Fractal Features in Terrain Restoration of Jiuzhai Valley, a World Natural Heritage Site in China

Abstract

Jiuzhai Valley, a World Natural Heritage Site, was significantly damaged by an earthquake in 2017. However, case studies on the restoration of World Natural Heritage sites are lacking. This study aimed to use the box-counting method to analyze fractal characteristics of the terrain in Shuzheng Valley. Research data were used to conduct artificial intervention restoration of the earthquake-damaged terrain. Our results showed that (i) the travertine terrain shows self-similarity at different scales. The fractal dimension was related to terrain complexity: the more complex the terrain, the higher the fractal-dimension value; (ii) a combined form of fractal generator elements at the same scale was related to terrain complexity—differences in the spatial combination of the fractal generator elements can be compared based on fractal dimension; and (iii) the newly restored dam terrain also showed fractal characteristics whose spatial combination form was similar to that of the surrounding terrain. The complexity of the terrain’s fractal element combination may be related to the influence of surrounding environmental factors and the different ecological functional requirements. This study provides basic data for the near natural restoration of the Sparkling Lake travertine terrain after an earthquake and proposes new concepts and strategies for restoring World Natural Heritage Site terrains.