Identifying priority conservation areas in regional ecological networks using attack scenario simulation

Abstract

Human activities and natural disasters are progressively damaging regional ecosystems and causing ecological fragmentation. Therefore, it is essential to establish or restore effective connections between ecological spaces that create regional ecological networks that exhibit structural and functional resilience. This study developed a network model based on landscape ecology and complexity science with indicators integrated to assess the resilience of regional-scale ecological networks. Regional priority conservation areas can be identified by disturbance simulations using a capacity-load cascade failure model supported by the network model. Our research indicates that the regional ecological network in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of the North Yinshan Mountain in China is relatively fragile. The network can be restored to a stable state when the failure rate of the network nodes is less than 20 %, but it will be completely paralyzed when the percentage is higher than 75 %. Based on the type and comprehensive importance of the nodes, as well as the results of the network’s structural and functional resilience, we have determined different levels of conservation areas. We also made recommendations for the reconfiguration of the ecological spatial network and regional differentiated ecological management. Our findings have practical significance for the development of adaptive spatial planning and management policies on a large regional scale for ecological conservation and restoration.

Keywords

• Regional ecological network
• Resilience
• Priority conservation areas
• Cascade failure
• Agro-Pastoral Ecotone