Journal of Ecology and Rural Environment ›› 2020, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (9): 1115-1125.doi: 10.19741/j.issn.1673-4831.2019.0887

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Delimitation of Urban Growth Boundaries Based on Ecosystem Service Value: A Case Study of Hengyang Central Area

HUANG Fu-qiang1,2, WANG Zhi-yuan1,2, LIU Hui1,2, QI Zeng-xiang1,2, WU Xin-xin3   

  1. 1. School of Architecture of University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China;
    2. Key Laboratory for Ecological Region-Urban Environment Planning and Management of Hengyang City, Hengyang 421001, China;
    3. School of Geography and Planning of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
  • Received:2019-11-05 Online:2020-09-25 Published:2020-09-17

Abstract: An urban growth boundary policy is an important tool for integrating urban development and regional ecological protection plans. Incorporating the ecosystem service value of land into the urban planning process can help to implement the national strategy for ecological civilization in China. Previous delimitation mechanisms in studies of urban growth boundaries have rarely taken the ecosystem service value of land into account. Therefore, we designed a mechanism that combines an ecological security pattern (based on 2005-2015 data from ecosystem service value evaluations) with the future land use simulation (FLUS) model to delimitate the urban growth boundary in the Hengyang central area. It is found that: (1) the total ecosystem service values decreased from 2.571 billion yuan to 2.475 billion yuan from 2005 to 2015, the value of hydrological regulation and water supply service functions showed an upward trend, whereas the other ecosystem service values showed a downward trend; (2) 17 325.72 hm2 of urban rigid growth boundary is distributed along the Xiangjiang River and its tributaries, Zhengshui and Leishui, and has formed a "three corridors and three pieces" space structure; (3) the area of urban elastic growth boundary in 2030 is projected to be 20 238.57 hm2 and will be distributed as "one central area and multiple groups" with the ecological land in the study area more protected in 2030 than today; (4) an increase of 0.061 billion yuan in ecosystem service value indicates that given the limited development of the Hengyang central area, ecosystem service functions will help to maintain its regional ecosystem services and develop its regional ecological security. These results indicate that the delimiting mechanism used to study urban growth boundaries can scientifically evaluate the ecological cost of urban expansion and effectively resolve the contradiction between urban development and ecological protection. Thus, these findings provide a foundation for urban master planning, ecological protection planning, and national territory development planning.

Key words: urban growth boundary, ecosystem service value, ecological security pattern, FLUS model, Hengyang central area

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