Identification, diagnosis, and optimization strategies of the ecological network in the Weihe River Basin and the policy response analysis

To effectively support the construction of an ecological network in the Weihe River Basin and promote its high-quality ecological development, a dynamic assessment method for the value of terrestrial ecosystem services in China based on the unit area value factor method was introduced to evaluate the Weihe River Basin. By accurately identifying ecological source areas, constructing resistance indicators and resistance surfaces, ecological corridors and identifying barrier points were subsequently extracted, ultimately forming an ecological network for the Wei River Basin. The results indicate that: In 2020, the total value of ecosystem services in the Weihe River Basin’s reached CNY 287.002 billion, exhibiting a spatial distribution pattern of “higher in the south and lower in the north, higher in the east and lower in the west”; a total of 818 ecological source areas were identified, covering an area of 7676.51 km², with dominant source areas showing a fragmented aggregation pattern, potential risks in biological migration connectivity, and significant human activitiy interference in core source areas. A total of 75 ecological corridors were identified, with a total length of 4289.51 km; where high-grade corridors account for less than 12% of the total, and overall spatial resistance remains relatively high; and ecological barrier points were primarily concentrated in secondary and tertiary regions, with the highest density in Tianshui City, Xi’an City, and Pingliang City, making these key areas for ecological restoration and connectivity improvement.