Habitat quality assessment based on InVEST model - Zhengzhou, China

Abstract

Human activities and global urbanisation have affected the integrity and continuity of ecological land, and resulted in the fragmentation of natural habitats and worldwide ecological security issues. Some ecological functions of landscape patches have been degraded or even lost. We need to study the impact of land use changes on natural habitats that are caused by urbanisation. As the research area, we selected Zhengzhou, a city in central China that has undergone rapid urbanisation in the early 21st century. By using the InVEST-habitat quality model and ArcGIS geographical analysis, we evaluated changes in land use and habitat quality in Zhengzhou from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: The area of construction land increased sharply by 806.76km2 from 2000 to 2010, while during 2010-2020 the growth rate slowed to 33km2 per year, and most of it was converted from arable land. The area of forest and grassland was also greatly reduced in 2000-2010, but did not change significantly in 2010-2020. This indicates that urban expansion gradually shifted from the acceleration of 2000-2010 to a period of stability in 2010-2020, and construction land has taken over a large amount of arable land. Habitat quality was higher in the mountain forests to the west and the south, while the low habitat quality areas in the eastern plain gradually expanded with the development of urban construction. The Yellow River, the most important river in China, was also negatively affected by urbanisation in the north of Zhengzhou, but its habitat quality gradually improved during 2010-2020. In the central urban area, habitat quality was improved in some places due to the creation of green spaces and artificial lakes in recent years, and also through with the improved maintenance of green spaces. However, it is worth continuing to explore whether artificial lakes and large-scale green spaces are the optimal solutions to improve habitat quality. In the future, we will be able to seek the best cost-effective ecological protection methods in terms of economic investment and ecological benefits.