Integrating Ecological Compensation into Urban Public Space Planning: A Climate-Adjusted Ecosystem Services Approach in Longyan, China

Urban ecological systems provide critical services that support sustainable development and public well-being. Accurately quantifying the spatial and temporal dynamics of ecosystem services is essential for optimizing land use planning and guiding ecological compensation policies. This study proposes a climate-adjusted equivalent factor method to assess the value of ecosystem services (ESVs) in Longyan City, a mountainous region in southeastern China. By integrating climate regulation responsiveness, crop-based equivalent coefficients, and spatial differentiation of land use, the method enables a dynamic and spatially explicit valuation of ecosystem services.Results indicate that Longyan’s total ESV steadily increased from 2000 to 2020, with regulating services contributing most significantly to this growth. Spatial analysis for 2023 reveals pronounced disparities in ESVs across districts, with high values concentrated in forested western counties and deficits observed in densely populated urban cores. Through a population carrying capacity model, we identify core spillover areas of regulating and supporting services and quantify ecological surpluses and deficits at the county level. These results highlight the spatial mismatch between ecological supply and demand, revealing the need for targeted population management and interregional compensation mechanisms.This study provides empirical evidence and methodological innovation for spatial governance of ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban contexts. It supports the implementation of the “beneficiary pays” principle, and offers practical guidance for developing ecological fiscal transfer schemes. The findings also align with territorial spatial planning initiatives, contributing to the co-creation of sustainable and equitable public space.