Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt

The Hubei section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) has an important strategic position as the core zone of the central part of the YREB, and the advantages and disadvantages of its ecological environment are closely related to the development quality of the whole YREB. Moreover, the systema...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shuai Wu, Guanzhong Zeng, Jie Sun, Xiaohuang Liu, Xuanhui Li, Qinghua Zeng, Shijie Gu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Land
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/996
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849710838651289600
author Shuai Wu
Guanzhong Zeng
Jie Sun
Xiaohuang Liu
Xuanhui Li
Qinghua Zeng
Shijie Gu
author_facet Shuai Wu
Guanzhong Zeng
Jie Sun
Xiaohuang Liu
Xuanhui Li
Qinghua Zeng
Shijie Gu
author_sort Shuai Wu
collection DOAJ
description The Hubei section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) has an important strategic position as the core zone of the central part of the YREB, and the advantages and disadvantages of its ecological environment are closely related to the development quality of the whole YREB. Moreover, the systematic assessment of ecological vulnerability is of great significance to regional ecological environmental protection, the rational exploitation and utilization of resources, and sustainable development. Based on the pressure–state–response–management model, this study analyzes the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the ecological vulnerability of the Hubei section of the YREB and its influencing factors using G1–CRITIC–game theory combination weighting, the Theil index, and the Ridge regression model. The results show that from 2010 to 2023, the area was characterized by medium ecological vulnerability, with an average area share of 58.2%; the degree of vulnerability rose and then fell; the ecological environment gradually improved; and there was an overall spatial distribution pattern of high in the central part and low in the east and west. On the trend of vulnerability transformation, 62.2% of the area remained unchanged, 21% of the area shifted to low vulnerability, and 16.8% of the area increased in vulnerability level. The Theil index decreased and then rose, the degree of spatial agglomeration was floating in a “V” shape, and the spatial pattern of vulnerability was essentially the same in the hot- and cold-spot areas. Among the six ecological functional protection zones, the soil preservation function zone exhibited the lowest average ecological vulnerability index (<i>EVI</i>) at 0.371. From 2010 to 2023, the water source conservation function zone demonstrated a significant decline in <i>EVI</i>, while the remaining zones showed a gradual upward trend in <i>EVI</i>. The human disturbance index was the main driver affecting the change in ecological vulnerability, and the pressure layer was the key influence criterion layer. This study can provide a reasonable evaluation model and analytical framework for the scientific and objective assessment of ecological vulnerability.
format Article
id doaj-art-8ec7bae6a9d84e9ab8f522d35e5b3f38
institution DOAJ
issn 2073-445X
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Land
spelling doaj-art-8ec7bae6a9d84e9ab8f522d35e5b3f382025-08-20T03:14:46ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-05-0114599610.3390/land14050996Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic BeltShuai Wu0Guanzhong Zeng1Jie Sun2Xiaohuang Liu3Xuanhui Li4Qinghua Zeng5Shijie Gu6Center for Geophysical Survey, China Geological Survey, Langfang 065000, ChinaCenter for Geophysical Survey, China Geological Survey, Langfang 065000, ChinaCenter for Geophysical Survey, China Geological Survey, Langfang 065000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Coupling Process and Effect of Natural Resources Elements, Beijing 100055, ChinaCenter for Geophysical Survey, China Geological Survey, Langfang 065000, ChinaCenter for Geophysical Survey, China Geological Survey, Langfang 065000, ChinaGuangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Guilin Ecological Environment Monitoring Center, Guilin 541100, ChinaThe Hubei section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) has an important strategic position as the core zone of the central part of the YREB, and the advantages and disadvantages of its ecological environment are closely related to the development quality of the whole YREB. Moreover, the systematic assessment of ecological vulnerability is of great significance to regional ecological environmental protection, the rational exploitation and utilization of resources, and sustainable development. Based on the pressure–state–response–management model, this study analyzes the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of the ecological vulnerability of the Hubei section of the YREB and its influencing factors using G1–CRITIC–game theory combination weighting, the Theil index, and the Ridge regression model. The results show that from 2010 to 2023, the area was characterized by medium ecological vulnerability, with an average area share of 58.2%; the degree of vulnerability rose and then fell; the ecological environment gradually improved; and there was an overall spatial distribution pattern of high in the central part and low in the east and west. On the trend of vulnerability transformation, 62.2% of the area remained unchanged, 21% of the area shifted to low vulnerability, and 16.8% of the area increased in vulnerability level. The Theil index decreased and then rose, the degree of spatial agglomeration was floating in a “V” shape, and the spatial pattern of vulnerability was essentially the same in the hot- and cold-spot areas. Among the six ecological functional protection zones, the soil preservation function zone exhibited the lowest average ecological vulnerability index (<i>EVI</i>) at 0.371. From 2010 to 2023, the water source conservation function zone demonstrated a significant decline in <i>EVI</i>, while the remaining zones showed a gradual upward trend in <i>EVI</i>. The human disturbance index was the main driver affecting the change in ecological vulnerability, and the pressure layer was the key influence criterion layer. This study can provide a reasonable evaluation model and analytical framework for the scientific and objective assessment of ecological vulnerability.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/996Hubei section of the Yangtze River economic beltecological vulnerabilityPSRM modelgame theory combination weightingTheil indexridge regression model
spellingShingle Shuai Wu
Guanzhong Zeng
Jie Sun
Xiaohuang Liu
Xuanhui Li
Qinghua Zeng
Shijie Gu
Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Land
Hubei section of the Yangtze River economic belt
ecological vulnerability
PSRM model
game theory combination weighting
Theil index
ridge regression model
title Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
title_full Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
title_fullStr Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
title_full_unstemmed Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
title_short Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Factors of Ecological Vulnerability in the Hubei Section of the Yangtze River Economic Belt
title_sort assessment of the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors of ecological vulnerability in the hubei section of the yangtze river economic belt
topic Hubei section of the Yangtze River economic belt
ecological vulnerability
PSRM model
game theory combination weighting
Theil index
ridge regression model
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/5/996
work_keys_str_mv AT shuaiwu assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT guanzhongzeng assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT jiesun assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT xiaohuangliu assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT xuanhuili assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT qinghuazeng assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt
AT shijiegu assessmentofthespatiotemporalevolutioncharacteristicsanddrivingfactorsofecologicalvulnerabilityinthehubeisectionoftheyangtzerivereconomicbelt