PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2017, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (3): 306-312.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2017.03.005

• Special Issue: Resource and Environmental Carrying Capacity • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Evaluation methods and case study of regional ecological carrying capacity for early-warning

Weihua XU1(), Yanying YANG1,2, Lu ZHANG1, Yi XIAO1, Xiaoke WANG1, Zhiyun OUYANG1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, CAS, Beijing 100085, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2017-01-01 Online:2017-03-20 Published:2017-03-20
  • Supported by:
    Science and Technology Service Network Initiative of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.KFJ-STS-ZDTP-022

Abstract:

Based on the national needs for resources and environment carrying capacity monitoring and early-warning, this article addresses the definition of ecological carrying capacity and its evaluation method for early-warning. A case study was carried out for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. The article concludes that ecological carrying capacity refers to the ability of ecosystems in providing ecosystem services, preventing ecological problems, and ensuring ecological security. Ecological carrying capacity evaluation for early-warning is to examine the extent of human disturbances that affect ecosystem services supply with regard to water retention, soil retention, sandstorm prevention; produce ecological problems; and affect regional and national ecological security. The main procedures involve indicator and evaluation method selection, threshold identification, status and trend analysis of ecological carrying capacity with reference to early-warning threshold, and cause analysis. The method and case study of ecological carrying capacity evaluation for early-warning proposed in this study can serve as a basis for regional and national assessment.

Key words: ecological carrying capacity, early-warning, ecosystem services, ecological security, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region