RESUMEN
Reservoir projects often have significant impacts on ecosystems. The resulting environmental problems hinder the ecologically sustainable development of project areas. Research focusing on landscape pattern vulnerability could shed light on ecological restoration in disturbed sites. However, few studies have specifically examined reservoir areas in this context. This study investigates the spatial distribution characteristics, change rules, spatial autocorrelation, and driving forces of landscape pattern vulnerability in the Qianping Reservoir area (3859.16 hm2) from 2000 to 2020 using land use data. The findings reveal several key points: (1) Over the study period, cultivated land, grassland, and forest land are the key landscape types, covering more than 90% of the area. Cultivated land decreased by 481.57 hm2 as other land use types expanded. (2) Vulnerability remained stable in the first decade but sharply increased from 2010 to 2020, showing a trend of spatial aggregation. Reservoir construction and simultaneous ecological restoration efforts led to shifts in vulnerability zones across the landscape. (3) Spatial distribution of landscape pattern vulnerability shows a positive correlation, which strengthened by 2020 compared to earlier years. (4) Man-made factors, particularly land use changes, significantly influence landscape pattern vulnerability, with their impact growing over time. These findings not only provide a scientific basis for ecological restoration and landscape reconstruction in the Qianping Reservoir area but also offer insights applicable to similar environments. Overall, this study enhances theoretical understanding of reservoir landscape pattern vulnerability and contributes valuable perspectives on ecological restoration strategies for reservoir areas.