Ecological Health Assessment in Rocky Desertification Control Areas from a Landscape Pattern-Process Coupling Perspective

To investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of ecosystem health in a typical rocky desertification control demonstration zone. This study utilized land use data and remote sensing imagery from 1992, 2003, 2009, 2015, and 2021. Landscape pattern analysis was employed to quantify landscape characteristics. A Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model framework was integrated to establish an ecosystem health assessment system comprising 14 indicator factors, enabling ecosystem health evaluation from the perspective of coupling landscape patterns and ecological processes. Key findings reveal: Significant cropland expansion occurred within the study area, accompanied by mutual transitions within ecological land types, yet the overall landscape structure remained relatively stable. The regional landscape underwent substantial transformations, characterized by grassland reduction alongside increases in cropland and shrubland. These changes led to decreased landscape heterogeneity and fragmentation, an increasingly dominant landscape matrix, significantly enhanced connectivity, and reduced diversity. Ecosystem health experienced an initial deterioration phase followed by gradual recovery. By 2021, a transition trend emerged where a suboptimal state prevailed, yet localized areas exhibited improved quality. Distinct variations in ecological response mechanisms were observed across different geomorphic types. Unhealthy ecosystems were predominantly distributed in areas of intensive human activity, specifically peak-cluster platforms (I), eroded platforms (III), and V-shaped valleys (V). These results underscore the necessity of considering differential ecological carrying capacities inherent to various geomorphic types during rocky desertification control. Implementing differentiated management strategies and adaptive governance is crucial for promoting the sustainable enhancement of regional ecosystem health.