Effect of land use transformation pattern in 2000-2013 on ecosystem services in Hengyang City, China

Using ecosystem services assessment in regional ecological protection is one of the most important ways in ecosystem services mapping.In order to perfect the method of ecosystem services mapping, spatio-temporal variations in ecosystem services value (ESV) in Hengyang Region was simulated based on interpretation of multi-period remote-sensing images of Hengyang City, estimation of ESV with the equivalent factor method and incurred profit-loss due to transformation of land use.Also the results of methods such as spatial autocorrelation, high-low clustering and barycenter analysis were analyzed in ArcGIS 10.0 environment.The results showed that:1) the proportion of ESV components were different in the study area and decreased with the sequence of biodiversity conservation, water conservation, soil formation and conservation, climate regulation, gas exchange, raw material, waste disposal, entertainment and food production.The ESV for Hengyang City decreased slightly from 241.0 billion Yuan to 239.4 billion Yuan during 2000-2013.The transformation of forests and cultivated lands into construction lands and the transformation of forests into cultivated lands were identified as the main reasons for the decrease in ESV revealed by conversion matrix analysis.2) Areas with low ESV were nearly encircled by those with high ESV.While regions with losses in ESV were mainly distributed around the urban and county districts, value-added regions were located in the western zone of the study area.3) Spatial autocorrelation and value aggregation phenomena were obvious, which tends strengthened.The barycenter of ESV moved 245.73 meters west-northwest 9°.To improve ESV in the study area, measures including limiting transformation of forests and cultivated lands into construction lands, conducting "stock" or "reduction" policy on land use, and preserving and intensifying continuity of whole ecosystem patterns were required.Compared with previous studies, the spatial distribution of ESV was visualized in this study as more precisely expressing the income and transfer of ESV.This was critical for the promotion of more reasonable ecological protection planning and management works in the study area and beyond.