Eco-Environmental Assessment and Trend Analysis of the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Megalopolis Based on a Modified Remote Sensing Ecological Index

Abstract

China’s accelerating pace of urbanization has placed severe pressure on its ecosystems. Hence, the monitoring and assessment of eco-environmental quality has significant implications for sustainable urban development. By introducing a pollution index, a modified remote sensing ecological index (MRSEI) was constructed to more comprehensively evaluate the spatiotemporal distribution of the eco-environment quality in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River where urbanization has been developing rapidly. Future trends in eco-environmental quality were analyzed using Theil–Sen trend analysis, the Mann–Kendall test, and the Hurst exponent. Environmental influencing factors were also analyzed. Our results show that: (1) The impact of pollution factors on urban agglomerations cannot be overlooked. The MRSEI model introduces a pollution indicator to better assess the eco-environmental quality of urban agglomeration areas. (2) The eco-environmental quality is high in the south and east and low in the north and west, with overall levels ranging between moderate and good. (3) The eco-environmental quality remained stable, improved, and degraded in 86.3%, 3.1%, and 10.7% of the study area, respectively. (4) The land use and land cover type are directly related to the eco-environment. Climate factors indirectly affect the eco-environment. Human activities in cities and urban peripheries lead to land use changes and industrial pollution, which significantly affect environmental quality.