Evolution Analysis of Ecological Security Pattern in Forest Areas Coupling Carbon Storage and Landscape Connectivity: A Case Study of the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, China

This study focuses on the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, examining the evolution of ecological security patterns and suggesting optimization strategies by integrating carbon storage and landscape connectivity, using multi-source data from 2000, 2010, and 2020. The study provides a comprehensive assessment of the region’s ecological security by estimating carbon stocks using the InVEST model, analyzing landscape connectivity through MSPA, and spatially extracting ecological corridors and nodes using circuit theory. The key findings are as follows: (1) High-value areas for carbon storage and landscape connectivity are primarily concentrated in the southeastern and northwestern forested mountain regions; (2) Ecological source areas are predominantly concentrated in the southeast and dispersed in the north, with the total area peaking in 2010 at 47,054.10 km2; (3) Northern ecological corridors are dense, radiating in a spider-web pattern, with pinch points concentrated at the corridor termini; southeastern corridors are sparse, mainly short, with fewer pinch points; (4) The area of ecological barriers increased by 280% over the past 20 years. Four major barrier zones were identified, all located at the junction of forest and farmland in the northwest, primarily composed of wetlands, drylands, and rural residential areas; (5) Based on the evolutionary characteristics of the Ecological Security Pattern over the past 20 years, an “axis, two belts, four zones, and multiple cores” ecological security planning framework was proposed, along with corresponding strategies. This study provides theoretical support and practical guidance for enhancing regional ecological network stability, optimizing landscape connectivity, and strengthening carbon sink functions.