Eco-Environmental Assessment of Earthquake-Stricken Area Based on Pressure-State-Response (P-S-R) Model

Abstract

The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake caused serious eco-environmental problems. To promote the restoration of ecological functions, it is important to carry out follow-up monitoring and scientific assessment of the eco-environment in the earthquake-stricken area. Based on the remote sensing (RS) images captured by Landsat satellites, this paper extracts and inverts the eco-environmental factors using RS and geographical information system (GIS) techniques. Then, an assessment index system was set up for the ecoenvironment in the earthquake-stricken area based on the pressure-state-response (P-S-R) model. After that, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) was adopted to thoroughly assess the eco-environment in the study area. The results show that the eco-environment state of the study area worsened quickly before a gradual improvement, exhibiting a benign development trend; the most significant eco-environment changes took place in the following areas: the worst-hit towns, both sides of the Beichuan Great Fault Zone, river banks, and regions with frequent human activities; the eco-environment restoration is mainly affected by the long-term impact of the earthquake and its secondary geological disasters, restoration measures, geological conditions, and intensity of human activities. The research results provide insights into the progress of ecological restoration and the dynamic changes of ecological functions in the earthquake-stricken areas, laying a scientific basis for preparing ecological restoration measures for different stages.