. We review the literature on the conceptual model components, including contaminant effects on pollinators and the direct and indirect ecosystem services provided by pollinators, and identify information gaps. Though increased public interest in pollinators likely reflects increasing recognition of their role in providing many important ecosystem services, our review indicates that many gaps in understanding-about relevant natural and social systems-currently impede the rigorous quantification and evaluation of pollinators' ecosystem services required for many applications, such as in the context of natural resource damage assessment. Notable gaps include information on non-honeybee pollinators and on ecosystem services beyond those benefitting the agricultural sector. We then discuss potential research priorities and implications for practitioners. Focused research attention on the areas highlighted in this review holds promise for increasing the possibilities for considering pollinators' ecosystem services in the remediation and restoration of contaminated lands. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:322-336. © 2023 SETAC.

Mental health and natural land cover: a global analysis based on random forest with geographical consideration

Natural features in living environments can help to reduce stress and improve mental health. Different land types have disproportionate impacts on mental health. However, the relationships between mental health and land cover are inconclusive. In this study, we aim to accurately fit the relationships, estimate the impacts of land cover change on mental health, and demonstrate the global spatial variability of impacts. In the analysis, we show the complex relationships between mental health and eight land types based on the random forest method and Shapley additive explanations. The accuracy of our model is 67.59%, while the accuracy of the models used in previous studies is usually no more than 20%. According to the analysis results, we estimate the average effects of eight land types. Due to their scarcity in living environments, shrubland, wetland, and bare land have larger impacts on mental health. Cropland, forest, and water could improve mental health in high-population-density areas. The impacts of urban land and grassland are mainly negative. The current land cover composition influences people's attitudes toward a specific land type. Our research is the first study that analyzes data with geographical information by random forest and explains the results geographically. This paper provides a novel machine learning explanation method and insights to formulate better land-use policies to improve mental health.

Spatial heterogeneity and management challenges of ecosystem service trade-offs: a case study in Guangdong Province, China

Ecosystem services (ESs) play a crucial connecting role between human well-being and natural ecosystems. Investigating ESs and their interrelationships can aid in the rational distribution of resources and benefits and inform planning decisions that align with the principles of ecological civilization. Nonetheless, our current understanding of these relationships remains limited; thus, further theoretical exploration is required. This study employs the InVEST model to assess the key ESs in Guangdong Province for 2000 and 2018 and applies the multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) method to identify the primary drivers of ES changes and capture trends in spatial variations. The results showed that (1) from 2000 to 2018, the total carbon storage (CS) and habitat quality (HQ) decreased while the water yield (WY) and net primary productivity (NPP) increased. These ESs also showed spatial differences, with higher values observed in the hilly and mountainous areas of the north compared with the coastal and plain areas of the south. (2) Although the spatial distribution of ES trade-off strength varied, the overall pattern remained consistent from 2000 to 2018. The pairwise trade-off strength of CS-WY and WY-HQ decreased significantly in the northern region of Guangdong due to low rainfall, while that of CS-HQ decreased significantly in the Pearl River delta as a result of urbanization. Cultivated and forested land displayed higher and lower levels of NPP and WY, respectively, with forested land exhibiting greater trade-off strength than the other land use types. (3) Evident spatial heterogeneity was observed in the properties and intensity of the correlations between driving factors and changes in ES trade-offs. Natural factors were the primary determinants of trade-offs among ESs. However, at a regional scale, the landscape index and socioeconomic factors tended to represent stronger drivers. Based on these findings, we suggest that ecological management should be adjusted based on the geographic scale. This study offers a valuable approach to understanding the relationship between ES trade-offs and their drivers in geographic space and serves as a reference for the sustainable provisioning of ESs both locally and globally.

Process-based modeling for ecosystem service provisioning: Non-linear responses to restoration efforts in a quarry lake under climate change

Healthy freshwater ecosystems can provide vital ecosystem services (ESs), and this capacity may be hampered due to water quality deterioration and climate change. In the currently available ES modeling tools, ecosystem processes are either absent or oversimplified, hindering the evaluation of impacts of restoration measures on ES provisioning. In this study, we propose an ES modeling tool that integrates lake physics, ecology and service provisioning into a holistic modeling framework. We applied this model to a Dutch quarry lake, to evaluate how nine ESs respond to technological-based (phosphorus (P) reduction) and nature-based measures (wetland restoration). As climate change might be affecting the future effectiveness of restoration efforts, we also studied the climate change impacts on the outcome of restoration measures and provisioning of ESs, using climate scenarios for the Netherlands in 2050. Our results indicate that both phosphorus reduction and wetland restoration mitigated eutrophication symptoms, resulting in increased oxygen concentrations and water transparency, and decreased phytoplankton biomass. Delivery of most ESs was improved, including swimming, P retention, and macrophyte habitat, whereas the ES provisioning that required a more productive system was impaired (sport fishing and bird watching). However, our modeling results suggested hampered effectiveness of restoration measures upon exposure to future climate conditions, which may require intensification of restoration efforts in the future to meet restoration targets. Importantly, ESs provisioning showed non-linear responses to increasing intensity of restoration measures, indicating that effectiveness of restoration measures does not necessarily increase proportionally. In conclusion, the ecosystem service modeling framework proposed in this study, provides a holistic evaluation of lake restoration measures on ecosystem services provisioning, and can contribute to development of climate-robust management strategies.

Micro- and nanoplastics in soil: Linking sources to damage on soil ecosystem services in life cycle assessment

Soil ecosystems are crucial for providing vital ecosystem services (ES), and are increasingly pressured by the intensification and expansion of human activities, leading to potentially harmful consequences for their related ES provision. Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), associated with releases from various human activities, have become prevalent in various soil ecosystems and pose a global threat. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a tool for evaluating environmental performance of product and technology life cycles, has yet to adequately include MNPs-related damage to soil ES, owing to factors like uncertainties in MNPs environmental fate and ecotoxicological effects, and characterizing related damage on soil species loss, functional diversity, and ES. This study aims to address this gap by providing as a first step an overview of the current understanding of MNPs in soil ecosystems and proposing a conceptual approach to link MNPs impacts to soil ES damage. We find that MNPs pervade soil ecosystems worldwide, introduced through various pathways, including wastewater discharge, urban runoff, atmospheric deposition, and degradation of larger plastic debris. MNPs can inflict a range of ecotoxicity effects on soil species, including physical harm, chemical toxicity, and pollutants bioaccumulation. Methods to translate these impacts into damage on ES are under development and typically focus on discrete, yet not fully integrated aspects along the impact-to-damage pathway. We propose a conceptual framework for linking different MNPs effects on soil organisms to damage on soil species loss, functional diversity loss and loss of ES, and elaborate on each link. Proposed underlying approaches include the Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN) for translating ecotoxicological effects associated with MNPs into quantitative measures of soil species diversity damage; trait-based approaches for linking soil species loss to functional diversity loss; and ecological networks and Bayesian Belief Networks for linking functional diversity loss to soil ES damage. With the proposed conceptual framework, our study constitutes a starting point for including the characterization of MNPs-related damage on soil ES in LCA.

Assessing the energy trap of industrial agriculture in North America and Europe: 82 balances from 1830 to 2012

Early energy analyses of agriculture revealed that behind higher labor and land productivity of industrial farming, there was a decrease in energy returns on energy (EROI) invested, in comparison to more traditional organic agricultural systems. Studies on recent trends show that efficiency gains in production and use of inputs have again somewhat improved energy returns. However, most of these agricultural energy studies have focused only on external inputs at the crop level, concealing the important role of internal biomass flows that livestock and forestry recirculate within agroecosystems. Here, we synthesize the results of 82 farm systems in North America and Europe from 1830 to 2012 that for the first time show the changing energy profiles of agroecosystems, including livestock and forestry, with a multi-EROI approach that accounts for the energy returns on external inputs, on internal biomass reuses, and on all inputs invested. With this historical circular bioeconomic approach, we found a general trend towards much lower external returns, little or no increases in internal returns, and almost no improvement in total returns. This "energy trap" was driven by shifts towards a growing dependence of crop production on fossil-fueled external inputs, much more intensive livestock production based on feed grains, less forestry, and a structural disintegration of agroecosystem components by increasingly linear industrial farm managements. We conclude that overcoming the energy trap requires nature-based solutions to reduce current dependence on fossil-fueled external industrial inputs and increase the circularity and complexity of agroecosystems to provide healthier diets with less animal products.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13593-023-00925-5.

Natural capital investments in China undermined by reclamation for cropland

Globally, rising food demand has caused widespread biodiversity and ecosystem services loss, prompting growing efforts in ecological protection and restoration. However, these efforts have been significantly undercut by further reclamation for cropland. Focusing on China, the world's largest grain producer, we found that at the national level from 2000 to 2015, reclamation for cropland undermined gains in wildlife habitat and the ecosystem services of water retention, sandstorm prevention, carbon sequestration and soil retention by 113.8%, 63.4%, 52.5%, 29.0% and 10.2%, respectively. To achieve global sustainability goals, conflicts between inefficient reclamation for cropland and natural capital investment need to be alleviated.

Spatio-temporal evolution and trend prediction of urban ecosystem service value based on CLUE-S and GM (1,1) compound model

Ecosystem service value (ESV) is a significant indicator related to regional ecological well-being. Evaluating ESV premised on continuous time series land benefit data can provide an accurate reference for regional ecological civilization construction and sustainable development. Taking Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei Province as an example, the study analyzed land use changes based on the land use data of the continuous time series from 2000 to 2020 and introduced a socio-economic adjustment factor and biomass factor adjustment factor to construct a dynamic assessment model of ecosystem service value. The spatiotemporal changes of the ecosystem service value in Shijiazhuang City were evaluated, and the dynamic prediction of the ecosystem service value was made using the CLUE-S model and the GM (1,1) model. (1) The changes in the overall ESV and spatial pattern in Shijiazhuang are strongly linked to the change in land use, and the contribution of cultivated land, woodland, and grassland to ecosystem service value exceeds 90%. (2) Between 2000 and 2020, the value of ecosystem services illustrated a dynamic change and gradually declined, with the total amount falling from 28.003 to 19.513 billion yuan. Among individual ecosystem services, the value of regulation services suffered the most serious loss. (3) CLUE-S and GM (1,1) perform well in the prediction of ESV. The prediction outcomes illustrate that the ecosystem service value of Shijiazhuang will continue to decline by 2025, and the ecosystem value will drop to 16.771 billion yuan. This research may offer a reference for the dynamic assessment of ESV of the continuous sequence and help to promote regional ecological protection and sustainable development.

What impacts ecosystem services in tropical coastal tourism cities? A comparative case study of Haikou and Sanya, China

The ecological environment of tourism-oriented towns is attracting increasing attention. Taking the cities of Haikou and Sanya as examples, we examined changes in six ecosystem services (ES), including water conservation (WC), crop production (CP), soil retention (SR), carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), and tourism recreation (TR) from 2005 to 2020. From the three perspectives of geographical environment, socioeconomic development, and tourism development force, 14 indicators were chosen to examine the impact on ES. Except for Haikou's TR, the other ES of Haikou and Sanya showed a decreasing trend from 2005 to 2020. The values of six ES were lower in coastal zones than in noncoastal zones, which were more obvious in Sanya. Specifically, the areas of low value in Sanya were concentrated in the coastal region, and the areas with low value in Haikou were primarily distributed in blocks along the coast and in bands or points in the central and southern areas. From the perspective of influencing factors, the natural environmental factors dominate in Haikou, followed by the socio-economic factors and finally the tourism development factors, while the natural environmental factors also dominate in Sanya, followed by the tourism development factors and finally the socio-economic factors. We provided recommendations for sustainable tourism development in Haikou and Sanya. This study has significant implications for both integrated management and scientific decision-making to enhance the ES of tourism destinations.

Evaluation and prediction of ecological carrying capacity in the Qilian Mountain National Park, China

With increasing human impacts on the ecosystem in natural protected areas, there is an urgent need to undertake an assessment of ecological carrying capacity taken as a benchmark for assessing regional sustainability. Based on satellite remote sensing and socio-economic statistical data from 2000 to 2019, this study distinguished the controlling factors for the spatial and temporal patterns of ecological carrying capacity in the Qilian Mountain National Park, one of the 10 pilot national parks in China. The ecological carrying capacity index (ECCI) was developed by using the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework and a comprehensive weight method. The results showed that the multiyear averaged ECCI was low in the south and west but was high in central and eastern regions. The spatial distribution of the ECCI was constrained by soil resources, ecosystem quality, land use/cover and water environment. At the regional scale, the ECCI decreased from 2000 to 2014, especially in Tianzhu, where farmland expansion and severe droughts reduced habitat quality and ecosystem function. However, the ECCI increased significantly from 2014 to 2019, which was attributed to a warm moist climate and the implementation of eco-environmental protection policies. Forest and grassland coverage, soil and water conservation, waste water treatment amount and terrestrial water reserves accounted for 35%, 26%, 20% and 8%, respectively, of the temporal variability in the ECCI. Concurrent with national park development, the ECCI is predicted to increase in most areas from 2020 to 2029 by back-propagation artificial neural networks, except for Sunan, Shandan and Menyuan, possibly owing to increasing conflicts between humans and the environment. The findings of this study provide evidence about the effectiveness of government policies in promoting regional sustainability by altering ecosystem composition and function. In addition, the dominant drivers for the temporal variability of ecological carrying capacity varied in space according to stepwise regression analysis, calling for region-specific management strategies in mountain protected areas and their surroundings.

Perspective: sustainability challenges, opportunities and solutions for long-term ecosystem observations

As interest in natural capital grows and society increasingly recognizes the value of biodiversity, we must discuss how ecosystem observations to detect changes in biodiversity can be sustained through collaboration across regions and sectors. However, there are many barriers to establishing and sustaining large-scale, fine-resolution ecosystem observations. First, comprehensive monitoring data on both biodiversity and possible anthropogenic factors are lacking. Second, some in situ ecosystem observations cannot be systematically established and maintained across locations. Third, equitable solutions across sectors and countries are needed to build a global network. Here, by examining individual cases and emerging frameworks, mainly from (but not limited to) Japan, we illustrate how ecological science relies on long-term data and how neglecting basic monitoring of our home planet further reduces our chances of overcoming the environmental crisis. We also discuss emerging techniques and opportunities, such as environmental DNA and citizen science as well as using the existing and forgotten sites of monitoring, that can help overcome some of the difficulties in establishing and sustaining ecosystem observations at a large scale with fine resolution. Overall, this paper presents a call to action for joint monitoring of biodiversity and anthropogenic factors, the systematic establishment and maintenance of in situ observations, and equitable solutions across sectors and countries to build a global network, beyond cultures, languages, and economic status. We hope that our proposed framework and the examples from Japan can serve as a starting point for further discussions and collaborations among stakeholders across multiple sectors of society. It is time to take the next step in detecting changes in socio-ecological systems, and if monitoring and observation can be made more equitable and feasible, they will play an even more important role in ensuring global sustainability for future generations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions'.

Flowering Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Strips Do Not Enhance Ecosystem Services in Azorean Orchards

The effect of flower strips on ecosystem services (ESs) and disservices (EDs) is routinely assessed following changes in service provider densities without measuring the associated levels of ES/EDs. By using the sentinel approach (i.e., exposing a plant, seeds, and prey models in a standardized way), we tested how coriander (Coriandrum sativum) strips planted in mixed orchards on Terceira Island (Azores, Portugal) affected herbivory on lettuce plants, seed predation on wheat and weed seeds, and predation on artificial caterpillars. Vertebrates had more influence than invertebrates on ESs/EDs. Herbivory (ED) after 2 weeks was similar in the coriander and the control plots (mean ± SD; 2.3% ± 3.3% vs. 2.2% ± 2.9%, n = 32 for both). Seed predation was higher in the control than in the coriander plots for both grain (ED; 30.8% ± 38.9% vs. 15.3% ± 10.8%, n = 18 for both) and weed seeds (ES; 2.5% ± 4.1% vs. 0.4% ± 0.5%, n = 18 for both). Vertebrate predation (ES) rates after 48 h were significantly higher in the control (estimate 9%, 95% CI: 4-20%) than in the coriander plots (3%, 1-8%), while no difference was observed for invertebrate predation. Coriander strips did not support increased ES/reduced ED levels in this setting. The tools used can be effective to quantitatively compare multiple ESs/EDs under different farming management strategies.

Evaluation of typical ecosystem services in Dabie Mountain area and its application in improving residents' well-being

Research on ecosystem services and residents' well-being in old revolutionary base areas is an important task for China's ecological civilization construction and rural revitalization. Taking Jinzhai County, the core area of Dabie Mountains, China, as an example, based on InVEST model, the methods of spatial autocorrelation and coupling coordinated development degree, the spatiotemporal evolution, spatial heterogeneity and coupling association patterns of ecosystem services and multidimensional well-being in the study area from 2005 to 2020 were discussed. The major results are: In the past 15 years, in the core area of the Dabie Mountains, ecosystem services such as food supply, soil retention and water yield showed an upward trend, carbon sequestration and biodiversity maintenance showed a downward trend. The comprehensive index of multidimensional well-being in the core area of Dabie Mountain increased by 27.23% and the spatial difference in multidimensional well-being is gradually narrowing. By the analysis of coupling coordination, the number of units with the type of coupling disharmony between ecosystem services and multidimensional well-being in the study area decreased significantly from 56.85% in 2005 to 26.81% in 2020, respectively. The analysis of geographical detection showed that the habitat quality factor was the dominant controlling factor of coupling coordination spatial difference. By bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis, in the past 15 years, the number of units with the "high ecology-high well-being" synergy type increased from 5.44% to 13.31%. The results can provide a reference for accurate identification, optimal regulation and synergistic improvement between ecosystem services and relative poverty in the Dabie Mountain area.

On diversity of human-nature relationships in environmental sciences and its implications for the management of ecological crisis

Decision makers addressing the ecological crisis face the challenge of considering complex ecosystems in their socioeconomic decisions. Complementary to ecological sciences, other scientific frameworks, grouped under the umbrella term environmental sciences, offer decision makers the opportunity to pursue sustainable paths. Because the environmental sciences are drawn from different branches of science, environmental ethics must go beyond the legacy of ecology and the life sciences to describe the contribution of scientific knowledge to addressing the ecological crisis. In this regard, I analyze and compare three environmental sciences based on their seminal articles: Conservation Biology, Sustainability Science, and Sustainability Economics. My analysis shows that conservation biology and sustainability economics share strong similarities despite their different disciplinary backgrounds (life versus social sciences). Both seek to contrast a biocentric and an anthropocentric perspective. The goal of sustainability is therefore understood as a balance that must be found between these two perspectives. If the issue of balancing human and non-human interests is still relevant to sustainable science, it is more likely to take place in an ecocentric perspective based on alternative ontological and normative prescriptions. Based on this analysis, I distinguish between 'proscriptive value-based' scientific work that cannot be used for policy advice but is flexible to different value systems, and 'prescriptive value-based' scientific work that can be used for policy advice but is fixed within a given value system. Conflicting recommendations from environmental scientists therefore result from the coexistence of multiple 'prescriptive value-based' scientific approaches based on different conceptions of the relationship between humans and nature.

Exploring the regional differences of ecosystem health and its spatial relationships with urban forms in China

A deeper understanding of the regional differences and driving factors behind ecosystem health (EH) is of vital for ecosystem management and restoration. Although a considerable number of studies have focused on this topic, few studies have explored the spatial relationship and scale effect between urban forms and EH from the perspective of urban scale, agglomeration and irregularity. Therefore, this study first constructed an improved evaluation framework by integrating vigor, organization, resilience and ecosystem services supply-demand ratio to measure the EH level in China at the county scale during 1995-2015, and then evaluated and compared the spatial relationships between five urban form metrics and EH based on the spatial regression model at the national, regional, urban agglomeration and city scales. The results showed that the level of EH in China spatially decreased from the southeast to the northwest, and displaying significant spatial agglomeration. At the national scale, the fragmentation and complexity of urban form exerted the greater negative influence on EH than urban expansion scale. At the regional scale, controlling urban expansion scale and enhancing landscape connectivity were conducive to the improving of EH in the central and eastern regions. At the urban agglomeration scale, the regularity and compactness of urban form played a key role in the sustainable development of regional and national urban agglomerations. At the city scale, large cities can improve environmental quality by limiting the size of core patches and reducing the complexity of urban shape. This paper can provide a scientific guidance for ecosystem protection and urban high-quality development.

The value of ecosystem services in global marine kelp forests

While marine kelp forests have provided valuable ecosystem services for millennia, the global ecological and economic value of those services is largely unresolved. Kelp forests are diminishing in many regions worldwide, and efforts to manage these ecosystems are hindered without accurate estimates of the value of the services that kelp forests provide to human societies. Here, we present a global estimate of the ecological and economic potential of three key ecosystem services - fisheries production, nutrient cycling, and carbon removal provided by six major forest forming kelp genera (Ecklonia, Laminaria, Lessonia, Macrocystis, Nereocystis, and Saccharina). Each of these genera creates a potential value of between $64,400 and $147,100/hectare each year. Collectively, they generate between $465 and $562 billion/year worldwide, with an average of $500 billion. These values are primarily driven by fisheries production (mean $29,900, 904 Kg/Ha/year) and nitrogen removal ($73,800, 657 Kg N/Ha/year), though kelp forests are also estimated to sequester 4.91 megatons of carbon from the atmosphere/year highlighting their potential as blue carbon systems for climate change mitigation. These findings highlight the ecological and economic value of kelp forests to society and will facilitate better informed marine management and conservation decisions.

Users' preferences and perceptions towards urban green spaces in rapidly urbanized cities: The case of Debre Berhan and Debre Markos, Ethiopia

Urban green spaces are essential elements of cities that play an important role in urban sustainability and human health. This study analyzed the users' preferences and perceptions towards urban green spaces. A total of five parks were purposively selected from Debre Berhan and Debre Markos cities. A questionnaire survey was administered to 350 park users in both cities. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, and the independence of variables was tested using a chi-square test using IBM SPSS 20. The chi² test shows that visits' purpose depended on the users' age, gender, and education level (P < 0.05). 26.1% and 13.8% of the users visit the parks "always" to chill with friends and to enjoy nature, respectively. The existence of fences, safety and security, and spaciousness of the park were the major encouraging factors, with the average Likert value of 3.04, 3.01, and 2.72, respectively. Alcoholic drinks and chewing Khat (stimulant green leafy plant) within the parks, lack of comfortable sitting areas, absence of safety and security, and improper park management were the main discouraging factors. There was a very strong statistical association between perceptions of users to the benefits of green spaces and occupation (χ2 (95, N = 350) = 158.908, p < 0.001), age (χ2 (76, N = 350) = 175.135, p < 0.001), gender (χ2 (19, N = 350) = 68.226, p < 0.001), and education level (χ2 (114, N = 350) = 240.798, p < 0.001). The "highly" perceived benefits of green spaces were recreational, aesthetic, and pollution protection. 50% of the respondents "never" participated in any green space development activities. Therefore, rapidly urbanized cities in Africa and Asia could take a lesson from this study about the importance of incorporating citizens' preferences for green spaces and public participation in urban green space development and management.

Integrating traditional ecological knowledge into US public land management: Knowledge gaps and research priorities

Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) is an understanding of natural systems acquired through long-term human interactions with particular landscapes. Traditional knowledge systems complement western scientific disciplines by providing a holistic assessment of ecosystem dynamics and extending the time horizon of ecological observations. Integration of TEK into land management is a key priority of numerous groups, including the United Nations and US public land management agencies; however, TEK principles have rarely been enshrined in national-level US policy or planning. We review over 20 years of TEK literature to describe key applications of TEK to ecological understanding, conservation, restoration and land management generally. By identifying knowledge gaps, we highlight research avenues to support the integration of TEK into US public land management, in order to enhance conservation approaches and participation of historically underrepresented groups, particularly American Indian Tribes, in the stewardship of ancestral lands critical to the practice of living cultural traditions.

Spatial analysis of cultural ecosystem services using data from social media: A guide to model selection for research and practice

Experiences gained through in person (in-situ) interactions with ecosystems provide cultural ecosystem services. These services are difficult to assess because they are non-material, vary spatially and have strong perceptual characteristics. Data obtained from social media can provide spatially-explicit information regarding some in-situ cultural ecosystem services by serving as a proxy for visitation. These data can identify environmental characteristics (natural, human and built capital) correlated with visitation and, therefore, the types of places used for in-situ environmental interactions. A range of spatial models can be applied in this way that vary in complexity and can provide information for ecosystem service assessments. We deployed four models (global regression, local regression, maximum entropy and the InVEST recreation model) to the same case-study area, County Galway, Ireland, to compare spatial models. A total of 6,752 photo-user-days (PUD) (a visitation metric) were obtained from Flickr. Data describing natural, human and built capital were collected from national databases. Results showed a blend of capital types correlated with PUD suggesting that local context, including biophysical traits and accessibility, are relevant for in-situ cultural ecosystem service flows. Average trends included distance to the coast and elevation as negatively correlated with PUD, while the presence of major roads and recreational sites, population density and habitat diversity were positively correlated. Evidence of local relationships, especially town distance, were detected using geographic weighted regression. Predicted hotspots for visitation included urban areas in the east of the region and rural, coastal areas with major roads in the west. We conclude by presenting a guide for researchers and practitioners developing cultural ecosystem service spatial models using data from social media that considers data coverage, landscape heterogeneity, computational resources, statistical expertise and environmental context.

Beyond "bluespace" and "greenspace": A narrative review of possible health benefits from exposure to other natural landscapes

Numerous studies have highlighted the physical and mental health benefits of contact with nature, typically in landscapes characterized by plants (i.e., "greenspace") and water (i.e., "bluespace"). However, natural landscapes are not always green or blue, and the effects of other landscapes are worth attention. This narrative review attempts to overcome this limitation of past research. Rather than focusing on colors, we propose that natural landscapes are composed of at least one of three components: (1) plants (e.g., trees, flowering plants, grasses, sedges, mosses, ferns, and algae), (2) water (e.g., rivers, canals, lakes, and oceans), and/or (3) rocks and minerals, including soil. Landscapes not dominated by plants or liquid-state water include those with abundant solid-state water (e.g., polar spaces) and rocks or minerals (e.g., deserts and caves). Possible health benefits of solid-state water or rock/mineral dominated landscapes include both shorter-term (e.g., viewing images) and longer-term (e.g., living in these landscapes) exposure durations. Reported benefits span improved emotional and mental states and medical treatment resources for respiratory conditions and allergies. Mechanisms underlying the health benefits of exposure consist of commonly discussed theories in the "greenspace" and "bluespace" literature (i.e., instoration and restoration) as well as less discussed pathways in that literature (i.e., post-traumatic growth, self-determination, supportive environment theory, and place attachment). This is the first review to draw attention to the potential salutogenic value of natural landscapes beyond "greenspace" and "bluespace." It is also among the first to highlight the limitations and confusion that result from classifying natural landscapes using color. Since the extant literature on natural landscapes - beyond those with abundant plants or liquid-state water - is limited in regard to quantity and quality, additional research is needed to understand their restorative potential and therapeutic possibilities.

Thirty-year changes of the coastlines, wetlands, and ecosystem services in the Asia major deltas

Coastal zones are usually composed of coastlines and coastal wetlands and are among the most productive and dynamic ecosystems. However, the deltas are seldom detected and compared in detail at the continental scale to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of coastline migration and coastal wetlands. Here we detected and compared the spatiotemporal changes in coastlines, wetlands, and ecosystem services in major deltas in Asia, including the Yellow River Delta (YRD), Yangtze River Delta (YAD), Pearl River Delta (PRD), Red River Delta (RRD), Mekong River Delta (MERD), Chao Phraya River Delta (CPRD), Mahanadi River Delta (MARD), Krishna River Delta (KRD), and Indus River Delta (IRD). We used time series remote sensing images from 1990 to 2019 to derive coastline and wetland information for the nine coastal zones. The ecosystem service value coefficients were applied to explore the ecosystem services characteristics of wetland changes in coastal areas. We found that the coastlines of the deltas in the study area changed less in the bedrock and sandy coasts, while the coastlines in the silty delta coasts changed more from 1990 to 2019. The interannual dynamics of coastal wetland areas in nine major deltas over the nearly 30 years can be divided into three periods: decreasing variability (1990-2005), increasing variability (2005-2015), and increasing volatility (2015-2019). Ecosystem services had an overall downward trend. These findings complement the official database of coastal planning and have substantial guiding implications for adjusting coastal management regulation policies.

Individual automatic detection and identification of big cats with the combination of different body parts

The development of facial recognition technology has become an increasingly powerful tool in wild animal individual recognition. In this paper, we develop an automatic detection and recognition method with the combinations of body features of big cats based on the deep convolutional neural network (CNN). We collected dataset including 12 244 images from 47 individual Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) at the Siberian Tiger Park by mobile phones and digital camera and 1940 images and videos of 12 individual wild Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) by infrared cameras. First, the single shot multibox detector algorithm is used to perform the automatic detection process of feature regions in each image. For the different feature regions of the image, like face stripe or spots, CNNs and multi-layer perceptron models were applied to automatically identify tiger and leopard individuals, independently. Our results show that the identification accuracy of Amur tiger can reach up to 93.27% for face front, 93.33% for right body stripe, and 93.46% for left body stripe. Furthermore, the combination of right face, left body stripe, and right body stripe achieves the highest accuracy rate, up to 95.55%. Consequently, the combination of different body parts can improve the individual identification accuracy. However, it is not the higher the number of body parts, the higher the accuracy rate. The combination model with 3 body parts has the highest accuracy. The identification accuracy of Amur leopard can reach up to 86.90% for face front, 89.13% for left body spots, and 88.33% for right body spots. The accuracy of different body parts combination is lower than the independent part. For wild Amur leopard, the combination of face with body spot part is not helpful for the improvement of identification accuracy. The most effective identification part is still the independent left or right body spot part. It can be applied in long-term monitoring of big cats, including big data analysis for animal behavior, and be helpful for the individual identification of other wildlife species.

Regional social-ecological system coupling process from a water flow perspective

The social-ecological system is receiving more and more attention, and water resources have been a focal point for linking social systems and ecosystems, but how to clarify the regional social-ecological system coupling process through the water flow perspective and how to make ecosystem services management decisions still needs further research. This study integrates water quantity and quality and proposes a water-related ecosystem services flow framework. This study applied the framework to the Wuding River watershed and simulated water quantity and quality by SWAT model. The results showed that: (1) there is significant spatial heterogeneity in ecosystem service provisioning and meaningful improvement in water quality under the function of human-made capital in the green phase of the ecosystem services flow; (2) in the red phase, beneficiaries use the water supply for their production and life and discharge >7400 tons pollution loads into the ecosystem; (3) in this process, human-made capital reduces about 35 % of the ammonia pollution, and meanwhile, the ecosystem relies on its environment to further clean up about 44 % of the load. The research framework is suitable for watershed social-ecological systems with simplistic interactions, guiding ecological compensation schemes and related management policies. Furthermore, providing a scientific basis for the sustainable use of regional water resources.

From DNA barcodes to ecology: Meta-analysis of central European beetles reveal link with species ecology but also to data pattern and gaps

DNA barcoding has been used worldwide to identify biological specimens and to delimit species. It represents a cost-effective, fast, and efficient way to assess biodiversity with help of the public Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) accounting for more than 236,000 animal species and more than 10 million barcode sequences. Here, we performed a meta-analysis of available barcode data of central European Coleoptera to detect intraspecific genetic patterns among ecological groups in relation to geographic distance with the aim to investigate a possible link between infraspecific variation and species ecology. We collected information regarding feeding style, body size, as well as habitat and biotope preferences. Mantel tests and two variants of Procrustes analysis, both involving the Principal Coordinates Neighborhood Matrices (PCNM) approach, were applied on genetic and geographic distance matrices. However, significance levels were too low to further use the outcome for further trait investigation: these were in mean for all ecological guilds only 7.5, 9.4, or 15.6% for PCNM + PCA, NMDS + PCA, and Mantel test, respectively, or at best 28% for a single guild. Our study confirmed that certain ecological traits were associated with higher species diversity and foster stronger genetic differentiation. Results suggest that increased numbers of species, sampling localities, and specimens for a chosen area of interest may give new insights to explore barcode data and species ecology for the scope of conservation on a larger scale. We performed a meta-analysis of available barcode data of central European beetles to detect intraspecific genetic patterns among ecological groups in relation to geographic distance, regarding feeding style, body size, as well as habitat and biotope preferences. Our study confirmed that certain ecological traits were associated with higher species diversity and foster stronger genetic differentiation. However, significance levels were too low to further use the outcome for further trait investigation.

Spatial sampling design optimization of monitoring network for terrestrial ecosystem in China

The rapid socioeconomic development leads to the deterioration of ecological environment. Ecosystem assessment has been conducted worldwide, e.g. the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to assess consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. To enhance ecosystem assessment in China, this study proposes the design of a monitoring network for the terrestrial ecosystem consisting of core stations and localized points. With focus on ecosystem services of NPP, water conservation, soil retention and sandstorm prevention, core stations of the monitoring network for observing all four services are first selected by assessing and improving spatial representativeness in ecoregions of forest, grassland and desert ecosystems. Then a spatial sampling method is applied to choose localized points for observing each specific service. Eventually expert's knowledge is used to make final decisions of added stations and points by utilizing existing networks and considering factors such as topography, spatial coverage. Combining both aforementioned approaches and experts knowledge, 60 core stations and 176 localized points are finally determined for the monitoring network. For the forest ecosystem, 39 core stations are decided with 31 selected from existing networks and eight newly added core stations improve spatial representativeness by 51.58 %, 68.11 % and 75.55 % in Temperate grasslands, Temperate desert and Alpine vegetation in Tibet Plateau respectively. For the grassland and desert ecosystem, 21 core stations are chosen with 18 from existing networks and three newly added core stations improve the representativeness by 21.60 % and 44.88 % in Tibet alpine grassland and Grassland in southern mountain areas respectively. Priorities in the implementation phase should be given to instruments installation for monitoring all four services in core stations from existing networks and setting up new stations in regions where representativeness are significantly improved.

Spatiotemporal of the Coupling Relationship between Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being in Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration

Understanding the complex relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being during the rapid development of urban agglomerations can promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. In this paper, the InVEST model and ArcGIS10.2 were used to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of ecosystem services and human well-being in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration. On this basis, the coupling coordination index is used to reveal the spatiotemporal coupling relationship between them. (1) From 2010 to 2018, the water conservation services, soil conservation services, and carbon sequestration services of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration showed a fluctuating downward trend. The spatial differences of ecosystem services were significant. (2) From 2010 to 2018, human well-being in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration showed a fluctuating downward trend, with a decrease of 17%, and regional differences tended to narrow. (3) The coupling coordination degree between ecosystem services and human well-being has slightly decreased while maintaining the basic coordination state. The results show that there was a significant relationship between the decline of ecosystem services and the rapid development of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, and policies should be classified according to the coupling coordination types of human well-being and ecosystem services to promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations.

Endogenous Development Models and Paths Selection of Rural Revitalization from the Perspective of Ecological Environment Advantages: A Case Study of Nanshi Village, China

This article aims to discuss how to give full play to the comparative advantages of the rural ecological environment and realize the endogenous development of rural society and economy in China. First, based on the ecological economy theory of "lucid waters and lush mountains are golden and silver mountains" (the "two mountains" theory), we integrated the theories and methods of ecology, economics, and geography disciplines to examine the transformation of "ecological advantages" into "economic development" from a comprehensive perspective. Second, based on the matching relationship between the division of major function zones and the classification of ecological services, we creatively constructed a theoretical framework for the endogenous development of rural areas. Third, accounting indicators and methods for rural ecological products' biophysical quantity and monetary value are established. Finally, we conducted an empirical study of Nanshi Village in central China as a case. The results showed that: The benefits provided by ecosystems to the development of human society would be underestimated if it is measured only by the provisioning services; the per capita Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) of the case area was three times the per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents in the same period. Taking advantage of the rural ecological environment to promote the actual transformation of the potential value of ecological products is the feasible path for rural revitalization. One of the implications of this study is that it links the rural ecological and environmental advantages with social and economic development from the perspective of ecological economics and provides decision-making support for this case and other similar rural ecological industry revitalization practices.

Ecological restoration of the Los Angeles River provides natural and human benefits as part of a virtuous socioecological cycle

Ecological restoration in the Los Angeles (LA) River watershed is proceeding on multiple fronts with the support and engagement of diverse stakeholder groups. Pilot projects to restore habitat, reintroduce native species, and design science-based ecosystem enhancements have produced real benefits to nature and people and demonstrated the potential for additional benefits. The pilot projects, which are in various stages of collaborative planning and implementation, have generated increased interest and financial support to further their implementation and maximize socioecological co-benefits. This self-reinforcing positive feedback is an example of a virtuous cycle established through a combination of long-term environmental planning, community-building, and watershed-scale scientific study to gain the support of stakeholders and align ecological intervention (i.e., restoration) with the plans and policies of governments, resource managers, conservation groups, and grassroots advocacy groups. Conservation and restoration projects targeting iconic and protected focal species can be an effective means of leveraging these interests and building support. For example, the LA River Fish Passage and Habitat Structures project addresses a critical limiting factor for the recovery of endangered steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) while also enhancing urban biodiversity and providing recreational opportunities and other beneficial uses (e.g., ecosystem services) for the surrounding communities. Through these efforts, our planners, ecologists, and engineers are using place-based conservation to demonstrate solutions to problems that affect people and nature in other urban landscapes. Here, we show how this work can provide socioecological benefits in disadvantaged communities and also generate public awareness and motivation to perpetuate the cycle of positive feedback.

Identifying important ecosystem service areas based on distributions of ecosystem services in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China

Water conservation, soil conservation, biodiversity importance, and sandstorm prevention are important ecosystem services (ES) and the core challenges to sustainable economic and societal development in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region. Using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model and observation data, we identified high-value ES areas in the BTH region. The high-value ES areas were mainly found in the northern and southwestern parts of the region, like the Yanshan Mountain Range and the Taihang Mountain Range. The ecosystem in the northern mountains is dominated by forest and grassland, and generally provides more valuable ES than does the eastern agricultural plain. Greater species richness was mainly found in the northern mountains with low human activity intensity. Due to its proximity, the Yanshan Mountain Range is critical to the health of the local ecosystem of Beijing. High biodiversity was present in the vicinity of the national nature reserves. Compared with other regions of China, changes in the BTH region are highly intense. Reinforcement of biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration in areas with a high degree of ES in the BTH region are capable of effectively improving habitat quality and regional ES.