The Temporal Variation and Spatial Scale Dependence of the Trade-Offs and Synergies among Multiple Ecosystem Services in the World Heritage Site of South China Karst

A strong synergistic relationship between water conservation and carbon sequestration was identified in the South China Karst World Heritage Site, highlighting their complementary roles in maintaining ecosystem health. Over 20 years (2000–2020), habitat quality and carbon sequestration showed stable, gradual improvements, while water and soil conservation exhibited greater fluctuations. Woodland emerged as the most critical land type for delivering these ecosystem services. The study also revealed negative correlations between population density and ecosystem services, contrasting with positive links to GDP. Spatial trade-offs were noted between soil conservation and other services, particularly habitat quality, carbon sequestration, and water conservation. These findings provide a framework for sustainable resource management and ecological protection in karst landscapes.

Feng, M., Xiong, K., Chen, Y., Zhang, W., & Xu, M. (2024). The Temporal Variation and Spatial Scale Dependence of the Trade-Offs and Synergies among Multiple Ecosystem Services in the World Heritage Site of South China Karst. Land, 13(9), 1391. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091391