Search Results (125)

Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of land-use and cover change (LUCC) and ecosystem service (ES) responses is essential for assessing ecological functions in regional landscapes. However, conventional LUCC simulations often rely on historical trends and inadequately represent the spatially heterogeneous effects of top-down policy constraints. Taking the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin (HYRB) as a case study, we developed a policy-to-rule framework that translated ecological redlines, urban development boundaries, and restoration requirements into explicit spatial constraints and land-use transition rules in the PLUS model. A policy-constrained High-Quality Development Scenario (HQDS) was established, with the Natural Growth Scenario (NGS) as a reference. Five ESs were assessed using InVEST from 1985 to 2050, and the results were integrated with the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory to construct an ecological security pattern (ESP). Historical reconstruction of the 2022 land-use pattern achieved an overall accuracy of 90.18% and a Kappa coefficient of 86.39%. The five ESs remained relatively stable overall: water yield, soil conservation, and the sediment-related indicator increased, whereas habitat quality and carbon storage declined slightly. Ecological source areas expanded from 7140.54 km² in 1985 to 12,039.17 km² under the HQDS in 2050, a 68.6% increase. Compared with the NGS, the HQDS increased source areas by 562.42 km² (4.9%), reduced ecological corridors from 26 to 24, and increased their total length from 1068.89 to 1099.61 km. These differences represent the projected, scenario-conditioned consequences of the specified policy constraints and provide quantitative decision support for future ecological management. Full article

To address ecological security challenges in karst urban agglomerations, this study proposes a green infrastructure network (GIN) optimization framework that integrates geological characteristics with complex network theory. A fracture-modified minimum cumulative resistance (FM-MCR) model, coupled with an ant colony algorithm, was developed to enhance GIN extraction accuracy. Using a cascade failure model, the structural response of the GIN under simulated attack scenarios was systematically evaluated across four edge enhancement strategies, enabling spatial layout optimization. Network clustering and node centrality assessments were further applied to identify critical corridors and strategic nodes. Results identified 108 ecological sources, with Qiannan contributing the largest area (3141.97 km², 23.96% of the total), and 162 corridors in the original GIN. Among the four edge enhancement strategies, the low-degree-first (LDF) strategy significantly improved network robustness, decreasing percolation thresholds by 20.9%, 22.98%, and 16.99% under random, degree, and betweenness attacks, respectively. Network cluster analysis further delineated 45 GIN clusters, 19 critical corridors, and 11 strategic nodes, revealing cross-scale ecological hubs linking the Wumengshan–Daloushan corridor with Guiyang’s urban green wedge. This framework, characterized by geological correction, dynamic edge enhancement, and cluster-based management, offers a scientific basis for improving GIN resilience in karst regions. Full article

The construction and optimization of ecological corridors (ECs) are essential for enhancing landscape connectivity and safeguarding biodiversity, among other goals. However, existing studies focus on regional areas within a nation, with limited attention to a transboundary basin perspective for ecological conservation. In this study, core areas were identified using morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA). Ecological sources (ESs) were extracted through the minimum area threshold method and landscape connectivity indices. An integrated resistance surface was established based on six resistance factors. Potential ECs were constructed through the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and further classified by the gravity model. Based on complex network theory and the greedy algorithm (GA), this study designed corresponding fitness functions for three independent objectives—maximizing network connectivity and robustness against random and targeted edge attacks, thus generating three optimal networks. The results indicated that 10 ecological source areas were identified, covering approximately 19,939.63 km², with the majority located in China. In total, 45 potential ECs were constructed, comprising 8 primary corridors, 14 secondary corridors, and 23 tertiary corridors, showing a general north–south pattern. Ecological network optimization improved connectivity by 31.05%, and robustness against random and targeted edge attacks by 17.65% and 24.72%, respectively. This study can facilitate transboundary conservation planning. Full article

The insufficient connectivity between human activity spaces and the natural environment impairs ecosystem connectivity and leads to the gradual compression of the natural environment by human activity spaces. In highly urbanized areas, human activity spaces and natural environments are often disconnected, yet few existing ecological network studies have actively incorporated human activity spaces into the an optimization framework to promote their integration with natural ecosystems. Taking Guangzhou as a case study, this research integrates MSPA-InVEST (the Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis—Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs model), landscape connectivity assessment, the MCR model (Minimum Cumulative Resistance model), and the gravity model to identify ecological sources and potential corridors. It innovatively introduces enterprise kernel density to add planned sources and planned corridors, thereby developing an ecological network optimization scheme that achieves spatial integration between human activity spaces and the natural environment. The results identified 38 ecological sources (total area ~2907.65 km², accounting for 39.07% of the study area) and 46 basic ecological corridors, showing a spatial pattern of “dense in the north, sparse in the central-south”. The addition of 7 planned sources and 22 planned corridors increased the network’s closure, connectivity, and linkage rate by 115.38%, 24.79%, and 23.26%, respectively, with the overall connectivity reaching 0.53. The spatial pattern shifted from an uneven distribution to a “north–south linkage and full coverage” layout. The optimized ecological network effectively connects the major ecological source areas in Guangzhou and, in combination with natural corridors such as rivers, forms a comprehensive ecological security pattern of “mountains–water–forests–city”, thereby constructing a comprehensive ecological network framework for highly urbanized areas. This method takes into account both ecological integrity and economic spatial demands, providing a scientific reference for the construction of ecological networks and the optimization of territorial space in high-density megacities, with the ultimate goal of integrating human activity spaces with natural ecosystems and fostering sustainable development. Full article

Rapid urbanisation has reshaped Shanghai’s ecological land base and intensified fragmentation of its green infrastructure (GI). This study evaluates the spatiotemporal evolution of Shanghai’s GI network from 2000 to 2020 using a resilience-informed patch-corridor-connectivity assessment. In this study, resilience is not just an explanatory label but a measurable structural criterion. Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) was used to identify core patches; patch importance was evaluated using delta Probability of Connectivity (dPC); a Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model was used to derive potential corridors; and a gravity model was used to classify corridor importance. The results show that important ecological corridors increased from 22 in 2000 to 33 in 2010 and 68 in 2020, while the total area of the MSPA core class declined and north–south connectivity remained uneven. The key finding is not the growth of corridor number itself, but the mismatch between corridor densification and contraction of major source patches. This mismatch indicates a structural vulnerability that would be overlooked by a conventional network-optimisation reading. Therefore, based on the results of indicator-based resilience assessment, this study proposes a planning scheme that combines core-area conservation, corridor continuity, redundancy improvement, and cross-regional connectivity enhancement. Full article

Existing studies have paid limited attention to the spatial integration of cultural heritage resources in mountainous regions. To fill this gap, this study analyzes 1479 cultural heritage sites in the Qinling–Bashan Mountains. The kernel density analysis results reveal a spatial agglomeration pattern characterized by high-density clusters, medium- to low-density extensions, and scattered peripheral areas. This study integrates the cultural corridor spatial potential model (CCSPM), the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model to identify the potential diffusion range of cultural heritage and assess the suitability of cultural heritage corridor construction. On this basis, an integrated cultural heritage corridor pattern is proposed, featuring “one corridor, two belts, two cores, and six zones.” On this basis, this study proposes targeted conservation strategies for cultural heritage corridors from four perspectives: cultural–ecological synergistic protection, cross-regional collaborative governance, digital revitalization of rural cultural tourism, and socio-economic governance. Overall, this study contributes methodological support for the systematic conservation of mountainous cultural heritage and provides a practical reference for rural cultural revitalization and the sustainable utilization of heritage resources in China. Full article

Developing ecological networks is essential for preserving regional ecosystem stability and for reducing risks associated with degraded landscape security and ecological health. However, regional ecological network studies in lake environments that combine long-term temporal comparison with location-specific optimization remain relatively limited. Taking the Chagan Lake region as the study area, this research examined landscape pattern changes in 2000, 2010, and 2020 by integrating Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) with connectivity metrics to determine major ecological source areas. General and key ecological corridors were then identified and evaluated through the joint use of the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model and the gravity model. Based on these results, the evolution of the regional ecological network during the past two decades was analyzed, and an optimization strategy was proposed. The results show that important ecological source areas became increasingly fragmented over time. Although corridor numbers continued to rise, connectivity between the eastern and western sectors and across parts of the central zone remained weak. In response, three supplementary ecological source areas, together with restoration nodes and stepping-stone patches, are proposed to reinforce structural linkage and improve the overall network configuration. The study offers a practical basis for ecological network refinement in the Chagan Lake region and provides methodological support for enhancing landscape connectivity and ecosystem resilience. Full article

Rapid urbanization and increasing landscape fragmentation pose significant threats to ecological connectivity, creating a need for integrative decision support approaches in sustainable spatial planning. This study presents a systematic review of ecological network optimization studies published between 2005 and 2025, following the PRISMA protocol. A total of 78 peer-reviewed studies were analyzed to identify methodological trends, recurring limitations, and research gaps in the assessment of structural and functional connectivity. Based on the gaps identified through the systematic review, this study proposes a conceptual Sustainable Spatial Decision Support System (S-SDSS) framework that integrates Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE/AHP), Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR), Least-Cost Path (LCP), and Gravity Modeling (GM) within a unified analytical structure. The review findings reveal a clear shift from single-method applications toward integrated multi-model approaches that better represent ecological processes and improve corridor prioritization. The proposed framework synthesizes the complementary strengths of these established methods to support evidence-based ecological network planning. The framework operates as a hybrid structure that combines a sequential analytical workflow with a unified typological classification system, generating Hybrid Ecological Typologies (T1–T5) as planning-oriented outputs that cannot be produced by any individual method alone. The proposed S-SDSS offers a transferable and policy-relevant conceptual basis for ecological network optimization, supporting green infrastructure planning, biodiversity conservation, and long-term landscape resilience across multiple spatial scales. Full article

Rapid urbanization has intensified wetland fragmentation and ecological connectivity degradation, threatening the structural stability and functional sustainability of urban wetland ecosystems. Constructing resilient wetland ecological networks is therefore essential for maintaining regional ecological security and supporting sustainable urban development. Taking Wuhan as a case study, multi-temporal land-use data from 2004, 2014, and 2024, together with land-use transition matrices, were used to analyze urban expansion and wetland landscape transformation. Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, and circuit theory were integrated to identify ecological sources, construct ecological corridors, and evaluate the structural connectivity of the wetland ecological network. Ecological source importance was quantified using the Probability of Connectivity (PC) and dPC indices. In addition, robustness analysis based on the sequential removal of high-dPC ecological source patches was conducted to assess network stability under disturbance scenarios. The results identified 20 core ecological source areas and 45 ecological corridors, forming a relatively interconnected wetland ecological network centered around major lake clusters and key ecological hubs. High-current corridors and pinch points were mainly distributed in ecologically sensitive transition zones and urban expansion boundaries. Robustness analysis showed that sequential removal of high-dPC ecological hubs resulted in continuous declines in EC(PC) and corridor number, while corridor length increased substantially. Although overall connectivity was maintained through alternative ecological pathways, ecological movement efficiency decreased significantly under disturbance scenarios, indicating increasing dispersal costs and reduced structural stability. These findings suggest that the wetland ecological network possesses moderate structural connectivity through pathway redundancy but remains highly dependent on several dominant ecological hubs. This study extends traditional static connectivity assessment by incorporating robustness and disturbance response analysis into wetland ecological network evaluation. The proposed framework provides scientific support for resilient wetland conservation, ecological restoration, and sustainable spatial planning in rapidly urbanizing metropolitan regions. Full article

The specialised development of the tea industry has driven the continuous expansion of tea plantations in characteristic tea-producing areas of China, resulting in drastic land use changes and ecological degradation, which hinder regional sustainable development. As vital linear landscape elements, ecological corridors play a pivotal role in optimising land use spatial patterns and improving regional ecological quality. Taking Anxi County, Fujian Province, China, as the research area, this study identifies ecological sources by integrating comprehensive ecosystem service (CES) assessment and morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA). The minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model is adopted to construct regional ecological corridors. Based on corridor identification outcomes, this paper explores rational land use planning schemes for the study area. The results indicate that long-term tea plantation expansion has triggered the degradation and shrinkage of ecological sources and corridors, along with reduced ecological connectivity and landscape stability. Targeted land use zoning strategies and ecological corridor restoration and protection measures are proposed, providing a theoretical basis and practical reference for balancing industrial growth, land use optimisation, and ecological conservation in characteristic tea-growing regions. Full article

Mountainous cultural landscapes, characterized by fragmented heritage sites, present significant challenges for integrated conservation and regional planning. Taking the Mount Song Culture Circle in Dengfeng City, China—a World Heritage site embodying the core of Chinese ritual civilization—as a case study, this study proposes an adaptive minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) gravity model to optimize heritage corridor resilience against spatial fragmentation and development imbalances. Based on a spatial database of 294 cultural relic units, the adaptive model introduces a dynamic cultural value weight (CVIndex = 0.82) and a time decay function (λ = 0.05) to capture the interplay between cultural significance and ecological constraints—features absent in traditional static approaches. The model identifies three optimized heritage corridor networks—”Seeking Wisdom in the Mountains”, “Searching for Culture in the Landscape”, and “Exploring the City Along the River.” Compared with a traditional static MCR model (αindex = 0.42; core area node density = 0.74 nodes/km²), the adaptive approach improves network connectivity by 37% (α-index = 0.58, p < 0.01) and increases core area heritage node density to 1.12/km². Space syntax analysis further confirms that optimized network integration values strongly correlate with cultural dissemination efficiency (R² = 0.78, p < 0.01, n = 48). This research offers a methodological innovation for resilient conservation of complex cultural landscapes in World Heritage contexts. Full article

Ecological networks provide an important spatial framework for maintaining regional ecological security in fragmented landscapes. However, structural comparison of ecological network evolution at the provincial scale remains relatively limited, especially in cold-region contexts. Taking Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China as the study area, this study applies a structure-oriented workflow integrating ecological sensitivity assessment, the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, and edge-betweenness-based backbone corridor extraction to examine ecological network change in 2000, 2010, and 2020. The results show that 16, 18, and 17 ecological source areas were identified in 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively, with a relatively stable spatial distribution concentrated in forest- and wetland-dominated regions. The total length of potential ecological corridors decreased from 12,634 km in 2000 to 11,985 km in 2020. Quantitative topological indicators further indicate that the 2010 ecological network was the most compact and densely connected of the three periods, whereas the 2020 network remained connected but exhibited lower structural compactness. Backbone ecological corridors retained only a limited proportion of the full corridor network while preserving overall connectivity, indicating that a relatively small subset of structurally important corridors supported the main network framework. Spatially, structural weakening was more evident in the Harbin–Daqing region, whereas the northwestern and southeastern parts of the province maintained relatively stable ecological foundations. These patterns were broadly consistent with land-use dynamics, particularly grassland decline and built-up land expansion. Overall, this study provides an applied structure-oriented workflow for examining ecological network evolution at the provincial scale and offers a spatial basis for ecological conservation and territorial planning in cold-region provinces. Full article

The northeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is an ecologically fragile region that faces severe habitat fragmentation, which directly threatens regional biodiversity conservation and ecological security. To address this challenge, this study constructed a hierarchical “source-corridor-node” ecological network for the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture by integrating Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), the Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model, landscape connectivity assessment, and gravity modeling. The key results are as follows: (1) The Gannan Yellow River Water Source Replenishment Area contains 11 core ecological source regions, which are predominantly located in the southeastern regions of Diebu County and Zhouqu County, covering a total area of 4237.81 km²; (2) Ecological resistance analysis identifies high-resistance zones concentrated in anthropogenically active river valleys and urban belts (e.g., Hezuo urban area, Awanzang Town, and the G213 corridor). Low-resistance zones are predominantly situated in protected ecological enclaves (e.g., Zhagana Geopark and Gahai Wetland Reserve); (3) A total of 55 ecological corridors were identified, with a total length of 4355.77 km. Among these, 26 were classified as key ecological corridors, primarily distributed in Diebu and Zhouqu counties in the eastern part of Gannan Prefecture. These areas feature relatively concentrated ecological sources, and the key corridors play a critical role in connecting isolated ecological patches and maintaining regional ecological connectivity. (4) Across the entire territory of Gannan Prefecture, a total of 81 first-level ecological nodes and 53 second-level ecological nodes were delineated. As the core hub of the regional ecological network in Gannan Prefecture, Diebu County encompasses 60 First-level and 41 Second-level ecological nodes, respectively. The hierarchical “source-corridor-node” ecological network constructed in this study effectively enhances the overall landscape connectivity of the area. This progressive analytical framework—integrating source identification, corridor extraction, and node diagnosis—provides a scientific basis for biodiversity conservation, territorial ecological restoration, and sustainable development in high-altitude ecologically fragile zones. Full article

The Western Songnen Plain, a critical yet ecologically fragile grain-producing area, is facing sustainability risks arising from rapid land use changes, which demand scientific assessment and regulation. From an ecological security standpoint, this study synthesizes multiple data sources, including GlobeLand30 data, climate, topography, and soil data. Based on the assessment of water conservation, soil conservation and biodiversity maintenance, combined with minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR) and the CLUMondo model, this study comprehensively reveals the dynamic evolutionary patterns of land use in the Western Songnen Plain over the past two decades, concurrently analyzed the spatial heterogeneity pattern of ecosystem services, and further simulated land use changes under natural growth, farmland protection, and ecological security scenarios. According to the results, the grassland area decreased significantly, while cropland and construction land continued to expand. Water conservation, soil conservation, and habitat quality displayed remarkable regional differences, with high values predominantly situated in wetlands, grasslands, and mountainous regions. In contrast, low values exhibited strong spatial correspondence with regions of heightened anthropogenic disturbance. Although the cropland protection scenario promoted agricultural intensification, it reduced ecological heterogeneity. In contrast, the ecological security scenario achieved a higher patch density (0.408) and landscape diversity (1.142) compared to the natural growth scenario, with moderate increases in aggregation. This study identified 27 ecological pinch points, 24 ecological barrier points, and 97 ecological corridors, which provide direct support for regional water and soil resource protection and further underpin the constructed ecological security pattern of “two belts, three zones, and multiple nodes”. These findings have important reference significance for optimizing regional land use structure and maintaining the stability of terrestrial ecosystems in the Western Songnen Plain. Full article

The watershed boundaries in arid and semi-arid regions are critical zones where ecological vulnerability and socio-economic development are in severe conflict. The upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River basin are a typical example of this dilemma. Intensive land use and human developmental interventions in this region have severely disrupted the integrity and balance of the ecosystem. While spatially designated, networked conservation areas can effectively promote the integrity and balance of regional ecosystems, these areas may fail to capture dynamic changes in vulnerability. This study develops a “functional diagnosis-structural diagnosis-integrated optimization” framework. It integrates various scenarios to diagnose vulnerability under uncertainty and identifies bottlenecks in ecological networks. For functional diagnosis, the coupling of the sensitivity–resilience–pressure (SRP) model and the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) algorithm accurately locates vulnerable areas within the regional ecosystem. In terms of structural diagnosis, the Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), Minimum Cumulative Resistance model (MCR), and Circuit Theory are integrated to identify structural bottlenecks. The main findings of this study are as follows: (1) Functional Diagnosis: The coupling of SRP and OWA reveals the non-linear vulnerability responses to policy preferences and identifies areas that consistently exhibit functional vulnerability across different scenarios. (2) Structural Diagnosis: The circuit theory combined with MSPA and MCR analysis identifies 72 ecological pinch points. These bottlenecks represent the weakest structural nodes crucial for maintaining regional ecological robustness. (3) Coupled Delineation and Differentiated Restoration Strategies: High vulnerability areas identified by SRP and consistently vulnerable areas identified by OWA are combined to delineate four distinct ecological restoration units: Alpine Fragile Matrix Unit, Loess Hilly Soil Conservation Unit, Anthropogenic Pressure Pinch Point Unit, Key Structural Stepping Stone Unit. Differentiated ecological restoration strategies are proposed based on the varying sensitivity, resilience, and pressure characteristics of these units. The “functional-structural” coupled ecological vulnerability evaluation framework can precisely identify vulnerable areas. The delineated restoration units and their corresponding restoration strategies provide reference and supplementation for the protected areas system, offering transferable tools for enhancing regional ecological efficiency. Full article