Identification of Heterogeneity of Social and Economic Environment of Land Uses in China

The robust principal component analysis （RPCA） is a technique of multivariate statistics to assess the social and economic environment quality. This paper aims to explore a RPCA algorithm to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of social and economic environment of land uses （SEELU）. RPCA supplies one of the most efficient methods to derive the most important components or factors affecting the regional difference of the social and economic environment. According to the spatial distributions of the levels of SEELU,the total land resources of China were divided into eight zones numbered by Ⅰ to Ⅷ which spatially referred to the eight levels of SEELU.

Soil Organic Carbon Stock Variation under Different Soil Types and Land Uses in the Sub-Humid Noun Plain, Western Cameroon

This study was conducted to assess the current stock of soil organic carbon under different agricultural land uses, soil types and soil depths in the Noun plain in western Cameroon. Three sites were selected for the study, namely Mangoum, Makeka and Fossang, representative of the three dominant soil types of the noun plain (Andosols, Acrisols and Ferralsols). Three land uses were selected per site including natural vegetation, agroforest and crop field. Soil was sampled at three depths;0 - 20 cm, 20 - 40 cm, and 40 - 60 cm. Analysis of variance showed that soil type did not significantly influence carbon storage, but rather land uses and soil depth. SOCS decreased significantly with depth in all the sites, with an average stock of 66.3 ± 15.8 tC/ha at 0 - 20 cm, compared to an average stock of 33.3 ± 7.4 tC/ha at 40 - 60 cm. SOCS was significantly highest in the natural formation with 57.2 ± 19.7 tC/ha, and lowest in cultivated fields, at 37.7 ± 10.6 tC/ha. Andosols, with their high content of coarse fragments, stored less organic carbon than Ferralsols and Acrisols.

Vertical variation and storage of nitrogen in an aquic brown soil under different land uses

The vertical variation and storage of nitrogen in the depth of 0-150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied under 14 years of four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that different land uses had different profile distributions of soil total nitrogen (STN), alkali N, ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrate (NO3--N). The sequence of STN storage was woodland >maize field > fallow field > paddy field, while that of NO3--N content was maize field > paddy field > woodland > fallow field, suggesting the different root biomass and biological N cycling under various land uses. The STN storage in the depth of 0-100 cm of woodland averaged to 11.41 thm-1, being 1.65 and 1.25 times as much as that in paddy and maize fields, respec-tively, while there was no significant difference between maize and fallow fields. The comparatively higher amount of NO3--N in maize and paddy fields may be due to nitrogen fertilization and anthropogenic disturbance. Soil alkali N was significantly related with STN, and the correlation could be expressed by a linear regression model under each land use (R20.929, p<0.001). Such a correlation was slightly closer in nature (woodland and fallow field) than in agro ecosystems (paddy and maize fields). Heavy N fertilization induced an excess of crop need, and led to a comparatively higher amount of soil NO3--N in cultivated fields than in fallow field and woodland. It is suggested that agroforestry practices have the potential to make a significant contribution to both crop production and environment protection.

Selection of optimal land uses for the reclamation of surface mines by using evolutionary algorithms

A methodology for the selection of the optimal land uses of the reclamation of mined areas is proposed. It takes into consideration several multi-nature criteria and constraints, including spatial constrains related to the permissible land uses in certain parts of the mined area. The methodology combines desirability functions and evolution searching algorithms for selection of the optimal reclamation scheme. Its application for the reclamation planning of the Amynteon lignite surface mine in Greece indicated that it handles effectively spatial and non-spatial constraints and incorporates easily the decision-makers preferences regarding the reclamation strategy in the optimization procedure.

Carbon stocks of different land uses in the Kumrat valley, Hindu Kush Region of Pakistan

Changes in land use cover, particularly from forest to agriculture, is a major contributing factor in increasing carbon dioxide（CO2） level in the atmosphere.Using satellite images of 1999 and 2011, land use and land use changes in the Kumrat valley KPK, Pakistan, were determined： a net decrease of 11.56 and 7.46 % occurred in forest and rangeland, while 100 % increase occurred in agriculture land（AL）. Biomass in different land uses,forest land（FL）, AL, and range land（RL） was determined by field inventory. From the biomass data, the amount of carbon was calculated, considering 50 % of the biomass as carbon. Soil carbon was also determined to a depth of 0–15and 16–30 cm. The average carbon stocks（C stocks） in all land uses ranged from 28.62 ± 13.8 t ha-1in AL to486.6 ± 32.4 t ha-1in pure Cedrus deodara forest. The results of the study confirmed that forest soil and vegetation stored the maximum amount of carbon followed by RL. Conversion of FL and RL to AL not only leads to total loss of about 56 %（from FL conversion） and 37 %（RL conversion） of soil carbon in the last decades but also the loss of a valuable carbon sink. In order to meet the emissions reduction obligations of the Kyoto Protocol, Conservation of forest and RL in the mountainous regions of the Hindu Kush will help Pakistan to meet its emissions reduction goals under the Kyoto Protocol.

Comparing the soil quality changes of different land uses determined by two quantitative methods

Soil quality is one of the most important environmental factors in sustaining the global biosphere and developing sustainable agricultural practices. A study was initiated in Wolong Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China to elucidate the soil quality changes of natural secondary succession, forest planting and agricultural practices after deforestation in the humid mountainous region. The soil qualities of six land use types (natural forestland, grassland, shrub land, secondary forestland, cultivated land and reforested land) were compared using two quantitative methods: the integrated soil quality index(QI) and soil deterioration index(DI). The QI values of natural forestland, grassland, shrub land, secondary forestland, cultivated land, reforested land were 0.8039, 0.3277, 0.9127, 0.6881, 0.0285 and 0.3183, respectively. The DI values were 0%, -14%, 12%, 1%, -26% and -18% respectively. Both indexes suggested that shrub land can restore soil properties. To compare the two methods more directly, a deduced index QI′ based on QI value was developed. The results showed that DI and QI′had a very high linear correlation coefficient (r=0.9775) despite the values were different. Both methods were efficient in evaluating the soil quality levels and DI was a more simple way in soil quality assessment, while QI could show more ecological meanings.

Soil N Pools and Transformation Rates Under Different Land Uses in a Subalpine Forest-Grassland Ecotone

Soil nitrogen pools (NP), denitrification (DN), gross nitrification (GN), N2O and CO2 flux rates with their responses to temperature increases were determined under five different land uses and managements in a subalpine forest-grassland ecotone of the eastern Tibetan Plateau. Land uses consisted of 1) sparse woodland, 2) shrub-land, 3) natural pasture, 4)fenced pasture, and 5) tilled pasture mimicking a gradient degenerating ecosystem under grazing impacts. The NO3--N content was higher than the NH4+-N content. Comparing tilled pasture with fenced pasture showed that higher intensive management (tillage) led to a significant decrease of soil organic matter (SOM) (P ＜ 0.05) in the soils, which was in contrast to the significant increases (P ＜0.05) of DN, GN, N2O and CO2 flux rates. GN (excluding tilled pasture) and CO2 flux rates increased with a temperature rise, but DN and N2O flux rates normally reached their maximum values at 12-14 ℃ with tilled pasture (the highest management intensity) being very sensitive to temperature increases. There was a difference between net nitrification and GN, with GN being a betterindicator of soil nitrification.

Changes of Soil Labile Organic Carbon in Different Land Uses in Sanjiang Plain, Heilongjiang Province

In the Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China,the natural wetland is undergoing a rapid conversion into agricultural land,which has resulted in drastic ecological changes in the region. To investigate the effects of different land uses on soil labile organic carbon,soils of Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland,Carex lasiocarpa wetland,dry farmland,paddy field,forest land and abandoned cultivated land were collected for measuring the contents of soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC),dissolved organic carbon (DOC),readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) and carbohydrate carbon (CHC). The results show that soil organic carbon contents follow the order: Carex lasiocarpa wetland>Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland>forest land>paddy field>dry farmland. The contents of MBC and DOC in Calamagrostis angustifolia and Carex lasiocarpa wetlands are significantly higher than those in other land use types. The contents of CHC and ROC are the highest in Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland and the lowest in dry farmland. The contents of all the labile organic carbon increase along with the years of abandonment of cultivated land. The ratios of MBC,DOC and ROC to SOC also follow the order: Carex lasiocarpa wetland>Calamagrostis angustifolia wetland>forest land>paddy field>dry farmland,while the ratio of CHC to SOC is paddy field>forest field>Carex lasiocarpa wetland>Carex lasiocarpa wetland>dry farmland. When natural wetlands were cultivated,the activity of soil organic carbon tends to reduce in some extent due to the disappearance of heterotrophic environment and the reduction of vegetation residue. Thus,the abandonment of cultivated land is an effective way for restoring soil organic carbon.

Vertical distribution of plant nematodes in an aquic brown soil under different land uses

The vertical distribution of the dominant genera of plant nematodes at the depth of 0–150 cm of an aquic brown soil were studied for four land use patterns, i.e., paddy field, maize field, fallow field and woodland in the Shenyang Experimental Station of Ecology, Chi- nese Academy of Sciences in November of 2003. The results showed that the numbers of some dominant genera under different land uses decreased with the increase of soil depth. Helicotylenchus was most dominant genus under each land use type. Genera of Filenchus, Psilen- chus and Tylenchus in paddy field occurred at the depth of 0–20 cm; while Paratylenchus in fallow field and woodland, as well as Praty- lenchus in maize field presented in the deeper soil layers (0–80 cm). Significant correlations between the numbers of dominant genera of plant nematodes and soil chemical properties were found in this study. The number of Helicotylenchus under different land uses was posi- tively correlated with C/N ratio, total C, total N, total P, alkai-N, and Olsen-P. The numbers of Filenchus and Paratylenchus in paddy field, Pratylenchus in maize field and Paratylenchus in fallow field were negatively correlated with soil pH, and positively correlated with total C, total N and alkai-N. This study results showed that it is essential to sample at a certain depth according to the vertical distribution informa- tion of different genera of plant nematodes in adequately assessing the population size of plant nematodes.

Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Soil Nitrogen Distribution under Different Land Uses in a Watershed in the Hilly Area of Purple Soil,China

Quantification of soil spatial and temporal variability at watershed scale is important in ecological modeling, precision agriculture, and natural resources management. The spatio-temporal variations of soil nitrogen under different land uses in a small watershed （12.10 km^2） in the hilly area of purple soil at the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in southwestern China were investigated by using conventional statistics, geostatistics, and a geographical information system in order to provide information for land management and control of environmental issues. A total of 552 soil samples （o to 15 cm） from 276 sites within the watershed were collected in April and August of 2o11, and analyzed for soil total nitrogen （STN） and nitrate nitrogen （NO3-N）. We compared spatial variations of STN and NO3-N under different land uses as well as the temporal variations in April （dry season） and August （rainy season）. Results showed that STN contents were deeply affected by land-use types; median STN values ranged from 0.94to 1.27g.kg-I, and STN contents decreased in the following order： paddy field 〉 foresfland 〉 sloping cropland. No significant difference was found for STN contents between April and August under the same land use. However, NO3- N contents were 23.26, 10.58, and 26.19 mg·kg^-1 in April, and 1.34, 8.51, and 3.00 mg·kg^-1 in August for the paddy field, sloping cropland and forestland, respectively. Nugget ratios for STN indicatedmoderate spatial dependence in the paddy field and sloping cropland, and a strong spatial dependence in forestland. The processes of nitrogen movement, transformation, absorption of plant were deeply influenced by land use types; as a result, great changes of soil nitrogen levels at spatial and temporal scales were demonstrated in the studied watershed.

Changes in Transformation of Soil Organic C and Functional Diversity of Soil Microbial Community Under Different Land Uses

Changes in soil biological and biochemical properties under different land uses in the subtropical region of China were investigated in order to develop rational cultivation and fertilization management. A small watershed of subtropical region of China was selected for this study. Land uses covered paddy fields, vegetable farming, fruit trees, upland crops, bamboo stands, and forestry. Soil biological and biochemical properties included soil organic C and nutrient contents, mineralization of soil organic C, and soil microbial biomass and community functional diversity. Soil organic C and total N contents, microbial biomass C and N, and respiration intensity under different land uses were changed in the following order： paddy fields （and vegetable farming） 〉 bamboo stands 〉 fruit trccs （and upland）. The top surface （0-15 cm） paddy fields （and vegetable farming） were 76.4 and 80.8% higher in soil organic C and total N contents than fruit trees （and upland） soils, respectively. Subsurface paddy soils （15-30 cm） were 59.8 and 67.3% higher in organic C and total N than upland soils, respectively. Soil microbial C, N and respiration intensity in paddy soils （0-15 cm） were 6.36, 3.63 and 3.20 times those in fruit tree （and upland） soils respectively. Soil microbial metabolic quotient was in the order： fruit trees （and upland） 〉 forestry 〉 paddy fields. Metabolic quotient in paddy soils was only 47.7% of that in fruit tree （and upland） soils. Rates of soil organic C mineralization during incubation changed in the order： paddy fields 〉 bamboo stands 〉 fruit trees （and upland） and soil bacteria population： paddy fields 〉 fruit trees （and upland） 〉 forestry. No significant difference was found for fungi and actinomycetes populations. BIOLOG analysis indicated a changing order of paddy fields 〉 fruit trees （and upland） 〉 forestry in values of the average well cell development （AWCD） and functional diversity indexes of microbial community. Results also showed that the conversion from paddy fields to vegetable farming for 5 years resulted in a dramatic increase in soil available phosphorus content while insignificant changes in soil organic C and total N content due to a large inputs of phosphate fertilizers. This conversion caused 53, 41.5, and 41.3% decreases in soil microbial biomass C, N, and respiration intensity, respectively, while 23.6% increase in metabolic quotient and a decrease in soil organic C mineralization rate. Moreover, soil bacteria and actinomycetes populations were increased slightly, while fungi population increased dramatically. Functional diversity indexes of soil microbial community decreased significantly. It was concluded that land uses in the subtropical region of China strongly affected soil biological and biochemical properties. Soil organic C and nutrient contents, mineralization of organic C and functional diversity of microbial community in paddy fields were higher than those in upland and forestry. Overuse of chemical fertilizers in paddy fields with high fertility might degrade soil biological properties and biochemical function, resulting in deterioration of soil biological quality.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Land Uses in Modern Urbanization of China

Taking social statistic data as basic data,this paper extended the meaning of urban land uses,highlighted the meaning of urban land uses in modern urbanization,which includes direct,indirect and induced land uses,quantitatively simulated the indirect and induced land uses by the substitution method of agricultural consumption and urban carbon emission and then,analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban land uses in China during 1952–2005 by spatial analysis tool of Geographic Information System. The results indicate that the area of urban land use in China had been increasing since 1952,showing an inversed pyramid structure,i.e.,the direct<the indirect<the induced. Specifically,Chinese urban land use has changed from concentrated distribution in Northwest China to balanced spatial distribution,and the eastern coastal area is under great pressure. Moreover,the northeastern region has moved into the induced dominant stage,while the western region remains at the indirect dominant stage. Finally,it is proposed that in order to guarantee the future demand of urban land use in China,ensuring the induced land use in the eastern region should be taken as a priority goal of Chinese developing policy.

Function of Soils in Regulating Rainwater in Southern China: Impacts of Land Uses and Soils

One of the most important functions of soils is to regulate rainwater and mitigate flooding and associated damages; this function can be estimated by the rainwater regulation ratio （η）, i.e., percent of regulated rainwater. Fifteen experimental plots were set up on the hills in Yingtan of Jiangxi Province, southern China. These plots were under three land use patterns, cultivated cropland, noncultivated land, and orchard interplanted with cash crops. With aid of an artificial rainfall simulator and Guelph method, rainfall, runoff, soil infiltration, and so on were measured in situ. Results showed that the orchard interplanted with cash crops was more effective in regulating rainwater than the other two land use patterns. When the maximum infiltration intensity was three times higher than the observed mean,η was higher than 70% for all plots. 77 was related to land use, slope gradient, and soil properties such as soil infiltration, organic carbon, bulk density, and texture. There is still more room to improve capacity of rainwater drainage （underground percolation） than that of rainwater storage in soils. Therefore, enhancing soil permeability is vital to improve the rainwater regulation efficiency in soils.

Effects of land uses on soil physic-chemical properties and erodibility in collapsing-gully alluvial fan of Anxi County,China

the National Key Technologies R＆D Program of China during the 12th Five-Year Plan period （2011BAD31B00）

Phosphorus Sorption-desorption Characteristics of Ditch Sediments from Different Land Uses in a Small Headwater Catchment in the Central Sichuan Basin of China

Investigation of phosphorus (P) sorption-desorption characteristics of drainage ditch sediments is important for better understanding on sediment P transport behaviors in ditches. Surface ditch sediment samples were collected from headwater sub-catchment of forestland, sloping cropland, paddy field, and residential area in a representative catchment in the central Sichuan Basin. These sediment samples were used for determination of P sorption-desorption characteristics by a batch equilibrium technique. Results showed that the maximum P sorption capacities (Qm) in the sediments ranged from 159.7 to 263.7 mg/kg, while higher Qm were observed in the ditch sediments from the paddy fields. The Qm was significantly and positively correlated with oxalate-extractable Fe and Al oxides (r=0.97 and 0.98, p < 0.01), clay fraction (r = 0.78, p < 0.05) and organic matter (r = 0.95, p < 0.01). Sediment pH, clay and organic matter influenced the P sorption through amorphous Fe and Al oxides. CaCO3 content was negatively correlated with the Qm (r = -0.83, p < 0.05), implying that saturated CaCO3 (> 50 g/kg) would not increase P sorption capacity in the ditch sediments. The ditch sediments featured a linear desorption curve, suggesting that P release risk would be enhanced with the increase of the P adsorption. The P desorption rate was positively correlated with Olsen P (r = 0.94, p < 0.01), but negatively related to the fine particle-size fractions (r = -0.92, p < 0.01), the sum of the amorphous Fe and Al oxides (r = -0.67, p < 0.05) and the P sorption capacity (r = -0.59, p < 0.05). The ditch sediments from residential area had a higher P release risk than that from the other ditches of forestland, sloping cropland and paddy field. The P sorption index (PSI) derived from single-point measurement was significantly correlated with the P sorption capacity (r = 0.99, p < 0.01), and could be used for estimating Qm as 1.64 times PSI plus 24.0 (Qm = 1.64 PSI + 24.0) for similar sediments with highly calcareous soils and sediments. Ditch cleaning and sediment removal for the ditch in residential area were recommended in this area to reduce the P release risk.

The Effects of Land Uses on Purplish Soil Erosion in Hilly Area of Sichuan Province,China

In order to evaluate the soil erosion rate for different land uses and make recommendations on land-use alternatives for erosion control in hilly and mountain areas on a Purplish soil (Regosols in FAO taxonomy), experimental data were obtained from three continuously monitored sites located at Yanting, Nanbu and Pengxi of Sichuan province. The data showed that the rank of erosion rate is farmland > unfenced grassland > fenced grassland > forestland. The erosion rate of farmland was more than 3 times higher than that of forestland and fenced grassland, indicating that restricting human activity is crucial for over-erosion. The erodibility was higher at the initial period of rainy season for all the three types of land use. The erosion rates of fenced grassland and mature afforestation land were not proportional to rainfall intensity because these land uses changed impact energy of the rainfall. This research showed that restricting human activity, intensifying the management of initial period of rainy season, and increasing the cover rate of land surface are the three major measures for soil erosion prevention. It is recommended that farmers should cease cultivation on farmland at the top of hills and steep slope land return those lands back to grassland or forestland.

Hydrological Processes of Storm Runoff from Catchments of Different Land Uses

In this paper, a novel and efficient study on the hydrological processes of storm runoff from catchments of different land uses is conducted. The motivation is to precisely simulate the hydrological processes of storm runoff in the agricultural catchments with different patterns of land uses, i.e., forest, paddy, and upland, respectively. As it is discussed in this paper, different land use leads to different characteristics of storm runoff. In order to understand the changes in the hydrological processes of storm runoff from catchments of different land uses, the effects of rainfall intensity, initial soil moisture deficit, evapotranspiration rate, percolation rate, and retention capacity on hydrological processes of the catchments are taken into consideration. According to the principle of water balance, a general model to connect the separate hydrological processes is developed; then, the individual hydrological process is studied in detail： Firstly, the daily evaporation is calculated according to the relation between the actual evapotranspiration and the potential evapotranspiration rate; Secondly, the retention of storm runoff is plotted against the total rainfall, and the maximum storage is calculated; Thirdly, the percolation rate is calculated for each catchment.

Community Composition and Structure of Soil Macro-Arthropods Under Agricultural Land Uses in the Black Soil Region of Jilin Province, China

Soil macro-arthropods in the black soil region in Jilin Province of China were investigated with the emphasis laid on the species richness and abundance in relation to the types of land-use, i.e., farm yard, farm land and Three-North Forest Shelter Belt. Soil macro-arthropods were hand-sorted in the field. A total of 2 357 soil macro-arthropod individuals was captured and fell into 70 families. The results suggested that type of land use affected the species richness and abundance of soil macro-arthropods. Agricultural practices had a strong impact on the soil macro-arthropods community, the conventional cultivations changed the vertical structure of macro-arthropods in the soil profile, and improved the richness and abundance of macro-arthropods in the lower soil layers especially in July. The results also showed that different groups of soil macro-arthropods had various responses to land use changes.

Comparative Study on Riparian Vegetation Buffers in Different Land Uses

This study focused on riparian vegetation buffer zones on the basis of low influence development(LID) and landscape restoration. Three types of land were selected to conduct comparative study. The types are buffers in urban districts,buffers in rural areas,and buffers in natural regions. These types basically reflect major ecological issues in different landuses. The follow conclusions were drawn:(1) there are different ecological issues in these 3 types,making the functions of buffers different.(2) The 3 types demand different ecological issues to be solved: Type A,functionally-diverse riparian landscape should be planned to enrich recreational activities and improve river's condition. Type B,agricultural areasource pollution needs to be cut down to sustain the stability of water conservation and ecological system. Type C,eco-conservation and various habitats for creatures are required.(3) Different planning methods were used respectively in the 3 types,construction methods were proposed for each type correspondingly and expressed in graphical ways in expectation of being instructive to the construction of eco-riparian landscape.

Towards Sustainable Land Uses within the Elbe River Biosphere Reserve in Lower Saxony, Germany by Means of TerraSAR-X Images

Floods are one of the major hazards worldwide. They are the source of huge risks in rural and urban areas, resulting in severe impacts on the civil society, industry and the economy. The Elbe River has suffered from many severe floods during recent decades. In this study, the zones flooded during 2011 were analyzed using TerraSAR-X images and a digital elevation model for the area in order to identify possible ways to mitigate flood hazards in the future, regarding sustainable land-use. Two study areas are investigated, around the Walmsburg oxbow and the Wehningen oxbow. These are located between Elbe-Kilometer (505-520) and (533-543), respectively, within the Lower Saxonian Elbe River Biosphere Reserve. Those areas are characterized by several types of land use, with agricultural land use being predominant. The study investigated the possibility of using a Decision-Tree object-based classifier for determining the major land uses and the extent of the inundation areas. The inundation areas identify for 2011 submerged some agricultural fields that must be added to existing flood risk maps, and future cultivation activities there prevented to avoid the possible economic losses. Furthermore, part of the residential area is located within the high flood zone, and must be included in risk maps to avoid the possible human and economic losses, to achieve sustainable land use for the areas studied.