Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114878
Kunyuan Wanghe , Faxiang Hu , Shahid Ahmad , Xin Zhou , Chao Tong , Suo Nandongzhu , Jing Li , Xinle Guo
{"title":"EcoBound: translating ecological thresholds into spatially explicit conservation boundaries","authors":"Kunyuan Wanghe , Faxiang Hu , Shahid Ahmad , Xin Zhou , Chao Tong , Suo Nandongzhu , Jing Li , Xinle Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114878","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114878","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ecological thresholds are increasingly recognized as critical points at which small changes in drivers can trigger disproportionate ecological responses, yet few tools translate threshold detection into spatially explicit boundaries for conservation planning. Here we present EcoBound, a raster-native, non-parametric framework that links trend detection, driver attribution, composite risk mapping, and entropy-based boundary extraction in a single workflow. By scanning paired response and driver rasters, EcoBound identifies thresholds in physical units, maps them back into geographic space, and converts them into eco-boundaries for zoning. Using China as a testbed, we linked six major land-cover class changes from 1990 to 2024 to 16 climatic, topographic, edaphic, and human-pressure drivers. EcoBound revealed a clear east–west contrast, with human pressures dominating transitions in the urbanized east, whereas climate drivers played a larger role across the Tibetan Plateau and western interior. Conceptually, EcoBound closes the gap between threshold recognition and spatial boundary extraction and provides a transferable framework for conservation zoning and land-use planning wherever rasterized ecological responses can be linked to candidate drivers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114878"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114863
Zhe Gao , Gen'guang Zhang , Xiaoqian Xu , Hongke Hao , Xuxin Guo , Gang Liu , Fengpeng Han , Shaobo Long , Jian'en Gao
{"title":"Study on key ecological indicators of vegetation restoration in a simulated small watershed of the Loess Plateau","authors":"Zhe Gao , Gen'guang Zhang , Xiaoqian Xu , Hongke Hao , Xuxin Guo , Gang Liu , Fengpeng Han , Shaobo Long , Jian'en Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114863","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114863","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Revealing how vegetation growth affects the rainfall-runoff erosion process of a basin is a key research focus in ecological engineering. Most existing studies have explored this topic from the perspectives of vegetation coverage and type changes, while few have investigated the impact from the viewpoint of the vegetation growth process. This study aims to elucidate the functional mechanisms linking vegetation growth with rainfall-runoff erosion and develop similarity criteria and simulation methods. To achieve this, we constructed three-dimensional models of rainfall, soil, and vegetation in a small watershed to explore the relationships between vegetation growth and the watershed's near-surface hydro-meteorological processes. We identified the functional mechanisms between vegetation growth and rainfall-runoff erosion, and proposed a similarity criterion (<em>λ</em><sub><em>PHY</em></sub>=<em>λ</em><sub><em>ρ</em></sub><em>λ</em><sub><em>l</em></sub>) along with corresponding simulation methods. Results showed that for small watersheds in the Loess Hilly-Gully Region under normal annual rainfall, the thresholds for vegetation restoration are as follows: vegetation coverage ≤75%, vegetation height ≤ 10 m, biomass ≤175 t/hm<sup>2</sup>, and the water resource carrying capacity for vegetation ≤583 g C/m<sup>2</sup>. This study provides a novel approach for investigating watershed near-surface meteorological-hydrological processes and ecological benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114863"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147799019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-27DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114904
Xiaoxue Ma , Xiaofei Fang , Fugao Jiang
{"title":"How does sports tourism development interact with fragile ecosystem performance? dynamic evidence from China's Yellow River Basin","authors":"Xiaoxue Ma , Xiaofei Fang , Fugao Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114904","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114904","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a typical ecologically fragile region, the Yellow River Basin requires systematic investigation of the relationship between sports tourism development (STDI) and ecosystem function performance (EFP). Using panel data from nine provincial-level regions in the basin from 2015 to 2024, this study applies the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, a panel vector autoregression model, and a Coupling Coordination Degree model to examine the dynamic relationship between STDI and EFP, as well as their coordinated evolutionary characteristics. The results show that: <span><span>Cai et al. (2025a)</span></span> (1) the intensity of STDI exhibits an overall upward trend with fluctuations, forming a spatial gradient characterized by relatively high levels in downstream areas, transitional levels in midstream areas, and catch-up growth in upstream areas; EFP shows fluctuating improvement, with marked regional heterogeneity in recovery trajectories. <span><span>Cai et al. (2024b)</span></span> (2) The two systems display a stable dynamic response process, and their interaction is transmitted gradually through lagged pathways. The ecological disturbance caused by STDI remains generally controllable, whereas EFP provides stronger support for STDI development. <span><span>Cai et al. (2025c)</span></span> (3) The Yellow River Basin remains at an intermediate coordination stage over the long term, with coordination improving slowly and the spatial differentiation pattern remaining stable. At the regional level, primary coordination remains dominant, while intermediate and higher coordination levels expand only during specific periods and in limited areas. Overall, STDI and EFP in the Yellow River Basin have formed a relationship of gradual dynamic equilibrium. These findings provide empirical evidence for promoting coordinated progress between high-quality STDI and ecological protection in ecologically fragile regions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114904"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Oasis shelterbelts as a sustainable strategy for combating desertification: ecological benefits and practical applications","authors":"Aishajiang Aili , Abdul Waheed , Hailiang Xu , Fabiola Bakayisire , Wu Mingqiang","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114905","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114905","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Desertification threatens ecosystem stability, agricultural productivity, and human livelihoods across arid and semi-arid regions. Yet, the evidence on how oasis shelterbelts contribute to long-term control of desertification remains scattered across ecological, engineering, and land-management studies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the structure, functions, and applications of oasis shelterbelts, with emphasis on their roles in wind erosion control, sand stabilization, biodiversity conservation, microclimate regulation, and livelihood support. A structured literature survey was conducted using peer-reviewed studies and case-based evidence on shelterbelt design, species selection, ecological performance, socioeconomic benefits, and management constraints in dryland environments. The reviewed literature shows that shelterbelt effectiveness depends strongly on species composition, spatial configuration, water availability, and long-term management. Across regions, consistent benefits include reduced wind velocity, improved soil stability, enhanced habitat connectivity, and protection of agricultural systems, whereas major constraints include water scarcity, soil salinity, establishment costs, and management complexity. The evidence also reveals important knowledge gaps regarding long-term ecological trade-offs, comparative performance across climatic gradients, and shelterbelt resilience under climate change. This review contributes an integrated framework linking shelterbelt design, ecological functioning, and management outcomes, and highlights priorities for evidence-based policy, adaptive management, and future research in dryland restoration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114905"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114891
Chang Seok Lee , Yu Jean Lee , Gyu Tae Kang , Ji Eun Seok
{"title":"Vegetation structure and riparian recovery govern ecological outcomes of restored ponds","authors":"Chang Seok Lee , Yu Jean Lee , Gyu Tae Kang , Ji Eun Seok","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114891","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114891","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the ecological outcomes of seven restored ponds by comparing their vegetation structure and species composition with three natural reference wetlands across a latitudinal gradient in Korea. Restoration performance was assessed using a vegetation-based naturalness index incorporating growth-form diversity, wetland community diversity, wetland species proportion, and exotic species occurrence. Naturalness grades in restored ponds ranged from Grade II to V, with composite Pond Vegetation Index (PVI) values between 32 and 94, while all reference wetlands achieved Grade V (PVI = 84–96). Ordination analysis revealed clear vegetation zonation along water-depth and soil-moisture gradients; however, restored ponds were predominantly dominated by emergent macrophytes and lacked well-developed riparian vegetation. Species richness and community diversity were generally lower in restored ponds than in reference wetlands, although larger ponds such as Sejong and Sanbakbeol supported relatively higher diversity. Vegetation patterns further showed that littoral zones consistently supported greater species richness than deeper aquatic areas. Exotic species proportions were significantly higher in most restored ponds—particularly Oeongchi, Changwon, and Janghang—while Sejong and Sanbakbeol exhibited comparatively low invasion levels. Although restored ponds reproduced certain structural attributes of natural wetlands, they frequently lacked native aquatic assemblages and functional riparian vegetation, limiting full ecological recovery. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating riparian vegetation restoration, hydrogeomorphic heterogeneity, and adaptive management strategies to improve biodiversity recovery and long-term ecosystem resilience in restored pond ecosystems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114891"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798952","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114902
Haoyue Shi , Xue Zhang , Youqiang Wan , Yongqing Wang , Song Xu , Hao Wang , Xi Zhu , Zhiping Zhou , Lin Qi , Fuqiang Zhao
{"title":"Hydropower development alters the habitat suitability responses of three primate species to environmental factors in a karst-Dominated Basin in Southwest China","authors":"Haoyue Shi , Xue Zhang , Youqiang Wan , Yongqing Wang , Song Xu , Hao Wang , Xi Zhu , Zhiping Zhou , Lin Qi , Fuqiang Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114902","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114902","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Karst ecosystems are fragile and highly biodiverse but are threatened by hydropower development. Focusing on three sympatric primates (François' langur, <em>Trachypithecus francoisi</em>; the Tibetan macaque, <em>Macaca thibetana</em>; and the rhesus macaque, <em>Macaca mulatta</em>) in the Guizhou section of the Wujiang River Basin, which constitutes a key hydropower hub, we employed a multimodel coupling framework (Maxent, GeoDetector, bivariate local Moran's I, and PLS-SEM) to explore the spatial differentiation in habitat suitability index (HSI) and the main driving factors of and mechanisms underlying the response to hydropower disturbance. The results revealed that the interactions among all the driving factors of the HSI exhibited two-way or nonlinear enhancements. The HSI demonstrated exerted significant species-specific patterns: <em>T. francoisi</em> was restricted to lower-reach karst canyons, which are dominated by precipitation and relatively low elevations, where hydropower indirectly reduces the HSI via deciduous broad-leaved forest loss; <em>M. thibetana</em> occupied mid-low elevations, primarily due to hydropower station installation but benefiting from greater habitat heterogeneity; and <em>M. mulatta</em> was concentrated in valley–mountain transition zones under the regulation of synergies among flooded area, slope, and hydropower factors. The degree of area overlap between highly suitable habitats was limited (highest: <em>M. thibetana</em>-<em>M. mulatta</em>, 8687.55 km<sup>2</sup>; lowest: <em>T. francoisi</em>-<em>M. mulatta</em>, 1675.57 km<sup>2</sup>). Primate species-specific HSI responses and driving mechanisms to hydropower disturbance in karst ecosystems were quantified, cascading effect among driving factors and the spatial distribution overlap among species were revealed. This study provides targeted support for ecological risk assessment and conservation practice in karst hydropower development zones and offers technical references for balancing regional hydropower development and wildlife habitat protection.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114902"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798959","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Revealing the driving mechanisms of ecosystem services supply and demand relationships in a coastal city: A geospatial machine learning approach","authors":"Junwen Chen , Qingchun Guan , Chengyang Guan , Tianya Meng , Xu Zhou","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114913","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114913","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Driven by human activities and climate change, the contradiction between supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) in global coastal areas is becoming increasingly acute, and the sustainable development of coastal cities is facing severe challenges. However, the complex driving mechanism and spatial heterogeneity of the ecosystem services supply and demand relationships (ESSDR) in coastal cities are still unclear, and it is difficult to support refined ecosystem management. Therefore, taking Qingdao as an example, this research employed the G-XGBoost model combined with the SHAP interpretability framework to assess the nonlinear and local spatial relationships between drivers and ESSDR, based on the quantification of six ESs (food production, water yield, marine aquaculture, carbon sequestration, soil retention, and recreational capacity) from 2002 to 2022. The results show that: (1) the comprehensive ecosystem services supply-demand ratio (CESSDR) exhibited significant spatial differentiation, with an overall pattern of southern deficit and northern surplus; (2) The proportion of built-up land (BLP) is the most influential driving factor; and (3) Urban expansion exerts a significant nonlinear threshold effect on ESSDR: when BLP exceeds 30%, the imbalance between ESs supply and demand intensifies significantly. Based on these findings, this study proposes a differentiated zoning management strategy centered on dominant-factor identification and provides scientific support for ecosystem management in coastal areas.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114913"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147799020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-09DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114842
Yun Shao , Kathryn A. Stewart , Alena S. Gsell , Shuping Wang , Boyuan Xie , Haojie Lin , Zhaomei Geng , Zhenguang Yan
{"title":"Corrigendum to “Connecting diversity and process: Eukaryotic phytoplankton community dynamics across the Yangtze River using environmental DNA” [Ecol. Indic. 178 (2025) 114026]","authors":"Yun Shao , Kathryn A. Stewart , Alena S. Gsell , Shuping Wang , Boyuan Xie , Haojie Lin , Zhaomei Geng , Zhenguang Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114842","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114842"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147951855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114901
Ignacio A. Catalán , Amaya Álvarez-Ellacuría , Jose-Luis Lisani , Josep Sánchez , Amalia Grau , Benjamin Casas , Miquel Palmer
{"title":"AI-powered underwater imaging reveals multiscale occurrence and volume-based abundance patterns in coastal fishes","authors":"Ignacio A. Catalán , Amaya Álvarez-Ellacuría , Jose-Luis Lisani , Josep Sánchez , Amalia Grau , Benjamin Casas , Miquel Palmer","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114901","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114901","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Long-term, high-frequency monitoring is increasingly required to detect ecological change in human-impacted coastal zones, yet fixed underwater imaging commonly produces relative counts that are difficult to standardize across time and sites. We analyzed a nine-year (2016–2024) time series from a cabled fixed camera deployed at the entrance of a Mediterranean harbor (Mallorca, western Mediterranean), imaging a small wreck at 8 m depth. An automated workflow combining image-quality filtering, Retinex correction, and deep-learning–based detection and classification generated continuous fish observations across 17 taxonomic categories. To improve comparability and ecological interpretability of camera-derived abundance signals, we developed two complementary indicator streams: (i) daily occurrence (presence-absence) from full-frame imagery to characterize seasonal and interannual structure, and (ii) daylight hourly fish density standardized by an estimated sampled water volume within a defined area of interest (individuals m<sup>−3</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>). This volume-standardized density is intended as an index contingent on camera geometry and visibility conditions. Taxon-specific generalized mixed models and volume-based hurdle models related these indicators to environmental covariates (temperature, chlorophyll-a, irradiance, photoperiod, precipitation, and a sea-level–based flux proxy) and to a discrete post-2021 structural shift. Across taxa, results revealed pronounced season-dependent diel structure in volume-standardized density and a marked post-2021 shift in fish occurrence and/or density for several common coastal groups, with environmental effects varying by taxon and season. Overall, volume standardization provides a practical route to transform automated detections from fixed cameras into more comparable, indicator-oriented metrics for tracking abrupt change and environmentally driven variability in coastal fish assemblages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114901"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147798972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ecological IndicatorsPub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-04-29DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114860
Qiuyan Liu , Yingli Wu , Zhang Wen
{"title":"Multimetric river health assessment in China's urban regions under anthropogenic pressure: evidence from the Yellow River Basin","authors":"Qiuyan Liu , Yingli Wu , Zhang Wen","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114860","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2026.114860","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Yellow River (YR) is the second-longest river in China and the cradle of Chinese civilization. It supports hundreds of millions of people across nine provinces and autonomous regions, sustaining agriculture, industry, and urban water supply throughout China's arid and semi-arid interior. Decades of intensive water extraction, rapid urbanization, and large-scale hydraulic infrastructure construction have profoundly degraded the river's ecological integrity, including the recurrent flow cessation events documented in the lower reaches during the 1990s. A major challenge in evaluating environmental flows (E-flows) in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) is reconciling naturalized flow reconstruction with the extensive regulatory modifications imposed by major reservoirs, including Longyangxia, Liujiaxia, Sanmenxia, and Xiaolangdi. To address this challenge, we constructed and calibrated an HEC-HMS hydrological model using meteorological data from the Climate Research Unit (CRU). The model reconstructs naturalized streamflow at 29 stations distributed across the main stem and major tributaries of the YRB from 2004 to 2024. Four established hydrological methods were applied to estimate E-flows: the Tennant method, the low-flow index (7Q10), flow duration curve analysis (Q90 and Q95), and flow duration curve shifting (FDCS). An ensemble mean was computed to reduce method-specific bias. The results indicate that, on average, E-flows represent approximately 35% of the naturalized mean annual flow (NMAF), with method-specific estimates ranging from 25% (Q95) to 46% (FDCS). Seasonal analysis reveals that both low-flow (October–March) and high-flow (April–September) seasons partially satisfy minimum ecological requirements in the upper and middle reaches; however, downstream reaches particularly those traversing major urban agglomerations such as Zhengzhou, Kaifeng, and Jinan exhibit severe ecological degradation. The findings yield new insights for riverine ecology management and provide a scientific foundation for sustainable water resource planning in China's Yellow River Basin.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"186 ","pages":"Article 114860"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147799021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}