Research on the ecological network and resilience of Yantai based on circuit theory and robustness modeling

Understanding ecological network resilience is essential for maintaining ecosystem structure and function under increasing anthropogenic disturbance. This study evaluated the spatiotemporal evolution and resilience characteristics of the ecological network in Yantai City from 2003 to 2023 by integrating the InVEST model, circuit theory, and robustness analysis. As a rapidly urbanizing coastal city in the Bohai Rim Economic Circle of China, Yantai provides an ideal case for examining dynamic ecological resilience. A corridor-oriented robustness framework was employed to simulate resilience responses under random and targeted attack scenarios, and landscape fragmentation metrics were further incorporated to support ecological network optimization. The results showed that habitat quality and total carbon storage remained relatively stable over the study period. Mean habitat quality ranged from 0.361 to 0.382, with pronounced spatial heterogeneity. High-value habitat areas were mainly concentrated in Qixia and Muping, whereas peripheral areas such as Laizhou experienced continuous degradation. Network resilience peaked in 2013, and the results suggest that a β value of approximately 2.0 may represent a potential structural threshold for resilience. In addition, a significant coupling relationship was observed between landscape fragmentation and network resilience. These findings provide spatially explicit evidence for ecological planning and demonstrate the value of integrating circuit theory with robustness modeling to assess ecological network resilience in rapidly urbanizing coastal cities.