The Progress of Resources and Environment Carrying Capacity: from Single-factor Carrying Capacity Research to Comprehensive Research

As a concept to describe development restrictions,resources and environment carrying capacity（RECC）research has developed over more than 100 years since it was first proposed at the beginning of the 20th century.It is now regarded as a significant factor in evaluating the level of cooperation between regional population,resources,and environment;and it is currently used as an effective and operational tool to guide regional sustainable development.This article first reviews the origin of RECC and its early headway.It then reviews the historical development of RECC from single factors,such as land resources carrying capacity,water resources carrying capacity and environmental carrying capacity（environmental capacity）,to more comprehensive research,such as comprehensive evaluation,emergy analysis,and ecological footprint analysis.In general,it appears that comprehensive research will become increasingly important in RECC research.However,there are several deficiencies in the current state of comprehensive research.Firstly,comprehensive RECC research lacks a common measurement standard,though some scholars have attempted to create one.Secondly,the RECC evaluation of open systems and dynamic studies should be strengthened.Thirdly,more attention should be paid to standardization,digitalization,and systematization to promote the applicability of RECC research to national practical demands.

Comprehensive Measurement for Carrying Capacity of Resources and Environment of City Clusters in Central China

Studying the carrying capacity of resources and environment of city clusters in the central China has important practical guidance significance for promoting the healthy, sustainable and stable development of this region. According to their influencing factors and reciprocity mechanism, using system dynamics approaches, this paper built a SD model for measuring the carrying capacity of resources and environment of the city clusters in the central China, and through setting different development models, the comprehensive measurement analysis on the carrying capacity was carried out. The results show that the model of promoting socio-economic development under the protection of resources and environment is the optimal model for promoting the harmony development of resources, environment, society and economy in the city clusters. According to this model, the optimum population scale of the city clusters in 2020 is 42.80×106 persons, and the moderate economic development scale is 22.055×1012 yuan (RMB). In 1996-2020, the carrying capacity of resources and environment in the city clusters took on obvious phase-change characteristics. During the studied period, it is basically at the initial development stage, and will come through the development process from slow development to speedup development.

Land development suitability analysis for transport planning evaluation and optimization in mountainous ecological region

Transportation planning is a critical component for creating an orderly,intensive,and sustainable pattern of land development.By comprehensively considering the potential and suitability of transport construction,a comprehensive method combining resources and environmental carrying capacity(RECC)and land development suitability(LDS)was developed by using techniques of GIS,analytic hierarchy process(AHP)and threedimensional magic cube.Taking Aba prefecture in Sichuan Province of Southwest China as a case study,LDS for transportation was analyzed from three aspects,including overall planning layout,different transport modes,and transportation projects.The results showed that the transport planning scales of most counties in Aba were suitable,and the order of LDS of different transport modes was railway>highway=superhighway>tourism track,which already included 42 new transportation projects.We found that two counties(Maoxian County and Jiuzhaigou County)should improve the ecological protection level of transportation,in which the railway network construction should be encouraged,and some transportation projects with low LDS should be postponed or constructed harmlessly.We suggest the combination of RECC and LDS for transportation could enhance the territorial space optimization and sustainable transport construction.

Application of an evaluation method of resource and environment carrying capacity in the adjustment of industrial structure in Tibet

With the degradation of natural resources and environment caused by industrial development in some developing countries,the requirement of implementing a“social ecological”approach to development is imminent.Resource and environment carrying capacity provides a means of assessing regional development potential by measuring regional sustainable development in terms of economy,population and resources&environment.This study develops a conceptual framework for resource and environment carrying capacity estimation to support the co-development planning of industries,population and resources&environment.First,the framework constructs an index system for evaluating importance of industry or influence based on the role of industry played in the local socio-economic system.Then,the framework computes the quantitative relations through the importance of local industry,population size and resource utilization and environment effects,and subsequently estimates the resource and environment carrying capacity of the study area.With a particular attention to its land resources,water resources and environment,the Tibet case study shows that:the non-ferrous metal mining,tourism,liquor and refined tea industries play a pillar role in the Tibet’s socio-economic system;under each industrial structure,land resource carrying capacity is the weakest,and water resources carrying capacity is the strongest;to focus on tourism will improve local resource and environment carrying capacity.The research results provide a solid guide for Tibet government’s co-actions in industrial restructuring,ecological protection,and the pursuit of economic development.This study will contribute to bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical applications of resource and environment carrying capacity,and help local governments plan the regional“socio-ecological”sustainable development.

Land Resource Carrying Capacity in Xilin Gol Grassland Transects: A Perspective on Food Nutritional Demand

Food safety is an important issue for the development of the national economy and society.Studying regional food supply and demand from the perspective of land resource carrying capacity can provide new references for regional resource sustainability.This study uses the data from farmer and herdsmen household questionnaires,statistical data,land use data,and other sources to construct a land resource carrying capacity(LCC)assessment framework,targeting the food supply and demand of residents in representative areas,specifically the typical grassland pastoral areas,sandy pastoral areas and agro-pastoral areas on the Xilin Gol grassland transects.The three food nutritional indicators of calories,protein and fat were selected for analyzing the balance of land resource carrying capacity.We found that:1)Along the Xilin Gol grassland,the main local food supply showed a shift from meat and milk to grains,vegetables and fruits.2)From north to south along the grassland transects,the calorie intake increased gradually,while the intake of protein and fat was highest in pastoral areas and lowest in agricultural areas.3)The overall land resource carrying capacity of the Xilin Gol grassland transects was in a surplus state,but the land carrying capacity of typical grassland pastoral area was higher than the two other types of areas.This study provides an empirical reference for the sustainable development of regional food nutrition.