Ecological Security Pattern Construction in Karst Area Based on Ant Algorithm

Xiaoqing Zhao, Qifa Yue, Jianchao Pei, Junwei Pu, Pei Huang and Qian Wang
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Xiaoqing Zhao: School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Qifa Yue: School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Jianchao Pei: School of Mathematics and Statistics, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Junwei Pu: Institute of International River and Ecological Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Pei Huang: Institute of International River and Ecological Security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China
Qian Wang: School of Earth Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-21

Abstract: Constructing the ecological security pattern is imperative to stabilize ecosystem services and sustainable development coordination of the social economy and ecology. This paper focuses on the Karst region in southeastern Yunnan, which is ecologically fragile. This paper selects the main types of ecosystem services and identifies the ecological source using hot spot analysis for Guangnan County. An inclusive consideration of the regional ecologic conditions and the rocky desertification formation mechanism was made. The resistance factor index system was developed to generate the basic resistance surface modified by the ecological sensitivity index. The Ant algorithm and Kernel density analysis were used to determine ecological corridor range and ecological restoration points that constructed the ecological security pattern of Guangnan County. The results demonstrated that, firstly, there were twenty-three sources in Guangnan County, with a total area of 1292.77 km 2 , accounting for 16.74% of the total. The forests were the chief ecological sources distributed in the non-Karst area, where Bamei Town, Yangliujing Township and Nasa Town had the highest distribution. Secondly, the revised resistance value is similar to “Zhe (Zhetu Township)-Lian (Liancheng Town)-Yang (Yangliujing Township)-Ban (Bambang Township)”. The values were lower in the north and higher in the south, which is consistent with the regional distribution of Karst. Thirdly, the constructed ecological security pattern of the “Source-Corridor-Ecological restoration point” paradigm had twenty-three ecological corridors. The chief ecological and potential corridor areas were 804.95 km 2 and 621.2 km 2 , respectively. There are thirty-eight ecological restoration points mainly distributed in the principal ecological corridors and play a vital role in maintaining the corridor connectivity between sources. The results provide guidance and theoretical basis for the ecological security patterns construction in Karst areas, regional ecologic security protection and sustainable development promotion.

Keywords: Karst area; ecological security pattern; Ant algorithm; the paradigm of “Source-Corridor-Ecological restoration point”; ecosystem services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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