Ecosystem health assessment in debris flow-prone areas: A case study of Bailong River Basin in China

Ecosystem health assessment (EHA) is critical for the effective management of ecosystem services and evaluation of global environmental changes. Here, we explored the spatiotemporal patterns of EH in the Bailong River Basin in a debris flow-prone area from 2000 to 2019 using the VORS model. Net primary productivity, landscape index, land use land cover, water yield, and soil retention data were used to assess the vigor, organization, resilience, and services of the ecosystem. Moreover, using the spatial correlation method and hierarchical cluster analysis, the spatial clustering of and regional differences in EH were investigated in grid and catchment area. In the grid scale, the EH is optimal in the southwest but poor in the northeast. In most areas of the basin, the ecological health index (EHI) showed an increasing trend, and this pattern is expected to continue in the future from 2000 to 2019. The EHI showed significant global spatial correlation and local spatial positive correlation; however, the degree of clustering showed a gradual decline from 2000 to 2019. Based on the results of hierarchical clustering, the catchment area in the basin was divided into four clusters to elucidate regional differences in EH. Areas with high EHI were mainly located in the southern part of the basin, whereas those with low EHI were located in the east of the Wudu District and north of the Tanchang County. Overall, EHA is an important tool to obtain information on the state of the ecosystem, and its findings are fundamental for protecting and improving EH. Therefore, EHA should be incorporated in the decision-making framework for realising effective and appropriate ecosystem management. •The ecosystem health level has increased significantly from 2000 to 2019 in the BRB.•The spatial patterns of ecosystem health were illustrated based on 1984 catchment areas.•The clustering zoning lays a scientific foundation for the implementation of healthy ecosystem management.