Abstract: With the rapid urbanization, existing green habitat patches have been fragmented and disconnected. How to establish new ecological networks and connect fragmented habitats with sound scientific basis is very important to local biodiversity protection and regional ecological security. Supported by RS and GIS technologies, patch nodes were recognized through analysis of connectivity indexes, and potential corridors were simulated using the leastcost path model in order to build green ecological networks in Yangzhou City. In addition, quantitative analysis based on the gravity model and corridor index was also conducted on ecological networks. Optimization measures on Yangzhou’s existing networks were suggested. The results indicated that, within Yangzhou City, the possible connectivity (PC) within the 200 m threshold was the best suitable index for selecting the nodes of green patches. Green land and agricultural land were the dominant landscape types in the ecological network of the study area. The interaction between green patches varied greatly. The corridors connecting patches with weaker interactions had higher resistance and lower habitat suitability, therefore needed to be further improved. The corridors with high curvatures had high resistance and low biological flow efficiency, needing to be further optimized. The results could provide scientific reference for the planning of urban green space in Yangzhou.

Key words: urban ecosystem, population increase., ecosystem services, entropy, ecosystem services flow, quantitative assessment