Homeostasis shift threshold in the relationship between grassland ecosystem quality and ecosystem services: a case study of the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone in Northern China.

Identifying homeostasis shift thresholds of the relationship between ecosystem quality (EQ) and ecosystem service (ES) is important for managing ecosystems to achieve sustainable development, especially for dryland ecosystems. The study was carried out on EQ-ES homeostasis shift thresholds in the grassland of Agro-Pastoral Ecotone in Northern China (APENC) to provide the scientific basis for ecological restoration. Homeostasis shift thresholds in the relationship between EQ and key ESs (WEP, wind erosion prevention; SC, soil conservation; WR, water retention) were identified by constraint lines. EQ-ES homeostasis shift drivers were quantitatively classified using GeoDetector. Thresholds-based ecological restoration areas were identified applying local spatial autocorrelation. The results showed that EQ-ES exhibited nonlinear homeostasis shifts, mostly manifested as the single-peak constraint from promotion of homeostasis to inhibition of homeostasis. Homeostasis shifts range for EQ-WEP, EQ-SC and EQ-WR was 200-400 g C·m, 400-600 g C·m, and 200-300 g C·m of NPP, respectively. NDVI was the dominant factor influencing EQ-ES homeostasis shifts. Meanwhile, the regional aggregation of EQ-ES homeostasis stages was obvious, and ecological restoration should be site-specific. The key to ecological restoration in the Inner Mongolian Plateau and the northern Loess Plateau lies in the selection of suitable biological species to establish the stable vegetation system. In the southern Loess Plateau, it is recommended to control NPP in 200-300 g C·m. In Horqin Sand Area, it should continue implementing ecological projects to achieve NPP in 200-400 g C·m.