Spatial heterogeneity of multi-scale trade-off synergies in ecosystem services

Elucidating the intricate interrelationships among ecosystem services is an indispensable prerequisite for collaborative management of diversified ecosystem services. The interaction mechanism between services across multiple spatial dimensions provides a valuable reference for the formulation of ecological conservation strategies and territorial spatial planning policies.

Based on the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-Offs (InVEST) model, three ecosystem services of water yield, carbon storage, and soil conservation were evaluated in Suzhou City from 2000 to 2020, their spatial-temporal distribution characteristics were analyzed, and cold hot spots were identified. Using the difference comparison method, the spatial heterogeneity of ecosystem service trade-off synergies was analyzed from the two scales of grid and county. The scale effect was analyzed.

The results demonstrated that water yield, soil conservation, and carbon storage first declined and subsequently increased in Suzhou City from 2000 to 2020. The spatial-temporal pattern of other ecosystem services altered dramatically, with the exception of the slight spatial change in soil conservation. The proportion of non-cold-hot spots in water yield was the highest. The proportion of soil conservation and carbon storage coldspots was the highest. At the scale of 2 and 10 km, the relationship between water yield-carbon storage and carbon storage-soil conservation was dominated by trade-off. The interaction between water yield and soil conservation was mainly synergy. But the spatial agglomeration characteristics were different at different grid scales. At the county level, there were a few minor differences in the interactions among ecosystem services. The findings of this study can be a source of direction and information for fine management strategy design and implementation as well as for the creation of an ecological planning blueprint in Suzhou City.