Ecosystem services are generated by ecological processes over a range of scales. Studying the scale effects on ecosystem services is important for exploring the driving mechanisms and conducive to prudent ecological managements. Unfortunately, quantitative testing the scale effects of ecosystem services' associations, as well as identifying the driving mechanisms across scales, has rarely been documented. This study used the Loess Plateau as study area to test the scale effects and the correlations between sediment retention, water yield, and net primary production (NPP) and their driving mechanisms. A model of Integrated valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoff 3.0 and the Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford Approach were used to assess the services of sediment retention, water yield, and NPP in 2000 and 2008. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to quantify the driving mechanisms of ecosystem services. The results indicated that the ecosystem services are more varied in spatial patterns at small scale than at large scale. The average values of sediment retention, water yield, and NPP at small scale increased during the period. However, at large scale, the average values of sediment retention and water yield decreased and the NPP value increased simultaneously. Generally, the correlations between ecosystem services weakened when the spatial scale increased. The results from CCA indicated that, at small scale, the natural factors of precipitation, hours of sunshine, and temperature were the principal driving factors underlying ecosystem services. When the scale increased, the socioeconomic factors of population, grain production, and nonfarming production were gradually integrated into the factors driving the patterns of ecosystem services.

中文翻译：

---

泥沙淤积，水产量和净初级生产力的规模效应：以黄土高原为例

生态系统服务是由一系列规模的生态过程产生的。研究尺度对生态系统服务的影响，对于探索驱动机制和有利于谨慎的生态管理具有重要意义。不幸的是，很少有文件记录对生态系统服务协会的规模效应进行定量测试，以及确定跨规模的驱动机制。这项研究以黄土高原为研究区域，测试了尺度效应以及沉积物保留，水产量和净初级生产（NPP）及其驱动机制之间的相关性。2000年和2008年，采用了生态系统服务与权衡3.0的综合估值模型和卡内基-艾姆斯-斯坦福方法来评估沉积物保留，水产量和NPP的服务。典型相关分析（CCA）用于量化生态系统服务的驱动机制。结果表明，生态系统服务的空间格局在小范围内比大范围内变化更大。在此期间，小规模沉积物保留，水产量和NPP的平均值增加。然而，大规模地，沉积物截留率和水产率的平均值下降，而NPP值同时上升。通常，当空间规模增加时，生态系统服务之间的相关性减弱。CCA的结果表明，在小范围内，降水的自然因素，日照时间和温度是生态系统服务的主要驱动因素。当规模扩大时，人口，粮食生产，