Ecosystem services arise from and are shaped by interactions within social-ecological systems. While network approaches hold promise for conceptualizing and managing ecosystem services, their practical application remains underexplored. This study introduces a novel application of the partial correlation network approach to ecosystem service research, using China's Loess Plateau as a case study to analyze ecosystem services and social-ecological factors within a network framework. Our results reveal significant improvements in key ecosystem services, including soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and food provision, from 2000 to 2020, alongside a non-significant declining trend in water provision. The network analysis uncovers complex interdependencies among ecological restoration activities, landscape pattern changes, socio-ecological processes, and ecosystem services on the Loess Plateau, identifying key nodes and connections within the network. The plant productivity trend exhibits the highest node strength, indicating its pivotal role in driving substantial changes across the entire network configuration. This study highlights the potential of the partial correlation network approach for a comprehensive understanding of the interdependencies between ecosystem services and social-ecological factors, providing valuable insights to inform ecosystem service management and policy-making.
Keywords: China's Loess Plateau; Ecosystem service; Interdependencies; Partial correlation network; Social-ecological system.
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