Ecosystem Services Trade-Offs and Synergies following Vegetation Restoration on the Loess Plateau of China

The Loess Plateau (LP) is a heavily soil-eroded area. Since the year 1999, Chinese government has carried out “Grain for Green Project (GGP)” that focused on increasing regional vegetation coverage. Understanding temporal and spatial variation of ecosystem services synergy in LP important prospective re-vegetation watershed administration. Therefore, three typical watersheds were selected: Huangfuchuan, Dalihe, Yanhe. changes carbon storage (CS), soil conservation (SC), water yield (WY) analyzed by InVEST model from 2000 to 2020. Correlation analysis root mean square deviation (RMSD) used investigate compare trade-offs different (ESs). results showed ES Yanhe overall developed positive direction, increased north south. CS SC correlation watersheds; however, there negative correlations between WY WY. From 2020, among CS, SC, study area descending order Yanhe, Huangfuchuan watersheds, while comprehensive benefits opposite order. provided an essential basis high-quality development ecological environment preservation Yellow River basin.