Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a critical ecological region that plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in Asia. However, this region is increasingly threatened by climate change and human activities, leading to degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. U...
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| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecological Indicators |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24015140 |
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| author | Wangping Li Yadong Liu Qingrun Lin Xiaodong Wu Junming Hao Zhaoye Zhou Xiuxia Zhang |
| author_facet | Wangping Li Yadong Liu Qingrun Lin Xiaodong Wu Junming Hao Zhaoye Zhou Xiuxia Zhang |
| author_sort | Wangping Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a critical ecological region that plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in Asia. However, this region is increasingly threatened by climate change and human activities, leading to degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. Understanding and protecting the ecological security pattern (ESP) of the QTP is essential for ensuring its long-term resilience and stability. This study aims to construct a comprehensive ecological security pattern for the QTP by identifying key ecological sources, corridors, and barriers. We assessed ecosystem service importance, ecological sensitivity, and the locations of nature reserves to determine the spatial distribution of ecological sources. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory were used to map ecological corridors and identify critical pinch points and barriers. The findings show that ecological source areas cover 13.6 % of the QTP’s total area, with most located in the central and eastern regions. We also identified 34 primary and 64 secondary ecological corridors, spanning a total length of 13,667 km. The study highlights the vulnerability of these corridors due to their narrow dimensions, which hinder the movement of species and ecological processes. Furthermore, critical ecological zones such as ecological expansion and conservation areas cover 66.9 % of the region, while ecological protection areas occupy only 10.4 %. The results underscore the need for targeted conservation strategies to enhance ecological connectivity and protect key ecological functions on the QTP. This research provides essential insights for sustainable development and the conservation of biodiversity in the region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-857d478ecfba49f0ae323970de3cb6c4 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1470-160X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Indicators |
| spelling | doaj-art-857d478ecfba49f0ae323970de3cb6c42025-01-31T05:10:42ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2025-01-01170113057Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet PlateauWangping Li0Yadong Liu1Qingrun Lin2Xiaodong Wu3Junming Hao4Zhaoye Zhou5Xiuxia Zhang6School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Emergency Mapping Engineering Research Center of Gansu, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu, China; Cryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China; Cryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Corresponding author at: Cryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China.School of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Emergency Mapping Engineering Research Center of Gansu, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China; Cryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science and Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; University of Chinese Academy Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Emergency Mapping Engineering Research Center of Gansu, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Emergency Mapping Engineering Research Center of Gansu, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu, ChinaSchool of Civil Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China; Emergency Mapping Engineering Research Center of Gansu, Lanzhou 730050, Gansu, ChinaThe Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is a critical ecological region that plays a vital role in maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services in Asia. However, this region is increasingly threatened by climate change and human activities, leading to degradation of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity. Understanding and protecting the ecological security pattern (ESP) of the QTP is essential for ensuring its long-term resilience and stability. This study aims to construct a comprehensive ecological security pattern for the QTP by identifying key ecological sources, corridors, and barriers. We assessed ecosystem service importance, ecological sensitivity, and the locations of nature reserves to determine the spatial distribution of ecological sources. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory were used to map ecological corridors and identify critical pinch points and barriers. The findings show that ecological source areas cover 13.6 % of the QTP’s total area, with most located in the central and eastern regions. We also identified 34 primary and 64 secondary ecological corridors, spanning a total length of 13,667 km. The study highlights the vulnerability of these corridors due to their narrow dimensions, which hinder the movement of species and ecological processes. Furthermore, critical ecological zones such as ecological expansion and conservation areas cover 66.9 % of the region, while ecological protection areas occupy only 10.4 %. The results underscore the need for targeted conservation strategies to enhance ecological connectivity and protect key ecological functions on the QTP. This research provides essential insights for sustainable development and the conservation of biodiversity in the region.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24015140Qinghai-Tibet PlateauEcological sourcesEcological corridorsEcological security patterns |
| spellingShingle | Wangping Li Yadong Liu Qingrun Lin Xiaodong Wu Junming Hao Zhaoye Zhou Xiuxia Zhang Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Indicators Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological sources Ecological corridors Ecological security patterns |
| title | Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
| title_full | Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
| title_short | Identification of ecological security pattern in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau |
| title_sort | identification of ecological security pattern in the qinghai tibet plateau |
| topic | Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological sources Ecological corridors Ecological security patterns |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24015140 |
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