Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province

Yunnan Province is part of the Yun-Gun Plateau in southwest China with rich ecological resources and special geographic features, resulting in considerable ecological security. This study used the pressure-state-response (PSR) model to vertically evaluate Yunnan’s ecological security and horizontall...

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Main Authors: Bo Xie, Patrick Jones, Rajeev Dwivedi, Lili Bao, Ruobing Liang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2023-09-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23005952
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author Bo Xie
Patrick Jones
Rajeev Dwivedi
Lili Bao
Ruobing Liang
author_facet Bo Xie
Patrick Jones
Rajeev Dwivedi
Lili Bao
Ruobing Liang
author_sort Bo Xie
collection DOAJ
description Yunnan Province is part of the Yun-Gun Plateau in southwest China with rich ecological resources and special geographic features, resulting in considerable ecological security. This study used the pressure-state-response (PSR) model to vertically evaluate Yunnan’s ecological security and horizontally compare ecological security between Yunnan and other four neighbouring provinces (Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi) during 2000–2020. We also elaborated on the ecological security of Yunnan’s unique geographical features, such as plateau lakes, karst mountains, and tropical rainforest areas. The results show that the ecological security in Yunnan Province improved overall, with a slow increase (2000–2006), a fluctuating decline (2007–2012), and a sharp jump (2013–2020). The ecological security level climbed from ‘critical safe’ to ‘comparative safety’. The pressure layer was the largest contributor to the increase from 2000 to 2011, whereas the response layer was the main determinant of the upward trend since 2012. Despite its better performance early in the study period, Yunnan’s ecological security index (ESI) rose at a lower rate since 2011 than ESIs of neighbouring provinces in the southwest. Within Yunnan, unique geographical regions have roughly consistent ESIs as the entire province. The exception was the tropical rainforest area, with lower ESI than in other parts of Yunnan. We then discussed implications for enhancing ecological security in Yunnan, including real-time monitoring platforms, green innovations and different environmental regulations. The results provide insight beneficial to the improvement of ecological-security evaluation and the ecological sustainable development of Yunnan.
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spelling doaj.art-16654cc69c534002918382b23f95a3392023-06-16T05:08:52ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2023-09-01153110453Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan ProvinceBo Xie0Patrick Jones1Rajeev Dwivedi2Lili Bao3Ruobing Liang4School of Management and Economics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, China; Corresponding author.Institute of Public Policy and Economic Analysis, Eastern Washington University, Spokane, USASchool of Business, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USASchool of Business, Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA, USASchool of Management and Economics, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, ChinaYunnan Province is part of the Yun-Gun Plateau in southwest China with rich ecological resources and special geographic features, resulting in considerable ecological security. This study used the pressure-state-response (PSR) model to vertically evaluate Yunnan’s ecological security and horizontally compare ecological security between Yunnan and other four neighbouring provinces (Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Guangxi) during 2000–2020. We also elaborated on the ecological security of Yunnan’s unique geographical features, such as plateau lakes, karst mountains, and tropical rainforest areas. The results show that the ecological security in Yunnan Province improved overall, with a slow increase (2000–2006), a fluctuating decline (2007–2012), and a sharp jump (2013–2020). The ecological security level climbed from ‘critical safe’ to ‘comparative safety’. The pressure layer was the largest contributor to the increase from 2000 to 2011, whereas the response layer was the main determinant of the upward trend since 2012. Despite its better performance early in the study period, Yunnan’s ecological security index (ESI) rose at a lower rate since 2011 than ESIs of neighbouring provinces in the southwest. Within Yunnan, unique geographical regions have roughly consistent ESIs as the entire province. The exception was the tropical rainforest area, with lower ESI than in other parts of Yunnan. We then discussed implications for enhancing ecological security in Yunnan, including real-time monitoring platforms, green innovations and different environmental regulations. The results provide insight beneficial to the improvement of ecological-security evaluation and the ecological sustainable development of Yunnan.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23005952Ecological security evaluationIndex systemYunnanPSR modelGeographic feature
spellingShingle Bo Xie
Patrick Jones
Rajeev Dwivedi
Lili Bao
Ruobing Liang
Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
Ecological Indicators
Ecological security evaluation
Index system
Yunnan
PSR model
Geographic feature
title Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
title_full Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
title_fullStr Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
title_short Evaluation, comparison, and unique features of ecological security in southwest China: A case study of Yunnan Province
title_sort evaluation comparison and unique features of ecological security in southwest china a case study of yunnan province
topic Ecological security evaluation
Index system
Yunnan
PSR model
Geographic feature
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X23005952
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