Ecosystem services supply and demand mismatches and effect mechanisms in the mixed landscapes context

Clarifying multiple relationships between ecosystem services (ES) supplies and socio-economical demands is the prerequisite of spatial sustainability. Ecotones are specific mixed landscapes where the characteristics of ES supply-demand mismatches are critical to explore ES effect mechanisms. This study structured the relationships that occurred during the ecosystem processes of ES into a framework and identified ecotones in Northeast China (NEC). Multi-step analysis was conducted to analyze the mismatches between 8 pairs of ES supplies and demands and the effects of landscapes on ES mismatches. The results show that the correlations between landscapes and ES mismatches could reflect the effectiveness of landscape management strategies more comprehensively. High demand for food security led to more serious regulating and cultural ES mismatches in NEC. While forest and forest-grassland ecotones were robust to alleviate ES mismatches and landscapes mixed with ecotones performed more balanced in ES supplies. Our study suggests that the comprehensive effects of landscapes on ES mismatches should be given priority in landscape management strategies. Afforestation should be strengthened in NEC, while wetland and ecotones should be protected from boundary shifts and shrinkage caused by agricultural production activities.