Framework and Method System of Watershed Ecosystem Health Assessment(I): Framework and Indicator

Based on a summary of related studies on watershed ecosystem health assessment at home and abroad, the implications of watershed ecosystem health were put forward in terms of structural integrity, ecological functional sophistication and eco-environmental stress. According to the differences of watershed ecosystem physical structure, community compositions and leading eco-service function, aquatic (rivers), riparian and terrestrial areas were taken as the basic evaluation objects. Considering the spatial overlay relationship between natural geographical units and the administrative management units, the minimum watershed evaluation unit was determined. Basic framework of watershed ecosystem health assessment was constructed based on ecological structure, service function and stress characteristics of the three evaluation objects, and the watershed evaluation index system put forward, in order to identify the impact scopes and degrees of human activities on the watershed eco-systems, to determine the priority protection objects and management targets within the watersheds, and to provide technical references for eco-function regionalization and eco-compensation of the watersheds.