Abstract:
Without a clear understanding of the units used for ecosystem services (ESs) mapping, the application level of ESs mapping in landscape planning practice will be hampered. Through systematic review, this study summarized 106 SCI studies related to ESs mapping in the past 11 years, and classified the existing ESs mapping units into 4 common types and 3 unit extents. It is found that, on the three scales of landscape planning practices, the ESs mapping units showed different selection priorities and lack of response to the needs of landscape planning and design practices. For the selection of ESs mapping units, this study proposed three possible solutions on three practical scales to better support landscape planning, such as: introducing more information related to the details of land use units to participate in ESs mapping or to carry out parcel-based ESs assessment; subdividing land use units based on geographical/biophysical characteristics to form ecologically meaningful spatial units; and constructing spatial units that correspond to existing planning management boundaries in reality, support related ecological processes, and contain intact ecosystems. The research results can provide new insights and references for improving the application level of ESs knowledge in landscape architecture practices.