Construction and Optimization of Ecological Corridors in the Tumen River Basin Based on the MSPA-MCR-GA Model

The construction and optimization of ecological corridors (ECs) are essential for enhancing landscape connectivity and safeguarding biodiversity, among other goals. However, existing studies focus on regional areas within a nation, with limited attention to a transboundary basin perspective for ecological conservation. In this study, core areas were identified using morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA). Ecological sources (ESs) were extracted through the minimum area threshold method and landscape connectivity indices. An integrated resistance surface was established based on six resistance factors. Potential ECs were constructed through the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and further classified by the gravity model. Based on complex network theory and the greedy algorithm (GA), this study designed corresponding fitness functions for three independent objectives—maximizing network connectivity and robustness against random and targeted edge attacks, thus generating three optimal networks. The results indicated that 10 ecological source areas were identified, covering approximately 19,939.63 km2, with the majority located in China. In total, 45 potential ECs were constructed, comprising 8 primary corridors, 14 secondary corridors, and 23 tertiary corridors, showing a general north–south pattern. Ecological network optimization improved connectivity by 31.05%, and robustness against random and targeted edge attacks by 17.65% and 24.72%, respectively. This study can facilitate transboundary conservation planning.