Due to natural disturbances and human activities, the forest landscape pattern of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area has undergone significant changes. In addition, forest ecosystems are threatened by environmental degradation and biodiversity loss, leading to a decline in the environment. Evaluating the forest ecosystem health is beneficial for promoting ecological protection and restoration efforts. This study analyzed the spatial-temporal evolution of three landscapes (natural/semi-natural vegetation, agricultural vegetation, and non-vegetation) in the reservoir area from 1990 to 2020, and evaluated its ecosystem health using the VOR (Vigor-Organization-Resilience) method. The results demonstrated that terrestrial ecosystem health improved during 1990-2020. Natural/semi-natural vegetation landscapes were mainly concentrated in counties with elevations >1000m and slopes >25° and increased linearly over time. Agricultural vegetation landscapes were primarily in counties with elevations <500m and slopes <15° and decreased linearly. Additionally, non-vegetation landscape such as water and construction land expanded significantly. Counties with higher ecosystem health levels were the northern and eastern regions dominated by natural/semi-natural vegetation, while counties dominated by agricultural vegetation and non-vegetation landscapes are weaker for terrestrial ecosystem health. In 2020, all three landscapes had a positive direct effect on ecosystem health, while climate and socioeconomic factors exerted a negative effect. Our findings support the importance of considering landscape dynamics in promoting ecological restoration and enhancing the ecological health of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, which could provide critical scientific references for ensuring sustainable development for the similar ecological vulnerable region.

landscape ecology,forestry projects,Remote sensing (RS),Environmental management,Planning and desgin