Evaluation and classification of landscape functions: A case of Pengyang County on the Loess Plateau

•Different landscape functions had no inconsistent changes over time in Pengyang County.•The relationship between carbon sequestration and water yield functions changed over time.•DEM and economic development were the main factors affecting the distribution of landscape functions.•According to the number and boundary of landscape functions, the landscape function zoning of Pengyang was proposed. The multi-functional classification of landscape and the division of ecological development areas will provide an important reference for regional environmental development. Pengyang County in the multi-basin of the loess hilly region was taken as a research area. InVEST model, RUSLE model and landscape identification methods were used to estimate the crop production (CP), habitat quality (HQ), carbon sequestration (CS), water yield (WY) and soil conservation (SC) functions. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was used to discuss the trade-off and synergy among multifunctionality. Geographically weighted regression models and principal component analysis were used to analyze the drivers of landscape functions. Integrated landscape spatial distribution, relationships, and spatial overlay were used for ecological zoning. Results showed that the CP function in the south of Pengyang County was significant, the CS function in the north was prominent, and the HQ function in the marginal areas was strong. The WY function in the south was higher than that in the north, and the SC function had the opposite trend. A synergistic relationship was found among CP and CS, WY, while HQ and WY, CS, CP were trade-off relationships. The DEM, slope, economic development and urbanization were the main factors that lead to differences in the distribution of landscape functions. Based on the number of landscape functions and the boundaries of administrative areas, Pengyang was divided into three ecological development zones, and the dominant functions of the three areas were HQ + SC, WY + CS, and WY + HQ, respectively.