A comparative study between remote sensing-driven and multi-source fusion methods for ecological quality assessment: A case study in Jiangsu Province

Ecological quality assessment (EQA) plays a critical role in environmental management and policy formulation. However, there remains a lack of comparative studies among different EQA methods, particularly in systematic analysis of both indicator selection and their performance. Given this, targeting Jiangsu Province, this study conducted a multidimensional comparative analysis of two common EQA frameworks-the remote sensing-based ecological index (RSEI) and the environmental quality index (EQI). The results indicate that both EQA frameworks generally exhibited a significant positive correlation (ρ=0.737, p < 0.001). Moreover, they presented distinct emphases. Specifically, the RSEI prioritizes natural factors like vegetation cover and surface dryness, making it suitable for monitoring ecological restoration dynamics. In contrast, the EQI integrates ecological patterns, functions, and human-induced pressures, offering stronger policy relevance and explanatory capacity. Leveraging the "structure-function-pressure" three-dimensional ecological framework, the respective explanatory capacities of dimensional indicators on ecological quality were quantified using geographical detectors. This clarified the specific differences in applicability boundaries and performance of the two EQA frameworks across these dimensions. This study provides methodological reference and theoretical foundations for developing integrated ecological quality monitoring and assessment systems.