1.College of Desert Science and Engineering,Inner Mongolia Agricultural University,Hohhot 010018,China
2.Yinshanbeilu Grassland Eco-hydrology National Observation and Research Station,China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research,Hohhot 010020,China
3.Institute of Pastoral Hydraulic Research,MWR,Hohhot 010020,China
Objective As the last line of defensing against the southward encroachment of the Hunshandake Sandy Land in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Chahannaoer Basin in Inner Mongolia is an important component of the ecological security barrier in Northern China. The ecosystem in this area is highly sensitive and vulnerable, making research on ecosystem health assessment of great significance for the sustainable development of the Chahannaoer Basin. Methods Based on remote sensing data, this study analyzed the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of land use in the Chahannaoer Basin from 1990 to 2020. The VORS model was employed to construct an ecological health assessment index system, quantitatively evaluating the health status and its spatio-temporal evolution of the basin’s ecosystem. Additionally, the relationship between land use changes and ecosystem health was further examined through resilience response and coupling coordination analysis. Results (1) Cultivated land and grassland were the dominant land use types in the Chahannaoer Basin, which accounted for over 85% of the total area. Over the past three decades,forestland and construction land continued to expand, while cropland showed a decreasing trend,primarily transitioning into forestland and grassland. (2) The Basin’s ecosystem was generally healthy,with its overall health status initially deteriorating before gradually improving. The ecosystem health index increased from 0.491 in 1990 to 0.505 in 2020. (3) Grassland, wetland, and water bodies had a significant impact on ecosystem health,with ecological resilience indices of 65.43, 3.63, and 12.36, respectively. Forestland exhibited a moderately uncoordinated relationship with ecosystem health, while severely incoordination areas were mainly wetlands and water bodies. During the study period, the coupling coordination between forestland, construction land, and ecosystem health was improved. Conclusion Since 2000, the ecosystem health of the Chahannaoer Basin in Inner Mongolia has shown signs of recovery, but it remains an ecologically fragile area. It is essential to emphasize the impact of land use changes on ecosystem health. The findlings of this study can provide scientific references for the protection and restoration of the ecosystem in the Chahannaoer Basin.
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