2026/01/28 by Haowei Mu, Shanchuan Guo, Xingang Zhang +6 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · #Land Use and Ecosystem Services #Sustainability and Climate Change Governance #Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
paper · doi:10.1016/j.geosus.2026.100420
openalex publication_date 2026/01/28 · openalex created_date 2026/01/29 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
The digital transformation of territorial spatial planning has underscored the urgent need to integrate ecological network into spatial planning practices. In response, we developed two innovative new tools, the Ecological Linkage Tool (ELT) and the Relative Spatial Conflict Index (RSCI), to enhance ecological networks applications by addressing spatial conflicts and structural resilience. The ELT identified ecological corridors within and outside irregular ecological sources, activation points, and stepping stones in parallel, and then constructed an intact ecological network. By integrating the RSCI and complex network metrics, the spatial conflicts and structural resilience were evaluated. The framework was implemented in the Hohhot-Baotou-Ordos-Yulin (HBOY) urban agglomeration, identifying a total of 5,814 corridors, of which 67% were classified as intra-patch and 33% as inter-patch. The number and distribution of these corridors were determined by the size and shape of the ecological sources, and the connectivity of intra-patch corridors was 34% higher than inter-patch corridors. According to the RSCI, 60% of the corridors experienced spatial conflicts, with 21% involving production spaces or composite production-related conflicts. Moreover, Yulin served as a key hub in the ecological network, and Baotou had the highest network efficiency. Compound conflict corridors (involving production, living, and open spaces) had a greater impact on overall ecological network efficiency compared to those with single or dual conflicts. Meanwhile, the failure of 40% of corridors without spatial conflicts would directly result in a 96.9% decline in network efficiency, highlighting their critical role in maintaining network functionality. This study provides an enhanced ecological network application solution for the China Spatial Planning Observation Network (CSPON), supporting spatial planning practices.