[Assessment methods for wetland habitat functions and stability.]

Abstract

Wetlands support rich biodiversity and provide unique habitat functions, playing a critical role in maintaining regional biodiversity and ecological processes. Evaluating the stability of habitat function is fundamental for identifying the quality and health status of wetlands and for guiding wetland conservation, restoration, and sustainable management. However, available habitat function assessments have mainly focused on individual indicators, lacking systematic multidimensional indicator frameworks and integrated evaluation approaches. To address this knowledge gap, we proposed a systematic methodological framework for assessing the stability of wetland habitat function. First, an evaluation indicator system comprising 11 sub-criteria layers and 43 candidate indicators was developed from four criterion layers, including environmental factors, biological composition, landscape patterns, and stress disturbances and conservation management. According to the temporal characteristics, those indicators were further classified into time-series ones and structural-state ones. Based on the constructed annual habitat function index (HFI) time series, stability was quantified from three dimensions: variability, resistance, and recovery. Specifically, the coefficient of variation was used to characterize long-term fluctuations. The relative change in HFI before and after disturbance was used to quantify resistance. Recovery rate, recovery magnitude, and recovery time were employed to describe recovery capacity. Furthermore, two approaches, including dimension-specific representation and a comprehensive habitat function stability index (HFSI), were established for integrated stability assessment. This framework systematically incorporated ecosystem stability theory into wetland habitat function evaluation, providing a quantitative basis for identifying wetland degradation, implementing conservation and restoration interventions, and supporting adaptive management.