Abstract:Habitat quality plays an important role in the conservation of biodiversity. However, with changes in land use, many natural habitats in urban landscapes have been destroyed, leading to the aggravation of habitat fragmentation, and thus, it is crucial to assess habitat quality for biodiversity conservation. In this study, we selected Beijing as the research area and analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of different land use types and differences between 4 function regions in Beijing in 2000-2015. The InVEST-Habitat Quality model was used to assess changes in habitat degradation and habitat quality in four periods (2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015) and four districts (core functional zone, urban function extended zone, new urban development zone, and ecological conservation zone) in Beijing. The results showed that (1) from 2000 to 2015, construction land area in Beijing increased by nearly 40%. Cultivated land and wetland were the main sources of rapid expansion of construction land, and the construction land of new urban development zones increased by 60%. (2) The proportion of the main ecological land (forestland, grassland, and wetland) increased by 5.71% overall, but the overall landscape structure heterogeneity weakened and degree of patch fragmentation increased. (3) The habitat quality of Beijing showed a decreasing trend, and the total value of habitat quality decreased by 2%, showing obvious differences in different regions; however, the habitat quality in the core functional zone and ecological conservation zone increased gradually. (4) Habitat degradation increased gradually, and the most serious areas were the new urban development zone and districts of a plain-mountain junction. This study revealed the value of regional ecological services and can provide a scientific basis for the construction and optimization of urban landscape patterns in the future.