Spatial and Temporal Evolution of Land Use and the Response of Habitat Quality in Wusu, China

Abstract

Understanding land use change and its impact on habitat quality (HQ) is conducive to land use management and ecological protection. We used the InVEST model and the GeoDetector model to explore the land use and HQ of Wusu from 1980 to 2020. We found that the spatial distribution of land use in Wusu had the most dramatic change from 2000 to 2010, and accordingly, the habitat quality deteriorated seriously from 2000 to 2010. Via correlation analysis, the response of HQ to land use change is obvious, among which the negative effect of forest land to construction land is the largest, and the positive effect of construction land to water is the largest. However, the overall HQ had the largest negative response to the change of grassland to arable land, and the largest positive response to the change of unused land to grassland. Of the driving factors that cause land use change and thus affect HQ, the human factors are the strongest, and the negative impact on HQ is more irreversible. This study can provide a scientific basis for land use management and ecological protection in Wusu, and can help to further promote the exploration of human activities and ecological responses in arid and semi-arid areas.