Scientifically assessing ecosystem health and optimizing ecological source areas (ESAs) are essential for effective environmental management, particularly in ecologically strategic mountain barrier regions. However, existing studies face challenges in identifying and optimizing ESAs. To address these limitations, this study integrated the contribution–vigor–organization–resilience (CVOR)-based ecosystem health framework, a genetic algorithm (GA), and circuit theory to assess ecosystem health, optimize ESAs, and identify ecological corridors (EC) and restoration priorities in the Daiyun Mountain Rim. The results demonstrate the following: (1) a significant ecosystem health decline from 2012 to 2022, evidenced by a 38.97% to 21.09% reduction in high-priority ecological zones accompanied by increased landscape fragmentation; (2) delineation of 90 GA-optimized ESA and 248 EC (2164.71 km), forming an interconnected ecological network; (3) enhanced connectivity metrics through GA optimization, showing α-index improvements of 0.15–0.23 and β-index gains of 0.05–0.08 compared to the traditional large-patch and morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA)-based ESA selection methods; (4) development of a tiered spatial strategy featuring primary/secondary restoration clusters and a “three-belt–one area–multiple clusters” framework for adaptive landscape governance. Although uncertainties remain due to the selected study period, parameter settings, and lack of field-based validation, this framework provides a useful reference for ecological planning, restoration prioritization, and ecosystem management in similar mountainous ecological barrier regions.
Ji et al. (2026) studied this question.