| Abstract: | Maintenance of ecosystem health is the primary focus of a sound ecological restoration.Yet methods involved in quantifying and assessing the health level remain a challenge to the ecological community.In this study,we selected the hill and gully area of Loess Plateau,Inner Mongolia,China,as our study area.The soil and water erosions in this area continue to be responsible for many environmental problems in northern China because of its fragility and long disturbance history.In this study,we developed an assessment method of indicator system(AMIS)based on analytical hierarchy process(AHP),fuzzy mathematics.and the theory of net-hierarchy.At ecosystem or catchment scale,three sample areas,that is(1)intact vegetation(i.e., Aguimiao Natural Reserve,110°45'E,39°28'N),(2)reconstructed vegetation(Wufendigou Soil and Water Conservation Experimental Area,111°07'E 39°45'N),and (3)severely degraded vegetation(Yangquangou Catchment,111°06'E,39°45'N)in the hill and gully area of Loess Plateau in Inner Mongolia.China.were selected to examine ecosystem vigor,organizational structure,service function,and soil healm.We applied the AMIS for all three landscapes by categorizing each ecosystem into five health levels.Wle found that the health index for reconstructed vegetation were at levels of Ⅳ,Ⅱ,Ⅳ,and Ⅲ,while those of degraded vegetation were ranked at Ⅴ,Ⅳ,Ⅴ,and Ⅳ.Overall.the comprehensive ecosystem health index of reconstmcted vegetation was lower than that of intact vegetation but higher than that of degraded vegetation.The health index for reconstructed vegetation was at level Ⅲ.and that of degraded vegetation was still at level Ⅳ.The contributing values were:organization structure＞soil health＞vigor＞service function.Based on our results and assessments,we proposed several management recommendations and methods for restoring the regional ecosystems. |
