国土空间生态修复视域下资源枯竭区社会-生态系统重构

[Objective] The exploitation of mineral resources severely damages the sustainability of social-ecological systems, and implementing ecological restoration is crucial for resource-exhausted areas to break the “resource curse”. [Methods] Based on the social-ecological system analysis framework incorporating multi-subject co-governance and focal action scenarios, a case study method was adopted to reveal the logic and mechanisms through which ecological restoration of territorial space reconstructed the social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas. [Results] The results showed that: (1) The social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas faced multiple challenges, including the contraction of people's well-being, destruction of land resources, collapse of industrial structure, and ecosystem degradation. (2) By introducing the participation of multiple subjects, ecological restoration of territorial space reshaped the relationships between humans, land, industry, and ecosystem in resource-exhausted areas, promoting the formation of positive interaction within the social-ecological system. (3) Future efforts should focus on identifying system feedback relationships, evaluating restoration effectiveness, and monitoring evolution of the social-ecological system. These should be supplemented by mandatory national rules, market participation guidance, and socially responsive interactions. The reform should be implemented in two key directions—coordinated management of mining areas and land, and the realization of ecological product value—to promote efficient governance and high-quality development of the social-ecological system in resource-exhausted areas. [Conclusion] Ecological restoration of territorial space facilitates the transformation and upgrading of resource-exhausted areas, enabling them to escape the vicious cycle of degradation by reconstructing the feedback relationships within the social-ecological system. In the future, the social-ecological system analysis framework should be implemented throughout the entire process of ecological restoration of territorial space to promote harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in resource-exhausted areas.