Identifying ecological security patterns to prioritize conservation and restoration：A case study in Xishuangbanna tropical region, China

Abstract

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (Kunming-Montreal GBF), which puts forward higher ecological conservation requirements for countries to carry out sound spatial planning to realize the ultimate vision of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. It is urgent to adopt a comprehensive and refined spatial planning method to provide spatial guidance for efficient actions. Ecological security patterns (ESP) are an integrated approach that effectively reduces the impact of production and daily life on nature, promoting regional ecological sustainability, which can provide efficient spatial planning support for Kunming-Montreal GBF implementation. Taking the Xishuangbanna tropical region as a research case, a biodiversity hotspot in China and the world, this study attempts to improve and optimize the ecological network construction process of the ESP research paradigm “ecological sources identification-ecological resistance surfaces construction-ecological corridors extraction" around higher ecological objectives, and further identifies the priority areas for ecological conservation and restoration. Overall, it has been determined the ecological network spaces of five species groups in the Xishuangbanna tropical region. Key biodiversity areas of 2768.19 km2 play an important maintenance role in the overall biodiversity and ecosystem services of the region, and 213 high importance and connectivity corridors that have significant contributions to the migration of species are determined. The priority areas for ecological conservation (2467.71 km2) and ecological restoration (514.67 km2) are further determined. This study provides a demonstration case for constructing an integrated ESP to maintain regional species and ecosystem stability, enhance integrity and connectivity, and further identify priority areas. For the Xishuangbanna tropical region and other global biodiversity hotspots, a systematic, comprehensive, and sustainable ecological management model should be established, where limited funding and resources for ecological actions should be directed to priority areas of the most valuable outcomes.