Spatial-temporal variation and influencing factors of farmland ecological value in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Farmland ecosystems perform economic, ecological, and social functions and are closely related to agricultural and rural ecology. To investigate the spatial and temporal dynamic changes in farmland ecological value and their influencing factors in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2010 to 2021, we developed an indicator system for assessing farmland ecological value. This system was based on an improved ecosystem service valuation model and ecosystem energetic value analysis framework and analyzed it using the spatial Durbin model. Based on the above analysis, the results showed that: 1) from 2010 to 2021, the average level of farmland ecological value in the Yangtze River Economic Belt showed a fluctuating growth trend with regional differences, and the average value ranging from 0.381 to 0.435. The fluctuation range of farmland ecological value of upstream, midstream, and downstream regions were 0.458−0.607, 0.321−0.433 and 0.247−0.349, respectively, and the fluctuation range of each region was relatively stable. There were significant differences in the growth contribution of the farmland ecological value among the provinces. The growth contribution was mainly concentrated in the upstream region, whereas the middle and downstream regions experienced negative growth. 2) From the perspective of spatial and temporal variation, the farmland ecological value in the Yangtze River Economic Belt displayed a gradient-decreasing trend of “upstream, midstream, downstream” and the high-level areas presented continuous spatial agglomeration. The overall spatial distribution characteristics were “high in the west and low in the east” and the spatial differentiation and aggregation characteristics were significant. 3) Multiple factors affect the ecological value of farmland in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The results showed that financial and political support for agriculture, the urbanization rate of population, crop planting structure, and average annual precipitation contributed to improving farmland ecological value, among which the urbanization rate of population could significantly improve the farmland ecological value of neighboring areas. In contrast, the level of agricultural economic development and the urban-rural income gap were not conducive to improving and enhancing farmland ecological value. Therefore, based on the research findings, the following recommendations are proposed for the Yangtze River Economic Belt: Green, ecological, and sustainable agricultural policies should be formulated to realize the value of agroecological products, considering their locational advantages. This study focused on improving the utilization efficiency of water, soil, light, heat, and other resources in the regional farmland ecosystem and improving the level of agricultural mechanization, intelligent development, and field management. It should strengthen financial and political support for agriculture, the development of new urbanization and the brand building of regional agricultural products, the construction of agricultural infrastructure, the cultivation of professional farmers, and the formation of a market mechanism of “high quality and high price” for ecological agricultural products. It should establish a trading platform for agroecological products, promote the transformation of ecological value into ecological well-being, and gradually promote the proposal and improvement of mechanisms for realizing the value of agroecological products in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.