Integrated Assessment and Restoration Pathways for Holistic Ecosystem Health in Anxi County, China

Different types of ecosystems form a complex community of life. Hence, ecosystem protection and restoration should not focus solely on a single ecosystem. Ecosystem health assessments should consider the integrity and systematicity of interrelated ecosystems to inform rational environmental planning and management. In this study, the key characteristic indicators of major ecosystems (mountain, water, forest, and cropland) and ecosystem service capacity indicators in Anxi County, China, were selected to construct an integrated assessment system of ecosystem health that led to integrated ecosystem restoration pathways that addressed the county's ecological problems. The results revealed that ecosystem health was higher in the western and lower in the eastern parts of the county. Throughout the county, medium and poor ecosystem health levels predominated, revealing that overall ecosystem sustainability was weak. Ecosystem restoration programmes should be tailored to each health level. Where there was excellent and good ecosystem health ratings, those healthy ecosystem functions should be strengthened and maintained. In the medium health areas, the control and prevention of ecological problems should be strengthened. Poor health areas require immediate integrated ecological restoration projects that ensure the connectivity and coordination of restoration tasks in fragile ecosystems. This then will enhance holistic ecosystem stability and sustainability.

Automated summary

Ecosystem protection and restoration should consider interrelated ecosystems. A study in Anxi County, China, constructed an integrated assessment system and identified ecosystem health levels, leading to tailored ecosystem restoration pathways.