Spatial-temporal differentiation and driving factors of ecological resilience in the Yellow River Basin, China

Abstract

Ecological problems are considered to be the key constraint to high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin (YRB), so accurately grasping and understanding the spatial–temporal differentiation characteristics and driving factors of ecological resilience (ER) in the YRB is crucial for the sustainable development of the YRB. This study develops a three-dimensional ER evaluation index system comprising resistance (RE), adaptability (AD), and recovery (RC), measures the ER of 76 cities in the YRB using the entropy method, and investigates the spatial–temporal evolutionary characteristics and drivers of ER in the YRB using the Dagum Gini coefficient (DGC), Kernel density estimation (KDE) and geographic detector methods (GDM). The results show that the spatial differences in ER of the YRB showed a narrowing trend. The primary cause of the overall differences was the interregional differences. There is no significant polarization of ER in the basin as a whole, and the differentiation between the three regions is gradually weakening. Economic development (ED) is a key factor influencing the spatial differences in ER in the YRB and downstream regions. Average annual precipitation (AP) and adaptability (AD) are the most important drivers affecting ER in the upper and middle reaches, respectively. The combined impact of multiple factors on the spatial differences of ER in the YRB is significantly more pronounced than that of individual factors. This study provides empirical evidence and decision-making reference to comprehensively grasp the current ER development characteristics in the YRB, and to develop and implement differentiated regional ecological conservation strategies.