Ecological security pattern construction using landscape ecological quality:A case study of Yanchi County,northern China

Ecological security patterns are paramount to the advancement of an ecological civilization in China,aiming to enhance the stability and service functions of ecosystems to achieve sustainable regional development.However,current regional ecological protection efforts have not been effectively integrated into the regional development planning of ecological security pattern.This study systematically assessed the effectiveness of ecological protection projects in Yanchi County,Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China,through the evaluation of landscape ecological quality.Based on the evaluation results of landscape ecological quality,this study used morphological pattern analysis(MSPA),minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model,and gravity model together to construct the ecological security pattern of Yanchi County.The findings revealed that from 1990 to 2020,with the implementation of ecological protection projects started from 2000,the landscape stability of Yanchi County first decreased and then increased,and the intensity of landscape disturbance first intensified but then decreased,indicating an improvement in the landscape ecological quality and a significant enhancement of the ecological environment in Yanchi County.The ecological security pattern of Yanchi County consisted of 10 ecological sources,10 ecological source points,23 ecological corridors,and 27 ecological nodes.The ecological security pattern of Yanchi County exhibited distinct spatial variations,with stronger ecological security observed in the southern part than in northern part of the county.The ecological sources were denser in the southern part than in the northern part of the county,and accordingly,the length of ecological corridors was shorter and denser in the southern than that in the northern part of the county.Based on the spatial distribution of landscape ecological quality and the characteristics of ecological security pattern of Yanchi County in 2020,we suggested Yanchi County to build four zones to optimize the ecological security pattern construction:the Haba Lake ecological conservation zone,the urban ecological planning zone,the ecological environment restoration zone,and the ecological security improvement zone.This study can provide essential guidance for the construction of ecological security pattern in farming-pastoral areas both in China and worldwide.

Land use/cover change and ecological network in Gansu Province,China during 2000-2020 and their simulations in 2050

Land use/cover change(LUCC)constitutes the spatial and temporal patterns of ecological security,and the construction of ecological networks is an effective way to ensure ecological security.Exploring the spatial and temporal change characteristics of ecological network and analyzing the integrated relationship between LUCC and ecological security are crucial for ensuring regional ecological security.Gansu is one of the provinces with fragile ecological environment in China,and rapid changes in land use patterns in recent decades have threatened ecological security.Therefore,taking Gansu Province as the study area,this study simulated its land use pattern in 2050 using patch-generating land use simulation(PLUS)model based on the LUCC trend from 2000 to 2020 and integrated the LUCC into morphological spatial pattern analysis(MSPA)to identify ecological sources and extract the ecological corridors to construct ecological network using circuit theory.The results revealed that,according to the prediction results in 2050,the areas of cultivated land,forest land,grassland,water body,construction land,and unused land would be 63,447.52,39,510.80,148,115.18,4605.21,8368.89,and 161,752.40 km^(2),respectively.The number of ecological sources in Gansu Province would increase to 80,with a total area of 99,927.18 km^(2).The number of ecological corridors would increase to 191,with an estimated total length of 6120.66 km.Both ecological sources and ecological corridors showed a sparse distribution in the northwest and dense distribution in the southeast of the province at the spatial scale.The number of ecological pinch points would reach 312 and the total area would expect to increase to 842.84 km^(2),with the most pronounced increase in the Longdong region.Compared with 2020,the number and area of ecological barriers in 2050 would decrease significantly by 63 and 370.71 km^(2),respectively.In general,based on the prediction results,the connectivity of ecological network of Gansu Province would increase in 2050.To achieve the predicted ecological network in 2050,emphasis should be placed on the protection of cultivated land and ecological land,the establishment of ecological sources in desert areas,the reinforcement of the protection for existing ecological sources,and the construction of ecological corridors to enhance the stability of ecological network.This study provides valuable theoretical support and references for the future construction of ecological networks and regional land resource management decision-making.

Xiamen after 20 Years of Ecological Transformation

The efforts Xiamen has made in ecological protection over the last 20 years have helped it become a beautiful and clean city.TWENTY years ago,I had the opportunity to travel to the city of Xiamen in southeastern China’s Fujian Province.Unfortunately,due to the fact that I was in a rush,I did not have the chance to see the whole city.My memory of Xiamen was its pleasant climate and unforgettable beauty-I knew if I ever got the opportunity,I would revisit this place.Twenty years went by until I was able to return to this city again.After emerging from the airport,I realized that I had grown older,while Xiamen was becoming increasingly youthful and vibrant.What exactly had given this city such vitality?

Genomic insights into ecological adaptation of oaks revealed byphylogenomic analysis of multiple species

Understanding the ecological adaptation of tree species can not only reveal the evolutionary potential but also benefit biodiversity conservation under global climate change.Quercus is a keystone genus in Northern Hemisphere forests,and its wide distribution in diverse ecosystems and long evolutionary history make it an ideal model for studying the genomic basis of ecological adaptations.Here we used a newly sequenced genome of Quercus gilva,an evergreen oak species from East Asia,with 18 published Fagales genomes to determine how Fagaceae genomes have evolved,identify genomic footprints of ecological adaptability in oaks in general,as well as between evergreen and deciduous oaks.We found that oak species exhibited a higher degree of genomic conservation and stability,as indicated by the absence of large-scale chromosomal structural variations or additional whole-genome duplication events.In addition,we identified expansion and tandem repetitions within gene families that contribute to plant physical and chemical defense(e.g.,cuticle biosynthesis and oxidosqualene cyclase genes),which may represent the foundation for the ecological adaptation of oak species.Circadian rhythm and hormone-related genes may regulate the habits of evergreen and deciduous oaks.This study provides a comprehensive perspective on the ecological adaptations of tree species based on phylogenetic,genome evolutionary,and functional genomic analyses.

Review on physiological and ecological characteristics and agronomic regulatory pathways of intercropping to delay root and canopy senescence of crops

Intercropping has been widely used in arid and semi-arid regions because of its high yield,stable productivity,and efficient utilization of resources.However,in recent years,the high yield of traditional intercropping is mainly attributed to the large amount of purchased resources such as water and fertilizer,plastic film,and mechanical power.These lead to a decline in cultivated land quality and exacerbate intercrops'premature root and canopy senescence.So,the application of traditional intercropping faces major challenges in crop production.This paper analyzes the manifestations,occurrence mechanisms,and agronomic regulatory pathways of crop senescence.The physiological and ecological characteristics of intercropping to delay root and canopy senescence of crops are reviewed in this paper.The main agronomic regulatory pathways of intercropping to delay root and canopy senescence of crops are based on above-and blow-ground interactions,including collocation of crop varieties,spatial arrangement,water and fertilizer management,and tillage and mulch practices.Future research fields of intercropping to delay root and canopy senescence should focus on the aspects of selecting and breeding special varieties,application of molecular biology techniques,and developing or applying models to predict and evaluate the root and canopy senescence process of intercrops.Comprehensive analysis and evaluation of different research results could provide a basis for enhancing intercropping delay root and canopy senescence through adopting innovative technologies for regulating the physio-ecological characteristics of intercrops.This would support developing and adopting high-yield,efficient,and sustainable intercropping systems in arid and semi-arid areas with high population density,limited land,and abundant light and heat resources.

Territorial Ecological Restoration with a High-carbon Storage Focus in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration of China:Insights from Carbon Metabolism Spatial Security Patterns

This study focuses on urgent research on restoring and enhancing carbon storage capacity in the Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomer-ation of China,a key area in the‘Belt and Road’Initiative,which aligns with carbon peaking and neutrality goals.This research ana-lyzes the spatial characteristics of carbon metabolism from 2000 to 2020 and uses models to identify stable carbon sink areas,positive carbon flow corridors,and carbon sequestration nodes.The goal is to construct a carbon metabolism spatial security pattern(CMSSP)and propose territorial ecological restoration strategies under different development demand scenarios.The results show the following:1)in 2020,the study area’s carbon sink decreased by 8.29×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2010 and by 10.83×10^(4) t C/yr compared with that in 2000.High-carbon sinks were found mainly in mountainous areas,whereas low-carbon sinks are concentrated in urban con-struction land,rural residential areas,and land margins.2)From 2000 to 2020,the spatial security pattern of carbon metabolism tended to be‘high in the middle of the east and west and low in the gulf.’In 2000,2010,and 2020,16 stable carbon sinks were identified.The carbon energy flow density in Guangxi was greater than that in Guangdong and Hainan,with positive carbon flow corridors located primarily in Guangxi and Guangdong.The number of carbon sequestration nodes remained stable at approximately 15,mainly in Guangxi and Hainan.3)Scenario simulations revealed that under the Nature-based mild restoration scenario,the carbon sink rate will reach 611.85×10^(4) t C/yr by 2030 and increase to 612.45×10^(4) t C/yr by 2060,with stable carbon sinks increasing to 18.In the restora-tion scenario based on Anti-globalization,the carbon sink will decrease from 610.24×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 605.19×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with the disappearance of some positive carbon flow corridors and stable carbon sinks.Under the Human-based sustainable restoration scenario,the carbon sink area will decrease from 607.00×10^(4) t C/yr in 2030 to 596.39×10^(4) t C/yr in 2060,with carbon sink areas frag-menting and positive carbon flow corridors becoming less dense.4)On the basis of the current and predicted CMSSPs,this study ex-plores spatial ecological restoration strategies for high-carbon storage areas in bay urban agglomerations at four levels:the land control region,urban agglomeration structure system,carbon sink structure and bay structure control region.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Ecological Quality in Alpine Freshwater Lake Nature Reserves in the Past 20 Years

The Caohai Nature Reserve is one of the three major plateau freshwater lakes in China.Since the 1950s,human activities such as land reclamation and population relocation have greatly damaged Caohai.A rapid evaluation of the spatiotemporal evolution trend of the ecological quality of the Caohai Nature Reserve is significant for the maintenance and construction of the ecosystem in this area.The research is based on the Google Earth Engine(GEE)remote sensing cloud computing platform.Landsat TM/OLI images from May to October in five time periods:2000-2002,2004-2006,2009-2011,2014-2016,and 2019-2021 were obtained to reconstruct the optimal cloud image set by averaging the images in each time period.By constructing four ecological indicators:Greenness(NDVI),Wetness(Wet),Hotness(LST),and Dryness(NDBSI),and using Principal Component Analysis(PCA)method to obtain the Remote Sensing Ecological Index(RSEI)for the corresponding years,the spatiotemporal variation of ecological quality in the Caohai Nature Reserve over 20 years was analyzed.The results indicate:①the mean value of RSEI increased from 0.460 in 2000-2002 to 0.772 in 2019-2021,a 67.83%increase,indicating a significant improvement in the ecological quality of the reserve over the 20 years;②from the perspective of functional zoning of the Caohai Nature Reserve,the ecological quality of the core area showed a degrading trend,while the ecological quality of the buffer zone and experimental zone significantly improved;③with the implementation of ecological restoration projects,the ecological quality of the reserve gradually recovered and improved from 2014 to 2021.The trend of RSEI value changes is well correlated with human interventions,indicating that the PCA-based RSEI model can be effectively used for ecological quality assessment in lake areas.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Ecological Quality in Typical Karst Ecologically Fragile Areas Based on Remote Sensing Ecological Indexes

Fast and effective remote sensing monitoring is an important means for analyzing the spatio-temporal changes in ecological quality in fragile karst regions.This study focuses on Guanling Autonomous County,a national-level demonstration county for comprehensive desertification control.Based on Landsat TM/OLI remote sensing image data from 2005,2010,2015,and 2020,remote sensing ecological indices were used to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in ecological quality in Guanling Autonomous County from 2005 to 2020.The results show that:①the variance contribution rates of the first principal component for the four periods were 66.31%,71.59%,63.18%,and 75.24%,indicating that PC1 integrated most of the characteristics of the four indices,making the RSEI suitable for evaluating ecological quality in karst mountain areas;②the remote sensing ecological index grades have been increasing year by year,with an overall trend of improving ecological quality.The area of higher-grade ecological quality has increased spatially,while fragmented patches have gradually decreased,becoming more concentrated in the low-altitude areas in the northwest and east,and there is a trend of expansion towards higher-altitude areas;③the ecological environment quality in most areas has improved,with the improvement in RSEI spatio-temporal variation becoming more noticeable with increasing slope.Areas of higher-grade quality appeared in 2010,and the range of higher-grade quality expanded with increasing slope.

Ecological problems and ecological restoration zoning of the Aral Sea

The Aral Sea was the fourth largest lake in the world but it has shrunk dramatically as a result of irrational human activities, triggering the "Aral Sea ecological crisis". The ecological problems of the Aral Sea have attracted widespread attention, and the alleviation of the Aral Sea ecological crisis has reached a consensus among the five Central Asian countries(Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan). In the past decades, many ecological management measures have been implemented for the ecological restoration of the Aral Sea. However, due to the lack of regional planning and zoning, the results are not ideal. In this study, we mapped the ecological zoning of the Aral Sea from the perspective of ecological restoration based on soil type, soil salinity, surface water, groundwater table, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI), land cover, and aerosol optical depth(AOD) data. Soil salinization and salt dust are the most prominent ecological problems in the Aral Sea. We divided the Aral Sea into 7 first-level ecological restoration subregions(North Aral Sea catchment area in the downstream of the Syr Darya River(Subregion Ⅰ);artificial flood overflow area in the downstream of the Aral Sea(Subregion Ⅱ);physical/chemical remediation area of the salt dust source area in the eastern part of the South Aral Sea(Subregion Ⅲ);physical/chemical remediation area of severe salinization in the central part of the South Aral Sea(Subregion Ⅳ);existing water surface and potential restoration area of the South Aral Sea(Subregion Ⅴ);Aral Sea vegetation natural recovery area(Subregion Ⅵ);and vegetation planting area with slight salinization in the South Aral Sea(Subregion Ⅶ)) and 14 second-level ecological restoration subregions according to the ecological zoning principles. Implementable measures are proposed for each ecological restoration subregion. For Subregion Ⅰ and Subregion Ⅱ with lower elevations, artificial flooding should be carried out to restore the surface of the Aral Sea. Subregion Ⅲ and Subregion Ⅳ have severe salinization, making it difficult for vegetation to grow. In these subregions, it is recommended to cover and pave the areas with green biomatrix coverings and environmentally sustainable bonding materials. In Subregion Ⅴ located in the central and western parts of the South Aral Sea, surface water recharge should be increased to ensure that this subregion can maintain normal water levels. In Subregion Ⅵ and Subregion Ⅶ where natural conditions are suitable for vegetation growth, measures such as afforestation and buffer zones should be implemented to protect vegetation. This study could provide a reference basis for future comprehensive ecological management and restoration of the Aral Sea.

Ecological environmental quality evaluation and driving factor analysis of the Lijiang River Basin,based on Google Earth Engine

For regional ecological management,it is important to evaluate the quality of ecosystems and analyze the underlying causes of ecological changes.Using the Google Earth Engine(GEE)platform,the remote sensing ecological index(RSEI)was calculated for the Lijiang River Basin in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for 1991,2001,2011,and 2021.Spatial autocorrelation analysis was employed to investigate spatiotemporal variations in the ecological environmental quality of the Lijiang River Basin.Furthermore,geographic detectors were used to quantitatively analyze influencing factors and their interaction effects on ecological environmental quality.The results verified that:1)From 1991 to 2021,the ecological environmental quality of the Lijiang River Basin demonstrated significant improvement.The area with good and excellent ecological environmental quality in proportion increased by 19.69%(3406.57 km^(2)),while the area with fair and poor ecological environmental quality in proportion decreased by 10.76%(1860.36 km^(2)).2)Spatially,the ecological environmental quality of the Lijiang River Basin exhibited a pattern of low quality in the central region and high quality in the periphery.Specifically,poor ecological environmental quality characterized the Guilin urban area,Pingle County,and Lingchuan County.3)From 1991 to 2021,a significant positive spatial correlation was observed in ecological environmental quality of the Lijiang River Basin.Areas with high-high agglomeration were predominantly forests and grasslands,indicating good ecological environmental quality,whereas areas with low-low agglomeration were dominated by cultivated land and construction land,indicating poor ecological environmental quality.4)Annual average precipitation and temperature exerted the most significant influence on the ecological environmental quality of the basin,and their interactions with other factors had the great influence.This study aimed to enhance understanding of the evolution of the ecological environment in the Lijiang River Basin of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and provide scientific guidance for decision-making and management related to ecology in the region.

Optimization of Urban Ecological Network Based on MSPA-MCR Model: A Case Study of Jingzhou City

As a key carrier supporting urban ecological health and living environment quality,urban ecological network is a key focus of current urban green space research.Jingzhou City of Hubei Province is taken as the research object.Relying on GIS technology platform,MSPA method is used to analyze the landscape pattern of Jingzhou City.On this basis,the landscape connectivity evaluation method is used to accurately identify and extract the source areas with important ecological value in Jingzhou City.Then,the normalization method and weighting method are combined to create a resistance factor evaluation system to construct the resistance surface.Based on the MCR model,the ecological network of Jingzhou City is successfully constructed,and targeted spatial optimization strategies and development suggestions are proposed.

Pathway and Countermeasure of Farmers' Livelihood Transformation in the Ecological Development Area of Northern Guangdong Province from the Perspective of Ecological Protection

[Objectives]To explore pathways and countermeasures for transforming farmers livelihoods in the way of reducing their dependence on land while promoting sustainable development and alleviating ecological degradation.[Methods]A combination of field research,literature review,and policy analysis was employed to identify key factors affecting farmers livelihoods and potential strategies for transformation.[Results]The study found that developing ecological agriculture and modern agriculture,promoting agricultural transformation and upgrading,cultivating alternative industries,strengthening ecological engineering construction,and establishing diversified ecological compensation methods and supporting policies are effective strategies for transforming farmers livelihoods.[Conclusions]Implementing these strategies can help alleviate the contradiction between ecological protection and farmers livelihood development,promoting coordinated development of both.This approach not only benefits farmers but also contributes to sustainable environmental management and biodiversity conservation.

Research on groundwater ecological environment mapping based on ecological service function:A case study of five Central Asian countries and neighboring regions of China

The groundwater system is a unique ecosystem that serves both resource and ecological functions.Hydrogeologists have conducted extensive theoretical research and practical work on groundwater ecological mapping.This paper,based on the study of groundwater resources and surface ecology in the five Central Asian countries and adjacent areas of China,introduces the concept of ecosystem service functions.It establishes a groundwater ecological zoning index system and conducts research of ecological mapping using the five Central Asian countries and adjacent areas of China as examples.Through this process,the ecosystem service functions of groundwater can be more comprehensively reflected,which can better guide regional geological environment protection and industrial planning.This approach helps coordinate the relationship between socio-economic development and water resource protection,maintain the health of the groundwater ecological environment,enhance the value of groundwater ecological services,and promote the sustainable development of regional economies and societies.

Ecological Discourse Analysis Based on the Corpus-A Case Study on the Environmental Discourse of 21st Century

Language learning materials not only provide language input for learners but also subtly disseminate ideology and influence readers’behavior.This study,based on the framework of ecological discourse analysis,quantitatively analyzes and qualitatively describes the ecological significance of environmental texts in the 21st Century.The aim is to provide references for the compilation of environmental discourse in language learning materials,promote the construction of more ecologically beneficial discourse,and facilitate the widespread dissemination of the ecological philosophy of“Diversity and Harmony,Interaction and Co-existence”among young readers.The initial findings of this study are as follows:In the environmental texts of the publication,a large number of relational processes and action processes are used to objectively represent the natural environment;the discourse tends to be ambiguous and beneficial,generally aligning with the ecological philosophy of“Diversity and Harmony,Interaction and Co-existence.”This can guide readers to correctly understand and face environmental issues,which is conducive to the healthy development of natural ecosystems.

Development and Thinking of Ecological Environmental Audit in China

In this paper,the development course of ecological environmental audit in China was described,and the evolution of its policy support,technical means and coverage was analyzed.At the same time,in view of the problems such as low data quality and credibility,limited scope of audit and lagging informatization construction in audit work,some specific suggestions were put forward to better support the ecological civilization construction in China by optimizing the ecological environmental audit work.

Ecological Environment Monitoring Station of Yanshan Branch,Wenshan Prefecture Ecological Environment Bureau,Yunnan Province,Yanshan 663100,China

How ecological environmental monitoring provides scientific and technological strength for ecological environmental management was studied.In recent years,the Ecological Environment Monitoring Station of Yanshan Branch,Wenshan Prefecture Ecological Environment Bureau,Yunnan Province has developed into a provincial environmental education base,a provincial science education base,and a national environmental protection facility open to the public by relying on monitoring equipment and facilities,personnel training,monitoring and law enforcement interaction,analysis of abnormal data,and countermeasures and suggestions were put forward for the problems in the development.

Construction of Regional Ecological Capital Operation Mechanism System from the Perspective of Green Economy Development

Green development has gradually become the main theme of the current world economic development.Green transformation development and cracking the contradiction between ecology and economy need to build an effective ecological capital operation system and mechanism to support,encourage the effective operation of regional ecological capital,promote the appreciation and preservation of ecological capital,and escort the operation.This paper constructs a four-in-one regional ecological capital operation mechanism system,in which the"accumulation mechanism"is the prerequisite,the"conversion mechanism"is the key link,the"compensation mechanism"is an important supplement,and the"incentive mechanism"is the safeguard measure,which aims to ensure the smooth progress of the construction of beautiful China in the new era and realize the socialist modern power.

Research Progress of Ecological Environmental Safety Evaluation Indicator System of Health Resorts

The ecological environmental safety of health resorts can prevent premature depletion of medical natural resources and avoid being polluted.In CNKI,Wanfang Database,Google Academic,Web of Science,and Pub Med database,Chinese search terms“health resort”,“convalescence”,“ecological environment”,“ecological safety protection”,“evaluation”,as well as English search terms“health resort”,“convalescence”,“ecological environment”,“ecological safety and security”,and“estimation”were searched,and a total of 33 articles were screened.The basic information of the 33 articles was recorded,and the types of evaluation models,evaluation indicators and indicator thresholds were summarized.The future development direction was proposed,and the enlightenment to the management and protection of health resorts was summarized.

Quantitative Research on Ecological Compensation among Every City of Guangdong Province Based on Ecological Footprint and Ecological Carrying Capacity

Based on the relative theories and methods of ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity,and according to practical conditions of Guangdong Province,this paper tried to put forward the determinant standard for ecological compensation through calculating the ecological footprint and ecological carrying capacity of every city in Guangdong Province. The results indicated that the ecological footprint of each city was in the status of deficit and the deficit level decreased gradually from developed regions of Pearl River Delta to the outlying regions. The cities which belonged to development areas of Pearl River Delta needed to pay ecological compensation,such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen and so on. In contrast,the cities which accepted compensation were underdeveloped areas,such as Heyuan and Jieyuan and so on.

Application of GIS in Ecological Land Type(ELT)mapping--A case in Changbai Mountain area

This paper depicted the physiographic landscape features and natural vegetation situation of study area (the eastern Jilin Province), and expatiates the definition, basic characters and its development of Ecological Land Classification (ELC). Based on the combination of relief map, satellite photography for study area and vegetation inventory data of 480 sample sites, a 5-class and a 15-class ecological land type map was concluded according to 4 important factors including slope, aspect, vegetation and elevation. Ecological Classification System (ECS) is a method to identify, characterize, and map ecosystems. The Ecological Land Type (ELT) was examined and applied initially in eastern Jilin Province.