Optimization of the Ecological Security Pattern in Xi'an City Based on a Minimum Cumulative Resistance Model

The ecological security pattern is conducive to promoting the harmonious integration of regional development and ecological protection. Taking Xi'an, a core city in the west of China, as an example, the ecological source area was identified based on an assessment of the importance of ecological services and the sensitivity of the ecological environment. Then the minimum cumulative resistance model and gravity model were used to construct the regional ecological security pattern and optimize the ecological spatial structure layout. The results show four key aspects of this system. (1) The source area of ecological protection identified in this study was 3352.5 km2, accounting for 33.2% of the city, and it is mainly distributed in the Qinling Mountains, Lishan Hills, Weihe River, Heihe River, and Jinghe River. (2) Excluding the ecological source area, the low, medium and high-level security pattern areas accounted for 27.21%, 15.95% and 14.31% of the whole area, respectively. (3) The models generated 21 potential corridors with a total length of about 105.24 km, including 9 key corridors. (4) In order to optimize the ecological spatial structure of Xi'an, one proposal is to build an ecological security network layout system with “one barrier, one belt, several corridors, multiple areas and multiple points” as the core.