Work

Dynamics and controls of ecosystem multiserviceability across the Qingzang Plateau

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: Ecosystem multiserviceability (EMS), a comprehensive and significant ecological indicator, reflects the capacity of ecosystems to offer multiple services concurrently. Intensified climate change and human activity are ongoing alter ecosystem functions, services, and EMS. However, numerous studies have only focused on one or a few ecosystem services, rarely taking into account spatial-temporal distribution and drivers of EMS on behalf of different agencies. We calculated EMS including pastoralist (PA), environmental protection agency (EPA), biodiversity conservation agency (BCA), and climate change mitigation agency (CCMA) using net vegetation productivity, habitat quality, water conservation, and carbon sequestration. Then, the effects of geographical features, climate factors, and human activities on spatial-temporal patterns of EMS were explored. The results indicated that EMS showed a decrease tendency from the southeast to northwest on the Qingzang Plateau (QZP). Meanwhile, there were no obvious fluctuations in four simulated scenarios (PA, EPA, BCA and CCMA) among different vegetation types during 2000 to 2015. Noticeably, EMS of all simulated scenarios decreased in the alpine steppe ecosystem, but negligible changes were found in other ecosystems from 2015 to 2020. Moreover, the relative importance of precipitation in annual mean value (from 2000 to 2020) of PA, EPA, BCA and CCMA were 0.13, 0.11, 0.30 and 0.19 respectively. Overall, precipitation played the dominant role on the dynamics of EMS, followed by elevation and human footprint. Our findings highlighted that understanding the patterns and drivers of ecosystem multiserviceability could provide a reference for the regional management and maintenance of ecosystem stability on QZP.

Source: Geography and sustainability

DOI: 10.1016/j.geosus.2023.06.004