Spatio-temporal Changes of Ecosystem Service Multi-functional Areas and Their Influencing Factors: A Case Study of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Shelter

Ecological functional zoning (EFZ) is a crucial component of ecosystem management and the implementation of EFZ based on ecosystem service bundles plays an important role in ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems. This study employed InVEST, RUSLE and CASA models to evaluate water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), net primary productivity (NPP) and habitat quality (HQ) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ecological shelter (QPES). At the county scale, three multi-functional zones of ecosystem services (ESs) were defined on the dominant ES types in the research area: the ecological regulating multi-functional zone (E1), ecological supply multi-functional zone (E2) and ecological supporting multi-functional zone (E3). Then, the spatio-temporal changes and influencing factors for these multi-functional ESs zones were analyzed. The findings indicate that: (1) Compared with 2000, WY and SC decreased, and NPP and HQ increased in 2015. (2) The spatio-temporal changes in the QPES multi-functional ES zones primarily involved conversions between E1 and E3. (3) Precipitation emerged as the most significant factor influencing the spatial pattern formation of multi-functional areas in the QPES, while population density exerted the most pronounced impact on growth. The interplay between socio-economic and natural factors strengthened the inter-conversion of multi-functional areas. These results offer valuable insights for effectively managing the multi-functional attributes of land in the QPES and enhancing the overall functionality of its land space.