Abstract: Although high intensity coal development promotes the rapid economic development of coal resource-based cities, it also causes severe damage to regional ecosystem services. Exploring the coupling relationship between coal development intensity and ecosystem services and its driving mechanism is vital for the coordinated development of the economy and ecological environment of coal resource-based cities in China. In this study, Huainan City, a typical coal resource-based city, was chosen as the study area. The temporal change law and primary driving factors of the coupling degree between coal development intensity and ecosystem services in Huainan City from 2005 to 2018 were determined using the capacity coupling and grey correlation models, based on the construction of its coal development intensity index system and ecosystem services. The results show that, the intensity of coal development in Huainan gradually transited from the medium- to low-intensity development level, and the ecosystem service showed an "L-shaped" downward trend. The coupling degree between them increased continuously from 2005 to 2010, but showed a downward trend after 2011. The primary internal driving factors of the coupling relationship between coal development intensity and ecosystem services comprised the proportion of coal mining land subsidence area and food production services, and their correlation with the coupling degree was 0.728 4 and 0.583 1, respectively. The primary external driving factors of the coupling relationship between coal development intensity and ecosystem services were environmental governance level and coal industry dependence, and their correlation with the coupling degree was 0.949 2 and 0.848 3, respectively. This study provides a scientific basis for the coordinated development of coal development intensity and ecosystem services in coal resource-based cities.

Key words: coal development intensity, ecosystem service, coupling, driving factor, Huainan City