[Multi-scale Ecosystem Services Trade-off/Synergy and Ecological Function Zoning in Taiyuan City]

A thorough understanding of the relationships between ecosystem services and ecological functional zoning is crucial for ecological restoration, land spatial planning, resource management, and sustainable economic development. We evaluated four types of ecosystem services-water yield, carbon storage, food production, and soil conservation-of Taiyuan City from 2000 to 2020 using the InVEST model. We also employed R language, GIS technology, and self-organizing maps to identify trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services at three scales: whole regional, pixel and county, and ecological functional zoning. The results showed that: ① Between 2000 and 2020, significant changes occurred in land use and ecosystem services in Taiyuan City, including a decrease in cultivated land and grassland area and an increase in construction land and forest area. An enhancement in soil conservation, food production, and water yield value was observed, while carbon storage service value declined slightly. ② At the whole scale, trade-offs were predominant among ecosystem services, while weak synergistic effects were found at the pixel scale, and regional heterogeneity was observed at the county scale. ③ Three ecosystem service clusters were identified, which were divided into three ecological functional areas: ecological conservation, agricultural production, and ecologically vulnerable, with the largest proportion being the ecological conservation area. Based on these divisions, differentiated management recommendations were proposed. The findings may provide scientific guidance for the sustainable management of ecosystem services in Taiyuan City.