Abstract:With the purpose of preventing or controlling erosion by water and maintaining quality of landscape, this paper takes the subtropical mountainous region in Yunnan southwest China as a typical case. It utilizes the data of RS and the spatial information processing technology of GIS, Combining suitability evaluation with the overall optimization of land use pattern, the model of minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) is applied to ascertain the function zoning and ecological pattern components of land use, to develop approaches to the ecological optimization of the spatial pattern of land resources in the mountainous region. The results are as follows: (1) It is feasible to adopt MCR to optimize spatial patterns of land resources on the basis of spatial analysis technology and the drawing analysis tools of “cost-distance weight”; (2) The horizontal ecological process way act as a control on landscape, with the evergreen broad-leaved forests and Pinus khasya forests in this region as the protected source. MCR way be used to construct the ecological pattern components of corridors, radiation roads, and strategic points. These components not only work to maintain the ecological functioning of land resources, but also play a crucial role in the migration and proliferation of the native animal species. (3) A map showing the frequency sequence and inflection points are constructed according to the MCR resistance value. The heterogeneity of land use types is greater on either side of the inflection point, which can serve as a basis for zoning of land function. By this means, six functional areas of land, which are beneficial to ecological stability, are laid out, namely the core source protected area、eco-buffer area、eco-transition zone、eco-fringe zone、farming area and residential area. Management measures for each functional area are put forward.