Spatio-Temporal Analysis of the Effects of Human Activities on Habitat Quality: A Case Study of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, China

Abstract

In recent years, regional habitat quality (HQ) has significantly degenerated, mainly attributed to human activities. Evaluating the spatio-temporal effects of human activities on HQ is crucial for maintaining regional ecosystem and conservation of landscapes. In this paper, taking Guiyang city as a case study, the spatio-temporal patterns of HQ and human footprint (HF) in 2000, 2010 and 2020 were respectively calculated by the HQ model and human footprint index (HFI). Then, the bivariate local Moran’s I was applied to measure the spatial relationship between them. Urban development zoning was conducted on the basis of the spatio-temporal relationship. The results showed that (1) in the past 20 years, HQ in Guiyang city was mainly dominated by relatively high value areas (moderately high and high), accounting for more than 60% of the total area. The proportion of low HQ area increased from 12.5% in 2000 to 18.5% in 2020, indicating that urban development has caused the continuous degradation of HQ. (2) The human activities in Guiyang city undergone apparent changes. The area of low HF decreased from 51.5% in 2000 to 46.7% in 2020, while the area with high-value increased from 2% to 5.8%. (3) There was a significantly negative correlation between HQ and HF in Guiyang city. The increasing correlation coefficient indicated that the impact of human activities on HQ has been strengthening. (4) Based on the spatial zoning scheme, the territorial space of Guiyang city was divided into four types, that is, the core development zone, the moderate development zone, the habitat conservation zone and the prohibited development zone. A series of corresponding strategies were proposed for the characteristics of each zone. Our findings can serve as guidance to urban managers and policy-makers for adopting suitable urban development plans and appropriate management of natural environment.