Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone

The Guanzhong–Tianshui economic zone is a strategic link in China’s Belt and Road network, faces the contradiction between ecological protection and economic development, and urgently needs to construct an ecological security pattern based on ecosystem services to permit sustainable development. In...

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Main Authors: Jing Zhou, Jianhua Xiao, Daiying Yin, Yu Ren
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/637
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author Jing Zhou
Jianhua Xiao
Daiying Yin
Yu Ren
author_facet Jing Zhou
Jianhua Xiao
Daiying Yin
Yu Ren
author_sort Jing Zhou
collection DOAJ
description The Guanzhong–Tianshui economic zone is a strategic link in China’s Belt and Road network, faces the contradiction between ecological protection and economic development, and urgently needs to construct an ecological security pattern based on ecosystem services to permit sustainable development. In this study, we evaluated the ecological services of net primary productivity (<i>NPP</i>), water yield (<i>WY</i>), soil conservation (<i>SC</i>), habitat quality (<i>HQ</i>), and food production (<i>FP</i>). We explored the trade-offs and synergies between services using correlation analysis and geographically weighted regression and constructed an ecological security pattern through circuit theory. <i>NPP</i>, <i>WY</i>, <i>SC</i>, and <i>FP</i> increased during the study period, whereas <i>HQ</i> decreased. The <i>NPP</i> × <i>WY</i>, <i>WY</i> × <i>SC</i>, and <i>WY</i> × <i>HQ</i> shifted from synergies to trade-offs; <i>NPP</i> × <i>SC</i>, <i>NPP</i> × <i>HQ</i>, and <i>SC</i> × <i>HQ</i> were always synergies; <i>NPP</i> × <i>FP</i>, <i>SC</i> × <i>FP</i>, and <i>FP</i> × <i>HQ</i> were always trade-offs; and <i>WY</i> × <i>FP</i> shifted from trade-offs to synergies. We selected service bundles with significant synergies among <i>NPP</i>, <i>SC</i>, and <i>HQ</i> as ecological sources, which were mainly in the Qinling and Weibei mountains, comprising 47 ecological patches. We identified 58 ecological corridors, 330.83 km<sup>2</sup> of pinch points, and 401.30 km<sup>2</sup> of barriers, which form a mesh structure covering the study area, proposing a development pattern of six zones and one belt. Our results provide a framework for ecological protection and restoration, which may serve as a scientific foundation for upcoming regional land management initiatives.
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spelling doaj-art-421f7f24c43a4ca084db9da76e3ad2e02025-08-20T03:43:34ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-03-0114363710.3390/land14030637Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic ZoneJing Zhou0Jianhua Xiao1Daiying Yin2Yu Ren3Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCollege of Geography and Environmental Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, ChinaThe Guanzhong–Tianshui economic zone is a strategic link in China’s Belt and Road network, faces the contradiction between ecological protection and economic development, and urgently needs to construct an ecological security pattern based on ecosystem services to permit sustainable development. In this study, we evaluated the ecological services of net primary productivity (<i>NPP</i>), water yield (<i>WY</i>), soil conservation (<i>SC</i>), habitat quality (<i>HQ</i>), and food production (<i>FP</i>). We explored the trade-offs and synergies between services using correlation analysis and geographically weighted regression and constructed an ecological security pattern through circuit theory. <i>NPP</i>, <i>WY</i>, <i>SC</i>, and <i>FP</i> increased during the study period, whereas <i>HQ</i> decreased. The <i>NPP</i> × <i>WY</i>, <i>WY</i> × <i>SC</i>, and <i>WY</i> × <i>HQ</i> shifted from synergies to trade-offs; <i>NPP</i> × <i>SC</i>, <i>NPP</i> × <i>HQ</i>, and <i>SC</i> × <i>HQ</i> were always synergies; <i>NPP</i> × <i>FP</i>, <i>SC</i> × <i>FP</i>, and <i>FP</i> × <i>HQ</i> were always trade-offs; and <i>WY</i> × <i>FP</i> shifted from trade-offs to synergies. We selected service bundles with significant synergies among <i>NPP</i>, <i>SC</i>, and <i>HQ</i> as ecological sources, which were mainly in the Qinling and Weibei mountains, comprising 47 ecological patches. We identified 58 ecological corridors, 330.83 km<sup>2</sup> of pinch points, and 401.30 km<sup>2</sup> of barriers, which form a mesh structure covering the study area, proposing a development pattern of six zones and one belt. Our results provide a framework for ecological protection and restoration, which may serve as a scientific foundation for upcoming regional land management initiatives.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/637ecosystem servicestrade-offsynergyecological service bundlesecological security patterns
spellingShingle Jing Zhou
Jianhua Xiao
Daiying Yin
Yu Ren
Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
Land
ecosystem services
trade-off
synergy
ecological service bundles
ecological security patterns
title Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
title_full Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
title_fullStr Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
title_full_unstemmed Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
title_short Trade-Offs and Synergies Between Ecosystem Services and Their Ecological Security Patterns in the Guanzhong–Tianshui Economic Zone
title_sort trade offs and synergies between ecosystem services and their ecological security patterns in the guanzhong tianshui economic zone
topic ecosystem services
trade-off
synergy
ecological service bundles
ecological security patterns
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/637
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