IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v15y2025i16p1742-d1724320.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Threshold Effects and Synergistic Trade-Offs in Ecosystem Services: A Spatio-Temporal Study of Kashgar’s Arid Region

Author

Listed:
  • Suyan Yi

    (School of Geography and Remote Sensing Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China)

  • Hongwei Wang

    (School of Geography and Remote Sensing Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China)

  • Can Wang

    (School of Geography and Remote Sensing Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China)

  • Xin Huang

    (School of Geography and Remote Sensing Sciences, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China
    Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang University, Urumqi 830017, China)

Abstract

The complex trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) in arid regions influence the stability and sustainable development of regional ecosystems. As a representative oasis–desert transition zone, the Kashgar region requires quantifying the key drivers and thresholds influencing ecosystem services, which is crucial for regional management. This study examines the spatio-temporal changes and interactions of five types of ES (grain production, water yield, soil retention, carbon storage, and habitat quality) and employs Restricted Cubic Splines to quantify the nonlinear changes and threshold effects of natural and social drivers. The results indicate the following: (1) During the period from 2000 to 2020, supply services (grain production) and regulatory services (water yield and soil retention) showed growth, while support services (carbon storage and habitat quality) declined slightly; (2) the synergistic effects of ecological services improved across the entire region, but trade-off effects emerged in certain local areas; and (3) the NDVI is the core natural factor driving the spatio-temporal differentiation of ESs. In 2020, when the NDVI exceeded 0.35, it had an adverse impact on habitat quality and carbon storage. Among social factors, water yield and habitat quality exhibit the highest threshold points with land use development intensity. An increase in land development intensity significantly impacts the trade-off and synergistic relationships among ESs, leading to local imbalances in ES resource supply and demand. These findings enhance our understanding of the nonlinear characteristics and potential mechanisms of ecosystems in arid regions, providing a scientific basis for ecosystem management in these areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Suyan Yi & Hongwei Wang & Can Wang & Xin Huang, 2025. "Threshold Effects and Synergistic Trade-Offs in Ecosystem Services: A Spatio-Temporal Study of Kashgar’s Arid Region," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-27, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:16:p:1742-:d:1724320
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/16/1742/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/16/1742/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zhang, Junze & Mengting, Luo & Hui, Yue & Xiyun, Chen & Chong, Feng, 2018. "Critical thresholds in ecological restoration to achieve optimal ecosystem services: An analysis based on forest ecosystem restoration projects in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 675-678.
    2. Hongyi Li & Renbin He & Jie Hu & Yue Zhou & Modian Xie & Wanming Deng & Junjie Wang & Wanru Zhao & Shuangshuang Zhang & Yefeng Jiang & Zongzheng Liang & Lan Luo & Bifeng Hu & Zhou Shi, 2024. "Identifying conservation priority zones and their driving factors regarding regional ecosystem services," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 20963-20985, August.
    3. Muradian, Roldan, 2001. "Ecological thresholds: a survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 7-24, July.
    4. Jinhua Wu & Can Wang & Xiong He & Chunshan Zhou & Hongwei Wang, 2024. "Nonlinear Effects of Land-Use Conflicts in Xinjiang: Critical Thresholds and Implications for Optimal Zoning," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-24, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Cloé Garnache & Scott M. Swinton & Joseph A. Herriges & Frank Lupi & R. Jan Stevenson, 2016. "Solving the Phosphorus Pollution Puzzle: Synthesis and Directions for Future Research," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1334-1359.
    2. Jérémy Laurent-Lucchetti & Justin Leroux & Bernard Sinclair-Desgagné, 2011. "Splitting an Uncertain (Natural) Capital," Cahiers de recherche 11-01, HEC Montréal, Institut d'économie appliquée.
    3. Ivonne Acosta-Alba & Hayo M. G. Van der Werf, 2011. "The Use of Reference Values in Indicator-Based Methods for the Environmental Assessment of Agricultural Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-19, February.
    4. Stefano Pinardi & Matteo Salis & Gabriele Sartor & Rosa Meo, 2023. "EU−Africa: Digital and Social Questions in a Multicultural Agroecological Transition for the Cocoa Production in Africa," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-29, July.
    5. Fletcher, C.S. & Hilbert, David W., 2007. "Resilience in landscape exploitation systems," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 201(3), pages 440-452.
    6. Takashi Kamihigashi, 2014. "Elementary results on solutions to the bellman equation of dynamic programming: existence, uniqueness, and convergence," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 56(2), pages 251-273, June.
    7. Pierre Dupraz & Karine Latouche & Francois Bonnieux, 2004. "Economic implications of scale and threshold effects in agri-environmental processes," Post-Print hal-01931556, HAL.
    8. Maxim, Laura & Spangenberg, Joachim H. & O'Connor, Martin, 2009. "An analysis of risks for biodiversity under the DPSIR framework," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 12-23, November.
    9. Zhang, Junze & Mengting, Luo & Hui, Yue & Xiyun, Chen & Chong, Feng, 2018. "Critical thresholds in ecological restoration to achieve optimal ecosystem services: An analysis based on forest ecosystem restoration projects in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 675-678.
    10. Parry, Ian W H & Pizer, William A & Fischer, Carolyn, 2003. "How Large Are the Welfare Gains from Technological Innovation Induced by Environmental Policies?," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 237-255, May.
    11. Crépin, Anne-Sophie & Biggs, Reinette & Polasky, Stephen & Troell, Max & de Zeeuw, Aart, 2012. "Regime shifts and management," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 15-22.
    12. Thomas Michielsen, 2013. "Environmental Catastrophes under Time-Inconsistent Preferences," Working Papers 2013.55, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei.
    13. Fischer, Carolyn & Parry, Ian W. H. & Pizer, William A., 2003. "Instrument choice for environmental protection when technological innovation is endogenous," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 523-545, May.
    14. B Kelsey Jack & Carolyn Kousky & Katharine R E Sims, 2007. "Lessons Relearned: Can Previous Research on Incentive-Based Mechanisms Point the Way for Payments for Ecosystem Services?," CID Working Papers 15, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    15. Catalina M. Torres Figuerola & Antoni Riera Font, 2009. "Defining environmental attributes as external costs in choice experiments: A discussion," CRE Working Papers (Documents de treball del CRE) 2009/1, Centre de Recerca Econòmica (UIB ·"Sa Nostra").
    16. Johannes Emmerling & Ulrike Kornek & Valentina Bosetti & Kai Lessmann, 2021. "Climate thresholds and heterogeneous regions: Implications for coalition formation," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 293-316, April.
    17. Kostas Bithas, 2020. "A bioeconomic approach to sustainable development: Incorporating ecological thresholds within intergenerational efficiency," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(4), pages 772-780, July.
    18. Johannus Janmaat, 2012. "Fishing in a Shallow Lake: Exploring a Classic Fishery Model in a Habitat with Shallow Lake Dynamics," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 51(2), pages 215-239, February.
    19. Zhang, Jing & Li, Sinan & Lin, Naifa & Lin, Yue & Yuan, Shaofeng & Zhang, Ling & Zhu, Jinxia & Wang, Ke & Gan, Muye & Zhu, Congmou, 2022. "Spatial identification and trade-off analysis of land use functions improve spatial zoning management in rapid urbanized areas, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    20. Pierre Dupraz & Karine Latouche & Nadine Turpin, 2007. "Programmes agri-environnementaux en présence d’effets de seuil," Cahiers d'Economie et Sociologie Rurales, INRA Department of Economics, vol. 82, pages 5-32.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:16:p:1742-:d:1724320. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.