Ecological risk assessment of the Gannan Plateau, northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Desertification, soil salinization and grassland degradation are the major environmental hazards faced by the Gannan Plateau, northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Ecological risk assessment plays an important role in formulating environmental management strategies yet little attention to this region. In this study, we established an ecological risk assessment index system based on 30 evaluation indices in the categories of hydrometeorology, ecological environment, ground surface disturbance, and society and economy for the Gannan Plateau. An entropy method was used to calculate an index weight, and subsequently the matter-element method was used together with extension theory to establish a matter-element extension model of ecological risk. We assessed the ecological risk in this region by calculating the degree of association between index layer, system layer and target layer, and the cumulative ecological risk index. The degrees of ecological risk for the counties of the region were determined by using ArcGIS which would represent a spatial heterogeneity of the risk grade in production. Our results showed that the areas of high ecological risk were in Zhouqu County and Zhuoni County, and others were of low risk (Hezuo City, Diebu County, Xiahe County and Lintan County) or intermediate risk (Maqu County). The results of the assessment were in accord with the actual observed situation. Thus, our ecological risk assessment index system is appropriate for this region and suggests that high risk counties need a priori ecological protection. Such research could provide a technological support which would potentially prevent or reduce disasters by establishing an ecological barrier to promote the sustainable development of Gannan Plateau.