Remote Sensing Assessment of the Net Value of Ecosystem Services for Coastal Wetland Restoration and Management

Abstract

Based on the concept of ecosystem service value, this study proposes a method for estimating the net value of ecosystem services considering cost inputs, and estimates and analyzes the net value of ecosystem services in the Yellow River Estuary wetland from 2019 to 2022 through time series remote sensing monitoring. The results indicate that:(1) Among the 11 types of ecosystem services in the Yellow River Estuary coastal wetland, biodiversity, carbon sequestration, food supply, and wave attenuation and protection are the dominant ecosystem services. The nearshore waters, reed beds, salt-alkali plants, and tidal flats show strong net value capacity. The net value of ecosystem services in 2022 decreased by 4.08×108 yuan compared with that in 2021, mainly due to the disappearance of a large area of salt-alkali plants with strong net value in 2022. (2) Despite the negative net benefits observed in the first year after the construction of typical ecological restoration projects in both 2019 and 2020, the net value of ecosystem services has reached the expected level. (3) Sensitivity analysis demonstrates the significant role of wave attenuation and protection, food supply, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity among the various ecosystem services. The estimation of net value of ecosystem services enables the comparison and analysis of the maximum net value generated by different types of wetlands, providing a scientific basis for the rational planning and management of coastal wetland ecosystems.

Keywords

• net value of ecosystem services
• cost analysis
• environmental protection
• ecological restoration