Improving human settlements through urban ecological spaces: Urban ecosystem service mechanisms and zoned governance

Urban ecological spaces (UES) play a crucial role in enhancing human settlements and residents' well-being via their urban ecosystem services. Existing studies often fall short in addressing the practical needs of residents in high-density urban areas, frequently focusing on single-type UES and their associated services. This study constructs a "services evaluation-driving mechanism-spatial zoning" framework. It establishes a multidimensional urban ecosystem service assessment system covering habitat quality, air purification, cooling effect, runoff retention, and carbon sequestration and oxygen production. Using random forest and SHAP models, it analyzes the complex driving mechanisms and classifies spatial types based on similarities in local drivers, thereby proposing differentiated governance strategies. Results indicate: (1) UES ecosystem services exhibit variations in type, scale, and administrative region. Water bodies excel in cooling effects, while green spaces demonstrate greater advantages in other services. Large-area UES located in peripheral areas significantly outperform small patches in old urban districts. (2) UES structure (39.53%) is the primary factor influencing service provision, with large-area, highly connected, and regular-shaped patches enhancing service capacity. Socioeconomic factors (20.60%) exerted secondary influence, while other factors played relatively minor roles. (3) UES were categorized into four typical zones based on similar driving mechanisms, with targeted governance strategies proposed. Focusing on improving the human settlements in high-density urban contexts, this study deepens research on ecosystem services provided by green spaces and water bodies, offering a transferable analytical framework and practical reference for UES planning and service capacity enhancement.