Analysis of Ecosystem Service Value Trends and Drivers in the Yellow River Delta, China

Ecosystem service value (ESV) reflects ecosystem functions and benefits; however, the factors influencing ESV and the mechanisms driving it in wetlands and non-wetlands are not yet fully understood. The Yellow River Delta (YRD) is distinguished by the presence of numerous wetland areas that are both Reserve and non-Reserve and thus it was selected as the designated study area. In this study, the spatiotemporal structures of ESV in the YRD between 2000 and 2020 were studied using land cover change analysis and the equivalent factor methodology. In addition, we analyzed the drivers behind the geographical variability in ESV by applying the Geographical Detector method. The results showed that the land structure of the YRD National Nature Reserve was relatively stable, whereas the non-Reserve area exhibited greater fluctuations; that is, wetlands in the YRD non-Reserve area decreased by 11.43% compared with the more stable land structure in Reserve areas, where wetland decreased by 4.93%. Furthermore, disparities in the distribution of land use types gave rise to a discernible spatial distribution of overall ESV, with the northeast exhibiting significantly higher ESV levels compared to the southwest. Additionally, in the past two decades, the center of gravity of the ESV in both regions has shifted towards urban centers, and wetlands have migrated towards the coastline. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was identified as the main driver of ESV heterogeneity. The findings of this study are highly relevant to regional ecological conservation and the promotion of economic and social development.