Carrying Capacity of Complex Ecosystem for Rural and Township Development: Connotation, Carrying Objects Calculation and Improvement Path

Rural and township development is inseparable from the regional dominant ecological functions and the spatial layout of the Ecological-Production-Living Spaces. To improve the level of ecological safety and effectively reduce poverty, it is necessary to evaluate and calculate the ecological carrying capacity for rural and township development. The related concepts of regions, settlements, village and town are analyzed, and the connotation of the ecological carrying capacity for rural and township development, as well as the attributes of the complex ecosystem are defined. Based on the classification of the types of rural and townships and their development requirements, a method for the evaluation of ecological carrying capacity of rural and township development was further developed, which considers population size, dominant ecological functions and industrial scale. Finally, the paths to improve the ecological carrying capacity for rural and township development was preliminary analyzed, which include reducing the ecological pressure of township construction, improving the ecological elasticity of rural and township development, and enhancing the carrying capacity of the township complex ecosystem. The research results could provide a theoretical and practical guideline for the building of carrying capacity improvement plan and optimization of poverty alleviation policies for rural and township development in important ecological function areas.