Land Eco-Security Assessment Based on the Multi-Dimensional Connection Cloud Model

Qiuyan Liu,Juliang Jin,Xiao Wang,Fengqiang Shen,Mingwu Wang

doi:10.3390/su10062096

Abstract

The evaluation of land eco-security is challenging because it is involved with various uncertainty factors. Although the normal cloud model provides an idea for dealing with the randomness and fuzziness of indicators for the evaluation of land eco-security, it cannot simulate the distribution state of the evaluation indicators in a finite interval and their calculation process is complicated for multi-factor problems. Herein, a novel multi-dimensional connection cloud model is discussed to remedy these defects. In this model, combined with the range of evaluation factors in each grade, the identity-discrepancy-contrary principle of set pair theory is adopted to determine the digital characteristics of the multi-dimensional cloud model, which can uniformly describe the certainty and uncertainty relationships between the measured indices and the evaluation criteria and also improve the fuzzy-randomness of evaluation indicators closer to the actual distribution characteristics. The case study and the comparison of the proposed model with the normal cloud model and the matter element model were performed to confirm the validity and reliability of the proposed model. Results show that this model can overcome the subjectivity in determining the digital characteristics of the normal cloud model, providing a novel method for the comprehensive evaluation of land eco-security.

Highlights

Eco-security is defined as the “ecologically sustainable development that meets the environmental and ecological needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own environmental and ecological needs” [1,2], which was first introduced by the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA) in the global eco-security monitoring system of 1989 [3]
This paper couples the normal cloud model with the set pair theory to present a multi-dimensional connection cloud model, which makes the selection of the digital characteristics of cloud model more objective, and makes the evaluation result more accurate and reliable
Evaluation of land eco-security is a complex and uncertain problem since it is dependent on many factors

Summary

Introduction

Eco-security is defined as the “ecologically sustainable development that meets the environmental and ecological needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own environmental and ecological needs” [1,2], which was first introduced by the Insurance Accounting and Systems Association (IASA) in the global eco-security monitoring system of 1989 [3]. Land eco-security is an essential component of overall natural eco-security, a state in which it maintains a healthy and balanced structure and function within certain spatial and temporal ranges, and provides natural conditions in which human beings live [10,11]. With the large extension of urbanization and the great development of human societies in the past 50 years, some irrational activities of land use have posed a dangerous threat to the health and safety of the ecosystem, resulting in a series of environmental problems, such as biodiversity reduction, soil erosion, and land contamination [6,12,13,14,15].

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion