Ecological Indicators最新文献

{"title":"Leaf size variations in four ground-floor bryophytes and their environmental drivers across the forests of the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau","authors":"Shuang Yang ,&nbsp;Yan Liu ,&nbsp;Nianpeng He","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113347","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113347","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Variations in leaf size and its responses to environmental variables will improve our understanding of how different species adapt to regional climate changes. Bryophytes usually form dominant ground-floor cover in temperate and boreal forests and could be used as indicators of the forest types. However, interspecific and intraspecific variations in leaf size of bryophytes and their relationships with environmental variables remain poorly understood. We sampled four ground-floor bryophytes, i.e., <em>Abietinella abietina</em>, <em>Rhytidium rugosum</em>, <em>Thuidium assimile</em>, and <em>T. cymbifolium</em>, across the forests of the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), measured the leaf length (LL), leaf width (LW), and leaf area (LA) of each species, and estimated the relative amounts of interspecific (BTV), intraspecific trait variation (ITV), and environmental factors to the total trait variance. Hierarchical partitioning analysis was used to evaluate the individual effects of environmental factors on leaf size variations in each species. The trait<strong>-</strong>environment relationships were analyzed using a simple linear model. The coefficient of variation of LA, LL, and LW ranged from 18.29% to 64.04%, from 11.42% to 37.91%, and from 11.71% to 36.44%, respectively. For the three leaf size traits, BTV was greater than ITV and climate had stronger explanatory power than soil and microhabitat. The leaf size of <em>A. abietina</em> was primarily dominated by climate and positively correlated with temperature seasonality. The leaf size of <em>R. rugosum</em> and <em>T. assimile</em> were controlled by soil and increased with the increasing soil organic carbon. Bryophyte cover determined the leaf size of <em>T. cymbifolium</em> and they were positively related. The results suggested that the leaf size of three species would tend to be smaller under global warming of the QTP. The findings provided valuable evidence in variations of bryophyte leaf size and new insights into the plants’ responses to global climate change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113347"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644041","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantitative analysis of local coupling and telecoupling mechanism between urbanization and ecological environment quality based on multi-source remote sensing data","authors":"Xiaoyan Zhao ,&nbsp;Shucheng Tan ,&nbsp;Yongping Li ,&nbsp;Shamshad Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113345","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113345","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Delving deeply into the interactive coupling mechanism between the ecological environment quality (EEQ) and urbanization has already become the key to the coupled human-environment, and the core element for achieving the goal of sustainable development. Following the continuous advancement of economic globalization, the long-term interaction models among regions have been continuously strengthened. The proposal of the telecoupling concept has expanded the analytical dimension of the research on the coupling mechanism between urbanization and the natural environment. However, standard measurement of the coupling mechanism between urbanization and the ecological environment only considers local coupling while ignoring telecoupling. The remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) approach for assessing EEQ does not account for the abundance index (AI) of biological species in an ecosystem. The accuracy of measuring the urbanization level (UL) of small areas by nighttime light (NL) data is not high due to the influence of resolution. Therefore, this study has improved the RSEI model and the nighttime light index (CNLI) model, and carried out a quantitative research on the local coupling and telecoupling coordination degree (LTCCD) between urbanization and the EEQ of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle (CCEC) from 2000 to 2020. The results show that: (1) The improved research methods can objectively and quantitatively evaluate the LTCCD between urbanization and the EEQ of the CCEC. (2) The development level of urbanization shows a significant growth trend, with a yearly average growth rate of 0.00716a^–1, and spatially forms an urban circle development pattern of “dual-core-periphery structure”. (3) The entire EEQ is oscillating downward, with an average yearly increase rate of −0.00349a^–1, and spatially presents a circular distribution pattern of “poor EEQ in core cities, average in intermediate hilly areas, and good in peripheral mountainous areas”. (4) The LTCCD value has a growth rate of 0.00986a^–1, and the differences among cities are significant. The radiation ability of cities presents the spatial characteristics of “strong in core cities such as Chengdu and Chongqing, and weakened in central and marginal cities”. The urbanization and EEQ of the CCEC have experienced a development process from non-coordination to coordination. In order to promote regional economic development, natural environment protection, implement the concept of sustainable development, corresponding suggestions, and measures have been proposed based on city coupling and coordination levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113345"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644042","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A comprehensive analysis of forest restoration practices across Europe: Ecological, economic, social and policy dimensions","authors":"M. Menéndez-Miguélez ,&nbsp;A. Rubio-Cuadrado ,&nbsp;J. Bauhus ,&nbsp;I. Cañellas ,&nbsp;T. Crowther ,&nbsp;S. de-Miguel ,&nbsp;M. Erdozain ,&nbsp;J. Hoffmann ,&nbsp;K. Kremer ,&nbsp;M. Sotirov ,&nbsp;K. Lapin ,&nbsp;T. Lundhede ,&nbsp;S. Jacobs ,&nbsp;E. Schatzdorfer ,&nbsp;L. Werden ,&nbsp;I. Alberdi","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113348","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113348","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Scaling up ecosystem restoration is essential to halt and reverse land degradation and biodiversity loss and ensure future functionality and resilience. However, the implementation of concrete restoration initiatives will present many challenges, such as setting appropriate and realistic goals, selecting or developing the most effective and efficient restoration practices, as well as carrying out effective short- and long-term monitoring of success. Furthermore, there is a lack of information to facilitate the implementation of effective restoration interventions. To address this knowledge gap we gathered information on the ecological, economic, social and policy challenges faced by restoration practitioners across Europe using a widely distributed online survey.</div><div>Based on the 398 responses received from practitioners working in 31 countries we assessed how practical and scientific knowledge form an integral part of restoration initiatives. The focus of more than 40% of respondents from restoration projects was on increasing the population of species (plant species) and promoting their regeneration. Two common elements emerged across the wide diversity of responses: 1) a prevalent belief that restoration enhances multiple ecological aspects simultaneously, and subsequently, 2) the importance of developing monitoring frameworks that holistically evaluate restoration effectiveness, given the difficulty in defining a single, exclusive indicator of restoration success, as this could oversimplify the outcomes in complex ecosystems. Furthermore, respondents emphasized the importance of taking a holistic approach to restoration design, encompassing not only ecological aspects but also social, economic, and policy dimensions. The findings from the analysis of this survey provide, for the first time, a comprehensive view of the ecosystems and restoration activities that European countries are prioritizing, along with evaluation by the stakeholders involved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113348"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the allergenic potential of urban green spaces using orthoimagery and airborne LiDAR data","authors":"Jinzhou Wu ,&nbsp;Robbe Neyns ,&nbsp;Markus Münzinger ,&nbsp;Frank Canters","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past decades, pollen allergy has become one of the most widespread public health issues. The number of individuals having allergies to pollen has dramatically increased, especially in urban and industrial areas. Quantifying the allergenic potential of urban green spaces and developing allergy sensitive strategies for green space management and planning are therefore becoming increasingly important. Mapping the allergenicity of urban parks requires detailed information on tree species and tree crown volume which for many cities is not available or is not updated on a regular basis. This study assesses the potential of very high-resolution remote sensing for mapping allergenic tree genera and proposes a workflow for quantifying the allergenic potential of urban green spaces (UGS). Using a convolutional network approach six allergenic genera are mapped within 52 urban green spaces across the Brussels Capital Region. The classification model achieves an overall accuracy of 0.86, with precision for the six genera ranging from 0.82 to 0.92. By combining the obtained map with tree crown measures derived from airborne LiDAR data an assessment of the allergenicity of the 52 UGS is made, accounting for misclassification bias in the mapping of tree genera. Smaller, often more centrally located neighborhood parks have the lowest index values. Landscape parks and protected habitats in the periphery of the region have higher allergenicity values.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113353"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641737","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A novel framework for phytoplankton biomonitoring: Trait assignment of 23S rRNA sequences","authors":"Kálmán Tapolczai ,&nbsp;Frédéric Rimet ,&nbsp;Miloš Ćirić ,&nbsp;Andreas Ballot ,&nbsp;Christophe Laplace-Treyture ,&nbsp;Benjamin Alric","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113361","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113361","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Phytoplankton is a key biological group used to assess the ecological status of lakes in several legislative water management plans. Two cutting-edge approaches for community characterization are DNA metabarcoding and trait-based analyses. While the former provides a fast, cost-effective and high-throughput methodology for identifying communities, the latter reveals the structure of communities through bio-ecological traits. The main aim of this study was to combine these approaches to directly assign traits to amplicon sequence variants. To achieve this, we used the newly developed Phytool v3 reference database. Using an <em>in silico</em> test, we assessed the efficiency and reliability of our approach. We found: (1) that a greater number of sequences with better reliability can be assigned to traits than to genus or species level and (2) that traits are conserved in the phylogeny with varying extent. Then, we tested the usefulness of direct trait assignment on environmental samples from lakes. The test showed a greater number of successfully assigned sequences and a good ecological interpretation of community structures in the different environments. Furthermore, we identified three factors (completeness of the reference library, sequence similarity and the number of neighbours in the reference database) which, depending on the trait under consideration, interfere with the assignment success of our approach. While DNA metabarcoding data can be exploited in many ways depending on the objectives, our study showed that an innovative framework based on direct trait assignment of sequences could overcome gaps in reference databases and further improve our knowledge of phytoplankton community structure.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113361"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143642344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the water-energy-food nexus efficiency and influencing factors in China: An integrated EBM and Tobit model analysis","authors":"Yangxi Lv ,&nbsp;Shiyu Yan ,&nbsp;Xuanman Lai ,&nbsp;Shimiao Luo","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113357","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113357","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rising demand for water, energy, and food has intensified resource constraints and environmental challenges, making the efficient use of resources a curcial strategic necessity. This research established an Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM) model considering undesired outputs to investigate the water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) system efficiency in China from 2011 to 2022. Additionally, a Tobit regression model was applied to ascertain the key factors influencing efficiency. Results reveal that: (1) China’s WEFN system efficiency exhibits a fluctuating pattern in which the water subsystem is the limiting factor. (2) The inter-provincial WEFN system’s efficiency has notable spatial differences, with the eastern region outperforming the central and western regions. (3) There is significant spatial agglomeration between regions, with high-high (H-H) clusters predominantly in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei area, whereas low-low (L-L) clusters are primarily located in central and western provinces. (4) From the perspectives of both geographic location and efficiency distribution, per capita arable land (PCA) has been identified as a critical factor affecting the WEFN system efficiency. In conclusion, facilitating the rational use of resources and limiting pollution are effective measures to optimize the efficiency of the WEFN system and foster high-quality development in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113357"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nitrogen cycling and functional gene diversity of drinking reservoir area in agricultural districts: Implications for nitrogen transformation processes","authors":"Mengze Li ,&nbsp;Wenwen Wang ,&nbsp;Shengwu Yuan ,&nbsp;Kun Wang ,&nbsp;Shuhang Wang ,&nbsp;Wei Li ,&nbsp;Xia Jiang ,&nbsp;Wenqiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Baoqing Shan","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrogen pollution in aquatic ecosystems, especially in shallow lakes and reservoirs, has intensified in recent years due to human activities like agricultural fertilization and wastewater discharge. However, the microbial mechanisms driving nitrogen cycling are not well understood. This study examines nitrogen migration, transformation, and the microbial mechanisms driving nitrogen cycling in the QuanMin Reservoir, which is heavily influenced by agricultural activities and land runoff. The reservoir serves as a model for understanding nitrogen pollution, and its effects on water quality. The results indicate that total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in the overlying water ranged from 0.43 to 2.22 mg/L, with nitrate nitrogen accounting for an average of 52 % of the total. Nitrogen cycling was mainly driven by key genes involved in assimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and denitrification, with notable differences in gene abundance between river and reservoir waters. Denitrification genes were dominant in the sediments, and reservoir sediments showed a higher potential for nitrogen fixation than river sediments. Additionally, nitrate concentrations were significantly higher in riverine waters, while TN and total carbon levels in sediments were notably lower in the reservoir compared to the river. These environmental parameters were closely associated with the abundance of nitrogen functional genes in water and sediment. These findings advance mechanistic understanding of microbial nitrogen cycling in anthropogenically impacted reservoirs. Nonetheless, the complexity and variability of nitrogen cycling in these reservoirs highlight the need for further targeted research to enhance understanding and improve management practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113349"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simulation of regional green development policies under the nexus of water-energy-food-ecology: A case study of the Yangtze River economic Belt","authors":"Liming Liu ,&nbsp;Chunbao Wang ,&nbsp;Junfei Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113364","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113364","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Green development, as a development strategy in China, imposes higher demands on the water-energy-food-ecosystem (WEFE) nexus. To alleviate resource and ecological pressures, this study constructs a complex mega-system that focuses on water, energy, food, and ecology as well as economic, social, and environmental aspects based on complex systems science. Taking the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example, system dynamics is used to establish the causal feedback mechanisms of the WEFE system. The study simulates the supply–demand and ecological changes of water, energy, and food in the YREB from 2020 to 2030, and conducted a simulation of regional green development policy under the WEFE nexus. The results showed that under the ecological priority policy, the green space area increased by 3.4%, and food production rose by 1.7%, significantly enhancing the ecological environment and increasing food yields. It is estimated that by 2030, the energy self-sufficiency rate will reach 60.2% with the implementation of strengthened hydroelectric energy policy, reducing industrial SO₂ emissions by 36,000 tons and reversing the declining trend of energy self-sufficiency while controlling industrial SO₂ emissions. However, the challenge of insufficient energy supply during the “transition period” remains significant. Under the policy of technological innovation, water usage decreased by 26.6%, energy consumption decreased by 11.2%, and food production increased by 20.827 million tons, resulting in varying degrees of improvement in water, energy, food, and ecology subsystems. Nevertheless, technological innovation policies cannot reverse the continuing decline in energy self-sufficiency. The policy of comprehensive coordinated development significantly improves ecological quality, the development and utilization rate of water resources, energy self-sufficiency, and food surplus.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113364"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing sensitivity of stream migration at Foothill Areas: Hydrological modeling and spatial analysis of the Red Sea coastal stream","authors":"Ahmed Foda ,&nbsp;Ahmed Abdelhalim ,&nbsp;Mustafa Elkhedr","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Stream channels are dynamic systems that continuously adjust their morphology through lateral and vertical erosion, particularly during high-intensity, infrequent rainfall events. In arid regions, such changes can have significant implications for river management and infrastructure safety. This study investigates stream migration processes along the Red Sea coastal segment between Ain El-Sokhna and Ras Shukair, Egypt, by employing high-resolution satellite imagery, in situ field measurements, and discharge data to capture detailed hydrological and sediment characteristics. An integrated methodology combining hydrological modeling using HEC-RAS 2D, GIS-based spatial analysis, and sediment transport simulation was implemented to quantify channel movement and assess potential scour locations. Quantitative results reveal lateral stream shifts ranging from 50 to 250 m, with a statistically significant correlation between predicted scour areas and zones of elevated shear stress, underscoring the pivotal role of sediment transport. The novelty of this approach lies in the development of a simplified hazard assessment technique that integrates critical parameters such as ground slope, stream discharge, and soil type into a unified spatial framework, this method significantly reduces computational time and data requirements compared to traditional fully hydraulic models while still producing reliable and comparable results. Moreover, unlike most studies that focus on stream migration in wet valleys, this investigation examines the phenomenon in dry streams, addressing a critical gap in the literature. Consequently, the approach offers a practical tool for engineers and urban planners engaged in sustainable river management, flood risk assessment, and infrastructure protection under evolving climate conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113340"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the water resources carrying capacity in Shaanxi Province based on DPSIRM–TOPSIS analysis","authors":"Liu Yang ,&nbsp;Youru Hao ,&nbsp;Bing Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaoying Li ,&nbsp;Wanfei Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113369","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113369","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The evaluation of Water Resources Carrying Capacity (WRCC) is an important guide for regional economic and social development planning. Based on the Driving Force–Pressure–State–Impact–Response–Management (DPSIRM) conceptual model, this study constructed a 22-indicator system covering the WRCC of Shaanxi Province, and used the Technique of Ordering Preferences for Similarity to Ideal Solutions (TOPSIS) model to comprehensively assess the WRCC of Shaanxi Province from 2012 to 2021. An in-depth analysis of the main obstacle factors of WRCC in Shaanxi Province was carried out using the obstacle degree model. Based on the analytical results of the WRCC and the degree of obstacles, countermeasures were proposed. The results show that: (1) the level of WRCC in Shaanxi Province from 2012 to 2021 generally showed an upward trend, with a lower level of WRCC during 2012–2018, and gradually improving level from 2019 to 2021; (2) regional differences are apparent, with the WRCC level in Qinba Mountain significantly better than that in the Guanzhong Basin and Loess Plateau. Among them, the capital city of Xi’an showed an overall increasing WRCC trend, from Class II level in 2012 to Class IV level in 2021; (3) daily urban wastewater treatment capacity, total water resources, and water production modulus are obstacle factors that most significantly affect the improvement of WRCC in Shaanxi Province. The results of the study can provide guidance for regional water resources management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11459,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Indicators","volume":"173 ","pages":"Article 113369"},"PeriodicalIF":7.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143644039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}