A Review of Ecological Concepts and Quantitative Methods of Resilience

Over the last decades, resilience has increasingly become a hot research topic of international community in the context that global ecosystems are suffering from severe degradation due to natural disasters and anthropogenic disturbance. This paper primarily intends to systematically review the advancement of global resilience research both in ecosystems and social-ecological systems, the methodology of which mainly includes conceptual elucidation, factor selection, and quantification. First of all, this paper proposes out the criteria for the selection of quantitative factors based on the globally recognized connotation-enhancement principle and the popular Chinese method that is established on vulnerability and coping ability. Furthermore, this paper also reviews the primary quantitative methods (e. g., multi-factor comprehensive evaluation method, surrogate method, and model method) and elucidates their detailed applicability scopes, advantages, and disadvantages. The review on the connotations and quantification methods of resilience makes it possible to trace the updated research advancement in this field, as well as to identify the similarities and differences between domestic and international research, which can greatly contribute to the application of resilience research in the evaluation of ecological protection and restoration in China's land space and in the decision-making processes of ecological project layout.