Identification of ecological security patterns of alpine wetland grasslands based on landscape ecological risks: A study in Zoigê County

Promoting ecological conservation through multi-objective ecological early warning and network regulation in the Karst Plateau, China

Ecological security networks (ESN) offer viable solutions to promote a synergistic development between ecological conservation and economic growth. However, human perceptions of ecosystem degradation often fail to keep pace with the rapid evolution of ecological damage. Therefore, we take the Karst Plateau (KP), which is a typical ecologically fragile area, as a research object, and select the SSP1-RCP1.9 (SSP119), SSP2-RCP4.5 (SSP245), and SSP5-RCP8.5 (SSP585) scenarios. The future evolutionary trends of ESN are predicted from the scarcity of ecosystem services (ES). Introduces the complex network theory to analyze the ESN microstructure's topological characteristics. Through classified regulation and zoning management to achieve early warning of ecological security. The study found that: (1) High-quality supply space is gradually shrinking owing to the ES demand shock. (2) The spatial distribution of ecological source sites is uneven, with the original large-scale ecological source areas shifting to small and dispersed ones. The area of ecological source areas will decrease significantly over time, especially in the SSP245 scenario. (3) As ecological source areas are subjected to increased incision, communities with more ecological nodes are more likely to form in future scenarios, with a tendency for important nodes to migrate southwards. (4) KP faces the challenge of rational configuration of landscape structure and ES sustainability, which needs to strengthen the supervision and protection of ecological warning zones, construct buffer zones to maintain the structural and functional integrity of ecological protection zones, and pay attention to the role of ecological improvement zones in providing sustained human well-being for the future. KP is a typical ecologically fragile zone, and the multi-objective ecological security early warning provides a strong decision-making basis for further ecological protection, as well as an ESN construction scheme that can be used as a reference for other ecologically fragile zones.

Integrating mining district data into ecological security pattern identification: a case study of Chenzhou

Resource-intensive cities face significant ecological challenges due to mining activities, which degrade landscapes, pollute ecosystems, and disrupt ecological security patterns. This study proposes a process for identifying ecological security patterns (ESP) in mining cities, integrating landscape risk assessment, remote sensing ecological quality evaluation, and mining district spatial data. We introduce the ecological source index (ECSI) to identify ecological sources in Chenzhou and construct an ecological resistance surface (ERS) by incorporating mining district locations. Using circuit theory, we map key ecological corridors and nodes, establishing the ecological security framework for Chenzhou. Our findings show 2,903 km² of primary ecological sources, 1,735 km² of secondary ES, and 2,124 km² of tertiary ES, along with 90 ecological corridors (1,183.66 km), 22 inactive corridors (983.37 km), 3 major river corridors, 68 pinch points, and 80 barriers. The ecological sources are organized in a "dominant source with multiple subsidiary cores" structure, connected by a "three horizontal and four vertical" corridor network. Ecological sources are primarily located in the east, while corridors, pinch points, and barriers are concentrated in the west. Barriers are mainly urban areas, mining zones, and farmland, while pinch points occur in narrow corridor sections, especially near towns and mining areas. Mining activities cause localized shifts and fragmentation of ecological corridors. We propose recommendations for mining management, such as implementing strict mining approval processes, constructing artificial ecological corridors, and expanding ecological channel boundaries in pinch point clusters. These findings provide essential guidance for ecological restoration and sustainable development in resource-dependent cities.

Conservation methods for Trollius mountain flowers in Xinjiang, China under climate change: Habitat networks construction based on habitat suitability and protected areas optimization response

Mountain flower species tend to be more climate-sensitive. Trollius is a mountain flower species of ecological and cultural significance in Xinjiang, China, but climate change has caused habitat fragmentation, which is the dominant threat to their survival. However, the precise mechanism of how climate change affects their distribution and the extent of habitat fragmentation remains unclear. Accordingly, Modeling was employed to obtain Trollius's habitat changes and fragmentation indices under different periods and climate scenarios. Based on this, the study identified potential corridors, evaluated habitat network patterns, and performed spatial optimization. The results demonstrated that Trollius species don't have the same climate adaptation ability. T. asiaticus exhibits exceptional climate adaptation with habitat expansion and minimal fragmentation, but the other species' habitat area and connectivity index dropped markedly. The Tien Shan and Altay Mountains represent the primary habitat sources of Trollius, while the Western Junggar Mountains serve as a crucial stepping stone. Habitat clusters are predominantly connected by short but efficient primary corridors, which showed stability when facing climatic fluctuation. Highly centralized "source-corridor" systems require enhanced identifying of pinch points and removing barrier points to ensure high connectivity. Furthermore, the protected areas system is inadequate in its protective function, with less than 7% of habitat areas covered by nature reserves and less than 15% covered by nature parks. The findings can provide scientific basis and methodological support for regional climate strategy making on biodiversity conservation and the optimization of protected areas.

Identification of degradation risk areas and delineation of key ecological function areas in Qinling region

As a critical component of the geographical divide between the northern and southern regions of China, the ecological stability of the Qinling region has profound implications for ecological balance within China and across East Asia. However, the degradation risk areas of the Qinling region remain unclear, and there are gaps in the delineation of key ecological protection areas. This study examines the improvement and decline in the Qinling region from 2000 to 2023 in terms of ecosystem patterns, quality, and functions. Moreover, key ecological function and degradation risk zones were identified, and future development paths were proposed for the Qinling region. The findings indicate that: (1) Urban area expansion was the most rapid, increasing by about 1800 km², with an average yearly growth rate of 2.43%. Ecosystem quality increased in 48.07% of the Qinling region. The degradation risk zones of ecosystem quality and function were primarily located in the Sanjiangyuan, the Minshan-Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi, Henan, and Gansu. The core areas for water and soil conservation only accounted for 17.92% and 10.47%, respectively, mainly distributed across the Qinling-Daba Mountains. Based on ecological patterns, quality, functions, and ecological protection and restoration projects, the Qinling region has been divided into two majority categories and 16 subcategories: 7 ecologically key functional areas and 9 degradation risk areas. This study offers recommendations for formulating ecological protection and restoration policies, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the region's ecology and economy.

To explore the effectiveness of various ecological security pattern construction methods in many growth situations in the future: A case study of the West Liaohe River Basin in Inner Mongolia

The Ecological Security Pattern (ESP) has emerged as a prominent area of focus in global ecosystem research, offering valuable scientific insights for reconciling ecological preservation with economic progress. Understanding the differences among different approaches to constructing ESP serves as a fundamental step in ensuring its efficacy. However, there has been a scarcity of studies that quantitatively assess the disparities in the effectiveness of various ESP construction methods. This study focuses on the West Liaohe River Basin as its research subject. Leveraging remote sensing data alongside county-level statistical information, the study employs three distinct ecological source identification methodologies to establish ESP frameworks. Subsequently, it analyzes the discrepancies in ecological protection outcomes across different ESP construction methods under varying future development scenarios. The findings reveal that the ESP centered around ecosystem services emerges as particularly suited for diverse development scenarios, consistently yielding optimal ecological protection outcomes. Our research not only furnishes a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for ESP development in the West Liaohe River Basin but also offers methodological insights transferrable to other regions.