Ecological effects analysis of land use change in coal mining area based on ecosystem service valuing: a case study in Jiawang

• Published in: Environmental earth sciences 2013-03, Vol.68 (6), p.1619-1630
• Main Authors: Bian, Zhengfu, Lu, Qingqing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied geophysics; Biogeosciences; Case studies; Coal; Coal mines; Coal mining; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Ecological effects; Ecological monitoring; Ecology; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental changes; Environmental impact; Environmental Science and Engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Exploitation; Geochemistry; Geology; Hydrology/Water Resources; Internal geophysics; Land pollution; Land use; Mining; Original Article; Pollution, environment geology; Regional; Remote sensing; Resource exploitation; Terrestrial Pollution; Water pollution
• ISSN: 1866-6280; 1866-6299
• DOI: 10.1007/s12665-012-1855-0

Land use change is one of the uppermost driving forces of regional ecosystem change, and has a huge impact on the environmental balance. Mining areas with intensive resources exploitation and utilization have undergone different kinds of environmental influences, such as water pollution and land use cover change. The extensive coal mining in China has led to significant regional land use change resulting in major ecological damage. The objective of this study was to form a clearer picture of the regional ecological environmental situation for promoting ecological protection and improvement by ecosystem service valuing. The case study area was selected at Jiawang town, which has undergone extensive coal mine exploitation for many decades. The study investigated the relationship between land use change and ecological environment, and described the ecosystem service value variations in Jiawang, based on remote sensing and GIS technology. After modification of regional ecosystem service value coefficients, the method was used to evaluate the conditions in the study area from 1990 to 2005 based on the land use/cover information interpreted from TM/ETM+ images. The characters and changes of ecosystem service values were then analyzed both quantitatively and spatially.