Work

Towards an integrated perspective on ecological value assessment: Evidence from China's maize production

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Ecosystem services have received considerable attention because of their potential to inform sustainability assessments. However, conventional ecosystem service assessments primarily quantify the benefits provided by ecosystems and generally do not account for the environmental burdens associated with a product’s life cycle. Here, we propose the concept of green ecosystem services (GES), an integrated framework that combines ecosystem service assessment with life cycle assessment, to comprehensively evaluate the net ecological value of products. We demonstrate the application of the GES framework using maize production in China from 2010 to 2020 and further examine the relationship between GES and socioeconomic development using a panel regression model. The results indicate that the GES value generated from maize production was $2.29×1011 in 2020. Specifically, the ecosystem damage cost, mainly from fertilizer production, was $0.18×1011, and the ecosystem service value was $2.47×1011, essentially from direct processes. The panel regression model suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between GES and per capita GDP. On the basis of this nonlinear relationship, we described three development patterns (i.e., ascending, transitional, and declining zones) and reported that they exhibited spatial heterogeneity. These findings suggest that the GES framework provides a product-oriented metric for assessing net ecological value by integrating ecosystem service benefits with life-cycle environmental impacts. Moreover, the relationship between economic development and GES highlights the need for differentiated regional strategies tailored to different stages of socioeconomic development.

Source: Water Cycle

DOI: 10.1016/j.watcyc.2026.09.004

Authors: Ziheng Li, Shaokun Li, Wenxi He, Pengdong Yan, Yinying Hu

Institutions: Beijing Normal University, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, China Geological Survey, Tianjin University, Hohai University

Language: English

Topic: Land Use and Ecosystem Services

Subfield: Global and Planetary Change

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Climate action, Life on land, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,100