Ecological Indicators (Dec 2023)
Study on the development trend of social-ecological systems and the drivers of sustainable development – A case study of the Loess Plateau in China
Abstract
Understanding the complex interactions between social and ecological systems is essential for effective management and implementation of sustainable development. The Loess Plateau, located in northwestern China, is an arid and semi-arid region with intense human-nature conflicts. Therefore, this region's socio-economic development and ecological conservation have been a hot research topic. Since the implementation of the Grain to Green Program in 1999, the ecological environment of the Loess Plateau has been significantly improved, and socio-economic development has been achieved. In this study, a comprehensive framework was developed to assess the socio-ecological trends and sustainability of development in the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2020, and the driving forces of sustainability were explored at a deeper level. We found that the socio-ecological index of the Loess Plateau has fluctuated upward in the last 20 years, and the overall development was in a healthy direction. However, it is worth noting that the sustainability of the social-ecological system in the Loess Plateau showed spatial heterogeneity. The significant vegetation restoration in the central part of the Loess Plateau greatly improved the local ecological environment. At the same time, moderate economic development did not take up too many natural resources, so the development in these areas showed high sustainability. In addition, after analyzing the driving forces, we found that natural conditions (e.g., flat topography, mild climate, moderate precipitation) and vegetation cover showed positive feedback on sustainability. However, weather extremes due to climate change and socio-economic activities carried out by humans have complex feedback effects on sustainability. Our results help to identify the development of socio-ecological systems and drivers of sustainability in different regions of the Loess Plateau, thereby providing theoretical support for the formulation of sustainable development policies.
