ORIGINAL RESEARCH
An Integrated Method to Analyze Forest
Ecological Networks for Urban Sustainable
Development: A Case Study of Wuhan
in Central China
Pujiang Huang, Yanfang Liu
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School of Resource and Environmental Science,
Key Laboratory of Geographic Information System, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2014;23(4):1175-1183
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ABSTRACT
This research takes Wuhan as a case study with a focus on forest ecological network analysis based on
an integrated approach. This approach applies the improved least-cost path model and scenario analysis to
identify and compare networks with the cost surface setting, including ecological service value and biodiversity
index. We proposed cost-based δ index and patch connection index (PCI) to evaluate the whole network
structure and ecological source connection, as these two indexes comprehensively consider spatial structure
and species migration cost. This study proves that the improved line kernel density method based on species
migration cost is an effective tool to identify conservation priority areas and break points. Based on the proposed
method, we identify and evaluate four types of urban forest ecological networks from different cost setting.
The forest ecological network is uneven in spatial distribution. Overall ecological network structure has
poor connection. We illustrate conservation priority areas and divide these priority areas into three categories
of ecological security.