Integrated Approach Based on a Regional Habitat Succession Model to Assess Wetland Landscape Ecological Degradation

Abstract

Wetland degradation is a predicament in wetland research. Constructing a robust, universal method to assess wetland landscape ecological degradation is a critical issue. This study proposes an integrated approach based on a regional habitat succession model to assess wetland landscape ecological degradation. The approach consists of a landscape change monitoring module, a regional habitat succession model, and a quantitative analysis module. The proposed approach is theoretically universal, although the regional habitat succession model is not universal. The approach is implemented and evaluated with Yancheng National Natural Reserve (YNNR) in East China as the study area. Results show that (1) wetland landscape ecological degradation in YNNR exhibits an accelerated degradation rate and an area percentage of 39.39 % for approximately 30 years; (2) the results are similar to those of previous studies and correspond to actual practice; (3) the proposed integrated approach can quantitatively assess the area, rate, and trend of degradation, and determine the dominant degradation processes and their drivers; and (4) the dominant processes and factors established in this study can provide directions for studies on the mechanism of wetland degradation and support the conservation and management of wetlands. Therefore, the proposed method is a promising approach to evaluate the ecological degradation of wetland landscapes.