Ecological network analysis for a low-carbon and high-tech industrial park.
Industrial sector is one of the indispensable contributors in global warming. Even if the occurrence of ecoindustrial parks (EIPs) seems to be a good improvement in saving ecological crises, there is still a lack of definitional clarity and in-depth researches on low-carbon industrial parks. In order to reveal the processes of carbon metabolism in a low-carbon high-tech industrial park, we selected Beijing Development Area (BDA) International Business Park in Beijing, China as case study, establishing a seven-compartment- model low-carbon metabolic network based on the methodology of Ecological Network Analysis (ENA). Integrating the Network Utility Analysis (NUA), Network Control Analysis (NCA), and system-wide indicators, we compartmentalized system sectors into ecological structure and analyzed dependence and control degree based on carbon metabolism. The results suggest that indirect flows reveal more mutuality and exploitation relation between system compartments and they are prone to positive sides for the stability of the whole system. The ecological structure develops well as an approximate pyramidal structure, and the carbon metabolism of BDA proves self-mutualistic and sustainable. Construction and waste management were found to be two active sectors impacting carbon metabolism, which was mainly regulated by internal and external environment.
State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.
Yi
Y
Lu
Meirong
M
Su
Gengyuan
G
Liu
Bin
B
Chen
Shiyi
S
Zhou
Meiming
M
Jiang
D000465:Algorithms; D002244:Carbon / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000379:methods*; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods*; D017753:Ecosystem; D007220:Industrial Waste; D007221:Industry / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018505:Waste Management / Q000379:methods*
D007220:Industrial Waste; D002244:Carbon