[Ecological network construction and optimization in Foshan City, China]

Abstract

Under the background of rapid urbanization, the problem of fragmented habitat patches in economically developed areas is particularly prominent, where biodiversity is seriously threa-tened. Therefore, the construction of ecological network is an important measure to connect habitat patches and protect biological habitats. We extracted ecological source areas of Foshan City by using the connectivity index and morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA). Potential ecological corridors were identified based on InVEST model and minimal cumulative resistance (MCR). Combining the radiation channels extracted from hydrological analysis to build an ecological network in Foshan City. The ecological network was optimized by adding ecological source areas, stepping stones, and identifying fracture points. Finally, the network before and after optimization was evalua-ted from the aspects of both structure and function based on network analysis method and circuit theory. The results showed that ecological network in Foshan City was composed of 10 ecological source areas, 8 important corridors, 37 general corridors, and 11 radiation channels. After optimization, 7 new ecological source areas, 17 planning corridors, 13 stepping stones, and 80 fracture points were added. After optimization, the ecological network closure, the line rate index and the connection degree index were 0.59, 1.94, and 0.73, respectively. The maximum current density increased from 1.39 to 9.66 after optimization, indicating that the optimized ecological network structure was more perfect and highly connective.

Keywords: InVEST model; circuit theory; ecological network; minimal cumulative resistance; morphological spatial pattern analysis.