Changes of ecosystem services value of Hangzhou Bay Coastal Wetland

Wetland ecosystems have important ecological functions such as storing flooding waters, protecting shorelines, adjusting climate, and providing habitats for fish and wildlife. Evaluation on service value of wetlands ecosystems is a hot research topic in ecology. Hangzhou Bay, as a typical coastal wetland in China, was selected as a case for this research. In order to scientifically evaluate the value and change characteristics of Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland ecosystem services, a wetland ecosystem assessment system was constructed. The ecosystem services were divided into four main categories, namely, provision, regulating, supporting and cultural services. The above four categories were further subdivided into 12 subcategories. Based on the remote sensing data and social statistics data, combined with ecological and economic methods, ecosystem services were analyzed. The results showed that the total value of ecosystem services for Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 was 413.01×108, 261.25×108, 259.52×108, and 224.30×108 RMB respectively, showing a decreasing trend. The main service category of Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland was the regulating service, the value of which accounting for more than 60.00 per cent of the total ecosystem service value. The main functions of Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland were climate regulation, water purification and soil conservation, the values of which accounting for more than 80 per cent of the total ecosystem service value. Over-reclamation and urban construction reduced wetland area, resulting in the decreasing ecosystem values. This study quantitatively evaluated the service value of Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland between 2000 and 2015. It is suggested that the study should be taken as a guide to strengthen the ecological protection of the existing resources of Hangzhou Bay coastal wetland.