Environmental dependence of nonlinear relationships between fractional vegetation cover and ecosystem services based on the constraint line approach
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Afforestation is often portrayed as a panacea for ecosystem service (ES) degradation and climate change, yet it is criticized for overlooking potential risks,
highlighting the limited understanding of its effects across contexts. This study aimed to reveal the environmental dependence of nonlinear ES responses to fractional vegetation cover, in order to provide guidance for landscape management and decision-making. We quantified the spatiotemporal changes in FVC and three ESs, as well as the correlations between them, on the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2022, using various quantitative assessment models, the Mann– Kendall test, and Pearson correlation analysis. We further used constraint-line methods to identify nonlinear FVC– ES relationships and threshold effects across precipitation gradients and geomorphological types. FVC is strongly positively associated with carbon sequestration and soil retention (in >80% of the region), but shows a positive association with water yield in only 36.5% of the region. Plateau-wide FVC thresholds are substantially higher than those in arid and semi-arid zones and in plains.
Ignoring this discrepancy risks setting unrealistically high restoration targets in drylands. Precipitation exerts a much stronger control on FVC thresholds than geomorphology, and its marginal effect declines with increasing precipitation. These findings clarify how vegetation restoration affects ecosystem services and provide a
basis for ecological restoration strategies on the Loess Plateau and in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide.
highlighting the limited understanding of its effects across contexts. This study aimed to reveal the environmental dependence of nonlinear ES responses to fractional vegetation cover, in order to provide guidance for landscape management and decision-making. We quantified the spatiotemporal changes in FVC and three ESs, as well as the correlations between them, on the Loess Plateau from 2000 to 2022, using various quantitative assessment models, the Mann– Kendall test, and Pearson correlation analysis. We further used constraint-line methods to identify nonlinear FVC– ES relationships and threshold effects across precipitation gradients and geomorphological types. FVC is strongly positively associated with carbon sequestration and soil retention (in >80% of the region), but shows a positive association with water yield in only 36.5% of the region. Plateau-wide FVC thresholds are substantially higher than those in arid and semi-arid zones and in plains.
Ignoring this discrepancy risks setting unrealistically high restoration targets in drylands. Precipitation exerts a much stronger control on FVC thresholds than geomorphology, and its marginal effect declines with increasing precipitation. These findings clarify how vegetation restoration affects ecosystem services and provide a
basis for ecological restoration strategies on the Loess Plateau and in arid and semi-arid regions worldwide.
Date Acceptance
2026-06-08
Citation
Earth Systems and Environment
ISSN
2509-9426
Publisher
Springer
Journal / Book Title
Earth Systems and Environment
Copyright Statement
Copyright This paper is embargoed until publication. Once published the author’s accepted manuscript will be made available under a CC-BY License in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy).
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Publication Status
Accepted