Identifying priority conservation areas based on systematic conservation planning analysis in the Loess Plateau, China

The conservation areas planning work has been carried out in the Loess Plateau (LP), but there is still insufficient attention paid to ecosystem services conservation. This study simulated four ecological conservation scenarios, considering the ecological status and economic benefits. The conservation targets were set to protect 20 % - 40 % ecosystem service, and the Marxan model and comprehensive effectiveness of spatial constraints (CESP) index were used to identify the optimal distribution of conservation areas. Results showed that: (1) In the minimum cost scenario, the conservation areas were mainly distributed in the northwest of LP, where human activities were sparse. The conservation areas in the other three scenarios were distributed in most areas of southeast, where some ecological protection projects have been implemented. (2) Aiming to protect 20 % ecosystem services, the balanced scenario represents the optimal distribution of conservation areas, featuring the highest CESP index (64.01) and covering a conservation area of 9.44 × 10 4 km 2 . When the conservation target was set to 30 % and 40 %, the social benefits scenario provided the most effective distribution of conservation areas. This study analyzed the conservation area construction from the perspective of ecosystem services protection, providing a scientific basis for future conservation area planning in the region. • A framework contained four scenarios was used to identify conservation areas. • The distribution of conservation areas in the minimum cost scenario was most similar to existing conservation areas. • Aiming to protect 20 % ecosystem services, the balanced scenario was optimal. • The optimal scenario changed from balanced scenario to social benefit scenario as the conservation target increased.