Research and Analysis of Ecological Environment Quality in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River Basin between 2000 and 2019

Abstract

Ecological environment quality is a long-term continuous concept that is affected by various environmental factors. Its assessment has important implications for implementing the planning and protection of dynamic regional ecosystems. Therefore, this study attempted to obtain these indicators (green, dry, wet, heat) through the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, and then coupled the ecological environment quality index in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Basin (MYRB) between 2000 and 2019, based on the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). The major results show that: (1) changes in the four indicators in summer were more obvious than those in winter, and the changes were concentrated in the central and northern regions of the MYRB; (2) both the modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI) and normalized differential build-up and bare soil index (NDBI) in summer and winter have higher weighting ratios, implying that water body changes and human activities had a greater impact on the ecological environment; and (3) ecological environment quality in the MYRB between 2000 and 2019 was relatively flat. The ecological conditions began to deteriorate in 2008, and substantial ecological degradation was noted in some areas between 2008 and 2019 (18.7% in the central region, 16.0% in the eastern region). The MYRB has an important position in the Yangtze River economic belt and is an important part of the Yangtze River protection. This research could provide a theoretical basis and decision support for the development and protection of the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) green economy.