Quantifying the ecological network dynamics associated with ecological restoration projects: A case study in Southwest China

Ecological restoration projects have played an important role in curbing current ecological degradation trends, restoring ecological networks, and ensuring regional ecological security. In China, numerous large-scale and high-investment projects have been implemented, emphasizing the concepts of system protection and integrative restoration. However, in the context of ecological restoration at a large scale, how ecological restoration improves the effectiveness of the ecological network is still unclear. To address this issue, we selected the Liuchong River Basin in a typical karst region of Southwest China to assess the ecological network change associated with ecological restoration projects during the period 2016–2018. The Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) model was applied to identify the ecological sources, the Linkage Mapper tool was used to construct an ecological network, and changes in key features of the ecological network were further quantified. The results showed that there were 32, 26, and 38 ecological source points identified in 2010, 2015, and 2020, respectively. While ecological resistance values remained relatively stable, the number and length of ecological corridors increased significantly, particularly under the influence of the River Channel Regulation Project (RCRP) and the Water Source Restoration Project (WSRP). The α, β, and γ indices increased by 15.31 %, 11.18 %, and 8.33 %, respectively, indicating improved network circuitry, structural accessibility, and node connectivity. These enhancements suggest a shift toward a more integrated and resilient ecological network. Our results suggest that ecological restoration can promote the integrity of ecological networks and has a positive effect on system protection and integrative restoration.