Abstract: Analysis of the evolution and differentiation trend of ecological land pattern under the interaction of human activities and natural environment is of great significance for the ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin. Based on land use data of the Yellow River Basin in 2000, 2010, and 2020, we used spatial dynamic model, transfer matrix model, and ecological index model to explore the change trend of the number, structure, spatial distribution, and ecological quality of ecological lands in the Yellow River Basin in the past two decades. The results showed that the quantity and spatial distribution of different types of ecological lands in the Yellow River Basin were quite different. Basic ecological land accounted for the largest proportion (60.98%), whereas conservation ecological land accounted for the least (4.77%). Basic and conservation ecological land were mainly distributed in the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin, while auxiliary ecological land was mainly concentrated in the lower reaches. The transformation among different types of ecological lands showed an obvious differentiation, with the internal transformation of ecological lands occurring in the upper and middle reaches and the mutual transformation between ecological land and nonecological land in the lower reaches, and the expansion of nonecological land mainly from cultivated land. The spatial stability of ecological lands in the Yellow River Basin was relatively high, but with a downward trend. On the whole, ecological lands tended to decrease in scale. The ecological status index of the three years in the Yellow River Basin was 60.98, 61.66, and 60.29, respectively. The ecological quality showed a fluctuating decline and had obvious characteristics of gradient differentiation. The ecological quality was the best in the upper reaches and the worst in the lower reaches. Our results provide reference for the provinces in the Yellow River Basin to formulate ecological land management and protection measures and promote the construction of ecological civilization.

Key words: ecological land, pattern, ecological quality, spatial differentiation, Yellow River Basin.