Identifying Ecological Security Patterns Considering the Stability of Ecological Sources in Ecologically Fragile Areas

Jianfang Ma, Lin Li (), Limin Jiao, Haihong Zhu, Chengcheng Liu, Feng Li and Peng Li
Additional contact information
Jianfang Ma: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Lin Li: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Limin Jiao: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Haihong Zhu: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Chengcheng Liu: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Feng Li: School of Resource and Environmental Sciences (SRES), Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, China
Peng Li: Surveying and Mapping Geographic Information Institute of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 25 Yinjiaqu Street, Yinchuan 750002, China

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-25

Abstract: Ecological security patterns (ESPs) provide an effective spatial approach for identifying critical conservation areas and ensuring regional ecological security. However, prior research has not paid much attention to the importance of the stability of ecological sources in time-series changes, which is especially critical for maintaining ecological functions in ecologically fragile areas. Focusing on the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR) of China, this study evaluated the spatiotemporal change patterns in ecosystem services importance (ESI) from 2000 to 2020, integrating the spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) and circuit theory to propose a novel ESP construction framework that aims to address the issue of insufficient consideration of source stability. A total of 93 stable ecological sources were identified, with the capacity to ensure the continuous provision of high-level ecosystem services and resistance to external disturbances. The extraction of 234 ecological corridors and 430 ecological nodes effectively enhanced the stable flow of ecological processes and connectivity. The stable ESP, constituted by the above ecological elements, can serve as core ecological space and basic skeleton to maintain the regional sustainable landscape. This study provides scientific references for identifying key priority conservation areas and formulating targeted ecological conservation and restoration strategies in ecologically fragile areas.

Keywords: ecological security patterns; source stability; ecosystem services importance; SPCA; circuit theory; ecologically fragile areas (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/214/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/214/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:2:p:214-:d:1336144

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().