Spatial differentiation characteristics and driving factors of agricultural eco-efficiency in Chinese provinces from the perspective of ecosystem services

Farmland ecosystem service is an important output of agricultural production, but it has been incompletely reflected in current studies on eco-efficiency. In this study, the value improved farmland services used as one expected outputs. The data envelopment method to evaluate eco-efficiency (AEE) 31 provincial administrative regions China from 2006 2018. spatial autocorrelation explore characteristics AEE China. Geographical detector model (Geodetector) adopted detect driving factors differentiation China’s trend 2018 was downward with efficiency decreasing 1.023 0.995. level average 1.004. distribution pattern represented space following order: eastern region > western northeast central region. gap among provinces largest, and that smallest. correlation presents random characteristics. During research period, low–high (LH) response area centered Yunnan Province. low–low (LL) concentration Inner Mongolia autonomous Liaoning high–low (HL) diffusion effect agglomeration Heilongjiang Energy input, water resource carbon emission are core drivers Water pesticide input labor significant control eastern, central,