The impact of policies on land cover and ecosystem services dynamics in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone, China

Understanding how land cover and ecosystem services respond to diverse policies is essential for economic development and ecological conservation. However, few efforts have been made to analyze the policies in conjunction with land cover and ecosystem services in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone (PYLEEZ), limiting the sustainable improvement of the region. Therefore, this study quantified changes in land cover and four ecosystem services, evaluated the relationships between them, and analyzed how various policies affected land cover and ecosystem services in the PYLEEZ from 2000 to 2020. The results showed that artificial surfaces expanded at the expense of cultivated land. Agricultural encroachment resulted in the loss of most woodland and wetland. Under ecological policies, 2062.19 km2 of cultivated land have been returned to natural land, leading to a net wetland area increase of 760.8 km2. In terms of ecosystem services, crop production increased significantly (+151 %) and carbon storage reduced slightly (-2.7 %) under the influence of agricultural policies and rapid urbanization. Furthermore, habitat quality and water yield increased by 252.75 km2 and 61.3 x 108 m3, respectively. Carbon storage presented a clear trade-off relationship with crop production, while habitat quality was synergistic with water yield and crop production. Given the current policies in the PYLEEZ, it is worthwhile to focus on water ecological safety and minimize the loss of natural land and ecosystem services driven by economic policies. This study is expected to help achieve the balanced development of the social economy and ecological conservation in the PYLEEZ.

Automated summary

Understanding the relationship between policies, land cover, and ecosystem services is crucial for sustainable development and ecological conservation. This study analyzed the effects of various policies on land cover and ecosystem services in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone from 2000 to 2020. The findings showed that agricultural encroachment and rapid urbanization led to a loss of woodland and wetland, while ecological policies resulted in the conversion of cultivated land back to natural land and an increase in wetland area. Crop production increased significantly, but carbon storage slightly decreased. Habitat quality and water yield also increased. The study suggests that water ecological safety should be prioritized and the loss of natural land and ecosystem services driven by economic policies should be minimized in the region.