Temporal–Spatial Variations in the Economic Value Produced by Environmental Flows in a Water Shortage Area in Northwest China
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
2.2. Temporal–Spatial Scale
2.3. Research Methods
2.3.1. Influencing Factors
- (1)
- Precipitation
- (2)
- River flow
- (3)
- Water quality
- (4)
- Water consumption
- (5)
- Ability to pay
- (6)
- Temporal–spatial variation coefficient
2.3.2. Temporal–Spatial Variation of the EV Produced by E-Flows
- (1)
- Basic sub-values
- (2)
- Temporal–spatial variation of sub-values
- (3)
- Temporal–spatial variation of the total and unit EVs produced by e-flows
2.3.3. Correlation and Regression Analysis
- (1)
- Correlation analysis
- (2)
- Multiple nonlinear regressions
2.4. Original Data
3. Results
3.1. Temporal–Spatial Variation Coefficient
3.2. Basic Sub-Values
3.3. Annual Variation
3.4. Monthly Variations
3.5. Comparison to Similar Studies
4. Discussions
4.1. Contribution of Influencing Factors tableDriving Temporal–Spatial Variations
4.1.1. Samples
4.1.2. Correlation Analysis
4.1.3. Unitary Regression Analysis
4.2. Results Analysis
4.3. Policy Recommendations
4.3.1. Prediction Model
4.3.2. Recommended Values
4.3.3. Recommendations
5. Conclusions
- (1)
- We proposed the EV composition of e-flows and established quantitative calculation methods for each sub-value using the assessment techniques of resource and environmental economics. Then, we selected the influencing factors and proposed the temporal–spatial variation coefficient. By combining the coefficient, we established the temporal–spatial calculation methods for the EV produced by e-flows. This method realized the dynamic calculation of the EV produced by e-flows;
- (2)
- In the Wei River, the annual variation range of the total EV was CNY 0.30–0.42 billion, and the unit EV was in the range of 0.86–6.40 CNY/m3. The monthly variation range of the total EV was CNY 0.04–0.08 billion, and the unit EV was 0.94–14.34 CNY/m3. The pattern of change of total and unit EVs was roughly the opposite. In the dry season, the total EV decreased, but the unit EV increased; in the wet season, the reverse occurred. Moreover, the deficiency of e-flows can lead to a significant increase in its unit EV;
- (3)
- Based on the contribution of the influencing factors driving temporal–spatial variations, we established a model to predict the unit EV produced by e-flows, which only required precipitation, river flow, and water quality data. According to the prediction results, our preliminary recommendations for the unit EVs for the Wei River were 4–10 CNY/m3 (Tuoshi–Linjiacun), 1–5 CNY/m3 (Linjiacun–Weijiabu), 1–3 CNY/m3 (Weijiabu–Xianyang), 1–2 CNY/m3 (Xianyang–Lintong), and 1–2 CNY/m3(Lingtong–Huaxian), respectively.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Sub-Values | Calculation Methods | Calculation Equations | Meanings | Equations Numbers |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hydrologic cycle | Market valuation method | VHC is the EV of the hydrologic cycle; W is the water amount of e-flows; and PW is the resident water price. | (16) | |
Sediment transport | Replacement cost method | VST is the EV of sediment transport; GST is the sediment transport quantity by e-flows; and PST is the cost of sediment removal using manpower. | (17) | |
Sustaining floodplain wetland ecosystem | Shadow project method | VFW is the EV of sustaining a floodplain wetland ecosystem; and VAW is the construction cost of an artificial wetland. | (18) | |
Nutrient transport | Replacement cost method | VNT is the EV of nutrient transport; cN is the nutrient concentration in e-flows; and PN is the organic fertilizer price. | (19) | |
Water purification | Replacement cost method | VWP is the EV of water purification; GCOD and GNH are the removal quantities of COD and NH3-N by e-flow purification methods, respectively; and PCOD and PNH are the treatment costs of COD and NH3-N, respectively. | (20) | |
Increasing soil organic matter content | Replacement cost method | VSO is the EV of increasing soil organic matter content; and GSO is the amount of organic fertilizer required for increasing soil organic matter content. | (21) | |
Fishery production | Market valuation method | VFP is the EV of fishery production; GF is the fish weight in the river; and PF is the fish price. | (22) | |
Recreation | Travel cost method | VRV is the EV of recreation; ZR is the number of tourists who consider the river as a destination for recreation; and PR is the average travel expense per tourist. | (23) | |
Improving the quality of human life | Hedonic price method | VLQ is the EV of improving the quality of human life; AH is the residential area within the influence range; and △PH is the increased residence price within the influence range. | (24) |
Sub-Values | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VB1 | vB1 | VB2 | vB2 | VB3 | vB3 | VB4 | vB4 | VB5 | vB5 | |
VHC | 36 | 0.228 | 36 | 0.190 | 39 | 0.155 | 14 | 0.037 | 14 | 0.022 |
VST | 3 | 0.019 | 2 | 0.011 | 1 | 0.004 | 8 | 0.021 | 18 | 0.029 |
VFW | 872 | 5.519 | 520 | 2.751 | 896 | 3.556 | 432 | 1.143 | 672 | 1.065 |
VNT | 0.06 | 0.0004 | 0.02 | 0.001 | 0.2 | 0.001 | 0.9 | 0.002 | 0.8 | 0.001 |
VWP | 32 | 0.203 | 41 | 0.217 | 107 | 0.425 | 174 | 0.460 | 269 | 0.426 |
VSO | 29 | 0.184 | 18 | 0.095 | 30 | 0.119 | 15 | 0.040 | 23 | 0.036 |
VFP | 2 | 0.013 | 1 | 0.005 | 4 | 0.016 | 0.7 | 0.002 | 3 | 0.005 |
VRV | 2 | 0.013 | 5 | 0.026 | 7 | 0.028 | 25 | 0.066 | 5 | 0.008 |
VLQ | 0 | 0 | 162 | 0.857 | 176 | 0.698 | 3.65 | 0.966 | 0 | 0 |
Data Sources | Area | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
This study | Wei River | 3.40 | 3.37 | 1.52 | 1.09 |
Xu [26] | Wei River | 5.53 | 2.50 | 1.76 | 1.16 |
Li et al. [48] | Wei River | 3.01 | 3.30 | 2.01 | 2.11 |
Pang et al. [49] | Yellow River | 1.16 | |||
Akter et al. [19] | Macquarie Marshes, Australia | 0.5–1.4 AUD/m3, equivalent to 2.3–6.4 CNY/m3 |
Unit EV | Precipitation | River Flow | Comprehensive Pollution Index | Water Consumption per Square Kilometer | GDP per Capita | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit EV | 1 | −0.229 ** | −0.437 ** | −0.315 ** | −0.029 | 0.144 * |
Precipitation | −0.229 ** | 1 | 0.379 ** | −0.158 ** | 0.177 * | −0.129 |
River flow | −0.437 ** | 0.379 ** | 1 | 0.108 * | 0.019 | −0.023 |
Comprehensive pollution index | −0.315 ** | −0.158 ** | 0.108 * | 1 | 0.091 | −0.352 ** |
Water consumption per square kilometer | −0.029 | 0.177 * | 0.019 | 0.091 | 1 | 0.046 |
GDP per capita | 0.144 * | −0.129 | −0.023 | −0.352 ** | 0.046 | 1 |
Sections | Section 1 | Section 2 | Section 3 | Section 4 | Section 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cross sections | Linjiacun | Weijiabu | Xianyang | Lintong | Huaxian |
Prediction unit EV | 4.54–10.22 | 1.34–4.50 | 1.15–2.94 | 0.91–2.04 | 0.88–2.19 |
Recommended unit EV | 4–10 | 1–5 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 |
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Yue, S.; Li, H.; Song, F. Temporal–Spatial Variations in the Economic Value Produced by Environmental Flows in a Water Shortage Area in Northwest China. Sustainability 2023, 15, 3645. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043645
Yue S, Li H, Song F. Temporal–Spatial Variations in the Economic Value Produced by Environmental Flows in a Water Shortage Area in Northwest China. Sustainability. 2023; 15(4):3645. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043645
Chicago/Turabian StyleYue, Siyu, Huaien Li, and Fengmin Song. 2023. "Temporal–Spatial Variations in the Economic Value Produced by Environmental Flows in a Water Shortage Area in Northwest China" Sustainability 15, no. 4: 3645. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043645