Ecosystem service supply and demand: Theory and management application

Abstract

Ecosvstem service is a very important issue for current, sustainable scientific research. Environmental protection and management requirements are increasing and policymakers hope to incorporate ecological service information into decision-making and consultations. Because of theory uncertainty and methods limitation, it is, at present, very difficult to accuratelv evaluate ecosvstem services and extract important ecosvstem services information that can help decision-makers meet the demands of various stakeholders. In this studv, we first identified and defined ecosvstem service potential supplv, actual supplv (flow), and human demand based on the processes and mechanisms involved in ecosvstem service generation and delivery. Two indicators were then introduced, the supplv rate and supplv-demand ratio, which provide a mean that can be used to compare the status of natural capital between regions. We also investigated the ecosvstem service matrix and GIS spatial simulation technologv and used these indicators to investigate the Batyangdian River Basin as a case studv. The aim was to reveal the spatio-temporal characteristics of service supplv and demand. The supplv rate and supplv-demand ratio for the Baiyangdian River Basin in 2010 were 0.4966 and 0.1131, respectively. This indicated that the ecosystem service supply status was good and in surplus. The places with high supply rate should be considered as hotspots for ecological protection and compensation. However, places with high ecosystem service demand should concentrate on ecological construction and restoration. The results provide a scientific basis for regional ecological environment management and policy-making.