Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Key Areas of Territorial Ecological Restoration in Resource-Exhausted Cities: A Case Study of Jiawang District, China

Abstract

Resource-exhausted cities usually face problems of environmental degradation, landscape fragmentation, and impeded ecological mobility. By clarifying the spatial heterogeneity of ecological restoration needs, efficient and coordinated ecological protection and restoration can be carried out. This study selected Jiawang District, a typical resource-exhausted city, and constructed an ecological security evaluation framework to determine the ecological source area from the three aspects of ecosystem service importance, ecological sensitivity, and landscape stability. The resistance surface was corrected with ecological sensitivity evaluation data, and ecological corridors and ecological nodes were identified using circuit theory. Finally, it explored the spatial and temporal evolution of the key areas of territorial ecological restoration in Jiawang District. This study indicates that: (1) In 2000, 2010, and 2020, the ecological source areas were 123.59 km2, 116.18 km2, and 125.25 km2, and the corresponding numbers of ecological corridors were 53, 51, and 49. The total lengths of the ecological corridors were 129.25 km, 118.57 km, and 112.25 km, mainly distributed in the northern and central areas of the study area. (2) The study area contained 17, 13, and 19 ecological pinch points in 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively, 16, 20, and 15 ecological obstacle points, and 8, 24, and 33 ecological fracture points, respectively. Targeted rehabilitation of these key areas can significantly improve ecological connectivity. (3) The key area of territorial ecological restoration in 2020 was composed of 125.25 km2 ecological source area, 8.77 km2 of ecological pinch point, 12.70 km2 of ecological obstacle point, and 33 ecological fracture points. According to the present situation of land use, protection strategies are put forward.

Assessment of Ecological Flow in Hulan River Basin Utilizing SWAT Model and Diverse Hydrological Approaches

“…In recent years, escalating human water consumption has brought attention to ecological concerns within river basins [1]. The impact of societal and agricultural water utilization on river flow has resulted in alterations in the hydrological patterns and ecosystem functions of rivers [2,3]. The decrease in riverine ecological functions has elicited public concern regarding ecological flow [4].…”

“…Obtaining over 30 years of daily natural runoff data is often necessary, a task that can be challenging due to the extensive time period involved. The main objectives of this study include the following: (1) evaluating the suitability of DFM in Hulan River Basin; (2) utilizing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to define the natural runoff patterns of Hulan River to meet the data demands of DFM; (3) employing the SWAT model to differentiate between the natural runoff and current runoff processes of Hulan River, categorizing them into flood and non-flood periods. Drawing upon watershed ecological flow theory, the overall objective of this study is to finalize the computation of ecological flow throughout the entirety of Hulan River Basin and assess the prevailing ecological water scarcity conditions within the basin.…”