The influence of climate change and human activities on ecosystem service value

•Evaluating change in ecosystem service value using remote sensing and GIS technology.•This study revealed the influence of climate change on ecosystem service value.•This study quantitatively differentiated the influence of climate change and human activities on ecosystem service value.

In an effort to better understand the influence of climate change and human activities on ecosystem services, we evaluated change in ecosystem service value (organic matter generation, nutrient accumulation, CO2 fixation, release of O2, water volume adjustment, water purification, soil fertility protection, and soil fixation) of the Xilin Gol League grassland of Inner Mongolia from 1989 to 2011 using remote sensing and GIS technology. We analyzed the correlation between ecosystem service value and air temperature, and precipitation and then quantitatively differentiated the influence of climate change and human activities on ecosystem service value. The ecosystem service value of 33% of the study area was reduced by climate change over the study period. Pixel analysis of climate change and human activities revealed that the ecosystem service value of 2% of the area with increased ecosystem service value was jointly increased by climate change and human activities. In 9% of the study area, the increasing trend of ecosystem service value caused by climate change prevailed over the declining trend of ecosystem service value caused by human activities. In 2% of the whole area, the declining trend of ecosystem service value caused by climate change was weaker than the increasing trend of ecosystem service value caused by human activities. Thus, the ecosystem service value of 26% of the studied area was jointly reduced by climate change and human activities. This research provided evidence of the different influences that climate change and human activities have on ecosystem service value.