Spatiotemporal dynamics of ecological security pattern based on an optimized assessment framework and circuit theory: a case of Fuzhou City, China

Abstract

The construction of the ecological security pattern (ESP) and ensuring its integrity are the focal points of ecological actions. However, existing evaluation frameworks lack comprehensiveness, and studies addressing temporal dimensions are limited. This study constructed a comprehensive framework to evaluate ESP and introduced a method to portray the relationship between ecological security status and landscape structure. Initially, multiple indicators were optimized to construct an ecological security index (ESI). The relationship between ESI and landscape structure was quantified. Then, fifteen spatiotemporal factors were combined using the Analytical Hierarchy Process to construct an ecological resistance layer. Finally, Circuit theory was applied to visualize trends in ESP. The findings indicated that ecological security was generally better but with a downward trend. The relationship between ESI and landscape fragmentation was mainly a tradeoff. The area of stable ecological sources was 1251.06 km2 (1996–2021). The number of minimal-cost corridors decreased continuously. Ecological sources with the highest conservation priority were the largest (1336.2 km2) in 2021. The number of pinch points was 25, 31, and 30, while ecological barriers covered 51.5, 148.74, and 139.51 km2 in 1996, 2008, and 2021, respectively. This study will serve as a valuable methodological reference and support ecological civilization projects in Fuzhou.