Assessment method of watershed ecological asset value in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River: A case study of the Xin'an River Basin

This paper is the result of environmental geological survey engineering.

Objective The objective of this research endeavor is to evaluate the ecological asset value, thereby facilitating an enhanced comprehension of the foundational aspects of regional ecological resources. By furnishing a scientific foundation for the establishment of comprehensive natural resource management systems and the effective implementation of ecological compensation policies, this study assumes a pivotal role in promoting the realization of the value of ecological products.

Methods This study presented a comprehensive approach for assessing the value of ecological assets. The methodology encompasses the integration of diverse data sources such as land use, remote sensing imagery, meteorology, geochemistry, and socio−economic indicators. Through this integrated framework, evaluations were performed to determine the stock, quality, and value of ecological assets. Furthermore, geographical detector tool was employed to investigate the spatially varying factors that influence the values of ecosystem services.

Results The ecological asset quality in the Xin'an River Basin is primarily in the good and moderate levels, accounting for 80.96% and 10.25%, respectively. The comprehensive index of ecological asset stock in the Xin'an River Basin in 2020 is 0.77. Wetland, forest land, and cultivated land occupy prominent positions. The value of ecosystem service is estimated at 133.448 billion yuan, with forests and water resources having the highest proportion Slope, elevation, and annual precipitation are the main driving factors of spatial differentiation in the value of ecosystem services.

Conclusions Xin'an River Basin has a high ecological asset value. Forests and water resources are the main carriers of ecosystem services in the basin. The impact of natural endowments on the spatial differentiation of ecosystem service values is greater than that of socio−economic factors.