Relationships between hydrological connectivity and river-lake ecospace in urban-rural areas

Hydrological connectivity refers to a water-mediated transfer of matter, energy, and organisms in the hydrological cycle and plays a key role in shaping river-lake ecospace and their relevant functions. However, the river-lake ecospace is usually used to indicate static land units such as rivers, lakes, and riparian zones, which lack deep exploration of their relationships and connotations. As a functional space, the river-lake ecospace correlate with variations in hydrological connectivity in terms of structural and functional diversity along the unban-rural gradient. To better understand the relationship between hydrological connectivity and the river-lake ecospace, we first analyzed the characteristics and driving factors of hydrological connectivity in urban-rural areas and then summarized the distribution and functions of the river-lake ecospace. Based on these, we discussed the relationship between the variations in both of them in river-lake system from the aspects of structure, process, and function. Finally, we propose implications for regulating and optimizing the river-lake connectivity to expand the ecospace and enhance its functions. • Frame ecospace as a dynamic system governed by hydrological connectivity. • Reveal relationships between connectivity change and ecospace evolution. • Urban-rural river-lake system and ecospace exhibit spatiotemporal correlation. • Advocate adaptive strategies for ecospace expansion.