The political ecology of ecosystem services

The dominance of “ecosystem services” as a guiding concept for environmental management – where it appears as a neutral, obvious, taken-for-granted concept – hides the fact that there are choices implicit in its framing and in its application. In other words, it is a highly political concept, and its utility depends on the arena in which it is used and what it is used for. Following a political ecology framework, and based on a literature review, bibliometric analyses, and brief examples from two tropical rainforest countries, this review investigates four moments in the construction and application of the ecosystem services idea: socio-historical (the emergence of the discourse), ontological (what knowledge does the concept allow?), scientific (difficulties in its practical application), and political (who wins, who loses?). We show how the concept is a boundary object with widespread appeal, trace the discursive and institutional context within which it gained traction, and argue that choices of scale, definition, and method in measuring ecosystem services frustrate its straightforward application. As a result, it is used in diverse ways by different interests to justify different kinds of interventions that at times might be totally opposed. In Madagascar, the ecosystem services idea is mainly used to justify forest conservation in ways open to critique for its neoliberalization of nature or disempowerment of communities. In contrast, in the Brazilian Amazon, the discourse of ecosystem services has served the agendas of traditional populations and family farm lobbies. Ecosystem services, as an idea and tool, are mobilized by diverse actors in real-life situations that lead to complex, regionally particular and fundamentally political outcomes.     

Juggling multiple dimensions in a complex socio-ecosystem: The issue of targeting in payments for ecosystem services

Proponents of payments for ecosystem services (PES) schemes advocate targeting payments to geographical areas that can: (a) maintain or enhance ecosystem services, (b) permit economically efficient arrangements and (c) address poverty objectives. The location of these efficient, effective and equitable (or triple-win) solutions is viewed as the ‘holy grail’ of PES and is often sought in isolation to broader socio-economic pressures, political relationships, or local cultural conditions. While the plethora of PES design perspectives often follow the concepts of efficiency and effectiveness, they seldom relate to pluralistic value systems and may disparage local self-determination for influencing the form and terms of negotiation. This paper critically analyses the assumptions underpinning the design of PES schemes which seek to optimise or target efficient, effective and poverty objectives. Using a case study for a proposed PES initiative in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, we employ spatial analysis to geographically visualise the discrepancy between the location for a typology of targeted objectives and actual preferences which support local perceptions of natural resource use and conservation. The case study highlights the inequity inherent in targeting payments under a neoliberal framing. Instead, spatially differentiating incentives according to socially determined priorities and collective management is suggested.     

Identification of the core ecosystem services and their spatial heterogeneity in Poyang Lake area

According to the ecosystem assessment framework developed by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA), this paper designs an evaluation system of ecosystem services in Poyang Lake area. On the basis of relevant variables disaggregated to 1 km grid using the gridded 1 km, this paper employs factor analysis to extract a number of factors which characterize the ecosystem services of Poyang Lake area. The extracted principal component are then represented onto 1 km×1 km grids by spatial clustering analysis to recognize and identify the minimal but consistent mapping units for ecosystem services which can be used to delimit the boundaries of ecological service zones. The research identifies ten ecosystem service zones in Poyang Lake area according to the consistent principle of core ecosystem service unit. Four kinds of core ecosystem services including supporting function, provisioning function, regulating function and cultural function are identified and represented. The research results could provide both spatially and temporally valuable decision-making information for sustainable ecosystem management in the targeted area.     

人类活动影响下的青海湖流域生态系统服务空间格局

人类活动改变生态格局和变化,进而影响生态系统服务。因此,探讨人类活动影响下的生态系统服务空间格局,对于区域生态安全、可持续发展和人类福祉等至关重要。以青海湖流域为研究区,基于InVEST模型计算了流域2018年产水量、水质净化、生境质量、土壤保持和碳储量五种生态系统服务,并分析了不同生态系统服务的空间自相关性、相互关系以及人类活动影响下的空间格局。结果表明：流域生境质量整体较好,土壤流失整体较小。碳储量受植被覆盖的影响存在明显空间差异。农业生态系统和城镇生态系统氮、磷负荷较高。产水量环湖区和山区差异明显;产水量、碳储量和生境质量的Moran's I分别为0.786、0.742和0.705,空间聚集性最强,氮负荷最弱;协同关系主要表现在氮负荷与磷负荷、碳储量与生境质量、产水量与土壤流失之间。权衡关系主要是生境质量与产水量和氮负荷,碳储量与产水量和土壤流失之间;碳储量、生境质量和土壤流失随人类活动的增强呈现递减趋势。氮、磷负荷随人类活动的增强呈现递增趋势。人类活动通过改变不透水表面进而影响产水量。通过高分辨率遥感影像精细化定量描述人类活动以及详细探讨人类活动影响下各生态系统服务空间格局、聚集程度,可为流域科学评价生态系统服务、生态环境保护及可持续发展提供依据。     

北京延庆世界地质公园生态系统服务价值评价和生态地质调查工作建议

保护区域生态环境是世界地质公园主要功能之一。建立世界地质公园有利于促进区域生态环境保护,促进人与自然和谐共生。研究世界地质公园的生态系统服务价值可为提升世界地质公园的生态功能提供技术支撑。基于Costanza等的全球生态系统服务价值单价模型,建立了中国生态系统服务价值单价,并以延庆世界地质公园为例,运用GlobeLand30数据和ArcGIS软件对2000—2020年间延庆世界地质公园及邻区的生态系统服务价值进行评估。近20年间延庆世界地质公园的生态系统服务总价值基本保持稳定, 2000年、2010年和2020年延庆世界地质公园园区生态系统服务价值分别为3040百万元人民币、3103百万元人民币和3086百万元人民币;在园区各类生态系统服务价值中以森林、草原和农田生态系统服务价值为主,占生态系统服务总价值的96%以上。针对园区生态系统特点,提出生态地质调查和生态保护建议：一是加强园区林分组成、林分结构、林分质量和林地土壤调查,提高森林生态系统质量;二是开展湿地地下水和水土流失监测,防止湿地进一步萎缩;三是连通妫水河流域和官厅水库水系,维护河流生态流量;四是基于系统观开展园区生态地质调查,协调开展园区山、水、林、田、湖、草等不同自然要素综合调查,提高生态系统服务总价值。五是建立跨部门、跨区域生态保护协调推进机制。     

Expanding networks for the urban poor: Water and telecommunications services in Lima, Peru

In many cities of the developing world, poor residents occupy land and build their dwellings before infrastructure is provided. Expanding the infrastructure networks for the poor is a long, expensive and complicated affair. Before the 1990s, the public sector was generally in charge of the basic services; but these services have been liberalized and, in many cases, privatized since then. In this new context, a relevant question is: have these reforms contributed to urban integration? Or, on the contrary, have they contributed to deepen urban fragmentation? This study presents the case of water and telecommunications services in Lima, Peru, the most contested and politically sensitive urban sectors. The objective is to test Graham and Marvin’s claims about the splintering of networked infrastructures expressed in Splintering Urbanism.The findings show that the reforms have improved the situation at aggregate level, but there is still no sustainable solution for the crucial dilemma of cities with high poverty restrictions: self-financed network expansions versus service affordability. The diverging paths of the utilities reform in Lima illustrate that privatization is not the main issue in the discussion to expand the networks for the poor. The main conclusion is that sensible policies complemented with carefully targeted subsidies and continuous regulation can successfully provide water for all. Good governance practices at the urban level help to achieve this goal. Water and telecommunications in Lima also show that are no general solutions for the universalization of the services; each city is different and some sectors are much more complex and problematic than others. This demands careful and continuous technical and political consideration of the local circumstances to reform the utilities.     

黄河流域生态系统服务价值变化评估及生态地质调查建议

黄河流域是中国重要的生态屏障,生态系统服务功能十分重要。基于ArcGIS、Google Earth Engine等平台,以黄河流经市域生成流域范围,对2000—2015年间黄河流域生态系统服务价值的变化进行评估,揭示生态系统服务功能的强弱及生态系统的稳定性状况,提出生态地质调查工作建议,为黄河流域国土空间优化、生态环境保护和高质量发展提供重要依据。评估结果表明,黄河流域生态系统服务以水文调节、气候调节、土壤保持调节服务为主,空间分布上呈"南高北低、上下游低、中游高"的空间特征。15年间,黄河流域生态系统总服务价值增长了33.4%,呈现"上游玉树-阿坝一带山区明显减少、中游黄土高原区显著增加、下游轻微降低"的空间格局特点,但总体上生态环境与经济发展处于低度协调状态,下游生态系统服务供给与需求之间存在空间不匹配问题。建议动态评估流域生态系统承载能力,聚焦关键过程、关键区域、关键要素,部署生态地质调查工作,提升生态系统服务价值,优化流域国土空间结构。     

Lithogeochemical exploration for shale-hosted lead-zinc deposits: Case studies from the McArthur River and Mt Isa Districts,northern Australia

The large lead-zinc deposits of Middle Proterozoic age in northern Australia occur in sediments interpreted as having been deposited under saline, shallow-emergent conditions. Significant alkaline diagenesis is evident from the presence of abundant K-feldspar and locally albite. Alkali element compositions clearly distinguish the sediments of the mineralised shallow-emergent locations both from those of more permanent water cover (lacustrine or lagoonal), and from those close to basin margins. The key variables for identifying the geochemical contrasts are the levels of K, Rb and Na, and the ratios of K : Al and K : Rb. These geochemical parameters can be used in conjunction with the levels of the target and indicator elements to detect whether mineralisation may be present in a favourable geological environment. Two case studies of the application of whole rock geochemistry in base metal exploration are given for the Glyde River Sub-basin (McArthur Basin) and the Western Succession, Mt Isa Block.     

Phyllosilicate injection along extensional carbonate-hosted faults and implications for co-seismic slip propagation: Case studies from the central Apennines,Italy

We document phyllosilicates occurrence along five shallow (exhumed from depths < 3 km) carbonate-hosted extensional faults from the seismically-active domain of the central Apennines, Italy. The shallow portion of this domain is characterized by a sedimentary succession consisting of ∼5–6 km thick massive carbonate deposits overlain by ∼2 km thick phyllosilicate-rich deposits (marls and siliciclastic sandstones). We show that the phyllosilicates observed within the studied carbonate-hosted faults derived from the overlying phyllosilicate-rich sedimentary deposits and were involved in the faulting processes. We infer that, during fault zone evolution, the phyllosilicates downward injected into pull-aparts (i.e., dilational jogs) that were generated along staircase extensional faults. With further displacement accumulation, the clayey material was smeared and concentrated into localized layers along the carbonate-hosted fault surfaces. These layers are usually thin (a few centimeters to decimeters thick), but can reach also a few meters in thickness. We suggest that, even in tectonic settings dominated by high frictional strength rocks (e.g., carbonates), localized layers enriched in weak phyllosilicates can occur along shallow fault surfaces thus reducing the expected fault strength during earthquakes, possibly promoting co-seismic slip propagation up to the Earth's surface.     

矿体统计分析预测在粤西河台金矿的应用

[摘 要]矿体统计分析预测以空间上有一定分布规律的找矿信息为研究对象,通过对其进行结合地质实际的统计分析,并将统计分析的结果合理地应用于已知矿体向未知矿体的找矿预测。预测的区域是地质上可靠、统计学上发生概率高的有利区域。其预测思路可分为:(1) 研究并发现有一定规律的找矿信息;(2) 结合地质成矿过程的统计分析;(3) 结合地质实际的高概率预测。本文以粤西河台金矿为例,论述了矿体统计分析预测的的思路与方法。由矿体统计分析预测获得的预测区域与钻孔的见矿位置一致,说明其预测是有效的。该方法可能对矿体在空间分布上有一定规律的矿床都有一定的预测意义。最后,总结了矿体统计分析预测的优点、不足、注意事项及应用前景。     

Estimation of carbon dioxide flux degassing from percolating waters in a karst cave: Case study from Bijambare cave,Bosnia and Herzegovina

Drip water, collected above three actively forming stalagmites, has been analyzed and the results discussed using a calcite saturation index versus equilibrium carbon dioxide partial pressure theoretical relationship. Percolating water appears to have been originated from a parent solution in equilibrium with a carbon dioxide rich gas phase having a minimum concentration varying between 15,000 ppmv and 26,000 ppmv while large part of the variability recorded in the cave can be explained by different stage of degassing. Similarly, analyses performed at several cave pools confirm that drip water rapidly achieves equilibrium with the cave atmosphere after impact on the stalagmite apex, while oversaturation is retained longer. Using these boundary conditions, the changes in inorganic carbon concentration in the percolating water have been calculated and converted into fluxes using an average effective infiltration flow estimated from the annual water balance.The predicted flux of carbon dioxide degassing from drip water is in the range of 0.03–0.06 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹. This flux has been found to be one of the major sources of carbon dioxide in the cave atmosphere during low ventilation periods.     

南水北调中线工程水源林生态系统对水质的影响——以秦岭南坡中山地带火地塘林区为例

通过对秦岭南坡中山地带火地塘林区大气降水与支沟溪流水和流域出口径流水质的比较分析,以及溪流水和流域出口径流水质与水量的相关分析,发现7~10月份大气降水呈微酸性,经过森林生态系统的调节,径流pH值升高,且不随流量变化而发生变化;森林生态系统对随降水输入的NO₃-、NH₄+、PO₄3-有很好的净化作用,这种作用对于降低南水北调中线工程取水地丹江口水库水质富营养化的威胁非常有益,对重金属元素Cd、Pb、Mn有固定作用;对K、Na、Ca、Mg、Fe有增加作用,尤其对Ca、Mg含量增幅较大,但这种作用不会对水质产生不良影响,对Fe的调升有利于水质改善;森林生态系统在调减Zn含量方面作用显著;林区径流水质与水量之间并无较大关系,水质不随水量变化而发生较大变化,森林生态系统对水质有很好的稳定作用。     

The transfer of agricultural technology and the development of small-scale farming in rural Africa: Case studies from Ghana, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and South Africa

In many developing countries, research institutions or centres have been established to develop and/or adapt technologies that would help agricultural development. This is particularly true in Africa where national efforts have been supplemented with international research institutes. Although some modest progress has been achieved in improving agricultural technology, on the whole, the improvement record is not quite encouraging among the small-scale farmers. In many areas, either there are no improved technologies, or where they exist, are unacceptable by farmers. However, where useful technologies exist, their spread has been very limited and where they have been adapted, the benefits only accrue to a small segment of the community. The logical question posed is: why and how do we find ourselves in the current situation? This paper considers the view that to understand fully why the available technologies have remained largely at the research centres, there is need to examine the whole process of research, development, dissemination and utilization of agricultural technology. It is significant to investigate the structural constraints and prospects under which those involved in the process work, their motivations and the interactions between different groups. The traditional ‘top-down’ of development strategy should be supplemented with farmers' indigenous knowledge, and programmes encouraging transfer of agricultural technology should include institutional support. Only by the identification of farmers' environmental and resource utilisation, preferences, socio-economic circumstances and constraints can a development programme of optimum meaning to farmers be devised and implemented with success.     

Metal-residence sites in lavas and tuffs from Volcán Popocatépetl, Mexico: implications for metal mobility in the environment

 Volcan Popocatépetl is a Quaternary stratovolcano located 60 km southeast of Mexico City. The summit crater is the site of recent ash eruptions, excess degassing, and dacite dome growth. The modern cone comprises mainly pyroclastic flow deposits, airfall tephras, debris flows, and reworked deposits of andesitic composition; it is flanked by more mafic monogenetic vents. In least-degassed fallout tuffs and mafic scoria, transition metals are concentrated in phases formed before eruption, during eruption, and after eruption. Preeruptive minerals occur in both lavas and tephra, and include oxides and sulfides in glass and phenocrysts. The magmatic oxides consist of magnetite, ilmenite, and chromite; the sulfides consist of both (Fe,Ni)_1-xS (MSS) and Cu–Fe sulfide (ISS). Syn- and posteruptive phases occur in vesicles in both lavas and tephra, and on surfaces of ash and along fractures. The mineral assemblages in lavas include Cu–Fe sulfide and Fe–Ti oxide in vesicles, and Fe sulfide and Cu–Fe sulfide in segregation vesicles. Assemblages in vesicles in scoria include Fe–Ti oxide and rare Fe–Cu–Sn sulfide. Vesicle fillings of Fe–Ti oxide, Ni-rich chromite, Fe sulfide, Cu sulfide, and barite are common to two pumice samples. The most coarse-grained of the vesicle fillings are Cu–Fe sulfide and Cu sulfide, which are as large as 50 μ in diameter. The youngest Plinian pumice also contains Zn(Fe) sulfide, as well as rare Ag–Cu sulfide, Ag–Fe sulfide, Ag bromide, Ag chloride, and Au–Cu telluride. The assemblage is similar to those typically observed in high-sulfidation epithermal mineralization. The fine-grained nature and abundance of syn- and/or posteruptive phases in porous rocks makes metals susceptible to mobilization by percolating fluids. The abundance of metal compounds in vesicles indicates that volatile exsolution prior to and/or during eruption played an important role in releasing metals to the atmosphere. Received: March 1997 · Accepted: 27 May 1997     

Long lasting interactions between tectonic loading, unroofing, post-rift thermal subsidence and sedimentary transfers along the western margin of the Gulf of Mexico: Some insights from integrated quantitative studies

After Jurassic rifting, numerous carbonate platforms (i.e., the Orizaba, Cordoba and Golden Lane-Tuxpan platforms) developed during the Lower and Middle Cretaceous episode of thermal subsidence along the western passive margin of the Gulf of Mexico, with intervening basinal domains (i.e., the Tampico-Misantla, Zongolica, Veracruz and Deep Gulf of Mexico - DGM - basins).During the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene, the east-verging Sierra Madre Oriental thrust belt developed, resulting in tectonic uplift and unroofing of the allochthonous units (i.e. tectonic units made up of former Orizaba and Cordoba platforms and Zongolica Basin series). This new topography provided also an important source of clastics to feed the adjacent foredeep, where coeval tectonic loading accounted for the bending of the foreland lithosphere. However, shallow water facies or even emersion persisted until the Eocene in the forebulge area (at the present location of the Golden Lane), preventing locally the clastics to reach the DGM. This topographic barrier was ultimately bypassed by the clastics only during the Oligocene and Neogene, once (1) the prograding clastic wedge had exceeded accommodation, and (2) the long lasting thermal subsidence of the passive margin could overpass the effect of the bending and force the former bulge to sink.Numerous paleo-thermo-meters (Tmax, Ro), paleo-thermo-barometers (fluid inclusions), PVT and coupled forward kinematic and thermal modeling have been used to calibrate and date the progressive unroofing of the thrust belt. Coupled tectonic and sedimentologic modeling was applied in the foreland to predict the distribution of sand versus shale ratios in the Oligocene to Plio-Quaternary clastic sedimentary wedge of the passive margin, where gravitational gliding of post-Eocene series occurred during the Neogene along major listric faults.Mantle dynamics are advocated as the main process accounting for post-orogenic uplift and regional tilting of the basement, which initiated a massive transfer of sediments from the Cordillera towards the Gulf of Mexico, from Oligocene onward, resulting in a destabilization and gravitational collapse of the western slope of the Gulf of Mexico in Neogene times.     

Geochemistry of the Jurassic and Upper Cretaceous shales from the Molango Region,Hidalgo, eastern Mexico: Implications for source-area weathering,provenance, and tectonic setting

This study focuses on the Jurassic (Huayacocotla and Pimienta Formations) and Upper Cretaceous (Méndez Formation) shales from the Molango Region, Hidalgo, Mexico. In this article, we discuss the mineralogy, major, and trace element geochemistry of the Mesozoic shales of Mexico. The goal of this study is to constrain the provenance of the shales, which belong to two different periods of the Mesozoic Era and to understand the weathering conditions and tectonic environments of the source region.     

New insights into the occurrence of C-depleted carbon in the mantle from two closely associated kimberlites: Letlhakane and Orapa, Botswana

Carbon isotope measurements on diamonds from the Letlhakane kimberlite, and the analyses of their inclusions, permit the examination of km-scale mantle-composition variations by comparing the results with those for the nearby Orapa kimberlite. Diamonds from Letlhakane have a wide range in carbon isotopic composition (−3‰ to −21‰); however, the relative abundance of diamonds depleted in ¹³C is significantly lower than in the Orapa kimberlite. Most of the ¹³C-depleted diamonds belong to the eclogictic or websteritic paragenesis. The relative abundance of inclusions in diamonds and their composition indicate that there are significant differences in petrology in the mantle below the two locations. At Letlhakane, peridotitic compositions are more prevalent than at Orapa and the protolith of P-Type inclusions in diamonds may have experienced a higher degree of partial melting at Letlhakane compared to Orapa. P/T estimates for both W- and E-Type diamonds indicate that a region of ¹³C-depletion may exist beneath the two kimberlites. The relationships between carbon isotopic composition of the host diamond and the Al₂O₃/Cr₂O₃ ratios of their websteritic and eclogitic garnet inclusions indicate that the low δ¹³C regions may represent a primary mantle feature, unrelated to a crustal component.     

Environmental literacy in interpreting endangered sustainability: Case studies from Thailand and the Sudan

This paper examines how people explain reasons and impacts of environmental change in the low-rain savanna of the central Sudan and mountainous forest lands of northern Thailand. The explanations are analyzed by using the concept of environmental literacy, which refers to the people’s ability to grasp the environment and its interactions. The paper aims to study people’s conceptions of the environment, which compose one factor in directing their behavior. For the study, rural inhabitants in the State of North Kordofan, the Sudan, and the Chiang Mai Province in Thailand were interviewed.It was noted that an individual’s capability to understand the environment is alone insufficient to address environmental problems because the efficient alleviation of the problems requires collective actions at all levels, and because of factors beyond an individual’s control. However, the results supported the assumption that the local people have knowledge of their environment that may help in developing sustainable environmental management practices. The main advantages of using the environmental literacy concept are argued to be its dynamic and synthetic essence, its link to sustainable behavior, and wide applicability in various contexts within heterogeneous communities.     

Inclusions in diamonds from the K14 and K10 kimberlites, Buffalo Hills, Alberta, Canada: diamond growth in a plume?

Analyses of mineral inclusions, carbon isotopes, nitrogen contents and nitrogen aggregation states in 29 diamonds from two Buffalo Hills kimberlites in northern Alberta, Canada were conducted. From 25 inclusion bearing diamonds, the following paragenetic abundances were found: peridotitic (48%), eclogitic (32%), eclogitic/websteritic (8%), websteritic (4%), ultradeep? (4%) and unknown (4%). Diamonds containing mineral inclusions of ferropericlase, and mixed eclogitic-asthenospheric-websteritic and eclogitic-websteritic mineral associations suggests the possibility of diamond growth over a range of depths and in a variety of mantle environments (lithosphere, asthenosphere and possibly lower mantle).

Eclogitic diamonds have a broad range of C-isotopic composition (δ¹³C=−21‰ to −5‰). Peridotitic, websteritic and ultradeep diamonds have typical mantle C-isotope values (δ¹³C=−4.9‰ av.), except for two ¹³C-depleted peridotitic (δ¹³C=−11.8‰, −14.6‰) and one ¹³C-depleted websteritic diamond (δ¹³C=−11.9‰). Infrared spectra from 29 diamonds identified two diamond groups: 75% are nitrogen-free (Type II) or have fully aggregated nitrogen defects (Type IaB) with platelet degradation and low to moderate nitrogen contents (av. 330 ppm-N); 25% have lower nitrogen aggregation states and higher nitrogen contents (30% IaB; <1600 ppm-N).

The combined evidence suggests two generations of diamond growth. Type II and Type IaB diamonds with ultradeep, peridotitic, eclogitic and websteritic inclusions crystallised from eclogitic and peridotitic rocks while moving in a dynamic environment from the asthenosphere and possibly the lower mantle to the base of the lithosphere. Mechanisms for diamond movement through the mantle could be by mantle convection, or an ascending plume. The interaction of partial melts with eclogitic and peridotitic lithologies may have produced the intermediate websteritic inclusion compositions, and can explain diamonds of mixed parageneses, and the overlap in C-isotope values between parageneses. Strong deformation and extremely high nitrogen aggregation states in some diamonds may indicate high mantle storage temperatures and strain in the diamond growth environment. A second diamond group, with Type IaA–IaB nitrogen aggregation and peridotitic inclusions, crystallised at the base of the cratonic lithosphere. All diamonds were subsequently sampled by kimberlites and transported to the Earth's surface.     

干旱区绿洲退耕还林工程绩效评价研究——以张掖市为例

退耕还林,重建生态环境,是当前实施西部大开发的根本切人点.退耕还林工程是通过把原本是林地或草地的耕地恢复成原来的土地利用类型,使受损或退化生态系统最终成为健康的生态系统,从而使当地生态环境更适合人类生存发展.从此目标出发,抛开经济利益而从自然生态系统恢复和社会心理影响等方面建立指标体系,利用主成分分析法综合评价了干旱区内张掖市的退耕还林绩效.结果表明:2002-2004年张掖市退耕还林工程执行效果较好,其中生态系统在数量上恢复较好的乡镇有明花乡;生态系统在质量上恢复较好的有明花乡和平川镇;工程执行过程中居民保护环境意识有较大提高的有民联乡和霍城镇;人们满意程度最高的是明花乡.总体上看,张掖市退耕还林工程执行绩效最好的是明花乡,其次是平川镇,最差的是永固镇,其余处于中间水平.最后,在分析张掖市退耕还林绩效差异基础上,针对提高退耕还林工程绩效提出一些建议.