Interpreting Ecological Compensation from the Perspective of Ecosystem Service Flows

Ecosystem service flows, as the spatiotemporal link between service supply and beneficiary regions, are an important basis for policy formulation of ecological compensation and promotion of coordinated development across regions. This study assessed the supply and demand matching of 4 key ecosystem services in the Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020 and identified the surplus and deficit areas. Using the breakpoint and field strength model, this study further analyzed ecosystem service flow characteristics. An enhanced ecological compensation model based on ecosystem service flow was also developed to calculate the ecological compensation in the Yellow River Basin. Results showed that (a) spatial distribution of supply–demand relationships varied across the basin. Water yield and carbon sequestration services generally exhibited a surplus in the upper reaches and a deficit in the middle and lower reaches. (b) The evolution of ecosystem service flow showed distinct patterns among the 3 services during 2000–2020. Water yield flows mainly moved from upstream to downstream, while the output areas of carbon sequestration and habitat quality flows were widely distributed and tended to exchange with nearby regions. (c) In 2020, ecological compensation primarily flowed from mid and downstream to upstream, with compensation funds of 18.6 billion CNY. This study provides a valuable reference for developing ecological management strategies and policies.