Ecosystem Services Management Based on Differentiation and Regionalization along Vertical Gradient in Taihang Mountain, China
Hui Gao1
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
2
College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
3
College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to the work.
Sustainability 2018, 10(4), 986; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040986
Received: 22 January 2018 / Revised: 16 March 2018 / Accepted: 19 March 2018 / Published: 27 March 2018
(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)
The regulation and management of ecosystem services are fundamental for sustainable development in mountain areas. Although no obvious vertical band spectrum exists in Taihang Mountain region, vertical differentiation of ecological characteristics in the region is obvious. The ecosystem characteristics of vertical differentiation were analyzed using 4 typical ecological indices (land use, temperature, net primary productivity, and water yield). The ecosystem service functional pattern was determined based on analysis of the ecosystem services value per unit area. The 2 ecosystem critical zones of vertical differentiation (500–600 m and 1400–1500 m) were determined. The mountain area was divided into 3 ecological zones—sub-alpine zone (>1500 m), mid-mountain zone (600–1400 m) and hilly zone (<500 m). The ecosystem services functional pattern was as follows: provisioning services was the main ecosystem services function in the hilly zone, 4 ecosystem service functions were equally important in the mid-mountain zone, regulating, supporting and cultural services were the main ecosystem service functions in the sub-alpine zone. The model of ecosystem service regulation and management in 3 ecological zones was built based on the functional patterns to promote sustainable development.
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Keywords:
sustainable development; mountain region; vertical differentiation; critical line; ecosystem service
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MDPI and ACS Style
Gao, H.; Fu, T.; Liu, J.; Liang, H.; Han, L. Ecosystem Services Management Based on Differentiation and Regionalization along Vertical Gradient in Taihang Mountain, China. Sustainability 2018, 10, 986.
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