Liu Luyao, Shi Yungui, Meng Qun
School of Public Administration, Green Development and Borderland Governance Research Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics Department, School of Public Administration, Hangzhou, China.
Front Public Health. 2025 Apr 22;13:1579775. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1579775. eCollection 2025.
The spatial distribution of border regions highly overlaps with key ecological function zones and economically underdeveloped areas, making the coordination between urbanization and ecosystem service value (ESV) crucial.
Taking China's western border counties as a case study, this study explores the spatiotemporal variation characteristics of ESV, urbanization levels, and their coupling coordination relationship. By applying the Obstacle Degree Model and the geodetector analysis, we identify the factors that obstruct and drive the coordinated development of the ESV-urbanization coupling system from both internal and external perspectives.
(1) From 2000 to 2020, ESV in China's western border counties declined gradually, while the urbanization increased with significant spatial imbalances in development. (2) In most border counties, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) of ESV and urbanization was either mildly or severely unbalanced, and a growing number of counties experienced lagging ESV. In particular, some counties exhibited synchronous declines in both ESV and urbanization, posing a significant threat to regional sustainable development. (3) The main obstacle factors of CCD include social security, industrial structure and ecological regulation functions, while the primary driving factors are precipitation, temperature, and net primary productivity (NPP). (4) The interaction of tourism, stable ecological areas and government actions with other factors significantly enhances the driving effect on CCD in border counties.
This study provides policy recommendations and a practical basis for promoting synergistic development between ESV and urbanization in China's western border counties and other similar border regions.
边境地区的空间分布与关键生态功能区和经济欠发达地区高度重叠，这使得城市化与生态系统服务价值（ESV）之间的协调至关重要。
本研究以中国西部边境县为例，探讨了ESV、城市化水平的时空变化特征及其耦合协调关系。通过应用障碍度模型和地理探测器分析，我们从内部和外部两个角度识别了阻碍和推动ESV - 城市化耦合系统协调发展的因素。
（1）2000年至2020年，中国西部边境县的ESV逐渐下降，而城市化水平上升，且发展存在显著的空间不平衡。（2）在大多数边境县，ESV与城市化的耦合协调度（CCD）处于轻度或严重失衡状态，且越来越多的县ESV滞后。特别是，一些县的ESV和城市化同步下降，对区域可持续发展构成重大威胁。（3）CCD的主要障碍因素包括社会保障、产业结构和生态调节功能，而主要驱动因素是降水、温度和净初级生产力（NPP）。（4）旅游业、稳定生态区和政府行动与其他因素的相互作用显著增强了对边境县CCD的驱动效应。
本研究为促进中国西部边境县及其他类似边境地区ESV与城市化的协同发展提供了政策建议和实践依据。
