An Information System for Comprehensive Evaluation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Value: Design and Case Application
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Requirements Analysis
2.1. Unified Technical Framework
2.2. Data Update
2.3. Visualization of Assessment Results
3. System Design
3.1. System Design Rules
3.2. System Technical Route
3.3. System Framework Design
3.4. Integrated Assessment Indicator System
3.5. Database Design
3.6. Deployment Architecture Design
4. System Implementation
4.1. Data Integration and Accessioning
4.2. Integrated Assessment Methodology
5. Results and Discussion
- (1)
- A unified technical framework. The system unifies the natural attributes of ecosystems, the optimal allocation of natural resources, the efficiency of natural resources, and the value of ecological products, and combines the requirements of natural resources and ecological environment refinement management with the principle “physical quantity before value quantity, stock before flow, and classification before synthesis.” Based on the existing ecosystem service value assessment system, the system integrates and sorts all indicators of natural resources and ecosystem service values to form a set of technical frameworks covering governance and supervision, thereby resolving the issue of inconsistent data collection, processing, and assessment standards.
- (2)
- Improving monitoring and supervision. The system uses modern data gathering technologies such as collection vehicles, drones, satellite remote sensing, and observation stations, integrates monitoring data from multiple natural resources departments, and creates an integrated operating environment for provinces, cities, and counties. The system accelerates the rapid aggregation of natural resources business data in the province and realizes the monitoring and supervision of natural resources and ecosystem services work in the province. The system also provides a single and standardized technological framework for cities, counties, and districts, and aids natural resources departments in Shaanxi Province in the remittance of various inventory and accounting results, thereby lowering the cost issue associated with updating and exchanging information in the databases of various natural resources departments.
- (3)
- Supporting decision making. There is a combination of assessment results and features such as line graph visualization, pie chart visualization, scatter chart visualization, radar chart visualization, bar graph visualization, geospatial visualization, etc. Moreover, the multi-directional integrated display and the provision of graphic download, data view, data reset, and other functions provide a timely, scientific, and accurate basis for natural resources supervision, which realize the change of natural resources and ecosystem management from local experience-based and fuzzy presumption to massive data-based and accurate analysis. And thus, the reliability of decision making has been improved with the higher level of informatization of natural resources and ecosystem management.
6. Conclusions
- (1)
- Several of the indicator items of ecosystem service value in the indicator system are exploratory and contentious and can be upgraded in the future based on relevant research results and China’s national circumstances.
- (2)
- The system is based on the natural resources department of Shaanxi Province, and in the future, it will vertically connect the natural resources departments at provincial, municipal, and district and county levels into four natural resources departments at the ministry, provincial, municipal, and district and county levels, and will horizontally connect to agricultural and rural departments, ecological and environmental departments, water conservancy departments, etc., to further improve the level of data interconnection.
- (3)
- With reform, China’s departments of natural resources are assuming new functions and businesses. The business coverage of the current system is insufficient; therefore, it is necessary to expand the business coverage of natural resources informatization, continue to establish a unified natural resources database, enhance the efficiency of natural resources management, and strive to integrate natural resources government services.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Shen, L.; Zhang, H.; Zhong, S.; Hu, S. Strategic thinking on China’s natural resource security in the new era. J. Nat. Resour. 2018, 33, 721–734. [Google Scholar]
- Shen, L.; Zhong, S.; Hu, S. Opportunities and Challenges of Natural Resources Research in China in the New Era. J. Nat. Resour. 2020, 35, 1773–1788. [Google Scholar]
- Shogren, J.F. Encyclopedia of Energy, Natural Resource, and Environmental Economics; Elsevier Inc.: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2014; Volume 51, p. 51. [Google Scholar]
- Costanza, R.; D’Arge, R.; de Groot, R.; Farber, S.; Grasso, M.; Hannon, B.; Limburg, K.; Naeem, S.; O’Neill, R.V.; Paruelo, J.; et al. The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. Ecol. Econ. 1998, 25, 3–15. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- de Groot, R.; Brander, L.; van der Ploeg, S.; Costanza, R.; Bernard, F.; Braat, L.; Christie, M.; Crossman, N.; Ghermandi, A.; Hein, L.; et al. Global estimates of the value of ecosystems and their services in monetary units. Ecosyst. Serv. 2012, 1, 50–61. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Corvalán, C.; Hales, S.; McMichael, A.J.; World, H.O.; Millennium, E.A.P. Ecosystems and Human Well-Being: Health Synthesis; World Health Organization: Geneva, Switzerland, 2005; p. 137. [Google Scholar]
- E-Government Survey. 2022. Available online: https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/ (accessed on 20 November 2022).
- Leiva-Brondo, M.; Lajara-Camilleri, N.; Vidal-Meló, A.; Atarés, A.; Lull, C. Spanish University Students’ Awareness and Perception of Sustainable Development Goals and Sustainability Literacy. Sustainability 2022, 14, 4552. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sustainable Development Goals: 17 Goals to Transform Our World. Available online: https://www.un.org/zh/documents/treaty/A-RES-70-1 (accessed on 10 November 2022).
- Shen, L.; Zheng, X.Q.; Tao, J.G. Application Technology Framework and Disciplinary Frontier Progress of Natural Resources Big Data. J. Geo-Inf. Sci. 2021, 23, 1351–1361. [Google Scholar]
- Chen, B.; Cui, B.; Ding, X. Integration of natural resources government service system and data fusion construction: Taking Nanjing as an example. Bull. Surv. Mapp. 2020, 12, 75–78. [Google Scholar]
- Yang, J.Y.; Fan, D.; Huang, G.P. Construction of spatio-temporal big data platform in natural resource management. Bull. Surv. Mapp. 2020, 1, 124–127. [Google Scholar]
- Carvalho, E.S.; Teixeira, J.C. An Application Model for Visualization of Natural Resources Management; UNION Agency: New York, NY, USA, 2001; pp. 1–8. [Google Scholar]
- Twery, M.J.; Knopp, P.D.; Thomasma, S.A.; Rauscher, H.M.; Nute, D.E.; Potter, W.D.; Maier, F.; Wang, J.; Dass, M.; Uchiyama, H.; et al. NED-2: A decision support system for integrated forest ecosystem management. Comput. Electron. Agric. 2005, 49, 24–43. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Wang, S.Y.; Xue, H.R.; Jiang, X.H.; Zhou, Y.Q.; Duan, X.D.; Bai, M.Y. Construction of Information Management System of Steppe-watershed Multiple Water Resources Based on Big Data; Association for Computing Machinery: New York, NY, USA, 2018; pp. 78–81. [Google Scholar]
- Baroni, G.; Drastig, K.; Lichtenfeld, A.U.; Jost, L.; Claas, P. Assessment of Irrigation Scheduling Systems in Germany: Survey of the Users and Comparative Study. Irrig. Drain. 2019, 68, 520–530. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Jiang, W.B. In-depth study of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important ideas on network strength and comprehensive implementation of the Ministry of Natural Resources’ overall program of information construction. Land Resour. Inf. 2020, 2020, 3–6. [Google Scholar]
- General Program of Informatization Construction of Ministry of Natural Resources. Available online: http://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/2019-11/22/content_5454560.htm (accessed on 16 November 2022).
- Deng, X.L.; Yu, Y.J.; Mao, J.Y.; Wei, D.W. Study on the Application of Big Data Technology for the Exit Audit of Natural Resources Assets of Leading Cadres. Audit. Res. 2020, 2020, 19–29. [Google Scholar]
- Xue, X.J.; Li, Y.C.; Wang, E.Q.; Si, J.Z.; Zhao, L.X. The construction of “one map” of national land resources in the era of big data. Beijing Mapp. 2019, 33, 1297–1301. [Google Scholar]
- Lin, S.Z.; Liang, M.F.; Xie, P.; Ren, Y. Design and Implementation of Natural Resource Asset Management Information System. Land Resour. Inf. 2021, 2020, 43–48. [Google Scholar]
- Zhou, G.X.; Wan, B.L. Tri-level research of natural resources data. Bull. Surv. Mapp. 2019, 2020, 114–117. [Google Scholar]
- Yuan, Z.; Wan, R. A review on the methods of ecosystem service assessment. Ecol. Sci. 2019, 38, 210–219. [Google Scholar]
- Li, L.; Wang, X.; Luo, L.; Ji, X.; Zhao, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Nabil, B. A systematic review on the methods of ecosystem services value assessment. Chin. J. Ecol. 2018, 37, 1233–1245. [Google Scholar]
- Deng, C.; Liu, J.; Li, Z.; Xiao, H.; Nie, X.; Zhang, Y.; Zhou, M. Review and Analysis of Ecosystem Services Research between Domestic and Foreign in Recent 20 Years. Ecol. Environ. Sci. 2019, 28, 2119–2128. [Google Scholar]
- Guo, C.; Xu, X.; Shu, Q. A review on the assessment methods of supply and demand of ecosystem services. Chin. J. Ecol. 2020, 39, 2086–2096. [Google Scholar]
- O’Donnell, J. SASS (Syntactically Awesome Style Sheets). J. Comput. Sci. Coll. 2019, 34, 101–102. [Google Scholar]
- Sass: CSS with Superpowers. Available online: https://sass-lang.com/ (accessed on 29 November 2022).
- Amo, D.; Cea, S.; Jimenez, N.M.; Gómez, P.; Fonseca, D. A Privacy-Oriented Local Web Learning Analytics JavaScript Library with a Configurable Schema to Analyze Any Edtech Log: Moodle’s Case Study. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5085. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Vue: The Progressive JavaScript Framework. Available online: https://vuejs.org/ (accessed on 29 November 2022).
- Li, D.; Mei, H.; Shen, Y.; Su, S.; Zhang, W.; Wang, J.; Zu, M.; Chen, W. ECharts: A declarative framework for rapid construction of web-based visualization. Vis Inf. 2018, 2, 136–146. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Apache ECharts: An Open-Source JavaScript Visualization Library. Available online: https://echarts.apache.org/en/index.html (accessed on 29 November 2022).
- MySQL HeatWave—One MySQL Database Service for OLTP, OLAP, and ML. Available online: https://www.mysql.com/ (accessed on 29 November 2022).
- Express: Fast, Unopinionated, Minimalist Web Framework for Node.js. Available online: http://expressjs.com/ (accessed on 29 November 2022).
- Tilkov, S.; Vinoski, S. Node.js: Using JavaScript to Build High-Performance Network Programs. IEEE Internet Comput. 2010, 14, 80–83. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Peng, Z.; Wu, H.; Ding, M.; Li, M.; Huang, X.; Zheng, R.; Xu, L. Ecological Compensation Standard of a Water-Receiving Area in an Inter-Basin Water Diversion Based on Ecosystem Service Value and Public Willingness: A Case Study of Beijing. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5236. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Xiong, H.H.; Li, Y.; He, J.L. Construction and Application of the Evaluation System of Natural Resources Asset Accountability Audit of Officials: A Case Study of Jiangxi, China. Sustainability 2022, 14, 528. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kong, H.X.; Shen, L.; Zhong, S.; Cao, Z. Research Progress and Controversial Issues on Natural Resource Accounting. J. Nat. Resour. 2016, 31, 363–376. [Google Scholar]
- Li, Y. The Road to China’s Dual Economic Transformation; Renmin University of China Press: Beijing, China, 2013; p. 329. [Google Scholar]
- Li, J. Resource Accounting Theory; Ocean Press: Beijing, China, 1991; p. 328. [Google Scholar]
- Peng, W. Research on Environmental Value Accounting Methods and Applications; Zhejiang University of Commerce and Industry: Zhejiang, China, 2013. [Google Scholar]
- Dang, A.N.; Jackson, B.M.; Benavidez, R.; Tomscha, S.A. Review of ecosystem service assessments: Pathways for policy integration in Southeast Asia. Ecosyst. Serv. 2021, 49, 101266. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Ouyang, Z.; Zhu, C.; Yang, G.; Xu, W.; Zheng, H.; Zhang, Y.; Xiao, Y. Accounting for Gross Ecosystem Product: Concepts, Accounting Methods and Case Studies. J. Ecol. 2013, 33, 6747–6761. [Google Scholar]
- Xie, G.; Zhang, C.; Zhang, L.M.; Chen, W.; Li, S. Metodologi yang lebih baik untuk valorisasi jasa ekosistem berdasarkan faktor ekuivalensi nilai unit area. J. Sumber Daya Alam 2015, 30, 1243–1254. [Google Scholar]
- Cheng, Z.; Wang, Z.; Ding, H. Design and Implementation of Chinese Forestry Statistical Data Visualization System. World For. Res. 2019, 32, 85–90. [Google Scholar]
- Liu, W.; Cheng, G.; Li, P.; Yu, X. Construction and application analysis of visualization monitoring platform for exhaust emission data based on PyEcharts. Mod. Manuf. Eng. 2021, 2021, 46–50. [Google Scholar]
- Wang, H.P.; Wang, C. Design and implementation of a real-time monitoring system for chart sales based on data visualization. Navig. Us 2021, 2021, 55–57. [Google Scholar]
- Ciolofan, S.N.; Mocanu, M.; Ionita, A. Cyberinfrastructure architecture to support decision taking in natural resources management. In Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Control Systems and Computer Science (CSCS 2013), Bucharest, Romania, 29–31 May 2013; pp. 617–623. [Google Scholar]
- Qiang, J.; Dai, S. Data Visualization and Interactive System Facing Educational Practice. J. Syst. Simul. 2016, 28, 2101–2108. [Google Scholar]
- Zhang, W.; Bian, C.; Li, H.; Li, F. Visual analysis framework design of geographical event based on JavaScript. Eng. Surv. Mapp. 2016, 25, 41–45. [Google Scholar]
Tier 1 Indicators | Tier 2 Indicators |
---|---|
Value of water resources | Value of water resources assets |
Value of land resources | Value of land resource assets |
Value of forest resources | Value of forest resources assets |
Value of energy and mineral resources | Value of energy and mineral resources assets |
Value of ecological products supply | Value of agricultural products supply |
Value of forestry products supply | |
Value of livestock products supply | |
Value of fishery products supply | |
Value of biomass energy supply | |
Value of water supply | |
Value of ecological regulation services | Water conservation value |
Soil conservation value | |
Flood regulation and storage value | |
Value of wind protection and sand fixation | |
Carbon sequestration and oxygen release value | |
Atmospheric purification value | |
Value of water purification | |
Value of climate regulation | |
Value of pest control | |
Value of ecological and cultural services | Value of natural landscape |
Value of sightseeing agricultural landscape | |
Value of urban green space landscape |
Data Name | Data Type | Data Source | Data Pre-Processing Method |
---|---|---|---|
Mineral resources reserve data | Statistical data | Statistical Yearbook of Shaanxi Province, Statistical Yearbook of cities at Prefecture level and Local Natural Resources Bureau | Data comparison and screening |
Forest area and forest coverage data | Statistical data | The Ninth National Forest Resources inventory and Statistical Yearbook of cities at all prefecture levels | Data comparison and screening |
Water resources reserve data | Statistical data | Statistical Yearbook of Shaanxi Province, Statistical Yearbook of cities at Prefecture level and Local Natural Resources Bureau | Data comparison and screening |
Ecological product output data | Statistical data | Statistical Yearbook of Shaanxi Province | Calculation of potential biomass energy |
Net income data of natural resources development and utilization industry | Statistical data | Statistical Yearbook of Shaanxi Province and input–output Table of Shaanxi Province | The added value of each industry is determined according to the statistical yearbook data, and the proportion of net income in the added value is determined based on the input–output table, so as to calculate the net income of natural resources development and utilization industry. |
Land use and ecosystem type data | Raster data | Resource and Environmental Science and data Center: remote Sensing Monitoring data of Land use in China | Use GIS to vectorize raster data and determine ecosystem types according to land use types. |
Rainfall data | Vector data | National Meteorological Science data Center | The GIS kriging interpolation tool is used to interpolate according to the data of meteorological stations to form spatially continuous rainfall raster data of Shaanxi Province. |
Wind speed data | Vector data | National Meteorological Science data Center | The GIS kriging interpolation tool is used to interpolate according to the data of meteorological stations to form spatially continuous rainfall raster data of Shaanxi Province. |
Evapotranspiration data | Raster data | MODIS MOD16 evapotranspiration data | The 8-day evapotranspiration data are summed up by GIS, and the annual evapotranspiration data are obtained. |
Normalized vegetation index data | Raster data | Resource and Environmental Science and data Center: spatial Distribution data set of Annual 1 km vegetation Index (NDVI) in China | Raster data clipping; Calculation of vegetation cover factor |
Soil texture data | Raster data | National Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Science data Center: Chinese soil data set based on World soil Database (HWSD) (v1.1) | Raster data clipping; Calculation of soil erodibility factor |
Data on net primary productivity of plants | Raster data | Resource and Environmental Science and data Center: NPP data set of Plant net Primary Productivity | Raster data clipping |
Elevation data | Raster data | Space shuttle Endeavour Radar Topographic Mapping (SRTM) data | Raster data clipping; Calculation of slope length and slope factor |
Accounting Items | Physical Indicators | Value Indicators | Method of Value Accounting |
---|---|---|---|
Value of water resources assets | River Basin Area | Value of water assets | Income reduction method |
Surface Water Resources | |||
Groundwater Resources | |||
Value of land resource assets | Arable land area | Value of land assets | Income reduction method |
Garden area | |||
Woodland area | |||
Grassland area | |||
Water area | |||
Urban, village, industrial, and mining land | |||
Land area for transportation | |||
Other land area | |||
Value of forest resources assets | Forest area | Value of forest assets | Market value method and income reduction method |
Forest stock | |||
Value of energy and mineral resources assets | Raw coal reserves | Value of energy and mineral assets | Market value method |
Crude oil reserves holdings | |||
Natural gas reserves | |||
Rock salt reserves | |||
Bauxite reserves | |||
Value of agricultural products supply | Output of agricultural products | Output value of agricultural products | Market value method |
Value of forestry products supply | Output of forestry products | Output value of forestry products | |
Value of livestock products supply | Output of livestock products | Output value of livestock products | |
Value of fishery products supply | Output of fishery products | Output value of fishery products | |
Value of biomass energy supply | Total biomass energy | Output value of biomass energy | |
Value of water supply | Water supply capacity | Output value of water supply | |
Water conservation value | Water conservation capacity | Water conservation value | Shadow engineering method (construction cost of water conservancy project), market value method (market water price) |
Soil conservation value | Soil conservation capacity | Reduce silt deposition value | Alternative cost method |
Reduce the value of non-point source pollution | |||
Flood regulation and storage value | Lake: adjustable water storage | Flood regulation and storage value | Shadow engineering method (construction cost of water conservancy project) |
Reservoir: flood control capacity | |||
Swamp: stagnant water | |||
Value of wind protection and sand fixation | Sand fixation capacity | Sand fixation value | Alternative cost method (sand fixation cost method) |
Carbon sequestration and oxygen release value | Fixed amount of carbon dioxide | Value of annual fixed carbon dioxide | Alternative cost method (afforestation cost, industrial emission reduction cost), market value method (carbon market price) |
Oxygen production | Oxygen generation value | Alternative cost method (afforestation cost), market value method (price of industrial oxygen production) | |
Atmospheric purification value | Amount of purified sulfur dioxide | Value of purified sulfur dioxide | Alternative cost method (sulfur dioxide treatment cost) |
Amount of purified nitrogen oxides | Value of purified nitrogen oxides | Alternative cost method (nitrogen oxide treatment cost) | |
Amount of purified dust | Value of purified dust | Alternative cost method (dust treatment cost) | |
Value of water purification | Total amount of purified COD | Value of purified COD | Alternative cost method (COD treatment cost) |
Total amount of purified nitrogen | Total value of purified nitrogen | Alternative cost method (total nitrogen treatment cost) | |
Total amount of purified phosphorus | Total value of purified phosphorus | Alternative cost method (total phosphorus treatment cost) | |
Value of climate regulation | Energy consumed by plant transpiration | Value of plant transpiration consumption | Alternative cost method (artificial dehumidification and humidification cost) |
Energy consumed by water surface evaporation | Value of water surface evaporation consumption | ||
Value of pest control | Area of pests and diseases | Value of pest control | Protection cost method (Labor prevention cost) |
Value of natural landscape | Total number of tourists | Ecotourism Value | Travel cost method, conditional value method |
Value of sightseeing agricultural landscape | Number of resident populations | Agro-tourism value | Willingness to pay method |
Value of urban green space landscape | Number of resident populations | Green space landscape value | Willingness to pay method |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Su, Y.; Zhong, S.; An, L.; Shen, L.; Li, D. An Information System for Comprehensive Evaluation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Value: Design and Case Application. Sustainability 2023, 15, 5247. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065247
Su Y, Zhong S, An L, Shen L, Li D. An Information System for Comprehensive Evaluation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Value: Design and Case Application. Sustainability. 2023; 15(6):5247. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065247
Chicago/Turabian StyleSu, Yuefei, Shuai Zhong, Li An, Lei Shen, and Ding Li. 2023. "An Information System for Comprehensive Evaluation of Natural Resources and Ecosystem Services Value: Design and Case Application" Sustainability 15, no. 6: 5247. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065247