<p>This study examines the impact of urban expansion on ecosystem utilization efficiency (EUE), using the Wuhan metropolitan area as a case study based on data from 2010 to 2020. As economic activities increasingly concentrate in major cities—a trend also evident in emerging economies—existing research has predominantly focused on the ecological impacts of urban expansion, with limited attention given to the effects of economic agglomeration on EUE. This study explores whether the concentration of economic activities mitigates ecological threats in non-hotspot areas. Traditional indicators (e.g., GDP, population, nighttime lights) primarily capture the static distribution of economic activities and fail to reflect the dynamic economic linkages formed during agglomeration processes. To address this limitation, we introduce a novel transportation accessibility indicator to measure economic connectivity between the metropolitan core and its periphery. A grid-based approach is adopted to define study units, thereby reducing statistical biases arising from spatial dependence. Empirical results reveal a significant negative correlation between ecosystem quality and the intensity of "core-periphery" economic linkages, with ecosystem quality near the metropolitan core showing greater degradation. These findings suggest that metropolitan economic agglomeration patterns reduce EUE. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interaction between metropolitan spatial structures and ecosystem functions, providing valuable references for policy decisions aimed at achieving the SDGs related to "sustainable cities and communities."</p>