Revealing Spatial Patterns of Cultural Ecosystem Services in Four Agricultural Landscapes: A Case Study from Hangzhou, China

Agricultural landscapes in Hangzhou, China, exhibit distinct spatial patterns of cultural ecosystem services (CES), with river valley plains serving as hotspots that are particularly vulnerable to urbanization. Research reveals that paddy fields and dry farmlands provide higher CES compared to tea gardens and orchards. By integrating multi-sourced datasets, clustering algorithms, and the Maxent model, the study identified four groups of agricultural lands based on their CES significance, use, and potential, offering insights into societal preferences shaped by both natural and human factors. These findings provide a strategic basis for stakeholders to balance land protection and urban development in UNESCO-listed cultural landscapes like Hangzhou's West Lake.

He, S., Hu, C., Li, J., Wu, J., Xu, Q., Lin, L., Zhu, C., Li, Y., Zhou, M., & Zhu, L. (2022). Revealing Spatial Patterns of Cultural Ecosystem Services in Four Agricultural Landscapes: A Case Study from Hangzhou, China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159269