Author(s): Yang Zheng; Xuefeng Sang; Dongmei Wang; Ziheng Li; Siqi Zhang; Jiaxuan Chang

Linked Author(s): Ziheng Li, Jiaxuan Chang

Keywords: Ecological benefits; Ecosystem services value (ESV); Valuation method; Water cycle; WAS model; Yangtze river

Abstract: This study hopes to develop an evaluation method for the Ecological Service Value of Water System (ESV-W) by coupling the assessment of Ecosystem Services Value (ESV) with the Water Allocation and Simulation Model (WAS). Firstly, an improved Equivalence Factor (EF) method is employed to estimate the total Ecological Service Value of the watershed. Then, the WAS model is improved to quantify and identify the role of water cycle in supporting the ecological service functions. Finally, the proposed method was used to the evaluation of the ecological service value of water cycle in the Yangtze River Basin. The results indicated that from 2005 to 2020, the total ESV-W increased from 3,618 to 5,078 billion US Dollars, and the potential value of unit water increased from 1.98 to 2.61 Dollars/m3. The spatial distribution of the ESV-W exhibited high values concentrated along the main stream of Yangtze River, as well as Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan. This study aims to provide references for the protection of water ecosystems and the sustainable utilization of water resources.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/HIC2024_P775

Year: 2024