Abstract: An index system was constructed based on the “DriversPressureStateImpactResponse” (DPSIR) model, with nature, economy, society, environment, and landscape pattern being considered. The comprehensive weight matterelement analysis model was used to evaluate land ecological security in Hunan and to analyze the characteristics and driving factors of its spatiotemporal change. The results showed that the areas with unsafe and relatively unsafe land ecology were mainly concentrated in center and west of Hunan, while the relatively safe area was in the northeast in 2000. The west and south parts of Hunan were upgraded to the relatively safe level, while the north central parts were in critically safe level in 2016. Therefore, the spatial differences in land ecological security in Hunan were temporally reduced. The land ecological security in Hunan presented a development trend from relatively unsafe to relatively safe, with unstable status. The ecological security levels of driving force, pressure, state and response systems were all improved. The impact system was in critically safe level, which was slightly decreased, indicating a weak capacity of bearing disturbance. The steady development of land ecological security in Hunan was guaranteed by the improvement of economic density, per capita income of rural residents, per capita GDP, per capita public green area of cities, degree of agricultural mechanization and sewage treatment rate, which was mainly restricted by the natural growth rate of population, urbanization rate, non-point source pollution of agriculture, landscape pattern of land use, and rate of scientific and technological investment. Topography and land-use landscape pattern were the fundamental factors accounting for the spatial variations of land ecological security.

Key words: land ecological security, DPSIR, matter-element analysis, comprehensive weight, Hunan.