Pattern and dynamics of ecological vulnerability in the upper reach of Yellow River

Understanding the response of ecological vulnerability to global changes is essential for sustainable ecosystem management. However, incorporating ecological vulnerability assessment into accurate decision-making to illustrate ecosystem dynamics and drivers remains unclear. Here, we used the Vulnerability Scoping Diagram model (VSD) and ecological vulnerability index (EVI) to evaluate the ecosystem vulnerability in the upper reach of Yellow River (URYR). Our results show that EVI increased from southwest to northeast, and EVI first went down from 2005 to 2015 and then slightly up from 2015 to 2020. The lower EVI can be attributed to improving environmental protection and restoration projects in the URYR. The subareas of the High-High cluster were distributed in the northeast, and those of the Low-Low cluster were distributed in the southwest, respectively. Furthermore, we divided the URYR into four zones (e.g., Protection Zone, Ecological Degradation Zone, Ecological Improvement Zone, and Comprehensive Zone) according to the EVI. Consequently, a long-term detection system and public education should be enhanced to improve environmental awareness, which plays a beneficial role in the sustainable development of four zones. All in all, our findings not only shed light on the dynamic of ecological vulnerability but also provide the diversification management of the upper reach of the Yellow River.