Strategic zoning for ecological security risk in mountainous national parks: a case from central China

Scientific strategic zoning for ecological security risk have become key factors in enhancing the ecological management of national parks. Existing studies often lack integrated analyses of the multidimensional functions of ecosystems, and the connection between ecological zoning strategies and practical management needs remains weak. Accordingly, this study uses Shennongjia National Park as a representative case to develop an ecological security pattern (ESP) framework grounded in the integrated analysis of ecological importance, ecological sensitivity, and spatial resistance. In conclusion, ecological security in Shennongjia is highly heterogeneous, and connectivity bottlenecks and fracture points concentrate the most actionable vulnerabilities. The proposed source–corridor–node ESP enables strategic zoning that prioritizes core sources, protects key corridors, and targets barrier mitigation where connectivity is most at risk, offering a replicable decision-support tool for mountainous national parks. Thus, the study enriches the analytical framework for ecological security in national parks; practically, it offers technical pathways and management insights for strategic ecological zoning, risk identification, and ecological restoration in mountainous parks. These findings are of great significance for addressing ecological security challenges under climate change and for advancing the modernization of ecological spatial governance systems. Then, this study advances ESP research for mountainous national parks by coupling ecosystem-service-based ecological importance with terrain- and land-cover-driven ecological sensitivity to form an integrated ecological security assessment, and by translating the assessment into a management-oriented “source–corridor–node” ecological security pattern using a resistance surface and MCR-based connectivity analysis. By further identifying ecological fracture points, the framework supports strategic zoning and restoration prioritization that are directly actionable for national park governance under increasing climate and anthropogenic uncertainties.