Restoration Strategies Research Articles

Enhancing coral restoration practices in Seychelles: benefits and limitations of fishing lines and rope as coral stocking methods

Coral restoration plays a pivotal role in mitigating the decline of coral reefs, increasing the need for implementing effective techniques and methodologies. This study investigates the efficacy of stocking Acropora muricata and Pocillopora grandis using fishing line versus rope in mid‐water floating nurseries, offering valuable insights for coral restoration practitioners. Over 1 year, survival, tissue cover, growth, cleaning time, cost, preparation, and stocking timing for both methods were evaluated. Fishing line reduced contact with fouling organisms, contributing to enhanced coral tissue cover and growth rates for P. grandis compared to rope, but no significant effect was detected for A. muricata. Survival differed among species, with higher rates for P. grandis compared to A. muricata, indicating no impact due to stocking methods but species‐specific differences. Challenges like nursery collapses and amphipod outbreaks may have impacted survival, emphasizing the importance of consistent maintenance and accessibility of project sites. Furthermore, the fishing line method reduced cleaning effort. However, cost considerations and preparation complexities for fishing line warrant careful evaluation, particularly with regards to project budgets. The study underscores the necessity for further research, incorporating diverse genotypes, species, and initial fragment sizes to refine restoration strategies. In summary, this study provides important guidance for coral restoration practitioners, aiding informed decisions on stocking methods for different projects and species while considering the balance between coral health benefits and operational feasibility.

Chemical, Mineralogical, and Petrographic Analysis of the Mud Mortar from Fort Ikoma Historical Building in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

The restoration of historical buildings especially the Fort Ikoma in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania requires knowing the material properties used in their construction by characterizing the composition and properties of the mortar to inform the sustainable restoration strategies. Hence, the objective of this paper was to investigate the chemical, mineralogical, and petrographic analysis of the mud mortar from the Fort Ikoma historical building in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania using appropriate standard methods. The results indicated predominant compositions by weight of mud mortar through chemical analysis were silica (59.82%), alumina (20.42%), and Iron (III) oxide (11.07%), which contributed to the higher pozzolanic activity (91.31%) and cementitious properties (Cementitious Index of 46.76) of the historical mud mortar. Mineralogical analysis revealed that a high amount of quartz (38%), nacrite (17%), and other materials such as albite, chlorite, and nepheline put up the ability of mud mortar to resist environmental pressures. The findings contribute to awareness of historical building materials and provide the technical basis for restoring the Fort Ikoma historical building in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, and similar historical buildings.

Post-Disaster Robust Restoration Scheme for Distribution Network Considering Rerouting Process of Cyber System With 5G

Post-Disaster Robust Restoration Scheme for Distribution Network Considering Rerouting Process of Cyber System With 5G

A collaborative restoration strategy of resilient distribution system with the support of electric bus clusters

The widespread deployment of electric buses (EBs) offers substantial flexibility resources to support the service restoration and enhance the resilience of distribution system (DS). Therefore, this paper presents a comprehensive and collaborative service restoration strategy for resilient DS, considering the support of EBs. First, the restoration flexibility model for EBs is derived, which quantifies the restoration capability of EBs by dividing effective EB clusters. This model is integrated into the DS restoration process. Then, a two-step collaborative restoration method of DS is proposed with the aim of minimizing the load curtailment cost. The first step addresses the restoration planning problem to determine the dispatch decisions for EB clusters. Based on above planning solutions, the second step focuses on the real-time restoration problem of DS, obtaining optimal restoration results through coordinating EB clusters and other local resources. In this stage, the impact of natural disasters on the EB cluster dispatch in transportation system is considered, and a rolling optimization method is employed to deal with uncertainties from renewables, load, and EB cluster dispatch time. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted using the modified IEEE 33-bus distribution test system and a 29-node transportation system to verify the effectiveness of the proposed restoration method.

Integrating both restoration and regeneration potentials into real-world forest restoration planning: A case study of Hong Kong

Forest restoration is a vital nature-based solution for mitigating climate change and land degradation. To ensure restoration effectiveness, the costs and benefits of alternative restoration strategies (i.e., active restoration vs. natural regeneration) need to be evaluated. Existing studies generally focus on maximum restoration potential, neglecting the recovery potential achievable through natural regeneration processes, leading to incomplete understanding of the true benefits and doubts about the necessity of active restoration. In this study, we introduce a multi-stage framework incorporating both restoration and regeneration potential into prioritized planning for ecosystem restoration. We used the vegetated landscape of Hong Kong (covering 728 km2) as our study system due to its comprehensive fine-resolution data and unique history of vegetation recovery, making it an ideal candidate to demonstrate the importance of this concept and inspire further research. We analyzed vegetation recovery status (i.e., recovering, degrading, and stable) over the past decade based on the canopy height data derived from multi-temporal airborne LiDAR. We assessed natural regeneration potential and maximum restoration potential separately, producing spatially-explicit predictions. Our results show that 44.9% of Hong Kong's vegetated area has showed evidence of recovery, but remaining gains through natural regeneration are limited, constituting around 4% of what could be attained through active restoration. We further estimated restoration priority by maximizing the restoration gain. When prioritizing 5% of degraded areas, the increment in canopy height could be up to 10.9%. Collectively, our findings highlight the importance of integrating both restoration and regeneration potential into restoration planning. The proposed framework can aid policymakers and land managers in optimizing forest restoration options and promoting the protection and recovery of fragile ecosystems.

Continuous Wavelet Transform Analysis of Climate Variability, Resiliency, and Restoration Strategies in Mesohaline Tidal Creeks

This research article employs the continuous wavelet transform analysis to identify the climatological effects among various water quality parameters to identify the successfulness of upland stream restoration on the receiving mesohaline tidal creeks. Estuaries and their corresponding tidal creeks have been impacted by human anthropogenic influences for decades, allowing a variety of restoration practices to be implemented in upland streams. In the face of climate variability and continuous human development pressures, this research performs statistical analysis and a wavelet coherence on, before, and after stream restoration for water quality changes in Chesapeake Bay’s tidal tributaries in the Lower Western Shore to identify if the restoration strategies have been effective in the mesohaline tidal creeks. Statistical analysis showed that currently, the receiving tidal basins are not seeing the required positive improvements in water quality after years of upland stream restoration. Compounding this is the fact climate variability cannot be ignored. Results indicate that the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) has significant wavelet coherence with bottom dissolved oxygen, precipitation, and nutrients. This suggests that current restoration efforts may not be able to keep up with climate variability, and other techniques (restoration or policies) may need to be implemented.

Combination of plant species and water depth enhance soil quality in near-natural restoration of reclaimed wetland

Plant introduction and hydrological management are essential strategies for near-natural wetland restoration. However, the combined effects of plant species and water depth on soil quality restoration remain poorly understood. The wetland ecosystem is crucial for Earth ecosystem health and sustainable development, but it faces challenges due to environmental change and human activities leading to soil quality degradation. In this study, we conducted a five-year near-natural restoration experiment covering approximately 2071 m2 area in the Changbai Mountains region of northeastern China to assess the impact of plant species and water depth combinations on soil quality dynamics in reclaimed wetlands. Through an ecological engineering project, a meticulous controlled experiment was implemented to investigate the impact of different plant species and water depth combinations on soil quality in near-naturally restored wetlands. Over the five-year restoration period, we observed significant improvements in soil quality indicators, including pH, bulk density, soil organic carbon content, and labile organic carbon fractions. Soil pH and bulk density both showed a decreasing trend, with notable variations influenced by the combination of plant species and water depth. Particularly significant drops were observed in wetlands where Lythrum salicaria L. was introduced at 10 cm water depth and Iris wilsonii C. H. Wright was introduced at 30 cm water depth. Meanwhile, soil organic carbon content also appeared optimal restoration effects in the aforementioned combinations, highlighting the regulatory effect of these combinations on soil quality regulation. Linear regression modeling demonstrated a significant positive correlation between soil organic carbon and both above-ground and below-ground biomass, highlighting the interplay between vegetation dynamics and soil quality restoration. Our study provides valuable insights into the complex dynamics of soil quality restoration in reclaimed wetlands and underscores the importance of considering plant species-water depth combinations in restoration planning. By understanding these dynamics, restoration practitioners can make informed decisions to enhance the sustainability of wetland ecosystems and their invaluable ecological services.

Temporal variations in burn severity among various vegetation layers in subtropical Pinus Roxburghii (Chir Pine) forest of Hindu Kush mountain range

The Sub-tropical forests of Pinus roxburghii (chir pine) provide various ecosystem services and act as watershed for low lying regions. However, this species is prone to human induced fire primarily due to local communities' dependence for various resources exacerbated by the current dry conditions. The impact of fire across various vegetation layers and developmental stages has not been thoroughly studied. Bearing to this, the present study was conducted using composite burn index to assess the severity on various layers of vegetation and their long-term impact through a chronological approach. The impact of fire on 40 representative circular plots with a radius of 30 m, categorized into five forest strata: large and intermediate trees, seedlings/saplings, pole stage, shrubs, and soil were investigated and compared across four different time interval: unburnt (B0), burnt two years ago (B2), burnt five years ago (B5), and burnt 15 years ago (B15). The results were statistically proved using Kruskal–Wallis followed by Dunn's Post Hoc and Friedman test with the Holm correction in R Language. The study revealed significant variations in the average burn severity for each treatment, with shrubs having the highest average score of burn severity (average = 1.4) and soil showing the lowest (average = 0.408). The results of the Friedman test indicated non-uniform distribution of burn severity across different ecological treatments. This study is contributing significant insights into the effects of forest fires and their severity on different vegetation layers, which can be instrumental in devising and executing successful restoration strategies.

Challenges and a Strategy for Successful Restoration of Dry Evergreen Afromontane Forests of Ethiopia

Challenges and a Strategy for Successful Restoration of Dry Evergreen Afromontane Forests of Ethiopia

Physical aging of a glassy polymer in cultural heritage conservation

AbstractArtworks, particularly easel paintings, are multi‐component materials intended to last indefinitely. The protective coatings applied to these artworks often consist of amorphous glass‐like polymers, which undergo slow physical aging and structural recovery below their glass transition temperature. This process alters key physical properties such as mechanical strength, optical clarity, and thermal stability over extended periods. This study investigates the time‐dependent evolution of these properties in Laropal A81, a widely used synthetic resin for cultural heritage conservation, particularly as a replacement for ancient varnishes. The investigation involves characterization of enthalpy recovery via differential scanning calorimetry, refractive index evolution via refractometry, and creep compliance evolution via rheological measurements. The aging behavior of Laropal A81 is further analyzed using the Kohlrausch–Williams–Watts function and the Tool–Narayanaswamy–Moynihan model, enabling the quantification of critical dynamic parameters such as activation energy, nonlinearity, partition coefficients, and non‐exponentiality. The gained insights into the long‐term behavior of this coating's properties can be valuable for improving preservation and restoration strategies for cultural heritage.

Performance analysis of IoT-enabled hydro-photovoltaic power systems considering electrical power mission chains

Synergistically and complementarily managing the operation of hydropower plants and other weather-dependent renewable energy generation plants (e.g., solar energy plants) provides an effective measure to improve the performance efficiency (PE) of renewable energy. However, environmental uncertainty and physical system unavailability pose challenges in assessing the PE of the power generation. This paper proposes an approach to synergistically and complementarily managing the operation of hydro-photovoltaic (HPV) power systems in IoT under uncertain environments and develops a mission chain-based PE model for quantifying the capacity of the fulfilment of a power supply mission to satisfy users’ demand for power. An importance measure-based restoration strategy is then proposed to enhance the PE of an HPV power system (PEPS). The approach is examined by taking a large-scale HPV in China in the case study. The results show that, in winters and in summers, the PEPS is higher than PE of a photovoltaic power system and a hydropower system, respectively, and the PEPS with the importance measure-based restoration strategy is higher than that under the random restoration strategy, respectively. The findings not only lay the foundation for the complementary operation of hybrid renewable energy power systems but also provide a reference for the restoration in case of power cuts.

Climate Change and Vegetation Greening Jointly Promote the Increase in Evapotranspiration in the Jing River Basin

Within the Earth’s terrestrial environment, evapotranspiration significantly contributes to the hydrological cycle, accounting for around 80% of the precipitation on landmasses to be reintroduced into the atmosphere. This mechanism profoundly affects the distribution and availability of surface water resources throughout the ecosystem. Gaining insight into the factors influencing local evapotranspiration fluctuations in response to varying climatic and vegetative scenarios is crucial for effective water management strategies and rehabilitating ecosystem resilience. To this end, our study focuses on the Jing River Basin in the Loess Plateau, utilizing multi-source remote sensing data and climatic information to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of evapotranspiration from 1984 to 2018 through the application of the Priestley–Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) model. Our research results indicate a general ascending tendency in evapotranspiration across the investigated region, demonstrating a notably discernible escalation at a pace of approximately 3.11 mm/year (p < 0.01), with an annual vegetation ET volume reaching 533.88 mm. Across different vegetation types in the Jing River Basin between 1984 and 2018, the mean yearly ET was observed to be highest in forests (572.88 mm), followed by croplands (564.74 mm), shrublands (536.43 mm), and grasslands (503.42 mm). The leaf area index (LAI) demonstrated the strongest partial correlation with ET (r = 0.35) and contributed the most significantly to the variation in ET within the Jing River Basin (0.41 mm/year). Additionally, LAI indirectly influences ET through its impact on vapor pressure deficit (VPD), precipitation (Pre), and temperature (Temp). Radiation is found to govern most ET changes across the region, while radiation and precipitation notably affected ET by modulating air temperature. In summary, these radiant energy changes directly affect the evaporation rate and total evapotranspiration of surface water. It provides important support for understanding how evapotranspiration in the Jing River Basin is adjusting to climate change and increased vegetation cover. These findings serve as a theoretical foundation for devising sustainable vegetation restoration strategies to optimize water resource utilization within the region.

Soviet museum ethnography at the VII International Congress of Anthropological and Ethnographic Sciences: restoration and conservation of disciplinary heritage under the “gaze” of the West

(1964) is considered in the article as a discussion space within which ethnographers and museum workers presented and debated different views on the past and present of their discipline. Archival materials are explored through the concepts of restoration and conservation – rhetorical strategies that involve different forms of interpretation of disciplinary heritage and projects for action. Projects for the “revival” of the Museum of the Peoples of the USSR in Moscow and “Materials on Ethnography’s” edition in Leningrad mostly referred to the ethnography of the 1920s, which was suppressed and criticized during the transition to Marxist methodology in the 1930s. The restoration strategy led to the recognition of the unspoken lag behind Western anthropology and museum affairs. The reconstruction of fragments of the past was proposed as a solution to the problem. The conservation strategy, on the contrary, saw Soviet museum ethnography as ahead of foreign ones. The legacy of the “marxization” of the 1930s, according to this rhetoric, was the key to victories in the past and present, and its criticism and rejection deprived Soviet ethnography of its advantages. Museum practices of research and representation of the culture and life of collective farmers and workers, and the active use of mannequins and life-size dioramas to show social relations were recognized as such a positive legacy.

An economic demand-based framework for prioritization strategies in response to transient amino acid limitations

Cells contain disparate amounts of distinct amino acids, each of which has different metabolic and chemical origins, but the supply cost vs demand requirements of each is unclear. Here, using yeast we quantify the restoration-responses after disrupting amino acid supply, and uncover a hierarchically prioritized restoration strategy for distinct amino acids. We comprehensively calculate individual amino acid biosynthetic supply costs, quantify total demand for an amino acid, and estimate cumulative supply/demand requirements for each amino acid. Through this, we discover that the restoration priority is driven by the gross demand for an amino acid, which is itself coupled to low supply costs for that amino acid. Demand from metabolic requirements dominate the demand-pulls for an amino acid, as exemplified by the largest restoration response upon disrupting arginine supply. Collectively, this demand-driven framework that drives the amino acid economy can identify novel amino acid responses, and help design metabolic engineering applications.

Microbial assessment of the ecological linkage between a red tide of Karenia brevis and bottom water anoxia off the coast of Fort Myers and Sanibel Island, Florida

Coastal ecosystem management necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the physical, chemical, and biological components and their interplay with socio-economic activities. Red tides of Karenia brevis reoccur almost annually on the West Florida Shelf and cause significant human and environmental health problems that often result in negative economic impacts. It is crucial that we understand the processes and dynamics of both phytoplankton and microbial communities as conditions necessary for the formation of hypoxia and anoxia in the coastal ecosystem. With the aim of identifying key microbial communities responsible for anoxia, we investigated the 2017–2018 Karenia bloom. Various water quality parameters, phytoplankton, and microbial community compositions were studied at eight sites on the West Florida Shelf. K. brevis densities were highest at the site of the plume of the Caloosahatchee River. At the site with the highest K. brevis abundance (6.3 ×106 cells/L), dissolved oxygen (DO) was supersaturated (303 %) at the surface, and the chlorophyll a concentration was 118 µg/L. The highest bacterial cell count (9.0 ×106 cells/mL) and the lowest bacterial diversity were also observed at this site. The bacterial community determined by high-throughput amplicon sequencing at this bloom site was unique and dominated by Bacteroidetes, which occupied 65 % of the relative abundance of the microbial community. The bottom water was generally hypoxic (mean ± SD: 0.98 ± 1.13 mg/L), with select stations having DO as low as 0.06 mg/L (anoxic). The anoxic bottom water harbored unique microbial taxa that were associated with the low oxygen conditions. Significant negative correlations were found between DO and the relative abundance of Deltaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, Spirochaetes, and unclassified Proteobacteria. Our investigation lays the groundwork for subsequent studies delving into the responses of phytoplankton and microbial communities to disturbances caused by Karenia blooms, as well as future strategies for mitigation and ecosystem restoration.

Research on collaborative management technology of deep multi-coal seam mining and pre-reclamation in coal-grain composite area

Subterranean coal mining results in the occurrence of surface subsidence, soil degradation, and damage to agricultural lands, which is especially severe in regions with high groundwater levels. The collaborative reclamation scheme combining surface pre-reclamation and underground mining layout optimization can effectively control the problem of damage to farmlands. Hence, it is imperative to study the collaborative management technology. The research area for this study is Jiulishan Mine, located in coal-grain composite areas with a high groundwater table. Initially, a combined UAV and USV measuring system was utilized to acquire spatial data of the proposed reclamation area. Furthermore, we examined the evolution features of the subsidence ponding related to various mining methods using FLAC3D numerical modeling. Ultimately, the ArcGIS spatial analysis module was utilized to model and calculate the reclamation volume and rate for each plan. Our findings indicate that: (1) The extent of damage caused by shallow coal seam mining includes an area of 50.67 hm2 for farmland damaged area (FDA), 31.49 hm2 for seasonal subsidence ponding (SSP), and 23.51 hm2 for perennial subsidence ponding (PSP). Additionally, the boundary subsidence values for each damaged area are 0.8 m, 1.6 m, and 2.8 m, respectively. (2) Through the optimization of deep coal seam mining designs, the spatial configuration of the subsidence basin is successfully altered, creating the necessary condition for the development of a dynamic pre-reclamation plan. (3) The reclamation rate of the optimized pre-reclamation (PR) scheme is significantly higher, ranging from 40 % to 44 %, compared to the reclamation rate of 24 % of the traditional reclamation (TR). The choice of a suitable land reclamation and ecological restoration strategy was determined by optimizing mining plans and considering the characteristics of the subsidence area. This offers empirical evidence and specialized assistance for the ecological rehabilitation of coal-grain composite areas with high groundwater levels.

Mapping forest phenological shift in Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, Western Ghats: Response to climate change

In the present study, the spatiotemporal alterations in phenological metrics were analyzed in different forest types of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR), Western Ghats, India with special reference to the impacts of changing climate on the forest phenology over two-phase periods (Phase 1: 2001–2010 and Phase 2: 2011–2020). Three phenological measures including the start/end/length of the season (SOS/EOS/LOS) were obtained using 16 days of MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) dataset over the two decades. The study exhibited a gradual delay in SOS during phase 1, and an advancing SOS during phase 2 in the tropical forests of NBR. Delayed EOS was observed in all forest types in NBR barring Moist Deciduous Forests (MDF) during phase 1, while opposite trend of advancing EOS was observed in deciduous forests (MDF and DDF: Dry Deciduous Forests), but delayed EOS was observed in evergreen forests (SEF: Semi Evergreen Forests and WEF: Wet Evergreen Forests) during phase 2. These variations in forest phenology are linked with an increase in annual mean temperature (0.01 °C year−1) along with a decrease in annual mean precipitation (3.97 mm year−1) during 1950–2018 as observed using IMD-based meteorological datasets. The results highlighted reduction in the total LOS with a delayed SOS and advanced EOS in NBR, which were prevalent during phase 1 conversely to phase 2 due to the varied intensity of changes in climatic conditions. However, disaggregating decade-long intervals into 5-year segments enables a finer resolution analysis of phenological trends. The study contributes to the development of long-term strategies for forest ecosystem restoration under the influence of global climate change by providing an insightful understanding of the non-systematic shifts in forest phenology attributed by rising warming impacts and erratic precipitation patterns.

Restoration-mediated protein substances preferentially drive underlying bauxite residue macroaggregate formation during the simulated ecological reconstruction process

Constructing a restoration strategy from bauxite residue to Technosols is a cost-effective and sustainable strategy for addressing the ecological and environmental issues caused by high alkalinity, salinity, and fine-grained bauxite residues. However, the quantitative contribution of restoration strategies on the upper bauxite residue-derived Technosols to the underlying untreated bauxite residue in the short term remains poorly understood. This study investigated the mediating mechanisms of vegetation and microbial metabolic effects on the alkalinity, nutrient content, and structure of the underlying bauxite residue (20-50 cm) through a simulated ecological reconstruction of the bauxite residue stockpile. Results indicated that implementing plant restoration strategies resulted in the content of polyphenolic compounds, lipids, tannins, and carbohydrates in bauxite residue dissolved organic matter (DOM) increased significantly from 52.5, 8.2, 3.3, and 2.0 % to 54.4, 10.4, 5.6, and 2.8 %, respectively, while the content of condensed aromatics, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and proteins/amino sugars decreased significantly from 15.5, 12.0, and 6.5 % to 12.1, 9.7, and 5.1 %, respectively. The newly produced molecules were concentrated in regions with low O/C and high H/C ratios, suggesting that short-term vegetation restoration strategies facilitate the transformation of substrate DOM towards easily decomposable and highly bioavailable substances. This led to the migration of the newly produced molecules to the underlying bauxite residue, and as a result, the protein and soluble microbial products of the underlying bauxite residue increased significantly, as well as the pH, exchangeable Na, and < 0.054 mm particles decreased from 10.2, 44.2 cmol kg−1, and 28.1 % to 9.7, 27.1 cmol kg−1, and 19.4 %, respectively, available nitrogen, urease, and 1–2 mm particles increased from 7.3 mg kg−1, 0.2 U mg−1, and 14.5 % to 7.6 mg kg−1, 0.3 U kg−1, and 21.7 %, respectively. Results of the structural equation model further confirmed that plant biomass, proteins/amino sugars, and condensed aromatics in the upper Technosol were the main factors controlling the aggregate formation of the underlying bauxite residue by mediating the protein-dominated biogenic organic matter produced by microbial metabolism.

Distributionally robust sequential load restoration of distribution system considering random contingencies

AbstractNatural disasters would destroy power grids and lead to blackouts. To enhance resilience of distribution systems, the sequential load restoration strategy can be adopted to restore outage portions using a sequence of control actions, such as switch on/off, load pickup, distributed energy resource dispatch etc. However, the traditional strategy may be unable to restore the distribution system in extreme weather events due to random sequential contingencies during the restoration process. To address this issue, this paper proposes a distributionally robust sequential load restoration strategy to determine restoration actions. Firstly, a novel multi‐time period and multi‐zone contingency occurrence uncertainty set is constructed to model spatial and temporal nature of sequential line contingencies caused by natural disasters. Then, a distributionally robust load restoration model considering uncertain line contingency probability distribution is formulated to maximize the expected restored load amount with respect to the worst‐case line contingency probability distribution. Case studies were carried out on the modified IEEE 123‐node system. Simulation results show that the proposed distributionally robust sequential load restoration strategy can produce a more resilient load restoration strategy against random sequential contingencies. Moreover, as compared with the conventional robust restoration strategy, the proposed strategy yields a less conservative restoration solution.

Exploring the evolution of ecosystem health and sustainable zoning: A perspective based on the contributions of climate change and human activities

Maintaining ecosystem health (EH) in watersheds is crucial for building a national pattern of ecological security. However, a comprehensive diagnosis of watershed EH and an exploration of its driving mechanisms are still lacking. This study proposed an EH assessment model from a vitality-organization-resilience-service-environment (VORSE) perspective. Taking the Yellow River Basin of Shaanxi Province (YRBS), China, as a research object, the spatiotemporal evolution trend of EH from 2000 to 2020 was quantified. At the same time, we also quantified the respective contributions of climate change (CC) and human activities (HA) to the EH dynamics based on residual analysis. The results showed that EH in the YRBS increased by 11.80 % from 2000 to 2020, and the spatial distribution of the EH was higher in the southern region than in the northern part. At the pixel scale, areas with improving trends accounted for 90.57 % of the YRBS, while 9.43 % deteriorated, with the improving areas mainly in northern Shaanxi and the deteriorating areas in the Guanzhong region. The correlation between the EH and precipitation was primarily positive, while the correlation between the EH and temperature was mainly negative. The residual analysis showed that the contribution rate of CC to EH changes was 78.54 %, while that of HA was 21.46 %, indicating that CC was the dominant driver of EH changes in the YRBS. Specifically, 82.64 % of the improvement in EH was attributed to CC and 17.36 % to HA. Conversely, 65.30 % of the deterioration in EH was attributed to CC and 34.70 % to HA. Furthermore, CC, HA, and CC&HA dominated EH changes in 26.85 %, 3.77 %, and 69.38 % of the YRBS area, respectively. In addition, the Hurst exponent analysis identified six types of future EH development scenarios, each requiring different restoration strategies. This study provides valuable insights for future EH diagnosis, EH restoration efforts, and the formulation of sustainable development goals in other watersheds.