Identifying potential protected areas by integrating multi-faceted conservation features: A case study of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture

doi:10.17520/biods.2025080

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims: Enhancing the development and effectiveness of natural protected areas (PAs) constitutes a pivotal component of China’s ecological civilization strategy. By systematically integrating multi-faceted conservation features—including ecosystem types, species, ecosystem services, and natural relics—into conservation planning, PA systems can more effectively maintain ecosystem integrity and enhance conservation effectiveness. However, current research on systematic conservation planning that integrates these multi-faceted conservation features remains relatively limited. Therefore, this study aims to implement a comprehensive conservation planning approach by integrating these multi-faceted conservation features.

Methods: Taking Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture as the study area, this study selected six categories of conservation features at multiple facets: richness of plant and animal conservation species, natural vegetation coverage, priority conservation vegetation type coverage, key ecosystem services, and natural relics. The entropy method was employed to determine the weights of each category of conservation features. By locking in existing PAs, the systematic conservation planning model Zonation was applied to identify the spatial distribution of potential PAs.

Results: The results indicated that, based on the 30% area-based conservation target, existing PAs currently covered 8.0% of the total study area, while potential PAs accounted for 22.0%. These potential PAs offered more comprehensive coverage of multi-faceted conservation features, including species, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and natural relics, thereby significantly enhancing the ecological representativeness of existing PAs. Potential PAs were primarily distributed in Yunlong County, the north of Jianchuan County, and Yongping County. Conservation effectiveness could be strengthened through the establishment of new PAs or the expansion of existing ones.

Conclusion: The potential PAs identified in this study offer more comprehensive coverage of multi-faceted conservation features, thereby enhancing the ecological representativeness of the existing PA network. The planning approach implemented here provides actionable scientific support for optimizing PA systems in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture and other regions.

Key words: natural protected areas, systematic conservation planning, biodiversity, ecosystem services, natural relics

Jinyi Luo, Ji Zhang, Yanling Bi, Zhe Chen, Ruidong Wu. Identifying potential protected areas by integrating multi-faceted conservation features: A case study of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture[J]. Biodiv Sci, 2025, 33(11): 25080.

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URL: https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/10.17520/biods.2025080

https://www.biodiversity-science.net/EN/Y2025/V33/I11/25080

Figures/Tables 5

References 44

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保护对象 Conservation features	熵值 Entropy (e_j)	差异化系数 Differentiation coefficient (h_j)	权重 Weight (w_j)	已建保护地覆盖率Coverage of existing protected areas (%)	潜在保护地覆盖率 Coverage of potential protected areas (%)	总保护覆盖率 Total protection coverage (%)
植物保护物种丰富度 Richness of plant conservation species	0.8553	0.1447	0.1721	83.84	82.30	90.94
动物保护物种丰富度 Richness of animal conservation species	0.8387	0.1613	0.1918	86.74	92.27	94.48
自然植被覆盖度 Natural vegetation coverage	0.9170	0.0830	0.0987	9.56	26.02	35.58
优先保护植被类型覆盖度 Priority conservation vegetation type coverage	0.7573	0.2427	0.2886	10.84	74.92	85.76
重要生态系统服务 Key ecosystem services	0.8797	0.1203	0.1431	9.82	32.16	41.98
自然遗迹 Natural relics	0.9111	0.0889	0.1057	67.16	25.10	92.26

保护对象 Conservation features	熵值 Entropy (e_j)	差异化系数 Differentiation coefficient (h_j)	权重 Weight (w_j)	已建保护地覆盖率Coverage of existing protected areas (%)	潜在保护地覆盖率 Coverage of potential protected areas (%)	总保护覆盖率 Total protection coverage (%)
植物保护物种丰富度 Richness of plant conservation species	0.8553	0.1447	0.1721	83.84	82.30	90.94
动物保护物种丰富度 Richness of animal conservation species	0.8387	0.1613	0.1918	86.74	92.27	94.48
自然植被覆盖度 Natural vegetation coverage	0.9170	0.0830	0.0987	9.56	26.02	35.58
优先保护植被类型覆盖度 Priority conservation vegetation type coverage	0.7573	0.2427	0.2886	10.84	74.92	85.76
重要生态系统服务 Key ecosystem services	0.8797	0.1203	0.1431	9.82	32.16	41.98
自然遗迹 Natural relics	0.9111	0.0889	0.1057	67.16	25.10	92.26