The coupling and coordination of complex ecosystem based on the InVEST model- A case study in the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration

This paper measured the economic and social development of the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration by the exponential efficacy function model. Based on the InVEST model, the level of ecosystem services in the urban agglomeration was assessed and the coupling coordination model was used to analyze the coupling coordination of economic-social-ecological subsystems as well as the spatial and temporal variation characteristics. The results showed that: From 2000 to 2020, the development of economic and social subsystems of the Lanzhou-Xining urban agglomeration showed a typicaldouble core pattern, with insufficient development of the sub-centres of the urban agglomeration and a clear distribution of low-level counties. Water conservation, soil and water conservation, and carbon sequestration and oxygen release services were all on the increase and presented different spatial heterogeneity; The integrated ecosystem services showed a stepwise progression from northeast to southwest. The high values were concentrated in the three rivers source area and the low values were in Baiyin City. The economic-social-ecological subsystem was highly coupled, with a consistent overall evolutionary trend and close interaction. The coordination increased by 14.63%. The high-value areas were located in the built-up areas of cities and states, while low-value value areas were concentrated in the northeastern part of the urban agglomeration. In the coordination degree partitions, lag subsystems were different. © 2023 Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences. All rights reserved.