[Spatio-temporal Differentiation Characteristics of Ecological Sensitivity in the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River].

The fragile habitat in the middle reaches of the Yellow River is one of the most prominent ecological problems in the Yellow river basin. The study of ecological sensitivity in the middle reaches of the Yellow River can provide a reference for the restoration and protection of the regional ecosystem. Three ecological sensitivity indexes were selected based on the actual situation of the region： soil and water loss， land desertification， and biodiversity. The spatial distance index method was used to construct a comprehensive ecological sensitivity index. The spatio-temporal differentiation characteristics and driving factors of ecological sensitivity within the middle reaches of the Yellow River from 2005 to 2020 were explored through spatial autocorrelation analysis， grid coding analysis， and geographic detector. The results showed that：① The comprehensive ecological sensitivity of the middle reaches of the Yellow River from 2005 to 2020 had obvious spatial differentiation， showing a distribution pattern of "high in the northwest and low in the southeast." In terms of time， the average comprehensive ecological sensitivity index of the middle reaches of the Yellow River continued to decrease from 6.854 in 2005 to 6.350 in 2020， and the regional ecological sensitivity decreased. ② From 2005 to 2020， the comprehensive ecological sensitivity of the middle reaches of the Yellow River had a significant spatial positive correlation and strong spatial aggregation. However， over time， the spatial aggregation gradually weakened. ③ From 2005 to 2020， the overall change of comprehensive ecological sensitivity in the middle reaches of the Yellow River was small， and the regional area with 0 and 1 changes accounted for 70.79% of the total area. The areas with increased ecological sensitivity were mainly located in the Guanzhong Plain and the northwest of Henan Province. The areas that had maintained a high-value sensitivity for a long period were moxtly located in the northern part of the Jinghe river basin， Wuding river basin， and the northeast of the Ordos Plateau. These areas require special attention in the future. ④ Fractional vegetation coverage was the main driving factor for the spatial differentiation of comprehensive ecological sensitivity in the middle reaches of the Yellow River， and the biological richness index was the secondary factor. Altogther， the comprehensive ecological sensitivity in the middle reaches of the Yellow River gradually decreased， and the ecological environment improved. This study can provide a reference for ecosystem protection and high-quality development in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.