Analysis of Ecosystem Service Function Changes and Their Driving Factors in the Kuye River Basin

Abstract

[Objective] The ecological environment of the Kuye River Basin plays a critical role in the larger context of the Yellow River Basin’s health. Understanding the ecosystem services it provides is crucial for sustainable development. [Methods] Using the InVEST model, researchers conducted a quantitative assessment of ecosystem service functions from 1990 to 2020. [Results] (1) There have been some notable changes in land management policy leading to shifts in land use patterns, particularly in construction land expansion and decreased unused land. Additionally, it seems like there’s been a positive impact on vegetation cover, with grassland dominating and overall vegetation coverage showing an upward trend, albeit with fluctuations. (2) The ecological service function of the Kuye River Basin showed a trend of first declining around 2000 and then fluctuating and increasing after 2010, and the habitat quality index was basically stable between 0.22~0.24, and the overall habitat quality was poor. (3) The soil conservation and habitat quality index in the watershed was dominated by the distribution of low-low aggregation cold spots, the spatial distribution of carbon storage and water conservation cold spots and hot spots was relatively scattered, and the high and low values were spatially staggered. The soil conservation and habitat quality index were mainly low-value aggregation, and the spatial distribution of carbon storage and water conservation was fragmented. (4) In the past 30 years, carbon storage and habitat quality were mainly affected by land use, and soil conservation and water conservation were mainly affected by topography, soil type and precipitation. [Conclusion] The findings of this study highlight the intricate interplay between land use, topography, soil type, precipitation, and their impacts on carbon storage, habitat quality, soil conservation, and water conservation in the Kuye River Basin. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for devising effective strategies to enhance ecological services and allocate appropriate soil and water conservation measures.

Keywords

• ecosystem services
• invest
• spatiotemporal evolution
• geodetectors
• drivers