Ecosystem Wind Erosion Prevention Without Borders: Air-Mediated Service Flows and Preventive Benefits for Northern Chinese Urban Agglomerations

Climate change amplifies urban sustainability challenges, with intensifying sand and dust storm (SDS) hazards highlighting the important role of Ecosystem wind erosion prevention (EWEP) as an ecosystem service (ES). In northern China, a region prone to wind erosion, EWEP mitigates aeolian processes at sand sources and reduces downwind dust transport to urban centers. This study employs the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model to simulate diffusion dynamics of EWEP and to assess its hazard mitigation effects for cities in northern China. The findings are as follows: (1) EWEP capacity increased consistently from 2000 to 2024; (2) Aggregated preventive benefits rose, which aligns with the interpretation that systemic ecological restoration reduces dust dispersion; (3) Preventive benefits exhibit stratification across different urban agglomerations. These findings can inform SDS risk management and climate adaptation strategies to support urban sustainability.