Modeling the bidirectional feedbacks between land use and ecological networks to identify future ecological security core areas.

• The study shows that the ecological source area in Ningwu County nearly doubled from 2000 to 2020, indicating the effectiveness of ecological restoration programs. • With the emergence of new ecological source patches, the number of ecological corridors increased from 8 to 20, significantly enhancing the connectivity of the ecological network. • Characterized ecological network evolution in a county where a series of ecological programs were implemented, demonstrating effective enhancement of ecosystem integrity and connectivity. Ecological network construction has been conducted in various areas worldwide at different spatial scales, to guide regional ecological conservation and restoration, or predict future ecological networks under different land use scenarios. However, it has been rarely applied to evaluate the ecological restoration achievements from the aspect of ecosystem integrity and connectivity. This study uses MSPA-MCR model to characterize ecological network changes before and after a series of ecological restoration programs were implemented in Ningwu County, China. The results showed that: (1) The ecological source area first grown slightly from 2000 (344.51 km 2 ) to 2010 (353.49 km 2 ). And then the number almost doubled in 2020 (614.39 km 2 ). With the expansion of the area, the original 6 ecological source patches merged into 4 in 2010 and then 3 in 2020, and 1 new patch emerged in 2010 and 5 more patches in 2020. (2) The area of high ecological resistance showed a minor increase from 2000 (576.90 km 2 ) to 2010 (592.31 km 2 ), but then declined sharply by 38.53 % in 2020 (364.07 km 2 ). (3) With the emergence of new ecological source patches, more corridors were needed to connect them. The ecological corridors increased from 8 in 2000 to 9 in 2010, and 20 in 2020; and the total length increased from 70.23 km in 2000 to 144.23 km in 2010, and 170.21 km in 2020. (4) The ecological network topological structure indices showed that the ecological network structure improved over the two decades. These results indicate that the series of ecological restoration programs effectively enhanced the ecosystem integrity and connectivity. Further analysis suggests that the substantial increase of ecological source area was due to the ecosystem service enhancement on existing ecological land and the emergence of new planted forest land. And implications for future ecological restoration were given based on the ecological network structure.

Gui'an New Area, the largest state-level new area in western China, serves as a hub for economic growth and a demonstration area for ecological civilization in China. Its sustainable development heavily relies on ecological protection. In this study, we explored the impacts on the regional ecosystem by analyzing the land use change, carbon storage (CS) dynamics, and ecological safety network pattern of Gui'an New Area during the period from 2010 to 2060. The study utilizes the FLUS model to predict land use in 2030 and 2060, applies the InVEST model to assess CS, and combines the MSPA and MCR models to construct an ecological safety network. The results show that policies drive land use types and landscape spatial changes in Gui'an New Area. The land use types of Gui'an New Area shifted significantly from 2010 to 2060, especially the decrease of cropland and the growth of buildings, as well as the fluctuating changes around woodland, grassland, and water; the core area of the landscape also showed a decreasing trend in the area share between 2010 and 2060. Gui'an New Area's CS displayed an overall decline from 2014 to 2060, despite an initial increase until 2030; this trend showed significant spatial heterogeneity, with woodland and building areas undergoing the most substantial changes due to variations in ecological space area and carbon density. The analysis of the ecological safety network shows that the number and area of ecological source land in Gui'an New Area fluctuated and decreased between 2010 and 2060; the number of ecological corridors declined as a whole; the spatial distribution was uneven; and the ecological space in the eastern part of the area was compressed by the influence of economic development and the growth of population density, which limited the formation and development of the ecological corridors. The study emphasizes that regional CS and ecosystem services can be enhanced through rational planning and ecological restoration. It is recommended that ecological space protection and long-term management be strengthened to achieve a win-win situation between ecological protection and economic development in Gui'an New Area and to promote sustainable development.

生态网络识别与优化是保障区域生态安全格局，开展国土空间生态保护修复的重要研究手段。立足图论和景观生态学理论方法，以长江下游平原区的金坛区为例，利用遥感影像、土地利用数据、POI数据等，通过最小面积阈值、最佳距离阈值分析，识别了区域现状生态网络，开展了生态盲区指导下的生态网络优化，并对优化前后的生态网络性能、区域生境斑块重要性进行评价，取得以下研究结果：①开展生态盲区指导下生态网络优化，可显著提升区域景观连接度，且在生态水网区域具有较强适用性；②研究区存在生态景观断裂，生态网络布局亟待优化，经优化Harary指数增加了10.92倍，整体连接度指数提升了43.45%，可能性连接度指数提升了99.58%；③国土空间生态保护修复应重点关注关键区域整治，可采取重点斑块生态保护、关键节点生态修复、特殊区域生态建设等差异化生态网络修复策略。;Identification and optimization of ecological networks is an important research method to ensure the regional ecological security pattern and carry out the ecological protection and restoration of national land space. Based on theories of graph and landscape ecology, this paper took Jintan District in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River as an example, and used the remote sensing images, land use data, POI data, etc. Through the minimum area threshold and the optimal distance threshold analysis, the current ecological network of the region was identified, the ecological network under the guidance of the ecological blind zone was carried out, and the ecological network performance before and after optimization the importance of regional habitat patches was evaluated. This paper obtained the following results:① under the guidance of the ecological blind zone, ecological network optimization can significantly improve the connectivity of regional landscape and has strong applicability in ecological water network areas. ② There are ecological landscape fractures in some areas of research area, and the ecological network layout needs to be optimized. The optimized Harary index increased by 10.92 times. The overall connectivity index increased by 43.45%, and the possibility connectivity index increased by 99.58%. ③ National land space ecological protection and restoration should focus on key areas, and adopt the strategies of important patches ecological protection, key nodes ecological restoration, and special regions ecological construction for ecological network restoration.

Constructing a stable and healthy ecological network is an important means to promote the sustainable development of oasis cities. This study adopts the research model of 'ecological source identification-resistance surface construction-ecological corridor extraction-ecological network optimization' to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution of the ecological network in Yinchuan City in 2000， 2010， and 2020 and the multi-scenario ecological network simulated by PLUS model in 2030. The results showed that： ① The area of ecological sources has been declining over the past 20 years. Ecological sources were larger in the ecological protection scenario than in the natural development and economic development scenarios. ② Over the past 20 years， the length of ecological corridors has been decreasing， but the ecological network index has been increasing， and the ecological network structure is more solid. The corridor length and ecological network index of the ecological protection context had the best performance. ③ The optimal width of the ecological corridor in Yinchuan City was 100 m， at which time the area of the ecological corridor was 55.07 km2， and the areas of the ecological pinch points and ecological obstacles were 1.18 km2 and 2.38 km2， respectively. ④ The improved ecological network based on the optimization countermeasures was more stable and healthier， with the length and area of ecological corridors increasing by 15.27 % and 25.24 %， respectively. The results of the study can guide the spatial construction of the ecological network in Yinchuan City from a systematic perspective， promote the implementation of ecological protection and restoration projects， and reduce the interference of human activities on the ecosystem from a theoretical perspective. They also provide a basis and reference for the ecological protection of the national land space and the construction of a high-quality development pioneer zone in the Yellow River Basin.

Taking policy factors into account in constructing an ecological security pattern is of great significance in helping to realize the ecological civilization strategy. Taking Liaoning Province as an example， the study adopts a research framework of "core-regional-strip-multi-point" based on five land use data sets from 2000 to 2020 and couples the InVEST-PLUS model to predict the land use and carbon storage in the SN， SW， CLD， and SE scenarios for the year 2030. The study then combines the MSPA and MCR models to construct an ecological security pattern and proposes new ideas for ecological construction. The results showed that： ① The land use prediction results indicated that land use was mainly composed of farmland and forests. The farmland area decreased slowly， and the forest area increased continuously from 2000 to 2030. ② The spatial distribution of carbon storage was mainly in the east， and the eastern region was a key protected forest area. The trend of carbon storage in the eastern region was relatively stable， while the carbon storage in the western region continued to increase. ③ The ecological security network structure in the SE scenario was complex and highly connected， identifying 30 ecological source areas， 97 discontinuities， 56 ecological corridors with a total length of 211 km， and a northeastern-southeastern strip-shaped extension pattern with dense networks in the middle and western regions and sparse networks in the eastern coastal areas. ④ Comparing the structure and connectivity of the ecological security network in different scenarios， the study selected the SE scenario and proposed the "one core， three regions， three belts， and multiple points" ecological security pattern construction strategy. It also proposed ecological management policy recommendations to promote sustainable development in Liaoning Province.

Xinjiang is an important arid region in the northwest of China and plays an important role in the field of ecological security protection in China. Because of its aridity, the identification of critical areas for ecological protection and the optimization of ecological space structure in Xinjiang are of great significance for promoting the harmonious development of the oasis economy, enhancing the ecological environment, and improving human well-being. This study applied an ecological security evaluation from the three dimensions of habitat quality, ecosystem service value, and soil-water conservation to identify the basic situation of the ecological security pattern. The core “source” area of ecological protection was extracted using the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) method, while the ecological corridor and important ecological nodes were identified using the minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR). The “point-line-plane” three-dimensional ecological network structure was then constructed, providing a case for the development of the ecological security and construction in the oasis. The results showed that in the arid regions of Xinjiang, the ecological land is extremely fragmented and is mainly distributed in the mountains and waters distant from human activities. Overall, there is a substantial geographical disparity with a low level of ecological security, particularly in the ecological marginal areas. The ecological network framework of Xinjiang is characterized by an uneven distribution of “sources”, broken corridor structure, and a low degree of networking. Therefore, this study proposed an ecological space layout system consisting of “7 ecological subsystems, 51 source areas, 87 ecological corridors, and 33 ecological nodes” by combining the regional physical and geographical characteristics with the overall development plan.

Synergistic ecological network approach for sustainable development of highly urbanized area in the Bay Bottom region: A study in Chengyang District, Qingdao

Rapid urbanization has led to severe landscape fragmentation and ecosystem degradation in the Gansu Section of the Yellow River Basin (GSYRB). Focusing on this region, this study identified the spatial distribution of key ecological elements; consequently, an integrated “source–corridor–pinch point” ecological network was constructed. The findings aim to optimize the regional ecological security pattern. Ultimately, this study provides a scientific basis for the sustainable development of the study area and similar regions. This study revealed ecological trends based on four periods of land use data (1993–2023). We identified ecological source areas through MSPA and ecosystem service evaluations, and constructed resistance surfaces using spatial PCA. By applying circuit theory, we extracted ecological corridors—incorporating width attributes—and identified pinch points, thereby establishing a comprehensive ecological network. The results show that: (1) Over the past 30 years, construction land area expanded significantly, while cultivated land and water body areas contracted, and grassland and forest areas increased slowly. (2) Both the landscape fragmentation index and connectivity index exhibited a downward trend, while the landscape diversity index decreased first and then increased, indicating a systemic transformation in the landscape pattern. (3) A total of 260 ecological source areas, 694 ecological corridors (linear pathways connecting ecological source areas), and 371 ecological pinch points (critical bottleneck sections within corridors where connectivity is most vulnerable to disruption) were identified, forming an overall network structure with uneven spatial distribution. The ecological network spatial pattern constructed in this study based on ecosystem service assessment and circuit theory can effectively identify key ecological elements and their spatial heterogeneity characteristics, providing scientific reference for optimizing regional ecological security patterns and biodiversity conservation.

Land use change has a significant impact on the sustainability of ecosystems, and ecological security patterns (ESPs) can improve environmental quality through spatial planning. This study explored a multi-scenario ESP framework by integrating future land use simulation (FLUS) and minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) for urban agglomeration along the Yellow River Basin (YRB) in Ningxia. The research involved simulating land use change in 2035 under four development scenarios, identifying ecological security networks, and evaluating network stability for each scenario. The study revealed that the ecological sources under different development scenarios, including a natural development scenario (NDS), an economic development scenario (EDS), a food security scenario (FSS), and an ecological protection scenario (EPS), were 834.82 km2, 715.46 km2, 785.56 km2, and 1091.43 km2, respectively. The overall connectivity values (OG) for these scenarios were 0.351, 0.466, 0.334, and 0.520, respectively. It was found that under an EPS, the ESPs had the largest area of ecological sources and the most stable ecological network structure, which can effectively protect natural habitats. This study provides a valuable method for identifying ESPs that can respond to diversity and the uncertainty of future development. It can assist decision-makers in enhancing the ecological quality of the study area while considering various development scenarios.

Construction of ecological security pattern based on ecological carrying capacity assessment 1990–2040: A case study of the Southwest Guangxi Karst - Beibu Gulf

Introduction: With the increasing fragmentation of landscapes caused by rapid urbanisation, constructing ecological networks strengthen the connectivity between fragmented habitat patches. As the capital of China, Beijing has a rapid development, resulting in a serious landscape fragmentation, and needing an urgent demand for this study to improve the ecological network system.Methods: In this study, we choose the elevation, slope, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and land use data of Beijing in 2020 as the data use. Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was used to identify ecological source areas for Beijing, Minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) and gravity models were used to construct ecological network, and stepping stones to improve it.Results: The core area of Beijing had the highest proportion (96.17%) of all landscape types, forest accounting for 82.01% thereof. Ten core areas were identified as ecological source areas. Forty-five ecological corridors (8 major and 37 ordinary) were constructed. The ecological corridors are mainly concentrated in the middle and eastern regions where ecological mobility is limited. Constructing stepping stones would help uphold the region’s ecological service functions and ecosystem balance. Twenty-nine stepping stones and 32 ecological obstacles were used to create the optimised ecological network, consisting of 171.Discussion: The results provide an optimised ecological model for Beijing and a reference constructing ecological spatial networks for the sustainable development of ecological environments in high-density urban areas.

The spatio-temporal evolution of spatial structure and supply-demand relationships of the ecological network in the Yellow River Delta region of China

The ecological protection and sustainable development of Urumqi have become an important part of the high-quality growth of the urban agglomeration on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountain. Under the impacts of multi-source factors, the ecological landscape pattern of Urumqi has changed due to it being in a fragile eco-environment, so an ecological network is desperately needed to enhance ecological security patterns. Taking Urumqi city as the study area, the ecological risk evaluation model and the minimum cumulative resistance model were integrated to analyze the spatial and temporal features of landscape ecological risk from 2000 to 2020, and the future land use simulation model was used to predict the ecological risk pattern of Urumqi in 2030, construct a landscape ecological network, and propose ecological security protection strategies. Since 2000, land use in Urumqi has undergone drastic changes: the built-up land area has increased significantly, the landscape has diversified, and landscape fragmentation has shown a decreasing trend from the main urban area as the core to the urban fringe. The high-risk landscape ecology shows a decreasing trend from east to west, mainly in the bare land areas with sparse vegetation, whereas the risk is relatively low in woodland, arable land, and built-up areas. The change of risk in the study area is mainly influenced by the typical defective factors of oasis cities such as urban expansion, land desertification, and sparse vegetation. The landscape ecological network is mainly located in the southwest, central, and east of the study area, whereas there is no corridor distribution in the north and southeast, which is mainly caused by the special geographical location and climatic conditions. The ecological network mainly consists of 10 ecological sources and 10 ecological corridors and proposes conservation strategies for the optimization of the landscape pattern and for the construction of the ecological security pattern in Urumqi, providing a guide for the improvement of ecological security.

Strengthening and optimizing the spatial structure and functional connectivity of green space ecological networks can not only relieve the tight urban space and provide biodiversity protection but also promote the virtuous cycle of the urban ecosystem and provide a new method for the resilient development of the urban landscape. In this study, the central area of Chengdu was taken as the study area; Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) with landscape metrics were combined to determine the optimal distance threshold and identify the ecological sources. Graph theory and circuit theory were applied to construct and optimize the green space ecological network with structural or functional connectivity, respectively. Based on the coupling effect, the optimization of the ecological network was put forward, and the network analysis method was used to evaluate the connectivity of three different types of ecological networks. The results were as follows: (1) The ecological network with structural connectivity was composed of 74 stepping stones, 43 protective sources, and 315 ecological corridors. The connectivity of green space structures gradually decreased from west to east and from periphery to center. (2) In the optimal ecological network with functional connectivity, 176 important ecological corridors were protected, and 40 pinch points and 48 protective sources were identified. The number of important corridors in the east and south was the largest, and the network structure was relatively complex. The barriers were divided into three different levels of ecological restoration areas. (3) The green ecological network with structural and functional connectivity has the best network connectivity. A green space ring network optimization pattern of one center, two belts, multi-points, multi-corridors, and multi-zones connected in a series was proposed. It was suggested to build a multi-level forest ecosystem in Longquan Mountain, develop eco-fruit agriculture and eco-tourism, enrich the biodiversity of the ecological source, and improve its anti-interference ability to the external environment. It is also important to increase ecological strategic points and stepping stones to strengthen the links between different ecological restoration areas, properly handle the use of cultivated land in different regions, strictly observe the red line of cultivated land, and maintain the integrity and diversity of ecological sources. Therefore, the optimization method of the green space ecological network in this study provides technical support for the effective determination of ecological protection areas, the accurate implementation of green space ecological networks, and a scientific planning strategy for decision-makers.

The Southwest Alpine Canyon Area (SACA) is a typical ecologically sensitive location in China; therefore, constructing and optimizing an ecological network for this area is essential to ensure the regional ecological security of its fragile ecosystems. This study employed the InVEST model to quantitatively assess the habitat quality of the SACA for the years 2000, 2010, and 2020. The ecological sources were determined based on the results of a habitat quality assessment and a Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA). Finally, ecological corridors, ecological pinch points, and ecological barrier points were identified using circuit theory. The results indicated that the SACA’s habitat quality was relatively good, but experienced slight degradation from 0.87 in 2000 to 0.84 in 2020. Anthropogenic activities have been identified as the primary contributor to habitat quality decline in the region. Geographically, the habitat quality is significantly poorer in the southeast and northwest of the SACA. A total of 319 ecological sources were identified, predominantly located in the southwest and northeast of the SACA, comprising 43.27% of the total area. Furthermore, 94 ecological corridors were delineated, covering an area of 74,015.61 km2 and extending over 182.80 km in length in total. A total of 38 ecological pinch points and 39 ecological barrier points were distinguished, with a noticeable concentration in regions undergoing ecological degradation. Overall, while the ecological network structure in the SACA is complex and highly interconnected, it faces challenges relating to material cycling and ecological network circulation. Future ecological restoration and protection efforts should focus on areas along the border between the ecological maintenance area in southeastern Tibet (Region I) and the water conservation area in eastern Tibet–western Sichuan (Region II). Additionally, the establishment of ecological protection belts around potential ecological corridors is proposed to enhance ecosystem connectivity. These findings could provide a robust scientific foundation for territorial spatial planning, ecological preservation, and restoration in the SACA.