Flora, Structure and Carbon Sequestration of Vegetation in the Southeast of the Mono Biosphere Reserve in Togo Amidst Environmental Challenges

In most Sub-Saharan African countries such as Togo, people’s heavy dependence on ecosystem services is a major factor in accelerating the degradation of natural resources, which are already suffering as a result of climatic factors. This study was initiated to contribute to the sustainable and rational management of forest resources in the south-east of the Mono Biosphere Reserve in Togo. It specifically aims to identify and characterize the flora of the residual forest ecosystems within the reserve through their specific diversity, demographic structure, and carbon sequestration potential. The study was carried out in the forest ecosystems of Avévé. The methodology used was based on the analysis of phytosociological, forestry, ecological, and regeneration inventory data. Overall, the study revealed that the RBMT still has floristically viable habitats, despite the anthropogenic pressures it is subject to revealed a floristic diversity of 160 plant species divided into 52 families and 135 genera. The most represented families are Rubiaceae (29.09%), followed by Fabaceae (27.94%). The most represented species are Mitragyna inermis (Willd.) Kuntze (24.38%), Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch. Ex Benth (X) and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Poir.) Kunth (10.93%). The high presence of Mitragyna inermis observed in all the ecological groups identified makes it the characteristic species of the flooded marshy areas of southeast Togo and contributes to the resilience of the ecosystems and populations in the study area. The Shannon index for the formation groups varies between (3.03 and 5.16) bits. Pielou’s equitability varies between (0.43 and 0.63) bits. The overall average density is estimated at 210 stems/ha, with an average diameter of 25.57 ± 21.77 m and an average height of 7.93 ± 3.83 m. The adjustment of the diameter classes of the plant groups to the Weibull distribution gave an “inverted J” shape with coefficient values of less than 1 overall, reflecting the existence of multispecific or uneven-aged stands. Assessment of the horizontal and vertical structure shows a predominance of the shrub layer in all the groups identified. The carbon sequestration potential is 41.89 T/Ha. Despite ongoing anthropogenic pressures, the Mono Biosphere Reserve abounds in a relatively rich diversity of flora, the preservation of which is essential for the survival of biodiversity and even for the riparian population. The data provided by this study would form the basis for sustainable management planning of the forest islands in the biosphere reserve.

Modeling of surface flux in Tongyu using the Simple Biosphere Model 2 (SiB2)

The modeling ability of a stand-alone version of the Simple Biosphere Model 2（SiB2） was tested mainly through diagnosing the simulated latent heat（LE）,sensible heat（H）,CO2 flux,and air temperature at the Tongyu field observation station（44°25＇N,122°52＇E,184 m elevation） of Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period（CEOP）,where the land cover is cropland and grassland.In the whole year of 2003,the canopy height and the leaf area index was variable.During non-growth period,the surface would become bare,while during the growth period,the canopy height could reach 2.0 m high over cropland and 0.8 m high over grassland,respectively,and max leaf area index could reach 4.2 and 2.4,respectively.The model was initialized with measurement and driven by half-hourly atmospheric observations.The simulation values for 2003 were compared against measurements.Results show that the model is of a good ability of simulating the hourly latent heat（LE）,sensible heat（H）,CO2 flux and temperature during the growth period.Moreover,the daily LE,H and CO2 flux simulated by SiB2 could reflect their yearly change reasonably.However,the model may overestimate the H generally.

Habitat selection of Guizhou golden monkey (Phinopithecus rox-ellanae brelichi) in Fanjing Mountain Biosphere Reserve, China

Guizhou golden monkey (Phinopithecus roxellanae brelichi) is a peculiar, rare and endangered species. It is dis-tributed most narrowly and requires a rigorous habitat. In this study the habitats of Guizhou Golden Monkey were divided into three habitats: most suitable habitats, suitable habitats and marginally suitable habitats. The characteristics of the vegetation community, environmental factors and extreme environmental factors in the three habitats were systematically analyzed. The seasonal activity rule, activity area and the food characteristic of Guizhou golden monkey were also study at the same time. The results indicate that the evergreen and deciduous broadleaf mixed forest is the optimal living vegetation community for Guizhou golden Monkey, and the suitable annual temperature is 8-15 C, the extremely lowest temperature is 2.5 C, the extremely highest temperature is 25 C, and the optimal living altitude is 1500-1700 m. In the same area, the higher the vegetation diversity, the more suitable it is for the life of Guizhou golden monkey. Temperature and food are the main habitat factors in determining the activity scope of the guizhou golden monkey community. The Altitude, temperature and the characteristics of the vegetation community are the main limiting factors for habitat selection.

Silicon’s organic pool and biological cycle in moso bamboo community of Wuyishan Biosphere Reserve

Biomineralization of Si by plants into phytolith formation and precipitation of Si into clays during weathering are two important processes of silicon’s biogeochemical cycle. As a silicon-accumulating plant, the widely distributed and woody Phyl-lostachys heterocycla var. pubescens (moso bamboo) contributes to storing silicon by biomineralization and, thus, prevents eu-trophication of nearby waterbodies through silicon’s erosion of soil particles. A study on the organic pool and biological cycle of silicon (Si) of the moso bamboo community was conducted in Wuyishan Biosphere Reserve, China. The results showed that: (1) the standing crop of the moso bamboo community was 13355.4 g/m2, of which 53.61%, 45.82% and 0.56% are represented by the aboveground and belowground parts of moso bamboos, and the under-story plants, respectively; (2) the annual net primary production of the community was 2887.1 g/(m2·a), among which the aboveground part, belowground part, litterfalls, and other fractions, accounted for 55.86%, 35.30%, 4.50% and 4.34%, respec-tively; (3) silicon concentration in stem, branch, leaf, base of stem, root, whip of bamboos, and other plants was 0.15%, 0.79%, 3.10%, 4.40%, 7.32%, 1.52% and 1.01%, respectively; (4) the total Si accumulated in the standing crop of moso bamboo com-munity was 448.91 g/m2, with 99.83% of Si of the total community stored in moso bamboo populations; (5) within moso bamboo community, the annual uptake, retention, and return of Si were 95.75, 68.43, 27.32 g/(m2·a), respectively; (6) the turnover time of Si, which is the time an average atom of Si remains in the soil before it is recycled into the trees or shrubs, was 16.4 years; (7) the enrichment ratio of Si in the moso bamboo community, which is the ratio of the mean concentration of nutrients in the net primary production to the mean concentration of nutrients in the biomass of a community, was 0.64; and lastly, (8) moso bamboo plants stored about 1.26×1010 kg of silicon in the organic pool made up by the moso bamboo forests in the subtropical area of China.

The Climatic-induced Net Carbon Sink by Terrestrial Biosphere over 1901-1995

The spatial and temporal variability of land carbon flux over the past one hundred years was investi- gated based on an empirical model directry calculating soil respiration rate. Our model shows that during 1901-1995, about 44-89 PgC (equals to 0.5, 0.9 PgC/ yr respectively) were absorbed by terrestrial biosphere. The simulated net ecosystem productivity (NEP) after the 1930s was close to the estimated value of u missing C sink' from deconvolution analysis. Most of the total carbon sink happened during 1951 -1985 with the estimated value of 33-50 PgC Three major sinks were located in the tropics (10°S-10°N), North- ern mid-latitudes (30°-60°N) and Southern subtropics (10°-40°S). During 1940s-mid-1970s, carbon sinks by terrestrial ecosystem increased with time, and decreased after the mid-1970s. These may be due to the ch anging of climate condition, as during the 1940s-1970s, temPerature decreased and precipitation increased, while after the mid-1970s, an opposite climate situation occurred with evident increasing in temperature and decreasing in precipitation. Usually, warmer and dryer climate condition is not favor for carbon absorption by biosphere and even induces net carbon release from soil, while cooler and wetter condition may induce more carbon sink. Our model results show that the net carbon flux is particularly dependent on moisture / precipitation effect despite of temperature effect, The changing of climate in the past century may be a possible factor inducing increases in carbon sink in addition to CO2 and N fertilizer.

Mitigating People-Park Conflicts on Resource Use through Ecotourism:A Case of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve,Indian Himalaya

Eeotourism aims to deliver the philosophy of sustainable development through environmental conservation as well as socio-economic development. Areas with rich biodiversity and scenic beauty, like the Indian Himalayan region, have been one of the major destination centers for nature lovers from historical time. In view of conserving the rich biodiversity and natural heritage of the Himalayan region 92 protected areas have been set aside, of these Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve （NDBR） is a well known world heritage site. Over a period of time establishing NDBR has invited conficts between the local people and reserve authorities on the management approaches and utilization criteria of the natural resources, especially banning the traditional bio-resource collection rights of local community, expeditions, trekking, and other anthropogenic activities in the core zones. The present study aims to understand and analyze the various people - park conflicts, and also to suggest ways to mitigate such conflicts in view of biodiversity conservation and improvement of economic status of local people by promoting eeotourism. With this view the study further discusses the various aspects of eeotourism, its pros and cons, and the avenues of developing appropriate strategies for promotion of ecotourism in buffer zone areas of NDBR.

Segmentation by domestic visitor motivation: Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve, China

Protected areas have become important tourism products that promoted as attractions by the tourism industry. Taking the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve in Northeast China as a case, this study addresses visitor needs as a basis for developing a tourism strategy aimed at enhancing tourist opportunities at this reserve. A factor-cluster approach was employed to identify visitor segment profiles based on their visit motivations. Through random sampling, a pencil-and-paper questionnaire in Chinese language was collected from 637 domestic tourists in the study area. A principal components analysis of motivations revealed eight motivational factors, and four distinct groups of tourists – Nature travelers, Cultural landscape tourists, Food & shopping enthusiasts, and Eclectic adventurers – were identified. Understanding the differences in these visitor segments will help the management authority effectively analyze nature reserve attributes and provide alternative activities and services to tourists. Finally, within the dual framework of market segmentation and destination management some management recommendations and marketing implications are suggested.

The strategy for conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity in Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve

This paper is focused on ecological assessment of the status of bio-diversity, and a strategic plan for biodiversity conservation on a sustainable basis. It described the present situation, the causes of bio-diversity degradation, and the approaches for conserving, utilizing and developing bio-diversity in Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve.

Forest structure and anthropogenic pressures in the Pachmarhi biosphere reserve of India

A critical first step in establishing biosphere reserves--under the Man and Biosphere Programme of UNESCO--is to generate baseline information for future courses of action. The present study aims to assess the structure and composition of forests--along with anthro- pogenic pressures mounting on these forests in the buffer zone of one such biosphere reserves--the Pachmarhi bio- sphere reserve of India. The quadrat method was employed for sampling vegetation, and information on anthropogenic pressures was collected by conducting interviews with local people and forest officials and collecting it from secondary sources. A total of 39 tree species were sampled in 82 quadrats; of these 26 tree species were in standing stage, 25 in sapling, and 35 in seedling. Chloroxylon swi- etenia emerged as the most dominant tree species having highest importance value index, followed by Tectona grandis, Terminalia tomentosa, and Hardwickia binata. Nine tree species and their saplings, including Sterculia urens and Terminalia arjuna, were exploited so badly that they were only found in the seedlings stage. The unavail- ability of standing trees of 12 important tree species including Aegle marmelos and Phyllanthus emblicaindicates the intensity and gravity of anthropogenic pres- sures on these important tree species. If the present anthropogenic pressure continues, which has inhibited the regeneration of several tree species, then substantial neg- ative ecological and societal consequences can be expected.

Assessing Conservation Values of Forest Communities in Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve: Plant Diversity, Species Distribution and Endemicity

Present study has been conducted in a biodiversity rich Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve between 2000-3800 m in two different forest physiognomy holding sites to analyze the structure and composition of the forest communities including richness of native, non native and endemic species,and suggest conservation values at community and reserve level.A total of 60 sites were sampled and grouped in 11 and 8 communities for two representative sites Pindari-Sunderdhunga-Kafni(PSK) and Lata-Tolma-Phagti(LTP) respectively.From the sampled sites, 451 species(11.8%, 53 trees;17.71%, 80 shrubs; and 70.51%, 318 herbs) have been recorded.In general, PSK site represented 73.6% and LTP site represented only 54.9% of the total plant species recorded in the study area.Out of total species in PSK site, native species contributed 59.6%(198spp.) and 24.7% species were endemic and near endemic.In LTP site, 66.5% species were Himalayan natives and 33.5% were endemic and near endemic.The species richness ranged from 4-23 ind ha-1(tree),3-18 ind ha-1(sapling), 5-19 ind ha-1(seedling) in PSK site and 4-18 ind ha-1(tree), 4-11 ind ha-1(sapling), 4-16 ind ha-1(seedling) in LTP site.The density ranged from 260-535 ind ha-1(tree), 145-633 ind ha-1(sapling), 1450-8170 ind ha-1(seedling) in PSK site and 599-1211 ind ha-1(tree), 70-951 ind ha-1(sapling),470-1665 ind ha-1(seedling) in LTP site.Species diversity for trees ranged from 0.73-3.37, saplings,0.64-2.67, seedlings, 0.70-2.51, shrubs, 1-2.34 and herbs, 2.02-3.21 in PSK site and 0.63-1.61, saplings,0.76-1.36, seedlings, 0.35-1.79, shrubs, 0.98-2.73 and herbs, 2.48-3.61 in LTP site.These recorded values were almost comparable with the studies conducted in sub-tropical, temperate and sub-alpine regions of the west Himalaya.In some cases the values were slightly higher than the reported values.The important communities with high conservation values have been identified based on different ecological parameters and species distribution.Among all the prioritized communities, Mixed Silver firRhododendron-Maple community in PSK site and Taxus wallichana- A.pindrow mixed community in LTP site supports maximum richness and density of native and endemic species.This study calls for development of adequate strategy and action plan for the conservation and management of habitats, species,and communities under changing climate and socioeconomic scenarios, so that sustainable utilization of the species could be ensured.

Effects of land-use types and the exotic species,Hypochaeris radicata,on plant diversity in human-transformed landscapes of the biosphere reserve,Jeju Island,Korea

Land-use and plant invasion influence biodiversity.Understanding the effects of land-use types and invasive plants on the ecosystem is crucial for better management and the development of strategic plans for increasing biodiversity in Jeju Island,Korea,a designated Biosphere Reserve by the United Nations Education,Scientific,and Cultural Organization.The effect of the most dominant invasive exotic species,Hypochaeris radicata,on the four land-use types of Jeju Island was investigated.Plant composition,soil characteristics,and plant diversity among four land-use types(cropland,green space,neglected land,and residential)were compared.Among the land-use types,croplands had the most diverse plant composition and the highest richness in exotic and native plant species.Croplands,such as tangerine orchards,which are widely distributed throughout Jeju Island,showed the highest plant diversity because of medium intensity disturbance caused by weed removal.The relative cover of H.radicata did not differ between land-use types.However,H.radicata invasion was negatively related with plant species richness,making this invasive species a threat to the biodiversity of native herbs present in land-use areas.H.radicata adapts to areas with a broad range of soil properties and a variety of land-use types.Therefore,it is crucial to monitor land-use types and patterns of plant invasion to guide the implementation of consistent management and conservation strategies for maintaining ecosystem integrity of the transformed habitat in Jeju Island.

Simulation of the neck growth of non-isometric biosphere during initial sintering

Because powders are mostly non-isometric during the sintering process, copper powders were chosen to study the effects of four material transport mechanisms, including surface diffusion, grain-boundary diffusion, volume diffusion, and multi-couplings. These material transport mechanisms were studied with respect to sintering neck growth of a non-isometric biosphere during initial sintering. The evolution of the neck growth in the four transport mechanisms was simulated by Visual C＋＋ as well based on the model of different particles. The results show that the increase of the sintering temperature, both the grain-boundary diffusion and volume diffusion play primary roles in neck growth, while surface diffusion gradually becomes the secondary mechanism. Both the sintered neck and the shrinkage of the two centers increase with increasing temperature by means of the coupling diffusion mechanism. The radius of the sintering neck decreased, and the shrinkage rate of the two centers increased with an increase of the diameter ratio of the two spheres.

Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Sacred Groves and Conservation of Biodiversity in the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve of India

The sacred groves in the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve (PBR) of India were studied to understand the concept of traditional ecological and biodiversity conservation systems. A questionnaire survey was conducted in the selected villages of the PBR along with the survey of sacred groves. In 10 selected villages of the PBR 7 sacred groves were managed by Mawasi and 16 sacred groves by Gond tribal communities. Different deities were worshipped in the sacred groves and each grove was named after the deity dwelling in the respective sacred grove. A total of 19 such deities were recorded during the survey worshipped by the local people. In study area, various traditional customs associated with sacred groves were in practice. The sacred groves were rich in plant genetic diversity and were composed of many ethnobotanically useful species, including wild edible fruits, medicinal plants, fodder, fuelwood and timber yielding species. Given the importance of conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem attempts should be made to maintain the sanctity of sacred groves.

Dynamics of Land Use and the Evolution of Agroforestry Practices in the Dja Biosphere Reserve (DBR) Southeast Cameroon

The study had as objective to investigate the land use/land cover change from 1980 to 2019 in the Dja Biosphere Reserve using GIS and remote sensing techniques and the evolution of agroforestry practices. Semi structured questionnaires were administered to 320 farmers who were randomly selected from 35 villages of the Dja Biosphere Reserve characterized by the presence of agroforestry systems. The land use map revealed six classes which were dense humid forest, perennial crop-based agroforestry practices, river, wetland, built up and bare areas. Between 1980 and 2008, dense humid forest lost -4.9% of its area to the benefits of perennial crop-based agroforestry practices, built up and bare land. Between 2008 and 2019, dense humid forest gain 1.77% of its area due to increase in perennial crop-based agroforestry practices and a subsequent increase in vegetation cover. Perennial crop-based agroforestry practices and built up increase progressively from 1980 to 2019. Farmers perceived hunting (36.3%), slash and burn agriculture (43.3%) and harvesting of tree-based products (20.3%) as the anthropogenic activities impacting the reserve negatively. The evolution of agroforestry practices were observed on the field, but the precise area under agroforestry practices in the study area need to be estimated. As a mitigation strategy to livelihood needs as well as the rehabilitation of degraded land, the conversion of pure cultivated agricultural land into agroforestry is a major opportunity.

Data on the Changes Occurring in the Biosphere Since 1778

In our previous publications, we dealt with some general questions connected with biological life and its conditions, the Biosphere as a “closed system” and in our latest paper with the different periods of the Earth’s existence (Ralovich Béla), [1]-[6]. In the present article, we show one part of the processes and changes that occurred in our environment during the last 165 years. Performing of our work was difficult because some of the data required are missing and those which were published in single papers frequently differed from each other. It is also a problem that we are neither mathematicians nor physicists. Despite these difficulties, we hope that our efforts will not be fruitless.

Travel Motivation of Domestic Tourists to the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve in Northeastern China: A Comparative Study

This article seeks to develop a fuller understanding of the social and attraction motives of domestic tourists who visit the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve(CMBR) in Northeastern China. To do so, ecotourists are compared to general travelers visiting this area. A questionnaire was employed to collect data on visitor characteristics and motivations, responses to which were then analyzed via descriptive statistics, T-tests and principal component factor analysis. Results showed that 16% of the visitors to this area were classified as ecotourists, while the remainder general travelers. Five motivations displayed significant differences(P<0.05) between these two types of tourists. Three social motives – boosting self-confidence, feeling at home away from home and being together with family – and two attraction motives – indoor sports and viewing unique landscapes of the CMBR(crater lake, waterfall, gorge and hot spring) – were significantly more important for general travelers(P<0.05); while two social motives of experiencing the tranquility of the natural setting and the natural beauty of the landscape were relatively more important for ecotourists(P<0.1). Results suggest that ecotourists have distinct and complicated attraction and social motives compared to general travelers visiting the CMBR. Results have useful implications for researchers interested in tourist motivations and behavior, as well as for managers who wish to focus their marketing strategies more effectively. National Park of South Africa. Uysal et al.(1994) assessed the travel motives of Australian tourists to U.S. national parks and nature areas and formed five groupings including ‘relaxation/hobbies', ‘novelty', ‘enhancement of kinship relationship', ‘escape', and ‘prestige'. Tao et al.(2004) analyzed motivations of Asian tourists travelling to Taiwan's Taroko National Park using a self-defined approach and found that the most significant benefits sought by self-defined ecotourists are ‘learning about nature' and ‘participating in recreation activities'. Beh and Bruyere(2007) analyzed visitor motivations in three Kenyan national reserves, identifying the three most prominent kinds of tourists as escapers, learners and spiritualists. Pan and Ryan(2007) used factor analysis to reveal five motivational dimensions –‘relaxation', ‘social needs', ‘a sense of belonging', ‘mastery skills', and ‘intellectual needs' – of visitors to the Pirongia Forest Park in New Zealand. Kruger and Saayman(2010) did a comparative study on travel motivations of tourists to Kruger and Tsitsikamma National Parks in South Africa and found that common motives of tourists were ‘escape and relaxation' as well as ‘knowledge seeking', ‘nostalgia' and ‘park attributes'. Despite these efforts, on an overall basis past literature on why visitors travel to national parks and nature areas is still rather limited. In China, a number of empirical studies on tourist motivations have been conducted since the early 1990s(Chen and Miao 2006; Dong 2011; Huang et al. 2011; Jeffrey and Xie 1994; Lu 1997; Ma et al. 2013; Zhang 2012). Some studies have focused on motivations of visitors to nature reserves(Li 2007), geological parks(Chen and Qiao 2010), world heritage sites(Su et al. 2005), and seismic memorial sites(Tang 2014). However, most previous research findings on tourist motivations are not comparable, reflecting the fact that visitors to different parks have quite different motives due to the attributes of particular destinations, the geographic locations of these parks, types of available activities, marketing strategies, and the complexity of travel motives(Chen and Qiao 2010; Pan and Ryan 2007). While it is true that certain motivations were shared in varying degrees by most tourists to these places – i.e., ‘appreciating natural landscapes', ‘family and education', ‘social needs', and ‘perceived prestige of visit' – most previous research has not focused on natural settings as destinations. Thus travel motivations of tourists to these areas must be further explored and clarified in relation to impacts on particular natural areas and patterns of market segmentation. As one of the earliest and largest natural reserves established in China, the Changbai Mountain Biosphere Reserve(CMBR) has long been a draw not only for domestic tourists but also for international visitors, and tourism to the area has been growing steadily since 1980. With the number of visitors to the reserve having climbed to 2.44 million in 2010(Statistical Communiqué of the Changbai Mountain Protection and Development Zone of Jilin Province 2011), it has become imperative for local government officials and reserve wardens to understand tourists' desires and interests when identifying tourism development opportunities. However, the existing literature still suffers from a lack of empirical studies that investigate why people travel to the CMBR and whether tourist motives differ between groups such as ecotourists and general travelers. The target population for this study consists of domestic visitors to the CMBR. The goals of this research include:(1) to identify the social and attraction motives of domestic tourists that influence decisions to visit the CMBR;(2) to explore whether there are any differences between the motivations of these two types of tourists; and(3) to provide some useful management implications for local government and tourism marketers.

Invasion of the biosphere by synthetic polymers:What our current knowledge may mean for our future

In 1974,a member of the Council of the British Plastics Federation and a fellow of the Plastics Institute,stated that“Plastics litter is a very small proportion of all litter and causes no harm to the environment except as an eyesore”(Derraik,2002).It has taken less than fifty years for that opinion to be completely discredited,indeed,that opinion was already in doubt the moment it was stated.Nevertheless,it was the strong denial by the plastic industry that plastics could cause harm that delayed the study of plastic’s environmental effects for decades.Not until Moore et al.(2001)found six times as much plastic as zooplankton by weight in the surface waters of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre(NPSG).

Disturbance and forest recovery in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve,Mexico

Analysis of the change in forest cover is important to determine stand dynamics and the processes involved in disturbance and recovery.Forests of the core zone of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve were studied using photo interpretation techniques,considering biennial changes between 1999 and 2013 and changes over the whole period of study 1999–2013.Error matrices were elaborated to determine the processes of change involved in both recovery and disturbance.The biennial changes for the whole period amounted to 2274 ha;343 ha accounted as degraded in more than one biennial period.The total changes in forest cover between 1999 and 2013 involved 4902 ha,out of which,2912 ha were affected by disturbance,and 1990 ha were recovered.For density and 2013 vegetation cover maps,the overall accuracy was 95.6%and 90.2%,respectively.By combining both maps,gradual processes were revealed that were not evident in separate analyses.This methodology is useful for the management and conservation of natural protected areas.

Impacts of tourism and developmental potential of ecotourism in and around the Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve

Ecotourism has been suggested as the altemative for the conflicts between tourism development and nature conservation especially for the protected area, such as biosphere reserve. Based on investigation of tourism resources of The Changbaishan Biosphere Reserve (CBR) and tourism impacts on environment, economy and society, the potential of ecotourism development is analyzed in and around CBR. The results showed that the conditions in the study area are suitable for development of ecotourism, which is an effective approach for sustainable development of CBR.

Observing the Middle Elbe Biosphere in Germany by Means of TerraSAR-X Images

The Lower Saxonian Elbe Valley Biosphere Reserve is part of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve “Elbe River Landscape”, and used mainly for agriculture. One of tasks of the Biosphere Reserve Administration is to develop sustainable forms of land use which requires comprehensive updated land cover maps. Land use maps are hard to produce because of surveying costs and time. Nevertheless, these large areas need to be monitored. TerraSAR-X images are used to establish agricultural land use maps. In this study, two areas are selected within the Elbe Biosphere Reserve situated around the oxbows Wehninger Werder and Walmsburger Werder. Multi temporal classification methods were used to identify the different crops using maximum likelihood classifier for the years 2010 and 2011. The crop classifications were used to evaluate the effect of the number of images, the necessity of polarizations, and the consequences of some missing images within the crop calendar. These classifications were analyzed to estimate producer accuracy and Kappa index for each crop besides the overall accuracy for each agricultural land use map. The study shows that using dual polarization imagery enhances producer accuracies for many crops over the single polarization imagery, and demonstrates the importance of using frequent images during the cultivation period.