 Subjects -> GEOGRAPHY (Total: 493 journals)
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- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1756: An Overview of Population Dynamics in Romanian
Carpathians (1912–2021): Factors, Spatial Patterns and
Urban–Rural Disparities
Authors: Ionel Muntele, Marinela Istrate, Haralambie Athes, Alexandru Bănică
First page: 1756
Abstract: Our paper aims to analyze the tendencies of population dynamics in the area of the Romanian Carpathians, as well as the factors and spatial processes that can explain the disparities, discontinuities and tensions of demographic evolution. Starting from the hypothesis of an existing set of well-known particularities of the three areas of the Romanian Carpathians (Eastern, Southern and Western), in close connection with the specific manner of using natural and human resources of each area, the main objective of our study is to pinpoint the significant aspects of depopulation and population redistribution. The database was established resorting to censuses from 1912 to the present time. Coupled with a typology of population evolution, a regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between population size changes through time and other variables. The results highlight the contrast between the sustained dynamic in the first part of our study period and the subsequent decline, particularly in the case of establishments specialized in industrial extraction activities. Despite all this, clear signs and tendencies of revitalization and dynamism can be observed, especially where urban and rural settlements are well adapted to the natural environment and can benefit from a significant tourism potential.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-09
DOI: 10.3390/land12091756
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1757: Urban Development and Transportation:
Investigating Spatial Performance Indicators of 12 European Union Coastal
Regions
Authors: Paraskevas Nikolaou, Socrates Basbas
First page: 1757
Abstract: Urbanization is one of the most dominant economic and social changes of the 20th century. This phenomenon brings about rapid urban development, which is inextricably linked to transport development. In order to understand this relationship, it is important to analyze the spatial spillover effects of the phenomenon in the urban environment. This study analyzes the spatial performance, in terms of urban development, of 12 European Union regions from five European countries with coastal areas by incorporating spatial data such as length of road network, population distribution, land uses, and other factors. Key performance indicators have been developed for evaluating the structural development model of the regions (e.g., dense or sprawl development). In addition, the incorporation of spatial spillover effects in the evaluation of the regions was conducted by the extended spatial data envelopment analysis (SDEA) method. The results of SDEA identified the best and worst-performing regions in terms of urban growth. Finally, this study implements a target-setting approach where under-performing regions can best perform. Based on the target-setting approach, local authorities can set realistic targets for improving the structural model that the regions are following.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-10
DOI: 10.3390/land12091757
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1758: Understanding Recessive Transition of
Cultivated Land Use in Jilin Province, China (1990–2020): From
Perspective of Productive-Living-Ecological Functions
Authors: Lingzhi Wang, Anqi Liang, Xinyao Li, Chengge Jiang, Junjie Wu, Hichem Omrani
First page: 1758
Abstract: Jilin Province is an important commercial grain production base in northeast China, and it has seen significant transition in cultivated land use in recent years. This study constructed a measurement system for the recessive transition of cultivated land use in Jilin Province based on the perspective of “three-function synergy” (productive, living, and ecological functions). It discussed the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of the recessive transition of cultivated land use from 1990 to 2020, identified the turning point of the cultivated land transition trend, and built a model of recessive transition of cultivated land in Jilin Province. After analyzing the results, we came to the following conclusions: (1) The turning point of the “three-function synergy” of the recessive morphology of cultivated land in Jilin Province occurred earlier than the mutation point of the recessive transition of cultivated land, and there was a certain temporality in the recessive transition of cultivated land compared with the functional change of cultivated land; (2) the degree of recessive transition of cultivated land in Jilin Province showed a spatial distribution characteristic of being higher in the west and lower in the east; (3) the recessive transition of cultivated land use in Jilin Province could be divided into transition stages characterized by “low stage slow rise period”, “middle stage significant increase period”, and “high stage steady growth period”; (4) Jilin Province should adopt differentiated and diversified management of cultivated land to achieve a comprehensive management model that emphasizes quantity, quality, and ecology.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-10
DOI: 10.3390/land12091758
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1759: Land Use Change and Landscape Ecological Risk
Assessment Based on Terrain Gradients in Yuanmou Basin
Authors: Lei Zhao, Zhengtao Shi, Guangxiong He, Li He, Wenfei Xi, Qin Jiang
First page: 1759
Abstract: Investigating the distribution characteristics of landscape ecological risk (LER) on terrain gradients is of great significance for optimizing the landscape pattern of ecologically vulnerable areas in mountainous regions and maintaining the sustainable development of the ecological environment. The Yuanmou Basin is a typical ecologically vulnerable area in the southwestern mountainous region of China, where issues such as soil erosion are pronounced, becoming one of the main factors restricting regional economic development. This study selected the Yuanmou Basin as the study area, and, using land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020, constructed an LER assessment model based on disturbance and vulnerability. By integrating elevation and topographic position index data, we examined the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of LER under different terrain gradients. The LER assessment results are summarized as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the land use types of the Yuanmou Basin were mainly grassland, forest land and cropland. The land use showed a sharp increase in the cropland area and a simultaneous decrease in the grassland area, indicating a main land use evolution direction from grassland to cropland. (2) Over the span of 20 years, the average landscape ecological risk in the Yuanmou Basin slightly increased, specifically manifesting as a significant reduction in low ecological risk areas, while areas of medium and slightly lower ecological risks saw an increase. (3) The spatial distribution of LER in the Yuanmou Basin presents a pattern of being low on the periphery and high in the center, with significant positive spatial correlation, obvious spatial aggregation, as well as “high-high” and “low-low” clustering. (4) Low- and lower-risk areas in the Yuanmou Basin are distributed in the non-arid thermal zone and the medium–high terrain zone, while areas of medium, higher and high risk levels are mainly distributed in the arid thermal zone and the low terrain zone. The research results provide a scientific basis for optimizing and developing the land resources of the Yuanmou Basin.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-10
DOI: 10.3390/land12091759
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1760: The Impact of Farmland Management Scale on
Carbon Emissions
Authors: Jing Bai, Jun Liu, Libang Ma, Wenbo Zhang
First page: 1760
Abstract: In rural China, the conversion between fine-grained farmland and large-scale farmland is a widespread phenomenon, changes in the size of farmland can have an impact on agricultural carbon emissions. Based on the agricultural panel data of Gansu Province for 2000–2020, taking the scale of agricultural land management as the breakthrough point and the consumption intensity of agricultural materials as the intermediary factor, this paper discusses the driving mechanism of agricultural carbon emissions by the scale of agricultural land management. The results including: (1) From the perspective of the intermediary effect, large-scale farmers pay more attention to input efficiency of chemicals such as fertilizers than small-scale farmers, which can effectively promote the development of low-carbon agriculture. (2) A “U-shaped” relationship existed between agricultural land management scale and agricultural carbon emissions. The agricultural carbon emissions were the lowest when agricultural land management scale in Gansu was 0.608 hm2/person. (3) The carbon emission intensity reached its peak when the scale of farmland management in the Hexi region was 0.143 hm2/person. The optimal scale of farmland management in the Longdong and Longnan regions was 0.143 and 0.348 hm2/person, respectively, Longzhong and Gannan regions was all showed complete intermediary effects.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-11
DOI: 10.3390/land12091760
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1761: Assessment of Sustainable Development
Suitability in Linear Cultural Heritage—A Case of Beijing Great Wall
Cultural Belt
Authors: Ding He, Jingchong Hu, Jie Zhang
First page: 1761
Abstract: The Great Wall is an example of linear cultural Heritage (LCH) subjected to a fragile ecological environment and unbalanced economic development. However, no studies have been conducted to assess the sustainable development suitability (SDS) of the Great Wall region. Heritage area development assessments can increase public and government knowledge of the state of heritage areas and aid decision makers in formulating sensible policies or plans to protect and develop heritage areas. The valley is the spatial model of mountain economic development proposed on the basis of a basin combined with the ecological protection, rural development, and cultural inheritance present in mountainous areas. This study chose 169 valley units in the Beijing Great Wall Cultural Belt as research objects. A 15-indicator assessment index system was established based on the ecological, socio-economic, and cultural dimensions. The assessment procedure was enhanced by employing the triangle graphical method, and spatial autocorrelation was used to study the geographical distribution features of the development suitability scores derived from the research region. The results show the following facts: (1) Yanqing, Huairou, Miyun, Pinggu, and Changping have high development suitability results, whereas Mentougou and Changping have low scores. (2) In total, 96 valley units have practical advantages, and 51.5% are comprehensive development types (with advantages in at least two aspects). (3) Valley development suitability scores spatially cluster into seven high- and low-value groups. The ecological carrying capacity of the Badaling Cluster cannot maintain its overheated development. The results match up well with the objective condition of planning in the Beijing Great Wall National Cultural Park. We conclude that the proposed indicator framework and analytical method can be transferred to cases with similar contexts.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-11
DOI: 10.3390/land12091761
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1762: Response of Food Production and Trade to the
Global Socio-Ecological System Network
Authors: Wenqi Xie, Gang Zhou, Haijuan Yang, Xin Chen, Chao Wang, Jieying Ji
First page: 1762
Abstract: Food production and trade play a fundamental role in the globalized food system. However, the phenomena of decreasing food production and trade interruptions are becoming increasingly common. Currently, there is a lack of simultaneous research on food production and import trade. This study compiles socio-economic environmental data from 146 countries and regions worldwide and employs mobile window and network analysis methods to illustrate how food production quantity influences the social-ecological system. The research findings indicate that in the majority of regions worldwide (102 countries), food demand is met through the local food supply, with a predominant distribution in coastal and inland areas. However, 31% of countries or regions primarily achieve food security through import trade, and many of them are island nations and peninsular countries. This discovery provides valuable insights for understanding the diversity and dependency within the global food system. Based on the impact of food production quantity on the global socio-ecological system network, this study reveals the uneven strengths of connections between nodes and inconsistent connection directions. Building upon these findings, we propose recommendations concerning agricultural policies, human-environment relationships, agricultural transformation, and climate change to help prevent and manage food insecurity risks.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-11
DOI: 10.3390/land12091762
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1763: The Spatial Pattern Evolution of Rural
Settlements and Multi-Scenario Simulations since the Initiation of the
Reform and Opening up Policy in China
Authors: Shuangqing Sheng, Hua Lian
First page: 1763
Abstract: Since the inception of China’s reform and opening-up policy, the rapidly advancing process of urbanization and the primacy accorded to urban development policies have imparted increasingly profound ramifications on rural domains. Nonetheless, antecedent research has predominantly fixated on urban sprawl, overlooking the spatial metamorphosis of rural settlements and the prospective developmental trajectories within the policy paradigm. Consequently, this inquiry endeavors to scrutinize the evolution of the spatial configuration of rural settlements in She County from the advent of reform and opening-up (1980–2020) utilizing remote sensing data. In tandem, through scenario delineation and the utilization of the CLUE-S model, it aspires to prognosticate the evolving trends in the spatial arrangements of rural settlements in She County by 2035. The empirical findings divulge that (1) The temporal progression of rural settlement spatial configurations in She County over the preceding four decades can be delineated into two discernible phases. From 1980 to 2000, alterations in the number, extent, and spatial morphological attributes of rural settlements remained circumscribed. While the count of rural settlements registered a diminution (by 3), the aggregate extent experienced a marginal augmentation (by 8.45%), concomitant with a gradual gravitation towards regular boundaries, manifesting a stochastic distribution throughout the investigation expanse. Conversely, from 2000 to 2020, the quantity and extent of rural settlements in She County underwent a precipitous augmentation (92 and 36.37%, respectively), characterized by irregular peripheries. (2) The CLUE-S model achieved an overall precision of 0.929, underscoring its applicability in emulating fluctuations in rural settlements. (3) Within the new-type urbanization scenario, the cumulative expanse of rural settlements witnessed a decline of 35.36% compared to the natural development scenario, marked by substantial conversions into grassland and urban land usage. Furthermore, orchestrated planning and directive measures have propelled the consolidation of rural settlements in She County, engendering a more equitable and standardized layout. Under the aegis of the ecological conservation scenario, the total rural settlement area recorded a 0.38% reduction vis-à-vis the natural development scenario, primarily entailing competitive coexistence with arable land, grassland, and urban land usage in spatial terms.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-11
DOI: 10.3390/land12091763
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1764: Evaluation of Spatiotemporal Changes in
Cropland Quantity and Quality with Multi-Source Remote Sensing
Authors: Han Liu, Yu Wang, Lingling Sang, Caisheng Zhao, Tengyun Hu, Hongtao Liu, Zheng Zhang, Shuyu Wang, Shuangxi Miao, Zhengshan Ju
First page: 1764
Abstract: Timely cropland information is crucial for ensuring food security and promoting sustainable development. Traditional field survey methods are time-consuming and costly, making it difficult to support rapid monitoring of large-scale cropland changes. Furthermore, most existing studies focus on cropland evaluation from a single aspect such as quantity or quality, and thus cannot comprehensively reveal spatiotemporal characteristics of cropland. In this study, a method for evaluating the quantity and quality of cropland using multi-source remote sensing-derived data was proposed and effectively applied in the black soil region in Northeast China. Evaluation results showed that the area of cropland increased significantly in the study area between 2010 and 2018, and the proportion of cropland increased by 1.17%. Simultaneously, cropland patches became larger and landscape connectivity improved. Most of the gained cropland was concentrated in the northeast and west, resulting in a shift in the gravity center of cropland to the northeast direction. Among land converted into cropland, unused land, grassland, and forest were the main sources, accounting for 36.38%, 31.47%, and 16.94% respectively. The quality of cropland in the study area generally improved. The proportion of low-quality cropland decreased by 7.17%, while the proportions of high-quality and medium-quality cropland increased by 5.65% and 5.17%, respectively. Specifically, the quality of cropland improved strongly in the east, improved slightly in the southwest, and declined in the north. Production capacity and soil fertility were key factors impacting cropland quality with obstacle degrees of 36.22% and 15.64%, respectively. Overall, the obtained results were helpful for a comprehensive understanding of spatiotemporal changes in cropland and driving factors and can provide guidance for cropland protection and management. The proposed method demonstrated promising reliability and application potential, which can provide a reference for other cropland evaluation studies.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091764
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1765: Evaluation of an Incentive Programme for
Increasing Green Infrastructure on Vineyards
Authors: Anna-Kate Goodall, Wendy McWilliam, Colin Meurk, Olaf Schelezki, Suphicha Muangsri
First page: 1765
Abstract: Wine grape ecosystems with low species richness and reliance on agrichemicals have weak resilience to environmental impacts. Increasing biodiversity through green infrastructure (GI) not only helps mitigate some of these impacts but can provide additional benefits to growers and the public. Despite this, many vineyards have limited GI. While scholars suggest incentive programmes may help to encourage GI implementation, few studies have evaluated their effectiveness. We surveyed winegrowers and their vineyards in the Waipara Valley sub-region, New Zealand, to evaluate an incentive programme aimed at increasing GI on vineyards, particularly indigenous vegetation. The results indicated the programme was effective in encouraging growers to plant indigenous plants in areas incapable or unsuitable for growing grapes, largely in support of nature conservation, aesthetics, branding, and sales. It was less successful in encouraging growers to plant them in productive areas. While substantial GI, primarily in the form of inter-row cover crops, was managed in these areas, most were exotic plants seen by growers to provide superior services (especially erosion control, weed suppression and pest regulation) at lower management complexity and cost. Growers identified six GI enablers: (1) promoting GI types that provide greater grower services than disservices and costs of implementation and management; (2) implementing GI where biophysical conditions support success; (3) providing assistance with plant selection and design; (4) providing GI implementation and/or management funding; (5) developing GI certification policies and regional association programmes; and (6) providing government GI regulations, strategies, and incentives. They also identified five barriers: (1) insufficient grower appreciation for indigenous GI services; (2) grower concerns that some GI disservices were greater than their services; (3) grower belief that costs of GI implementation and/or management were greater than those of alternative practices; (4) harsh and remote GI growing conditions; (5) lack of grower knowledge regarding how to design plantings, especially those that could provide multiple services; and (6) lack of sufficient financial resources for GI implementation and/or management. Twenty recommendations for improving GI implementation are provided.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091765
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1766: Planting a Linear Vegetation Element in
Landscape Using a Forestry and Landscaping Method—Can We Tell Which
Deliver Greater Success'
Authors: Darek Lacina, Petr Kupec
First page: 1766
Abstract: Since the end of the 20th century, the Czech Republic has been developing an ecological network. Areas of ligneous greenery are being established throughout the landscape. The projects use different sizes of planting material: forestry seedlings and landscaping seedlings. In the South Moravian Region, in the vicinity of the village of Šardice, a series of measurements was carried out in 2016–2019 to compare the vitality of the greenery elements established by each of the methods. The height of the seedlings and trunk diameter were measured for the young trees while the shrubs were monitored for the seedling height only. Mortality was recorded successively for all the seedlings. The forestry method demonstrated greater growing vigour as indicated by the ratio of the trunk diameter increment to height while the landscaping method had lower mortality. In the forestry plantations, high mortality was found especially in poplars, oaks and hornbeams while in the landscaping plantations the poplars and oaks had the highest mortality. Elm, sycamore and poplar trees had the highest increments in the forestry plantations (but the latter was planted at different size). In the landscaping plantations, poplar trees (planted at a different size) delivered the best results, followed by maple, elm and lime trees. Shrub mortality was similar in both types of plantings. Hazel had a very high mortality while ivy, privet and honeysuckle had low mortality. Shrub height gain was higher in fenced forestry plantations. In unfenced landscaping plantations, damage by game was evident.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091766
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1767: Study into the Evolution of Spatiotemporal
Characteristics and Driving Mechanisms of
Production–Living–Ecological Spaces on the Indochina Peninsula
Authors: Shuang Lu, Zibo Zhou, Mingyang Houding, Liu Yang, Qiang Gao, Chenglong Cao, Xiang Li, Ziqiang Bu
First page: 1767
Abstract: Influenced by historical background, regional economic development, and the frequent occurrence of armed conflict, the human–earth relationship in the Central and Southern Peninsula, which is located in a “fragmented zone”, is characteristic of the region. The Indochina Peninsula has now become an area of interest for the study of spatial changes in production–living–ecological spaces (PLES). Taking the Indochina Peninsula as the study area, this paper explores the evolution of the spatiotemporal patterns of PLES and its driving mechanism in the Indochina Peninsula, from 2010 to 2020, based on a grid scale. Methods such as the land-use transition matrix, land-use dynamics index, and geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) were used in our model, which will provide the basic data and reference for sustainable development planning across the Indochina Peninsula. Our results show that, from 2010 to 2020, ecological space dominated the PLES pattern on the Indochina Peninsula, but its area gradually decreased, accompanied by a sharp increase in the areas of productive and living spaces. The area of PLES interconversion on the Indochina Peninsula in 2010–2020 was 212,818.70 km2, and the intertransfer of production and ecological spaces was distributed in a networklike manner throughout the Indochina Peninsula, while the transfer of living space was distributed in a pointlike manner. The migration path of the center of gravity of PLES on the Indochina Peninsula demonstrated a significant directional difference, and the direction and extent of the standard deviation ellipse distribution of the ecological space was similar to that of the production space. The PLES’s pattern evolution was affected by the degree of multiple factors, with a significant spatial and temporal heterogeneity. The positive and negative feedback effects of the factors were distributed in different areas and in different transfer directions.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091767
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1768: Peat Formation in Rewetted Fens as Reflected by
Saturated n-Alkyl Acid Concentrations and Patterns
Authors: Gerald Jandl, Wakene Negassa, Kai-Uwe Eckhardt, Peter Leinweber
First page: 1768
Abstract: The conversion of cultivated fen peat soils into rewetted soils can mitigate global climate change. Specifically, carbon in newly formed peat can store atmospheric CO2 for a long time in soil, but alterations in the quality of soil organic matter are not well known. To shed light on the complex processes of peat degradation or new formation under dry or rewetting conditions, we investigated and quantified saturated n-alkyl acids as an indicator compound class of peatlands response to the contrasting management practices. The concentrations of saturated n-alkyl acids from two soil layers of the drained and rewetted were determined in two soil layers of drained and rewetted fenland types such as Alder Carr forest, coastal peatland, and percolation mire. The analytical methods were solvent extraction, methylation with tetramethylammonium hydroxide, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The saturated n-alkyl acid distribution pattern showed that the concentrations of long C-chain lengths were larger by factors of up to 28 relative to the short C-chain lengths. The effect of rewetting was reflected by the ratios of the summed concentrations of long (n-C21:0 to n-C34:0) to short (n-C10:0 to n-C20:0) C-chain saturated n-alkyl acids for drained and rewetted peat soil samples. These ratios were consistently lower in samples from the rewetted sites, indicating a higher input of microbial bio- and necromass to soil organic matter, likely from algae and anaerobic bacteria, under rewetting. The results suggest that the enrichment of microbial biomass and necromass in rewetted soils may be an important contributor to the formation of new peat in fenlands, irrespective of fenland type.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091768
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1769: Enhanced Understanding of Key Soil Properties
in Northern Xinjiang Using Water-Heat-Spectral Datasets Based on
Bioclimatic Guidelines
Authors: Fei Wang, Yang Wei, Shengtian Yang
First page: 1769
Abstract: Current digital soil mapping of soil properties (soil organic carbon, SOC; electrical conductivity, EC; and pH) is mainly based on transfer learning, which is inadequate in terms of accuracy for the northern plain area of Xinjiang. To address this issue, establishing a new model is urgently required that can improve our understanding of the soil properties in this region. To this end, based on the global bioclimatic variables and surface dry–wet and wet–dry transitions, The study developed a spectral–water–heat database (SWHD). The study then incorporated this database and background data into machine learning algorithms (XGBoost, LightGBM, and random forest) to establish models applicable to the study area and draw spatial changes in the key soil properties. Our findings revealed that the organic carbon content was the highest in grasslands, whereas shrublands had high soil salinity. The pH value indicated overall alkalinity in the study area. Additionally, the SWHD-based predictions outperformed the mean or maximum value datasets, with LightGBM showing superior performance among all models. Furthermore, the validation accuracy obtained through our optimal algorithm was significantly higher than that obtained by other products, such as Harmonized World Soil Database (HWSD) and SoilGrid250, likely because of the limitations of these datasets, which may represent historical soil properties rather than current variations in the soil properties in the region. The study also observed that the mean SOC and EC values significantly decreased compared to the historical data, while the decrease in pH was smaller but not significant. Structural equation modeling and variable importance analysis revealed that the variables with the greatest influence on modeling SOC, EC, and pH were BIO10, DTW2021_406-426_B3 (Surface reflectance acquired in spring), and land use type. Our improved model developed based on the SWHD dataset offers important scientific evidence and decision support for land use management and provides a solid foundation for future research in this field.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-12
DOI: 10.3390/land12091769
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1770: Spatiotemporal Variations of
Production–Living–Ecological Space under Various, Changing
Climate and Land Use Scenarios in the Upper Reaches of Hanjiang River
Basin, China
Authors: Pengtao Wang, Xupu Li, Liwei Zhang, Zhuangzhuang Wang, Jiangtao Bai, Yongyong Song, Hongzhu Han, Ting Zhao, Guan Huang, Junping Yan
First page: 1770
Abstract: Land is an important resource that supports the production, life, and ecological development of human society. The current research on production–living–ecological space (PLES) is mainly focusing on the identification of single and dominant functions of land space, and the comprehensive spatial function measurement index of PLES (PLESI) is less known in the effective quantitative evaluation of multifunctionality of different land use categories. Integrating the CMIP6 (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6) scenario data and the future land use simulation model (FLUS), this research took the upper reaches of the Hanjiang River (URHR) as an example to explore the temporal and spatial variations in land use, PLES, and PLESIs during 2000–2020, and in the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios from 2021 to 2100. The findings were as follows: (1) Forest land is the most widely distributed type of land; correspondingly, ecological space has the widest distribution area in PLES, followed by production space. (2) The area of dry land and building land increased between 2000 and 2010, accompanied by the increase in living space. From 2010 to 2020, the growth rate of building land tended to slow down while forest land increased, and the conflict of PLES eased. (3) The transfer between forest land and dry land is projected to intensify under the SSP2-4.5 scenario, while it is projected to occur between forest land and grassland under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. As for the changes in PLES, the SSP2-4.5 scenario has a greater impact than the SSP5-8.5 scenario. Spatially, several sub-basins in the northern URHR are the main areas of land use and PLES change. (4) PLESI presents a significant downward trend from 2000 to 2020 while trending upward under the SSP5-8.5 scenario and trending downward slightly under the SSP2-4.5 scenario between 2020 and 2100. Combining climate scenarios and the future land use simulation, this research would support the effective utilization of regional land resources and ecosystem management decision-making.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091770
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1771: The Distributional Effects Associated with Land
Authors: Zixing Wang, Meirong Zhang
First page: 1771
Abstract: Land finance has become an important way of generating fiscal incomes in developing countries, while the urban–rural income gap (URIG) in developing countries remains high. However, existing research has not paid much attention to the connection between land finance and the URIG. Therefore, this study used a fixed-effects model to test this relationship for 275 prefecture-level cities in China from 2014 to 2017. To identify the effects of the potential omitted variables, this study conducted additional robustness checks using placebo tests. The results showed that land finance significantly widened the URIG, and this finding was maintained after a set of tests. Further study found that the effect of land finance on the URIG showed significant heterogeneity. Land grants by tender, listing, and auction significantly widened the URIG, while land grants by agreement did not affect the URIG; the effect of land finance on the URIG was more significant in Eastern and Middle regions, but not marked in Western regions; and land finance had no impact on the URIG in large and medium-sized cities, while it had a significant impact in small cities. Based on the above results, this study offers recommendations to improve land fiscal policy and urban-biased development strategies, which aim to promote the equalization of the basic rights and interests of urban and rural residents and reduce the URIG.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091771
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1772: Challenges and Stakeholder Perspectives on
Implementing Ecological Designs in Green Public Spaces: A Case Study of
Hue City, Vietnam
Authors: Maria Ignatieva, Duy Khiem Tran, Rosangela Tenorio
First page: 1772
Abstract: In recent years, ecological design has emerged as an innovative approach for landscape designs to address urban environmental issues such as biodiversity protection and the promotion of ecosystem services. However, in developing countries like Vietnam, an ecological approach is still in its early stages and requires more research and practical application. This study aims to explore stakeholder perspectives and identify suitable ecological landscape approaches through semi-structured interviews based on designed images. The findings reveal various challenges to implementing ecological designs in the public green spaces of Hue City, such as the prioritisation of short-term goals over ecosystem services, solely focusing on increasing green per capita, the lack of market interest, and the lack of motivation among different departments responsible for the design and management of public green spaces. In addition, the study also finds that stakeholders are willing to accept a hybrid ecological landscape approach in combination with ‘cues to care’ landscapes, such as buffer zones of well-managed vegetation or regularly cut lawns. Results highlight the necessity of prioritising ecosystem services in decision-making, policy, and planning development concerning urban green spaces in Vietnamese cities. In addition, education and awareness campaigns are needed for the public and stakeholders to increase acceptance of ecological design.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091772
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1773: Evaluation of Territorial Capacity for
Development: Population and Employment
Authors: Ricard Calvo-Palomares, Juli Antoni Aguado-Hernández, Enric Sigalat-Signes, Bernat Roig-Merino
First page: 1773
Abstract: Rural depopulation and its consequences is a critical social, economic, labour and environmental issue. Based on diagnoses carried out five years ago in two rural territories of the Valencian Community (Spain) in a situation of demographic desertification, this paper aims to analyse if the evolution of employment and population has become a driving force for local development in both territories. To this end, triangulated analysis has been conducted using statistical sources, a survey of the respective Local Development and Employment Officers (AEDLs) and application of the new READI© methodology—based on a matrix with indicators evaluating the level of convergence of the resources, actors and dynamics available to the territory. The survey and READI© methodology have allowed us to complete sociodemographic analysis of population and employment to identify the causes that explain the similarities and differences between both territories in their capacity to generate local development processes. As a result of this study, some positive trends can be observed in the period encompassing 2017–2022, changing the preceding negative tendency and allowing us to generate a hopeful approach for such territories if local development policies correct the detected imbalances.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091773
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1774: Using Diachronic Cartography and GIS to Map
Forest Landscape Changes in the Putna-Vrancea Natural Park, Romania
Authors: George-Adrian Istrate, Vasilică Istrate, Adrian Ursu, Pavel Ichim, Iuliana-Gabriela Breabăn
First page: 1774
Abstract: The Putna-Vrancea Natural Park (PVNP) is one of the wildest mountain areas in Romania and is home to internationally important species of flora and fauna. Although the park’s area is covered by forests, the last two centuries have seen several major transformations. The aim of this article is to present a historical approach to the development of habitat areas within the PVNP, with an attempt to show both the situation before and after the establishment of its protection regime. The changes in the forest area were identified using available cartographic material from 1789, 1895, 1957, 1975, 2005, and 2018. The analysis of forest distribution according to different classes of natural factors (altitude, slope, soil type, and lithology) highlighted the early 20th century when forest cover decreased at low altitudes and slopes. However, anthropogenic factors were responsible for almost all changes. The specific socio-economic system of the Vrancea Mountains, according to which the forest was and still is owned by the inhabitants of several villages, led to periods of deforestation: burning to increase the area of pastures and the unsustainable exploitation of wood by some companies that had been granted this right by the owners. In the 1960s and 1970s, the mountain pastures were reforested, and in the last 20 years, the mountain pastures have been transformed into forests. Although the use of old maps for this type of analysis has certain limitations, the results obtained provide insight into the causes of the transformation of forest landscapes in some areas of the PVNP.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091774
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1775: Phytoplankton in the Ecological Assessment of
the Mining Facilities Influence on the Anabar River in the Permafrost Zone
of the Arctic, Eastern Siberia, Russia
Authors: Sophia Barinova, Viktor Gabyshev, Olga Gabysheva
First page: 1775
Abstract: In modern conditions of climate change and increased anthropogenic pressure on aquatic ecosystems, the study of the diversity of organisms in the Arctic has become a top priority. Our study continues a series of studies on the biodiversity of Arctic rivers. Using innovative methods, such as ecological mapping, statistics, and bioindication, we identify environmental factors that influence phytoplankton diversity in the river basin under study. For the Anabar Arctic River, an increase in the diversity of phytoplankton was found to the north towards the mouth of the river, which is associated with an increase in turbidity from industrial discharges. A weak effect of organic pollution and toxic effects associated with existing settlements have been identified, but it has been established that natural processes of self-purification take place in the studied Arctic River. Among 210 species of phytoplankton, an increase in the diversity of chrysophytes in the northern direction was revealed, consistent with the intensification of severe Arctic climatic conditions. Since the study region is characterized by increased diamond mining, we recommend continuing to monitor phytoplankton, track changes in the Anabar River ecosystem, and expand such observations to other Arctic rivers.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091775
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1776: The Development of an Experimental Framework to
Explore the Generative Design Preference of a Machine Learning-Assisted
Residential Site Plan Layout
Authors: Pei Sun, Fengying Yan, Qiwei He, Hongjiang Liu
First page: 1776
Abstract: Generative design based on machine learning has become an important area of application for artificial intelligence. Regarding the generative design process for residential site plan layouts (hereafter referred to as ”RSPLs”), the lack of experimental demonstration begs the question: what are the design preferences of machine learning' In this case, all design elements of the target object need to be extracted as much as possible to conduct experimental studies to produce scientific experimental results. Based on this, the Pix2pix model was used as the test case for Chinese residential areas in this study. An experimental framework of “extract-translate-machine-learning-evaluate” is proposed, combining different machine and manual computations, as well as quantitative and qualitative evaluation techniques, to jointly determine which design elements and their characteristic representations are machine learning design preferences in the field of RSPL. The results show that machine learning can assist in optimizing the design of two particular RSPL elements to conform to residential site layout plans: plaza paving and landscaped green space. In addition, two other major elements, public facilities and spatial structures, were also found to exhibit more significant design preferences, with the largest percentage increase in the number of changes required after machine learning. Finally, the experimental framework established in this study compensates for the lack of consideration that all design elements of a residential area simultaneously utilize the same methodological framework. This can also assist planners in developing solutions that better meet the expectations of residents and can clarify the potential and advantageous directions for the application of machine learning-assisted RSPL.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091776
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1777: Historical Data for Natural Hazard Risk
Mitigation and Land Use Planning
Authors: Fabio Luino, Mariano Barriendos, Fabrizio Terenzio Gizzi, Ruediger Glaser, Christoph Gruetzner, Walter Palmieri, Sabina Porfido, Heather Sangster, Laura Turconi
First page: 1777
Abstract: This paper demonstrates how historical research is a valuable tool for identifying past geological, geomorphological and climatic hazards and therefore critical for mitigating and reducing future risk. The authors describe the potential of a scientific field that straddles that of the geologist, geographer, historian and archivist. Historical records include a range of materials and sources of information, which can be very diverse; from written documents to cartographies, and from drawings to marble tombstones. They are all useful and convey important data, on the date of the event, the size of the phenomena, sometimes on ground effects, damage or magnitude. The authors discuss how to conduct historical research by providing a list of locations and how important historical documents can be found. Works that mention geological phenomena are listed, starting with the first occasional descriptions by individuals in letters, up to very specific publications in individual fields of interest. With this introduction, the editors of the Special Issue wish to draw attention to the importance of historical documentation, which is too often ignored or considered of low priority by the scientific community, but can contain key information on events, their impacts and social and cultural adaptations.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091777
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1778: Local Housing Strategy: Analysis of Importance
and Implementation in Machico Municipality, Madeira
Authors: Raul Alves, Sérgio Lousada, José Cabezas, José Manuel Naranjo Gómez
First page: 1778
Abstract: This article presents a detailed analysis of the local housing strategies (ELH) in the Municipality of Machico, Madeira, examining the diagnosis of housing needs, proposed solutions, and projected goals for the future. In addition to addressing the rehabilitation of private and public housing and the increase in housing supply, the study also explores how ELH relate to the new generation of housing policies and the public support program for promoting housing solutions for vulnerable people. It is important to note that the implementation of ELH in Machico also has a positive impact on the local landscape and climate resilience, promoting the conservation of important forest areas for the production and management of natural resources.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091778
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1779: Theoretical Analysis and Empirical Study of
Urban Expansion Based on the Marginal Principle
Authors: Jumei Cheng, Xiaoshun Li, Yiwei Geng, Zhengyan Wang, Tiange Li, Qiubo Fan
First page: 1779
Abstract: Rapid urban expansion places unprecedented pressure on urban land management. Optimization of urban spatial layout has become a theoretical proposition and a practical problem associated with urban expansion. Thus, by using the social value measurement model, equivalent factor method, and marginal benefit measurement model, in this paper, we analyze the land resource allocation mechanism, efficiency loss, and reasonable interval. The study results are as follows: (1) Theoretical analysis shows that there are three ranges of land use for urban expansion in China—ideal, moderate and extreme—and it is reasonable to control the amount of land used for urban expansion within the moderate range. (2) Value measurement reveals that the marginal social value and marginal ecological value of cultivated land in Xuzhou show an overall upward trend. From the perspective of the constant price in 2018, the marginal social value increased from CNY 4.91 million/hm2 in 2005 to CNY 14.31 million/hm2 in 2018, while the marginal ecological value increased from CNY 9513.60/hm2 in 2005 to CNY 13,629.70/hm2 in 2018. (3) Empirical analysis shows that when the marginal value of land as cultivated land and construction land is equal, the actual scale of occupied agricultural land is 51,887.23 hm2, of which 25,686.67 hm2 of cultivated land is converted into construction land, sacrificing the social value of farmland, and 12,281.70 hm2 of cultivated land is converted into construction land, ignoring the non-market value of land. Based on the perspective of the marginal principle, in this paper, we construct a model of urban expansion land use allocation and define reasonable intervals for urban expansion land use so as to provide a quantitative reference and decision-making basis for urban expansion governance.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-13
DOI: 10.3390/land12091779
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1780: Discussion on the Optimization Method of Public
Service Facility Layout from the Perspective of Spatial Equity: A Study
Based on the Central City of Shanghai
Authors: Chen Chen
First page: 1780
Abstract: Equity is one of the fundamental principles in the planning of public service facilities. In recent years, many cities have started to promote the construction of 15 min community living circles with the aim of providing residents with more equitable access to basic public services. Based on this background, this study explores an equity-oriented spatial quantitative analysis method to assist in the planning of public service facility layouts. The node centrality measurement index, such as betweenness from spatial syntax and social network analysis is introduced into the analysis method in order to consider the potential activity paths and flows of people at the community scale. Selecting the central city of Shanghai as a case study, the research presents results regarding spatial equity based on the relationship between public service demand and public service facilities supply. Building on this foundation, various approaches to enhancing equity are discussed: (1) optimizing the layout of public service facilities; (2) optimizing residential spatial patterns; and (3) optimizing pedestrian transportation networks.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091780
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1781: Management Implications at a Protected,
Peri-Urban, Salt Lake Ecosystem: The Case of Larnaca’s Salt Lakes
(Cyprus)
Authors: Eleni S. Bekri, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Charalambos S. Christodoulou, Antonia Sophocleous-Lemonari, Panayotis Dimopoulos
First page: 1781
Abstract: Larnaca’s salt lakes constitute one of the most important protected areas in Cyprus and in the southeast Mediterranean. It is in continuity with the urban area of Larnaca city, being the major green infrastructure in the area, supporting (among others) biodiversity, recreation, culture, and food production. The present study aims to provide an overview of the area’s ecosystem types and their potential to provide ecosystem services, focusing on assessing the water ecosystem condition and drafting the relevant baseline accounts. The results of the study include an ecosystem type map of the area, followed by potential supply maps of ecosystem services, for the three major categories (i.e., provisioning, regulating and maintenance, and cultural) and the estimation and assessment of ecosystem condition variables for wetlands, as proposed by the EU-wide methodology to map and assess the ecosystem condition, in line with the System of Environmental Economic Accounting—Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA EA). A critical exceedance (over 10%) of the imperviousness and the increase in the soil moisture deficit within the wider salt lakes area have been identified and can constitute useful variables associated with the anthropogenic, climatic, and other effects on the condition of the salt lakes. Discussion for integrating this information to existing knowledge is provided toward supporting scientifically informed decision and policymaking for the sustainable development of protected areas.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091781
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1782: Mapping Slaughterhouse Supply Zones in the
Brazilian Amazon with Cattle Transit Records
Authors: Amintas Brandão, Lisa Rausch, Jacob Munger, Holly K. Gibbs
First page: 1782
Abstract: Mapping slaughterhouse supply zones is crucial for assessing cattle concentration, environmental impact, and promoting sustainable practices. This study combines cattle transit records (GTA in Portuguese) with rural property boundaries (CAR in Portuguese) to map these zones in the Brazilian Amazon. It evaluates the influence of Zero-Deforestation Cattle Agreements (CA) and explores the overlap between CA and non−CA slaughterhouse supply zones. Results reveal that CA slaughterhouse supply zones significantly impact forest preservation and cover a large area equivalent to entire municipalities. Over two-thirds of the study region, including most non-protected areas, falls within these zones. There is a high degree of overlap (95%) with non−CA supply zones, indicating competition for suppliers and limited expansion potential for CA. Direct and indirect suppliers are located nearby, with approximately 80% of indirect suppliers within 100 km of direct suppliers. Consequently, supply zones for both types of suppliers largely overlap. These findings demonstrate that assessing slaughterhouse deforestation risk for the entire supply chain in our study region can be achieved by mapping only the direct suppliers. This research provides valuable insights into cattle concentration, the effectiveness of zero-deforestation commitments, and the need for sustainable practices in the slaughterhouse industry.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091782
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1783: Soil Carbon and Biochemical Indicators of Soil
Quality as Affected by Different Conservation Agricultural and Weed
Management Options
Authors: Gobinder Singh, Kuldeep Raj Sharma, Rajan Bhatt, Jagdeep Singh, Owais Ali Wani, Ahmed Z. Dewidar, Mohamed A. Mattar
First page: 1783
Abstract: Burning of agricultural residues, cultivation of single crop varieties such as rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and traditional soil tillage practices collectively contribute to the degradation of environmental quality, water systems, and soil resources. To address these issues, conservation agriculture (CA)-based crop management practice has emerged as one of the viable options. The current study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the effect of CA and weed management (WM) practices on carbon dynamics and biochemical properties of soil. The experiment included two factors, viz., CA and WM practices. The CA levels vary from conventional agriculture to partial CA (pCA1, pCA2, and pCA3) and full CA, while WM had three levels consisting of chemical control, integrated weed management, and weedy check. The results demonstrated that soil organic carbon (SOC) under the full CA treatment, was 30.6, 23.5, and 20.6 percent higher than conventional agriculture (T1), partial CA1, and partial CA2 practices, respectively. Similarly, labile fractions of carbon, KMnO4-C MBC, WSOC, and POC, in full CA increased by 46.3, 52.3, 152.4, and 15.6 percent, respectively, over conventional agriculture. Nonetheless, the total organic carbon exhibited no significant impact. The highest SOC stock was sequestered under full CA treatment, which was higher by 26.5 to 40.6 per cent than the rest of the CA treatments. Among biological properties, full CA resulted in 104.3 and 40.6 percent higher dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase activity than conventional agriculture. The impact of weed management practices was significant for KMnO4-C, with very labile carbon and alkaline phosphatase activity only in the surface soil layer. Soil quality index (SQI) followed the decreasing order as full CA (0.94) > partial CA3 (0.88) > partial CA2 (0.78) partial CA1 (0.77) > conventional agriculture (0.67) under different CA treatments, whereas WM followed herbicide (0.82) > weedy check (0.81) > IWM (0.80). The current study offered incredible information on soil carbon and biological indicators to monitor soil quality changes in rice–wheat cropping systems in response to conservation agriculture practices.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091783
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1784: Changes in the Occurrence of Five Invasive
Plant Species in Different Ecosystem Types between 2009–2018 in
Hungary
Authors: Márton Bence Balogh, Miklós Kertész, Katalin Török, Georgina Veronika Visztra, Péter Szilassi
First page: 1784
Abstract: Modelling and analysis of spatiotemporal characteristics of plant invasion can help in mapping and predicting the spread of invasive plants. The aim of our research was to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of five common invasive plant species (Ailanthus altissima, Asclepias syriaca, Elaeagnus angustifolia, Robinia pseudoacacia, and Solidago spp.) within different land cover (ecosystem)-type categories. The basis of the study was the National Geospatial Database of Invasive Plants (NGDIP) of Hungary, and the ecosystem types of the Ecosystem Map of Hungary (EMH). The GIS-based analysis of the detailed occurrence database of the invasive species (NGDIP) and the thematic land-cover (ecosystem)-type maps (EMH) examined allow us to answer the question of in which habitat types the occurrence and distribution of the given invasive plant has stagnated, decreased, or increased between 2006 and 2018. We developed a methodology with relevant data sources and demonstrated invasion variation, which can be used for future management planning and invasive biology research. Our results show that Asclepias syriaca and Robinia pseudoacacia are increasingly threatening grasslands and are also spreading more intensively in complex cultivated areas. The occurrences of Ailanthus altissima and Asclepias syriaca are declining in built-up areas due to the increasingly extreme environmental conditions of cities or modified urban planning. The spread of Solidago spp. is increasingly common in wetlands, threatening the biodiversity of floodplain (riparian) vegetation.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091784
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1785: Sediment Modelling of a Catchment to Determine
Medium-Term Erosional Trends
Authors: Devika Nair, Ken G. Evans, Sean M. Bellairs
First page: 1785
Abstract: This study was part of a project designed to simulate the long-term landform equilibrium of a rehabilitated mine site. The project utilized event Fine Suspended Sediment (FSS) fluxes in a receiving stream following a rainfall event as an indicator of landform stability. The aim of this study was to use HEC-HMS to determine sediment and discharge quantity upstream to determine how it affects the downstream development of the catchment landform, in terms of sediment changes and geomorphology. Thus, the study focused on hydrology and sediment modelling of the upper catchment with HEC-HMS (Hydrologic Engineering Centre-Hydrologic Modelling System) to determine the daily discharge and sediment output at the catchment outlet. HEC-HMS was used to calibrate the stream discharge and FSS quantities at the catchment outlet to observed continuous discharge and FSS values. The calibration of the HEC-HMS model was carried out for two water years and then the same model parameters were used to validate the model for a third water year. The catchment discharge and FSS were calibrated and validated for continuous rainfall events against observed discharge and FSS data at the catchment outlet. The model was then run for a projected rainfall of 50 years. The denudation rate predicted by the model was 0.0245 mm per year, which falls in the range previously determined for the region. The simulated sediment output was compared to the rainfall trends over the years. As a result, the sediment spikes following a rainfall-runoff event gradually decreased over time. Reducing FSS spikes indicates that the landform gradually attains stability. This modelling study can be used for long-term simulations to determine erosion equilibrium over the years and to quantify sediment yield in catchments for projected time periods.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091785
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1786: Optimizing Sustainable Suburban Expansion with
Autonomous Mobility through a Parametric Design Framework
Authors: Chenhao Zhu, Jonah Susskind, Mario Giampieri, Hazel Backus O’Neil, Alan M. Berger
First page: 1786
Abstract: Today, suburban areas are home to an ever-increasing majority of the global population. Models indicate that the next generation of US metropolitan growth will rapidly continue outside of urban cores, where car-based development patterns have served as the dominant paradigm for more than a century. With the emergence of autonomous mobility technologies and services, the suburbs of the future offer key opportunities to tackle pressing environmental challenges, such as significant GHG emissions from private vehicle trips, underutilized and fragmented landscape spaces, and a high proportion of impervious surfaces. To leverage this opportunity, our research team employed a novel scenario-based parametric modeling framework to generate and optimize suburban land use patterns and block configurations that leverage autonomous mobility to optimize environmental performance and accessibility metrics. The framework performed through our project, NOGAS (Next Optimized Generation of Autonomous Suburbs), consists of five key parametric modules and a heuristic design process covering various planning and design decision-making stages including scenario generation, analysis, optimization, and visualization. It is the first of its kind tailored for suburban settings with emerging mobility systems, which, more importantly, prioritizes landscape performance and accessibility over the traditional automobile-centric approach in suburban development. One of the most significant findings from this research is that substantial enhancements to a neighborhood’s environmental performance and overall accessibility can be achieved by modifying existing suburban land use patterns and individual block configurations, without the necessity of increasing density. The results of the framework further suggest that a strategic atomized land use scheme, combined with an innovative clustered block typology, is favored for the anticipated widespread adoption of autonomous mobility systems and improved environmental performance. The innovative methods and findings introduced in this research illuminate an alternative approach to sustainable suburban development, offering valuable insights for city planners and developers to shape future suburban master plans, zoning regulations, and design guidelines.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091786
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1787: Accounting for and Comparison of Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Emissions between Crop and Livestock Sectors in China
Authors: Jinyu Han, Jiansheng Qu, Dai Wang, Tek Narayan Maraseni
First page: 1787
Abstract: The synergistic greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction of the crop production (CP) and livestock farming (LF) sectors is of great significance for food security and low-carbon development, especially for China, the world leader in agricultural production. In this paper, the GHG emissions from the CP and LF sectors are accounted for and compared, and the spatial econometric model is adopted for comparative study based on the panel data from 1997 to 2021. The results show that: (1) The total amount and intensity of GHG emissions from both sectors showed obvious spatial heterogeneity and spatial dependence, and the spatial distribution pattern was relatively stable. (2) The influence of each factor on the GHG intensity and spatial characteristics of CP and LF varies widely. For the CP sector, economic development (local effect −0.29, adjacent effect +1.13), increased urbanization rate (−0.24, +0.16), agricultural structure (−0.29, +0.05), and urban-rural disparity (−0.03, +0.17) all reduce the GHG intensity of local region, while increasing the GHG intensity of its adjacent areas, signifying leakage. The economic structure (+0.06, +0.16), agricultural finance support (+0.02, +0.26), mechanization level (+0.05, +0.03), and land occupancy rate (+0.54, +0.44) all play a role in increasing the GHG intensity of CP in the local region and its adjacent areas. The disaster degree (−0.03, −0.03) also reduced the GHG intensity of CP. For the LF sector, economic structure (+0.08, +0.11), urban-rural disparity (+0.11, +0.21), agricultural development level (+0.03, +0.50), and increased land occupancy rate (+0.05, +0.01) can improve the GHG intensity of the one region and adjacent areas. Economic development (+0.03, −0.15), urbanization rate (+0.04, −0.30), agricultural structure (+0.09, −0.03), and disaster degree (+0.02, −0.06) can increase the GHG intensity of the local region while reducing the GHG intensity of adjacent areas. Based on the results, under the background of carbon peaking and carbon neutralization(dual-carbon) goals, this study first puts forward collaborative emission reduction measures for CP and LF, respectively, then further rises to sector synergy and regional synergy, and constructs the countermeasure system framework of collaborative emission reduction from three levels, to provide guidance and reference for the realization of dual goals of agricultural GHG reduction and food security.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-14
DOI: 10.3390/land12091787
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1788: A CA–Markov-Based Simulation and
Prediction of LULC Changes over the Nyabarongo River Basin, Rwanda
Authors: Aboubakar Gasirabo, Chen Xi, Baligira R. Hamad, Umwali Dufatanye Edovia
First page: 1788
Abstract: Over the past few decades, the growth of population and the development of the economy have had a significant impact on the way land is used and covered (LULC) in the Nile Nyabarongo River basin. However, there is limited knowledge about the patterns of land use and the mechanisms that drive changes in these patterns because of human activities. Therefore, it is crucial to examine how land use and cover are shifting in this area, identify the factors responsible for these changes, and forecast future patterns. This study sought (1) to evaluate the changes in LULC from 1990 to 2020 and (2) to predict future fluctuations until 2060. By analyzing the LULC data for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, this study simulated the future LULC patterns of the area for the next 30 years using the LULC transition matrix and the Markov chain model. The study classified the LULC into five categories: forestland, grassland, cropland, settlement, and water. The results revealed that there will be significant changes in the LULC of the study area from 2030 to 2060. The forest area is projected to decrease by 801.7 km, 771.6 km, and 508.2 km, while the cropland area will expand by 6307.2 km, 6249.2 km, and 6420.6 km during this period. The grassland area will experience a small increase of 761.1 km, 802.4 km, and 859.1 km, and the settlement area will also grow by 355.2 km, 407.4 km, and 453.2 km. In contrast, the water area will decrease by 55.9 km, 50.5 km, and 40 km. The ongoing pattern of LULCC is expected to persist over the next three decades, with an increase in cropland area and grassland. This study’s findings can provide valuable insights for land use planners and water resource managers in developing fair land use and water resource management policies for the entire region, enabling them to make well-informed decisions.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091788
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1789: Deep Learning Based Spatial Distribution
Estimation of Soil Pb Using Multi-Phase Multispectral Remote Sensing
Images in a Mining Area
Authors: Min Tan, Xiaotong Zhang, Weiqiang Luo, Ming Hao
First page: 1789
Abstract: Extensive investigation and monitoring of lead (Pb) content of soil is significant for ensuring hazard-free agricultural production, protecting human health, and ecosystem security, especially in a mining area. One temporal period of a hyperspectral image is usually used to estimate the spatial distribution of Pb and other heavy metals, but hyperspectral images are usually difficult to obtain. Multispectral remote-sensing images are more accessible than hyperspectral images. In this study, a deep learning-based model using 3D convolution is proposed to estimate the Pb content from the constructed multi-phase, multispectral remote-sensing images. Multi-phase multispectral remote-sensing images were stacked to generate a data set with more spectral bands to reduce the atmospheric absorptive aerosol effect. At the same time, a neural network based on 3D convolution (3D-ConvNet) was proposed to estimate Pb content based on the constructed data set. Compared with partial least-squares regression (PLSR), random forest regression (RFR), support vector machine regression (SVMR), and gradient-boosting regression (GBR), experimental results showed the proposed 3D-ConvNet has obvious superiority and generates more accurate estimation results, with the prediction dataset coefficient of determination (R2) and the mean normalized bias (MNB) values being 0.90 and 2.63%, respectively. Therefore, it is possible to effectively estimate heavy metal content from multi-phase, multispectral remote-sensing images, and this study provides a new approach to heavy metal pollution monitoring.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091789
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1790: Simulated Runoff and Erosion on Soils from
Wheat Agroecosystems with Different Water Management Systems, Iran
Authors: Saeed Sharafi, Mehdi Mohammadi Ghaleni, Deirdre Dragovich
First page: 1790
Abstract: In developing countries, the demand for food has increased with significant increases in population. Greater demands are therefore being placed on the agricultural sector to increase production. This has led to increased soil erosion, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The aim of this study was to simulate runoff and erosion on soils of three different wheat agroecosystems (rainfed farming, traditional irrigation, and industrial irrigation systems). The effect of variations in soil texture, slopes (1, 3 and 5%) and rainfall intensity (10, 25 and 40 mm h−1) on runoff volume, runoff coefficient, sediment concentrations, and sediment loss (soil erosion) were recorded for soils from each management system. Soil chemical properties (pH, EC) and organic matter were not significantly related to soil erosion. Analysis of variance showed significant differences in soil erosion and runoff coefficients when slopes were increased from 1 to 5 percent. The highest soil erosion was recorded on a slope of 5% with a rainfall intensity of 40 mm h−1, and the lowest on a slope of 1% with a rainfall intensity of 10 mm h−1. Of the three management systems, the highest runoff volume, runoff coefficient, sediment concentration and soil erosion occurred on soils from the traditional irrigation treatment, with a soil texture of sandy loam, slopes of 5% and rainfall intensity of 40 mm h−1. Results of the study indicated that the influence of slope and rainfall intensity on runoff volume, runoff coefficient, sediment concentration and soil erosion varies with soil texture and agroecosystem. These results can be usefully applied to agricultural land use planning and water management systems for reducing soil erosion at regional and on-farm levels.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091790
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1791: Study on the Causes of Differences in Cropland
Abandonment Levels among Farming Households Based on Hierarchical Linear
Model—13,120 Farming Households in 26 Provinces of China as an
Example
Authors: Xiangdong Wang, Decheng Zhao
First page: 1791
Abstract: Cropland abandonment is a widespread phenomenon with an increasing trend around the world, including China. Cropland abandonment is the result of a multi-scale and multifactor nested structure. In order to comprehensively identify the individual and background effects, this study explores the causes of the differences in farmland abandonment levels at two levels: farm household and village, based on a hierarchical linear model. The results show that (1) 83.63% of the differences in farm abandonment rates are differences in farm households, while 16.37% are differences in their villages; (2) several factors, including whether the head of household is healthier, per capita cropland area, ratio of transferred farmland, possession of large-scale agricultural production machinery or livestock for agricultural production, ratio of agricultural income, and whether there are village cadres, have a significant negative impact on abandonment rates at the farm household level, while at the village level, commuting distance, whether it is a suburb of a large or medium-sized city, topography of the village is plain or not, and the ratio of the number of people in agricultural production in the village have a significant positive impact on abandonment rates. Furthermore, whether it has experienced land expropriation has a significant positive effect on the abandonment rate; (3) commuting distance weakens the negative correlation between the ratio of transferred cropland and the ratio of agricultural income and the abandonment rate. In addition, whether it is a suburb of a large or medium-sized city strengthens the negative correlation between whether it owns large-scale agricultural production machinery or livestock and the abandonment rate, and whether the topography of the village is plain weakens the negative correlation between the possession of large agricultural production machinery or livestock for agricultural production and the agricultural income ratio and the abandonment rate. Furthermore, ratio of the number of people in agricultural production in the village weakens the negative correlation between the ratio of transferred cropland and abandonment rate, and whether the village has experienced land expropriation strengthens the negative correlation between the ratio of agricultural income and abandonment rate.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091791
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1792: Eco-Environment Quality Response to Climate
Change and Human Activities on the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Xun Zhang, Zhaoliang Gao, Yonghong Li, Guanfan Sun, Yunfeng Cen, Yongcai Lou, Yihang Yao, Wenbo Liu
First page: 1792
Abstract: Climate change and human activities have caused a range of impacts on the ecological environment. The Loess Plateau (LP) is critical to the stability and health of ecosystems in central and western China, but there is still a lack of research on spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the effects of climate and human activities on the EEQ of the LP. We quantified the ecological environment quality of the study area from 2001 to 2019 based on the improved remote sensing ecological index (RSEI-2) and studied the spatial and temporal evolution of EEQ and its drivers during this period by trend analysis and multiscale geographic weighted regression (MGWR) model. The EEQ of the LP showed an increasingly slowing trend during 2001–2019, with apparent spatial heterogeneity, the south-central part was the hot spot area of change, and the center of gravity of change shifted 124.56 km to the southwest. The driving effects and ranges of each factor changed over time during the study period, and the positive effects of precipitation (PRE) and temperature (TEM) on the EEQ of the southern LP became more apparent, but the negative effects of TEM on the northwestern part have expanded. The negative effect of the intensity of land utilization (LUI) has increased from north to south and has the most profound impact, while population growth has less impact on the central region. The results of this research indicate that the execution of the Grain to Green Program (GGP) in the LP over the last two decades has been effective, but more attention should be paid to the maintenance of the restoration effect in the central region and the reasonable development of the land in the southern area. This research can enhance the comprehension of alterations in ecological factors that impact the environment of the LP. Additionally, it serves as a foundation for investigating strategies for ecological preservation and sustainable land development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091792
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1793: Assessing the Accessibility and Equity of Urban
Green Spaces from Supply and Demand Perspectives: A Case Study of a
Mountainous City in China
Authors: Yawen Jin, Rongxiao He, Jingke Hong, Dan Luo, Guoling Xiong
First page: 1793
Abstract: Urban green space accessibility is an essential consideration in determining environmental liveability and the well-being of individuals, and the spatial inequity of urban green space supply and demand has become a research focus. However, few studies have conducted a multidimensional and comprehensive assessment of the influences on accessibility from the different perspectives of supply and demand. To address this, our study centred on the mountainous Chongqing region and established a comprehensive research framework examining the spatial pattern of accessibility of urban green spaces and its correlation with physical geographical elements and socioeconomic factors. We reveal the spatial distribution characteristics of urban green space accessibility by using Gaussian-based two-step floating catchment area and network analysis methods and further observe the spatial clustering features utilising hotspot analysis. The ordinary least squares (OLS) model and the spatial lag model were used to evaluate the physical geographical and socioeconomic disparities. Our findings reveal explicit blind spots in urban green space accessibility, primarily within the 30 min travel threshold in the city’s marginal area. A discernible supply–demand imbalance existed in the urban core, constituted by implicit blind spots. Furthermore, we identified that the relationship between urban green space accessibility and elevation under different methods is not always consistently significant over space because spatial heterogeneity may exist. Most concerningly, the study found inequities in urban green space accessibility, particularly impacting vulnerable demographics such as the elderly and lower-income groups. These results can inform urban planners and policymakers about the blind spots of urban green space accessibility and sufficiently consider the physical and socioeconomic heterogeneity of the space to determine where and how to implement inclusive urban greening policies or planning schemes. It is also of great significance in increasing awareness of vulnerable groups and preventing environmental inequality.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091793
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1794: The Regional Effect of Land Transfer on Green
Total Factor Productivity in the Yangtze River Delta: A Spatial
Econometric Investigation
Authors: Wenqin Yan, Dongsheng Yan
First page: 1794
Abstract: This paper investigates the spatial mechanisms and impacts of land transfer on green total factor productivity (GTFP) in the economically dynamic Yangtze River Delta region of China. Using urban-level panel data from 2007 to 2020 and applying spatial econometric models, the study examines the relationship between land transfer and GTFP. The results of the spatial econometric analysis show that land transfer in the overall Yangtze River Delta region contributes positively to the improvement of GTFP. The mediating mechanism of industrial restructuring and upgrading shows statistically significant effects. Further investigation reveals differences in the spatial interdependence of land transfer on the GTFP among cities in different regions. Land transfer in the core area has significant indirect effects on the GTFP of neighboring cities, while the impact of land transfer in peripheral cities on the GTFP of surrounding cities is less discernible. This suggests that there is still a need for further deepening and development of integration in peripheral cities, as factor integration is still insufficient. The findings of this study provide useful insights for local governments in optimizing land transfer practices and promoting industrial transformation, upgrading, and sustainable green development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091794
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1795: Assessing Peri-Urban Land Management Using 8Rs
Framework of Responsible Land Management: The Case of Peri-Urban Land in
Ekiti State, Nigeria
Authors: Kehinde Hassan Babalola, Simon Hull, Jennifer Whittal
First page: 1795
Abstract: The 8Rs framework for responsible land management (RLM) is designed to evaluate individual land management projects or interventions. This paper describes such an evaluation of land management interventions in peri-urban areas of Ekiti State, Nigeria, with a focus on the structures, processes, and impact of these interventions. Primary data were collected using semi-structured interviews and survey questionnaires. This article uses the 8Rs framework for RLM to show how responsible the land management interventions are in Ekiti State. The findings show that most elements of the 8Rs frameworks are missing from the interventions and need to be addressed. The RLM matrix shows that the structures, processes, and impact of the interventions need improvement. This study provides an understanding of the 8Rs framework for RLM and the state of responsibleness of land management in Ekiti State, which is crucial for politicians, policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders. The findings will help these officials design an inclusive and collaborative land management system.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-15
DOI: 10.3390/land12091795
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1796: Spatiotemporal Variation of Per Capita Carbon
Emissions and Carbon Compensation Zoning in Chinese Counties
Authors: Juan Chen, Sensen Wu, Laifu Zhang
First page: 1796
Abstract: The per capita carbon balance and carbon compensation zoning of Chinese counties from the perspective of major function-oriented zones is important for realizing the carbon peaking and carbon neutral target. In this study, the Kernel-K-means++ algorithm is used and a more comprehensive per capita carbon compensation zoning model is constructed. Based on this, combined with the major function-oriented zones, Chinese counties are divided into per capita carbon compensation-type zones. Further, spatial and temporal characteristics are detected, and suggestions for optimizing low-carbon development are put forward. The main results are as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2017, the per capita carbon emissions (PCO2) of Chinese counties were large and showed a trend of stable expansion and a southeast–northwest pattern; (2) the per capita carbon emissions of key development zones accounted for the largest proportion of emissions; (3) there were 1410 payment zones, 170 balanced zones, and 242 compensated zones among China’s counties; and (4) 11 types of carbon compensation space optimization zones were finally formed, and low-carbon development directions and strategies were proposed for each type of area. Based on this, this study promotes regional carbon emissions management and reduction in China and provides a reference for other regions to reduce emissions.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-16
DOI: 10.3390/land12091796
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1797: The Spatiotemporal Change in Land Cover and
Discrepancies within Different Countries on the Qinghai–Tibet
Plateau over a Recent 30-Year Period
Authors: Yan Chen, Erqi Xu
First page: 1797
Abstract: The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is a unique global natural geographical unit with a high altitude and fragile ecology, where land cover change has been affecting its regional ecological security and sustainable development. The plateau covers nine countries with different variations in climate change and human activities, which cause significant spatial variations in its land cover change. This paper uses land cover data to reveal the spatiotemporal characteristics and multi-country differences in land cover change on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau from 1992 to 2020 by applying spatiotemporal characteristic analysis and mapping methods. The results show that grassland (65.70%), bare land (15.56%), and woodland (10.25%) are the main types of land cover on the plateau, accounting for 91.51% of the total area. The interconversion of bare land and grassland was dominant in 1992–2020, with an area share of 67.83%. The turning point year of grassland change occurred in 2015. The grassland area increased by 6312 km2 in 1992–2015, while it decreased by 14,646 km2 in the plateau in 2015–2020. The areas of woodland, cropland, and water increased by 2.77%, 5.85%, and 7.57%, respectively, and the area of built-up land increased from 299.17 km2 to 1206.29 km2. Overall, a warming and wetting trend of the climate in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has driven the expansion of natural vegetation and water in the central plateau within China, with its natural vegetation area increasing by 0.11%. However, the development of regional warming and drying caused local grassland degradation, where Kyrgyzstan and India within the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau experienced the most prominent vegetation degradation. Human activities are relatively frequent in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau within China and India, causing higher growth rates of built-up land and cropland than in other countries. The establishment of reserves and effective forest management policies have led to significant increases in woodland areas in China and Nepal within the plateau, while weak forest management and limited investment in forest conservation have led to high rates of deforestation in India and Myanmar. Accelerated temperature rises and regional differences in precipitation are the main drivers of large-scale land cover change on the plateau and differences in human activities and land use policies are responsible for the dramatic and diverse localized land cover change.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-16
DOI: 10.3390/land12091797
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1798: Potential Mechanism of Optimal Tillage Layer
Structure for Improving Maize Yield and Enhancing Root Growth in Northeast
China
Authors: Hongbing Zheng, Ruiping Li, Pengxiang Sui, Hao Wang, Ying Ren, Ye Yuan, Shengtao Tian, Siqi Zhou, Wuren Liu, Yang Luo, Jinyu Zheng
First page: 1798
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different tillage structures on soil physical properties, soil chemical properties, maize root morphological and physiological characteristics, and yield. Four tillage structures were designed. Soil tillage plays a prominent role in agricultural sustainability. The different tillage layer structures affected soil physical properties. An enhancement in the optimal tillage layer structure improved soil structure. The MJ tillage layer structure created an improved soil structure by regulating the soil physical properties so that the soil compaction and soil bulk density would be beneficial for crop growth, increase soil water content, and adjust the soil phrase R value and GSSI. Soil nutrients are significantly affected by soil depth, with the exception of available potassium. However, soil nutrients are influenced by different tillage layer structures with soil depth. Soil nutrient responses with depth are different for MJ layer treatment compared with other tillage layer structures. Soil organic matter (SOM) is affected with an increase in depth and is significantly influenced by different tillage layer structures, except at 20–30 cm soil depth. MJ treatment increased by 10–20% compared with other tillage layer structures. In addition, QS treatment enhanced the increased pH value in soil profile compared to others. The root morphology characteristics, including root length, root ProjArea, root SurfArea, root AvgDiam, and root volume, were affected by years, depth, and the tillage layer structures. The MJ tillage layer structure enhanced root growth by improving tillage soil structure and increasing soil air and water compared with other tillage layer treatments. Specifically, the MJ layer structure significantly increased root length and root volume via deep tillage. However, the differences in root physiological properties were not significant among treatments. The root dry weight decreased with an increase in soil depth. Most of the roots were mainly distributed in a 0–40 cm soil layer. The MJ treatment enhanced the increase in root dry weight compared with others by breaking the tillage pan layer. Among the different tillage layer structures, the difference in root dry weight was smaller with an increase in soil depth. Moreover, the MJ treatment significantly improved maize yield compared with others. The yield was increased by 14.2% compared to others under MJ treatment via improvements in the soil environment. In addition, the correlation relationship was different among yield and root morphology traits, root physiology traits, soil nutrients, and soil physical traits. So, our results showed that the MJ tillage layer structure is the best tillage structure for increasing maize yield by enhancing soil nutrients, improving the soil environment and root qualities.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-16
DOI: 10.3390/land12091798
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1799: Key Area Recognition and Evaluation of
Audio-Visual Landscape for Global Geoparks: A Case Study of Koktokay in
China
Authors: Yiting Zhu, Xueru Pang, Chunshan Zhou
First page: 1799
Abstract: A comprehensive and scientific recognition and evaluation of landscape resources is an important prerequisite for the sustainable development of global geoparks, but the existing research lacks specific means and methods. In the case of the Koktokay Global Geopark (GGp), for example, in this study, we used GIS spatial analysis, SBE, and a questionnaire survey method to construct a comprehensive evaluation path and method for an audio-visual landscape for global geoparks and further built an audio-visual preference matrix. The research results show the following: (1) The Shenzhong Canyon scenic area has the best visual evaluation effect, whereas the Golden Triangle has the worst evaluation effect. (2) Tourists are generally satisfied with the soundscapes of the ten scenic locations in the Koktokay GGp. In addition, tourists do not think that a higher or lower volume of a soundscape would make their experience more comfortable or pleasant, so an increase in the threshold value of the sound level to a level that tourists can bear while traveling is possible. (3) The Shenzhong Canyon area is located in the key landscape area; the Aiguzi Mine and Cocosuri are located in the landscape natural development area; the No. 3 Mine Pit, Eremu Lakes, the Golden Triangle, and the Karadrola Falls are located in the landscape subpriority improvement area; and the Waterfall Fossil, Betula Forest, and Karashanger Earthquake Fault Zone are located in the landscape priority improvement area. The comprehensive audio-visual landscape evaluation method constructed in this study provides a methodological tool for evaluating other similar landscapes and provides professional guidance for the protection and development of geoparks.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-17
DOI: 10.3390/land12091799
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1800: Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Resilience
and Spatial Spillover Effects in Guangdong Province, China
Authors: Haojian Deng, Kai Liu
First page: 1800
Abstract: In the context of global environmental changes, the frequency of various disasters and extreme events is increasing, and enhancing urban resilience has become an important guide for current urban development. Previous studies have mainly focused on changes in urban resilience, with less consideration for the impact of spatial spillover effects on urban resilience. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the temporal and spatial evolution of urban resilience and its spatial spillover effects in Guangdong from 2012 to 2020 based on the urban resilience assessment model, the Getis-Ord Gi* model, and the improved Capello model. The results are as follows: Affected by COVID-19, the urban resilience of Guangdong Province declined from 2019 to 2020, and 42.86% of the cities demonstrated negative growth in their urban resilience. Urban resilience exhibited significant spatially non-equilibrium characteristics among different cities. The urban resilience of the cities in eastern, northern, and western Guangdong, which are the “collapse zone” of urban resilience, was lower than 0.229 from 2012 to 2020. The intensity of urban resilience spillover in Guangdong presented a typical three-level circle structure of “core-subcore-periphery”, which decreased from the core circle to the surrounding circle. COVID-19 caused a 27.21% decrease in the total urban resilience spillover in Guangdong from 2019 to 2020. Finally, we identified critical driving factors of urban resilience using the optimal-parameters geographical detector model. This study can provide a scientific reference for the Chinese government to build resilient cities and improve sustainable urban development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-17
DOI: 10.3390/land12091800
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1801: Effects of Tax Incentive Policies for Land Use
on Local Socioeconomic Conditions: A Case of Tax Policies for Urban
Regeneration Projects in Republic of Korea
Authors: JiSun Chung, SungMan Yoon
First page: 1801
Abstract: South Korea has implemented several housing urban regeneration projects (URPs) and offers various tax incentives to support these efforts. However, the reality is that there is insufficient empirical evidence to determine whether these incentives have a socioeconomic impact on URPs. The aim of this study is to examine the effects of tax incentives related to urban regeneration projects (URPTAX) on local socioeconomic factors, such as Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP), aging housing reduction, and housing prices. Fixed-effect models and cost–benefit analysis methods were employed in the study. The results demonstrate the following outcomes. Firstly, URPTAX positively contributes to an increase in GRDP, a decrease in the proportion of aging housing, and an increase in housing price fluctuations. However, the effectiveness of these effects varies between metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Therefore, this study suggests the significance of providing stronger tax incentives for housing URPs in non-metropolitan areas to encourage active projects and foster balanced regional development in South Korea.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-18
DOI: 10.3390/land12091801
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1802: The Influence of Urban Form on Land Surface
Temperature: A Comprehensive Investigation from 2D Urban Land Use and 3D
Buildings
Authors: Jinlong Yan, Chaohui Yin, Zihao An, Bo Mu, Qian Wen, Yingchao Li, Yali Zhang, Weiqiang Chen, Ling Wang, Yang Song
First page: 1802
Abstract: Urban form plays a critical role in shaping the spatial differentiation of land surface temperature (LST). However, limited research has investigated the underlying driving forces and interactions of multidimensional urban form, specifically considering two-dimensional (2D) urban land use and three-dimensional (3D) buildings, on LST. Furthermore, their multi-scale outcomes remain unclear. Taking the main urban area of Wuhan City as an example, a total of nine indicators—the proportion of administration land (PA), the proportion of commercial land (PB), the proportion of industrial land (PM), the proportion of residential land (PR), the proportion of water area (PE), the building density (BD), the building height (BH), the floor area ratio (FAR), and the sky view factor (SVF)—were selected; this paper used the geographic detector model to investigate the driving force of LST spatial differentiation in winter and summer, as well as the interaction of various influencing factors from a multi-scale perspective. The results showed that (1) the average LST in industrial land was higher than that in commercial land, both in summer and winter. The LST in administration land was higher than that in residential land, while in winter, it is the opposite. (2) The spatial differentiation of summer LST was mainly dominated by 3D buildings, while the spatial differentiation of winter LST was mainly dominated by 2D land use. (3) BD was the leading driving force of LST spatial differentiation in summer, and the interaction between BD and any other indicator showed the most significant explanatory power, which is the same for PM in winter. (4) As scale increased, the explanatory power of 2D urban land use for LST spatial differentiation gradually increased both in winter and summer, while the explanatory power of PE on LST spatial differentiation decreased. The explanatory power of BD, FAR, and SVF on LST spatial differentiation remains basically unchanged. The explanatory power of BH on summer LST spatial differentiation decreases with increasing scale, while the explanatory power of BH on winter LST spatial differentiation remains in a stable state. (5) The interaction among all urban form factors primarily increases as the scale increases, except for the interaction between BH and 2D urban land use in summer, and the interaction between PE and PR in winter. The research can provide scientific decision-making support for the collaborative optimization of multiscale urban forms to improve the urban thermal environment.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-18
DOI: 10.3390/land12091802
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1803: Research on Forest Ecological Product Value
Evaluation and Conversion Efficiency: Case Study from Pearl River Delta,
China
Authors: Jingyu Wang, Wei Liu, Fanbing Kong
First page: 1803
Abstract: Exploring an effective scientific method to measure the economic benefits of ecological products is of great significance for green development. Based on the InVEST model, this paper, taking the Pearl River Delta (PRD) as an example, evaluated the FEPs value in the PRD from 2000 to 2015; using a super-efficient DEA model, the conversion efficiency of ecological products was estimated, and its temporal and spatial variation characteristics were analyzed using the Malmquist index. The results showed that the value of FEPs in the PRD shot up during 2000–2015, and that the regulation services value is the main part of FEPs, followed by the value of cultural service. The overall conversion efficiency of FEPs is improving. However, cities differ greatly. Technical efficiency is the key driving factor for improving forest product conversion efficiency. The main reasons for the current efficiency loss are redundant inputs and insufficient outputs. This paper also suggests that conversion efficiency is a convincing method to evaluate the degree of transformation of ecological environment resources into economic benefits and the degree of ecological and economic coordinated development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-18
DOI: 10.3390/land12091803
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1804: Decoupling CO2 Emissions from Economic Growth
in China’s Cities from 2000 to 2020: A Case Study of the Pearl River
Delta Agglomeration
Authors: Zhixiong Wang, Fuhan Li, Zihan Xie, Qingyin Li, Yongli Zhang, Meilin Dai
First page: 1804
Abstract: As one of the most densely populated, economically developed, and outwardly open urban agglomerations in China, the Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration is a key player in achieving China’s carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets. This study analyzes low-emission development by examining the evolutionary patterns of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and the decoupling relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions, using the latest available data from 2000 to 2020. Here are the main findings: (1) We found a significant fluctuation in the decoupling statuses between economic advancements and CO2 emissions within the PRD domain. Predominantly, a weak decoupling scenario was observed, where economic proliferations were paralleled by nearly equivalent increments in CO2 emissions. (2) The growth rate of carbon emissions increased significantly relative to economic expansion during 2015–2020, especially pronounced in cities such as Guangdong, Zhuhai, Foshan, and Dongguan. This delineates the persistent challenges in steering towards a pathway of energy conservation and emission abatement in the region. (3) Furthermore, a differential role of elasticity factors was noted across cities: Guangzhou and Shenzhen witnessed a significant influence of energy-saving elasticity in fostering a decoupling between economic surge and CO2 emissions, whereas in other cities, the emphasis shifted towards emission-reduction elasticity as a more vital determinant. The results of this study are of great significance for guiding policy makers and stakeholders in urban clusters across China and in similar regions globally to achieve low carbon development goals.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-18
DOI: 10.3390/land12091804
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1805: Identifying the Spatial Patterns and
Influencing Factors of Leisure and Tourism in Xi’an Based on Point
of Interest (POI) Data
Authors: Xiaoshuang Qu, Gaoyang Xu, Jinghui Qi, Hongjie Bao
First page: 1805
Abstract: Leisure and tourism spaces are shared by both residents and tourists seeking a higher quality of life. Most of the literature focuses only on the study of a particular type of leisure or tourism space in cities and lacks an overall exploration of the distribution patterns of urban leisure and tourism formats. Based on the leisure and tourism point of interest (POI) data of 11 districts in Xi’an, this paper uses geospatial analysis to examine the spatial patterns of leisure and tourism facilities and their influencing factors in Xi’an. It is found in this study that the distributions overall and the various types of leisure and tourism spaces in Xi’an show the characteristics of central urban agglomeration and sparse dispersion in the surrounding urban areas. Different types of leisure and tourism patterns have obvious spatial scale dependence, but there are differences in the scope of spatial selection. In general, the core agglomeration area has limited radiation and driving effects on the peripheral areas, and there is a prominent phenomenon of imbalance in the distribution of leisure and tourism facilities following a single industrial structure. The formation of the spatial patterns of leisure and tourism is the result of a combination of dominant factors, driving factors, safeguarding factors, and other triggering factors. Urban leisure and tourism spaces are intertwined, and the spatial balance and industrial diversification of leisure and tourism can be promoted through scientific spatial planning. This study aims to provide services for urban land planning and policy-making by revealing the spatial distribution principles of leisure and tourism sites in tourist cities as represented by Xi’an.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-19
DOI: 10.3390/land12091805
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1806: Examining the Overall and Heterogeneous Impacts
of Urban Spatial Structure on Carbon Emissions: A Case Study of Guangdong
Province, China
Authors: Ke Luo, Shuo Chen, Shixi Cui, Yuantao Liao, Yu He, Chunshan Zhou, Shaojian Wang
First page: 1806
Abstract: The variation in the urban spatial structure (USS) has profound impacts on carbon emissions. Studying the relationship between the two can provide guidance for carbon neutrality strategies and the construction of low-carbon cities in China. However, there is currently a lack of comparative research on the different regions within a province. In this paper, the spatiotemporal evolution of the USS and carbon emissions, at five-year intervals from 2000 to 2020, is investigated in 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province, China, and the overall relationship of the USS to carbon emissions and their spatiotemporal variations are analyzed by using a two-way fixed-effects model and a geographically and temporally weighted regression model, respectively. The results show that, first, over the past twenty years, the scale of cities has continued to expand, with increasing continuity and aggregation in the built-up areas, while the complexity and fragmentation of their shapes have gradually decreased. Second, the gap in carbon emissions between the Pearl River Delta and other regions in Guangdong shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, with high values concentrated in the Pearl River Delta region and the city of Shantou in the east. Third, compared to socio-economic factors, the USS has a more direct and pronounced impact on carbon emissions. Urban expansion and the increased complexity of land patches promote carbon emissions, whereas improving urban spatial continuity and compactness can reduce carbon emissions. Fourth, the dominant spatial structure indicators of carbon emissions differ among the regions of eastern, western, and northern Guangdong and the Pearl River Delta. This study proposes spatial optimization strategies for the low-carbon development of cities in Guangdong Province, providing a new perspective for integrating urban layout and emission reduction policies.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-19
DOI: 10.3390/land12091806
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1807: The Nature and Production of Urban Space in
Latin America: A Historical Review of the Case of Ibagué (Colombia)
Authors: Jorge Luis González-Calle, César Augusto Sánchez Contreras, Obdulia Monteserín Abella
First page: 1807
Abstract: The production of urban space in Latin America turns out to be a social product resulting from a historical process in which natural space undergoes significant transformations. This paper analyses how the urban history of Ibagué (Colombia) is related to three historical processes crossed by nature, identifying common aspects with other Latin American cities: nature as a limit to urban growth (conquest and colony), nature as an artifice of urban space (modern city), and nature as a transition zone between the city and the countryside (metropolitan edge). Methodologically, the article is approached from the historical perspective proposed by Fernand Braudel as the longue durée. To this end, an analysis of primary sources was carried out. These sources allowed us to see how urban space was constructed and planned throughout history. The primary sources emphasized written sources: chronicles of the Indies, royal ordinances, municipal decrees, pilot plans for urban growth, and urban development plans. Visual sources were also used: maps, sketches, engravings, and photographs to construct an image of the city and its relationship with nature. The results showed the importance of urban planning by considering the relationship between urban space and nature as two inseparable elements and providing elements for reflecting on contemporary environmental problems.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-19
DOI: 10.3390/land12091807
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1808: Investigating the Spatial Heterogeneity and
Influencing Factors of Urban Multi-Dimensional Network Using Multi-Source
Big Data in Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle, Eastern China
Authors: Zhang, Li, Zhu, Hao, Chen, Yu, Gan, Li
First page: 1808
Abstract: Exploring the spatial heterogeneity of urban multi-dimensional networks and influencing factors are of great significance for the integrated development of metropolitan circle. This study took Hangzhou metropolitan circle as an example, using multi-source geospatial big data to obtain urban population, transportation, goods, capital, and information flow information among sub-cities. Then, spatial visualization analysis, social network analysis, and geographical detector were applied to analyze the differences in spatial structure of multiple urban networks and influencing factors in Hangzhou metropolitan circle, respectively. The results showed that (1) the network connections of population, traffic, goods, and capital flows transcended geographical proximity except that of information flow, and population and traffic flow networks were found to be more flattened in Hangzhou metropolitan circle than in other urban networks; (2) the comprehensive urban network of Hangzhou metropolitan circle was imbalanced across sub-cities, presenting hierarchical and unipolar characteristics; and (3) the influence of traffic distance on the network spatial structure of Hangzhou metropolitan was stronger than the geographical distance, and the interactions between traffic distance and socioeconomic factors would further enhance the regional differentiation of the network spatial structure. This study could provide scientific reference for constructing a coordinated and integrated development pattern in a metropolitan circle.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-19
DOI: 10.3390/land12091808
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1809: Integrated Modeling of Land Degradation
Dynamics and Insights on the Possible Future Management Alternatives in
the Gidabo River Basin, Ethiopian Rift Valley
Authors: Rediet Girma, Awdenegest Moges, Christine Fürst
First page: 1809
Abstract: Land degradation is a pivotal environmental concern, bearing substantial impacts in the Gidabo river basin (GRB) in Ethiopia, prompting a critical need for effective mitigation strategies. In this study, we aimed to assess the dynamics of land degradation pathways in the context of change in climate and land use. The identification of potential erosion hotspots and the appraisal of management strategies was also carried out. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and the Good Practice Guidance (GPG) framework was employed. The results revealed a compelling synergy between land use dynamics and climate changes, asserting joint and individual prevalence in influencing surface runoff and sediment yield. The past simulation revealed 4–5.9% and 24–43% increments in mean annual runoff and sediment yield, respectively. While the near (2021–2040) and mid (2041–2060) future scenarios displayed varying trends under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Furthermore, sub-basins prone to soil erosion risk were identified, thereby enabling targeted conservation efforts. The assessment of trends in land degradation neutrality (LDN) unveiled the expansion of land degradation trajectories (by 26%) from 1985–2003 to 2003–2021. This might be attributed to the dynamic interplay between climate and land use land cover (LULC) change, with croplands and bare land emerging as high-risk degraded areas. Addressing these concerns, soil/stone bund, terracing, contour farming, and reforestation practice can significantly reduce the annual sediment yield in the future. The integration of soil erosion indicators with LDN sub-indicators can provide a more comprehensive approach that can lead to more effective land management and restoration strategies to achieve the LDN goal. The findings of this study could contribute crucial insights and substantial implications for policymakers, land managers, and conservationists. Moreover, future efforts should be directed to expand investigations into diverse land degradation pathways and mitigation measures.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-20
DOI: 10.3390/land12091809
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1810: Spatiotemporal Variation and Influencing
Factors of Grain Yield in Major Grain-Producing Counties: A Comparative
Study of Two Provinces from China
Authors: Zhipeng Wang, Ershen Zhang, Guojun Chen
First page: 1810
Abstract: The exploration of the spatiotemporal variations and influencing factors of grain yield in major grain-producing regions is greatly important to maintain stable and sustainable agriculture. Taking Henan Province and Heilongjiang Province as examples, this study reveals the spatiotemporal characteristics of grain yield at the county level by using multisource data on the economy, society, and natural geography from 2000 to 2021 and employing methods such as coefficients of variation, standard deviational ellipses, and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Moreover, geographical detector and geographically weighted regression models are combined to explore the differences in significant influencing factors between these provinces and the spatial heterogeneity of regression coefficients, respectively. The following findings are drawn: (1) Grain yield in both provinces gradually increased, with notable differences in the annual growth rate, the proportion, and at the county level. (2) The number of high-yield counties significantly increased and their spatial distribution became more concentrated, indicating a notable shift in the main regions. (3) The overall spatial correlation of grain yield steadily increased, and the local spatial correlation transitioned from random distribution to gradual aggregation. (4) There were significant differences in the influencing factors, where geographical environment, socio-economic factors, and input factors all affected both provinces. In summary, this study provides a scientific reference for governments worldwide to formulate rational and effective food production policies, thereby contributing to global food security and sustainable social development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-20
DOI: 10.3390/land12091810
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1811: Assessing the Influence of Water Conservancy
Projects on China’s Reserve Resources for Cultivated Land
Authors: Yuan Yao, Guohua He, Wei Li, Yong Zhao, Haihong Li, Fan He
First page: 1811
Abstract: The development of reserve resources of cultivated land (RRCL) is a vital way of supplementing cultivated land in the northern arid and semi-arid regions of China. This study developed a suitability evaluation system for reserve resources of cultivated land from the nature–function–environment perspective. The evaluation considered the construction of water conservancy projects, establishing two scenarios of rain-fed and irrigated agriculture. The evaluation results for unused land were divided into four levels, including highly suitable, relatively suitable, moderately suitable and unsuitable, using the three-dimensional Rubik’s cube spatial classification method. The results show that: (1) Under the rain-fed agriculture scenario, the developable quantity and quality of unused land were poor. The potential area of reserve resources of cultivated land only accounted for 5% of the total area. (2) Under the irrigated agriculture scenario, the potential area of reserve resources of cultivated land increased to 21% of the total unused land. The areas were mainly distributed in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Gansu. The research considered the impact of water conservancy projects on the development and utilization of reserve resources of cultivated land. It can provide references for the development of arable land resources and territorial spatial planning in China.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-20
DOI: 10.3390/land12091811
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1812: Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy for Mapping
Soil Carbon Stock in the Gilbués Desertification Region at
Brazilian Cerrado
Authors: Julio César Galdino de Sousa, Yuri Jacques Agra Bezerra da Silva, Vanessa Martins, Sueli Rodrigues, Marcos Paulo Rodrigues Teixeira, Paulo Henrique Dalto, Laércio Vieira de Melo Wanderley Neves, Antonio Rafael Sánchez-Rodríguez, Ronny Sobreira Barbosa
First page: 1812
Abstract: The carbon stock (C Stock) is a key soil attribute, especially in areas under degradation. The objective of this study was to map the C Stock and other physical and chemical attributes on the soil surface of a micro-watershed located in the Gilbués Desertification Nucleus and to calibrate pedometric functions to map them, applying spectra obtained by Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (DRS) in the near-infrared (NIR) region. This study was developed in the Piripiri Stream Micro-watershed (PSMW), which presents different levels of degradation. A total of 214 composite soil samples were collected from the 0–0.10 m depth layer. Spectral and laboratory analyses were performed following traditional methods. The results from 100 samples were subjected to descriptive analysis, pedometric modeling, and geostatistics, while the remainder were used exclusively for the prediction and modeling of the predicted attribute maps. C Stock ranged from 0.3 to 11%, with the highest values associated with the least sandy sites. We assert that stakeholders, including government agencies, could utilize DRS for mapping main soil attributes, such as C Stocks, soil granulometry, or total organic carbon, in regions characterized by similar parent material and soil properties. This application can support informed decision-making regarding land management in extensive areas facing soil threats.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-20
DOI: 10.3390/land12091812
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1813: YOLOV4_CSPBi: Enhanced Land Target Detection
Model
Authors: Lirong Yin, Lei Wang, Jianqiang Li, Siyu Lu, Jiawei Tian, Zhengtong Yin, Shan Liu, Wenfeng Zheng
First page: 1813
Abstract: The identification of small land targets in remote sensing imagery has emerged as a significant research objective. Despite significant advancements in object detection strategies based on deep learning for visible remote sensing images, the performance of detecting a small and densely distributed number of small targets remains suboptimal. To address this issue, this study introduces an improved model named YOLOV4_CPSBi, based on the YOLOV4 architecture, specifically designed to enhance the detection capability of small land targets in remote sensing imagery. The proposed model enhances the traditional CSPNet by redefining its channel partitioning and integrating this enhanced structure into the neck part of the YOLO network model. Additionally, the conventional pyramid fusion structure used in the traditional BiFPN is removed. By integrating a weight-based bidirectional multi-scale mechanism for feature fusion, the model is capable of effectively reasoning about objects of various sizes, with a particular focus on detecting small land targets, without introducing a significant increase in computational costs. Using the DOTA dataset as research data, this study quantifies the object detection performance of the proposed model. Compared with various baseline models, for the detection of small targets, its AP performance has been improved by nearly 8% compared with YOLOV4. By combining these modifications, the proposed model demonstrates promising results in identifying small land targets in visible remote sensing images.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091813
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1814: Quantitative Evaluation of China’s
Central-Level Land Consolidation Policies in the Past Forty Years Based on
the Text Analysis and PMC-Index Model
Authors: Guodong Huang, Xiaoqiang Shen, Xiaobin Zhang, Wei Gu
First page: 1814
Abstract: After nearly forty years of development, China’s land consolidation policies (CLCP) have become an important tool for promoting rural revitalization and sustainable development. However, as a major land management policy, there is still a lack of quantitative evaluation research on its text. This paper establishes an evaluation system for CLCP using text analysis and the PMC-Index model. Based on a reasonable definition of the connotation of land consolidation, this paper collects 313 related policies issued by China’s central government from 1982 to 2022, using text analysis to sort out the characteristics of issuance time, policy types, issuing institutions, and cooperation networks. By combining the outcomes of text mining with the previous research results to set evaluation indicators for the PMC-Index model, it distinguishes between comprehensive policies and specialized policies and separately evaluates them. Then, the PMC-Surface is established to clearly display the calculation results. The results show that the evaluation scores of comprehensive policies and specialized policies showed an upward trend over time. This indicates that the content of CLCP is constantly being enriched and expanded. The evaluation scores for different dimensions of comprehensive policies are relatively balanced, whereas there are significant differences in the evaluation scores of various dimensions of specialized policies. Both comprehensive policies and specialized policies have weaknesses in policy functions, incentives and constraints, and implementation guarantees, so improvements may be needed in these areas in the future. This study provides valuable insights into the advantages and disadvantages of a single land consolidation policy in China.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091814
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1815: Planning for Socio-Ecological Conservation in
South African Nature Reserves: Model of Influences on the Attitudes of
Proximate Communities
Authors: Dorothy Ruth Queiros
First page: 1815
Abstract: Conservation planning models need to be more inclusive, considering both social and ecological dimensions in order to achieve sustainable conservation. To do this, stakeholders need to understand the communities that border protected areas, which involves insight into attitudes. This research therefore aimed to determine what influences the attitudes of local communities towards protected areas, culminating in a model. The research was conducted at three case study sites across South Africa, each involving a nature reserve and a proximate local community. Multiple qualitative methods were used to gather data from the local community and protected area staff around different aspects that influence attitudes. Following cross-case analysis, meta-themes were identified that formed the building blocks of the model and informed the accompanying practical recommendations regarding implementation thereof. The model outlines the centrality of relationships between local communities and park stakeholders, which are impacted by benefits, costs, facilitators and detractors. It also outlines how positive attitudes can be fostered through practical actions. As communities receive and perceive the benefits of living alongside wildlife, there is potential for positivity to improve while simultaneously achieving biodiversity conservation that is supported by the community. In line with adaptive management, users can test and adapt the model, continually aiming for conservation planning that is more community-based.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091815
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1816: Does Labor Aging Inhibit Farmers’
Straw-Returning Behavior' Evidence from Rural Rice Farmers in Southwest
China
Authors: Wenfeng Zhou, Yan Yang, Jia He, Dingde Xu
First page: 1816
Abstract: As a typical green production technology, straw return affects environmental pollution control and waste recycling. However, in reality, farmers are not active in returning straw to the field. This study constructed a theoretical analysis of farmers’ straw-returning behavior under the conditions of labor aging, socialization service, and environmental regulation. Based on the survey data from 540 households in the Province of Sichuan, we empirically study the relationship between labor aging and farmers’ straw-returning behavior by using the binary logistic regression model and explore the moderating effects of socialization service and environmental regulation on labor aging and straw-returning behavior. The results show that: (1) Aging laborers in rural households constitute a higher proportion, accounting for 29% of the rural household labor force. However, there is limited enthusiasm among farmers to adopt straw returning to the field, with only 65% of farmers adopting this technology. (2) The labor aging hinders farmers’ straw-returning behavior. Specifically, under other fixed conditions, the behavior of straw returning decreases by 0.647 units when the labor aging increases by one unit. (3) Socialization services and economic incentives can mitigate the adverse effects of labor aging on straw-returning behavior, while mandatory constraints do not. (4) The heterogeneity analysis shows that labor aging has a stronger inhibitory effect on straw-returning behavior when the land scale of farmers is lower than the average level and the area is not plain.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091816
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1817: The Role of “Nostalgia” in
Environmental Restorative Effects from the Perspective of Healthy Aging:
Taking Changchun Parks as an Example
Authors: Tianjiao Yan, Hong Leng, Qing Yuan
First page: 1817
Abstract: Aging and elderly health issues have always been the focus of attention, both within and outside the industry. With the introduction of the national “14th Five-Year Plan” for healthy aging, it is urgent to address how to implement this plan. Among them, the restorative environment is an important part of implementing healthy aging. For older adults, “nostalgia” is a common emotional experience, and “nostalgia therapy” is also commonly used for mental health recovery, which has important significance for healthy aging. However, although existing research on “nostalgia” has already involved local attachment and the environment, there are few studies that use space as a carrier in the context of environmental restorative effects. Therefore, from the perspective of healthy aging, combined with structural equation modeling, this study took four parks in Changchun City as examples to explore the role of “nostalgia” in the restorative effect of the park environment. It found that, firstly, both the “nostalgia inclination” influenced by individual conditions and the “landscape perception” influenced by landscape quality had a positive impact on the “nostalgia affection”; secondly, nostalgia affection and place attachment were important mediating factors for environmental restorative effects, and the pathways of “landscape perception → nostalgic affection → environmental restorative effects”, “landscape perception → place attachment → environmental restorative effects”, and “landscape perception → nostalgic affection → place attachment → environmental restorative effects” all existed. Based on the above path exploration, corresponding spatial optimization ideas for effectively improving the health level of older adults have been provided.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091817
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1818: Transit-Oriented Development in China: A
Comparative Content Analysis of the Spatial Plans of High-Speed Railway
Station Areas
Authors: Biyue Wang, Martin de Jong, Ellen van Bueren, Aksel Ersoy, Yanchun Meng
First page: 1818
Abstract: With rapid high-speed railway (HSR) developments in China, HSR-based transit-oriented development (TOD) has proliferated across the country. Although local governments claim that HSR station areas are planned according to TOD principles, some scholars argue that these station areas actually contribute to unsustainable development. This study investigates two main questions: (1) what success factors should be included in a TOD plan for HSR station areas' (2) to what extent are these factors considered in the plans of Chinese HSR station areas' To answer these questions, we use content analysis to compare spatial plans for 15 HSR station areas across China, triangulating the findings via in-depth interviews and field investigations. This study reveals that most of the factors in the plans for HSR station areas deviate from TOD principles, especially in small- and medium-sized cities. We find that Chinese local governments mainly use TODs as a tool to promote suburban expansion around HSR stations.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091818
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1819: Delineation of Urban Development Boundary and
Carbon Emission Effects in Xuzhou City, China
Authors: Haitao Ji, Xiaoshun Li, Yiwei Geng, Xin Chen, Yuexiang Wang, Jumei Cheng, Zhuang Chen
First page: 1819
Abstract: Urban development boundary (UDB) has always served as a crucial aspect of urban sprawl research. The objective of this paper is to investigate boundary delineation and carbon emission effects. Firstly, we examined the patterns of land use changes. Additionally, this paper utilized the FLUS model and land use carbon emission calculation model to delineate UDB and calculate carbon emission effects within UDB under typical scenarios. The research results are as follows: (1) Xuzhou city witnessed a significant increase in both forest land and construction land from 2010 to 2020. (2) Under the CPS, the area of cultivated land increased by 217.05 km2 compared to the NDS. The UDB area under the NDS and CPS was 971.50 km2 and 968.99 km2, respectively. (3) Compared to the NDS, the CPS led to a net carbon emission increase of 4759.93 t within the UDB. Therefore, we should enhance the carbon sequestration and emission reduction capacity of the agricultural system. This study is beneficial for expanding the depth of research on the UDB and guiding the low-carbon urban development. We sincerely encourage readers to download this paper to improve this paper.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-21
DOI: 10.3390/land12091819
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 9 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1820: Detection and Assessment of Changing Drought
Events in China in the Context of Climate Change Based on the
Intensity–Area–Duration Algorithm
Authors: Yanqun Ren, Jinping Liu, Patrick Willems, Tie Liu, Quoc Bao Pham
First page: 1820
Abstract: Drought can have a significant impact on both society and the economy, resulting in issues such as scarcity of water and shortages of food and energy, as well as elevated health risks. However, as global temperatures continue to rise, the impact of drought events is increasingly exacerbated, manifested by an increase in the frequency, intensity, duration, and spatial extent of their effects. Therefore, studying the changing characteristics of drought events with the background of climate change is of great significance. Based on the high-precision and high-resolution CN05.1 dataset, this study obtained the monthly Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) dataset from 1961 to 2020, and then identified regional drought events in China using the Intensity–Area–Duration (IAD) method, which considers both temporal continuity and spatial dynamics. On this basis, the spatiotemporal variations in frequency, intensity, duration, and affected area of drought events in China and its seven subregions were analyzed. The results showed that the subregions located in the northern region of China generally have lower mean, maximum, and minimum temperatures than those located in the southern region, but the associated interannual change rate of the subregions in the north is higher than that in the south. As for the annual total precipitation, results show a clear pattern of decreasing southeast–northwest gradient, with an increasing trend in the northern subregions and a decreasing trend in the southern subregions except for the subregion south China (SC). The northeast of China (NE), SC, the southwest of China (SW) and north China (NC) are the regions with a high frequency of drought events in China, while the frequency of drought events in NW and Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), although lower, is on a significantly increasing trend, and the increasing rate is higher than for the other regions. For drought intensity, Xinjiang (XJ) and QTP had greater drought intensity, and the change rate of these regions with greater drought intensity was also greater. The drought impact area in China showed a significant increasing trend, mainly concentrated in QTP, NW and NE. Particular attention needs to be focused on the southwest of QTP, where drought events in this region show a significant increase in frequency, intensity, duration and impact area.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-23
DOI: 10.3390/land12101820
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1821: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in
Extremadura (SW Spain) during the Period 2014–2020:New Opportunities
for Economic Diversification in Rural Areas'
Authors: Francisco Manuel Martínez García, Ana Nieto Masot, Gema Cárdenas Alonso, José Manuel Pérez Pintor
First page: 1821
Abstract: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a European policy created in the early 1960s to address the food and economic problems affecting European society and the agricultural sector in particular. Throughout its history, the various reforms carried out in this policy have oriented it towards a reduction of direct aid to farmers’ production (due to its excessive cost, among other reasons), in favor of income-related aid. In recent years, the agricultural sector in Extremadura has received CAP aid in a very unequal manner, with a more significant concentration in the agricultural areas where intensive production has been established as a base and where there is a larger population. Thus, the main objective of this research is to analyze the spatial relationships between CAP subsidies and other demographic, economic and social context variables. To achieve the proposed objective, a spatial regression model, namely Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), has been calculated to determine the relationship between the amounts received from the CAP and the socioeconomic situation of each of the municipalities in the region. The results show a concentration of this aid in the most dynamic areas, with municipalities with a larger population and a more productive agriculture, mainly related to irrigated farms.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-23
DOI: 10.3390/land12101821
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1822: Soil Footprint and Land-Use Change to Clean
Energy Production: Implications for Solar and Wind Power Plants
Authors: Alessia Cogato, Francesco Marinello, Andrea Pezzuolo
First page: 1822
Abstract: Shifting from fossil fuels to alternative energies is crucial for mitigating climate change and reducing dependence on environmentally harmful resources. Measuring the soil footprint of alternative energies is equally essential, as it helps promote sustainable development. This research proposes a methodological approach to assess the land consumed by photovoltaic panels installed on land (PVL), on roofs (PVR), and wind power systems (WP) in Italy. A sample of 186 plants was analysed, and the total area occupied by these plants was measured. Moreover, the area needed for new infrastructure and facilities serving the plants was measured. Finally, the land use change was assessed by determining the land use before installing PVL and WP. Approximately 92.8% of WP entailed the construction of new road networks, while 34.8% of PVL required the construction of new buildings. The surface area demand by the WP was lower (1.3 m2 kW−1) than PVL (21.2 m2 kW−1). Overall, a highly positive correlation was found between the nominal power of the plants and the total area occupied (R2 = 0.94, 0.95, and 0.90 for PVL, PVR, and WP, respectively). The areas occupied by new plants were mainly devoted to agriculture (75.8% for PVL and 71.4% for WP); however, WP were also located in forest areas (17.9%). The methodology proposed may be extended to assess the global footprint of alternative energies and address sustainable energy management.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-24
DOI: 10.3390/land12101822
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1823: Influential Factors in the Evaluation of
Agricultural Lands in the Huambo Province, Angola
Authors: Ezequiel Lote, Fernando Oliveira Tavares
First page: 1823
Abstract: The possession and appraisal of agricultural fields have significant economic and social impacts. The objective of this study is to examine the perception of farmers in the Huambo Province, Angola, regarding the characteristics that enhance and diminish the value of agricultural lands in the process of buying and selling. The utilized quantitative methodology is based on a questionnaire administered to farmers in the Huambo Province. The sample size consists of 644 respondents. The results allow us to conclude that the income generated from farming activities and the presence of infrastructure greatly facilitate the appraisal of agricultural fields. Conversely, the absence of legal ownership documentation and conflicts related to land ownership reduce the value of the fields. The exploratory factor analysis identified seven determinant factors, responsible for explaining 61.334% of the total variance, in the appraisal of agricultural fields: inherent location characteristics of the property, market dynamics related to agricultural fields, the availability of water on the property, proximity to tourist destinations, physical conditions of the fields, the positive externalities generated, and the advantages offered by the fields. We believe that this study will assist appraisers, farmers, and public administration in understanding the factors that positively and negatively impact the appraisal of agricultural fields.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-24
DOI: 10.3390/land12101823
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1824: Food Export Stability, Political Ties, and Land
Resources
Authors: Hua Zhou, Jiachen Fan, Xue Yang, Kaifeng Duan
First page: 1824
Abstract: As a vital guarantee of food security for many countries, international food trade has been threatened by volatile international political ties in recent years. However, the existing literature lacks empirical evidence on the relationship between political ties and food export stability. Therefore, this article examines the impact of political ties on food export stability using United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) voting data and export data on food products from 2010 to 2018. The chosen timeframe ensures the exclusion of potential influences from both the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing the robustness of the findings. The test results show that the deterioration of political ties can reduce food export stability: the higher the voting dissimilarity of the trading partners in the UNGA, the less stable food exports. Mechanism analysis suggests that political ties can impede food export stability by increasing tariff and non-tariff barriers. The analysis of heterogeneity indicates that the advancement of urbanization in importing countries intensifies the adverse effects of political ties on food export stability. However, this negative impact is less pronounced when importing countries have more allocation and higher productivity regarding land resources such as cultivated land and forests. This article adds to the literature on the relationship between political ties, trade, land resource optimization, and food security. The findings of this study highlight the importance of land resources with respect to reducing the risk of food trade instability in the context of volatile international politics.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101824
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1825: Analysis of Landscape Character Assessment and
Cultural Ecosystem Services Evaluation Frameworks for Peri-Urban Landscape
Planning: A Case Study of Harku Municipality, Estonia
Authors: Fiona Nevzati, Martti Veldi, Mart Külvik, Simon Bell
First page: 1825
Abstract: This study combined landscape character assessment (LCA) and cultural ecosystem services (CES) frameworks to evaluate human well-being in the peri-urban area of Harku Municipality, Estonia. Using geospatial data combined with expert opinions, the study investigated the interplay between landscape character types and environmental/contact types through the LCA method. In total, 21 distinct landscape types comprising 47 separate areas were identified, with CES values determined for each. Restorative, social, and cognitive values were associated with each landscape character type. The findings demonstrated the higher restorative potential of blue and green elements (water bodies, forests) with low settlement density and minimal agriculture. High-density settlements with good road access demonstrated significant social values, while mixed forests and wetlands tended to be associated with higher cognitive values. Coastal zones with semi-dense settlements and mixed forests earned favourable ratings, whereas industrial/agricultural landscapes were rated lowest for all values. These findings offer valuable insights into the complex dynamics of urban–rural interactions, resilience, and the impact of urbanisation on CES. They may inform future landscape management strategies, urban planning decisions, and policy considerations. Additionally, this study highlights the need for further research to explore the long-term trends and potential changes in CES in evolving peri-urban environments.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101825
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1826: Towards Child-Friendly Streetscape in Migrant
Workers’ Communities in China: A Social–Ecological Design
Framework
Authors: Qianxi Zhang, Xinkai Wang, Yat Ming Loo, Wu Deng, Weixuan Chen, Mindong Ni, Ling Cheng
First page: 1826
Abstract: Designing child-friendly streetscapes is a pragmatic and effective approach to addressing the limited outdoor play spaces and social exclusion experienced by migrant children living in vulnerable residential areas. However, the existing research and guidelines on streetscape design lack specificity for migrant workers’ communities and fail to provide full-cycle design process guidance for real-world practices. By taking a social–ecological perspective and synthesizing the existing literature, this paper develops an integrated design framework with seven indicators to guide three stages of child-friendly streetscape regeneration in migrant workers’ communities. The effectiveness of this framework was validated by application in a case project in a typical migrant workers’ community in Ningbo, China. The results show that the social–ecological design framework can help maximize opportunities for various children’s activities on the street with limited spatial resources. It also contributes to creating inclusive streetscapes to promote social cohesion by integrating social and cultural elements, children’s participation, and place-making activities. However, institutional barriers, cultural norms, and limited resources impede children’s participation and sustainable operations, which calls for more attention to be paid to “software” building. The new framework and research findings serve as a valuable guide and reference for practitioners in the field of child-friendly environmental design, especially in the context of marginalized communities in developing countries.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101826
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1827: Tax Planning on New Tobacco Risk-Reduced
Products in Europe: Assessment and Implications for Public Policies
Authors: Fernando Pinto Hernández, María Jesús Delgado Rodríguez
First page: 1827
Abstract: Taxes on the consumption of certain products have played a key role in public revenue analysis in European countries. This work assesses the differences in tax planning for new non-combustion products across some European territories. Through theoretical analysis, the paper has three distinct aspects. Firstly, we show the taxpayer profile in different countries. Secondly, the study analyzes the risks for the health system and the individual. Thirdly, the design of the national tobacco tax is based on previous experience and planning in Europe. This paper concludes with a case study for different countries: (1) Spain “vapers” and “smokers”, where the analysis is based on micro-data from the European Health Interview Survey 2020. (2) Sweden, with the analysis of snus, shows it as a practice on how to reach economic savings while decreasing economic costs thanks to the nudging of consumers towards better products. The results show taxation and, especially, land taxation should consider differences in planning in the case of new products, such as non-combustion products, given the user per capita income and the potential lower health risks involved.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101827
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1828: Sustainable Land Governance for
Water–Energy–Food Systems: A Framework for Rural and
Peri-Urban Revitalisation
Authors: Pamela Durán-Díaz
First page: 1828
Abstract: This research paper addresses the need for an adaptable theoretical framework in the context of sustainable land governance for Water–Energy–Food (WEF) systems, bridging the gap between international guidelines and contextual realities. The novel framework is useful to effectively tackle the intricate challenges of rural and peri-urban revitalisation in the Global South by providing a holistic approach that considers the multi-dimensional interactions of land with water, energy, and food systems. The proposed framework encompasses three main objectives: (1) a top-down approach involving policy review and legal framework analysis to contextualise and inform the decision-making process; (2) a bottom-up approach based on case studies, enabling ground-level insights, stakeholder identification, and participatory mapping to empower rural and peri-urban communities; (3) a geospatial approach utilizing GIS and spatial analysis to study the implications of land within WEF systems. Drawing on mixed methods, including a literature review, a policy review, interviews, surveys, focus group discussions, and participatory action research grounded on case studies, this research emphasises the need to integrate both top-down and bottom-up approaches for comprehensive sustainable land governance. Over the course of 2018 to 2023, 22 master’s theses were supervised, each addressing the framework’s research objectives in 14 countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Sixteen capacity building workshops in 11 countries engaged 851 participants, fostering knowledge exchange; 6 participatory action research (PAR) projects involved the installation of projects to advance food sovereignty in small communities in the Global South, following needs assessments. We showcase in this paper the PAR successfully implemented in Gitaraga, Rwanda, to validate the practical application of the proposed framework. The methodology has been useful for determining transversality, sustainability, inclusivity, adaptability, evidence-based decision-making, and policy integration as the core principles of sustainable land governance for WEF systems. The research contributes valuable insights to inform future interventions and policies that promote rural and peri-urban revitalization while addressing the ever-evolving challenges of WEF systems in the Global South.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101828
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1829: A Comparative Analysis of the Interaction
between Urban-Rural Construction Land Transition and Population Flow:
Dominant and Recessive Perspectives
Authors: Shanshan Xiang, Liping Shan, Wuzhou Li, Lingyan Huang
First page: 1829
Abstract: Population flow caused by rapid urbanization has driven the urban-rural construction land transition. A systematic recognition of their interaction is essential for achieving coordinated and sustainable urban-rural development. We chose Hangzhou, one of the most urbanized cities in China, as the study area to analyze this interaction from the perspectives of dominant morphology and recessive morphology during the period of 2010 to 2020. From the perspective of dominant morphology, a structured analysis method is applied to assess the variation in the internal components. A dynamic land utilization efficiency index is proposed and combined with an original static land utilization efficiency index to comprehensively portray a complete periodicity of urban-rural construction land transition and population flow from the perspective of recessive morphology. Results demonstrate that the path dependence of rural industrialization leads to a seemingly stagnant urban-rural construction land transition in Hangzhou. Meanwhile, the rapid increase in the demographic urbanization rate has been supported by the massive inflow of external migrants. Based on the more stringent dynamic land utilization efficiency index and the more comprehensive combination of static and dynamic indices, the moderate expansion of urban construction land increases the proportion of township-level units of the intensive land utilization pattern while, instead of population loss, the general non-intensive land utilization pattern in rural areas has been driven by the overexpansion of rural residential land.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101829
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1830: Analysis of Spatial Relationship Based on
Authors: Zihui Li, Kangwen Zhu, Dan Song, Dongjie Guan, Jiameng Cao, Xiangyuan Su, Yanjun Zhang, Ya Zhang, Yong Ba, Haoyu Wang
First page: 1830
Abstract: Due to the insufficient research on the spatial relationship and driving mechanism of ecosystem services and ecological risks and the current background of rising ecological risks and dysfunctional ecosystem services in local areas, analyzing the relationship and driving mechanism is an urgent task in order to safeguard regional ecological security and improve ecosystem services at present. Taking Chongqing as an example, the study scientifically identifies the spatial relationship between ecosystem services and ecological risks and their driving factors at district and county scales based on the constructed Ecosystem Service—Driver–Pressures–Status–Impacts–Responses (ES-DPSIR) model. The main findings include (1) significant variation in the spatial distribution of the comprehensive ecosystem service index, where the lowest ecosystem service index (0.013) was found in the main urban area of Chongqing and the scores gradually increased outward from this center, reaching 0.689 in the outermost areas; (2) an increase in the comprehensive ecological risk index from east to west, ranging from −0.134 to 0.333; (3) a prominent spatial relationship between ecosystem services and ecological risks, with 52.63% of the districts and counties being imbalanced or mildly imbalanced; and (4) significant differences between development trends of ecosystem services-–ecological risks, including 60.53% imbalanced and 30.47% mildly balanced districts. This study identified and analyzed the spatial change characteristics of ecosystem services and ecological risks based on the ES-DPSIR model, explored the driving factors, and provided new ideas for the relationship and driving research. The results of the study could provide effective ways and references for improving regional ecological security and enhancing the capacity of ecosystem services.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101830
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1831: Environmental and Social Benefits of Extensive
Green Roofs Applied on Bus Shelters in Edinburgh
Authors: Zuzana Koscikova, Vladimir Krivtsov
First page: 1831
Abstract: The presence of green roofs in urban areas provides various ecosystem services that help mitigate climate change. They play an essential role in sustainable drainage systems, contribute to air quality and carbon sequestration, mitigate urban heat island, support biodiversity, and create green spaces supporting public well-being. Bus stops provide good opportunities for installing green roofs. Various cities worldwide have started installing green roofs on bus shelters, but often without thoroughly comparing expenses and the resulting benefits. This study quantifies the social and environmental benefits of installing green roofs on bus shelters in the City of Edinburgh. An assessment of the benefits and their monetary values was conducted using the B£ST analysis tool combined with manual calculations, which is easily transferable to other cities worldwide. It was compared to the current situation with no green roofs installed at bus stops. Installation of green roofs on all bus shelters in the City of Edinburgh may result in £12.9 million–£87.2 million in total benefit present value. The total cost was projected to be £15,994,000. By green roof installation, the City of Edinburgh can be closer to being carbon-neutral by 2030, a sustainable city as part of the City Plan 2030 and City Vision 2050.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-25
DOI: 10.3390/land12101831
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1832: Ecosystem Service Value Evaluation and Spatial
Function Change under Town and Village Layout Planning: A Case of Jintan
District
Authors: Yi Hu, Manchun Li, Penghui Jiang
First page: 1832
Abstract: This study proposes a systematic classification of production–living–ecological function indicators based on ecosystem services, thereby clarifying the spatial functions of villages. Based on the land use change survey data of the Jintan District in 2012 and 2018, the ecological impact of town and village layout planning in Jintan District was analysed by using a quantitative measurement model of ecosystem services. The findings revealed that the ecosystem service value (ESV) decreased by 792 million CNY in the Jintan District, with the largest decrease in water ecosystem services valued at 700 million CNY and in hydrological regulation valued at 576 million CNY. A clear regional difference in ESV was observed, with villages on the east and west coasts of Changdang Lake being higher-value areas and most villages or communities in urban areas being lower-value areas. The areas of cultivated land, construction land, and unused land have increased, while land types with higher ecosystem service value coefficients, such as wetland, water area, and grassland, have declined. The spatial pattern of production and living functions was quite similar, while there was a significant spatial aggregation characteristic of ecological functions.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101832
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1833: Farm Sustainability Assessment and Model:
Achieving Food Security through the Food Estate Program in North Sumatra
Authors: Dany Juhandi, Dwidjono Hadi Darwanto, Masyhuri Masyhuri, Jangkung Handoyo Mulyo, Nugroho Adi Sasongko, Martin Anda, Tri Martini
First page: 1833
Abstract: Improving food crop production is critical for achieving food security. The Food Estate (FE) program initiated by the government seeks to accomplish this through extensive and intensive farming practices while taking sustainability into consideration. In this paper, a multidimensional scaling (MDS) approach to determine the status and model of agricultural sustainability of the FE program was adopted. Three scenarios were developed to improve the sustainability status based on primary data from interviews with 50 farmers in Ria-Ria Village, Pollung District, North Sumatra. The findings indicate that the farming status is at a moderate sustainability, and improving all aspects can significantly increase the sustainability value. The study suggests that the government should prioritize the improvement of all aspects to raise the sustainability status of FE farming in order to achieve food security.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101833
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1834: Natural Dose of Blue Restoration: A Field
Experiment on Mental Restoration of Urban Blue Spaces
Authors: Shixian Luo, Jing Xie, Huixin Wang, Qian Wang, Jie Chen, Zhenglun Yang, Katsunori Furuya
First page: 1834
Abstract: Urban Blue Spaces (UBS) have been found to be beneficial to people’s mental health. Yet, the empirical evidence for how and why different types of urban blue spaces could promote residents’ mental health is still limited. Accordingly, 164 observation samples were collected for this experiment relating to the restorative perception of environmental exposure. The effects of two exposure behaviors (15 min of viewing and 15 min of walking) on psychological recovery in three different urban blue spaces settings (Urban River, Urban Canal, Urban Lake) were investigated in a field experiment. These are the main findings of this current study: (1) all three UBSs increased vitality, feelings of restoration, and positive emotions, and decreased negative emotions; (2) the mental restoration effects between walking and viewing among the three UBSs showed no significant differences; (3) of the three UBSs, urban rivers and urban lakes were the most restorative, while urban canals were less so; (4) the concept of “natural health dose” is proposed, where the health experiences of different UBSs in urban settings can show differences depending on the natural components and their levels of the environment (blue, blue + green, blue + blue). The results of this experiment can provide fundamental evidence that can contribute to building healthy cities through the management and design of different blue spaces.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101834
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1835: The Construction of the Visible and Invisible
Boundaries of Microsegregation: A Case Study from Szeged, Hungary
Authors: Ramóna Vámos, Gyula Nagy, Zoltán Kovács
First page: 1835
Abstract: The concept of microsegregation has gained increasing popularity among researchers dealing with socio-spatial disparities in cities. This is because urban space has become increasingly multifaceted over recent decades, and the boundaries of socio-spatial segregation have also become increasingly subtle, often taking invisible forms below the neighborhood level. This study contributes to the literature on microsegregation by exploring small-scale forms of social disparities in one of the neighborhoods of Szeged, a second-tier city in Hungary. We used both quantitative and qualitative research methods to capture visible and invisible forms of microsegregation in the study area. An analysis of census data confirmed the coupling of socio-economic diversity and polarization at the census-tract level in three different forms as a result of various underlying factors, among which the sorting effect of the housing market plays a leading role. The results of in-depth interviews with experts and residents suggest that although the overall perception of the neighborhood is good and that serious conflicts do not occur, there are palpable socio-spatial differences and signs of segregation at the micro scale. The weak sense of segregation can be partly linked to the lack of public spaces where daily encounters between people from different social groups could take place.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101835
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1836: Forest Inventory Data Provide Useful
Information for Mapping Ecosystem Services Potential
Authors: Edgars Jūrmalis, Arta Bārdule, Jānis Donis, Linda Gerra-Inohosa, Zane Lībiete
First page: 1836
Abstract: The ecosystem services framework is a convenient approach for identifying and mapping nature’s contributions to people, and an accurate assessment of ecosystem services potential is the first step in the decision support process of well-informed land management planning. The approach we use for forest ecosystem services potential assessment in Latvia is based on the principles of the matrix model and biophysical data of the forest inventory database, and it is comparable to other assessments previously carried out in the Baltic Sea Region. The proposed approach supports spatial planning and may be integrated with assessments of other ecosystems based on the same methodological principles. The evaluation results reflect the high spatial heterogeneity of forest types in Latvia. Future work should include integrating ecosystem services flows and demand into the assessment, developing additional indicators for culturally important ecosystem services, and introducing socio-cultural valuation to account for a broader set of stakeholders and values.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101836
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1837: Dynamic Evolution and Regional Differences in
the Efficiency of Compact Urban Development in Chinese Cities—Based
on the Perspective of Compact Land Use
Authors: Wenqin Ren, Xinhai Lu, Linggui Wei, Hao Yang
First page: 1837
Abstract: Modern cities require urban compact development to be sustainable. The evaluation of urban compact development may help create more accurate and realistic policies. The spatio-temporal dynamic evolution of urban compact development efficiency and its regional differences in China are examined in this study. This paper analysis uses 282 cities from 2005 to 2021. The unexpected output super-efficiency SBM model measures urban compact development efficiency. In this study, the urban compact development efficiency’s spatial and temporal patterns are also examined using kernel density estimation (KDE) and the Theil index (TI). The average efficiency of urban compact development in China has decreased slightly. However, compact efficiency disparities are decreasing. Eastern cities have a relatively stable compact efficiency, while central and western cities vary more. The compact efficiency polarisation has not changed fundamentally. The compact city growth model’s spatial agglomeration is poor, limiting its spatial spillover impact. Thus, compact urban development is necessary to speed up planning, facilitate inter-city production factor movement by creating a comprehensive transport network, and maximise co-location benefits with the regional integration strategy. This method will gradually reduce regional urban development disparities and push Chinese cities towards more refined and sustainable compact development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101837
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1838: Design Characteristics, Visual Qualities, and
Walking Behavior in an Urban Park Setting
Authors: Mohammad Paydar, Asal Kamani Fard, Verónica Gárate Navarrete
First page: 1838
Abstract: The design characteristics of urban parks’ pathways are important in facilitating leisure walking and maintaining the minimum rate of physical activity, thus improving public health. This study examined and explored the relationships between design characteristics as well as certain visual qualities of Cautin Park, the biggest urban park in the Araucanian Region of Chile, and the tendency for walking as well as walking behavior. A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods was used to examine the objectives. Several design attributes were found to be related to the tendency for walking and the walking behavior in this urban park, including greater pathway width, more vegetation, tranquility along the pathways, and more comfortable pathway environments for pets. Additionally, these correlations were assessed based on gender and age, and it was found that adolescents showed the greatest difference from other groups. For instance, adolescents walk significantly more along pathways with more connectivity to activity zones. Among the visual qualities, only legibility shows a significant correlation with the number of all types of pedestrians, as well as subgroups of adolescents, adult men, and adult women. These results were reviewed, and their implications were discussed. Urban planners and designers could apply these findings when designing future urban parks in this context.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101838
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1839: Spatiotemporal Pattern and Driving Mechanism of
Cultivated Land Use Transition in China
Authors: Feifei Jiang, Fu Chen, Yan Sun, Ziyi Hua, Xinhua Zhu, Jing Ma
First page: 1839
Abstract: In the past 20 years, the global economy has undergone tremendous changes with rapid industrialization and urbanization. Cultivated land is an important spatial carrier for human production and life, and its use pattern also changes with socioeconomic development. Natural, economic, social, and policy factors jointly drive the cultivated land use transition (CLUT). However, the spatiotemporal pattern and evolution characteristics of the CLUT at the national scale have not yet been clarified in China. Factors that play a leading role in the transition are also unclear. To this end, this paper explores the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the CLUT at a national scale and analyzes the main drivers and spatial differentiation rules of the transition based on relevant data from 31 provincial units on the Chinese mainland from 2000 to 2019. The results show that: (1) The CLUT in China from 2000 to 2019 had obvious stage characteristics. (2) The coordination degree of the CLUT was enhanced overall. Areas with a higher degree of coordination presented a spatial distribution pattern of small agglomeration and large dispersion, while low-level areas were distributed in spots. (3) Different drivers had various effects on the CLUT. The topography played an inhibitory role in the transition, and its influence showed obvious differences between the east and west regions. The effect of the construction land demand index shifted from inhibition to promotion, while the effects of the gross agricultural economic output and the total power of agricultural machinery in the transition were insignificant.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-26
DOI: 10.3390/land12101839
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1840: Rural Land Management and Revitalization
through a Locally Coordinated Integrated Master Plan—A Model from
Germany to China
Authors: Uchendu Eugene Chigbu, Michael Klaus, Wenjun Zhang, Laina Alexander
First page: 1840
Abstract: Land management has its local dimension in rural, peri-urban, and urban perspectives. Recently China adopted rural revitalization in response to the rapid rural–urban migration and the emergence of hollow villages, characterized by declining and ageing populations, limited economic and social opportunities for residents, and depleting natural resources. It covers political, cultural, social, and ecological progress issues for speeding up local development in rural areas. By taking a specific cross-country approach, this study presents the evolution of adapting the experience of Bavarian rural revitalization to Sichuan, China, through the coordinated, integrated master plan approach. It frames an approach to rural revitalization in China by drawing on Bavarian experiences in rural development. The study is based on a pilot project in the Sichuan Province of China undertaken by the Hanns Seidel Foundation to strengthen the Chinese rural revitalization strategy. It addresses the rural development complexity in China through a locally coordinated, integrated master plan based on adapting rural development principles from Bavaria (Germany) to China. It shows that, at the local level, Germany’s rural development principles can be applied to China. It contributes to cross-country, future-orientated support for rural revitalization, strengthening communities, nature protection, and improving the living conditions of rural people.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101840
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1841: Digital Mapping of Soil Organic Carbon Using
Machine Learning Algorithms in the Upper Brahmaputra Valley of
Northeastern India
Authors: Amit Kumar, Pravash Chandra Moharana, Roomesh Kumar Jena, Sandeep Kumar Malyan, Gulshan Kumar Sharma, Ram Kishor Fagodiya, Aftab Ahmad Shabnam, Dharmendra Kumar Jigyasu, Kasthala Mary Vijaya Kumari, Subramanian Gandhi Doss
First page: 1841
Abstract: Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) is a crucial indicator of ecosystem health and soil quality. Machine learning (ML) models that predict soil quality based on environmental parameters are becoming more prevalent. However, studies have yet to examine how well each ML technique performs when predicting and mapping SOC, particularly at high spatial resolutions. Model predictors include topographic variables generated from SRTM DEM; vegetation and soil indices derived from Landsat satellite images predict SOC for the Lakhimpur district of the upper Brahmaputra Valley of Assam, India. Four ML models, Random Forest (RF), Cubist, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Support Vector Machine (SVM), were utilized to predict SOC for the top layer of soil (0–15 cm) at a 30 m resolution. The results showed that the descriptive statistics of the calibration and validation sets were close enough to the total set data and calibration dataset, representing the complete samples. The measured SOC content varied from 0.10 to 1.85%. The RF model’s performance was optimal in the calibration and validation sets (R2c = 0.966, RMSEc = 0.159%, R2v = 0.418, RMSEv = 0.377%). The SVM model, on the other hand, had the next-lowest accuracy, explaining 47% of the variation (R2c = 0.471, RMSEc = 0.293, R2v = 0.081, RMSEv = 0.452), while the Cubist model fared the poorest in both the calibration and validation sets. The most-critical variable in the RF model for predicting SOC was elevation, followed by MAT and MRVBF. The essential variables for the Cubist model were slope, TRI, MAT, and Band4. AP and LS were the most-essential factors in the XGBoost and SVM models. The predicted OC ranged from 0.44 to 1.35%, 0.031 to 1.61%, 0.035 to 1.71%, and 0.47 to 1.36% in the RF, Cubist, XGBoost, and SVM models, respectively. Compared with different ML models, RF was optimal (high accuracy and low uncertainty) for predicting SOC in the investigated region. According to the present modeling results, SOC may be determined simply and accurately. In general, the high-resolution maps might be helpful for decision-makers, stakeholders, and applicants in sericultural management practices towards precision sericulture.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101841
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1842: Spectral Mixture Analysis (SMA) Model for
Extracting Urban Fractions from Landsat and Sentinel-2A Images in the
Al-Ahsa Oasis, Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Abdelrahim Salih
First page: 1842
Abstract: The rapid expansion of urban areas is a major driver of deforestation and other associated damage to the local ecosystem and environment in arid and semi-arid oases, especially in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia. It is therefore necessary to accurately map and monitor urban areas to maintain the ecosystem services in these oases. In this study, built-up areas were mapped using a spectral mixture analysis (SMA) model in the Al-Ahsa Oasis in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia by analyzing Landsat images, including Thematic Mapper (TM), Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+), Operational Land Imager (OLI), and Sentinel-2A images, acquired between 1990 and 2020. Principle component analysis (PCA) was used to build and select endmembers, and then SMA was applied to each image to extract urban/built-up fractions. In addition, this study also discusses the possible driving forces of the urban dynamics. SMA classification performance was assessed using fraction error maps and a confusion matrix. The results show that the Al-Ahsa Oasis’ urban area had been rapidly expanding during 2010–2020 with an expansion rate of nearly 9%. The results also indicated that the SMA model provides high precisions (overall accuracy = ~95% to 100%) for an oasis urban mapping in an arid and semi-arid region that is disturbed by the mixed-pixel problem, such as the Al-Ahsa Oasis in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101842
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1843: Crowdsourcing Intangible Heritage for
Territorial Development: A Conceptual Framework Considering Italian Inner
Areas
Authors: Luca Tricarico, Edoardo Lorenzetti, Lucio Morettini
First page: 1843
Abstract: This contribution aims to present a conceptual framework for developing territorial development strategies based on crowdsourcing technologies to enhance intangible heritage within the context of Italian inner areas. The work provides essential background information, examining technological aspects, defining intangible heritage precisely, and applying socially innovative strategies for marginal territories. Additionally, it offers a strategic framework to implement solutions that engage local communities and ensure widespread benefits. The study integrates methodologies of extensive literature review, policy analysis, and interactions with stakeholders during experimental fieldwork activities. Its objective is to bridge the gap between debates surrounding technological innovation, intangible heritage enhancement, and territorial development. The paper culminates in a synthesis of these aspects, offering a comprehensive information framework valuable for experts and scholars exploring these topics or undertaking projects aligned with these principles and tools.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101843
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1844: Impervious Land Expansion as a Control
Parameter for Climate-Resilient Planning on the Mediterranean Coast:
Evidence from Greece
Authors: Apostolos Lagarias
First page: 1844
Abstract: Impervious land expansion is linked to ecosystem fragmentation and degradation, posing threats to nature conservation and multiplying climate change impacts. This is particularly true on the Mediterranean coast, where persistent urbanization is coupled with tourism development, further intensifying coastal erosion, flood risk, heat stress and biodiversity loss, while decreasing carbon sequestration. In this research, high-resolution imperviousness data were analyzed through a geospatial methodology to detect patterns and processes in a heavily burdened Mediterranean coastal area, namely Greece. The methodology was structured on a set of GIS tools, analyzing the distribution of new impervious cover between 2006 and 2018, to evaluate pressures exerted on coastal territories and on the environmental protection network. The results revealed relatively slow rates of impervious land expansion at a nationwide scale, mostly attributed to the economic recession period in Greece. However, certain locations exhibited continuing artificialization of land even within Natura 2000 areas, while future pressures on coastal territories are expected to increase due to the restarting of construction activity and the continuing dynamic of the mass tourism sector. The conclusions imply that controlling for imperviousness is important in order to develop spatial planning policies for climate resilience, which should be decisively enforced in the Mediterranean to prevent a business-as-usual scenario.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101844
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1845: Land Use/Land Cover Changes in Baicheng
District, China during the Period 1954–2020 and Their Driving Forces
Authors: Bin Peng, Jiuchun Yang, Yixue Li, Shuwen Zhang
First page: 1845
Abstract: Temporal and spatial variations in land use/land cover (LULC) and their driving factors are direct reflections of regional natural and anthropogenic impacts. To explore the pathways for green upgrading development in ecologically fragile areas, this study focused on Baicheng, located in the northern agropastoral transition zone, China. Based on the topographic map of 1954 and Landsat remote sensing images taken from 1976 to 2020, the spatial distribution of LULC data for the study area in 1954, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2010, and 2020 was obtained. The temporal and spatial characteristics of LULC changes and their driving factors under the combined influence of human activities and climate were analyzed using dynamic degree, flowchart, spatial analysis, and principal component analysis. The results indicate that (1) the dominant LULC type in Baicheng is cropland. By 2020, dry land accounted for over 41% of the total area, while the area of saline–alkaline land increased the most, and grassland decreased most drastically. (2) The dynamic degree of different LULC types ranked from highest to lowest as follows: paddy field > unused land and other types > woodland > saline–alkaline land. (3) LULC Changes in Baicheng were mainly influenced by human activities and economic development, especially regional gross domestic product and the sown area of crops. These research findings can provide a scientific basis for formulating sustainable development and protection strategies to ensure regional green upgrading development.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101845
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1846: Measurements and Spatial–Temporal
Evolution of Urban Comprehensive Carrying Capacity in the Yellow River
Basin
Authors: Yinghua Lin, Fengjun Jin, Li Ma, Jianwei Meng
First page: 1846
Abstract: An evaluation index system was conducted to determine the urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin using four subsystems (resources, society, ecology, and economy). The urban comprehensive carrying capacity level of nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2008 to 2019 was determined using the entropy weight TOPSIS model, and the spatial and temporal dynamics of the urban comprehensive carrying capacity of each province were investigated. There were four key results. (1) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the upstream and downstream provinces decreased from 2008 to 2011 and increased from 2011 to 2019; in the midstream provinces, it increased from 2008 to 2011 but decreased after 2011. (2) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin was “high in the east and west, low in the middle” from 2008 to 2017, while in 2019, the distribution was “high in the west and low in the east.” The gap between the urban comprehensive carrying capacities of the nine provinces and regions gradually narrowed over the study period. (3) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity of the Yellow River Basin increased annually during the study period. (4) The urban comprehensive carrying capacity was mainly influenced by the social and ecological subsystems.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101846
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1847: Personal Cognition and Implicit Constructs
Affecting Preferential Decisions on Farmland Ownership: Multiple Case
Studies in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia
Authors: Ar. R. T. Hidayat, Corinthias P. M. Sianipar, Shizuka Hashimoto, Satoshi Hoshino, Muhammad Dimyati, Ahmad E. Yustika
First page: 1847
Abstract: Farmland ownership is a critical issue for sustainable agriculture since it affects short-term productivity and the long-term stability of the sector. However, existing literature largely focused on immediately simplifying individual opinions through statistical methods, neglecting how implicit values could drive preferential ownership decisions. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the driving factors underlying decisions on farmland ownership, especially when there are cognitive factors that induce hidden constructs in individual preferences. This research, to observe the cognition and implicit values leading to ownership decisions, applied the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) with subsequent Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Taking the multiple case studies of three villages in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia, this study involved 40 farmland owners. The RGT revealed a staggering 85 constructs leading to six ownership decisions: keep farming, buying, joint farming, leasing, selling, and converting. In general, the driving forces were distinguished into landowners’ household profile, sustainability-related (community and social conditions), spatial (farmland conversion and accessibility), and economic aspects. Based on PCA, “buying” and “keep farming” shared several driving forces and led to sustainable farming. In contrast, “joint farming”, “leasing”, “selling”, and “converting” were found to threaten farming sustainability. In addition, this study offers in-depth insights into the driving factors of different preferential ownership decisions according to the cognition and implicit values of individual landowners, allowing policymakers and other stakeholders to tailor policies and strategies to context-specific farmland ownership issues in pursuing sustainable agriculture.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-27
DOI: 10.3390/land12101847
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1848: Do Green Production Technologies Improve
Household Income' Evidence from Rice Farmers in China
Authors: Foyuan Kuang, Jiatong Li, Jianjun Jin, Xin Qiu
First page: 1848
Abstract: Revealing the behavioral decision-making mechanism and behavioral effects of farmers adopting green production technologies will help motivate farmers to actively adopt green production technologies, thereby promoting the development of green agriculture. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 607 Chinese rice farmers, while the endogenous switching regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors and behavioral effects of farmers adopting green production technologies. The results show that the adoption of green production technologies by farmers can significantly increase household income. Among the green production technologies, soil testing and formula fertilization technology has the greatest impact on farmers’ income, followed by straw returning technology and planting green manure. The main influencing factors of farmers adopting green production technologies are education level, cultivated land area, cultivated land fragmentation, soil fertility, and the distance between home and agricultural technology stations. The results of this study provide an empirical basis for relevant government departments to carry out agricultural technology extension work and formulate relevant policies.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101848
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1849: Study of the Morphological Characteristics of
Cultivated Land in Semiarid Sandy Areas
Authors: Xiangyu Zhao, Wenzhi Yan, Kaige Wang, Yan Xu, Huihui Zheng, Zhiting Sang
First page: 1849
Abstract: The unique natural geographical conditions and land use patterns in semiarid sandy areas have resulted in a distinct cultivated landscape. Identifying and classifying the morphological characteristics of cultivated land are key to improving land utilization efficiency. This study focuses on the semiarid sandy areas of China. We obtained information on cropland morphology by judging high-precision remote sensing images and landscape pattern analysis, and then determined the spatial clustering characteristics of different plot morphologies through local spatial autocorrelation analysis. The results are as follows: cultivated land can be classified into five main types: simple large plots, complex large plots, simple small plots, complex small plots, and scattered plots, and there are significant differences in morphology between eastern and western plots. In addition, different morphology types of plots formed a variety of aggregation patterns; clustered plots are surrounded by scattered plots, showing a staggered distribution pattern. Farmers and land managers can make more informed decisions regarding irrigation, fertilization, and crop selection, and this knowledge can provide a basis for further optimizing the layout of cultivated land, identifying fragmented cultivated land, and scientifically recovering farmland to ensure more scientific and refined classification management and zoning protection of cultivated land.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101849
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1850: Impact of Ecological Restoration Project on
Water Conservation Function of Qilian Mountains Based on InVEST
Model—A Case Study of the Upper Reaches of Shiyang River Basin
Authors: Jiarui Wang, Junju Zhou, Dongfeng Ma, Xi Zhao, Wei Wei, Chunfang Liu, Dongxia Zhang, Chunli Wang
First page: 1850
Abstract: Scientifically evaluating the influence of ecological restoration projects on the water conservation function (WCF) of regional ecosystems is the foundation for formulating regional ecological restoration policies and optimizing and adjusting ecological restoration projects. In this paper, we considered fully the runoff generation and confluence process in the Qilian Mountains with the actual situation of the basin and re-rated the parameter Z to improve the simulation accuracy of InVEST model. On this basis, the impact of ecological restoration project on the WCF in the upper reaches of Shiyang River Basin (SRB) in the eastern part of Qilian Mountains was quantified. The results showed that, on the whole, the water conservation depth (WCD) of forest land was the largest (138.5 mm) and that of cultivated land was the smallest (24.78 mm), while the water conservation coefficient of forest land was also the largest (93.36%) and that of unused land was the smallest (16.67%). From 1986 to 2018, the WCD showed an increasing trend in the upper reaches of SRB, among them, the WCD in the western tributaries increased faster than that in the eastern tributaries from 1986 to 2000. The significantly increased areas were mainly distributed in the middle reaches of the western tributaries and the river source areas of the eastern tributaries, while the significantly decreased areas were mainly distributed in the river source areas of the western tributaries and the cultivated land expansion area in the middle reaches of the eastern tributaries. From 2000 to 2018, the WCD of the eastern tributaries increased more than that of the western tributaries. The significantly increased areas were mainly distributed in the four eastern tributaries, and the significantly decreased areas were scattered in the middle and lower reaches of each tributary. From 1986 to 2000, the overall influence of land use change on the increase in WCD was negative, while the influence of climate and land use change on the increase in water conservation were both positive from 2000 to 2018. The influence of land use change on WCD was different in different tributaries. Among them, that of the western tributaries (except the Dongda River) was positive in two different periods, while that of the eastern tributaries (except the Xiying River) was changed from negative to positive. The implementation of ecological restoration project was one of the main reasons for the improvement of WCF in Qilian Mountains from 2000 to 2018, with a contribution of 9.04%. In the future, the protection and restoration of decreased areas of WCF should be strengthened, and the Z value determined in this paper is expected to be applied in the arid inland river basins of northwest China.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101850
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1851: How to Encourage Public Engagement in Smart
City Development—Learning from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ibrahim Mutambik, Abdullah Almuqrin, Fawaz Alharbi, Majed Abusharhah
First page: 1851
Abstract: The concept of the smart city is well-established, and governments across the world are either planning, or already implementing, strategies to transform existing cities to smart status. However, governments cannot act alone. If the implementation of these smart city strategies are to be successful, public engagement is a key factor. This raises the question of how best to ensure public engagement. Currently, the various external factors that influence willingness to support, and actively participate in, the development of smart cities are not well-understood, as there are few studies which examine the issue. This is of significance across the globe, but is of particular significance in Saudi Arabia, which has announced an ambitious smart city development plan. The aim of this research is to explore this issue—that is, it seeks to identify the key variables that influence the intention to participate in smart city development, and explores how they ultimately affect engagement behaviours. To achieve this, the study used a quantitative methodology, based on data from residents of 10 Saudi cities, each of which is part of the Kingdom’s 2030 smart city plan. The data were analysed, using structural equation modelling (SEM), in order to test the reliability and predictive value of a model which hypothesised a positive relationship between five external variables: information availability, perceived benefits, social norms, behaviour management, and social responsibility and engagement behaviour. The results showed that information availability has a direct and positive effect on an individual’s engagement behaviour, while perceived benefits, responsibility and social norms have an indirect effect on engagement, by positively impacting the attitude of residents. Practical implications, based on these findings, are discussed. The study contributes important insights to the literature, as it is one of the few studies to explore such a model in the context of smart cities. It therefore acts as a useful foundation for further research. However, the focus on Saudi cities may be considered a limitation in terms of generalisability, and other external variables could usefully be explored in future research.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101851
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1852: Mapping and Quantification of Miombo
Deforestation in the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (DR Congo):
Spatial Extent and Changes between 1990 and 2022
Authors: Héritier Khoji Muteya, Dieu-donné N’Tambwe Nghonda, Franco Mwamba Kalenda, Harold Strammer, François Munyemba Kankumbi, François Malaisse, Jean-François Bastin, Yannick Useni Sikuzani, Jan Bogaert
First page: 1852
Abstract: Population growth in the city of Lubumbashi in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is leading to increased energy needs, endangering the balance of the miombo woodland in the rural area referred to as the Lubumbashi charcoal production basin (LCPB). In this study, we quantified the deforestation of the miombo woodland in the LCPB via remote sensing and landscape ecology analysis tools. Thus, the analysis of Landsat images from 1990, 1998, 2008, 2015 and 2022 was supported by the random forest classifier. The results showed that the LCPB lost more than half of its miombo woodland cover between 1990 (77.90%) and 2022 (39.92%) and was converted mainly to wooded savannah (21.68%), grassland (37.26%), agriculture (2.03%) and built-up and bare soil (0.19). Consecutively, grassland became the new dominant land cover in 2022 (40%). Therefore, the deforestation rate (−1.51%) is almost six-times higher than the national average (−0.26%). However, persistent miombo woodland is characterised by a reduction, over time, in its largest patch area and the complexity of its shape. Consequently, because of anthropogenic activities, the dynamics of the landscape pattern are mainly characterised by the attrition of the miombo woodland and the creation of wooded savannah, grassland, agriculture and built-up and bare soil. Thus, it is urgent to develop a forest management plan and find alternatives to energy sources and the sedentarisation of agriculture by supporting local producers to reverse these dynamics.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101852
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1853: Opportunities for Monitoring Soil and Land
Development to Support United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs): A Case Study of the United States of America (USA)
Authors: Elena A. Mikhailova, Hamdi A. Zurqani, Lili Lin, Zhenbang Hao, Christopher J. Post, Mark A. Schlautman, George B. Shepherd
First page: 1853
Abstract: Land, including soil resources, makes important contributions to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are challenges in identifying land/soil measurable information (e.g., indicators, metrics, etc.) to monitor the progress toward achieving these goals. This study examines the role of land/soil in selected SDGs (SDG 2: Zero Hunger; SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; SDG 13: Climate Action; SDG 15: Life on Land) and provides practical examples on how to use geospatial analysis to track relevant qualitative and quantitative land/soil data using the contiguous United States of America (USA) as a case study. The innovative aspect of this study leverages geospatial technologies to track the intersection of land use/land cover (LULC) change and soil resources to quantify development trends within the overall land cover matrix to evaluate if these trends are sustainable. Classified land cover data derived from satellite-based remote sensing were used to identify the extent of developed areas in 2016 and the change in development areas since 2011. Most land development through time in the USA has caused losses (area loss of nearly 355,600 km2, with projected midpoint losses of about 5.7 × 1012 kg total soil carbon (TSC) and about $969B (where B = billion = 109, USD) in social costs of carbon dioxide emissions, SC-CO2). All ten soil orders present in the contiguous USA experienced losses from developments, which represents a loss for both biodiversity and soil diversity (pedodiversity). The contiguous USA experienced an increase in land/soil consumption between 2001 and 2016 at the expense of deciduous forest (−3.1%), evergreen forest (−3.0%), emergent herbaceous wetlands (−0.6%), and hay/pasture (−7.9%). These “new” land developments (24,292.2 km2) caused a complete projected midpoint loss of 4.0 × 1011 kg TSC, equivalent to $76.1B SC-CO2. States with the largest developed areas and the highest TSC losses with associated SC-CO2 were Texas and Florida. The proposed methodology used in this study can be applied worldwide, at various spatial scales, to help monitor SDGs over time. With improved tools to monitor SDGs, progress on these SDGs may require linking the SDGs to existing or future international and national legal frameworks.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101853
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1854: Research on the Spatial Quality of Urban
Village Main Streets in Shenzhen from the Perspective of Nighttime
Pedestrian Demands
Authors: Chunxiao Cui, Hang Ma, Jinqi Li, Mohan Wang
First page: 1854
Abstract: Our findings shed light on existing theoretical investigations and the sustainable development of urban villages and the policy recommendations are proposed for the sustainable development of urban villages. It is widely acknowledged that public spaces in urban villages play an important role in residents’ everyday lives, and the nighttime activities of most pedestrians are confined to the main streets in urban villages. Main streets are an important public space in urban villages at night and are a focus for comprehensive renovation in China. There has not been adequate research on main streets at nighttime, and such research is necessary to improve the quality of urban spaces and achieve high-quality development. This study used methods such as literature analysis, on-site research, and semi-structured interviews to understand the spatial characteristics of the main streets of urban villages at night and summarize the demands of pedestrians. This study used the Kano model to adjust the structure of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to form the AHP–Kano model and construct an evaluation system based on the evaluation dimension of pedestrian needs. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of pedestrians on the main streets of Pingshan Village and Nantou Ancient City in Shenzhen, and obtained the dominant categories of pedestrian demands and the results of satisfaction evaluations from the main street spaces of the two urban villages at night. According to on-site research, we analyzed the problems in the main street spaces of the two urban villages at night, and propose targeted renovation suggestions, which have clear value for improving everyday public spaces in urban villages at nighttime.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101854
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
- Land, Vol. 12, Pages 1855: The Impact of Internet Use on Farmers’
Land Transfer under the Framework of Transaction Costs
Authors: Yangchenhao Wu, Kaifeng Duan, Wang Zhang
First page: 1855
Abstract: The problems that exist in China’s agricultural operations are not only on a small scale; more seriously, there are also problems of land fragmentation and the mismatch of human and land resources. Land transfer is expected to be a tool for solving these problems. The land transfer market development is slow, leaving farmers facing serious information asymmetry. On the back of the information explosion brought about by information technology represented by the Internet, exploring the impact of Internet use on land transfer can provide ideas to improve the solution of land problems. Based on the cost theory analysis framework of new institutional economics, this paper empirically examines the impact of Internet use on farmers’ land transfer behavior. The results of the study show that Internet use can significantly increase the probability and scale of household land transfer by reducing the fixed and variable costs of transactions. This conclusion still holds after using instrumental variables to address endogeneity. The impact of Internet use on land transfer is heterogeneous, with the younger, more educated, and higher-income household heads tending to participate in the land transfer market on a larger land transfer scale. Therefore, rural Internet infrastructure should be further improved to alleviate information asymmetry in the land transfer market, further strengthen the training of Internet use skills of farmers, stimulate the enthusiasm of farmers to participate in the land transfer market, further increase farmers’ income, enhance the elasticity of farmers’ response to the use of the Internet to reduce transaction costs, and promote land transfer.
Citation: Land
PubDate: 2023-09-28
DOI: 10.3390/land12101855
Issue No: Vol. 12, No. 10 (2023)
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