Ecological Service Function-Based Forest Classification in North Tianshan Mountain, Xinjiang, China

Forests are essential for stabilizing the biosphere and providing ecological service functions that are significant to human beings. However, current forest landcover products cannot effectively reflect their ecological service functions. This study focused on the north Tianshan Mountain, China and proposed an ecological service function-based forest classification method using multi-source landcover products and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data. The proposed method included spatial superposition, clustering, and window sliding techniques. The resulting forest classification map accurately portrayed the spatial distribution of three ecological service function-based forests: water and soil conservation (WSC), farmland shelter (FS), and windbreak and sand-fixation (WSF) forests. Results indicated that WSC forests dominate the forest distribution in the north Tianshan Mountain, constituting over half of the total forest area, while FS forests are mostly spread across the western part of the region, accounting for 34.1% of the entire forest area. WSF forests are relatively small and mainly distributed in the central part of the region. This study provides valuable insights into forest classification based on their ecological service functions, which is critical for understanding the spatial distribution and dynamic changes of forests, promoting sustainable development and preserving their ecological service values.