Quantifying the supply-demand relationship of ecosystem services to identify ecological management zoning: A case study in mountainous areas of northwest Yunnan, China

Establishing ecological management zones based on the supply-demand relationship of ecosystem services (ESs) is essential for fostering sustainable development within social-ecological systems and improving human well-being. In this study, the spatial pattern between supply and demand in five ESs (grain production (GP), carbon sequestration (CS), soil conservation (SC), water conservation (WC), and habitat quality (HQ)) is analyzed using the ESs supply-demand ratio (ESDR) method, the spatial autocorrelation method, and the coupled coordination degree model. Zoning is performed according to the differences in their spatial combinations, and differential zoning management policies are proposed. The following results were obtained: (1) In terms of the ESDR, except for a slight increase in GP surplus from 2010 to 2020, there is a decline in the surplus of the other four ESs. (2) CS, WC, and HQ are dominated by cluster types LH and HL. GP and SC are dominated by cluster types HH and LL. The average value of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of comprehensive ESs supply and demand show five types: moderate disharmony, slight disharmony, near disharmony, basic coordination, and slight coordination. (3) Based on the multiple spatial heterogeneity of ESs supply and demand, differentiated ecological management strategies are proposed at the grid scale. Overall, this study discover the spatial pattern of mismatch between the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) in mountainous urban areas. This contribution enhances the discourse surrounding sustainable development theory and advances research on the coupling of social-ecological systems. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights for the formulation of sustainable ecological management policies tailored to mountainous urban settings.