Linking Ecological Networks and Ecosystem Service Flow: Toward Regional Ecological Conservation and Sustainability

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Landscape Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 953

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Regional Environment and Sustainability, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Interests: landscape ecology; restoration ecology; ecosystem service; spatial modelling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the context of accelerating global climate change, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity loss, the integration of spatial ecological structure and ecological functions has become a critical direction in land system science, and ecological networks are employed to maintain habitat connectivity and support species migration, while ecosystem service flows describe the dynamic processes by which ecosystems benefit people and other species across space and time. However, researchers have yet to fully integrate these concepts to develop practical solutions for fragmented landscapes and, therefore, understanding how ecosystems are spatially connected and how ecological functions are transferred across landscapes is increasingly recognized as critical for addressing biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and fragmented land systems.

In terms of contributions to this Special Issue, we are interested in submissions that link ecosystem service flow to ecological networks, ecological security patterns, and ecological restoration. We welcome both empirical studies and conceptual or theoretical explorations that investigate the spatial processes, functional linkages, and planning implications involved in such integration including, but not limited to, the following topics:

  • Ecological network theories and methods;
  • Ecosystem service flow;
  • Ecological restoration effects on ecological networks;
  • Ecological security patterns;
  • Landscape ecology principles;
  • Climate change effects on ecosystem services;
  • Landscape connectivity;
  • Land use change on ecosystem services;
  • Ecosystem service supply and demand;
  • Ecosystem services and human well-being;
  • Habitat modelling and conservation;
  • Regional sustainability.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Shiliang Liu
Prof. Dr. Jinyan Zhan
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • ecological network
  • ecosystem service flow
  • ecological security pattern
  • habitat fragmentation
  • ecosystem service
  • landscape connectivity
  • ecological restoration
  • land use change
  • species migration

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 4942 KB  
Article
Driving Mechanisms of Spatio-Temporal Vegetation Dynamics in a Typical Agro-Pastoral Transitional Zone in Fengning County, North China
by Shiliang Liu, Bingkun Zang, Yu Lin, Yufeng Liu, Boyuan Ban and Junjie Guo
Land 2026, 15(1), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15010139 - 9 Jan 2026
Viewed by 305
Abstract
Investigating vegetation dynamics and their drivers in ecologically vulnerable regions is essential for evaluating ecological restoration outcomes. This study examined the spatiotemporal evolution of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and its influencing factors in Fengning county, the Bashang region from 2001 to [...] Read more.
Investigating vegetation dynamics and their drivers in ecologically vulnerable regions is essential for evaluating ecological restoration outcomes. This study examined the spatiotemporal evolution of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and its influencing factors in Fengning county, the Bashang region from 2001 to 2023 using land use transition matrix, trend analysis, and geographical detector methods. Key findings include the following: (1) Land use transition exhibited a clear phased pattern, shifting from cropland-to-grassland conversion (2001–2010) to grassland-to-forest conversion (2010–2023). (2) The annual mean NDVI increased significantly, showing a southeast–northwest spatial gradient consistent with landforms. The long-term trend followed a sequential “degradation–improvement–consolidation” trajectory. (3) Factor detection identified land use type as the primary driver of vegetation spatial heterogeneity (q = 0.297), highlighting the dominant influence of human activities. (4) Interaction detection demonstrated bivariate enhancement for all factor pairs, with the combination of land use type and precipitation yielding the highest explanatory power (q = 0.440). This underscores that vegetation dynamics are predominantly governed by nonlinear interactions between human-driven land use and climate. The research highlights the effectiveness of ecological restoration policies and offers valuable insights for guiding future ecosystem management in ecologically fragile areas under climate change. Full article
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