Spatiotemporal evolution and ecological pathways of riparian forests within the ecosystem service cascade framework: a comprehensive analysis from the Irtysh River Basin, China.

Introduction: Riparian forests in the valley area of the Irtysh River Basin (IRB) play a vital role in regulating regional hydrological and carbon processes, and they also serve as critical transboundary habitats for endangered species. However, these forests have been increasingly affected by human activities such as agricultural cultivation and livestock grazing. Methods: This study examines the spatial distribution and temporal trends of land use and cover change, and vegetation greenness in the riparian forests in the valley area of the IRB from 1990 to 2020, and assessed four key ecosystem services (water retention, soil conservation, habitat quality, and carbon storage) with the InVEST model. In addition, the influences of land use and cover patterns, vegetation greenness, and other socio-ecological factors on integrated ecosystem services were quantified. Results: The results showed that: (1) over the past 30 years, forest cover area declined substantially. Along the main stream of the Irtysh River, which has the largest forested area, the forested area has declined from 352.71 km Discussion: The findings reveal in clear detail the long-term dynamics and ecological functions of riparian forests in the valley area of the IRB, thereby offering important insights for their future conservation and restoration.