Urban Ecological Construction Research Articles

The Specific Application and Meaning Expression of Folk Art in Urban Landscape Design Under the Optimized Interactive Genetic Algorithm

With the rapid and stable growth of China's economy and the rapid development of urban construction, urban complexes have sprung up in major cities. The lag in urban ecological environmental protection, maintenance and construction has brought great pressure to the needs of today's urban residents in terms of life, safety, and sense of belonging. In the major cities with many high-rise buildings in contemporary China, land resources are becoming more and more scarce, and the urban ecological environment is in urgent need of recycling, and due to the blind imitation of Western culture and design mode and the neglect of my country's traditional regional culture, the urban landscape lacks interaction, resonance, and sense of belonging with citizens, and the phenomenon of landscape similarity emerges in various cities, focusing on the landscape space of urban complexes. There are also these problems. Urban residents urgently need a third space that can adjust their physical, mental, and spiritual needs. How to design an urban complex landscape that meets the aesthetic needs and humanistic needs of contemporary cities and has regional characteristics has become the first important task of my research. Folk art is an artistic treasure created by the working people in their production and life. Folk art is the embodiment of cultural regionality and the foundation of national culture. It awakens people's awareness of the importance of local culture, awakens people's sense of belonging, and is closer to the local public life. Today, the living soil and social and humanistic environment of folk art are in the process of urbanization in our country, and there is a trend of gradual disappearance of lifestyle changes. How to make the contemporary urban complex landscape an organic soil for the survival, expression, application, and development of folk art is an important task in contemporary urban landscape design. Based on optimization, related concepts such as symbols, folk art symbols, urban complexes, urban complex landscape design, etc. have been sorted out. The relevant experimental results show that the construction land accuracy of the logistic regression model based on genetic algorithm has increased from 78.0% to 85.3%. kappa increased from 74.5% to 81.2%. Research shows that the logistic regression parameter optimization method based on genetic algorithm has better simulation effect than the conventional logistic regression method and is more suitable for the situation of unbalanced data distribution and many data features in the simulation of large-scale urban land dynamic changes.

Multi-Temporal Analysis of the Impact of Summer Forest Dynamics on Urban Heat Island Effect in Yan’an City

In this study, MODIS land products and China land cover datasets were used to extract normalized difference vegetation index, land surface temperature, and vegetation cover type in Yan’an City during the summers of 2017–2022. On this basis, analysis of spatial change and correlation were carried out as a way to study the mitigation effect on urban heat islands in Yan’an City with forest. The study showed that: (1) The coverage of normalized difference vegetation index over 0.4 in summer in Yan’an City increased from 59.38% to 69.12%, and the vegetation showed good growth conditions. It has a spatial distribution pattern of more in the south and less in the north. (2) The proportion of the urban heat island in Yan’an City increased from 15.51% to 16.86%. Urban heat island intensity fluctuated year by year, with the maximum urban heat island intensity of 6.26 °C appearing in 2019. It has a spatial distribution pattern of less in the south and less in the north. The transition rate of temperature field grade from low to high is 73.32%, and the transition rate to low is only 0.31%. (3) There is a negative correlation between land surface temperature and normalized difference vegetation index in Yan’an City. Vegetation has a mitigating effect on the UHI and the best cooling effect among the vegetation is shown by forest. The cooling effect of forest in Yan’an City is attenuated by an increase in distance, and the effective range is greater than 1000 m. In this study, the regulation effect of forest on the urban heat island was obtained by digging deeper into the intrinsic connection between spatial change in vegetation cover and land surface temperature change in Yan’an City. It provides an important reference for the formulation of meteorological protection policy as well as the promotion of sustainable development of the urban ecological environment and is of guiding significance for future urban planning and ecological construction.

Impact of landscape attributes on the noise reduction effects of heritage landscapes

Heritage landscapes provide a cost-effective solution for mitigating noise and creating adaptable open spaces in urban ecological construction and planning. In this study, we examined 27 distinct landscapes in a city in northern China to assess their effectiveness in reducing traffic-related noise. The acoustic properties of the landscapes, considering various surfaces, slopes, elevations, structures, and topography, were systematically analysed and compared. The findings indicate that vertically rigid descending landscapes exhibit the highest acoustic performance, followed by vertically flexible dense landscapes without slopes. Additionally, the noise reduction effects of horizontal landscapes with rough rigid surfaces surpass those of landscapes covered by low-growing vegetation and landscapes with sparse high-growing vegetation. The insights derived from this study can enhance our understanding of heritage landscapes, provide valuable information for their protection and micro-updates, and support quantitative research in this field.

Effects of urban green spaces landscape pattern on carbon sink among urban ecological function areas at the appropriate scale: A case study in Xi’an

At appropriate scales, optimizing landscape pattern in urban green spaces is shown to augment carbon sink. However, existing research primarily concentrates on regional or city-wide areas, often overlooking the nuanced effects of landscape pattern on carbon sink within specialized urban ecological function areas. Focusing on the city of Xi'an and emphasizing the forest within green spaces as the principal subject, this study investigated the spatial interplay between forest landscape pattern and carbon sink across the Ecological Control Area, the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area. Grounded in field surveys, this study employed GF1-WFV remote sensing imagery to ascertain the 2021 land-use data in Xi'an and further classified forests into five distinct types: deciduous broad-leaved forest, evergreen coniferous forest, evergreen broad-leaved forest, coniferous and broad-leaved mixed forest, and evergreen-deciduous broad-leaved mixed forest. Employing the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach model and landscape metrics methods, the study evaluated the carbon sink and landscape pattern at multi-scale. Through semi-variance analyses, we discerned the appropriate grid scales. Finally, multiple linear stepwise regression model elucidated the significant landscape metrics, while geographically weighted regression model were employed to scrutinize spatial relationships. Our findings suggested that grid scales of 5 km for the Ecological Control Area, 3 km for the Urban Ecological Construction Buffer Area, and 6 km for the Tsinling Mountains Ecological Protection Area are most appropriate for effective management and planning. Metrics related to area, edge, and fragmentation were pivotal in enhancing carbon sink, and their influence was spatially variable. This study furnished an in-depth analysis of how landscape pattern and carbon sink interact spatially within various urban ecological function areas at appropriate grid scales, thereby providing a scientific framework for the sustainable planning and management of green spaces.

Ecological Benefits and Plant Landscape Creation in Urban Parks: A Study of Nanhu Park, Hefei, China

Plant landscape creation in urban parks is an important aspect of urban ecological construction under the goal of “carbon neutrality”. In this study, the plant community of Nanhu Park in Hefei City was considered the research subject, and its tree species’ composition and diameter at breast height (DBH) were analyzed. The ecological benefits of the park’s green space were evaluated using the i-tree Eco model, and the carbon sequestration, runoff retention, air pollution removal, and oxygen production benefits were quantified as economic values and combined with the landscape effect evaluation method. The results show that Nanhu Park is rich in tree species types, with 5871 trees of 41 species in 23 families and 32 native species, among which three species of Sapindus mukorossi, Eucommia ulmoides, and Triadica sebifera accounted for 43.7% of the total number of trees. The dominant tree DBH was intermediate (7.6–15.2 cm). In Nanhu Park, the economic benefits were ordered as follows: carbon sequestration > runoff retention > air pollution removal > oxygen production benefits. The dominant tree species strongly contributed to the total ecological benefit of urban park green space; the ecological benefit of individual trees was not positively correlated with the number of tree species; native tree species had better ecological and landscape effects, while plant communities with growth changes and hierarchical depth of landscape were more popular. The analysis of ecological benefits and landscape evaluation of urban park green space provide a theoretical basis for enhancing the plant landscape, thus providing a case reference for promoting the construction of park green space in Hefei.

Exploration of ecological environment construction and development paths in towns and cities by applying time series data

Abstract This paper explores the interaction mechanism between urbanization and the ecological environment based on the unique correlation between urbanization and the ecological environment. BISE and Savizky-Golay algorithms are combined to establish the time series data, and for the characteristic curves of the EVI time response of the land cover, the spectral angle mapping method is combined with the minimum distance method to form the spectral angle-minimum distance classification method. The application of time series data involves calculating the time and spatial change of urban land cover and analyzing the evolution of urban ecological environment elements. Based on the temporal and spatial consistency test and land cover analysis of urban ecological environment construction, as well as the development of urbanization construction, relevant development paths are proposed. The comprehensive score of new urbanization in the four districts and one city of Hengyang City is concentrated towards 1.6, indicating that the level of economic development and the construction of new urbanization have reached coupling at different levels, respectively.

Is the Urban Landscape Connected? Construction and Optimization of Urban Ecological Networks Based on Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis

Urban green ecological space is an important measure of sustainable urban development. Among them, landscape connectivity is one of the key factors in maintaining landscape function. Ecological networks can effectively improve regional ecological quality and promote urban landscape connectivity. However, previous studies on ecological networks have mainly focused on biodiversity conservation and lack research on landscape connectivity. This study used morphological spatial pattern analysis methods and utilized connectivity indices to identify ecological sources in the Chaoyang and Nanguan districts of China’s Changchun City and selected environmental and anthropogenic factors to construct an integrated resistance surface. The minimum cumulative resistance model and network structure index were used for urban ecological network construction and node optimization. The results show that the potential ecological network comprises 17 ecological sources and 34 potential corridors, primarily located in forests and water bodies in the east and south regions. However, the northwest has poor habitat quality and uneven distribution of ecological corridors, that warrant prioritization in future planning, construction, and protection efforts. By introducing six supplemental sources and 25 additional corridors, the function and overall connectivity of the regional ecological network can be improved. The study confirmed that the selection of appropriate connectivity thresholds can improve the accuracy of ecological sources identification, and that the influence of anthropogenic factors on ecological resistance cannot be ignored. This study will provide a scientific basis for promoting urban construction and ecological balance.

Spatiotemporal Dynamic Analysis and Simulation Prediction of Land Use and Landscape Patterns from the Perspective of Sustainable Development in Tourist Cities

The unreasonable development of land use and use of landscape patterns are the primary causes of the unsustainable growth of tourism cities. Dawa District, a well-known tourist destination in China, was chosen as the research object in order to scientifically evaluate and simulate the dynamic changes in land use. Landsat remote sensing images of the Dawa District from 2011, 2016, and 2021 were processed, using the development of regional tourism in 2016 as the dividing point. Using Arcgis10.3, ENVI5.3, and Fragstats tools, GIS spatial analysis and landscape index analysis were used to explore the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of land use and landscape patterns. The CA-Markov model was used to simulate and predict the land use landscape pattern in 2026. The results show that the rapid expansion of built-up areas in 2011–2021 and the increasing marginal complexity and fragmentation of landscape patterns are the main evolution trends. In 2016, emphasis was placed on sustainable land resources, and the area of forested water gradually recovered. However, the patch density (PD) and number of patches (NP) indices reflecting fragmentation still showed a 1.5–2 fold increase. It is expected that in 2026, the dual pressure of urban development and ecological sustainable construction will enhance connectivity and aggregation, and the ecological environment will gradually recover. At the same time, the competition for various types of land will become increasingly prominent, and agricultural activities will be affected. In summary, optimization strategies are proposed from the perspectives of government, land, landscape, and industry, aiming to promote the sustainable development of land and landscape resources in tourist cities.

Review on building energy saving and outdoor cooling effect of vertical greenery systems

Vertical greenery system (VGS) is a sustainable solution to promote building energy saving and emission reduction, mitigate the urban heat island effect, as well as a crucial component of urban ecological construction. We summarized four main mechanisms of the thermal effects of VGSs, including shading effect, evapotranspiration effect, thermal insulation effect, and wind control effect. We elucidated the effects of VGSs on building cooling and energy saving, and analyzed the cooling effects of VGSs on plant canopy and outdoor ambient air, as well as their influence on mitigating the urban heat island effect. Based on available research on the thermal effects of VGSs, we identified key directions for future research, aiming to expedite the development of green cities and achieve carbon neutrality.

Spatial Green Space Accessibility in Hongkou District of Shanghai Based on Gaussian Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Method

Green space in urban areas is one of the most critical infrastructures for the well-being of residents, and its spatial accessibility configuration is a key indicator of urban planning layout and ecological civilization construction. Using the Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) method, K-means cluster analysis, and Kriging spatial interpolation, this study examines the spatial characteristics of green space accessibility in the Hongkou District, focusing on the relationship between “green space-community” supply. The findings indicate the following: (1) green space accessibility in Hongkou District decreases as the level of green spaces decreases. Higher levels of accessibility are associated with smaller variations in spatial distribution. (2) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is affected by the surrounding large green space. Compared to other areas, the community green spaces near Lu Xun Park and Peace Park have higher accessibility. (3) The green space accessibility in Hongkou District is impacted by the mismatch between population density and green spaces. An overlay analysis of accessibility and population density reveals that high accessibility areas have average or low-average population density. Based on the results of the green space accessibility analysis, recommendations are proposed to optimize the green space layout in Hongkou District from the perspective of spatial justice. These suggestions are aimed at promoting the equalization of green space services in Hongkou District, improving the overall level of urban green space services, with a view to improving the quality of urban living environment and creating a green and livable urban area.

Identifying the Effects of Vegetation on Urban Surface Temperatures Based on Urban–Rural Local Climate Zones in a Subtropical Metropolis

Many studies have observed the crucial role of vegetated local climate zone (LCZ) types in mitigating the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect. However, research analyzing the spatial variations in land surface temperature (LST) in a metropolis based on an urban–rural LCZ scheme and exploring the cooling effects of different vegetation types is still lacking. Here, our study focuses on the Guangzhou–Foshan metropolis and aims to elucidate the spatial variations in LST in subtropical cities and the regulating effect of vegetation on LST changes. We used a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and LST data from space-borne MODIS products for the years 2000, 2009, and 2019, as well as LCZ maps, urban–rural gradient data, and land use and land cover (LULC) maps. Urban–rural, seasonal, daytime, nighttime, and diurnal comparative analyses were conducted using logarithmic regression, Pearson partial correlation, and comparison analysis. The results showed that LST values for built LCZ types were generally higher than those of land cover LCZ types, showing a positive correlation with building density and height. The LST decreased logarithmically across the urban–rural gradients, with a rapid decrease initially in the near-gradient urban area, followed by a flattening trend in farther-gradient suburban and rural areas. Regarding vegetated LCZ types, the NDVI metrics showed a significant negative correlation with the LST during the daytime but a positive correlation during the nighttime. The cooling effect of vegetated LCZ types was evident, with an average cooling amplitude of 1.92 °C over the three investigated years. In conclusion, urban LST changes are closely associated with LCZ types, urban–rural gradients, NDVI values, and vegetation types. The cooling ability of vegetation exhibited seasonal and diurnal variations, with a special emphasis on the cooling effect of dense evergreen broadleaf forests. Our findings offer valuable insights and can guide urban ecological construction and management by comprehensively assessing the impact of vegetation on urban surface temperatures.

Analysis of Land Engineering Strategies for Urban Land Ecological Renovation

With the acceleration of urban ecological civilization construction, the demand for ecological land in urban construction is increasing day by day. Currently, land improvement projects often aim to minimize project costs and maximize land use, neglecting the ecological carrying capacity of the site. In the construction of urban ecological space land improvement projects in China, there are phenomena such as excessive emphasis on aesthetics and visual effects, blind introduction of foreign species, unreasonable plant configuration, and large-scale use of lawns, which have also caused many problems in the construction of urban ecological civilization. Land is the foundation of urban construction and sustainable development, and making land clean, healthy, and safe is a prerequisite for the construction of ecological cities. Government departments need to use ecological concepts as work guidance to continuously improve the effectiveness of land resource remediation and maximize the efficiency of land use. Land engineering technology plays an important role in the ecological remediation of urban land. We need to keep up with the pace of development of the times, apply various advanced technologies, and effectively address various problems, in order to achieve better results. This article conducts research on land ecological remediation and proposes optimization strategies for land ecological remediation.

Urban Ecological Culture Construction and the Formation of Residents’ Green Living: Evidence from National Forest City Construction in China

Based on the data of 282 cities from 2006 to 2019, this paper conducts a quasi-natural experiment with National Forest City as a proxy variable for urban ecological culture construction (Cul), using the difference-in-differences model to verify its impact and mechanisms on residents’ green living. The results are described as follows. (1) Urban ecological culture construction helps form residents’ green living, specifically, reducing carbon emissions from electricity, transportation, and heating, and this conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. (2) Urban ecological culture construction helps form residents’ green living through two mediating channels: enhancing public environmental protection participation and forming green consumption awareness. (3) Confucianism plays a positive moderating role in the process of urban ecological culture construction promoting residents’ green living, while the moderating role of exotic culture is not significant. It is worth mentioning that the role of Confucianism remains unchanged even when the above two cultures coexist. In view of this, this paper argues that urban ecological culture construction matters in forming residents’ green living. The organic integration of modern urban ecological culture construction with the region’s excellent traditional culture is worth noting.

Perceptions of the health risk from hot days and the cooling effect of urban green spaces: a case study in Xi'an, China.

Hot days are one of the typical threats to human health and sustainable cities. The exploration of residents' perceptions of thermal environment and its mitigation measures will support the health risk prevention. A survey with a combination of closed-ended and open-ended questions was conducted in July 2021 among 13 urban parks in Xi'an City, China. With the help of ANOVA and ordinal logistic regression, this study investigated the influencing factors both on residents' health risk perception of hot days and their perception of the effect of urban ecological landscape on reducing the thermal risk. The relationship between health risk perception and residents' needs of urban ecological construction was also explored. According to 325 valid questionnaires, the male-female ratio of respondents was found to be 1:0.87, young people aged 18-29 (26.46%), the retirees (27.08%) and the ones with undergraduate education (33.23%) were, relatively, the largest groups. The results show that 92.31% of the respondents believed that their daily lives were under the influence of hot days. Housing types, occupation, cooling equipment at work, and outdoor working hours all had a significant impact on their high temperature perceptions. The proportion of respondents who were under a huge health risk and sought medical treatment due to hot days was 30.16% and 44.92%, respectively. Women were 18.52 and 2.33 times more likely to suffer health threats and experience discomforts than men. Furthermore, 73.23% of the respondents believed that the urban ecological landscapes in Xi'an had an enhanced cooling effect in recent years. Compared with the morphological characteristics, residents' recognition of the restriction of landscape's area on its cooling effect was higher, and the residence duration showed a significant influence. The cooling effect of green spaces and water effectively resisted urban thermal threats, and residents' needs of the urban ecological landscapes was associated with their health risk perceptions of hot days. In the future, it is necessary to promote the early warning of hot days, meanwhile, the optimization of landscape patterns of green infrastructures should be implemented in urban planning for the purposes of residents' health risk prevention.

Connotation of urban ecological quality and the construction of its core index system.

Urban ecological quality is a necessary attribute for a healthy urban ecological state. In the period of urban development from large-scale incremental construction to stock improvement and quality transformation and incremental structural adjustment, there are many gaps between urban ecological quality construction and the requirements of the new stage. There is an urgent need to understand and integrate multiple needs, and construct an indicator system to promote the balance between supply and demand of ecological resources and efficient use to enhance urban ecological quality. We used the analysis methods of CiteSpace literature analysis, relevant policy collation and questionnaire survey to systematically sort out the key points of concern and differences in understanding among the three perspectives of science, government, and the public. The results showed that all the three perspectives, i.e., science, government, and public, were more concerned with indicators related to urban green space, gray infrastructure, and policy control. The concerns of science and public addressed indicators related to urban green space the most, while government being most concerned with indicators related to gray infrastructure. Based on those findings, we developed a core urban ecological quality index system with a total of 25 indicators, covering 10 major types of urban green space, environmental quality, gray infrastructure, and so on.

Urban ecological network construction in Loess Plateau regions in China-case study of Huanxian city

Cities in ecologically vulnerable areas have high ecological sensitivity, and the balance between urban expansion and the ecological environment is easily broken, leading to various environmental problems. These problems seriously interrupt the sustainable health development of urban ecosystems. Studying urban ecological network construction from the perspective of multifactor ecological processes is of important significance to the ecological safety and resource management of cities. In this study, an analysis of ecological elements was conducted separately to account for the “vertical” and “horizontal” ecological processes present in the ecological network. By using the superposition mode of vertical ecological processes, the composition of vital ecological patches was analyzed, and important ecological patches within the ecosystem were identified through ecological sensitivity evaluation index system. On the other hand, the composition of ecological corridors was analyzed through the use of horizontal ecological processes. The biological corridor was determined by source identification of biological processes and resistance surface analysis while the catchment corridor was determined through runoff simulation. Based on these findings, it was possible to propose an urban ecological network construction system specifically designed for Loess Plateau regions using a superposition of ecological sensitivity, biological processes, and catchment processes. Finally, a case study of the urban ecological network system of Loess Plateau regions was conducted in Huanxian City. Comparing the proposed urban ecological network of the Loess Plateau regions and the generated scheme with the overall planning scheme of 2016, the patch density and the largest patch index decreased by 1.522 and 13.794, respectively, while the fractal dimension, interspersion and juxtaposition index, the contagion index, and the connectivity index increased by 0.003, 2.188, 14.076, and 1.366, respectively. This trend proves that the research scheme improved in terms of ecological performance. Research conclusions can provide useful references for the construction of urban ecological networks in underdeveloped and ecologically vulnerable areas in China while offering guidelines for making decisions on the green development and management of urban spaces.

China’s Urban and Rural Development Significantly Affects the Pattern of Human Appropriation of Net Primary Production

Increasing human activities have greatly influenced the ecosystem and the use of ecological resources, and the unbalanced urban–rural development in China (urban and rural areas being two major bases of human activities) has always been accompanied by heterogeneous ecological effects. Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) is an integrated indicator quantifying the human domination of productivity and harvest in the biosphere. Identifying the unbalanced constraints of urban and rural development on HANPP has become necessary for improving human–land relationships. This study analyzed the spatial distribution and regional differentiations of the HANPP in China in 2015 and investigated how HANPP and its components responded to unbalanced regional urban–rural development. The results show that the total amount of HANPP was 2.68 PgC and gradually decreased from the southeast to the northwest of China in 2015, representing 60.33% of the NPPpot. In addition, HANPPluc, harvest through cropland, livestock grazing, and forestry contributed 60.70%, 29.86%, 8.53%, and 0.91%, respectively, to the total HANPP, with HANPPluc playing the dominant role in 21 provinces. There was a significant differentiation (p < 0.05) in the spatial distribution of HANPP (gC/m2), HANPPharv (gC/m2), and HANPPluc (gC/m2), especially between the Huanyong Hu Line and the western–eastern part of China, fundamentally resulting from uneven regional development. In addition, biomass production–consumption decoupling existed in most regions in China, 17 provinces were identified as consumption type, and a universal positive correlation (p < 0.05) was identified between the production–consumption ratio of occupied biomass and HANPPharv (%HANPP). Different drive mechanisms were found between urban–rural development and HANPP, and each HANPP index was more likely to be affected by urban economy (UE), rural population (RP), and rural agricultural technology (RA) in China. The higher regional average nighttime light intensity, the proportion of the built-up area, and the urban road area corresponded with a large HANPPluc value. Conversely, HANPP would decrease as the proportion of urban green spaces increased. Furthermore, HANPP (%NPPpot) and HANPP (gC/m2) mostly depended on the rural development index, while HANPPluc and HANPPharv were mainly controlled by urban and rural development, respectively. Our findings help understand, first, how unbalanced regional development influences human-induced biomass occupation, the comprehensive urban ecological construction, and rural ecological restoration and, second, that the overall planning of urban–rural integration development must be strengthened to face greater ecological pressures in the future.

Spatial–temporal pattern of urban ecological construction in the Yellow River basin and its optimization and promotion paths

IntroductionUrban ecological instruction is an important method of sustainable development that couples the needs of the population and the environment, thus facilitating high-quality development. This study aimed to transform existing large-scale considerations of ecological urban construction to provide a more grounded evaluation framework. We constructed an integrated framework that considers economic, environmental, social, cultural, and ecological factors and their contribution to urban ecological construction.MethodsWe used methods of subjective and objective empowerment, exploratory spatial data analysis, and the obstacle degree model to explore spatiotemporal variations in urban ecological construction.ResultsOur results showed that: (1) From 2006 to 2018, urban ecological construction in the Yellow River basin (YRB) exhibited a “polycentric” spatial differentiation pattern and a significant, gradually decreasing “center-periphery” spatial distribution trend. (2) High–high areas (with high agglomeration and high urban ecological construction) in the YRB are mainly distributed in Shandong Province and the adjacent regions, whereas low–low areas are mainly distributed in south–central Ningxia Province and southern Gansu Province. (3) Analysis of urban ecological construction characteristics across different city scales, functional types, spatial carriers, and basin locations shows that the urban ecological construction level is directly proportional to the scale of the city. The level of urban ecological construction is relatively higher in the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration, in the priority development area of the North China Plain, and in the downstream and right bank of the YRB. Spatial differences are mainly controlled by the net difference between regions from the upstream and midstream scales, as well as intra-regional differences between the left and right banks. (4) Marked differences can be observed in the obstacles to ecological construction in different types of cities.DiscussionTypical barriers in cities in the YRB include the total water resources per capita, energy consumption per unit of GDP, the proportion of research and development investment in fiscal expenditure, the number of books in public libraries per 10,000 people, and land use efficiency. In the future, urban ecological construction should be based on the development conditions of each individual city, and should be improved according to local conditions to achieve the construction high-quality ecological cities.

An Integrated Model for Constructing Urban Ecological Networks and Identifying the Ecological Protection Priority: A Case Study of Wujiang District, Suzhou

As a result of the rapid urbanisation in China, the ecological system in urban areas has become fragmented, posing a threat to ecological stability. Constructing ecological networks is considered a critical strategy to reconnect habitats, restore ecosystems and improve ecological capacity. This research aims to develop a GIS-based model that can inform urban ecological network construction and identify the priority areas for ecological protection in a given urban context. The methodological prototype considers land use, habitat conditions and human interventions from an integrated perspective and has been tested based on a case study in Wujiang District, Suzhou. The results show that (i) 30 critical ecological patches were identified, including 2 vital, 4 important and 24 general cores; (ii) 69 ecological corridors, including 15 vital, 36 important and 18 general corridors, 59 ecological nodes and 24 barriers were determined. Based on these results, this research identified priority restoration and protected areas that urgently require the restoration of ecological networks according to their importance. This research proposes further recommendations on management strategies for construction and protection guidance at macro and micro levels in accordance with existing territorial and spatial planning of Wujiang. The model developed in this research provides a scientific methodology for planning and optimising ecological networks and can serve as a basis for realising ecological protection.

The Performance of the Construction of a Water Ecological Civilization City: International Assessment and Comparison

The water ecological environment problems brought about by rapid urbanization have prompted the proposal and implementation of different approaches to urban water ecological construction, such as eco-cities, best management practices (BMPs), and low-impact development (LID). As one of the most representative urban water ecological management policies in China, the Water Ecological Civilization City (WECC) was proposed in 2013, and 105 cities were selected for pilot construction. Many studies have evaluated the effectiveness of WECC construction, but international quantitative comparison is lacking. To address this, an urban Water-Human-Health (WHH) Assessment Model, considering water resources, ecological environment, economic and social development level, and water resources utilization, was developed and applied to five WECC pilot cities in China and 10 other cities worldwide, in which mainstream urban water ecological construction modes have been used. Principal component analysis of the index values in the assessment system was used to evaluate the current status of water ecosystem health in the 15 cities, showing that Sydney, Cleveland, and Hamburg were the most advanced in urban water ecological management. The two cities with the best evaluation results (Sydney and Cleveland), and the WECC city with the highest score (Wuhan) were selected for documentary analysis of their water ecological construction documents to identify similarities and differences to inform best practice internationally for urban water ecological construction. The results showed that Sydney and Cleveland attach similar emphasis across most constituents of urban water ecological construction, while, for Wuhan, greater importance is attached to water resource management and water culture. The advantages and disadvantages of WECC construction and international experience are discussed. The WHH assessment model proposed in this study provides a new quantitative evaluation method for international urban water ecological health evaluation, which could be further improved by including an urban flood risk indicator.