Arid Zone Research ›› 2023, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (11): 1845-1854.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2023.11.14

• Ecology and Environment • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Impacts of land use change on carbon storage and estimation of economic value in Qilian Mountain region

LEI Xin(),HAI Xinquan()   

  1. College of Finance and Economics, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China
  • Received:2023-06-09 Revised:2023-09-08 Online:2023-11-15 Published:2023-12-01

Abstract:

Human activities are the main drivers of land use change, Which indirectly affects the value of ecological services by influencing the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. In this article, We analyze the characteristics of land use change based on a land use transfer matrix and dynamic attitude method. We applied the InVEST model to estimate carbon storage, and we estimated the economic value of carbon storage in each period by combining this value with the compound present value formulas from 2000 to 2020 in the Qilian Mountain region. The results showed that, between 2000 and 2020, grassland and unused land were the main land use types in the Qilian Mountains, accounting for more than 80% of the total area of land, and that the conversion these two land use type was the most obvious conversion. The area of forested and unused land decreased between 2000 and 2020, and the area of other land types increased in the Qilian Mountains due to the intensification of human activities and increased urbanization. From 2000 to 2020, carbon storage was significantly correlated with the distribution of land-use types and showed a spatial distribution of “low in the north-west and high in the south-east”. In addition, carbon storage increased by 44.26×104 t in the Qilian Mountains due to the appropriate geographic environment, the strengthening of vegetation protection, and the efforts of artificial management. the carbon storage in arable land, grassland, and waters increased by 73.1×104 t, while the carbon storage of forest land and unused land decreased by 28.8×104 t. The economic value of carbon storage in the Qilian Mountains from 2000 to 2020 increased from 2325.9×106 yuan to 3908.8×106 yuan, with an increment of 1582.9×106 yuan and a growth rate of 68.1%. In particular, the economic value of grassland carbon storage increased by 851.8×106 yuan over the 20-year period, a growth rate of 71.5%, which was the main driver of the increase in the economic value of carbon storage in the region. Carbon storage is increasing in the Qilian Mountains, and the relevant authorities should continue the previous management schemes while remaining alert to the impact of the climate change on carbon storage in the future. This study provides a scientific basis for setting regional targets for optimizing land use, promoting sustainable development and responding to global climate change.

Key words: land utilization, InVEST model, carbon storage, economic value of carbon storage, Qilian Mountains