Multi-scale analysis of ecosystem services trade-offs in an ecotone in the Eastern Margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Understanding the trade-offs among ecosystem services(ESs)at multiple scales is a key challenge to effective environmental management.However,the scale effect of ESs trade-offs in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)has received little attention.This study investigated the scale effects of ESs trade-offs in Bailongjiang Watershed(BLJW),a typical transitional ecotone from the Loess Plateau to the Tibetan Plateau with multiple ESs,intensive human activities and frequent geological disasters in the Eastern Margin of the QTP,China.Four key ESs including food supply(FS),soil conservation(SC),water conservation(WC),and habitat quality(HQ)in BLJW in 1990,2002,and 2016 were mapped to analyze the scale effects at the watershed,county,and township scales.The results indicated varying scale-related temporal and spatial relationships among FS,SC,WC,and HQ.The trade-offs between FS-SC and FS-WC initially increased and then decreased during 1990-2002 and 2002-2016,respectively,while the trade-offs between SC-WC,SC-HQ,HQ-WC,and HQ-FS first decreased and then increased at the same period.The magnitudes of the trade-offs among the four ESs are in the order of watershed scale>township scale>county scale.Among the major land-use types in BLJW,the trade-offs between WC-FS and between HQ-FS in farmland and grassland were higher than those of other land uses.There is a strong trade-off between SC-HQ in forestland and a weak trade-off between SC-WC in farmland and grassland.The trade-offs between the six ESs pairs varied and were scale-dependent mainly due to spatial heterogeneity in the landscape and in human activities.Understanding the ESs trade-offs at the watershed,county,and township scales provides a scientific basis for the formulation of environmental management strategies at appropriate spatial scales.At the BLJW watershed scale,more attention should be paid on farmland and grassland planning and its management,also,forestland should be enlarged if possible.At the county and township scales,land consolidation and planning should be paid more attention to develop ecological agricultural tourism and multi-functional landscapes for strategic spatial planning and integrated watershed management.