Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China

Understanding the mechanisms of ecosystem services (ESs) interactions and climate zone differences, alongside quantifying key determinants and thresholds, is essential for regional management. However, the absence of tailored strategies often overlooks these climatic variations, hindering effective...

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Main Authors: Xin Li, Xiangdong Li, Xiaoqian Li, Zhi Dong, Xinchuang Chen, Jianying Guo, Hongxiao Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000287
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author Xin Li
Xiangdong Li
Xiaoqian Li
Zhi Dong
Xinchuang Chen
Jianying Guo
Hongxiao Liu
author_facet Xin Li
Xiangdong Li
Xiaoqian Li
Zhi Dong
Xinchuang Chen
Jianying Guo
Hongxiao Liu
author_sort Xin Li
collection DOAJ
description Understanding the mechanisms of ecosystem services (ESs) interactions and climate zone differences, alongside quantifying key determinants and thresholds, is essential for regional management. However, the absence of tailored strategies often overlooks these climatic variations, hindering effective regional problem-solving. We selected the temperate desert steppe in northern China, which is the transition zone from a semi-arid to arid climate. Then the food and pasture supply (FP), carbon sequestration, biodiversity maintenance, soil retention, wind and sand stabilization, water conservation, water yield, air purification, and entertainment and leisure (EL) were quantitatively assessed. The results indicated that ESs’ distribution in the desert steppe exhibited significant climate differences, with the total ESs in the semi-arid zone superior to those in the arid zone. However, the trade-off among ESs in the semi-arid zone was more severe, with more complex and sensitive determinants attributable to anthropogenic disturbance. Moreover, with the increase in urbanization, anthropogenic disturbance was expanding into the arid zone. The strengthening of trade-off effects in the arid zone occurred primarily in most ESs related to FP and EL. The arid zone was affected by natural factors such as the proportion of barren land, temperature, precipitation, and vegetation index, while the semi-arid zone was affected by the landscape pattern index, population density, and GDP. The main determining indicators had an obvious threshold and the negative effect was strengthened beyond the threshold. In the arid zone, the thresholds were the proportion of barren land (69 %), precipitation (138 mm), and NDVI (0.48). In the semi-arid zone, the proportion of barren land was 43 %, NDVI was 0.38, and the largest patch index was 87.4 %. This study provides support for policymakers’ decisions in the formulation of ecological control objectives and restoration of the temperate desert steppe ecosystem.
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spelling doaj-art-64bb948cfa894a0eb7a72db18a2153852025-01-31T05:10:51ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-01-01170113099Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern ChinaXin Li0Xiangdong Li1Xiaoqian Li2Zhi Dong3Xinchuang Chen4Jianying Guo5Hongxiao Liu6Yinshanbeilu Grassland Eco-hydrology National Observation and Research Station, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Mountain Tai Forest Ecosystem Research Station of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai ’an, 271018, ChinaKey Laboratory in Shaanxi Province of Applied Ecology for Loess Plateau, College of Life Sciences, Yan’an University, Yan’an, 716000, ChinaMountain Tai Forest Ecosystem Research Station of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai ’an, 271018, ChinaMountain Tai Forest Ecosystem Research Station of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai ’an, 271018, ChinaMountain Tai Forest Ecosystem Research Station of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, College of Forestry, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai ’an, 271018, ChinaYinshanbeilu Grassland Eco-hydrology National Observation and Research Station, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China; Corresponding author.CAS Engineering Laboratory for Vegetation Ecosystem Restoration on Islands and Coastal Zones & Key Laboratory of Vegetation Restoration and Management of Degraded Ecosystems, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510650, China; Corresponding author.Understanding the mechanisms of ecosystem services (ESs) interactions and climate zone differences, alongside quantifying key determinants and thresholds, is essential for regional management. However, the absence of tailored strategies often overlooks these climatic variations, hindering effective regional problem-solving. We selected the temperate desert steppe in northern China, which is the transition zone from a semi-arid to arid climate. Then the food and pasture supply (FP), carbon sequestration, biodiversity maintenance, soil retention, wind and sand stabilization, water conservation, water yield, air purification, and entertainment and leisure (EL) were quantitatively assessed. The results indicated that ESs’ distribution in the desert steppe exhibited significant climate differences, with the total ESs in the semi-arid zone superior to those in the arid zone. However, the trade-off among ESs in the semi-arid zone was more severe, with more complex and sensitive determinants attributable to anthropogenic disturbance. Moreover, with the increase in urbanization, anthropogenic disturbance was expanding into the arid zone. The strengthening of trade-off effects in the arid zone occurred primarily in most ESs related to FP and EL. The arid zone was affected by natural factors such as the proportion of barren land, temperature, precipitation, and vegetation index, while the semi-arid zone was affected by the landscape pattern index, population density, and GDP. The main determining indicators had an obvious threshold and the negative effect was strengthened beyond the threshold. In the arid zone, the thresholds were the proportion of barren land (69 %), precipitation (138 mm), and NDVI (0.48). In the semi-arid zone, the proportion of barren land was 43 %, NDVI was 0.38, and the largest patch index was 87.4 %. This study provides support for policymakers’ decisions in the formulation of ecological control objectives and restoration of the temperate desert steppe ecosystem.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000287Ecosystem serviceTrade-off/SynergySocioeconomic ecological driversThreshold effectArid zone and semi-arid zone
spellingShingle Xin Li
Xiangdong Li
Xiaoqian Li
Zhi Dong
Xinchuang Chen
Jianying Guo
Hongxiao Liu
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
Ecological Indicators
Ecosystem service
Trade-off/Synergy
Socioeconomic ecological drivers
Threshold effect
Arid zone and semi-arid zone
title Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
title_full Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
title_short Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern China
title_sort spatiotemporal heterogeneity of ecosystem service interactions and their determining thresholds across distinct climate zones in the temperate desert steppe of northern china
topic Ecosystem service
Trade-off/Synergy
Socioeconomic ecological drivers
Threshold effect
Arid zone and semi-arid zone
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X25000287
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