Incorporating Landscape Scaling Relations into Catchment Classification for Optimizing Ecological Management

The landscape scaling relation challenges catchment ecological management; however, how the relations change among naturally and anthropogenically differentiated catchments is still unknown. In this study, approximately 1500 soil samples were determined; more than 800 households surveyed; pattern was investigated in 120 sub-catchments of a subtropical Chinese urbanizing agricultural catchment. A scalogram coefficient variation commonly used metrics estimated various grain sizes, to quantify Strength Landscape Scale Effects (SSE) sub-catchments. Natural anthropogenic determinants for SSE determined. Then, incorporating applied classify through k-means clustering analysis. presented different spatial heterogeneity across not expectedly related over entire catchment, especially Contagion index Shannon’s Evenness Index. significantly natural factors including sand content, population density, relief ratio, ratio arable land woodland. four combing with contributed gratifying convergent categories Category I large less disturbance had higher spatially non-stationary relationship, while II, III, IV, varying degrees relatively small strong intensities disturbance, lower relation. results implied that category required strengthen environmental protection differences, IV could ignore scale effects even upscaling management save resources when carrying out within. Our findings minimize uncertainty planning provide opportunities application multiple-scale management.