ABSTRACT
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The objectives of ecological functional zoning are to distinguish ecologically fragile zones, ecological environmental problems, and determine prior protection areas according to ecological principles and methods (Yan 2007; Yan and Yu 2003). Speci”cally, work including the following three aspects should be ”nished during the process of ecological functional zoning:
1. A good understanding of local eco-environmental conditions including ecosystem types, ecosystem structure, ecological service function, the characteristics of their spatial distribution, and so on
2. An identi”cation of key environmental problems of the study area and an understanding of their cause and spatial distribution
3. A determination of the functional orientation of each ecologically functional zone providing some advice for regulation
In addition, to accomplish the aims mentioned earlier as well as the requirement of “the Twelfth Five-Year” planning outline of China, some principles need to be observed in the process of ecological functional zoning. They are as follows (Fu et al. 2001; Gao et al. 1998; Liu and Fu 1998):
• Sustainable development principle: Ecological functional zoning is supposed to promote more reasonable exploitation and utilization of resources, avoid blind development, enhance the supporting ability of the ecological environment to develop, increase the resilience of social and economic development, and ”nally achieve sustainable development.
