Scientists Made Progress in Research of Ecosystem Services and Its Interaction with Human Activities in Xinjiang

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is a typical arid and ecologically fragile area in China. Because of its vulnerability and sensitivity, it is more susceptible to human activities. Strengthening the study of ESV(ecosystem service value) and their relationship with human activities in Xinjiang helps to linking up the national-provincial-county ecosystem services management, promoting the improvement of ecological environment and regional sustainable development.

Through the construction of ecosystem service index system and human activity index system, researchers from Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of Chinese Academy of Sciences employed the model of ESV assessment and grey relational degree, to reveal the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of ecosystem service value in Xinjiang and its interaction with human activities.

Their results show that, during 2000-2015 the value of food production services (FPV) showed an upward trend, while the value of climate regulation services (CRV), gas regulation services (GRV), raw material production services (RMPV) and recreation services (RSV) showed a downward trend. The value of hydrological regulation services (HRV) showed a trend of first decreasing and then rising, while the value of waste disposal services (WDV) showed a trend of first increasing, then decreasing and then increasing.

Spatial change shows that the services value of Kashi and Aksu Prefecture has declined significantly, while Altay and Tacheng Prefecture has increased dramatically. In Xinjiang, human activities have a strong interaction with ecosystem services. Agricultural activities (0.989) and social development activities (0.844) have the greatest impact on changes in ecosystem services, especially agricultural water consumption (0.984) and the total population at year-end (0.965). Hydrological regulation services (0.8179) has the greatest restriction on social and economic development.

The study provides a new way to grasp the complex relationship between ecological services and human systems, and provides an important reference for the sustainable development of human economic and social systems and ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas.

The study entitled “Spatiotemporal characteristics in ecosystem service value and its interaction with human activities in Xinjiang, China” was published in Ecological Indicators. 

Article link：https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105826 

Contact: LIU Jie, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography

E-mail: liujie@ms.xjb.ac.cn