IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i14p6287-d1697941.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatiotemporal Variation and Driving Forces of Ecological Security Based on Ecosystem Health, Services, and Risk in Tianjin, China

Author

Listed:
  • Tiantian Cheng

    (School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Lin Zhao

    (School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Zhi Qiao

    (School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

  • Yongkui Yang

    (School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300350, China)

Abstract

Ecological security underpins sustainable regional development and human well-being. Tianjin is in the eastern coastal area of China and features coastal wetlands and river systems. Over the past decade, Tianjin has undergone rapid urbanization. Tianjin faces the dual challenges of maintaining ecological security with economic growth, making it crucial to assess Tianjin’s ecological security status. This study constructed a comprehensive framework incorporating ecosystem health, services, and risk data to evaluate the ecological security status of Tianjin in 2012, 2017, and 2022. The results show the following: (1) Land use transfer mainly shows other land use types transferred to construction land. (2) The ecological security index of Tianjin ranges from 0.003 to 0.865, and the annual average values from 2012 to 2022 are 0.496, 0.493, and 0.499, with security levels dominated by medium, medium-high, and high security levels, respectively. The change in ecological security was relatively stable and was dominated by areas with unchanged levels, accounting for 63.72% of the total area. (3) The natural environment, human activities, and ecosystem status jointly influence Tianjin’s ecological security level. Shannon diversity, Shannon evenness, vegetation type, elevation, and mean annual temperature were the main factors affecting changes in ecological security in Tianjin, among which the interaction of Shannon diversity and vegetation type had the most significant influence. This study combines positive and negative aspects to assess ecological security, providing a reference for other regions to conduct ecological security assessments and a scientific basis for ecological management and urban planning decisions in similar regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiantian Cheng & Lin Zhao & Zhi Qiao & Yongkui Yang, 2025. "Spatiotemporal Variation and Driving Forces of Ecological Security Based on Ecosystem Health, Services, and Risk in Tianjin, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-20, July.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6287-:d:1697941
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6287/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/14/6287/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Weitong Lv & Yongqing Xie & Peng Zeng, 2024. "Assessing and Predicting Spatiotemporal Alterations in Land-Use Carbon Emission and Its Implications to Carbon-Neutrality Target: A Case Study of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-22, December.
    2. Costanza, Robert & de Groot, Rudolf & Braat, Leon & Kubiszewski, Ida & Fioramonti, Lorenzo & Sutton, Paul & Farber, Steve & Grasso, Monica, 2017. "Twenty years of ecosystem services: How far have we come and how far do we still need to go?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 28(PA), pages 1-16.
    3. Runzhao Gao & Hongyan Cai & Xinliang Xu, 2025. "Analysis of Driving Factors of Cropland Productivity in Northeast China Using OPGD-SHAP Framework," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, May.
    4. Yue Li & Huacai Geng, 2022. "Evolution of Land Use Landscape Patterns in Karst Watersheds of Guizhou Plateau and Its Ecological Security Evaluation," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Shaokang Fu & Lin Zhao & Zhi Qiao & Tong Sun & Meng Sun & Yuying Hao & Siyu Hu & Yanchang Zhang, 2021. "Development of Ecosystem Health Assessment (EHA) and Application Method: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Xiyun Wang & Xianglong Tang & Jin Shi & Pengzhen Du, 2024. "Construction and Optimization of Urban and Rural Ecological Security Patterns Based on Ecological Service Importance in a Semi-Arid Region: A Case Study of Lanzhou City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-22, July.
    7. Xinlei Xu & Siyuan Wang & Gege Yan & Xinyi He, 2023. "Ecological Security Assessment Based on the “Importance–Sensitivity–Connectivity” Index and Pattern Construction: A Case Study of Xiliu Ditch in the Yellow River Basin, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-23, June.
    8. Xiang Gao & Yonghong Xie & Yeai Zou & Feng Li & Zhengmiao Deng & Mingming Geng & Pingyang Zhang, 2025. "Spatiotemporal Evolution and Driving Mechanisms of Land Use in Regions with Frequent Human–Land Interactions: A Case Study in the Dongting Lake Area," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-19, February.
    9. Letícia Santos de Lima & Hernani Fernandes Magalhães de Oliveira & Ayan Santos Fleischmann & Marcia Nunes Macedo, 2023. "Extreme drought is again isolating people in Amazonia," Nature, Nature, vol. 622(7984), pages 697-697, October.
    10. Federica Manca & Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi & Corey J. A. Bradshaw & Mar Cabeza & Camilla Gustafsson & Alf M. Norkko & Tomas V. Roslin & David N. Thomas & Lydia White & Giovanni Strona, 2024. "Projected loss of brown macroalgae and seagrasses with global environmental change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aryal, Kishor & Maraseni, Tek & Apan, Armando, 2023. "Examining policy−institution−program (PIP) responses against the drivers of ecosystem dynamics. A chronological review (1960–2020) from Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).
    2. Busch, Christin & Specht, Kathrin & Inostroza, Luis & Falke, Matthias & Zepp, Harald, 2024. "Disentangling cultural ecosystem services co-production in urban green spaces through social media reviews," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    3. Lu Han & Yanbo Qu & Shufeng Liang & Luyan Shi & Min Zhang & Haiyan Jia, 2024. "Spatiotemporal Differentiation of Land Ecological Security and Optimization Based on GeoSOS-FLUS Model: A Case Study of the Yellow River Delta in China Toward Sustainability," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-21, November.
    4. Shuzhen Song & Xingyan Chen & Yuehua Song & Yongkuan Chi, 2024. "Vegetation Restoration Patterns Influence the Supply and Interrelations of Grassland Ecosystem Services in Karst Desertification Control," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-16, November.
    5. Qiqi Zhao & Xuelu Liu & Yingying Wu & Hongyan Liu & Fei Qu & Miaomiao Zhang & Xiaodan Li, 2024. "Spatiotemporal Variations and Driving Factors of Ecological Sensitivity in the West Qinling Mountains, China, Under the Optimal Scale," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-23, November.
    6. van der Hoff, Richard & Nascimento, Nathália & Fabrício-Neto, Ailton & Jaramillo-Giraldo, Carolina & Ambrosio, Geanderson & Arieira, Julia & Afonso Nobre, Carlos & Rajão, Raoni, 2022. "Policy-oriented ecosystem services research on tropical forests in South America: A systematic literature review," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    7. Joel C. Creed & Laura Sol Aranda & Júlia Gomes de Sousa & Caio Barros Brito do Bem & Beatriz Sant’Anna Vasconcelos Marafiga Dutra & Marianna Lanari & Virgínia Eduarda de Sousa & Karine M. Magalhães & , 2023. "A Synthesis of Provision and Impact in Seagrass Ecosystem Services in the Brazilian Southwest Atlantic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-19, October.
    8. Nicolás Ruiz, Néstor & Suárez Alonso, María Luisa & Vidal-Abarca, María Rosario, 2021. "Contributions of dry rivers to human well-being: A global review for future research," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C).
    9. Xiaoyu Li & Shudan Gong & Qingdong Shi & Yuan Fang, 2023. "A Review of Ecosystem Services Based on Bibliometric Analysis: Progress, Challenges, and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-18, November.
    10. Dai, Xuhuan & Li, Bo & Zheng, Hua & Yang, Yanzheng & Yang, Zihan & Peng, Chenchen, 2023. "Can sedentarization decrease the dependence of pastoral livelihoods on ecosystem services?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    11. Caoxin Chen & Shiyi Wang & Meixi Liu & Ke Huang & Qiuyi Guo & Wei Xie & Jiangjun Wan, 2025. "Beyond Linearity: Uncovering the Complex Spatiotemporal Drivers of New-Type Urbanization and Eco-Environmental Resilience Coupling in China’s Chengdu–Chongqing Economic Circle with Machine Learning," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-29, July.
    12. Wei Jiang & Rainer Marggraf, 2021. "Making Intangibles Tangible: Identifying Manifestations of Cultural Ecosystem Services in a Cultural Landscape," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Pierre E. Galand & Hans-Joachim Ruscheweyh & Guillem Salazar & Corentin Hochart & Nicolas Henry & Benjamin C. C. Hume & Pedro H. Oliveira & Aude Perdereau & Karine Labadie & Caroline Belser & Emilie B, 2023. "Diversity of the Pacific Ocean coral reef microbiome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    14. Anna M. Hansson & Eja Pedersen & Niklas P. E. Karlsson & Stefan E. B. Weisner, 2023. "Barriers and drivers for sustainable business model innovation based on a radical farmland change scenario," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(8), pages 8083-8106, August.
    15. Lili Zhang & Baoqing Hu & Ze Zhang & Gaodou Liang & Simin Huang, 2023. "Comprehensive Evaluation of Ecological-Economic Value of Guangxi Based on Land Consolidation," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-25, March.
    16. Ruiqi Zhang & Chunguang Hu & Yucheng Sun, 2024. "Decoding the Characteristics of Ecosystem Services and the Scale Effect in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Urban Agglomeration: Insights for Planning and Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-26, September.
    17. Bell-James, Justine & Boardman, Tessa & Foster, Rose, 2020. "Can’t see the (mangrove) forest for the trees: Trends in the legal and policy recognition of mangrove and coastal wetland ecosystem services in Australia," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    18. Xiaomeng Guo & Li Wang & Qiang Fu & Fang Ma, 2024. "Ecological Function Zoning Framework for Small Watershed Ecosystem Services Based on Multivariate Analysis from a Scale Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-18, July.
    19. Haslmayr, Hans-Peter & Steinbrunner, Barbara, 2024. "Alpine Böden und ihre zahlreichen Funktionen: Integration von Bodenökosystemleistungen in die Raumplanung," Raumentwicklung – ARL-Journal für Wissenschaft und Praxis, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, vol. 54(01), pages 28-32.
    20. Agudelo, César Augusto Ruiz & Bustos, Sandra Liliana Hurtado & Moreno, Carmen Alicia Parrado, 2020. "Modeling interactions among multiple ecosystem services. A critical review," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 429(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:14:p:6287-:d:1697941. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.