A theoretical framework for researching cultural ecosystem service flows in urban agglomerations

• A theoretical framework for the study of the CES flows was proposed.
• Framework is beneficial for multi-scale and cross-scale research on quantifying CES.
• Services flows can reveal the dynamic spatio-temporal characteristics of beneficiaries.
• The framework can enhance the application of research on CES in regional decision making.

Urban agglomerations are both a new combination of regional units in economic and social development and regions with a series of highly concentrated ecological, economic, and social problems. Studies with a single urban ecosystem as the research object cannot fundamentally solve regional ecological problems. Therefore, urban agglomerations have provided a new perspective for studying regional ecosystems and their services. The importance and usage of cultural ecosystem services increase with their supply and demand, which is the key to linking the ecosystem with human well-being. The recognition and evaluation of cultural ecosystem services in urban agglomerations have become an important element that affects coordinated protection and decision making in regional ecosystem management. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for the study of the cultural ecosystem service flows and analyzes the impacts of the ecosystem structure, stakeholders, and management policies on the supply of and demand for cultural ecosystem services in urban agglomerations. Through a discussion of the framework, this paper proposes that using the urban agglomerations ecosystem as a research object is beneficial for multi-scale and cross-scale research on quantifying cultural ecosystem services. Service flows can better reveal the dynamic spatio-temporal characteristics of beneficiaries in urban agglomerations, and combined with the research concerning human well-being, the framework can enhance the application of research on cultural ecosystem services in decision making for regional coordinated development.