The spatio-temporal interactions between rapid urbanization and multiple ecosystem services at the county scale in the Poyang Lake Basin

This study evaluated and compared the spatial and temporal interactions between the comprehensive urbanization level (CUL) and different ecosystem services (ESs) in the Poyang Lake Basin (PLB) using Pearson’s correlation analysis, the coupled coordination degree model, and the geographically and temporally weighted regression model with counties in the PLB as the unit of analysis. The results revealed that, from 2000 to 2020, the CUL at county level in PLB grew faster in general, and the spatial layout of each urbanization indicator was relatively similar. Habitat Quality (HQ), Water Purification (WP) and Water Yield (WY) all showed an increasing trend, while Carbon Storage (CS) and Soil Conservation (SC) all showed a decreasing trend, and there was a large difference in the spatial distribution of ESs. Except for WP, there is a significant negative correlation between urbanization indicators and ESs indicators, with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.84 to −0.22. The coupling coordination of PLB is gradually improving, but the overall level is not satisfactory, and most of the counties are in the state of incongruity. HQ has the highest negative interaction effect with CUL, and the main positive and negative interaction areas are located in the north-central region.