Explore the vast range of titles available.

The growing threats of land degradation, climatic unpredictability, and habitat fragmentation present significant challenges to ecosystems, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Thal Desert in Punjab, Pakistan. This study applies an integrated ecological network optimization framework, combining Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR), Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), and advanced regression modeling to evaluate the relationship between soil conservation, ecological connectivity, and Net Primary Productivity (NPP) trends from 2001 to 2021. The analysis investigates how changes in network structure (e.g. connectivity and centrality) and soil conservation capacity correlate with NPP trends, offering insights into the role of network optimization in supporting ecosystem resilience. Results indicate a significant ninefold increase in windbreak and sand-fixation capacity, from 2.6 × 1011 in 2001 to 2.37 × 1012 in 2021, largely due to afforestation and reforestation efforts in the central and northeastern regions. Soil conservation capacity rose from approximately 302,000 tons to nearly 3.85 million tons, despite spatial heterogeneity and the localized impacts of water scarcity. NPP peaked at 79.84 g·m−2·a−1 in 2011 but sharply declined to 12.85 g·m−2·a−1 by 2021, with grasslands showing the steepest decline in productivity, from 400 gC/m2·yr to 320 gC/m2·yr. Ecological network analysis identified over 320 corridors, with forest and shrubland patches acting as key connectivity hubs. Topological metrics revealed increased centralization and modularity, with node 151’s betweenness centrality more than doubling from 0.07 to 0.15, indicating improved network resilience. Regression models, particularly the exponential and power functions, effectively captured the nonlinear relationship between NPP and connectivity, with eigenvector centrality showing strong positive correlations (r > 0.78) across all years. These findings highlight the critical role of ecological network optimization in enhancing carbon sequestration, connectivity, and ecosystem resilience in arid landscapes affected by climate change, providing valuable insights for targeted conservation and adaptive management strategies.

(1) Background: Eco−spatial networks play an important role in enhancing ecosystem services and landscape connectivity. It is necessary to study landscape structure optimization to achieve synergistic gains in network connectivity and ecosystem functionality. (2) Method: Based on remote sensing data, RS and GIS were used to evaluate the spatiotemporal changes in ecosystem services in China. Combined with complex network theory, the spatiotemporal evolution of China’s ecological spatial network and its topological structure from 2005 to 2020 is discussed. Network function–structure co−optimization was carried out using the edge augmentation strategy. (3) Result: The “three River resource” has high water conservation and high soil and water conservation in southeastern hilly areas. There is strong windbreak and sand fixation in southeastern Inner Mongolia. In the past 15 years, there have been about 8200 sources and about 14,000 corridors. The network has the characteristics of small−world and heterogeneity. After optimization, 18 sources and 3180 corridors are added, and the network connectivity and robustness are stronger. Finally, five regions are divided according to the network heterogeneity and corresponding protection and management countermeasures are proposed to provide scientific guidance for the country’s territorial space planning.

In terms of ecological theory, this paper makes a comprehensive analysis of the mutualism and coevolutionary mechanism between the eco-spatial structure and socio-economic development of the urban agglomeration, and maps out optimized modes of the eco-spatial structure of the urban agglomeration. The analysis is a case study of the urban agglomeration on different levels of global, national, provincial and local scales, on the basis of those conclusions are drawn： 1） Within the scope of the urban agglomeration, the cities should be reasonably sized and appropriately densified; the spatial combination of the urban agglomeration ought to be orderly, and its eco-spatial structure ought to be optimized and efficient; the relationship between the economic society and eco-spatial environment ought to be that of mutual benefit and co-evolution. 2） ＂The mode of corridor group network＂ is a certain trend evoked from the spatial structure of urban agglomeration. 3） The eco-spatial structure of urban agglomeration under ＂the mode of corridor group network＂ can further increase the environmental capacity of urban agglomeration, and is in favor of the harmonious relationship between man and nature.