Landscape pattern change in Beijing fringe area and its impact on the ecosystem services: a case study in Niulanshan-Mapo town

Cities in China have been continuously expanding in recent years. This process has been affected by the country’s rapid socio-economic development and urbanization,especially in large metropolises like Beijing. Because urban fringe areas are now undergoing rapid economic development,human activity has come to have a significant impact on landscape patterns and has led to changes in the ecosystem service function. For this reason,it is crucial to study the changes occurring in Beijing. The town of Niulanshan-Mapo is a representative of many urban fringe areas. It is located outside the sixth ring road,50 km from the urban center of Beijing. Considering the town’s important role in forming the Beijing fringe area,we undertook a case study of Niulanshan-Mapo. In this study,we investigated the changes in landscape patterns andecosystem service value in Niulanshan-Mapo town during 1992 and 2015. We analyzed and identified changes in the trends and dynamics driving the changes in landscape patterns and corresponding ecosystem service value under the background of rapid socio-economic development. The Fragstats 4.2 spatial analysis tool was used to establish the landscape pattern index,and SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the relationship between the landscape pattern index according to land use data from 1992,2001,and 2015. An ecosystem services equivalent factor table was constructed based on the actual grain production and price in Beijing. The results showed that the landscape pattern changed dramatically in Niulanshan-Mapo town. Fragmentation and heterogeneity were also greatly increased in this area. The dominant landscape types changed from farmland to built-up areas,and the ecosystem service value increased from 116.09 million yuan in 1992 to 149.92 million yuan in 2015. The forest ecosystem service value increased from 1109.67 million yuan in 1992 to 8940.98 million yuan in2015,accounting for the largest contribution to the increase in ecosystem service value of all landscape types. According to the analysis of the relationship between the landscape pattern index and ecological system,it was beneficial to increase the ecosystem service value through improving the largest patch index,patch density index,and diversity index. However,as the landscape pattern varied among different regions,the relationship of landscape pattern index and ecosystem service value also changed. Hence,it was essential to analyze the degree of influence of the ecosyst