Understanding the impact of mountain landscapes on water balance in the upper Heihe River watershed in northwestern China

Estimating the impact of mountain landscape on hydrology or water balance is essential for the sus- tainable development strategies of water resources. Specifically, understanding how the change of each landscape influences hydrological components will greatly improve the predictability of hydrological responses to mountain landscape changes and thus can help the government make sounder decisions. In the paper, we used the VIC （Variable Infiltration Capacity） model to conduct hydrological modeling in the upper Heihe River watershed, along with a frozen-soil module and a glacier melting module to improve the simulation. The improved model performed satisfactorily. We concluded that there are differences in the runoff generation of mountain landscape both in space and time. About 50% of the total runoff at the catchment outlet were generated in mid-mountain zone （2,900-4,000 m asl）, and water was mainly consumed in low mountain region （1,700-2,900 m asl） because of the higher requirements of trees and grasses. The runoff coefficient was 0.37 in the upper Heihe River watershed. Barren landscape produced the largest runoff yields （52.46% of the total runoff） in the upper Heihe River watershed, fol- lowed by grassland （34.15%）, shrub （9.02%）, glacier （3.57%）, and forest （0.49%）. In order to simulate the impact of landscape change on hydrological components, three landscape change scenarios were designed in the study. Scenario 1, 2 and 3 were to convert all shady slope landscapes at 2,000-3,300 m, 2,000-3,700 m, and 2,000-4,000 m asl respectively to forest lands, with forest coverage rate increased to 12.4%, 28.5% and 42.0%, respectively. The runoff at the catchment outlet correspondingly declined by 3.5%, 13.1% and 24.2% under the three scenarios. The forest landscape is very important in water conservation as it reduced the flood peak and increased the base flow. The mountains as ＂water towers＂ play important roles in water resources generation and the impact of mountain landscapes on hydrology is significant.

Cause and consequence of landscape fragmentation and changing disturbance by socio-economic development in mountain landscape system of South Korea

Through the statistics and the analysis of landscape map, changes of lands use regime and landscape structure during 20 years were investigated in the agriculture forestry complexed mountain landscape system of Yangdong Myon, Yangpyung Gun in the central Korea. Landscape changes of this region was inter related to the recent socio economic development of rural life. Utilization of biomass and other traditional forest management were drastically abandoned in recent 10 years. Landscape analysis of maps showed that the area of secondary vegetation that had been sustained by human nature disturbance was decreased by using of plantation during this time. Those decreased areas were replaced to plantation for wood production and other purpose. Past area of woody species dominated in plantation also substituted to other species. Traditional human activity on secondary vegetation was disappeared. Consequently, the advanced management regimes such as new plantation and cultivation extending areas were increased in abandoned land.

Regional-scale Identification of Three-dimensional Pattern of Vegetation Landscapes

The altitudinal pattern of vegetation is usually identified by field surveys,however,these can only provide discrete data on a local mountain.Few studies identifying and analyzing the altitudinal vegetation pattern on a regional scale are available.This study selected central Inner Mongolia as the study area,presented a method for extracting vegetation patterns in altitudinal and horizontal directions.The data included a vegetation map at a 1∶1 000 000 scale and a digital elevation model at a 1∶250 000 scale.The three-dimensional vegetation pattern indicated the distribution probability for each vegetation type and the transition zones between different vegetation landscapes.From low to high elevations,there were five vegetation types in the southern mountain flanks,including the montane steppe,broad-leaved forest,coniferous mixed forest,montane dwarf-scrub and sub-alpine shrub-meadow.Correspondingly,only four vegetation types were found in the northern flanks,except for the montane steppe.This study could provide a general model for understanding the complexity and diversity of mountain environment and landscape.

A structural relationship between place attachment and intention to conserve landscapes–a case study of Harz National Park in Germany

Place attachment is an important motivation for people to spend more time outdoors and to protect landscapes.This study explores visitors' intention to conserve natural landscapes based on the relationship with their place attachment to National Park landscape. Structural equation modelling(SEM) was used to determine the relationship between landscape conservation and place attachment. A survey with a structured questionnaire was administered to visitors to the seven designated hiking courses of Harz National Park in Germany. The path coefficient of 0.77 revealed that place dependence positively and significantly affected place attachment, whereas place identity did not. Place attachment had a significant effect on both affective appraisals and visiting satisfaction. Higher place attachment led to higher emotional reaction to landscapes on site and higher satisfaction of visiting the park. Among the variables, visiting satisfaction, but not affective appraisals, played a statistically significant mediating role between place attachment and conservation intention. With a path coefficient of 0.86, conservation intention was highly affected by visiting satisfaction. These results suggest that the managers of National Parks should focus on increasing visiting satisfaction based on how visitors are emotionally bonded with their visiting places, in order to enhance the intentions to conserve the landscape of the visitors to National Parks.

Hazards and Landscape Changes(Degradations) on Hungarian Karst Mountains Due to Natural and Human Effects

In order to study the karstological processes within the karst ecological system,the geohazards and degradation of karst landscapes on the karst areas of the Bakony mountains(Hungary),we investigated the abiotic elements of the environment,soil and cover deposits,erosion soil decay;the changes in the quantity and quality of karst waters:contamination at swallow holes,contamination of karst springs;and the biogenic factors:surface vegetation coverage by the corine land cover method,plant-ecological examinations,qualification of surface waters with the help of biological water labeling.We recognized that the increasing human activities during the past few centuries have had significant impact on the investigated landscapes of karst areas because of their spatial sensitivity.In the scope of our research we concluded that the landscape changes due to natural and human effects can vary strongly on the different karst areas.These differences can arise from the climatic and geomorphologic situation,the coverlayer's qualities,etc.,but primarily from the different utilization of the investigated karst areas(e.g.the intensity,characteristics and territorial extension of utilization).On the spot investigation we detected traces of new and fast geomorphological processes(gully formation,landslides,collapses,new sinkhole development) and landforms(sinkholes,gullies,swallow holes),which are clear evidences of the effect of climatic changes.

Reconstruction and Regeneration of Mountain Landscapes: A Case Study of Science Popularization and Education Hall of Jiangxi Wuyi Mountain Nature Reserve

Mountain landscape is a significant landscape type among all natural landscape resources, design of constructions in mountain landscapes should take multiple factors into consideration. Taking Science Popularization and Education Hall of Jiangxi Wuyi Mountain Nature Reserve for example, this paper explored the architectural design in mountain landscapes from the perspectives of spatial form, facade design, color materials and design experience, in order to achieve the integration of landscape constructions and natural environment.

Landscape Ecological Security Assessment of Low-Slope Hilly Region in Lu County,China

Low-slope hilly land( LSHL) refers to regions with relatively lower altitude,smaller topographic changes and gentler slopes. Exploitation and utilization of such areas is acting as an efficient approach to release the intensity in land utilization for mountainous areas in China, and needs further study. By summarizing related domestic concepts regarding LSHL,and taking Lu County of Sichuan province as the sample,this paper defined the scope of LSHL and extracted a total coverage of 331. 71 km2 LSHL.Then based on the landscape ecological security patterns theory,we have established the landscape ecological security pattern of Lu County by the minimum cumulative resistance model,targeting to achieve ecological land protection. Moreover,LSHL of different landscape security levels is further classified through overlay analysis on the current utilization status of the LSHL. The LSHL is classified into four categories, including prioritized development type,moderate development type, limited development type and prohibited development type. Their scopes of areas are 108. 72,97. 03,68. 36 and 57. 60 km2 respectively. In addition,respective land utilization and exploitation plan for LSHL are proposed according to the analysis of characteristics of each type. The result has provided scientific references for the definition,establishment of landscape ecological security pattern as well as the appropriate exploitation and utilization of the LSHL.

Exploration of Sponge System Design in Wetland Parks Based on Rainwater and Flood Control: A Case Study of Southern Anhui Province

Based on the background that wetland resources in China are under threat and urgently need to be protected,a series of rainwater and flood problems caused by urban construction is analyzed comprehensively,and the design and planning methods of wetland parks in response to rainwater and flood disasters caused by floods and heavy rainfall are explored.Southern Anhui with complex and variable terrain and frequent rainfall and flood disasters is selected as the research area,with Xuanzhou District of Xuancheng City as the main research object.The relationship between municipal drainage of urban park and water conservancy drainage is investigated from different sample selection,design samples,and design flow rates.Based on literature review and model building methods,an urban storm flood model suitable for typical wetland parks in southern Anhui is constructed after processing the survey data using Arc GIS,SWMM(storm water management model).On this basis,a methodology and principles for designing a sponge system of wetland park based on rainwater and flood control are proposed,including technical measures such as rainwater collection,retention,and purification.This paper provides certain research results in design schemes,effect evaluations,ecological and social benefits,and useful suggestions and solutions for urban stormwater management and resilience development.

Spatial variations of terrain and their impacts on landscape patterns in the transition zone from mountains to plains—A case study of Qihe River Basin in the Taihang Mountains

Terrain plays a key role in landscape pattern formation, particularly in the transition zones from mountains to plains.Exploring the relationships between terrain characteristics and landscape types in terrain-complex areas can help reveal the mechanisms underlying the relationships. In this study, Qihe River Basin, situated in the transition zone from the Taihang Mountains to the North-China Plain, was selected as a case study area. First, the spatial variations in the relief amplitudes(i.e.,high-amplitude terrain undulations) were analyzed. Second, the effects of relief amplitudes on the landscape patterns were indepth investigated from the perspectives of both landscape types and landscape indices. Finally, a logistic regression model was employed to examine the relationships between the landscape patterns and the influencing factors(natural and human) at different relief amplitudes. The results show that with increasing relief amplitude, anthropogenic landscapes gradually give in to natral landscapes. Specifically, human factors normally dominate the gentle areas(e.g., flat areas) in influencing the distribution of landscape types, and natural factors normally dominate the highly-undulating areas(e.g., moderate relief areas). As for the intermediately undulating areas(i.e.,medium relief amplitudes), a combined influence of natural and human factors result in the highest varieties of landscape types. The results also show that in micro-relief areas and small relief areas where natural factors and human factors are more or less equally active,landscape types are affected by a combination of natural and human factors.The combination leads to a high fragmentation and a high diversity of landscape patterns. It seems that appropriate human interferences in these areas can be conducive to enhancing landscape diversity and that inappropriate human interferences can aggravate the problems of landscape fragmentation.