Riparian habitat quality as an indicator of land use/land cover effects on riverine water quality

Riparian land use/land cover(LULC)plays a crucial role in maintaining riverine water quality by altering the transport of pollutants and nutrients.Nevertheless,establishing a direct relationship between water quality and LULC is challenging due to the multi-indicator nature of both factors.Water quality encompasses a multitude of physical,chemical,and biological parameters,while LULC represents a diverse array of land use types.Riparian habitat quality(RHQ)serves as an indicator of LULC.Yet,it remains to be seen whether RHQ can act as a proxy of LULC for assessing the impact of LULC on riverine water quality.This study examines the interplay between RHQ,LULC and water quality,and develops a comprehensive indicator to predict water quality.We measured several water quality parameters,including pH(potential of hydrogen),TN(total nitrogen),TP(total phosphorus),T_(water)(water temperature),DO(dissolved oxygen),and EC(electrical conductivity)of the Yue and Jinshui Rivers draining to the Han River during 2016,2017 and 2018.The water quality index(WQI)was further calculated.RHQ is assessed by the InVEST(Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs)model.Our study found noticeable seasonal differences in water quality,with a higher WQI observed in the dry season.The RHQ was strongly correlated with LULC compositions.RHQ positively correlated with WQI,and DO concentration and vegetation land were negatively correlated with T_(water),TN,TP,EC,cropland,and construction land.These correlations were stronger in the rainy season.Human-dominated land,such as construction land and cropland,significantly contributed to water quality degradation,whereas vegetation promoted water quality.Regression models showed that the RHQ explained variations in WQI better than LULC types.Our study concludes that RHQ is a new and comprehensive indicator for predicting the dynamics of riverine water quality.

Carrying Capacity and Coupling Coordination of Water and Land Resources Systems in Arid and Semi-arid Areas: A Case Study of Yulin City, China

Quantitatively assessing the carrying capacity of water and land resources systems in arid and semi-arid areas is crucial for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.In this work,taking Yulin City in China as a case study and employing the Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation(CRITIC)method,a modified model of coupling degree was developed to evaluate the car-rying capacity of water and land resources systems endowment and utilization,as well as their coupling coordination degree from 2013 to 2020.Our findings indicate that the water and land resources of Yulin are diminishing due to declines in agriculture,higher industrial water use,and wetland shrinkage.However,reallocating domestic water for ecological sustainability and reducing sloping farmland can mitigate this trend of decline.Temporally,as the coupling coordination between water and land resources system endowment in Yulin continuously improved,the coupling coordination between water and land resources system utilization first decreased and then in-creased with 2016 as the turning point.Spatially,the carrying capacity of water and land resources systems,the coupling coordination degree between water and land resources system endowment,and the coupling coordination degree between water and land resources system utilization in Yulin exhibited the same pattern of being higher in the six northern counties than in the six southern counties.Improving the water resources endowment is vital for the highly efficient use of water and land resources.

Optimization of water-urban-agricultural-ecological land use pattern:A case study of Guanzhong Basin in the southern Loess Plateau of Shaanxi Province,China

Extensive land use will cause many environmental problems.It is an urgent task to improve land use efficiency and optimize land use patterns.In recent years,due to the flow decrease,the Guanzhong Basin in Shaanxi Province is confronted with the problem of insufficient water resources reserve.Based on the Coupled Ground-Water and Surface-Water Flow Model(GSFLOW),this paper evaluates the response of water resources in the basin to changes in land use patterns,optimizes the land use pattern,improves the ecological and economic benefits,and the efficiency of various spatial development,providing a reference for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.The research shows that the land use pattern in the Guanzhong Basin should be further optimized.Under the condition of considering ecological and economic development,the percentage change of the optimum area of farmland,forest,grassland,water area,and urban area compared with the current land use area ratio is+2.3,+2.4,-6.1,+0.2,and+1.6,respectively.The economic and ecological value of land increases by14.1%and 3.1%,respectively,and the number of water resources can increase by 2.5%.

Seasonal constraint of dynamic water temperature on riverine dissolved inorganic nitrogen transport in land surface modeling

水体温度变化对河流可溶性无机氮(DIN)输送有着强烈控制作用.然而,在全球尺度上河流DIN输送量对水温度变化的响应尚不清楚.因此,本文基于陆面过程模式,耦合河流水温估算和DIN传输方案,设定有,无动态水温情景,对比研究陆面模拟中水温变化对河流DIN通量变化的影响.结果表明:在考虑水温动态变化后,在30°N和30°S之间, DIN通量年振幅减小5%–25%.在中国东部地区,水温动态变化使河流DIN通量在夏季减少1%–3%,在冬季增加1%–5%,对DIN通量具有明显的季节性约束作用,表明动态水温的表达在河流DIN输送模拟中的重要性.

A comparative study of the land-atmosphere energy and water exchanges over the Tibetan Plateau and the Yangtze River Region

正确认识不同区域能量和水分循环特征是研究局地地气相互作用及准确预测区域天气,气候变化的关键.为了研究属于干旱/半干旱气候的青藏高原(TP)和湿润/半湿润气候的长江流域(YRR)之间地表能量和水分交换的异同,本文对比分析了两个区域8个不同地表类型(包括高山荒漠,高山草地,(平原)城市和(平原)草地等)观测站点的地表辐射和能量通量数据.结果显示:(1)TP由于高原大气层稀薄且空气洁净,年平均入射短波辐射为251.3W m^(-2),是YRR的1.7倍.加之高原地表反照率高导致反射辐射(59.6 W m^(-2))是YRR的2.87倍.入射及出射的长波辐射为231.5和338.0 W m^(-2),分别为YRR的0.64和0.83.而两个区域的净辐射差异不大;(2)草地站更多的潜热释放使得地表总加热效率高于城市和高山荒漠,TP和YRR的草地站的年平均潜热分别为35.0和38.8 W m^(-2),而植被稀疏且土壤干燥的高山荒漠地区感热最大,年平均感热为42.1 W m^(-2);其次是城市下垫面,其年平均感热为37.7 W m^(-2).研究结果揭示了不同气候背景下典型下垫面地气相互作用特征,为地气相互作用过程深入分析奠定了基础.

Phenotypic Plasticity in Response to the Heterogeneous Water Supplyin the Rhizomatous Grass Species, Calamagrostis epigejosin the Mu Us Sandy Land of China

Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth. is a perennial grass with slender and long rhizome segments between interconnected neighbor ramets. To investigate the phenotypic plasticity in response to the heterogeneous soil water supply, ramet pairs of the species were subjected to heterogeneous water supply by which either mother ramets or daughter ramets were in high or low soil water supply, respectively, in the Maowusu (Mu Us) Sandy Land of Nei Mongol. The results showed that the phenotypic characteristics of the individual ramets of C epigejos were greatly influenced by the heterogeneous water supply. The ramets treated with high water supply significantly produced more new rhizomes and more offspring (ramets), and accumulated more shoot biomass, and allocated more biomass to their shoots than those treated with low water supply. In comparison with the daughter ramets in homogeneous soil water supply, phenotypic characteristics, in terms of new rhizome growth, the production of new offspring, and the biomass allocation pattern, of the daughter ramets within the pairs of the species were not significantly changed, no matter that high or low soil water supply to mother ramets. The phenotypic responses of mother ramets to soil water supply were similar to those of daughter ramets. From these results, it is inferred that the interconnected ramets of C epigejos response phenotypically to their local soil water rather than to the soil water experienced by the interconnected ramets. The interconnected ramets of C epigejos might be independent of each other in water relationship, although they are physically interconnected with rhizome segments. The physiological independence of interconnected ramets might facilitate the risk spreading and thus enhance the genet survivorship under the frequent drought stresses in Mu Us Sandland.

Effect of Different Land Use Patterns on Physical Properties of Soil Water in Yellow River Wetland in Shaanxi Province

[Objective] This study was to reveal the effect of different land use patterns on physical characteristics of soil water in the Yellow River wetland in Shaanxi Province.[Method]Taking Yellow River wetland in Shaanxi Province as experimental plot,we compared the physical properties of the soil water under different land use patterns and studied the physical properties and the change law of soil water during the wetland degeneration process.[Result]Under different land use patterns,soil bulk density rose with the increase of soil depth.During the degeneration process of from river wetland to reclaimed wetland（paddy field）,finally to abandoned land owing to salinization,the mean soil bulk density reduced correspondingly from 1.474 to 1.522 g/cm3,finally to 1.593 g/cm3 when abandoned.Accompanying wetland degeneration,soil became compact increasingly,and the indicators of soil porosity（total porosity,capillary porosity,non-capillary porosity）were also reduced with the change of land use patterns,in which,capillary porosity and total porosity reached the extremely significant level with the change of land use patterns,and non-capillary porosity reached significant level.The changes of soil porosity condition accelerated the deterioration of wetland.Under different land use patterns,the maximum soil moisture capacity,capillary moisture capacity and minimum moisture capacity all showed a similar change law.Compared with wetland,the maximum soil moisture capacity of reclaimed land（paddy field）and salinized land respectively decreased by 5.7% and 22.3%,capillary moisture capacity by 0.2% and 19.4%,minimum moisture capacity by 2.7% and 15.9%.Of the three land use patterns,wetland displayed both higher water holding capacity and water drainage capacity over reclaimed land（paddy field）and salinized land.By comparison with wetland,the reclaimed land（paddy field）and salinized land respectively decreased by 12.4% and 15.2% in total water holding capacity,and by 2.7% and 15.9% in total water drainage capacity.[Conclusion]To conserve the water resource in Yellow River wetland,regulate the hydrological cycle and enhance drought and water logging resistances,it should be noted that reasonable countermeasures be taken to exploit the state-owned forest land and paddy field around the wetland and the related resources.

Dynamicity of Land Use/Land Cover(LULC):An analysis from peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods of Durgapur Municipal Corporation(DMC)in India

The availability of better economic possibilities and well-connected transportation networks has attracted people to migrate to peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods,changing the landscape of regions outside the city and fostering the growth of physical infrastructure.Using multi-temporal satellite images,the dynamics of Land Use/Land Cover(LULC)changes,the impact of urban growth on LULC changes,and regional environmental implications were investigated in the peri-urban and rural neighbourhoods of Durgapur Municipal Corporation in India.The study used different case studies to highlight the study area’s heterogeneity,as the phenomenon of change is not consistent.Landsat TM and OLI-TIRS satellite images in 1991,2001,2011,and 2021 were used to analyse the changes in LULC types.We used the relative deviation(RD),annual change intensity(ACI),uniform intensity(UI)to show the dynamicity of LULC types(agriculture land;built-up land;fallow land;vegetated land;mining area;and water bodies)during 1991-2021.This study also applied the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory(DEMATEL)to measure environmental sensitivity zones and find out the causes of LULC changes.According to LULC statistics,agriculture land,built-up land,and mining area increased by 51.7,95.46,and 24.79 km^(2),respectively,from 1991 to 2021.The results also suggested that built-up land and mining area had the greatest land surface temperature(LST),whereas water bodies and vegetated land showed the lowest LST.Moreover,this study looked at the relationships among LST,spectral indices(Normalized Differenced Built-up Index(NDBI),Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),and Normalized Difference Water Index(NDWI)),and environmental sensitivity.The results showed that all of the spectral indices have the strongest association with LST,indicating that built-up land had a far stronger influence on the LST.The spectral indices indicated that the decreasing trends of vegetated land and water bodies were 4.26 and 0.43 km^(2)/a,respectively,during 1991-2021.In summary,this study can help the policy-makers to predict the increasing rate of temperature and the causes for the temperature increase with the rapid expansion of built-up land,thus making effective peri-urban planning decisions.

Sediment sources and their impacts on a check dam-controlled watershed, Loess Plateau, China

Soil erosion is a major issue in Loess Plateau,China,and quantitative analyses of sediment sources are crucial for soil erosion control.In this study,a combination of flood couplet analysis and composite fingerprint identification was used for historical reconstructions of soil erosion in sediment source areas in Loess Plateau.Each flood couplet was constructed based on sediment 137Cs activity,and past soil erosion was calculated using soil bulk density and storage capacity curves.The contribution rates of the sediment sources were calculated using the fingerprinting method,and the amount of erosion in the sediment source areas was estimated.The best fingerprint combination(Cr,Ni,V,and TOC)enabled a 97.2%recognition of sediment sources from 29 flood events(1956–1990)in the Loess Plateau.The contribution rates of gullies,farmland,grassland,and shrubland were 44.89%,26.38%,10.49%,and 18.24%,respectively.These four land use types contributed 1,227,751,512,and 279 tons of sediments,respectively.Re-vegetation decreased soil erosion(1966–1983),whereas deforestation increased soil erosion(1956–1965 and 1984–1990).Rational soil and water conservation measures on slopes and check dam construction in gullies are therefore suggested to mitigate erosion.

An Assessment of Land Cover Change in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria

The paper assessed the land cover change in Gashaka-Gumti National Park between 1991 and 2021. To achieve this, LandSat data of years 1991, 2001, 2011 and 2021 were obtained from the United States Geological Survey online resource. The findings of the study revealed that there is decrease in the different land cover types over time as a result of anthropogenic activities of the enclave dwellers. The study observed that the continuous existence of enclaves within and around the Park constitutes a serious threat to the survival of the Park. The study recommended that the federal government should consider resettlement of the enclave dwellers to give way for the development of the Park.

Potential Role of Feldspathic Sandstone as a Natural Water Retaining Agent in Mu Us Sandy Land,Northwest China

This paper analyzed the water-retention mechanism of feldspathic sandstone （fine-（〈 1 mm diam.） and gravel-sized （2-3 cm diam.） in Mu Us Sandy Land, Northwest China. The objective of this study is to study the effect of feldspathic sandstone amendment on water retention in sandy land. The results showed that as the proportion of fine feldspathic sandstone in the sandy land soil increased, the soil texture changed from sand to silt loam, the capillary po- rosity gradually increased from 26.3% to 44.9%, and the soil saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased from 7.10 ram/rain to 0.07 mm/min. Feldspathic sandstone gravel formed micro-reservoirs in the sandy land soil, playing the role of a ＇water absorbent＇ and ＇water retaining agent＇ in sandy land. Amendment with feldspathic sandstone can increase water retention in the arable layer of sandy land by 67%. This study provides a theoretical basis for the amelioration of sandy land on a large scale. It can be concluded that amendment with feldspathic sandstone can improve the physical properties of sandy land soil and increase soil water retention.

Variation in soil water content to rainfall under Caragana microphylla shrub in Horqin Sandy Land

In order to investigate the spatio-temporal variability of soil water content to rainfall under Caragana microphylla shrub in Horqin Sandy Land,a plot of 25 m × 25 m,where there were 6 shrub canopies of C. microphylla,was sited for measuring soil water content at two soil layers of 0-20 cm (top layer) and 20-40 cm (lower layer). Soil water content was measured on the 1st,5th,10th and 15th day after a 42 mm rainfall in Naiman of Inner Mongolia. The results showed that soil water contents at both layers under C. microphylla shrub were gradually decreased after the rain. Soil water content at the top layer outside the shrub canopy was higher than that inside the shrub canopy within 5 days,and became similar inside and outside the shrub canopy on the 10th day after the 42 mm rainfall,and it was lower outside than that inside the shrub canopy on the 15th day. The soil water content at lower layer in the area without shrubs was higher than that under shrub canopy all along. All the measured values of soil water content can be fitted to a variogram model. There was significant autocorrelation of the values of soil water content between top layer and lower layer,except for the fourth measured values of soil water content at top layer. The range and spatial dependence of soil water content at top layer were lower than that at lower layer.

Characteristics of deep drainage and soil water in the mobile sandy lands of Inner Mongolia, northern China

Quantification of deep drainage and the response of soil water content to rainfall patterns are critical for an effective management strategy of soil water conservation and groundwater utilization. However, there has been little information on how rainfall characteristics influence soil water dynamics and deep drainage in mobile sandy lands. We used an underground chamber to examine the responses of deep drainage and soil water content in mobile sandy lands to rainfall characteristics in Inner Mongolia during the growing seasons of 2010, 2011 and 2012. Results showed that rainfall in this area was dominated by small events （〈5 mm）, which increased soil water con- tent in the surface soil layers （0-40 cm）, but did not increase soil water content in the deeper soil layers （greater than 40 cm）. Soil water content at the 0-100 cm depth increased significantly when the total amount of rain was 〉20 mm. Rainfall amount, intensity and the duration of dry intervals were significantly related to the soil water content in different soil layers. Deep drainage was significantly correlated with rainfall amount and intensity, but not with the duration of dry intervals. The coefficients of deep drainage in the mobile sandy lands ranged from 61.30% to 67.94% during the growing seasons. Our results suggested that rainfall infiltration in the mobile sandy lands had considerable potential to increase soil water storage while recharging the groundwater in this region.

Effects of Land Management Practices on Soil Water in Southwestern Mountainous Area, China

The effects of selected land management practices （cross-sloping tillage, ridge culture, organic manure, and straw mulch） on soil water conservation in a southwestern mountainous area, China, were studied during November 2002 to November 2004. The experimental field is divided into three parts based on soil layer depths, 0-60 cm （part Ⅰ）, 0-40 cm （part Ⅱ）, and 0- 20 cm （part Ⅲ）, and they all had the same slope azimuth （SE）, slope （10°）, and slope type （linear）. The experimental plots were subjected to the following treatments： cross-sloping tillage （CST）; cross-sloping tillage with organic manure （CST/ OM）; cross-sloping tillage with straw mulch （CST/SM）; contour ridge culture （CRC）; contour ridge culture with organic manure （CRC/OM）; and contour ridge culture with straw mulch （CRC/SM）, to identify the effects of management practices on soil water. Water contents were determined for soil samples collected, using a 2.2 cm diameter manual probe. Soil water was monitored once every five days from Nov. 20, 2002 to Nov. 20, 2004. The results indicated that, in the study stages, an integration of rainfall, evaporative losses, and crop transcription controlled the basic tendencies of profile （mean） soil water, while land management practices, to a certain extent, only modified its amount, distribution, and routing. Moreover, these modifications also mainly focused on the first 20 cm depth of topsoil layer. When each management practice was compared with control treatment, season changes of profile （mean） soil water were pronounced, while interannual changes among them were not significant. More comparisons indicated that, in the study stages, contour ridge culture had better effects than cross-sloping tillage. And under the same tillage, the combination of organic manure could achieve more than straw mulch. These management practices should be recommended considering the effectiveness of soil and water management techniques in the southwestern mountainous area, China.

Application of Wenner Configuration to Estimate Soil Water Content in Pine Plantations on Sandy Land

To estimate the mean value of surface soil water content rapidly,accurately,and nonintrusively,field investigations on soil electrical resistivity(SER)with the Yokogawa 324400 earth resistivity meter and the surface(0-150 cm)soil water content(SWC)with time domain reflectometry(TDR),together with the abiotic factors including soil texture,structure. and salinity concentrations were conducted in the Mongolian pine(Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica)plantations on a sandy land.The measurement of SER was based on the 4-probe Wenner configuration method.Relationships between the values of SWC and SER were obtained based on analysis of the abiotic factors of the research site,which play a key role in affecting the soil electrical resistivity.Results indicate that the SER meter could be used to estimate the mean value of SWC in the Mongolian pine plantations on the sandy land during the growing seasons.The bulky nature of the equipment simplified the cumbersome measurements of soil water content with the general methods.It must be noted that the Wenner configuration method could only provide the mean values of the SWC,and the soil texture,structure, temperature,and solute concentrations influenced the SER and further affected the estimation of the SWC by the SER meter.Therefore,the results of this study could be applied on a sandy land during the growing seasons only.However, the SWC of other soil types also may be obtained according to the individual soil types using the procedures of this study.

A Distributed Monthly Water Balance Model for Analyzing Impacts of Land Cover Change on Flow Regimes

The Miyun Reservoir is the most important water source for Beijing Municipality, the capital of China with a population of more than 12 million. In recent decades, the inflow to the reservoir has shown a decreasing trend, which has seriously threatened water use in Beijing. In order to analyze the influents of land use and cover change (LUCC) upon inflow to Miyun Reservoir, terrain and land use information from remote sensing were utilized with a revised evapotranspiration estimation formula; a water loss model under conditions of human impacts was introduced; and a distributed monthly water balance model was established and applied to the Chaobai River Basin controlled by the Miyun Reservoir. The model simulation suggested that not only the impact of land cover change on evapotranspiration, but also the extra water loss caused by human activities, such as the water and soil conservation development projects should be considered. Although these development projects were of great benefit to human and ecological protection, they could reallocate water resources in time and space, and in a sense thereby influence the stream flow.

Impact of Land Use Change on Groundwater Recharge in Guishui River Basin,China

It is important to understand how land use change impacts groundwater recharge, especially for regions that are undergoing rapid urbanization and there is limited surface water. In this study, the hydrological processes and re- charge ability of various land use types in Guishui River Basin, China （in Beijing Municipality） were analyzed. The impact of land use change was investigated based on water balance modeling, WetSpass and GIS. The results indicate that groundwater recharge accounts for only 21.16% of the precipitation, while 72.54% is lost in the form of evapotranspiration. The annual-lumped groundwater recharge rate decreases in the order of cropland, grassland, urban land, and forest. Land use change has resulted in a decrease of 4 x 106 m3 of yearly groundwater recharge in the study area, with a spatially averaged rate of 100.48 mm/yr and 98.41 mm/yr in 1980 and 2005, respectively. This variation has primarily come from an increase of urban area and rural settlements, as well as a decrease of cropland.

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.

Land Cover Changes and Drivers in the Water Source Area of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China from 2000 to 2015

The Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project(MR-SNWDP)in China,with construction beginning in 2003,diverts water from Danjiangkou Reservoir to North China for residential,agriculture and industrial use.The water source area of the MR-SNWDP is the region that is most sensitive to and most affected by the construction of this water diversion project.In this study,we used Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM)and HJ-1 A/B images from 2000 to 2015 by an object-based approach with a hierarchical classification method for mapping land cover in the water source area.The changes in land cover were illuminated by transfer matrixes,single dynamic degree,slope zones and fractional vegetation cover(FVC).The results indicated that the area of cropland decreased by 31%and was replaced mainly by shrub over the past 15 years,whereas forest and settlements showed continuous increases of 29.2% and 77.7%,respectively.The changes in cropland were obvious in all slope zones and decreased most remarkably(–43.8%)in the slope zone above 25°.Compared to the FVC of forest and shrub,significant improvement was exhibited in the FVC of grassland,with a growth rate of 16.6%.We concluded that local policies,including economic development,water conservation and immigration resulting from the construction of the MR-SNWDP,were the main drivers of land cover changes;notably,they stimulated the substantial and rapid expansion of settlements,doubled the wetlands and drove the transformation from cropland to settlements in immigration areas.

The effect of water spreading system on the functionality of rangeland ecosystems

In recent decades, the control of floods is an efficient management practice for the rehabilitation of rangelands in most arid and semiarid areas. To evaluate the benefits, we used the Landscape Function Analysis （LFA） method to assess the function of patches and qualitative capability of a rangeland ecosystem in Gareh By- gone region, Fars province, southwestern Iran. Landscape functionality depends on soil, water and nutrient （col- lectively called ＂resources＂） conservation and use within a given ecosystem. Many landscapes are naturally het- erogeneous in terms of resource control and possess patches, where resources tend to accumulate, and in- ter-patches. Assessing rangeland health and function of landscape patches in response to environment and man- agement can give rise to correct management decisions for qualitative improvement of the ecosystem. Therefore, our study area was divided into two parts, i.e. water spreading and control parts, and sampling was done using LFA method in each part separately. Structural parameters, including the number, length and width of patches, and the mean length of inter-patches, were determined by the method to characterize the functional status of the monitoring sites. For each patch/inter-patch type identified in the transect organization log, we recorded its soil surface proper- ties classified according to the Soil Surface Assessment Method. The density, canopy cover and composition of plants were then assessed. The results showed that the number of ecological patches and their dimensions were significantly increased in the water spreading site. Soil stability and the values of nutrient cycling indices were in- creased but the infiltration values were decreased in the water spreading site. It could be related to the effect of suspended materials transported by floods to the soils in the study area. The improvement of ecological patches and rangeland ecosystem was achieved where water spreading systems were practiced. Therefore it can be con- cluded that water spreading as a management plan plays an important role in arid land ecosystem functionality.