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A Method for Identifying Key Areas of Ecological Restoration, Zoning Ecological Conservation, and Restoration

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  • Shuaiqi Chen

    (College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China)

  • Zhengzhou Ji

    (College of Resources and Environment, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China)

  • Longhui Lu

    (Satellite Application Center for Ecology and Environment, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100094, China
    Key Laboratory of Satellite Remote Sensing, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Beijing 100094, China)

Abstract

Ecological security patterns (ESPs) are fundamental to safeguarding regional ecological integrity and enhancing human well-being. Consequently, research on conservation and restoration in critical regions is vital for ensuring ecological security and optimizing territorial ecological spatial configurations. Focusing on the Henan section of the Yellow River Basin, this study established the regional ESP and conservation–restoration framework through an integrated approach: (1) assessing four key ecosystem services—soil conservation, water retention, carbon sequestration, and habitat quality; (2) identifying ecological sources based on ecosystem service importance classification; (3) calculating a comprehensive resistance surface using the entropy weight method, incorporating key factors (land cover type, NDVI, topographic relief, and slope); (4) delineating ecological corridors and nodes using Linkage Mapper and the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) theory; and (5) integrating ecological functional zoning to synthesize the final spatial conservation and restoration strategy. Key findings reveal: (1) 20 ecological sources, totaling 8947 km 2 (20.9% of the study area), and 43 ecological corridors, spanning 778.24 km, were delineated within the basin. Nineteen ecological barriers (predominantly located in farmland, bare land, construction land, and low-coverage grassland) and twenty-one ecological pinch points (primarily clustered in forestland, grassland, water bodies, and wetlands) were identified. Collectively, these elements form the Henan section’s Ecological Security Pattern (ESP), integrating source areas, a corridor network, and key regional nodes for ecological conservation and restoration. (2) Building upon the ESP and the ecological baseline, and informed by ecological functional zoning, we identified a spatial framework for conservation and restoration characterized by “one axis, two cores, and multiple zones”. Tailored conservation and restoration strategies were subsequently proposed. This study provides critical data support for reconciling ecological security and economic development in the Henan Yellow River Basin, offering a scientific foundation and practical guidance for regional territorial spatial ecological restoration planning and implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuaiqi Chen & Zhengzhou Ji & Longhui Lu, 2025. "A Method for Identifying Key Areas of Ecological Restoration, Zoning Ecological Conservation, and Restoration," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-22, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:7:p:1439-:d:1698742
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