Temporal Dynamics of Ecosystem Service Value in Qinghai Province (2000–2018): Trends, Drivers, and Implications

Ecosystem service value (ESV) represents the benefits that people obtain directly or indirectly from ecosystems. Based on the land use/land cover (LULC) data of Qinghai Province in 2000, 2010, and 2018, combined with the equivalent factor method, land use dynamic degree, land use transition matrix, and coefficient of sensitivity (CS), the ESV of Qinghai Province is calculated. This study found that ESV in Qinghai Province exhibited significant variations. It has increased from CNY 750.77 billion to CNY 772.4 billion from 2000 to 2018. The results show that grassland and unused land are the main land use types, with a total coverage of more than 88% in the study area. The land use dynamic degree result demonstrates that the dynamic degree of built-up land is the highest. The CS analysis found that the CSs of the ESV of each land use type in Qinghai Province were less than 1 during 3 periods, 2000–2010, 2010–2018, and 2000–2018, indicating that the ESV in the area lacks elasticity and the result is reliable. This study can provide scientific support for the sustainable development of ecosystems and land use planning in Qinghai Province under global climate change.