Ecological management zone of Taiyuan City based on the supply and demand of ecosystem services.

ABSTRACT

Clarifying the matching degree and the trade-offs and synergies between supply and demand of ecosystem services is of significance for scientific division of management zoning and sustainable urban development. We calculated the supply and demand of ecosystem services at the sub-district (town) scale of Taiyuan based on multi-source data, explored the coldspots and hotspots area of the supply-demand ratio and the trade-offs and synergies of six ecosystem services using the Getis-Ord Gi* tool and correlation analysis, and proposed strategies based on the regional characteristics of natural-resource and socio-economy. Results showed the distribution of the supply and demand of ecosystem services had a spatial heterogeneity. In terms of supply, the area with high supply of carbon storage, air purification, thermal environment regulation and recreation service were located in the east and west parts, that of soil conservation in the west and water yield in the south part. In terms of demand, the demand distribution of carbon storage, thermal environment regulation, water yield and recreation service were characterized by high in the central and east-south area, and low in the periphery, and high demand of air purification in south and north parts, soil conservation in west part. There were substantial mismatches between the demand and supply of ecosystem services. The risk levels of the supply and demand of six ecosystem services showed a decreasing pattern from the Fenhe River to the eastern and western mountains. There were trade-offs between water yield and other five ecosystem services in their supply, while air purification and soil conservation had trade-offs with other four ecosystem services in demand. Based on the regional ecological management framework, we divided the study area into three primary zones and eight secondary zones, and proposed differentiated ecological management strategies to provide theoretical support for ecological zoning. The results could provide a basis for balancing the relationship of supply and demand of ecosystem services and promoting the sustainable development of the city.