Spatial Optimization Of Natural Protected Areas Based On Ecosystem Service Assessment In Northern Guangdong

The establishment of a nature reserve system centered around national parks is a significant step in China’s implementation of ecological civilization construction.The northern region of Guangdong Province,serving as a crucial ecological barrier in the north,faces challenges such as fragmented distribution of existing nature reserves and prominent conflicts between conservation and utilization.Therefore,it is essential to develop a scientifically feasible assessment system to guide spatial optimization and comprehensive protection of nature reserves.Ecosystem services,as a key indicator in land spatial planning,play a vital role in evaluating the conservation importance of ecological systems.Against this backdrop,this study constructs an ecosystem services assessment system tailored for the northern region of Guangdong,which provides guidance for the spatial optimization of nature reserves in the area.The main findings are as follows:(1)Drawing on the theoretical advancements and evaluation methods of ecosystem services,a comprehensive assessment system is developed,utilizing a recognized classification framework comprising supporting services,regulating services,provisioning services,and cultural services.Fourteen indicators,selected to reflect the unique ecosystem characteristics of the northern region of Guangdong,contribute to the robustness of the assessment system.(2)By employing various methods,including the In VEST model,economic valuation techniques,and quantitative evaluation of net primary productivity(NPP),the assessment of ecosystem services in the northern region of Guangdong is conducted at a spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km grid cells.The results reveal that the proportions of areas with extremely high,high,moderate,low,and very low capabilities for ecosystem services are 11.00%,17.30%,40.00%,25.28%,and 6.42%,respectively.The northern and southwestern parts of the region,particularly Guangning County,exhibit areas with extremely high capabilities,whereas the central-southern region is primarily characterized by areas with low capabilities.(3)Spatial autocorrelation analysis identifies regions of high-value aggregation for ecosystem services in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the northern region of Guangdong,while cold spots are concentrated in the central-southwestern region.Overlaying the boundaries of the existing 354 nature reserves within the study area highlights that protected areas in the ecosystem services hotspots only account for 26.73%of the total area,indicating significant gaps in conservation.Thus,further spatial optimization of nature reserves is warranted.(4)The study defines optimization areas as regions within the hotspots,exceeding 300 km2 in size,that are currently not designated as protected areas.Through boundary adjustments,incorporating high-capacity areas of ecosystem services into the ecological protection space is prioritized.The proposed spatial optimization plan results in a planned additional area of 834.54 km2.This study,focusing on the northern region of Guangdong Province,contributes to the establishment of an ecosystem services assessment system tailored for the area,thereby enhancing the guidance for spatial optimization.Furthermore,it explores the feasibility of utilizing ecosystem services to inform the spatial planning of nature reserves,enriching the research on nature reserve spatial optimization.The proposed spatial optimization plan for nature reserves in the northern region of Guangdong provides a theoretical and practical foundation for optimizing nature reserves in the area and beyond,encompassing the entire Guangdong Province.