The Construction and Optimization of Ecological Security Pattern in the Harbin-Changchun Urban Agglomeration, China

Abstract

Urban agglomerations have become a new geographical unit in China, breaking the administrative fortresses between cities, which means that the population and economic activities between cities will become more intensive in the future. Constructing and optimizing the ecological security pattern of urban agglomerations is important for promoting harmonious social-economic development and ecological protection. Using the Harbin-Changchun urban agglomeration as a case study, we have identified ecological sources based on the evaluation of ecosystem functions. Based on the resistance surface modified by nighttime light (NTL) data, the potential ecological corridors were identified using the least-cost path method, and key ecological corridors were extracted using the gravity model. By combining 15 ecological sources, 119 corridors, 3 buffer zones, and 77 ecological nodes, the ecological security pattern (ESP) was constructed. The main land-use types composed of ecological sources and corridors are forest land, cultivated land, grassland, and water areas. Some ecological sources are occupied by construction, while unused land has the potential for ecological development. The ecological corridors in the central region are distributed circularly and extend to southeast side in the form of tree branches with the Songhua River as the central axis. Finally, this study proposes an optimizing pattern with "four belts, four zones, one axis, nine corridors, ten clusters and multi-centers" to provide decision makers with spatial strategies with respect to the conflicts between urban development and ecological protection during rapid urbanization.

Simulating Urban Growth Scenarios Based on Ecological Security Pattern: A Case Study in Quanzhou, China

“…Human activity and ecological environment are intrinsically linked. In recent decades, the rapid development of urbanization has induced a series of environmental problems including the overconsumption of natural resources, environmental degradation, air pollution, and soil erosion [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. These environmental problems, in return, intensify the risk of natural disasters and jeopardize human well-being in a wide variety of aspects from health and safety to living standards [ 5 , 6 ].…”

“…On account of the importance of ecological security, a growing body of literature on identifying ecological security patterns (ESPs) has emerged. To date, press-state-response (PSR) theory and circuit theory are the two conceptual frameworks most applied in extant literature [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 8 , 12 , 18 , 19 ]. Grounded in RSP theory, researchers first identify the pressure indicators allied with pressure-bearing indicators, then apply mathematical modeling and landscape ecology methods such as the artificial neural network model, entropy matter–element model, and grey model to calculate the weight of each indicator’s influence and integrate the weighted indicators to identify the ESP [ 8 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 22 ].…”

“…Grounded in RSP theory, researchers first identify the pressure indicators allied with pressure-bearing indicators, then apply mathematical modeling and landscape ecology methods such as the artificial neural network model, entropy matter–element model, and grey model to calculate the weight of each indicator’s influence and integrate the weighted indicators to identify the ESP [ 8 , 18 , 20 , 21 , 22 ]. With respect to the studies based on circuit theory, researchers mainly follow the “ecological sources–ecological corridors–ecological nodes–ecological security pattern” paradigm, in which a series of ecological and spatial analytical approaches such as resistance surface construction, overlay analysis, and network analysis could be applied to achieve the construction of ESP [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 10 , 19 ].…”

“…Despite a fruitful line of research in analyzing ESP, there seems to be a lack of ESP application, particularly in incorporating ESP into urban growth simulation [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. On one hand, most ESP-related studies have focused on ESP identification and construction.…”

“…As a matter of fact, it is evident that ESP covers a much larger extent than the conservation area [ 10 , 11 ]. In light of the importance of ESP in achieving sustainable development [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ], there is a compelling need to incorporate ESP in urban growth simulation. It follows that if we, as a society, call for more eco-friendly and sustainable urban development, then ESP is required in simulating urban growth as a key facet in better informing planners and policymakers in landscape design and urban planning.…”