Interpretation of the coupling mechanism of ecological security and urbanization based on a Computation-Verification-Coupling framework: Quantitative analysis of sustainable development

A methodological study on the identification of ecological security change processes and zoning control strategies -- Based on the perspective of sustainable development

Ecological security (ES) is a crucial indicator for assessing the sustainable development of a region. Currently, most studies on ES primarily focus on process analysis, and the integration of environmental variability into the development of tailored control strategies for regions with varying ecological quality is overlooked. Therefore, in this study, we identified regional ES change processes, employed an optimized system to calculate the ecological security index (ESI), and identified ecological corridors (ECs) through the Minimum Constrained Resource (MCR) model to determine zoning strategies for typical arid regions, using the Ningxia region in the Yellow River Basin of China as an example. The findings showed that (1) from 2006 to 2020, the ESI values of most regions were between 0.2 and 0.4, with small but consistent increases in the ESI values over the years. (2) The proportion of regions with high ES ratings increased by 9.08 % across all districts and counties, and the center of gravity of ES shifted in a north-south and east-west direction. (3) The ESI exhibited a strong positive spatial correlation, characterized by spatial diffusion and spillover effects in most regions. (4) The ECs were predominantly distributed in a north-south direction, involving a total of 20 districts and counties. Based on the principles of sustainable development, we developed a model for the dynamic identification and zoning control of regional ES, aiming to provide a practical framework for effective ecological restoration and protection measures. Additionally, the strategies and methodologies presented in this study serve as important references for similar regions worldwide to facilitate the zoning control of ES, highlighting the broader significance and applicability of the study.

Coincidence of sustainable development indicators for the nekarood watershed with the United Nation's sustainable development goals

The present study evaluated sustainable development indicators of the Nekarood Watershed in Iran using global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators. Identifying values and thresholds, justification of optimum values, ranking, and performance assessment of the associated SDGs' indicators were accordingly addressed. Moreover, due to a lack of complete information and ecological conditions, 77 indicators were selected based on compliance with the indicators of global SDGs. These indicators were used to evaluate the development situation of the study area. The indicators were then normalized, weighed, aggregated, and ranked into four categories from achieving to highly challenging. The results showed that among the SDGs, five goals performed above the mean of the global sustainable development goals. So, goals 3 and 1 had the highest performance of 69.82 and 57.97 %, respectively. Likewise, goals 7 and 16 showed the lowest performance beyond the global average of 51.08 and 54.62 %, respectively. SDG3-1-1, SDG3-1-2, SDG3-2-1, and SDG3-2-2 indicators with 100 % performance positively affected SDG3. SDG1-5-1 indicator with 100 % performance also had the most positive effect on SDG1. The performances of nine goals were also lower than the global mean. In this case, the lowest performance was assigned to goal 2, followed by goals 9, 17, 10, and 6, respectively, with 15.24, 19.71, 22.19, 24.98, and 45.78 %. SDG2-4-2, SDG2-4-1, and SDG2-3-1 indicators had the most negative effect on the performance of SDG2. SDG9-2-2 and SDG10-4-1 indicators also had the most negative effect on goals 9 and 10, respectively. The highest performance of the indicators was associated with the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, and the lowest was related to the Ministries of Agriculture Jihad and the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade. The results of the present study verified an overall performance of 36.42 % for the Nekarood Watershed concerning the global SDGs, representing significantly challenging conditions.