Context

Redundancy is a typical characteristic of complex networks. In ecological networks, redundancy also exists in the connectivity between key nodes. Understanding the redundant structure of an ecological network and identifying the backbone structure is very important in maintaining the stability of the ecological network system.

Objectives

Using Shenzhen City as an example, we aimed to construct an ecological network and identify its arterial corridors. A protection plan for arterial corridors is proposed through network analysis.

Methods

Using the concept of edge betweenness and a minimum spanning tree, we identified the arterial corridors in the ecological network. Four corridor destruction scenarios were considered: random destruction, urban sprawl, ecological control line, and arterial corridor scenarios. The ecological network stability under the four scenarios is explored based on a network robustness analysis.

Results

The ecological network covers 32 important habitats and 49 ecological corridors. Among them, 31 arterial corridors connect 32 important habitats, forming the backbone structure of the ecological network. Both the control line policy and protection plan of the arterial corridor play a role in maintaining the stability of the ecological network. The stability of the ecological network under the arterial corridor protection scheme was 6% higher than that under the control line one.

Conclusions

This study provides an effective method for identifying arterial corridors in an ecological network. Protecting the arterial corridors and the redundant corridors based on edge betweenness can maintain the stability of the ecological network to the greatest extent. Our study has reference significance for the hierarchical protection of ecological corridors.

中文翻译：

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链接最小生成树和边缘中间性以了解生态网络中的动脉走廊

语境

冗余是复杂网络的典型特征。在生态网络中，关键节点之间的连接中也存在冗余。了解生态网络的冗余结构并确定骨干结构对于维护生态网络系统的稳定性非常重要。

目标

以深圳市为例，我们旨在构建一个生态网络并确定其动脉走廊。通过网络分析，提出了一条保护走廊的计划。

方法

使用边缘中间度和最小生成树的概念，我们确定了生态网络中的动脉走廊。考虑了四种走廊破坏情景：随机破坏，城市蔓延，生态控制线和动脉走廊情景。基于网络健壮性分析，探索了四种情景下的生态网络稳定性。

结果

生态网络覆盖32个重要栖息地和49个生态走廊。其中，有31条动脉走廊连接了32个重要栖息地，形成了生态网络的骨干结构。管制路线的政策和动脉通道的保护计划都在维护生态网络的稳定性方面发挥作用。在走廊保护计划下，生态网络的稳定性比在控制线之一下的生态网络的稳定性高出6％。

结论

这项研究提供了一种识别生态网络中动脉走廊的有效方法。基于边缘之间的相互关系保护动脉通道和冗余通道可以最大程度地保持生态网络的稳定性。该研究对生态走廊的分级保护具有参考意义。