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Abstract The Shibing Karst constitutes a pivotal component of the "South China Karst," and its ecosystem health integrity crucially influences the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the corresponding Natural World Heritage (NWH). Consequently, robust ecosystem health assessment (EHA) is imperative for the judicious conservation and management of this heritage, as well as for the sustainable progression of the region. This research assessed the health of the Shibing Karst ecosystem from 2004 to 2020 by employing changes in landscape patterns through the Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Ecosystem Services (VORS) model. Spatial autocorrelation was employed to discern the spatial coherence and evolutionary patterns of ecosystem health, whereas a geo-detector ascertained the pivotal determinants impacting regional ecosystem vitality. The findings revealed that: (1) The landscape patterns distribution in the study area exhibited considerable constancy, primarily comprising forest land, with a rising trajectory in construction land and water, juxtaposed with a recession in shrubland, grassland, paddy land, and dryland expanses. (2) From 2004 to 2020, the ecosystem of the study area maintained its health and remained stable, with mean values of 0.8303, 0.7689, 0.6976, and 0.7824, respectively, showing an evolutionary trend of an initial downtrend trend followed by an upswing, with 2016 marking a pivotal juncture. (3) Spatial clustering analysis highlighted significant clustering characteristics of ecosystem health, with a nominal decrease in the Global Moran's I index from 0.666 to 0.665, which is indicative of a subtle decrease in clustering over time. High-high clustering areas were predominantly located within the World Heritage Site (WHS), while low-low clustering areas were mainly distributed in the southeastern part of buffer zone. (4) Land use and cover change (LUCC) and Ecosystem Services (ESs) were identified as the primary indexes of EHA, with Ecosystem Resilience (ER), Ecosystem Vigor (EV), and Ecosystem Organization (EO) exerting relatively mild influences. This study provides a scientific framework for policymakers in local governance to devise strategies for ecosystem conservation and management, enhances the analytical perspective on the integrity and conservation of Karst Natural World Heritage (KNWH).

The Shibing Karst constitutes a pivotal component of the "South China Karst," and its ecosystem health integrity crucially influences the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the corresponding Natural World Heritage (NWH). Consequently, robust ecosystem health assessment (EHA) is imperative for the judicious conservation and management of this heritage, as well as for the sustainable progression of the region. This research assessed the health of the Shibing Karst ecosystem from 2004 to 2020 by employing changes in landscape patterns through the Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Ecosystem Services (VORS) model. Spatial autocorrelation was employed to discern the spatial coherence and evolutionary patterns of ecosystem health, whereas a geo-detector ascertained the pivotal determinants impacting regional ecosystem vitality. The findings revealed that: (1) The landscape patterns distribution in the study area exhibited considerable constancy, primarily comprising forest land, with a rising trajectory in construction land and water, juxtaposed with a recession in shrubland, grassland, paddy land, and dryland expanses. (2) From 2004 to 2020, the ecosystem of the study area maintained its health and remained stable, with mean values of 0.8303, 0.7689, 0.6976, and 0.7824, respectively, showing an evolutionary trend of an initial downtrend trend followed by an upswing, with 2016 marking a pivotal juncture. (3) Spatial clustering analysis highlighted significant clustering characteristics of ecosystem health, with a nominal decrease in the Global Moran's I index from 0.666 to 0.665, which is indicative of a subtle decrease in clustering over time. High-high clustering areas were predominantly located within the World Heritage Site (WHS), while low-low clustering areas were mainly distributed in the southeastern part of buffer zone. (4) Land use and cover change (LUCC) and Ecosystem Services (ESs) were identified as the primary indexes of EHA, with Ecosystem Resilience (ER), Ecosystem Vigor (EV), and Ecosystem Organization (EO) exerting relatively mild influences. This study provides a scientific framework for policymakers in local governance to devise strategies for ecosystem conservation and management, enhances the analytical perspective on the integrity and conservation of Karst Natural World Heritage (KNWH). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wuliangsu Lake is the largest lake wetland in the Yellow River basin, it is the Northern Sand Belt of China, which is essential to maintaining ecological security in northern China and the areas downstream. With the increasing environmental problems, the basin has become a sensitive and complex geographical unit, and a better understanding of the level of ecosystem health in the basin is helpful for policymakers in developing measures for ecological restoration and eco-space management. In this study, we proposed an improved VORS model containing ecosystem vigor, organization, resilience and services to assess the ecosystem health in the Wuliangsu Lake Basin in 2000, 2011, and 2022. To improve spatial precision, the study area was partitioned into grids measuring 2 km × 2 km each. The results indicated that: (1) the ecosystem health showed a slight increase trend, which indicated by the increase level grids reached 94 % in 2000–2022 change. (2) The reduction in vegetation cover decreased the ecosystem vigor, which was indicated by the weak level increased from 22 % in 2000 to 73 % in 2022. Ecosystem structure becomes more complex enhanced the ecosystem organization, the value increased from 0.3 to 0.6 in 2000 to 0.6–0.8 in 2022. Ecosystem resilience slightly declined in 2011 and 2022, ecosystem services were relatively stable but were dominated by weak levels. (3) The majority land use type in the study area is farmland, and the ecosystem vigor decreases as the area of grassland decreases to farmland in these 22 years. The ecosystem’s structure was enhanced and the land use structure was progressively brought into balance. Changes in all four parameters of ecosystem health assessment are related to land use, and changes in ecosystem health are likewise related to land use changes. The improved VORS model constructed for the Wuliangsu Lake Basin objectively reflect the basin’s state of ecosystem health, and provide a reference for ecological restoration and basin regional planning.

Ecosystem health (EH) maintenance and improvement are important goals in environmental and ecological management, and help realize regional sustainable development goals. EH assessment and the regulatory mechanism have remained popular research fields in landscape ecology science. However, the improvement in EH assessment methods is ongoing, the influences of EH and socioeconomic development on agricultural production remain unclear. In this study, we chose Fujian Province in China as the study area, first quantitatively assess EH based on the Vigor–Organization–Resilience–Services (VORS) model, and thereafter explore the response of tea production to EH and socioeconomic development using the structural equation model (SEM). We found that the mean EH value in Fujian Province was 0.52 in 2010, which was 6.12% and 10.64% higher than that in 2000 and 2020, respectively. The high-EH-value regions were distributed in the northwest, while the southeastern regions exhibited low-EH-value agglomerations. According to the temporal evolution characteristics of EH, the kernel density curve patterns exhibited single peaks, and the curves shifted from a broad to a narrow peak from 2000 to 2020, indicating a trend toward a more balanced distribution of EH spatially. SEM results showed a significant positive effect of EH on tea production with a coefficient of 0.86. However, there is a significant trade-off between EH and economic development, as indicated by a coefficient of −0.6. There are also negative indirect effects on tea development when mediated by economic development. However, the overall effect of EH on tea production is 0.8, indicating that EH is still effective in promoting tea production. The results of this study have implications for the integration of ecosystem management and agricultural production management in the region.

• The ecosystem health assessment improved framework included vigor, organization, resilience, and services. • EH in the study area showed a slight increase trend during 2000–2022, and the number of increase level grids reached 94%. • Land use change was a major factor influencing changes in ecosystem health. • In view of the existing ecological problems, ecological protection and restoration suggestions were put forward. Wuliangsu Lake is the largest lake wetland in the Yellow River basin, it is the Northern Sand Belt of China, which is essential to maintaining ecological security in northern China and the areas downstream. With the increasing environmental problems, the basin has become a sensitive and complex geographical unit, and a better understanding of the level of ecosystem health in the basin is helpful for policymakers in developing measures for ecological restoration and eco-space management. In this study, we proposed an improved VORS model containing ecosystem vigor, organization, resilience and services to assess the ecosystem health in the Wuliangsu Lake Basin in 2000, 2011, and 2022. To improve spatial precision, the study area was partitioned into grids measuring 2 km × 2 km each. The results indicated that: (1) the ecosystem health showed a slight increase trend, which indicated by the increase level grids reached 94 % in 2000–2022 change. (2) The reduction in vegetation cover decreased the ecosystem vigor, which was indicated by the weak level increased from 22 % in 2000 to 73 % in 2022. Ecosystem structure becomes more complex enhanced the ecosystem organization, the value increased from 0.3 to 0.6 in 2000 to 0.6–0.8 in 2022. Ecosystem resilience slightly declined in 2011 and 2022, ecosystem services were relatively stable but were dominated by weak levels. (3) The majority land use type in the study area is farmland, and the ecosystem vigor decreases as the area of grassland decreases to farmland in these 22 years. The ecosystem's structure was enhanced and the land use structure was progressively brought into balance. Changes in all four parameters of ecosystem health assessment are related to land use, and changes in ecosystem health are likewise related to land use changes. The improved VORS model constructed for the Wuliangsu Lake Basin objectively reflect the basin's state of ecosystem health, and provide a reference for ecological restoration and basin regional planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ecosystem health (EH) assessment integrating ecosystem service (ES) is developed. • EH patterns are heterogeneous and become balanced from 2000 to 2020 in Fujian, China. • Significant positive effect of EH on tea product is revealed with coefficient 0.86. • The trade-off was quantified between economic development, EH and tea production. Ecosystem health (EH) maintenance and improvement are important goals in environmental and ecological management, and help realize regional sustainable development goals. EH assessment and the regulatory mechanism have remained popular research fields in landscape ecology science. However, the improvement in EH assessment methods is ongoing, the influences of EH and socioeconomic development on agricultural production remain unclear. In this study, we chose Fujian Province in China as the study area, first quantitatively assess EH based on the Vigor–Organization–Resilience–Services (VORS) model, and thereafter explore the response of tea production to EH and socioeconomic development using the structural equation model (SEM). We found that the mean EH value in Fujian Province was 0.52 in 2010, which was 6.12% and 10.64% higher than that in 2000 and 2020, respectively. The high-EH-value regions were distributed in the northwest, while the southeastern regions exhibited low-EH-value agglomerations. According to the temporal evolution characteristics of EH, the kernel density curve patterns exhibited single peaks, and the curves shifted from a broad to a narrow peak from 2000 to 2020, indicating a trend toward a more balanced distribution of EH spatially. SEM results showed a significant positive effect of EH on tea production with a coefficient of 0.86. However, there is a significant trade-off between EH and economic development, as indicated by a coefficient of −0.6. There are also negative indirect effects on tea development when mediated by economic development. However, the overall effect of EH on tea production is 0.8, indicating that EH is still effective in promoting tea production. The results of this study have implications for the integration of ecosystem management and agricultural production management in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific assessment of the health level of county ecosystems is the basis for formulating county-based sustainable development strategies. In this paper, we take the county areas of Sichuan Province as the evaluation objects and combine the SDGs (the Sustainable Development Goals) to establish a county ecosystem health evaluation index system based on the VORS (Vigor–Organization–Resilience–Service) model. On this basis, we used the entropy weight method, the Moran index method, and the obstacle degree model to analyze the ecosystem health level, spatial distribution characteristics, and obstacles of 183 counties in Sichuan Province. The main results were as follows: (1) A total of 80.87% of the counties in Sichuan Province were at sub-healthy and healthy levels, concentrated in the southeastern part of Sichuan, and 19.13% of the counties were at an unhealthy level, mainly in the Aba, Ganzi, and Liangshan areas. (2) The health levels of county ecosystems in Sichuan Province had high spatial autocorrelation characteristics. The H–H (High–High) agglomeration area and the L–L (Low–Low) agglomeration area had significant agglomeration characteristics, which were distributed in the Cheng-Mian area and the northwestern Sichuan area, respectively. (3) The key indicators restricting the healthy development of urban ecosystems in Sichuan counties are economic vitality, economic resilience, and quality of life, all of which belong to the economic subsystems, with obstacles reaching 17.25%, 16.68%, and 13.52%, respectively. This study can provide theoretical and methodological support for research into ecosystem health evaluations at the county level, and provide a decision-making basis for promoting the health of county ecosystems and coordinating regional development in Sichuan Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the spatial distribution pattern and driving factors behind ecosystem health is beneficial to ecosystem management and restoration. However, the literature shows little in‐depth exploration of regional heterogeneity and the factors that influence ecosystem health on a global scale. This study assesses global ecosystem health for the period 2000–2015 based on the vigor, organization, resilience, and service (VORS) model, and it explores the factors that influence regional differences in ecosystem health. Our results show that: (a) regions with high levels of ecosystem health are distributed mainly near the Equator and within the north–south regression line (0°N–13°N, 0°S–18°S); (b) seven critical zones with high levels of ecosystem health are identified (13°N–18°S, 45°N–65°N, 35°S–56°S, 47°W–80°W, 120°W–130°W, 8°E–37°E, 92°E–157°E); and (c) average annual precipitation and soil moisture play a key role in ecosystem health globally, with correlations of 0.574 and 0.399, respectively. Socioeconomic factors act as bridges, linking and reinforcing the influence of other factors in areas with medium to low levels of ecosystem health. Our study contributes to better understanding of ecosystem health, fills gaps in global ecosystem health diagnosis, and provides reference points for management and recovery of ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring the ecosystem health for world natural heritage sites is essential for protecting them and benefits the formulation of more targeted protection policies. This study used Bayanbulak world natural heritage site as a case, established a framework for assessing the ecosystem health through remote sensing based on the parameters of ecosystem vigour, organization, resilience, and services. Then, we verified the obtained results through field sampling. The results show that the ecosystem health in the overall study area had declined over time, however, the health within the property zone remained at high levels and stable. The area proportion of low health was low and primarily distributed in the buffer zone. Thus, in general, the ecosystem in the study area was healthy. Besides, the ecosystem health exhibited distinct spatial agglomeration characteristics, and the degree of agglomeration enhanced over time. In addition, the field vegetation samplings were consistent with the changes in the ecosystem health levels, therefore, the result of RS monitoring of ecosystem health were credible. Thus, this study provides a scientific basis for heritage managers to formulate suitable ecological protection policies and should aid further research on the ecological monitoring of heritage sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]