The continuous extraction of mining resources has led to the destruction of landscape space, which has had a great impact on the human living environment and pristine ecosystems. Optimizing the ecological spatial networks of mining areas can restore and enhance the damaged ecological environment. However, there are few cases of ecological spatial network optimization in mining areas, and there are still some shortcomings. Therefore, in this study, we propose an ecological spatial network theory and a synergistic enhancement of ecological functions and carbon sink optimization model (SEEC) for urban restoration in mining areas, emphasizing the functional and carbon sink nature of ecological sources. We selected a typical mining area in Xuzhou City as the study area, explored the changes in the nature and function of the ecological spatial network from 2000 to 2020, and selected the ecological spatial network in the mining area of Xuzhou City in 2020 as the optimization study case, adding 27 ecological stepping stones and 72 ecological corridors. Through the comparison of robustness before and after optimization, we found that the optimized ecological spatial network has a stronger stability and ecological restoration ability. This study provides strategies and methods for ecological restoration projects in national mining cities and also provides references and lessons for ecological restoration in other mining areas in the future.

(1) Background: Eco−spatial networks play an important role in enhancing ecosystem services and landscape connectivity. It is necessary to study landscape structure optimization to achieve synergistic gains in network connectivity and ecosystem functionality. (2) Method: Based on remote sensing data, RS and GIS were used to evaluate the spatiotemporal changes in ecosystem services in China. Combined with complex network theory, the spatiotemporal evolution of China’s ecological spatial network and its topological structure from 2005 to 2020 is discussed. Network function–structure co−optimization was carried out using the edge augmentation strategy. (3) Result: The “three River resource” has high water conservation and high soil and water conservation in southeastern hilly areas. There is strong windbreak and sand fixation in southeastern Inner Mongolia. In the past 15 years, there have been about 8200 sources and about 14,000 corridors. The network has the characteristics of small−world and heterogeneity. After optimization, 18 sources and 3180 corridors are added, and the network connectivity and robustness are stronger. Finally, five regions are divided according to the network heterogeneity and corresponding protection and management countermeasures are proposed to provide scientific guidance for the country’s territorial space planning.

There exists serious heavy metal contamination of agricultural soils in China. It is not only time- and labor-intensive to monitor soil contamination, but it also has limited scope when using conventional chemical methods. However, the method of the heavy metal monitoring of soil based on vegetation hyperspectral technology can break through the vegetation barrier and obtain the heavy metal content quickly over large areas. This paper discusses a highly accurate method for predicting the soil heavy metal content using hyperspectral techniques. We collected leaf hyperspectral data outdoors, and also collected soil samples to obtain heavy metal content data using chemical analysis. The prediction model for heavy metal content was developed using a difference spectral index, which was not highly satisfactory. Subsequently, the five factors that have a strong influence on the content of heavy metals were analyzed to determine multiple regression models for the elements As, Pb, and Cd. The results showed that the multiple regression model could better estimate the heavy metal content with stable fitting that has high prediction accuracy compared with the linear model. The results of this research provide a scientific basis and technical support for the hyperspectral inversion of the soil heavy metal content.

In the context of strengthening the construction of ecological civilization and accelerating the “carbon peak” in China, the regional ecological pattern and its connection with carbon sink capacity have become an urgent topic. Given that Inner Mongolia is a large carbon emission province and the conflict between economic development and ecological protection is particularly prominent, we took Inner Mongolia as an example to extract its ecospatial network, then calculated the integrity index, topological indices, and recovery robustness of the network and evaluated integrity and other properties of the ecospatial network structure by combining them with the ecological background. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between the topological indices and net primary productivity (NPP). The results showed that the network was scale-free and heterogeneous, with low integrity, connectivity and stability, which were the focus of future optimization. The nodes with important functions were mainly distributed in the farm-forest ecotone, grasslands, and the agro-pastoral ecotone; under the simulation attack, the node recovery robustness was stronger than the corridor recovery robustness, and NPP was negatively and significantly correlated with the woodland nodes and grassland nodes. In terms of ecological restoration, the unused land in the west is a key area, and it is necessary to add new ecological nodes and corridors. In terms of enhancing carbon sequestration capacity, under the premise of ensuring network connectivity, the appropriate and rational merging of ecological nodes and corridors within woodlands and grasslands is a particularly effective means. This study provides a reference for evaluating and optimizing the ecological pattern of areas with prominent ecological problems and improving the carbon sink of ecosystems in terms of their ecospatial network structure.