Abstract: The ecological environment of the Yellow River Basin is complex and fragile. The traditional Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) model fails to fully consider the topographic relief and desertification characteristics of the region, resulting in certain limitations in monitoring the ecological status of the basin. To more accurately assess the ecological status of the basin, we built SRSEI with SLOPE, DRSEI with desertification index (DI) and CRSEI with all factors integrated on the basis of RSEI model and GEE (Google Earth Engine), and evaluated the specific utility of the introduced indicators and the monitoring effect of each model. The results showed that the average correlation of SRSEI, DRSEI, and CRSEI was higher than 0.73 after integrating the information of different ecological factors. DI had a significant negative effect on CRSEI and DRSEI, and the correlation coefficients were -0.89 and -0.9, respectively. In region A, the entropy of CRSEI was the highest (2.02). In region B, the entropy of DRSEI and CRSEI was both 2.07. In region C, the entropy of CRSEI was 1.91. The introduction of SLOPE and DI improved the expression ability of the model for ecological texture. The results enhanced the applicability of the model in ecological quality monitoring in the Yellow River Basin and further provided the scientific support for ecological protection.

Key words: Yellow River basin, improved remote sensing ecological index, desertification, slope, ecological environment