Quantitative Evaluation of Ecological Cumulative Effects and Zoning Regulations for Prefectural Mining Units in China

• Published in: Chinese geographical science Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 49 - 63
• Main Authors: Ma, Li, Kang, Lei, Tian, Huazheng, Xu, Die
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Science Press 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V; Institute of Geographic Sciences and Nature Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China; College of Re-sources and Environment,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100049,China%Institute of Geographic Sciences and Nature Resources Research,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China; Key Laboratory of Regional Sustainable Development Modeling,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100101,China
• Subjects: Earth and Environmental Science; Environmental impact; Environmental protection; Geography; Mineral resources; Mining; Regulation; Resource development; Sustainable development; Urbanization; Zoning; China; prefectural mining units; zoning regulation; pressure-state-response model; ecological cumulative effects; quantitative evaluation
• ISSN: 1002-0063; 1993-064X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11769-022-1258-4

Although the development of energy and mineral resources strongly supports China’s rapid industrialization and urbanization, it has led to a series of ecological and environmental problems. Strengthening the spatial regulation considering the ecological and environmental protection on energy and mineral resource development areas is an important aspect of realizing China’s sustainable development. In this study, we mapped, categorized, and analyzed the ecological cumulative effects of the Chinese 134 prefectural mining units based on the pressure-state-response model, which is demonstrated as impact of mining activities on ecological environment, ecological environmental fragility, and ecological function. This investigation developed a stress zoning typology of the mining units based on scores of three dimensions of the ecological cumulative effects and classified 134 prefectural mining units into eight types of stress zones. A series of regulation and policy suggestions have been proposed to different types of zones from three aspects: space control, intensity control, and development mode control. The application of this evaluation and spatial zoning system will contribute to the refined spatial management of China’s mining areas.