Climate change, water resources and sustainable development in the arid and semi-arid lands of Central Asia in the past 30 years

The countries of Central Asia are collectively known as the five "-stans": Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan. In recent times, the Central Asian region has been affected by the shrinkage of the Aral Sea, widespread desertification, soil salinization, biodiversity loss, frequent sand storms, and many other ecological disasters. This paper is a review article based upon the collection, identification and collation of previous studies of environmental changes and regional developments in Central Asia in the past 30 years. Most recent studies have reached a consensus that the temperature rise in Central Asia is occurring faster than the global average. This warming trend will not only result in a higher evaporation in the basin oases, but also to a significant retreat of glaciers in the mountainous areas. Water is the key to sustainable development in the arid and semi-arid regions in Central Asia. The uneven distribution, over consumption, and pollution of water resources in Central Asia have caused severe water supply problems, which have been affecting regional harmony and development for the past 30 years. The widespread and significant land use changes in the 1990 s could be used to improve our understanding of natural variability and human interaction in the region. There has been a positive trend of trans-border cooperation among the Central Asian countries in recent years. International attention has grown and research projects have been initiated to provide water and ecosystem protection in Central Asia. However, the agreements that have been reached might not be able to deliver practical action in time to prevent severe ecological disasters. Water management should be based on hydrographic borders and ministries should be able to make timely decisions without political intervention. Fully integrated management of water resources, land use and industrial development is essential in Central Asia. The ecological crisis should provide sufficient motivation to reach a consensus on unified water management throughout the region.

SUSTAINABLE USE OF LAND RESOURCE AND ITS EVALUATION IN COUNTY AREA—A Case of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China

Sustainable use of natural resources is different from sustainable development. As the most important natural resource, sustainable use of land resource is the essential guarantee of sustainable development. The nature of sustainable use of land resource is to retain the quantity and productivity of land resource from generation to generation.The evaluation of sustainable use of land resource is an important method to ensure land use to get onto the sustainable track. Furthermore, building index system is the key of the evaluation. In view of tendency of the evaluation indexes chosen so widely, the evaluation indexes should include only three kinds in the researches on the evaluation of sustainable use of land resource. The first is the stock and structure index of land resource, viz. Areas quantity structure of land resources. In China, it is especially paid attention to the per person index of land quantity and rate between cultivated land and farmland. The second is the productive index of land, which includes the productivity, potentiality, stability and renewal situation of land. The third is the sustained index of land environment. On the evaluation research of area level, we should lay particular emphasis on statistic indexes. With a case of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in China, the evaluation index system of sustainable land use in county area has been built in this thesis. Using the weighted average method to calculate the means of sustainable land use in each county, according to the land using situation, all counties in the autonomous region have been divided into three types. (1) Sustainable Pattern contains 18 counties, which have higher land resource productivity, stronger sustained abilities of land environment .The economic benefits of land using in these counties are obviously higher. These counties have gotten highly intensive farming, and they are all in the good circumstance. (2) Basically Sustained Pattern contains 48 counties, which productivity of land resource is of middle level. In part of counties and cities, the stock of land resource inclines to lower level, but their land using potentialities are still greater. Through changing land using pattern, these counties can rapidly enter in a good circumstance. (3) Critically Sustained Pattern contains 14 counties, which are mostly in the karst mountain areas. They have less stock of land resource, lower productivity and more extensive cultivation. The productivity of land renewing has been hindered, so it urgently need to be renovated. At last, the writers have explored the basic ways of sustainable use of land resource in Guangxi, China — (1) Retain the stock of land resource and strictly manage farmland uses. (2) Strengthen the value accounting of land resource, and control the farmland occupation of non agricultural construction. (3) Depend on technology advanced, optimize the land using structure, and promote the productive level. (4) Carry out land management all round, and improve the ecological environment of land resource. (5) Enhance evaluation researche and land monitoring, and promote the sustainable utilization level of land resource.

Testing of Decision Making Tools for Village Land Use Planning and Natural Resources Management in Kilimanjaro Region

This paper focuses on participatory testing of decision making tools (DMTs) at village level to assist in development of land use plans (LUPs) for sustainable land management (SLM) in Kilimanjaro Region, Tanzania. Data were collected using conditional surveys through key informant interviews with the project’s district stakeholders in each district, focused group discussions with selected villagers and participatory mapping of natural resources. Soil health, land degradation, carbon stock, and hydrological conditions were assessed in the seven pilot villages in all seven districts using DMTs as part of testing and validation. Results indicated soils of poor to medium health, and land degradation as portrayed by gullies and wind erosion in lowlands and better in uplands. Carbon and forest disturbance status could not be assessed using one-year data but hydrological analysis revealed that water resources were relatively good in uplands and poor in the lowlands. Challenges with regard to land use include increased gully erosion, decreased stream flow, reduced vegetation cover due to shifting from coffee with tree sheds to annual crops farming, cultivation near water sources, and overgrazing. Empowering the community with decision making tools at village level is essential to ensure that village land uses are planned in a participatory manner for sustainable land and natural resources management in Kilimanjaro and other regions in Tanzania.

Analysis on the Spatio-Temporal Changes of Sustainable Land Use in Tibet

By constructing evaluation indicator system of sustainable land use of Tibet from three aspects of ecological environment, economic development, resources and social advancement, this article studies the following contents respectively in two dimensions of time and space： the changes of sustainable land use of Tibet in recent 20 years and spatial characteristics of sustainable land use of Tibet in 2002. The following conclusions can be drawn from evaluation results .① With regard to com- prehensive evaluation value of sustainable land use, the trend of Tibet sustainable land use evaluation values from 1983 to 2002 are very close to the comprehensive evaluation values of ecological environment, which is up trend; ② sustainable utilization degree of land use in eastern region of Tibet is much higher than that of western region. ③ the sustainable land use evaluation value of Nyingtri County is the highest, and the counties with relatively higher land sustainable use values include Lhasa, Lhoka, Chamdo. While Nakchu, Ngari, Shigatse counties have the relatively lower evaluation values; ④ By analyzing each evaluation indicator＇s weight on sustainable land use, it can be concluded that the key limiting factors of sustainable Tibet land resource utilization are land desertification, grassland degradation and low economic level.

Soil Health and Sustainable Land Resource Management Practices at Municipal Level: A Case from Bheri Nagarpalika (Municipality), Jajorkot District, Nepal

The increasing challenges of pressure and ever-growing demands on limited resources in Nepal by diverse actors,land degradation,biodiversity loss and climate change require the rational use of land resources to sustain and enhance productivity and maintain resilient ecosystems for achieving the sustainable and efficient use of resources,taking into account biophysical and socioeconomic dimensions.Regarding this,Nepal Government has realized and taken initiation of scientific and sustainable land use zoning following the National Land Use Act 2019(2076 B.S.)to use land resources in practicable and sustainable manner.Using spatial information techniques such asZ-3 satellite image,remote sensing(RS),global positioning system(GPS)and geographic information system(GIS).Multicriteria decision making(MCDM)methods for acquiring spatial/temporal data,through expert judgment techniques based on field observation as well as laboratory analysis result,it was found that the soil nutrient status of,the municipality varied spatially and has pH with very high acidic to slightly alkaline but most of the soils are slightly acidic(39.58%).Majority of the soil are loam and sandy loam type with very low to high level of organic matter.Most of the municipal area is under medium range of organic matter.Nitrogen content ranges from very low to very high level as to same ranges of phosphorous(37.69%).Potassium level is also in very high to low as 37 percent land area has high level of potassium.Reclamation of acidic soil mainly in leachable soil is recommended with the proper management of Nitrogen with addition of organic matter is needed to manage for improving crop production.

新疆土地资源的持续利用与开发

分析新疆土地资源的现状表明 ,土地利用中存在结构不合理 ,特别是林业、畜牧业比重偏低 ,玉米、苜蓿面积过小 ;森林过伐 ,质量下降 ;绿洲人口扩张 ,耕地退化 ;土地质量下降 ,沙漠化等问题严重 ;提出了重点保护和建设山地森林生态区 ;保护草原生态 ,有计划地开发绿洲——荒漠过渡带和荒漠草原带 ,发展畜牧业 ;保护和恢复荒漠植被 ,防治土地沙漠化 ;调整经济结构和土地利用结构 ,发挥资源优势 ;扩大绿洲规模 ,加快城市化 ;

新疆土地资源可持续利用问题剖析及对策探讨

新疆土地资源丰富,发展潜力很大,发展优势很强,但也存在许多问题:绿洲面积小,利用结构不合理,耕地质量差,水土不平衡,利用程度低,退化严重,规划不完善等,研究根据新疆土地详查资料,基于土地资源利用的现状特点,主要剖析了新疆土地资源可持续利用的障碍因素,并在此基础上提出了实现土地资源可持续利用的主要对策。

干旱区水资源可持续有效利用探讨─—以新疆为例

水资源是干旱荒漠区资源组合中最稀缺的资源。水资源是绿洲形成、发展的物质基础，水资源利用与经济发展之间存在互动关系。本文在阐述水资源与绿洲经济发展关系的基础上，分析了新疆水资源利用现状及存在的问题，最后提出水资源持续有效利用对策。

新疆土地资源可持续利用问题剖析及对策探讨

新疆土地资源丰富,发展潜力很大,发展优势很强,但也存在许多问题:绿洲面积小,利用结构不合理,耕地质量差,水土不平衡,利用程度低,退化严重,规划不完善等,根据新疆土地详查资料,基于土地资源利用的现状特点,主要剖析了新疆土地资源可持续利用的障碍因素,并在此基础上提出了实现土地资源可持续利用的主要对策。

新疆土地资源可持续利用

本文根据新疆土地详查资料 ,简要的介绍了新疆土地资源的利用状况和土地利用结构 ,分析了目前新疆土地可持续利用的主要问题 :水土不平衡 ;粗放经营 ,土地生产力水平低 ;低产田面积大 ,限制因素多 ;土地资源利用不合理 ,生态环境劣变等。在此基础上提出了新疆土地可持续利用的原则、战略方向和土地资源可持续利用的关键对策。

论新疆绿洲水土资源可持续利用支持体系

绿洲水土资源可持续利用是一个涉及方方面面的复杂研究课题,其支持体系的构建对新疆落实科学发展观、协调社会经济与生态环境的发展具有重要的战略意义。通过对新疆绿洲的基本状况的分析,阐述了构建绿洲水土资源可持续利用支持体系的障碍因素,并针对绿洲水土资源可持续利用提出了在政策、法规、金融、财税等方面的支持政策与措施。

Underground space planning in Helsinki

This paper gives insight into the use of underground space in Helsinki,Finland.The city has an underground master plan(UMP) for its whole municipal area,not only for certain parts of the city.Further,the decision-making history of the UMP is described step-by-step.Some examples of underground space use in other cities are also given.The focus of this paper is on the sustainability issues related to urban underground space use,including its contribution to an environmentally sustainable and aesthetically acceptable landscape,anticipated structural longevity and maintaining the opportunity for urban development by future generations.Underground planning enhances overall safety and economy efficiency.The need for underground space use in city areas has grown rapidly since the 21 st century;at the same time,the necessity to control construction work has also increased.The UMP of Helsinki reserves designated space for public and private utilities in various underground areas of bedrock over the long term.The plan also provides the framework for managing and controlling the city’s underground construction work and allows suitable locations to be allocated for underground facilities.Tampere,the third most populated city in Finland and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries,is also a good example of a city that is taking steps to utilise underground resources.Oulu,the capital city of northern Finland,has also started to ‘go underground’.An example of the possibility to combine two cities by an 80-km subsea tunnel is also discussed.A new fixed link would generate huge potential for the capital areas of Finland and Estonia to become a real Helsinki-Tallinn twin city.

Management Implications of Aquifer Fractures on Ecosystem and Habitat Suitability for Panthers in Southern Florida

Our case study analyzed the proximity of previously mapped fractures in the aquifer matrix to 93 Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) dens mapped from 2007-2016 in south Florida. Dens occurred in five counties (Collier = 77, Dade = 1, Hendry = 9, Lee = 5, and Monroe = 1) and three sub-basins of the Greater Everglades Basin (Big Cypress Swamp = 83, Caloosahatchee = 3, and Everglades = 7). Fractured aquifers occur worldwide, but are not the focus of habitat suitability studies, despite evidence that fractures influence plant species composition and density. Habitat alterations can occur many kilometers from the surface footprint of groundwater alterations in the regional Floridan aquifer system via preferential flow through fractures. Increased natural discharge from and recharge to the aquifer occur at fracture intersections. Greater induced recharge and habitat changes also may occur at fracture intersections. All dens were within 5 km of a previously mapped fracture;36% and 74% were within 1 km and 2 km, respectively, of those fractures;and 47%, 74%, and 90% of dens were within 2 km, 3.25 km and 5 km, respectively, from the nearest fracture intersection. Results suggest fractures influence the suitability and/or availability of habitat for panther dens, selection of den sites, and availability as well as abundance of high quality prey items essential for the nutritional demands of successfully rearing panther kittens in the wild. We recommend more detailed investigations of: a) vegetation characteristics near dens, b) groundwater alterations and cumulative impacts of those alterations associated with fractures in panther habitat (e.g., altered plant species composition and density), and c) influence of aquifer fractures in all habitats underlain by fractures.

提升国土资源管理水平 增强可持续发展保障能力

国土资源是人类赖以生存的物质基础 ,是可持续发展的重要保障。在全面建设小康社会和现代化的历史进程中 ,国土资源还将继续发挥重要的支撑和保障作用。新疆国土资源管理工作要服从、服务于新疆经济的大发展。用科学的发展观 ,全面提升国土资源管理水平 ,增强可持续发展保障能力。

MSPA-based Collaborative Evaluation and Planning Governance of Territory and Natural Environment in Metropolitan Agglomerations-A Case Study of EGIDDZ in Yangtze River Delta

The intersection of environmental conservation and urban development has garnered global attention.This study aims to contribute to the theoretical foundation and policy recommendations for the collaborative governance of territory and the natural environment in metropolitan agglomerations.Employing a comprehensive Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis(MSPA)approach,this research analyses and overlays various indicators,constructing an integrated evaluation system based on“natural resource management and conservation,land use,and ecological network assessment”.Our findings reveal that:(1)The overall collaborative degree between the spatial configuration and natural environment in the Ecological Green Integration Development Demonstration Zone(EGIDDZ)is relatively high and still needs improvement at the micro level.Notably,regions characterised by elevated synergy levels exhibit considerable spatial overlap with ecological green cores outlined in territorial planning.(2)The selection and distribution of land use patterns are pivotal factors influencing collaborative levels,with multiple land use types favouring enhanced collaboration.By exploring the interplay between metropolitan territory and the natural environment using MSPA,this study seeks to provide holistic evaluation methodologies and governance insights for advancing sustainable urban planning and development.