The Impact of Land Cover Change on Ecosystem Service Values in Urban Agglomerations along the Coast of the Bohai Rim, China

Sustainability

Yushuo Zhang³  Lin Zhao³  Jiyu Liu¹  Yuli Liu³  Cansong Li² 

[1] Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China; E-Mail:;School of Business Pan-Asia, Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650092, China; E-Mail:;School of Geography, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China; E-Mails:

关键词: ecosystem services;    land cover change;    ecosystem service values;    urban agglomeration;    coast;    Bohai Rim;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su70810365

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Local ecosystem services have been significantly affected by land cover changes associated with rapid urbanization in China. Based on the 2000 and 2010 land cover data products with 30-m resolution, we examined the similarities and differences in the impacts of land cover change on ecosystem service values (ESV) at three coastal urban agglomerations in China between 2000 and 2010 (Liaodong Peninsula (LP), Jing-Jin-Ji (JJJ) and Shandong Peninsula (SP)). A rapid evaluation method developed by Xie et al. (2008) was used to derive an ecosystem service value coefficient. The most significant change was an increase in artificial surfaces, due to urban expansion, which mainly occurred on cultivated land. The greatest loss in total ESV (2273 million Chinese Yuan) occurred in SP, due to the large decrease in wetland areas, because this service has the highest estimated coefficient. The second greatest loss in ESV (893 million Yuan) occurred in JJJ, due to the urban expansion of major cities. In contrast, ESV increased (72 million Yuan) in LP. This study demonstrates that urban expansion does not necessarily lead to a net decline in ESV. In conclusion, land use and land cover policymaking should consider the sustainability of ecosystem services in relation to economic growth.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.