Soil moisture response to land use and topography across a semi-arid watershed: Implications for vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Soil moisture is a limiting factor of ecosystem development in the semi-arid Loess Plateau. Characterizing the soil moisture response to its dominant controlling factors, such as land use and topography, and quantifying the soil-water carrying capacity for revegetation is of great significance for vegetation restoration in this region. In this study, soil moisture was monitored to a depth of 2 m in three land use types(native grassland, introduced grassland,and forestland), two landforms(hillslope and gully),and two slope aspects(sunny and shady) in the Nanxiaohegou watershed of the Loess Plateau,Northwest China. The MIKE SHE model was then applied to simulate the soil moisture dynamics under different conditions and determine the optimal plant coverage. Results showed that the average soil moisture was higher in native grassland than in introduced grassland and Platycladus orientalis forestland for a given topographic condition;however,a high soil moisture content was found in Robinia pseudoacacia forestland, with a value that was even higher than the native grassland of a sunny slope. The divergent results in the two forestlands were likely attributed to the differences in plant coverage. Gully regions and shady slopes usually had higher soil moisture, while lower soil moisture was usually distributed on the hillslope and sunny slope.Furthermore, the mean absolute relative error and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient of the MIKE SHE model ranged between 2.8%–7.8% and 0.550–0.902,respectively, indicating that the model could effectively simulate the soil moisture dynamics. The optimal plant coverage was thus determined for hillslope P. orientalis by the model, corresponding to a leaf area index(LAI) value of 1.92. Therefore, for sustainable revegetation on the Loess Plateau,selecting suitable land use types(natural vegetation),controlling the planting density/LAI, and selecting proper planting locations(gully and shady slope regions) should be considered by local policy makers to avoid the over-consumption of soil water resources.

Dynamic Evaluation of Rationality of Land Use Structure in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan Area

The rationality of land use structure was evaluated with dynamic TOPSIS method based on changing data of land use from 2008 to 2011 in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area. The results showed that during 2008- 2011,the rationality of land use structure was totally high,the dynamic value hi of Changsha,Zhuzhou,Xiangtan and the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area was 0. 7954,0. 7821,0. 8245 and0. 8186,respectively; the value Ci( tk) reflecting the rationality of land use structure at different time points was rapidly increased,and the gap between regions was not big and shrinking. According to the grey relational analysis,the change of different land use types had different effects on the rationality of land use structure: transportation land,the land for cities,towns and villages and the land for mining and industry are most highly correlated with the rationality of land use structure,while arable land,woodland,water area and water conservancy facility land have also an important impact on the rationality of land use structure; controlling the excessive growth of transportation land,the land for cities,towns and villages and the land for mining and industry,protecting arable land,forest land,water area and water conservancy facility land,and moderately increasing the garden plot,plays a decisive role in optimizing the land use structure in the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan area.

Effects of climate change and land use/cover change on the volume of the Qinghai Lake in China

Qinghai Lake is the largest saline lake in China.The change in the lake volume is an indicator of the variation in water resources and their response to climate change on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP)in China.The present study quantitatively evaluated the effects of climate change and land use/cover change(LUCC)on the lake volume of the Qinghai Lake in China from 1958 to 2018,which is crucial for water resources management in the Qinghai Lake Basin.To explore the effects of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume,we analyzed the lake level observation data and multi-period land use/land cover(LULC)data by using an improved lake volume estimation method and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs(InVEST)model.Our results showed that the lake level decreased at the rate of 0.08 m/a from 1958 to 2004 and increased at the rate of 0.16 m/a from 2004 to 2018.The lake volume decreased by 105.40×10^(8) m^(3) from 1958 to 2004,with the rate of 2.24×10^(8) m^(3)/a,whereas it increased by 74.02×10^(8) m^(3) from 2004 to 2018,with the rate of 4.66×10^(8) m^(3)/a.Further,the climate of the Qinghai Lake Basin changed from warm-dry to warm-humid.From 1958 to 2018,the increase in precipitation and the decrease in evaporation controlled the change of the lake volume,which were the main climatic factors affecting the lake volume change.From 1977 to 2018,the measured water yield showed an"increase-decrease-increase"fluctuation in the Qinghai Lake Basin.The effects of climate change and LUCC on the measured water yield were obviously different.From 1977 to 2018,the contribution rate of LUCC was -0.76% and that of climate change was 100.76%;the corresponding rates were 8.57% and 91.43% from 1977 to 2004,respectively,and -4.25% and 104.25% from 2004 to 2018,respectively.Quantitative analysis of the effects and contribution rates of climate change and LUCC on the Qinghai Lake volume revealed the scientific significance of climate change and LUCC,as well as their individual and combined effects in the Qinghai Lake Basin and on the QTP.This study can contribute to the water resources management and regional sustainable development of the Qinghai Lake Basin.

Land Use Structure in Wuhai City on Basis of Ecological Green Equivalence

The paper took Wuhai District as an example, bases on the contrast be-tween the land use condition in 2005 and 2010, and applied the ecological green equivalence to establish a mathematic model of ecological optimization of land use structure, to establish the ecology green equivalent mathematical model and survey the value of region green equivalent, and then assess the ecological environment situation. The results show that the ecological environment has been deteriorated in Wuhai from 2005 to 2010, so the ecological environment was poor. In order to in-crease eco-efficiency of land use, garden, urban green space and woodland area should be raised in the optimization program.

Investigating the Long-Term Relationship between Aerosol Optical Thickness and Land Use/Cover Change in Guangxi Coastal Cities, China

Land Use/Cover Change (LUCC) has an impact on AOD to a certain extent. It is of great significance for ecological environment and public health to pay attention to and explore the response mechanism of AOD to LUCC. Based on remote sensing satellite technology, using landsat8 and MODIS data, this paper analyzes the correlation between different land use types and AOD in Beibu Gulf coastal urban belt under the background of wide-scale region and long time series, and further discusses the difference value and contribution level of each LUCC to AOD. The results show that: 1) there is a positive correlation between PM concentration and cultivated land, urban land, water area and other types of land, and the correlation coefficient increases in turn, R is 0.812, 0.685, 0.627, 0.416, respectively, which indicates that the increase of cultivated land and urban land increases PM concentration to a certain extent;2) there is a significant negative correlation between PM concentration and forest land, R is -0.924, The results show that the decrease of woodland is an important factor for the increase of atmospheric particulate matter concentration in the study area from 2015 to 2019;3) through the contribution analysis method, the contribution of cultivated land to AOD is the largest, followed by urban land, and the water area is the smallest in 2015-2019, which indicates that the land use mode is closely related to AOD. It can be helpful to reasonably plan land use types and scientifically optimize land use structure. It can effectively reduce the concentration of air pollution particles.

Acquisition probability differences in cloud coverage of the available Landsat observations over mainland Southeast Asia from 1986 to 2015

Landsat data are the longest available records that consistently document global change.However,the extent and degree of cloud coverage typically determine its usability,especially in the tropics.In this study,scene-based metadata from the U.S.Geological Survey Landsat inventories,ten-day,monthly,seasonal,and annual acquisition probabilities(AP)of targeted images at various cloud coverage thresholds(10%to 100%)were statistically analyzed using available Landsat TM,ETM+,and OLI observations over mainland Southeast Asia(MSEA)from 1986 to 2015.Four significant results were found.First,the cumulative average acquisition probability of available Landsat observations over MSEA at the 30%cloud cover(CC)threshold was approximately 41.05%.Second,monthly and ten-day level probability statistics for the 30%CC threshold coincide with the temporal distribution of the dry and rainy seasons.This demonstrates that Landsat images acquired during the dry season satisfy the requirements needed for land cover monitoring.Third,differences in acquisition probabilities at the 30%CC threshold are different between the western and eastern regions of MSEA.Finally,the ability of TM,ETM+,and OLI to acquire high-quality imagery has gradually enhanced over time,especially during the dry season,along with consequently larger probabilities at lower CC thresholds.

Multi-dimensional expansion of urban space through the lens of land use:The case study of Nanjing City, China

The study of multi-dimensional expansion of urban space(MEUS) addresses the laws of urban spatial expansion from all directions and angles. Using Nanjing as an example,this paper constructs multi-temporal, urban three-dimensional models based on RS and GIS technology and then conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis of MEUS using plot ratio change maps and MEUS quantitative index for built-up areas. Based especially on the concept of volume growth contribution rate, this paper analyzes the characteristics of MEUS in different stages. The results show that in 2000–2004, planar expansion played the main role,the internal potential development(IPD) intensity of the urban built-up areas was relatively large, and the volume growth contribution rate was low; in 2004–2008, planar expansion accelerated, and IPD slowed down; in 2008–2012, planar expansion slowed while IPD intensity increased; the contribution rates of volume growth of urban IPD for the three periods were 22.21%, 24.51% and 73.38%, respectively. This study expands the research perspective of urban spatial expansion, and the adopted methods are instructive and meaningful for MEUS research. In addition, the results of this study will deepen the understanding of MEUS laws and help improve scientific decision-making for urban planning and urban land use management.

Feedback and contribution of vegetation, air temperature and precipitation to land surface temperature in the Yangtze River Basin considering statistical analysis

Land surface temperature(LST),especially day-night LST difference(LSTd-LSTn),is a key variable for the stability of terrestrial ecosystems,affected by vegetation and climate change.Quantifying the contribution and feedback of vegetation and climate to LST changes is critical to developing mitigation strategies.Based on LST,Normalized vegetation index(NDVI),land use(LU),air temperature(AT)and precipitation(Pre)from 2003 to 2021,partial correlation was used to analyze the response of LST to vegetation and climate.The feedback and contribution of both to LST were further quantifed by using spatial linear relationships and partial derivatives analysis.The results showed that both interannual LST(LSTy)and LSTd-LSTn responded negatively to vegetation,and vegetation had a negative feedback effect in areas with significantly altered.Vegetation was also a major contributor to the decline of LSTd-LSTn.With the advantage of positive partial correlation area of 94.99%,AT became the main driving factor and contributor to LSTy change trend.Pre contributed negatively to both LSTy and LSTd-LSTn,with contributions of-0.004℃/y and-0.022℃/y,respectively.AT played a decisive role in LST warming of YRB,which was partially mitigated by vegetation and Pre.The present research contributed'to,the,detection,of LST changes and improved understanding of the driving mechanism.

Development of quantitative methods for detecting climate contributions to boundary shifts in farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China

The quantitative effect of climate change on fragile regions has been a hot topic in the field of responses to climate change. Previous studies have qualitatively documented the impacts of climate change on boundary shifts in the farming-pastoral ecotone （FPE）; however, the quantitative methods for detecting climate contributions remain relatively limited. Based on long-term data of meteorological stations and interpretations of land use since 1970, climate and land use boundaries of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s were delineated. To detect climate contributions to the FPE boundary shifts, we developed two quantitative methods to explore the spatial-temporal pattern of climate and land use boundary at the east-west （or south-north） （FishNet method） and transect directions （Digital Shoreline Analysis System, DSAS method）. The results indicated that significant differences were exhibited in climate boundaries, land use boundaries, as well as climate contributions in different regions during different periods. The northwest FPE had smaller variations, while the northeast FPE had greater shifts. In the northwest part of the southeast fringe of the Greater Hinggan Mountains and the Inner Mongolian Plateau, the shifts of climate boundaries were significantly related to the land use boundaries. The climate contributions at an east-west direction ranged from 10.7% to 44.4%, and those at a south-north direction varied from 4.7% to 55.9%. The majority of the results from the DSAS were consistent with those from the FishNet. The DSAS method is more accurate and suitable for precise detection at a small scale, whereas the FishNet method is simple to conduct statistical analysis rapidly and directly at a large scale. Our research will be helpful to adapt to climate change, to develop the productive potential, as well as to protect the environment of the FPE in northern China.

Evaluation of Eco-Environmental Frangibility Based on Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System

The eco-environmental frangibility is studied by choosing the factors of land use class change and vegetation cover rate, and the equation of eco-environmental frangibility and its evaluation system are established based on remote sensing （RS） and geographic information system technology （GIS）. Four different years of TM images are selected to calculate land use change grads and vegetation cover rate, and the relationship between the two factors and eco-environment frangibility index are build, taking Fuzhou as an example. The character of times change and space distribution of eco-environment frangibility are described. The result indicates the area of eco-environment frangibility increased 2.6% in Fuzhou during twelve years, and expands from the region between infield and forest land to forest land in space distribution.

1Chinese human geography and its contributions

The aim of this paper is to sift through examples of outstanding contributions made by Chinese human geography in terms of social applications and explain the basic concepts and theoretical methods explored by human geography that are behind the applications of results with major social influence, so as to be able to summarize the main school that represents developments in contemporary Chinese human geography. Chinese human geography upholds the subject＇s designation as being integrated and interdisciplinary. Research focuses on interactions between the natural and human spheres of the Earth＇s surface, and it is guided by the understanding and effects of the processes of regional sustainable development at different spatial scales. Chinese human geography has innovatively established the following development paradigm： ＂To be guided by application requirements, refine key issues of the discipline in the course of solving major issues of human geography in national and regional development, and by solving those key issues, to enhance its ability to provide scientific and technological support to serve national and local needs while promoting its own development.＂ Results from early Chinese human geography studies on land use and agricultural zoning, recent research results on point-axis system models and T-shaped national spatial development patterns, and current research results on territorial function theory and major function oriented zones have all continued and strengthened the mainstream school of Chinese human geography and have avoided the global tendency for human geography to become rapidly human-oriented, while results have been applied at the highest level of decision-making management. Chinese human geography can provide lessons for developing countries and may play a leading role in the future development of global human geography.

Spatiotemporal Patterns and Drivers of Forest Change from 1985–2000 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China

Forests are fundamental to maintaining ecological security and achieving regional sustainable development in China. Forest land change can result in many ecological problems including soil erosion, water shortages drought and biodiversity loss. Based on landscape ecology and logistic regression we explored the spatiotemporal patterns and factors affecting forest land changes from 1985 to 2000 in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China. The results show decreased local fragmentation of woodland landscapes and that the shapes of forest patches have become more regular. For forest land cover change, soil organic matter content, slope type I （〈5°）, distance to the nearest village and per capita GDP were the most important independent variables from 1985 to 2000. This study indicates that spatial heterogeneity can affect the predictability of logistic regression models for forest land change.

车尔臣河流域土地利用变化及生态环境效应分析

借助ArcGIS与ERDAS软件,以1990年、2000年、2010年遥感影像Landsat TM/ETM为数据源,提取3期车尔臣河流域土地利用/覆盖利用图.在土地利用类型与区域生态风险之间的经验联系基础上,推求出土地利用类型生态风险指数,进而获得研究区域生态安全指数,建立了车尔臣河土地利用类型与生态环境之间的数量关系.同时,在空间尺度上将研究区分为若干特定研究单元,并对整体及局部地区进行生态环境质量动态分析.结果表明:1990—2010年间,车尔臣河流域总体生态环境指数呈逐步升高趋势,但生态环境质量的改善与恶化两种趋势并存,并在特定研究单元上出现明显的区域分异特征;盐碱地向耕地、林地及低覆盖度草地的转化,低覆盖度草地向林地的转化和未利用地向耕地的转化是环境改善的主导因素,林地与中覆盖度草地向盐碱地和未利用地的转化是环境恶化的主导因素.