Land use and ecosystem service value spatiotemporal dynamics, topographic gradient effect and their driving factors in typical alpine ecosystems of the east Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Implications for conservation and development

Shiqu County, China, a representative of alpine ecosystems on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, plays a crucial role in ecological functions. However, amid the backdrop of climate change and rapid land use transformation, its delicate alpine ecosystems remain persistently threatened, including several nature reserves and a Ramsar site within it. Consequently, this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the temporal and spatial evolution, as well as the spatial differentiation characteristics, of the Ecosystem Service Value (ESV) in Shiqu County from 1980 to 2020, including an examination of its driving factors. The research findings reveal that: (1) From 1980 to 2020, Shiqu County experienced a general trend of diminishing unused land, grassland, and cultivated land, alongside an expansion of forested land, water areas, and construction land. (2) Throughout the study duration, the ESV of Shiqu County exhibited a growth trajectory, escalating from 26.180 billion CNY in 1980 to 26.84..., We analyzed the spatiotemporal dynamics and spatial variation of ESV in the region from 1980 to 2020, employing methods such as the ESV evaluation model, terrain gradient classification, and geographic detector analysis. In addition, we explore the drivers behind ESV. Through a comprehensive analysis of the ecosystem service value in Shiqu County, the results of this study provide in-depth insights for evaluating the ecosystem service value in similar areas.
The study utilized land use grid data for the years 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2018, sourced from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Resource and Environment Science and Data Center (http://www.resdc.cn/). This dataset, derived from the interpretation of Landsat remote sensing imagery, has a resolution of 30m with an overall accuracy exceeding 90% (Liu et al., 2014). Land use types were classified into six categories according to the national land use remote sensing monitoring classification system: cultivated land, forest land, grass..., , # Land use and ecosystem service value spatiotemporal dynamics, topographic gradient effect and their driving factors in typical alpine ecosystems of the east Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: Implications for conservation and development

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0cfxpnw93](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.0cfxpnw93)

## Description of the data and file structure

We provided detailed data on the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and ecosystem service value, the effects of topographic gradients, and their driving factors in typical alpine ecosystems of the Eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

### Files and variables

#### File: Table S1.csv

**Description:** 

##### Variables

* **Cultivated Land**: Refers to areas used for agricultural activities, including the cultivation of crops such as grains, vegetables, and economic plants. Unit: km².
* **Forest Land**: Areas covered by forests, including both natural and artificial forests. Unit: km².
* **Grassland**: Natural areas dominated by grass...