Articulation of the cross-boundary effects of China’s ecological conservation redline program: A perspective on the ecological security network and ecological radiation

Abstract

China’s Ecological Conservation Redline (ECR) program ensures the coordination and sustainability of natural and economic development while maintaining regional ecological security. Current research focuses on the ecosystem services within ECR areas but ignores cross-boundary ecological flow and the interactions between the internal and external ecological effects of ECR areas. In addition, the ecological background has spatial continuity that is not limited by boundaries, and the radiation effect areas extending beyond ECR areas have not been quantified. In this study, the Beijing ECR areas and ecological security network were integrated in order to connect the ecological process and landscape pattern to the ECR through the circulation path of ecological corridors, and cross-boundary effects between patches were examined. The field spread model was used to quantify the radiation influence range of ECR areas. Additionally, 972.46 km of ecological corridors were identified in Beijing, and abundant corridors effectively linked the ECR areas and maintained the material cycle. In the surrounding areas, ecological corridors were spread radially, with a total length of 941.85 km, promoting cross-boundary ecological flow between the ECR and surrounding source areas. This study used 25 ecological nodes to constitute the cross-boundary ecological security network system. The total radiation area based on the ECR source was 9572.16 km2. These results provide support for the radiation effect of ECR and cross-boundary ecological flows and suggest a useful model for sustainable ecological development and cross-boundary management.