Abstract
In the context of rapid urban expansion, protecting landscape connectivity has become an important means of addressing habitat fragmentation and enhancing biodiversity. Using Chongqing, China, as a case study, this research establishes a multi-scale evaluation framework of "main urban area - main metropolitan area - Chongqing city." By employing landscape connectivity indices and ecological security patterns, the study reveals the scale differences in landscape connectivity from both structural and functional perspectives and proposes protection strategies from a multi-scale viewpoint. The results indicate that in terms of structural connectivity, when the research scale is expanded to medium and large scales, the dPC levels of all core areas within the main urban area (small scale) significantly drop to levels 1–3. At the large scale, the core areas in Jiangjin District, Nanchuan District, and Fuling District within the main metropolitan area (medium scale) exhibit characteristics of significant downgrading (level 8 to level 2), some downgrading (level 9 to level 8), and upgrading (level 7 to level 9), respectively. In terms of functional connectivity, the corridors (394.79 km²) and sources (39.61 km²) in Beibei District, Yubei District, Nan'an District, and Banan District are very important for landscape connectivity protection at small and medium scales; the corridors (11.33 km²) and sources (1180.41 km²) in Nanchuan District and Fuling District are crucial for landscape connectivity protection at medium and large scales. This study provides systematic and comprehensive strategic references for landscape connectivity protection.