Ecological Environment Dynamic Monitoring and Driving Force Analysis of Karst World Heritage Sites Based on Remote-Sensing: A Case Study of Shibing Karst

Abstract

The evaluation and monitoring of the ecological environment quality of heritage sites can help provide sustainable and healthy development strategies for heritage management organizations. In this study, an ecological evaluation model based on the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) was used to measure the ecological environment of the Shibing Karst World Heritage Site and its buffer zone and the Moran index and geographic probe model were combined to quantify the ecological environment. The results show that, (1) from 2013 to 2020, the ecological environment quality of the heritage site and buffer zone was moderate to high and the mean RSEI values in the three periods studied were 0.720, 0.723 and 0.742, showing an overall upward and improving trend; (2) ecological environment quality grades of moderate and good accounted for more than 70% of the area, the distribution pattern of ecological environment quality is significantly better at the heritage site than in the buffer zone and the southwest is better than the northeast; (3) the Moran index increased from 0.600 in 2013 to 0.661 in 2020, residing in the first and third quadrants, respectively, with significantly spatial aggregation; and (4) greenness and humidity were shown to play a positive feedback role on the ecological environment quality and the spatial influence ability of humidity and dryness was greater. Overall, the RSEI is an effective method of evaluating and monitoring the ecological environment quality of heritage sites, the ecological environment quality of the Karst heritage site in Shibing is in a steady state of improvement and the relevant departments of heritage conservation need to further coordinate the relationship between conservation and development to promote the sustainable development of the heritage site and provide effective solutions for the monitoring of other Karst World Heritage sites.