Hotspot identification and interaction analyses of the provisioning of multiple ecosystem services: Case study of Shaanxi Province, China

The hotspot identification and interaction analyses of the provisioning of multiple ecosystem services (ESs) are basic prerequisites for sustainable ecosystem management. ESs and their interrelationships are determined by ecological processes over time and space. The high-value ES areas is crucial for regional land use management. However, most of hotspots identification are limited to a single point in time and/or in space. Here we proposed a framework for identifying a long-term stable supply area for multiple ESs, namely, an ES multifunctional area (ESMA) to recognize the region that can stably provide high-value ESs. Using Shaanxi Province as an example, four ESs, i.e., net primary productivity (NPP), soil conservation (SC), water yield (WY), and habitat quality (HQ), were quantified from 2000 to 2015 at a pixel scale of 1 km. Then, we identified ESMA in Shaanxi and explored the trade-offs and synergies among ESs within and outside ESMA. Results of the study provided the following conclusions: (1) With the exception of WY, ESs exhibit apparent spatial differentiation in areas bounded by the Qinling Mountains due to terrain and climate differences between the north and south of these mountains. (2) The ES supply areas of NPP accounted for 41.47% of the total area of Shaanxi Province. This finding indicates the NPP provision was relatively stable. (3) The ESMA of Shaanxi Province is largely situated in southern Shaanxi. The primary land use types of ESMA are forest and grassland, and the areas that provide NPP, HQ, and SC services are the largest among all service combinations. (4) The trade-offs and synergies of ESs are more stable in ESMA than those in non-ESMA. This study proposes to provide a long-term provision of multiple stable high-value ESs to a priority protected area, thereby offering support and services for the development of ecosystem differential spatial protection policies.