Natural ecosystem investigation method

Abstract

The invention provides a natural ecosystem investigation method. The natural ecosystem investigation method comprises the following steps: S1, acquiring a high-resolution remote sensing image and DEM data, and dividing ecosystem types; s2, typical ecological problems of the ecological system are determined, sample plot design and sample plot dynamic arrangement are carried out, investigation points are arranged in a sample plot, and sampling analysis is carried out; and S3, performing data analysis according to the plaque partition map, the sample plot location map and the remote sensing image map. According to the dynamic survey method combining quadrat / transect and sampling point actual ground survey, the mutual verification of ground, remote sensing and model data is realized by combining a satellite remote sensing and model simulation technology with multiple data sources, typical / important ecological problem partitions in a watershed ecosystem range are found out and verified, and a watershed ecological system is established. Support is provided for design and implementation of the ecological engineering project, and a data index basis is provided for acceptance of the ecological engineering project.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ecological survey technology, and in particular to a method for surveying natural ecosystems. Background Technology

[0002] The Integrated Protection and Restoration Project of Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Fields, Lakes, Grasslands and Deserts (hereinafter referred to as the "Mountains and Rivers Project") is a major national-level ecological restoration action for territorial space that puts into practice the concept that "mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes and grasslands are a community of life". Following the succession laws and internal evolutionary mechanisms of natural ecosystems, it takes a holistic approach and multiple measures to protect, systematically restore and comprehensively manage the mountains and valleys, the ground and underground, the land and ocean, and the upstream and downstream of the watershed. The aim is to enhance the resilience of the ecosystem through systematic governance and achieve significant ecological, economic and social benefits.

[0003] The core of the Mountain and Water Project lies in the natural protection and restoration of natural watershed units such as river basins and lake peripheries. The scale for investigating the current status, identifying and diagnosing ecological problems within these watershed units is based on river segment ecosystems or ecosystem patches. The deployment of ecological restoration projects is primarily at the sub-river segment / bank zone level, focusing mainly on typical and prominent ecological problems. Therefore, the prerequisite for the engineering deployment and ecological governance effectiveness of the Mountain and Water Project is the investigation and monitoring of the current status and evolutionary trends of the natural ecosystem.

[0004] Traditional point or quadrat surveys often employ fixed grid layouts or regular quadrats of fixed length, resulting in limited coverage and neglecting the boundaries, synergies, similarities, and heterogeneities of ecosystem patches, corridors, and matrices. This leads to insufficient data at boundaries or abrupt changes, and key aberrant habitats are easily missed. Conversely, stable and large ecosystems contain an abundance of similar data, resulting in insufficient representativeness, unclear problem orientation, and excessively high costs. Traditional quadrat and survey point layouts lack dynamic adjustment mechanisms, making it difficult to adapt to patch fragmentation or succession changes. Data collection and analysis are often disconnected, failing to integrate multi-source data and conduct preliminary layout determination using remote sensing and geographic information systems. Furthermore, they fail to differentiate between patch, corridor, and matrix types at different scales and within different ecosystems, such as watersheds, river segments, and sub-segments.

[0005] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for investigating natural ecosystems, which overcomes the above-mentioned shortcomings of traditional investigation methods.

[0007] This invention provides a method for investigating natural ecosystems, comprising the following steps: S1: Acquire high-resolution remote sensing images and DEM data to classify ecosystem types; S2: Identify typical ecological problems in the ecosystem and design and dynamically deploy sample plots (quadrates / transects), set up survey points in the sample plots and conduct sampling analysis; S3: Data analysis is performed based on patch zoning maps, sample plot location maps, and remote sensing image maps.

[0008] The natural ecosystem survey method of this invention is applicable to watersheds (>10). 3 m) to form quadrats / transects-sampling points, thus controlling typical ecological problems and evolutionary trends at the watershed scale; in river sections / bank zones (10 2 On a scale of m), transects / quadrases are deployed, and survey points are set up within the quadrats or transects, with 3-4 survey points on each quadrat or transect. That is, sampling, testing, analysis, or long-term observation are carried out on a sub-river section / bank zone scale (0.1-10m).

[0009] In step S1, the classification of ecosystem types includes: inputting high-resolution remote sensing images (within 2m accuracy) and digital elevation model (DEM) data into ArcGIS; using edge detection based on the high-resolution remote sensing images to identify the boundaries of different types of ecosystems; calculating and generating slope maps based on DEM data; and classifying different ecosystems by combining DEM elevation data to clarify the patches, corridors, and matrix of the ecosystems.

[0010] Specifically, when elevation h ≤ 250m and slope a ≤ 5°, the ecosystem is a plain; when 250 < elevation h ≤ 500m and slope a ≤ 25°, the ecosystem is a hilly area; when 500 < elevation h ≤ 1000m and slope a ≤ 75°, the ecosystem is a mountainous area; and when elevation h ≥ 1000m, the ecosystem is a plateau. The watershed matrix is ​​generally grassland and woodland, the patches are generally grassland, woodland, mining areas, urban areas, and farmland, and the corridors are rivers, woodland, and grassland. Patches are divided into core patches ≥ 10 hm². 2 Generally, plaques are <10 hm² 2 .

[0011] In step S2, based on remote sensing imagery, patch zoning maps, preliminary reconnaissance data, and other relevant data, typical ecological problems and patch types of the ecosystem are identified, and quadrat / transect designs are implemented. Each quadrat / transect must include an ecological quality quadrat, and sub-quadrats are selected for water conservation, soil erosion, biodiversity, non-point source pollution, pests and diseases (invasive species), and ecosystem carbon sequestration. Each quadrat / transect must include the mandatory quadrat, and the sub-quadrats must be within the mandatory quadrat.

[0012] The quadrats are mainly located in ecosystem patches with typical ecological problems. In principle, no more than two similar quadrats are set up in each ecosystem patch, with a total area of ​​10 hectares. 2The following general patches will be constructed using only one quadrat. All quadrats are regularly shaped. Transects can be nested within quadrats. For nested quadrats in economic forests, degraded land, or cultivated land, the shape can be irregular. The boundary will be defined by a clearly observable abrupt change, with 2-3 sampling points. Each quadrat will have 2-3 survey points, and the transect can have 3-4 survey points, totaling the sum of the sampling points from the nested quadrat and the 1 sampling point along the transect on the river. Specific quadrat / transect-sampling point survey details are shown in Table 1.

[0013] Table 1

[0014] Quadrats / transects are primarily deployed on ecosystem patches in areas with typical ecological problems. Three quadrats are deployed in the matrix and corridors, one each in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the watershed. These are mostly background quadrats, accounting for 5-10% of the total number of quadrats. For the same ecological problem area, no more than nine quadrats of the same type are allowed around a single river body, and no more than three in each of the upper, middle, and lower reaches. Real-time imagery from drones can be used to correct the location of quadrats / transects. The total number of quadrats / transects accounts for 10-15% of the total number of patches, corridors, and matrix. After the quadrats / transects are fixed, three surveys are generally conducted: before, during, and after the implementation of major watershed ecological restoration projects. For each survey, ArcMap is used for indoor work, and a combination of mobile Aowei Maps and drone aerial photography is used for outdoor work.

[0015] In step S3, the relevant data of the indicators are analyzed based on the patch zoning map, quadrat location map, and remote sensing image. The average value and interval of the indicator data for each quadrat are taken and compared with its horizontal range, as well as the before, during and after comparisons, to evaluate the effectiveness of the major ecological restoration project.

[0016] This invention presents a natural ecosystem survey method that distinguishes between different types of ecosystems within a watershed unit, such as matrix, corridor, and patch. It employs a quadrat / transect-sampling point approach to form quadrat / transect zones at the watershed scale, controlling major ecological problems and analyzing their primary causes. At the river segment scale, it establishes the synergistic integration of quadrats and transects, analyzes typical ecological problems, divides ecological problem zones into different severity levels, and sets up engineering sub-projects for different types of ecological restoration. At the sub-segment (site) scale, it identifies typical ecological problem areas, designs quadrat / transects, and deploys survey points within them, specifying sampling objects and corresponding testing and analysis indicators. Based on this, it deploys major ecological restoration sub-projects, using artificial intervention to restore / mitigate continuously deteriorating ecological problems at the sub-segment (site) scale. This invention addresses the rigidity and shortcomings of traditional survey methods by combining remote sensing analysis with a dynamic survey method that integrates quadrat / transect and actual ground surveys at sampling points.

[0017] The natural ecosystem survey method of this invention utilizes satellite remote sensing and model simulation technologies, combined with station observations, field surveys, routine monitoring, resource inventory, basic information, UAV near-ground surveys, and human empirical surveys, as well as multiple data sources such as meteorological, hydrological, and soil data from various indicator monitoring points. This integrates field observation data, model simulation data, and remote sensing Earth observation data. Through multi-source data fusion and scale conversion, it achieves mutual verification of ground, remote sensing, and model data. It primarily identifies and verifies typical and important ecological problem zones within river sections, providing support for the design and implementation of engineering projects. Based on the ecological benefits and performance derived from typical ecological problems in different ecosystems, it conducts pre-construction, during-construction, and post-construction surveys, providing data indicators for the acceptance of ecological engineering projects.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following advantages: (1) Spatial sorting breaks through the limitations of various uniform sampling survey methods, making the distribution of sample plots and sample points conform to the landscape ecological pattern, focusing on ecological issues, improving data representativeness, and having comprehensiveness and cross-cutting.

[0019] (2) It innovates in efficiency and cost, significantly saving survey time, workload and cost. It has significant advantages such as being fast, efficient and not damaging biological resources. It avoids low information areas through patch pre-screening.

[0020] (3) Multi-scale correlation: The data coupling of “patch structure-problem focus-key deployment” is adopted to support the analysis of ecological process mechanism before and after ecological engineering, and the data is comparable in both horizontal and vertical directions.

[0021] (4) Intelligent drive: Combined with patch calculation and recognition accuracy of over 90%, it can be used in conjunction with mobile app and drone aerial photography to reduce the implementation threshold. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a three-level nested survey structure (sample-quagmire / sampling line-sampling point); Figure 2 A deployment map for a multi-scale nested natural ecological survey of the Jincong River Basin; Figure 3 A deployment map for a multi-scale nested natural ecological survey of the Yingzhou River Basin.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 11: Watershed; 12: River section; 13: Sub-section; 14: Quadrat (irregular and regular); 15: Sample point; 16: Transect; 17: Ecological problem area (degraded grassland: soil desertification and salinization, local soil layer loss, vegetation loss); 18: Quadrat over transect; 21: Ecological patch zoning map; 22: Distribution map of typical ecological problems; 23: Quadrature / transect-sampling point deployment map (actual quadratures / transects are too small to be displayed using a coin to represent them); 24: High-resolution orthophoto; 31: Ecological patch zoning map; 32: Distribution map of typical ecological problems; 33: Quadrat / transect-sampling point deployment map (actual quadrats / transects are too small to be displayed using a comma); 34: High-resolution orthophoto. Detailed Implementation

[0025] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0026] It should be noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to limit the exemplary implementations according to this application. As used herein, the singular form includes the plural form unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Furthermore, it should be understood that when the terms "comprising" and / or "including" are used in this description, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0027] The technical solution of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0028] Example 1 This embodiment is a multi-scale nested natural ecological survey of the Jincong River Basin Ecological Restoration Project, a sub-project of the Southern Hainan Landscape Engineering Project. A schematic diagram of the three-level nested survey structure is shown below. Figure 1 .

[0029] (1) Classification of watershed ecosystem types High-resolution remote sensing imagery (within 1m accuracy) and digital elevation model (DEM) data were input into ArcGIS. In ArcMap, the Canny algorithm was used to identify different ecosystem boundaries. Slope maps (slope a) were generated using the DEM data. These were then combined with DEM elevations (elevation h) (h≤250m, a≤5° for plains; 250<h≤500m, a≤25° for hills) to delineate different ecosystems. The watershed matrix was woodland, patches included grassland, economic forestland, urban areas, and farmland, and corridors were rivers.

[0030] (2) Dynamic layout of quadrats / sampling lines and sampling points 1) Design of Plot / Transect Types: Based on remote sensing imagery, patch zoning maps, and preliminary reconnaissance data, identify the main typical ecological problems existing in the watershed ecosystem and design plots / transects accordingly. Each plot / transect must include an ecological quality plot, and subplots for water conservation, soil erosion, non-point source pollution, and ecosystem carbon sequestration must also be selected. Each plot / transect must include the mandatory plots, and the subplots must be within the mandatory plots.

[0031] The quadrats are mainly located in ecosystem patches with typical ecological problems. In principle, no more than two similar quadrats are set up in each ecosystem patch, with a total area of ​​10 hectares. 2 The following patches will be divided into only one quadrat. All quadrats are regular in shape. Transects can be nested within quadrats. Quadrats nested within economic forests, degraded land, or cultivated land can be irregular in shape, with their observable abrupt changes serving as boundaries. Two to three sampling points will be set up for each quadrat. Each quadrat will have 2 to 3 survey points, and the transect can have 3 to 4 survey points, totaling the sum of the points from the nested quadrat and one point along the transect on the river. Specific quadrat / transect-sampling point survey details are shown in Table 2.

[0032] Table 2

[0033] 2) Adaptive layout of quadrats / segments Quadrates / transects are primarily deployed on ecosystem patches in areas with typical ecological problems. Three quadrats are deployed in the matrix and corridors, one each in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the watershed. These are mostly background quadrats, accounting for 5-10% of the total number of quadrats. Within the same ecological problem area, no more than nine similar quadrats are deployed around a single river body, and no more than three in each of the upper, middle, and lower reaches. Real-time imagery from drones can be used to correct the location of quadrats / transects. The total number of quadrats / transects accounts for 10-15% of the total number of patches, corridors, and matrix.

[0034] In accordance with the above requirements, a total of 21 sample plots were established, including 4 soil erosion plots, 4 water conservation plots, 8 ecosystem carbon sink plots (including 5 plots for invasive species), and 5 non-point source pollution transects. This survey is a mid-term survey of the project implementation. See Table 3 for details.

[0035] Table 3

[0036] (3) Multi-source data fusion analysis Analysis of relevant data was conducted based on patch zoning maps, quadrat location maps, and remote sensing imagery. The average value and interval of each quadrat's index data were compared horizontally, and comparisons were made at the beginning, middle, and end of the cycle. The watershed was found to lack areas with non-point source pollution or weak water conservation capacity. The main ecological problems were soil erosion areas and localized river blockages. Invasive plants were present in the ecological carbon sink area. Future major remediation projects could include relevant soil and water conservation and vegetation restoration projects. Finally, the watershed's ecological restoration effectiveness was assessed by comparing the rate of reduction in soil erosion intensity with the rate of increase in ecological carbon sinks.

[0037] See the multi-scale nested natural ecological survey deployment map of the Jincong River Basin. Figure 2 .

[0038] Example 2 This embodiment is a multi-scale nested natural ecological survey of the Yingzhou River Wetland Ecological Restoration Project, a sub-project of the Southern Hainan Landscape Engineering Project.

[0039] (1) Classification of watershed ecosystem types High-resolution remote sensing imagery (within 1m accuracy) and digital elevation model (DEM) data were input into ArcGIS. In ArcMap, the Canny algorithm was used to identify different ecosystem boundaries. Slope maps (slope a) were generated using the DEM data. These were then combined with DEM elevations (elevation h) (h≤250m, a≤5° for plains; 250<h≤500m, a≤25° for hills) to delineate different ecosystems. The watershed matrix consisted of economic forest land, patches included grassland, economic forest land, urban areas, and farmland, and corridors were rivers.

[0040] (2) Dynamic layout of quadrats / sampling lines and sampling points 1) Design of Plot / Transect Types: Based on remote sensing imagery, patch zoning maps, and preliminary reconnaissance data, identify the main typical ecological problems existing in the watershed ecosystem and design plots / transects accordingly. Each plot / transect must include an ecological quality plot, and subplots for water conservation, soil erosion, non-point source pollution, and ecosystem carbon sequestration must also be selected. Each plot / transect must include the mandatory plots, and the subplots must be within the mandatory plots.

[0041] The quadrats are mainly located in ecosystem patches with typical ecological problems. In principle, no more than two similar quadrats are set up in each ecosystem patch, with a total area of ​​10 hectares. 2The following patches will be divided into only one quadrat. All quadrats are regular in shape. Transects can be nested within quadrats. Quadrats nested within economic forests, degraded land, or cultivated land can be irregular in shape, with their observable abrupt changes serving as boundaries. 2-3 sampling points will be set up for each quadrat. Each quadrat will have 2-3 survey points, and the transect can have 3-4 survey points, totaling the sum of the points from the nested quadrat and the 1 point along the transect on the river. Specific quadrat / transect-sampling point survey details are shown in Table 4.

[0042] Table 4

[0043] 2) Adaptive layout of quadrats / segments Quadrates / transects are primarily deployed on ecosystem patches in areas with typical ecological problems. Three quadrats are deployed in the matrix and corridors, one each in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the watershed. These are mostly background quadrats, accounting for 5-10% of the total number of quadrats. Within the same ecological problem area, no more than nine similar quadrats are deployed around a single river body, and no more than three in each of the upper, middle, and lower reaches. Real-time imagery from drones can be used to correct the location of quadrats / transects. The total number of quadrats / transects accounts for 10-15% of the total number of patches, corridors, and matrix.

[0044] In accordance with the above requirements, a total of 23 sample plots were established, including 5 soil erosion plots, 5 water conservation plots, 8 ecosystem carbon sink plots (including 4 plots for invasive species), and 5 non-point source pollution transects. This survey is a mid-term survey of the project implementation. See Table 5 for details.

[0045] Table 5

[0046] (3) Multi-source data fusion analysis Analysis of relevant data based on patch zoning maps, quadrat location maps, and remote sensing imagery was conducted. The average and interval values ​​of each quadrat's index data were compared horizontally, and comparisons were made before, during, and at the end of the cycle. The main ecological problems identified were soil erosion areas, areas prone to non-point source pollution, and wetland shrinkage areas. Invasive plant zones were found in the ecological carbon sink area. Future major remediation projects could include soil and water conservation projects, river dredging projects, and vegetation restoration projects. Finally, the effectiveness of watershed ecological restoration was assessed by comparing the reduction rate of soil erosion intensity, the improvement rate of water conservation, and the increase rate of ecological carbon sink.

[0047] See the deployment map of the multi-scale nested natural ecological survey of the Yingzhou River Basin. Figure 3 .

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for investigating natural ecosystems, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: Acquire high-resolution remote sensing images and DEM data to classify ecosystem types; S2: Identify typical ecological problems in the ecosystem and design and dynamically deploy sample plots, set up survey points in the sample plots and conduct sampling analysis; S3: Data analysis is performed based on patch zoning maps, sample plot location maps, and remote sensing image maps.

2. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the classification of ecosystem types includes: inputting high-resolution remote sensing images and DEM data into ArcGIS; using edge detection based on high-resolution remote sensing images to identify the boundaries of different types of ecosystems; calculating and generating slope maps based on DEM data; and combining DEM elevations to classify different ecosystems and clarify the patches, corridors, and matrix of the ecosystems.

3. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the elevation h ≤ 250m and the slope a ≤ 5°, the ecosystem is a plain; when the elevation h ≤ 500m and the slope a ≤ 25°, the ecosystem is a hilly area; when the elevation h ≤ 1000m and the slope a ≤ 75°, the ecosystem is a mountainous area; when the elevation h ≥ 1000m, the ecosystem is a plateau.

4. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 2, characterized in that, The patches are grassland, woodland, mining area, city, and farmland; the corridors are rivers, woodland, and grassland; and the matrix is ​​grassland and woodland.

5. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 2, characterized in that, Patches were classified into ≥10 hm² 2 Core patches and <10hm 2 Typical plaques.

6. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S2, typical ecological problems of the ecosystem are determined based on remote sensing images, patch zoning maps, preliminary survey data, and other relevant data.

7. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sample plot design includes mandatory sample plots and sub-selected sample plots. The mandatory sample plots are ecological quality quadrats, and the sub-selected sample plots are water conservation quadrats, soil erosion quadrats, biodiversity quadrats, non-point source pollution quadrats, pest and disease quadrats, and ecosystem carbon sink quadrats.

8. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sample plots were set up on ecosystem patches in areas with typical ecological problems, and the location of the sample plots was corrected by real-time image feedback from drones.

9. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ecosystem is a watershed ecosystem. The quadrat / transect-sampling point method is used to form quadrat / transect strips at the watershed scale, form quadrat and transect synergistic nesting at the river section scale, design quadrat / transect at the sub-river section scale, and set up survey points in the quadrat / transect.

10. The method for investigating natural ecosystems according to claim 9, characterized in that, Each quadrat should have 2-3 survey points, and each transect should have 3-4 survey points. The total number of quadrats / transects should account for 10-15% of the total number of patches, corridors, and matrix.

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