Optimizing zonal management framework suitable for mountain ecosystems by linking landscape, ecosystem service...

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Spatial Planning

Background:

• Mountain ecosystems provide vital ecosystem services (ESs) crucial for regional well-being.
• Existing research on mountain ecosystem services (MESs) often overlooks landscape's socio-ecological role, limiting practical spatial planning applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a spatial optimization strategy integrating landscape into MES management for the Qinling Mountains (QLM).
• To analyze spatiotemporal changes in key MESs (carbon sequestration, habitat quality, soil conservation) and their drivers.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Landscape Naturalness Composite Index (LNCI) to quantify landscape configuration.
• Analyzed spatiotemporal dynamics of carbon sequestration (CS), habitat quality (HQ), and soil conservation (SC) from 1990-2020.
• Identified a mountain regulation baseline (MRB) and proposed a nested zonal management framework.

Main Results:

• All three critical MESs (CS, HQ, SC) showed synergistic increases over 31 years.
• HQ and CS increased stepwise, influenced by ecological programs, while SC fluctuated with rainfall.
• Improvements in MESs correlated with agricultural intensification, urban development, and increased urban-rural population ratio.

Conclusions:

• The proposed landscape-based management framework effectively connects the MRB with ES multifunctionality.
• This approach offers practical implications for managing global mountain ecosystems and enhancing their services.