Wetland ecosystem stability evaluation by using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach in Yinchuan Plain, China

Wetland ecosystems are influenced by many factors, which affect the stability of the system to different degrees. In this study, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach was used to determine the weight indices of different factors that impact wetland ecosystems. To fully reflect the stability of the Yinchuan Plain wetland ecosystem, we distributed 150 questionnaires to experts who have long been engaged in wetland-related studies of the system; of these 123 were returned. The goals of the study were divided into three main criteria, determination of the function value (C1), environmental constraints (C2), and socio-economic value of each index (C3). The three main criteria were further divided into 11 indices at the bottom level. The results of target index layer sorted by combination weight analyses indicated that water supply, land-use structure, wetland protection laws and regulations and wetlands patch structure have the greatest influence on the stability of the Yinchuan Plain wetland ecosystem. Based on these findings, there is a need to further improve the water supply capacity, optimize the structure of land use and wetland patches structure, strengthen wetland protection laws and regulate construction to maintain the wetland ecosystem in Yinchuan Plain. (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd