Multi-scale analyses on the ecosystem services in the Chinese Loess Plateau and implications for dryland

Dryland sustainability is a challenging global concern because of the comparatively low natural and socioeconomic carrying capacities. Land degradation neutrality is a challenging sustainability goal in drylands, for which ecological restoration has to transcend the scale of land degradation. Actions on ecological restoration are prevalent in global drylands driving changes of ecosystem services across local to regional scales. This paper focuses on the Chinese Loess Plateau as a typical dryland region experiencing decades of ecological restoration. The research progress on the multiscale monitoring, assessment, and modelling of ecosystem services driven by ecological restoration is succinctly reviewed. To enhance the bridging capability of dryland ecosystem service science among ecosystem integrity and resilience, sustainable livelihood, and adaptive landscape management, a research framework is proposed considering dryland sustainability goals, ecosystems, socioeconomic systems, and the multidimensional systematic interactions. Under this framework, the research gaps and further critical themes are discussed for advancing a sustainability oriented ecosystem service science for drylands.

Automated summary

Dryland sustainability is a global concern due to low carrying capacities, where land degradation neutrality is a challenging goal. Ecological restoration plays a crucial role in achieving this goal, with actions driving changes in ecosystem services. By incorporating multiscale monitoring and assessment, as well as establishing a research framework, the development of dryland ecosystem service science can be enhanced.