The functional assessment of agricultural ecosystems in Hubei Province, China

Located in Central China and the middle reaches of Yangtze River, Hubei Province is distributed in a transitional belt where physical conditions and landscapes are on the transition from north to south and from east to west. It is one of the regions possessing most energetic and greatest potential in both today and future socio-economic development in Central China. Well known as "a land of rice and fish", the region enjoys some of the favorable physical conditions, with a diversity of in natural resources and the suitability for growing various crops. According to analytic hierarchy process (AHP) the indicators' weights of the agricultural systems function system in Hubei Province are worked out. According to Multiple Hierarchies, Targets Fuzzy Comprehensive Measurement Model, Triangle Evaluation Model, the economic function, eco-environmental function and the social function in Hubei Province are all calculated, then the whole agricultural systems function is worked out and the regional differentiation regularity of agricultural systems function is summed up. It is considered that the difference of the agricultural systems function in each county in Hubei Province is great while the regional differentiation of agricultural systems function is regular. According to the difference seven agricultural systems function regions in Hubei Province (Wuhan-Ezhou-Huanggang (1), Northeast of Hubei (11), Southeast of Hubei (111), Jianghan (IV), North of Hubei (V), Northwest of Hubei (VI), and Southwest of Hubei (VII)) are distinguished, their function are identified and studied. Based on the analysis the problems of each of the regions are found out, solutions that can maximize integrated benefits economically, socially and ecologically by enhancing the management of ecosystems and optimizing systematic capability are sought out. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.