生态系统质量评估方法——理想参照系和关键指标

The methods of evaluation ecosystem quality:Ideal reference and key parameters

良好的生态系统质量是社会可持续发展的重要基础,也是国家生态文明建设的重要目标之一。目前,我国在生态系统质量评估体系建设方面取得了很好的进展,但由于缺乏科学的评估标准和统一的指标体系,不同区域间评估结果的可比性差或同一区域不同时期间评估结果难以比较,难以开展区域和国家尺度的集成研究,同时也难以满足快速评估关键区域或国家尺度生态系统质量的需求。为了有效克服上述困难与挑战,迫切需要构建一套科学的、经济可行的、简单快速的、且适用于区域或国家尺度的生态系统质量评估体系。以国内生态系统质量评估现状为基础,通过梳理现有的评估体系,提出了“理想参照系”的概念体系,旨在进一步完善评估体系的基本框架;同时,较详细地阐述了理想参照系中阈值的确定方法。此外,从科学、直观、快速、经济可行等角度出发,建议重新思考生态系统质量评估的关键指标(如生产力、土壤有机质、植物多样性和景观破碎度)。新构建的“理想参照系+关键指标”的新型生态系统质量评估体系,理论上可满足新时期区域或国家生态系统质量快速评估的需求,但许多技术细节仍待于进一步完善;由于新评估体系能量化生态系统质量的恢复潜力与发展阶段,它可为更合理配置资源、提高保护成效等提供科学依据。

Excellent ecosystem quality is fundamental for sustainable development of regions or nations,which is also one of the most important goals for the construction of ecological civilization in China.Currently,we have made progress in establishing methods for evaluating ecosystem quality.However,owing to the lack of scientific evaluation standards and a unified system of selected indicator,these evaluated results in different periods could be compared only for specific region and could not be compared among different regions.In addition,it is difficult to conduct integrated research or to quickly assess ecosystem quality at regional and national scales.Therefore,to effectively overcome these challenges,it is necessary to rethink and establish a new evaluation system which can help the rapid evaluation of ecosystem quality with the advantages of being scientific,economic,and feasible.Based on the current status of ecosystem quality assessment,we proposed that a new concept of ideal reference should be incorporated into the evaluation systems,aiming to further improve the frame of evaluation system.Meanwhile,we have developed a method of determining the threshold in the ideal frame of reference in detail.Furthermore,to strike a balance between being scientific,fast,economically feasible,and perceivable,we recommended the selection of some key ecological parameters used in the new evaluation framework,such as primary productivity,soil organic matter,plant diversity,and landscape fragmentation.The new framework for measuring ecosystem quality incorporating“ideal reference and key parameters”can meet the requirements of rapid evaluation for ecosystem quality well both at regional and national scales.Therefore,the results of their evaluation can provide better guidelines for rational distribution of resources,and enhance the protection effect,because the new frame can help identify the restoration potential and restoration effects.