Changes in land use significantly affect the environment by disrupting the natural landscape patterns. These changes may alter the ecological processes that affect the flow and provision of ecosystem services. In this study, we quantified land-use changes and the effects of landscape patterns on estimated Ecosystem Service Values (ESVs) at spatial and temporal scales in Ghana for four different years: 1995, 2005, 2015, and 2020. Using Fragstats spatial software, we computed landscape metrics to calculate the landscape patterns of the study area. We established a relationship between ecosystem services and landscape patterns by using correlation and regression analyses. The dominant land use in Ghana found in decreasing order were agriculture, forest, and savannah. The proportions covered by settlement and bare land were relatively small. The estimated ESVs for the study periods were US$172.11 billion in 1995, US$166.38 billion in 2005, US$166.07 billion in 2015 and US$166.59 in 2020. The entire decline observed was very significant (US$5.52 billion) because of the huge reduction in wetlands during this period. Linear multiple regression and correlation analyses revealed the relationships between ecosystem services and landscape patterns. According to the regression models, the landscape metrics of landscape composition and configuration had a net effect on the individual ecosystem services. This study provides useful reference material for land use policy makers, managers, and institutions involved in the implementation of policies and conservation practices to enhance the provision of ecosystem services.

中文翻译：

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西非加纳土地利用和景观格局空间变化及其对生态系统服务的影响研究

土地利用的变化会破坏自然景观格局，从而显着影响环境。这些变化可能会改变影响生态系统服务流动和提供的生态过程。在本研究中，我们量化了加纳四个不同年份（1995 年、2005 年、2015 年和 2020 年）的土地利用变化以及景观格局对空间和时间尺度上估计生态系统服务价值 (ESV) 的影响。使用 Fragstats 空间软件，我们计算景观指标来计算研究区域的景观格局。我们通过相关性和回归分析建立了生态系统服务和景观格局之间的关系。加纳的主要土地利用按降序排列是农业、森林和草原。聚落和裸地所占比例相对较小。研究期间的ESV估计为1995年1721.1亿美元、2005年1663.8亿美元、2015年1660.7亿美元和2020年166.59美元。由于湿地大幅减少，观察到的整体下降非常显着（55.2亿美元）在这段时期。线性多元回归和相关分析揭示了生态系统服务与景观格局之间的关系。根据回归模型，景观组成和配置的景观指标对单个生态系统服务有净影响。这项研究为土地利用政策制定者、管理者和参与政策和保护实践实施的机构提供了有用的参考资料，以加强生态系统服务的提供。