Data Sheet 1_Identification of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration: focusing on ecological security and restoration potential.pdf

Implementing Territorial Ecological Restoration is a crucial approach to achieving ecological stability and regional sustainable development, and it also serves as an important measure for promoting the coordinated development of socioeconomic and ecological environments in the Yellow River Basin. However, effective identification of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration remains challenging in planning ecological restoration projects. This study focuses on ecological security and restoration potential, taking Linxia Prefecture in the ecologically fragile area of the upper Yellow River as an example. By evaluating six types of ecosystem services in this area, utilizing morphological spatial pattern analysis models and circuit theory, we identified the structural elements of ecological security patterns and assessed the potential for ecological restoration, identifying key areas for regional ecological restoration.The findings indicated that (1) 13 ecological patches were identified in total, predominantly distributed in the southwest and central regions of Linxia Prefecture. 25 ecological corridors were identified, demonstrating a high level of spatial coherence in terms of significance and connectivity, establishing a closely integrated ecological security network primarily in the southwest of Linxia Prefecture. (2) Thirteen ecological pinch points and seventeen ecological barrier points have been identified, concentrated in the central and southwestern regions of Linxia Prefecture. (3) Based on the characteristics and urgency of key areas for Territorial Ecological Restoration, they are classified and graded as “point-line-surface” and “primary-very important-important.” The primary restoration areas of the point type are mainly located in the central part of Linxia Prefecture, while the primary restoration areas of the line and plane types are mainly in the southwestern part of Linxia Prefecture. This paper emphasizing a holistic approach that prioritizes ecosystem integrity and social support to guide targeted restoration strategies across various ecological features, ultimately aiming for sustainable regional development and maximizing restoration benefits in ecologically fragile areas.

实施地域生态恢复是达成生态稳定与区域可持续发展的关键途径，亦为促进黄河流域社会经济与生态环境协调发展的重大举措。然而，在规划生态恢复项目中，有效识别地域生态恢复的关键区域仍是一项挑战。本研究聚焦于生态安全与恢复潜力，以黄河上游生态环境脆弱的临夏地区为例。通过评估该区域六种生态系统服务，运用形态空间格局分析模型与回路理论，我们确定了生态安全格局的结构要素，并评估了生态恢复的潜力，识别出区域生态恢复的关键区域。研究发现：（1）总共识别出13个生态斑块，主要分布在临夏西南部和中部地区。25个生态廊道被识别出来，显示出在重要性和连通性方面的空间连贯性，在临夏西南部建立了紧密集成的生态安全网络。（2）识别出13个生态瓶颈点和17个生态屏障点，集中于临夏的中部和西南部地区。（3）基于地域生态恢复关键区域的特点和紧迫性，将其分类和分级为“点-线-面”和“一级-非常重要-重要”。点型主要恢复区域位于临夏中部，而线型和面型主要恢复区域位于临夏西南部。本文强调一种整体方法，优先考虑生态系统完整性和社会支持，以指导针对不同生态特征的定向恢复策略，最终旨在实现区域可持续发展，并在生态环境脆弱区域最大化恢复效益。