Dynamics and change features of the eco-environment restoration in the worst hit area of a strong earthquake

Abstract

The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake brought severe damage and long-lasting impact to the eco-environment in the disaster area. To restore and protect the eco-environment, it is important to grasp the eco-environmental situation of the disaster area in a rapid, accurate, and dynamic manner. With the aid of geographical information system (GIS), this paper extracts the key parameters of the eco-environment, and establishes an evaluation index system for eco-environment quality. On this basis, the eco-environment quality of the disaster area was evaluated based on the 2007-2017 Landsat remote sensing images, using the analytic network process (ANP). The results show that the eco-environment quality of the disaster area was improving, but the restoration process varied greatly around fault zone and on river banks, which should be the focal points of monitoring; the spatiotemporal difference in eco-environment restoration is mainly attributable to the development degree of secondary geological disasters, and indirectly caused by formation lithology; there was a huge gap between the restoration speeds of artificial restoration area and natural restoration area, but the gap narrowed over time. The research results provide the basis for scientific decision-making on eco-environment repair and restoration in places similar to the disaster area, promoting the green economy and living condition in those regions.