Constructing an Ecological Network in Mountainous Areas under Disaster Risk Pressures: A Case Study of Guanling, Guizhou Province

Constructing ecological networks is an effective means to ensure regional ecological security and enhance human ecological well-being. Guizhou is a karst mountainous tourism province in China, and one of the most severely affected regions by geological disasters. Therefore, establishing ecological networks to integrate the scattered ecological resources and spaces in the region and promoting regional ecological construction and industrial development is urgently required. In this study, Guanling County, Guizhou Province, was the research area, and the needs of human beings for ecological well-being were fully considered. Morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity were used to identify and select core patches with high connectivity as ecological source areas. Ecological corridors and nodes were simulated using the circuit theory to construct an ecological network. Additionally, differentiated restoration strategies were proposed by integrating the lithology and distribution characteristics of geological disasters with the aim of maintaining ecological security in karst areas prone to geological disasters. The results show that: (1) Guanling County contains 28 ecological source areas (587.58 km2) that serve as key zones for supplying ecological resources and ecosystem services. These areas are discretely distributed, with dense geological hazard points surrounding the source areas, primarily located in contiguous forest regions in the eastern and western parts of the study area, where rocky desertification is low and provides favorable habitats for species. (2) Sixty ecological corridors (102.14 km) were identified in Guanling County, including 12 key (11.89 km), 27 important (57.11 km), and 21 general corridors (33.14 km). These corridors connect all ecological source areas, promote species dispersal, and maintain the overall connectivity of the ecosystems. Notably, the corridors in the northern and southeastern parts of the study area are surrounded by dense distributions of geological disaster points, such as landslides and debris flows, which severely affect the connectivity of the ecological corridors. (3) Thirty-six ecological pinch points and 38 ecological barrier points were crucial for maintaining regional ecological flow. Their discrete and partially overlapping distributions suggest significant interference from human activity in these areas. Prioritizing protection and restoration can help enhance ecosystem connectivity. Furthermore, 22 ecological breakpoints were identified, where intersecting road networks disrupted corridor connectivity, exacerbated landscape fragmentation, and posed serious threats to biological migration. Based on these findings, this study proposes a spatial optimization framework for the "three zones, two belts, and one system." The "three zones" are the rocky desertification restoration zone in the west, the ecological coordination zone in the center, and the agricultural enhancement zone in the east. The "two belts" are the Beipan River and Dabang River, which constitute the ecological barriers in Guanling County. The "one system" refers to the ecological connectivity system protection framework. After considering the prominent ecological issues in Guanling County and integrating the distribution characteristics of lithological and geological hazards, this study proposes spatially optimized layouts and targeted restoration strategies for different zones. These efforts aim to protect biodiversity, maintain ecosystem functions, and effectively regulate regional ecological security, ultimately achieving holistic ecosystem protection and sustainable development. This study provides a practical framework for future ecological network construction and restoration planning in karst regions.