Indicator system construction and health assessment of wetland ecosystem-Taking Hongze Lake Wetland, China as an example

Wetland is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, a unique habitat for creatures. However, nearly half of the world's wetlands have deteriorated and disappeared in the past 100 years due to human disturbance, and the wetlands are still in a situation of continuous degradation. Current wetland evaluation cannot reveal spatial heterogeneity and its changes within the wetland. Therefore, based on remote sensing technology and landscape index, this study constructed a wetland health indicator system consisting of 12 indicators and used analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to calculate their weights. Using remote sensing data, experimental data and auxiliary data, this indicator system was applied to the Hongze Lake wetland in Jiangsu Province, China and the spatial pattern of health status was mapped. The health index of the edge of Hongze Lake is relatively lower, and the interior is healthier. The whole health index is 5.63. This study indicated that the wetland health assessment methodology proposed can effectively evaluate the spatial pattern of wetland ecosystem health and provide technical support for the protection and restoration of wetlands.