Study on the spatial changes concerning ecosystem services value in Lhasa River Basin, China

Area of Science:

• Environmental Economics
• Ecosystem Valuation
• Regional Ecological Assessment

Background:

• Ecosystem services are crucial for human well-being and economic development.
• Understanding the spatial variation in ecosystem service value is essential for effective environmental management.
• The Lhasa River Basin faces unique challenges due to its specific natural and socio-economic context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a measurement model for quantifying ecosystem service value in the Lhasa River Basin.
• To analyze the influence of natural and socio-economic factors on ecosystem service value.
• To identify regional disparities in ecosystem service value across the basin.

Main Methods:

• Established a study paradigm based on the principle of resource scarcity.
• Incorporated natural and socio-economic location differences into the valuation model.
• Calculated the total and unit ecosystem service values for different reaches of the basin.

Main Results:

• The total ecosystem service value in the Lhasa River Basin is estimated at 104.503 billion yuan.
• Unit ecosystem service value of natural grassland in the lower reaches is significantly higher than in the upper and middle reaches.
• Ecosystem service value distribution shows distinct patterns, with the lower reaches contributing 74.35% of the total value.

Conclusions:

• Ecosystem service value is significantly influenced by resource scarcity and socio-economic dependence.
• Spatial heterogeneity in ecosystem service value is pronounced across the upper, middle, and lower reaches.
• Findings support the development of targeted ecological compensation mechanisms and strategies for enhancing ecosystem service value.