Tempo-spatial changes of ecological vulnerability in resource-based urban based on genetic projection pursuit model

Abstract

Due to the intensification of large-scale mining and of human activities, the ecological integrity of resource-based cities has been severely damaged. Studying its ecological vulnerability (EV) will help improve the environmental degradation and ecosystem imbalance in the region and provide a decision-making basis for its sustainable development. In this paper, genetic projection pursuit and ecological vulnerability index model were used to quantitatively evaluate the EV of Datong from 2000 to 2017. This study shows that it is feasible to apply genetic projection pursuit on ecological vulnerability evaluation. This method avoids artificial assumptions, and thus provides objective results that successfully execute multi indicator evaluation process and analysis under non-linear systems in ecological environment. From 2000 to 2017, under the dual influence of national development plans and coal mining activities, Datong City's EV showed a downward trend, and the highest and lowest EV occurred in 2010 and 2017 respectively; the differences in natural conditions in different regions made the spatial distribution of EV high in the west and low in the east, the spatial variation was relatively stable, and the regions with large changes were concentrated in the Urban District, Zuoyun County and Lingqiu County; due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, the centroid of EV shifted to the southwest. The maximum offset was 3.81 km, and the EV distribution was uneven. Local governments should take corresponding measures in different ecologically vulnerable areas. In the buffer and transition zone, the idea of attaching importance to ecology should continue to be maintained and the ecological asset management models and mechanisms based on ecological protection should be actively explored. In the key ecological restoration area, efforts should be made to return farmland to forests (grass), accelerate the process of vegetation restoration, and rationally develop coal resources. In the absolute ecological protection zone, establish a mine reclamation monitoring mechanism and promote the development of the tertiary industry represented by tourism.