CollectHomepage AdvertisementContact usMessage

Arid Land Geography ›› 2023, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 481-491.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000-6060.2022.345

• Regional Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Spatiotemporal evolution of habitat quality in the Weihe River Basin and its topographic gradient effects and influencing factors

CHENG Jing1(),WANG Peng2,CHEN Hongxiang1(),HAN Yonggui1   

  1. 1. School of Politics and History, Ningxia Normal University, Guyuan 756000, Ningxia, China
    2. School of Geography and Planning, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, Ningxia, China
  • Received:2022-07-08 Revised:2022-09-14 Online:2023-03-25 Published:2023-03-31
  • Contact: Hongxiang CHEN E-mail:958830559@qq.com;670577976@qq.com

Abstract:

Habitat quality is an important basis for human well-being and regional sustainable development and has important practical significance for protecting regional biodiversity, improving regional ecosystem services, and building regional ecological security patterns. Based on the three-phase land use raster data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, this study comprehensively applied the InVEST model, topographic position index, distribution index, geographic detector, and spatial statistical analysis methods to analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and spatial distribution of habitat quality in the Weihe River Basin in China. The pattern and its topographic gradient effects and influencing factors were comprehensively analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the habitat quality index of the Weihe River Basin exhibited a yearly increasing trend. The habitat quality index increased from 0.607 to 0.624, and the growth rate was 2.463%. It showed a polarized distribution pattern in space. The area of low habitat quality and high habitat quality continued to increase, whereas the area of medium and good habitat quality decreased. (2) The spatial distribution pattern of habitat quality in the Weihe River Basin was significantly affected by topographic factors, with a significant topographic gradient effect. It is extensively distributed on the topographic gradient, and its distribution index is the highest, whereas high habitat quality occupies a dominant position on the high topographic gradient. (3) From the perspective of different influencing factors, the land use type is the main reason for the spatial differentiation pattern of habitat quality in the Weihe River Basin. Influencing factors and the interaction of any two factors on the spatial differentiation of habitat quality have a greater impact than the independent effect of a single driving factor. Among them, the interactive determinants of land use type and natural factors such as rainfall, temperature, altitude, and normalized vegetation index are >0.6. The research results can provide scientific theoretical and decision support for the sustainable development of the Weihe River Basin, as well as ecological protection and high-quality development.

Key words: habitat quality, InVEST model, terrain gradient effect, influencing factors, geographic detector, Weihe River Basin