Research on optimization of ecological security patterns based on
natural and cultivated land disturbance
Abstract
In previous research on the construction of ecological security patterns
(ESPs), the positioning characteristics of urban development were rarely
considered, resulting in the identification of key conservation areas
that are insufficiently thorough to support the ecological security of
the entire region and the overall development of urban functions. To
solve this problem, this research created a
“quality-importance-connectivity-balance” framework to identify ESPs,
and chose Liaocheng City (LC), a typical main agricultural production
area in China’s Shandong Province’s western plain, as the study area.
The swat model was used to determine security levels from a watershed
perspective using an integrated resistance assessment method that
accounts for topography, human activities, distance, and agricultural
environmental impacts. Then, the minimal cumulative resistance (MCR) and
gravity models were used to identify and categorize corridors, while
pinch points and barrier points were obtained by circuit theory.
Finally, the comprehensive quality of cultivated land and the pattern of
coordination between agriculture and ecology were divided. The results
demonstrated that, as a result of the fragmentation of cultivated land,
LC exhibited plain resistance characteristics and identified 181.16 km2
of sources and 174 potential corridors. A “six cores-seven belts-three
zones” optimization pattern was constructed based on the components of
ESPs and the distribution of cultivated land comprehensive quality. This
study presents a novel approach for measuring ESPs and is an essential
resource for ecological conservation and regional development planning
in agroecologically complex regions.