Abstract
Rapid urbanization and irrational human activities have induced in numerous environmental problems, seriously threatening regional ecological security. The establishment and optimization of ecological security patterns (ESPs) were considered as a nature-based solution and an effective way for sustainable development. In this study, the Guizhou Province, a representative karst mountainous region in the southwest of China, was used as the study region. The ecological sources were identified and optimized through integrating ecosystem services and landscape connectivity, and the ecological resistance surface was corrected by representative features of karst areas. The circuit theory was adopted to extract the ecological corridors and barriers. We found that the three ecosystem services (i.e., water conservation, biodiversity maintenance, and soil conservation) had remarkable spatial heterogeneity. The area of optimized ecological sources was enlarged 4752.14 km2. The number of corridors was reduced from 73 to 47 after optimization, with a total length decreased by 1251.97 km. The optimized ecological network structure considerably enhanced ecological connectivity, among the γ index increased by 0.0014, the β index reduced by 0.0833, while the α index did not change significantly. We concluded that quantitatively exploring the impacts of ecological source optimization are significant for enhancing ecological connectivity. The approach of our study proposes a novel idea into the ESP construction that can provide a meaningful reference for ecological protection and restoration.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Not applicable.
References
Adriaensen F, Chardon JP, De Blust G, Swinnen E, Villalba S, Gulinck H, Matthysen E (2003) The application of ‘least-cost’ modelling as a functional landscape model. Landsc Urban Plann 64(4):233–247. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(02)00242-6
Aminzadeh B, Khansefid M (2010) A case study of urban ecological networks and a sustainable city: Tehran’s metropolitan area. Urban Ecosyst 13(1):23–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-009-0101-3
Bennett EM, Peterson GD, Gordon LJ (2009) Understanding relationships among multiple ecosystem services. Ecol Lett 12(12):1394–1404. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2009.01387.x
Blazquez-Cabrera S, Ciudad C, Gastón A, Simón MA, Saura S (2019) Identification of strategic corridors for restoring landscape connectivity: application to the Iberian lynx. Anim Conserv 22(3):210–219. https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12464
Brodie JF, Mohd-Azlan J, Schnell JK (2016) How individual links affect network stability in a large-scale, heterogeneous metacommunity. Ecology 97(7):1658–1667. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-1613.1
Cai HY, Yang XH, Xu XL (2015) Human–induced grassland degradation/restoration in the central Tibetan Plateau: the effects of ecological protection and restoration projects. Ecol Eng 83:112–119. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.06.031
Canedoli C, Ficetola GF, Corengia D, Tognini P, Ferrario A, Padoa-Schioppa E (2022) Integrating landscape ecology and the assessment of ecosystem services in the study of karst areas. Landscape Ecol 37(1):347–365. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01351-2
Chen J, Wang SS, Zou YT (2022) Construction of an ecological security pattern based on ecosystem sensitivity and the importance of ecological services: a case study of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration China. Ecol Indic 136:108688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108688
Cui XF, Deng W, Yang JX, Huang W, De Vries WT (2022) Construction and optimization of ecological security patterns based on social equity perspective: a case study in Wuhan China. Ecol Ind 136:108714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108714
Dadashpoor H, Azizi P, Moghadasi M (2019) Land use change, urbanization, and change in landscape pattern in a metropolitan area. Sci Total Environ 655:707–719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.11.267
Dade MC, Mitchell MGE, McAlpine CA, Rhodes JR (2019) Assessing ecosystem service trade–offs and synergies: the need for a more mechanistic approach. Ambio 48(10):1116–1128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1127-7
Ding MM, Liu W, Xiao L, Zhong FX, Lu N, Zhang J, Zhang ZH, Xu XL, Wang K (2022) Construction and optimization strategy of ecological security pattern in a rapidly urbanizing region: a case study in central–south China. Ecol Indic 136:108604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108604
Dong JQ, Peng J, Xu ZH, Liu YX, Wang XY, Li B (2021) Integrating regional and interregional approaches to identify ecological security patterns. Landscape Ecol 36(7):2151–2164. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01233-7
Fan FF, Liu YX, Chen JX, Dong JQ (2021) Scenario-based ecological security patterns to indicate landscape sustainability: a case study on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Landscape Ecol 36(7):2175–2188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-020-01044-2
Fu YJ, Shi XY, He J, Yuan Y, Qu LL (2020) Identification and optimization strategy of county ecological security pattern: a case study in the Loess Plateau China. Ecol Indic 112:106030. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.106030
Gao JB, Du FJ, Zuo LY, Jiang Y (2021) Integrating ecosystem services and rocky desertification into identification of karst ecological security pattern. Landscape Ecol 36(7):2113–2133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-020-01100-x
Gao MW, Hu YC, Bai YP (2022) Construction of ecological security pattern in national land space from the perspective of the community of life in mountain, water, forest, field, lake and grass: a case study in Guangxi Hechi, China. Ecol Indic 139:108867. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108867
Goodwin BJ, Fahrig L (2002) How does landscape structure influence landscape connectivity? Oikos 99(3):552–570. https://doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0706.2002.11824.x
Gou MM, Li L, Ouyang S, Shu C, Xiao WF, Wang N, Hu JW, Liu CF (2022) Integrating ecosystem service trade–offs and rocky desertification into ecological security pattern construction in the Daning river basin of southwest China. Ecol Indic 138:108845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108845
Guo B, Zang WQ, Luo W (2020) Spatial-temporal shifts of ecological vulnerability of Karst Mountain ecosystem–impacts of global change and anthropogenic interference. Sci Total Environ 741:140256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140256
Guo M, Cong X, Zheng H, Zhang MJ, Wang LJ, Gong JW, Ma S (2022) Integrating the ordered weighted averaging method to establish an ecological security pattern for the Jianghuai ecological economic zone in China: synergistic intraregional development. Ecol Indic 135:108543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108543
Huang JM, Hu YC, Zheng FY (2020) Research on recognition and protection of ecological security patterns based on circuit theory: a case study of Jinan City. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27(11):12414–12427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-07764-x
Huang XX, Wang HJ, Shan LY, Xiao FT (2021) Constructing and optimizing urban ecological network in the context of rapid urbanization for improving landscape connectivity. Ecol Indic 132:108319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108319
Jiang H, Peng J, Dong JQ, Zhang ZM, Xu ZH, Meersmans J (2021) Linking ecological background and demand to identify ecological security patterns across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in China. Landscape Ecol 36(7):2135–2150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01234-6
Koen EL, Bowman J, Sadowski C, Walpole AA (2014) Landscape connectivity for wildlife: development and validation of multispecies linkage maps. Methods Ecol Evol 5(7):626–633. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12197
Le W, Leshan J (2020) How eco-compensation contribute to poverty reduction: a perspective from different income group of rural households in Guizhou China. J Clean Prod 275:122962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122962
Li F, Ye YP, Song BW, Wang RS (2015) Evaluation of urban suitable ecological land based on the minimum cumulative resistance model: a case study from Changzhou, China. Ecol Model 318:194–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.09.002
Li Q, Zhou Y, Yi SQ (2022) An integrated approach to constructing ecological security patterns and identifying ecological restoration and protection areas: a case study of Jingmen China. Ecol Ind 137:108723. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108723
Li L, Huang XJ, Wu DF, Wang ZL, Yang H (2022) Optimization of ecological security patterns considering both natural and social disturbances in China’s largest urban agglomeration. Ecol Eng 180:106647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2022.106647
Li SC, Xiao W, Zhao YL, Xu JF, Da HZ, Lv XJ (2019) Quantitative analysis of the ecological security pattern for regional sustainable development: case study of Chaohu Basin in Eastern China. J Urban Plann Dev 145(3):04019009. https://doi.org/10.1061/(Asce)Up.1943-5444.0000508
Li SC, Xiao W, Zhao YL, Lv XJ (2020) Incorporating ecological risk index in the multi-process MCRE model to optimize the ecological security pattern in a semi-arid area with intensive coal mining: a case study in northern China. J Clean Prod 247:119143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119143
Li SC, Zhao YL, Xiao W, Yue WZ, Wu T (2021) Optimizing ecological security pattern in the coal resource–based city: a case study in Shuozhou City China. Ecol Indic 130:108026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108026
Li SN, Zhao XQ, Pu JW, Miao PP, Wang Q, Tan K (2021) Optimize and control territorial spatial functional areas to improve the ecological stability and total environment in karst areas of Southwest China. Land Use Policy 100:104940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104940
Li ZM, Fan ZX, Song Y, Chai YB (2021) Assessing equity in park accessibility using a travel behavior–based G2SFCA method in Nanjing, China. J Transport Geography 96:103179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2021.103179
Liao CJ, Yue YM, Wang KL, Fensholt R, Tong XW, Brandt M (2018) Ecological restoration enhances ecosystem health in the karst regions of southwest China. Ecol Ind 90:416–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2018.03.036
Lin QX, Eladawy A, Sha JM, Li XM, Wang JL, Kurbanov E, Thomas A (2021) Remotely sensed ecological protection redline and security pattern construction: a comparative analysis of Pingtan (China) and Durban (South Africa). Remote Sens 13(15):2865. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13152865
Lou HZ, Scovronick N, Yang ST, Ren XY, Shi LH, Fu YS, Cai MY, Luo Y (2021) A balance exists between vegetation recovery and human development over the past 30 years in the Guizhou Plateau, China. Ecol Indic 133:108357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108357
Luo ZH, Tang SH, Jiang ZG, Chen J, Fang HX, Li CW (2016) Conservation of terrestrial vertebrates in a global hotspot of karst area in Southwestern China. Sci Rep 6(1):25717. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep25717
McRae BH, Dickson BG, Keitt TH, Shah VB (2008) Using circuit theory to model connectivity in ecology, evolution, and conservation. Ecology 89(10):2712–2724. https://doi.org/10.1890/07-1861.1
McRae BH, Hall SA, Beier P, Theobald DM (2012) Where to restore ecological connectivity? Detecting barriers and quantifying restoration benefits. Plos One 7(12):e52604. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0052604
Mitchell MGE, Bennett EM, Gonzalez A (2013) Linking landscape connectivity and ecosystem service provision: current knowledge and research gaps. Ecosystems 16(5):894–908. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-013-9647-2
Nie WB, Shi Y, Siaw MJ, Yang F, Wu RW, Wu X, Zheng XY, Bao ZY (2021) Constructing and optimizing ecological network at county and town Scale: the case of Anji County China. Ecol Indic 132:108294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108294
Niu LN, Shao QQ (2020) Soil conservation service spatiotemporal variability and its driving mechanism on the Guizhou Plateau, China. Remote Sens 12(14):2187. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12142187
Peng J, Yang Y, Liu YX, Hu YN, Du YY, Meersmans J, Qiu SJ (2018) Linking ecosystem services and circuit theory to identify ecological security patterns. Sci Total Environ 644:781–790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.06.292
Peng J, Zhao SQ, Dong JQ, Liu YX, Meersmans J, Li HL, Wu JS (2019a) Applying ant colony algorithm to identify ecological security patterns in megacities. Environ Model Softw 117:214–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2019.03.017
Peng J, Hu XX, Wang XY, Meersmans J, Liu YX, Qiu SJ (2019) Simulating the impact of grain-for-green programme on ecosystem services trade-offs in Northwestern Yunnan China. Ecosyst Services 39:100998. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2019.100998
Peng L, Zhou S, Chen TT (2022) Mapping forest restoration probability and driving archetypes using a bayesian belief network and SOM: towards karst ecological restoration in Guizhou, China. Remote Sens 14(3):780. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14030780
Petursdottir T, Arnalds O, Baker S, Montanarella L, Aradóttir ÁL (2013) A social-ecological system approach to analyze stakeholders’ interactions within a large-scale rangeland restoration program. Ecol Soc 18(2):40 (http://www.jstor.org/stable/26269308)
Pierik ME, Dell’acqua M, Confalonieri R, Bocchi S, Gomarasca S (2016) Designing ecological corridors in a fragmented landscapzze: a fuzzy approach to circuit connectivity analysis. Ecol Indic 67:807–820. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2016.03.032
Qiao YN, Jiang YJ, Zhang CY (2021) Contribution of karst ecological restoration engineering to vegetation greening in southwest China during recent decade. Ecol Indic 121:107081. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2020.107081
Qiu SJ, Peng J, Dong JQ, Wang XT, Ding ZH, Zhang HB, Mao Q, Liu HY, Quine TA, Meersmans J (2020) Understanding the relationships between ecosystem services and associated social–ecological drivers in a karst region: a case study of Guizhou Province, China. Progress Phys Geography: Earth Environ 45(1):98–114. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133320933525
Saura S, Pascual-Hortal L (2007) A new habitat availability index to integrate connectivity in landscape conservation planning: comparison with existing indices and application to a case study. Landsc Urban Plann 83(2–3):91–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2007.03.005
Senf C, Seidl R (2021) Mapping the forest disturbance regimes of Europe. Nat Sustain 4(1):63–70. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-00609-y
Skogen K, Helland H, Kaltenborn B (2018) Concern about climate change, biodiversity loss, habitat degradation and landscape change: Embedded in different packages of environmental concern? J Nat Conserv 44:12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2018.06.001
Sun MY, Li XH, Yang RJ, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Song ZW, Liu Q, Zhao D (2020) Comprehensive partitions and different strategies based on ecological security and economic development in Guizhou Province China. J Clean Prod 274:122794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122794
Taylor P, Fahrig L, Henein K, Merriam G (1993) Connectivity is a vital element of landscape structure. Oikos 68(3):571–573. https://doi.org/10.2307/3544927
Tong XW, Wang KL, Yue YM, Brandt M, Liu B, Zhang CH, Liao CJ, Fensholt R (2017) Quantifying the effectiveness of ecological restoration projects on long–term vegetation dynamics in the karst regions of Southwest China. J Appl Earth Observ Geoinform 54:105–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2016.09.013
Turkelboom F, Thoonen M, Jacobs S, García-Llorente M, Martín-López B, Berry P (2015) Ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies. Ecol Soc 21(1):43. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.4882.9529
Vanthomme HPA, Nzamba BS, Alonso A, Todd AF (2019) Empirical selection between least-cost and current-flow designs for establishing wildlife corridors in Gabon. Conserv Biol 33(2):329–338. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13194
Wang CX, Yu CY, Chen TQ, Feng Z, Hu YC, Wu KN (2020) Can the establishment of ecological security patterns improve ecological protection? An example of Nanchang China. Sci Total Environ 740:140051. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140051
Wang SJ, Liu QM, Zhang DF (2004) Karst rocky desertification in southwestern China: geomorphology, landuse, impact and rehabilitation. Land Degrad Dev 15(2):115–121. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.592
Wang T, Li HB, Huang Y (2021) The complex ecological network’s resilience of the Wuhan metropolitan area. Ecol Indic 130:108101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108101
Wang S, Wu MQ, Hu MM, Fan C, Wang T, Xia BC (2021) Promoting landscape connectivity of highly urbanized area: an ecological network approach. Ecol Indic 125:107487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107487
Wang Y, Pan JH (2019) Building ecological security patterns based on ecosystem services value reconstruction in an arid inland basin: a case study in Ganzhou District, NW China. J Clean Prod 241:118337. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118337
Wang ZJ, Liu SJ, Li JH, Pan C, Wu JL, Ran J, Su Y et al (2022) Remarkable improvement of ecosystem service values promoted by land use/land cover changes on the Yungui Plateau of China during 2001–2020. Ecol Indic 142:109303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.109303
Wang F, Yuan XZ, Zhou LL, Zhang MJ (2022b) Integrating ecosystem services and landscape connectivity to construct and optimize ecological security patterns: a case study in the central urban area Chongqing municipality, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29(28):43138–43154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16281-4
Wei QQ, Halike A, Yao KX, Chen LM, Balati M (2022) Construction and optimization of ecological security pattern in Ebinur Lake Basin based on MSPA-MCR models. Ecol Indic 138:108857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108857
Wu JG (2021) Landscape sustainability science (II): core questions and key approaches. Landscape Ecol 36(8):2453–2485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01245-3
Yang J, Zeng C, Cheng YJ (2020) Spatial influence of ecological networks on land use intensity. Sci Total Environ 717:137151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137151
Yang XN, Zhou ZX, Li J, Fu X, Mu XM, Li T (2016) Trade-offs between carbon sequestration, soil retention and water yield in the Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Region of China. J Geog Sci 26(10):1449–1462. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-016-1337-5
Ying B, Xiong KN, Wang Q, Wu QM (2021) Can agricultural biomass energy provide an alternative energy source for karst rocky desertification areas in Southwestern China? investigating Guizhou Province as example. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28(32):44315–44331. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-12537-1
Yu HR, Gu XC, Liu GH, Fan X, Zhao Q, Zhang Q (2022) Construction of regional ecological security patterns based on multi–criteria decision making and circuit theory. Remote Sens 14(3):527. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14030527
Yu KJ (1996) Security patterns and surface model in landscape ecological planning. Landsc Urban Plann 36(1):1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(96)00331-3
Yu XJ (2017) Coal mining and environmental development in southwest China. Environ Dev 21:77–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2016.12.001
Yuan Y, Bai ZK, Zhang JN, Xu CC (2022) Increasing urban ecological resilience based on ecological security pattern: a case study in a resource-based city. Ecol Eng 175:106486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2021.106486
Zeng C, Wang SJ, Bai XY, Li YB, Tian YC, Li Y, Wu LH, Luo GJ (2017) Soil erosion evolution and spatial correlation analysis in a typical karst geomorphology using RUSLE with GIS. Solid Earth 8(4):721–736. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-721-2017
Zhang LQ, Peng J, Liu YX, Wu JS (2017) Coupling ecosystem services supply and human ecological demand to identify landscape ecological security pattern: a case study in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region China. Urban Ecosyst 20(3):701–714. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-016-0629-y
Zhang R, Zhang QP, Zhang L, Zhong QC, Liu JL, Wang Z (2022) Identification and extraction of a current urban ecological network in Minhang District of Shanghai based on an optimization method. Ecol Indic 136:108647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2022.108647
Zhang Y, Shen CY, Zhou SQ, Luo XL (2022b) Analysis of the influence of forests on landslides in the bijie area of Guizhou. Forests 13(7):1136. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13071136
Zhao HW, Wu RD, Hu JM, Yang FL, Wang JJ, Guo Y, Zhou J, Wang YT, Zhang C, Feng ZX (2020) The contrasting east-west pattern of vegetation restoration under the large-scale ecological restoration programmes in southwest China. Land Degrad Dev 31(13):1688–1698. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.3520
Zhao LS, Hou R (2019) Human causes of soil loss in rural karst environments: a case study of Guizhou, China. Sci Rep 9(1):3225. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35808-3
Zhao XQ, Xu XH (2015) Research on landscape ecological security pattern in a Eucalyptus introduced region based on biodiversity conservation. Russ J Ecol 46(1):59–70. https://doi.org/10.1134/S106741361501018X
Zhao XQ, Yue QF, Pei JC, Pu JW, Huang P, Wang Q (2021) Ecological security pattern construction in karst area based on ant algorithm. Int J Environ Res Public Health 18(13):6863. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18136863
Zuo LY, Gao JB, Du FJ (2021) The pairwise interaction of environmental factors for ecosystem services relationships in karst ecological priority protection and key restoration areas. Ecol Indic 131:108125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108125
Acknowledgements
We also appreciate the data provided by the Natural Resources Department of Guizhou Province.
Funding
This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC) project (grant number [42061039]); the Cultivation Project of Guizhou University (grant number [(2020)46]); and the Construction Program of Biology First-class Discipline in Guizhou (grant number [GNYL (2017)009]).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Lei Dai: Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Data curation, Writing-original draft, Visualization; Zhijie Wang: Conceptualization, Supervision, Project administration, Funding acquisition, Writing, review and editing.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Ethical approval
Not applicable.
Consent to participate
Not applicable.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Philippe Garrigues
Publisher's note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Dai, L., Wang, Z. Construction and optimization strategy of ecological security pattern based on ecosystem services and landscape connectivity: a case study of Guizhou Province, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 30, 45123–45139 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25417-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-25417-7