Construction of urban-rural ecological networks with multi-scale nesting and composite functions based on the “red-green-blue” spatial perspective: A case study of Dali City, China

Urbanization has facilitated economic development while simultaneously resulting in various ecological issues. Constructing a multi-scale nested and composite functional urban-rural ecological network is crucial for improving ecological security. This study utilizes Dali City as a case study and employs methods including MSPA, circuit theory, and landscape connectivity index to develop the urban-rural habitat network, water green network, and recreation network, focusing on the " red-green-blue " spatial framework. An analysis of the spatial characteristics of source areas, corridors, ecological strategic points, and other spatial elements is conducted to establish a multi-level, multi-objective, and multifunctional composite urban-rural ecological network. The results show that: (1) 13 ecological source areas were identified in both the municipal and main urban areas, along with 22 ecological corridors in the municipal and 20 main urban areas. The distribution of ecological corridors was uniform across the study area. (2) The optimal width for the municipal biological corridor is 150 m, the main urban area should have a width of 90 m. The optimal width for rainwater corridors in municipal and main urban areas is 60 m. (3) The multi-scale nested ecological network identified 4 common ecological sources, 11 ecological corridors, 3 rainwater corridors, 6 wetland nodes, and 7 amusement nodes. Overall, the number of ecological nodes is limited, indicating a need for enhanced node construction. The research findings offer insights for developing ecological networks that integrate urban and rural functions, serving as a reference for ecological protection and restoration in pertinent regions.