Abstract:Based on satellite remote sensing information,field investigation and collected documents in 2010,we conducted an ecological risk assessment on the Changli Gold Coast National Nature Reserve by applyingthe relative risk model(RRM).By applying this model,we obtained a relationship of relative risks,which isapplicable to comparing ecological risk degree among the assessment subdivisions in the study area.In orderto compare their relative risk values,the reserve is divided into five ecological risk districts according to theirdifferent functions,i.e.,core region,buffer region,Qilihai area,Luanhekou area and Chiyangkou area.Furthermore,we grouped the pressure sources caused by human development six risk resources,includingfishery,artificial coastline,buildings,tourists,highway and canal,and agricultural land.By modeling therisk resources,habitats,risk-exposure and ecological receptor response and analyzing the data,the relativerisk values for the five ecological risk areas and six risk resources were calculated.For the five ecological riskdistricts,the relative risk of Luanhekou is 3.45,Chiyangkou 2.46,Qilihai 2.19,core region 1.19,and buffer region 0.45.For the six risk sources,the value of fishery is 2.52,artificial coastline 2.31,buildings1.30,tourists 1.23,highway and canal 1.20,and agricultural land 1.19.The risk values in the three areashigher than the two regions indicated that the areas were not favorable for the sustainable development of theecological environment of the nature reserve.Among the six risk sources,fishery imposed highest pressure on the reserve as the major threatening factor.