The Construction of Ecological Security Pattern under Rapid Urbanization in the Loess Plateau: A Case Study of Taiyuan City

Taiyuan City in the eastern Loess Plateau has experienced severe ecological problems caused by urban expansion. For cities undergoing rapid urbanization, building an security pattern (ESP) is effective means to improve resilience. Here, geographic information systems (GIS) were used analyze, manipulate, and visualize multi-source remote sensing (RS) for history of land use/land-cover (LULC) changes structure system. Four important ecosystem service functions estimated: soil conservation, habitat quality, water yield, carbon storage. The minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model was combined with circuit theory method determine corridors, pinch points, barrier points. Our results showed that: (1) from 1980 2020, Taiyuan’s built-up area increased construction enhanced landscape fragmentation. decline cultivated mainly attributed land. During period 2000 2010, a greater amount changed than other periods; (2) evaluation based on LULC 2020 revealed that central lower areas; (3) 38 source sites identified, accounting 16% total study area. An 106 km2 allocated construct 79 corridors. We identified 31 points 6 points; (4) ESP optimization governance “two rings, four zones, nine corridors” proposed. provides theoretical guidance sustainable development design regions.