###### Abstract
Therefore, it is necessary to accurately measure and analyze the evolution of the temporal and spatial patterns of carbon sources and sinks in this region in recent years and their influencing factors, thus providing strong support for the adjustment of the regional economic structure, industrial structure, and energy structure. Since 1980s, extensive research has been conducted on regional carbon sources and carbon sinks at home and abroad, and the research contents have mainly focused on the following three aspects: firstly, the metrical research on carbon sources and carbon sinks, including the metrical research on gross primary productivity (GPP) [7; 8; 9], net primary productivity (NPP) [10; 11; 12], and net ecosystem productivity (_NEP_) of vegetation [13; 14; 15]. Secondly, the analysis of the main influencing factors that cause changes in carbon sources and carbon sinks in the region or the responses of various factors to their changes, such as climate change [16; 17], human activities [18; 19], and the natural environment, etc., [20; 21]. Thirdly, the prediction of future forms is made by establishing models or adjusting parameters or selecting parameters. For example, machine learning technology is combined with remote sensing technology to establish a data set; then, random forest is used as an estimation model. The model is adjusted according to data characteristics after modeling [22]. By analyzing the long-term emission characteristics of a certain industry with large carbon emissions in a specific region and the macro-control effect of its development strategy, the future change scenario of carbon emissions in this region is predicted [23]. In some cases, regional characteristics of carbon emissions are analyzed empirically, and scenario simulation, influence factor analysis, and grey correlation degree calculation are adopted to propose main paths and specific schemes to achieve low-carbon goals according to the development goals of a regional, low-carbon economy in the coming decades [24]. The above studies have laid a theoretical foundation for the research on carbon sources and sinks in the region. In addition, these studies require various data types, high precision requirements, complex calculation, and large human intervention in model parameters. However, most of them have concentrated on the original ecological areas with relatively few human activities. In urban agglomerations with rapid economic development, there are few studies on the temporal variation of the spatial distribution pattern of a carbon source and carbon sink of a terrestrial vegetation ecosystem. In particular, the transformation of land types under different land cover types (such as forestland, grassland, etc.) caused by rapid social and economic development leads to changes in carbon sources and carbon sinks and less analysis and research on their spatial pattern changes. According to the new national development strategy aiming to tackle the challenge of the opening of the China Carbon Emission Trade Exchange that will be actively faced by the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta, this paper analyzes the temporal changes and spatial distribution patterns of carbon sources and carbon sinks over time and their response to meteorological factors in the terrestrial vegetation ecosystem of the region from 2000 to 2019. The opportunities and challenges behind the rapid social and economic development of the integration of the Yangtze River Delta are explored so as to understand the history, current status, and influencing mechanisms of carbon sources and carbon sinks in this region from multiple aspects, as well as to better revise and improve the opening policy of the National Carbon Emission Trade Exchange and provide a good decision-making basis for emission reduction policies.