Geographical information system-based assessment of ecological security in Changbai Mountain region

Ecological security defined as the creation of a condition where the physical surroundings of a community provide for the needs of its inhabitants without diminishing its natural stock, which is important for regional security and social stability. In recent years, land use patterns in the Changbai Mountain region have changed significantly with intensive human activities, and consequently led to increasing problems in regional ecological security. Based on the Pressure-State-Impact-Response (PSIR) model and the mathematical method of catastrophe progression supported by geographical information system (GIS), the ecological security situation of the study area under land use and cover change (LUCC) was evaluated. The results indicated that the ecological security in Changbai Mountain region varied nonlinearly, which got better from 1990 to 2000 but became worse from 2000 to 2007, the ecological security levels in Changbai Mountain region were mainly medium and medium to low during the past 17 years, with higher values of Ecological Security Index (ESI) in the central region and lower values in the east and west, the ecological security situation was more serious in the settlements and river valleys, where the LUCC was most remarkable.