Effects of land use transitions due to underground coal mining on ecosystem services in high groundwater table areas: A case study in the Yanzhou coalfield

Coal resources play a strategic role in long-term development in China. However, underground mining activities in high groundwater table areas result in dramatic land use transition, putting both the ecosystem and the environment under great pressure. This paper examines the dynamic patterns of land use in high groundwater coal basins (HGCBs) using high-resolution Landsat TM (Thematic Mapper) data from 1985, 1995, 2005, 2010, and 2015, and socio-economic data from research institutes and government departments, and assesses the changes of ecosystem service value (ESV) by drawing a connection between the observed land use dynamics and the evaluation of ESV, based on the latest research of Xie et al. (2015) and some revisions adapted to the situation in the mining areas. The outcomes indicated that from 1985 to 2005, the ESV of the study area had a sustained growth, from 308.66 million RMB¥ in 1985–481.50 million RMB¥ in 2005. However, this growth has since stopped and turned into a decrease, with ESV dropping to 334.27 million RMB¥ in 2015. The reasons for the changes in ESV were analyzed: the large transition of construction land and farmland to waterbody caused by mining subsidence and restoration activities play a positive role, while the urbanization process in mining areas leading to the expansion of cities, and drought for the past 5 years leading to the shrinkage of waterbody, bring negative efforts to ESV. Based on the analysis above, some of the major implications were discussed. It is argued that the mining-induced land use transition will continue in the near future in HGCBs. Therefore, in order to fully consider the future landscape and thus optimize land use and extend urban development space it is necessary: to make pre-subsidence plans to maximize the farmland and ensure food security; to restore the secondary waterbody; to protect regional ecosystem service function and maintain its stability; and to make urban planning on the basis of subsidence prediction at every stage. Only in this way can HGCBs realize the sustainable use of ecological resources, as well as the integration of economic, social and ecologic benefits.