Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Habitat Quality in the Yellow River Basin Based on Land-Use Transition and Its Driving Forces

Yibo Xu, Xiaohuang Liu (), Lianrong Zhao, Hongyu Li, Ping Zhu, Run Liu, Chao Wang and Bo Wang
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Yibo Xu: School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Xiaohuang Liu: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China
Lianrong Zhao: School of Economics and Management, China University of Geosciences (Beijing), Beijing 100083, China
Hongyu Li: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China
Ping Zhu: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China
Run Liu: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China
Chao Wang: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China
Bo Wang: Key Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 4, 1-25

Abstract: Land-use transition has diverse influences on habitat quality. At present, land-use patterns and habitat quality in the ecologically fragile Yellow River Basin are undergoing significant change. However, the relationship between land-use transition and habitat quality and the driving factors of habitat quality dynamics across the whole basin remain unclear. In this study, we utilized a land-use transition matrix and an InVEST model to analyze the dynamics of land use, habitat quality, and the relationship between the two in the Yellow River Basin from 2005 to 2020. The driving factors of habitat quality dynamics were explored with a spatial econometric model. The results showed the following: (1) The areas of farmland and grassland accounted for more than 70%, but decreased by 14,600 km 2 and 2500 km 2 , respectively. The areas of forest and construction land increased by 1800 km 2 and 16,900 km 2 , respectively. (2) The habitat quality showed a trend of decrease-then-increase. The areas of low value (0–0.2) were the largest, accounting for about 50% of the total area; the regions of relatively high (0.6–0.8) and high value (0.8–1) were small and scattered in the mountainous forest area, accounting for about 10%. (3) The habitat quality was the lowest in the land categorized as transitioning to construction, and highest in unchanged forest and in the land characterized as transitioning to forest. The coupling coordination degree of land-use degree and habitat quality showed a steady upward trend. (4) The growth rate in the value added by secondary industries, GDP per capita, population density, ecological-protection policy score, average annual temperature, and average annual precipitation were the primary factors affecting habitat quality. This study fills the gap in the analysis of the relationship between land-use transition and habitat quality across the whole Yellow River Basin; the work assists in the understanding of the ecological effects of land-use transition in the region and provides suggestions for the development of other densely populated and ecologically fragile areas.

Keywords: Yellow River Basin; habitat quality; land-use transition; InVEST model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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