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Effects of climate change on ecosystem services and their components in southern hills and northern grasslands in China

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Abstract

We investigated the potential impacts of climate change on ecosystem services and their components in two distinct ecosystems: the northern grasslands and southern hills in China. The effects of minimum, average, and maximum temperature, and precipitation at monthly, seasonal, and yearly scales on ecosystem services and their components were studied through stepwise multiple regression analysis. The results showed that in the northern grasslands, an increase in the total ecosystem services value (ESV) was mainly attributed to soil conservation, biodiversity, hydrological regulation, and aesthetic landscape. In the southern hills, an increase in total ESV in each region was mainly attributed to climate regulation, environmental purification, biodiversity, and aesthetic landscape. There were strong correlations between ESVs and fluctuations in temperature and precipitation. In the northern grasslands, temperature was the main driving factor of the values from 11 categories of ecosystem services in Anxi, Tumuji, and Xilingol. However, in West Ordos, precipitation negatively affected the change in ESVs. In the southern hills, ESVs were governed by both precipitation and temperature in Huaying. Precipitation variables were an important factor affecting the ESVs in Cili. There was a stronger correlation between temperature and the majority of ESVs in Danjiangkou, Chongyi, and Lechang than precipitation. This paper provides a basis for a better understanding of the impact of climate change on different ecosystem services, and helps to enhance ESV under climate warming.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editors and reviewers for their constructive comments.

Funding

This study was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC0505606) and the Top Discipline and First-class University Construction Project (ydzxxk201818) of Minzu University of China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (Minzu University of China), National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Beijing, 100081, China

    Lan Bai, Jialing Tian, Yu Peng, Yihang Huang, Xiaoao He, Xueying Bai & Ting Bai

  2. College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing, 100081, China

    Lan Bai, Jialing Tian, Yu Peng, Yihang Huang, Xiaoao He, Xueying Bai & Ting Bai

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  1. Lan Bai
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  2. Jialing Tian
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  3. Yu Peng
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  4. Yihang Huang
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  6. Xueying Bai
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Contributions

YP devised the project. YP, LB, and JT developed the research questions and study design. YH, XH, XB, and TB processed and analyzed data. All authors contributed to the manuscript writing and editing.

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Correspondence to Yu Peng.

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Bai, L., Tian, J., Peng, Y. et al. Effects of climate change on ecosystem services and their components in southern hills and northern grasslands in China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 44916–44935 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-13699-8

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