Abstract: Habitat quality assessment is an important regional tool for land use policy and integrated management, and highly significant for ecological environmental protection and sustainable development. Based on land use transfer matrix, landscape pattern indices and the InVEST model, the spatial and temporal variations in habitat quality caused by the changes of land use and landscape fragmentation of Zhangjiajie Giant Salamander National Nature Reserve and Zhangjiajie City were quantitatively assessed. The results show that:from 2000 to 2020, the land use of both the City and the Reserve was generally stable, although minor changes were caused by the mutual transformation among grassland, cultivated land and forest land. However, landscape fragmentation occurred, patch connectivity decreased, and average patch area became smaller, all of which were significantly disturbed by human activities. The habitat quality of both the City and the Reserve declined with different extents, mainly in areas with previously excellent and good habitats turned into medium and poor level. The habitat quality of Zhangjiajie City declined significantly with a decrease of 1.86%. The habitat quality of the Giant Salamander Nature Reserve declined slightly, but in the core and experimental zones of the Reserve it decreased significantly by 1.69% and 1.57%, respectively. Along topographic gradients, habitat quality of the Giant Salamander Nature Reserve increased with slope and elevation, but along a population density gradient it decreased with the increasing of population density. These results could have certain theoretical and practical value for habitat protection and functional regulation of these ecosystems.

Key words: Zhangjiajie Giant Salamander National Nature Reserve, Hunan, Zhangjiajie City, land use, InVEST model