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Natural and human impacts on ecosystem services in Guanzhong - Tianshui economic region of China

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Abstract

Due to the accelerated growth of society, the gaps between the capacity of ecosystems to provide services and human needs are steadily widening. Natural, semi-natural, or managed ecosystems had been able to provide ecosystem services to meet the needs of social development. Four agricultural ecosystem services (net primary production (NPP), carbon sequestration and oxygen production (CSOP), water interception, soil conservation and agriculture production) were quantified in Guanzhong-Tianshui economic region. Estimates of ecosystem services were obtained from the analysis of satellite imagery and the use of well-known models. Based on the ecological services in Guanzhong-Tianshui economic region, this study mainly analysed the driving mechanism of the changes from the two aspects of natural drivers and human drivers. Natural drivers (climate, soil, elevation, land cover) had incentive to the ecological services. Human activity was quantified by an integrated human activity index (HAI) based on population density, farmland ratio, and the influence of road networks and residential areas. We found relationships between ecosystem services, human activities and many natural factors, however these varied according to the service studied. Human activities were mostly negatively related to each ecosystem services, while population and residential land ware positively related to agricultural production. Land use change had made a contribution to ecosystem services. Based on the selected ecosystem services and HAI, we provided sustainable ecosystem management suggestions.

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Acknowledgments

This study is also supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41371020) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant no. GK201502010).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Tourism and Environment, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710062, China

    Jing Li

  2. Institute of Water Saving Agriculture in Arid regions of China, College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A & F University, Yang ling, People’s Republic of China

    Z. X. Zhou

  3. Key Laboratory for Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid Area of Ministry of Education, Northwest A & F University, Yang ling, People’s Republic of China

    Z. X. Zhou

  4. National Engineering Laboratory for Crop Water Efficient Use, Yang ling, People’s Republic of China

    Z. X. Zhou

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  1. Jing Li
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  2. Z. X. Zhou
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Correspondence to Jing Li.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Li, J., Zhou, Z.X. Natural and human impacts on ecosystem services in Guanzhong - Tianshui economic region of China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 23, 6803–6815 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5867-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5867-7

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