Effects of Enclosure on Grassland Ecological and Economic Benefits in Northern China

Grasslands in northern China serve the country as both an ecological barrier and a livestock production base.There,installing enclosures has been becoming the major grassland restoration measure adopted by many local governments.However,the effects of restoration on both ecological and production benefits of grassland remain unclear for implemented grassland restoration policies.Therefore,a representative rangeland in northern China,the Maodeng pasture in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was selected as the study area,and remote sensing monitoring analyses were carried out to quantify the ecological benefits and economic benefits from 2015 to 2021.The results showed that:1) in terms of ecological benefits,the grassland area with a grassland coverage rate of more than 60% accounts for 32.3% of the regional area,and 86.4% of its grassland grew significantly better than the same period in2015,showing a significant improvement in grassland growth.Using the average amount of carbon per unit area as the ecological benefit evaluation index,it increased by 27.1% to 32.48Tg C/yr from 2015 to 2021.2) In terms of economic benefits,both theoretical grass production and livestock carrying capacity increased from 2015 to 2021.Compared to 2015,the theoretical grass production in 2021 increased by 24.8% to 71 900 t.The livestock carrying capacity reached 52 100 sheep units in 2021,nearly 11 000 sheep units more than that in 2015.During the study period,multiple economic indicators(on a per capita basis of permanent residents) for the pastoral area of Xilinhot City to which the Maodeng pasture belongs,have grown steadily.Per capita total income rose from 29 630 yuan(RMB) in2015 to 62 859 yuan(RMB) in 2021.Relying on grassland resources to develop the pastoral ecology also broadens the potential economic development space.Overall,the establishment of the reserve and the experiment of implanting an enclosure policy have had a significant and positive impact on Maodeng pasture’s development from both an ecological and economic perspective.With the support of scientific evidence,enclosure policy can be extended to more than 110 000 km~2 of grasslands in northern China with similar precipitation and temperature conditions,enhancing the productive and ecological potential of grasslands.The above research results will contribute to the scientific formulation of grassland pasture quality improvement plans in northern China.

A discussion on compensation of forest ecological engineering benefit

On the basis of analysis of the present situation of the ecological benefit compensation in China and foreign countries, this paper discusses the necessity, principle and approach of establishing the compensation mechanism of forest ecological benefit, as well as compensation standard in order to provide scientific basis for further perfecting the compensation mechanism of forest ecological engineering benefit in China. It is suggested that setting up the compensation mechanism of forest ecological benefit can not only provide the steady funds source of managing and protecting forest resources, but resolve radically the dynamic and mechanism problems of commonweal forest ecological engineering construction, which will produce a widespread and profound influence on China forestry and ecological construction.

Analysis on Ecological Benefits of Urban Wetlands and Protection Measures with a Case of Nansha Wetland

Nansha wetland plays a crucial role in ecological balance of the Pearl River Delta or even Guangzhou. The research, based on researches available, analyzed ecological benefits of Nansha wetland and proposed protection measures in order to better protect urban wetlands and achieve sustainable development of ecological resources of Nansha wetland.

A Comparative Study on Pattern of Urban Forest Patch and Its Ecological Benefit Evaluation in the Park of Hefei Based on the GIS Technology

Based on the GIS technology, CITYgreen computer model was used in this paper to estimate ecological benefits of urban forest in the park of Hefei city.It used this technology to make an analysis on urban forest ecological benefits. The research discussed how to use the technology of CITYgreen model developed in USA to account urban forest benefits in China. The results showed that forests in Xiaoyao Jin Park occupied about 52.62% of park land area and Xinghua Park13.00% respectively, indicating that Xiaoyaojin Park is dominated by large trees such as arbors, and Xinghua Park dominated by laws, with low coverage. Besides,the comprehensive eco-benefits of Xiaoyaojin Park and Xinghua Park were 5.150 3and 1.354 3 million yuan and per unit area eco-benefits were 144 000 and 47 400yuan/hm^2, which indicated that Xiaoyaojin Park makes the greatest contribution in ecological benefits.

Study on the Comprehensive Benefits Evaluation of Ecological Embankment Based on GAHP

Ecological embankment is a new bank protection technique.The present domestic and international studies on ecological embankment mainly focus on its definition,type,implementation procedures,problems as well as attentions.The authors put forward an evaluation method based on Group Analytic Hierarchy Process(GAHP) to establish an evaluation index system,comprehensively evaluate late works of a project,and prove the rationality of the model.

Ecosystem Health and Comprehensive Ecological Benefit Assessment of an Artificial Wetland in Western Jilin Province

[Objective] This research aimed to assess the state of ecosystem health and comprehensive ecological benefit of an artificial wetland in western Jilin Province. [Method] To investigate the effects of reclaimed water from Yingtai Oil Production Plant on the wetland ecosystem, a comprehensive ecological assessment index of an artificial wetland in the west of Jilin Province was established to measure the ecological economic and social benefits. The quantitative evaluation on the ecosystem health and comprehensive ecological benefit of the artificial wetland were carried out from 2003 to 2010 and were measured by means of the square difference method. [Result] After eight years of irrigation by reclaimed water, the levels of ecosystem health and benefit of the artificial wetland improved from Grade IV to Grade II, and the ecological environment, economic and social development of the wetland tended to improve. [Conclusion] The results indicated that the use of reclaimed water for irrigation of wetland ecosystems was a suitable way to control drought in arid and semi-arid regions.

Evaluation on Ecological Agriculture Benefit and Coordinated Development Level in Henan Province

[Objective] The aim was to establish theevaluation index system of ecological agriculture benefit in Henan Province to assess its ecological agriculture benefit and coordinated development level. [Method] Based on the existing evaluation index system of ecological agriculture, the evaluation index system of ecological agriculture benefit in Henan Province was established by means of factor analysis from the aspects of economic benefit, social benefit and ecological benefit, so as to assess the ecological agriculture benefit and coordinated development level of cities at prefecture level in Henan Province. [Result] Zhengzhou City had the highest development level in ecological agriculture in Henan Province, and coordination level was the highest in Anyang City, while coordinated development level was the highest in Zhengzhou and lowest in Sanmenxia City. [Conclusion] The study could provide reference for the evaluation on ecological agriculture benefit in China.

Evaluation method of the ecological benefits of urban green spaces and application conditions

The importance of ecological benefit analyses about green space systems has been widely discussed on the basis of a perceived bias towards the landscaping effect of green spaces to be built in urban areas as opposed to the perception of comprehensive ecological benefits of designed plant communities. Given the basic principle of ecological benefit analyses and evaluation methods widely applied today, the methodology to calculate ecological benefits and to model the expansion of urban green spaces by CITY- green 5.0 and its conditions for application were explored. We propose that aerial images can be substituted by AutoCAD graphics of a green space containing detailed information of plant dispositions by digitizing the key features during the working process in order to evaluate the ecological benefits quickly and to offer proper guidance to the establishment of small scale green spaces in urban areas. The theoretical foundation, potential application range and prospects for extension of the method are introduced by using the analysis of ecological benefits of the green spaces on the campus of Southwest Forestry College, Kunming, as an example.

A study on the measurement for forest ecological benefit

The indexes of dependent variables of the measurement on the forest ecological benefits were defined according to the analysis of the multiple ecological benefits of forest. This indexes system includes waterreserving, soil and water conservation, wind and sand suppression, microclimate improvement, carbon dioxide assimilation, atmosphere purification, flood and drought mitigation, tourism resource and wild creature protection benefits. The main factors from the numerous factors that affect dependent variables were chosen as independent variables. At last, a multivariate linear model was established for measurement of forest ecological benefit. With this multivariate linear model the forest ecological benefit of China was calculated. The forest ecological benefit of China is 723816 million yuan per year, which equals to 23.07% of the gross domestic product of China.

Evaluation on Regional Ecological Benefits of Windbreak Systems

This paper studied how dynamically to evaluate regional ecological benefits of windbreak systems in a county scale. Data of air temperature. humidity. wind speed, crop yield and forest cover percentage were investigated and collected in some of counties of Heilongjiang Province, where windbreak systems were established in the last thirty years. Through analysis, an evaluation index system estimating regional ecological benetits of windbreak systems was set up, which consists of both a vegetation index system and a climate index systeln. The former includes a forest cover percentage index and a crop yield index; the later does three variable indexes of wind speed, air temperature and humidity. An integrated regional ecological benefit index.was developed through combinations of some coined evaluation indexes from the evaluation system.And to take Zhaozhou County and Anda County as a case study, the regional ecological benetits since establishment of windbreak systems of the two counties were evaluated dynamically using the integrated index.

External Costs and Optimum Use of Nitrogen Fertilizer Based on the Balance of Economic and Ecological Benefits in the Paddy Field System of the Dongting Lake Area, China

The external costs and the optimum use of nitrogen fertilizer based on the balance of economic and ecological benefits was studied with the paddy field system of Dongting Lake area, one of the main food production regions in China. The environmental impact was economically evaluated using methods of the environmental impact economical evaluation. The optimum use of nitrogen fertilizer was calculated based on the exterior diseconomy theory and by using the production function model. Both ecological benefits and farmers＇ economic benefits were considered. It was calculated on the data from 2002 that the losses caused by inappropriate utilization of nitrogen fertilizer in the process of food production were fishery, 0.1 × 10^7 RMB yuan; water treatment, 1.02 × 10^8 RMB yuan; tour business, 0.11 ×10^8 RMB yuan, and habitation environment, 0.3 × 10^7 RMB yuan, totally equivalent to 0.41 RMB yuan kg^-1 N. The economically satisfactory and the ecological agronomic nitrogen fertilizer dose for current production was 138 and 137 kg ha^-1, respectively. The research showed that the actual nitrogen fertilizer application amount in the paddy field system of the Dongting Lake area already reached or exceeded the farmers＇ economic satisfaction and the ecological agronomic nitrogen fertilizer dose for current production. An environmental tax is suggested to impose on over-use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Ecological Benefits of Compound Ridge Culture in Hillside Orchard in the Three Gorge Reservoir Area

Based on contour tillage of wide ridge and furrow covering and agro-forestry, this paper sets up a compound ridge culture mode in hillside orchards and introduces a long-term observation to the mode＇s effects on ecological benefits of water and soil conservation. A five-year study shows that compound ridge culture in hillside orchards is effective in water and soil conservation, especially in reducing soil erosion. Compared with the traditional management modes of orchards, compound ridge culture has reduced runoff amount by 41.96%-57.96%, soil erosion amount by 55.47%-67.75%. Compound ridge culture also brings an obvious reduction of soil nutrient loss and of non-point source pollution, which is of great importance for keeping and increasing the productivity of hillside orchards in the Three Gorge Reservoir Area.

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%.

Ecological economic benefit in sustainable development

From the concept of ecological economic benefit, I put forward the general formula for the benefit of ecological economy and the appraisal methods of the ecological economy. Theory on ecological benefit and economic benefit is the base of the benefits of ecological economy To some extent the development of ecological economy, theory and practice on eco-agriculture are both the production made from opposition and unify of ecological benefit and economic benefit. This paper discusses the ＂T＂ type saucture, which will give the theoretical bases for enhancing the ecological and economical benefits.

Benefit measurement of the soil and water conservation for ecological forestry engineering

Data were collected from Three-north Region, Middle and upper reaches region of Yangtze River and Coastal region. By analysis of factors influencing soil erosion, the longitude, latitude, annual precipitation, and the slope degree were selected as regional independent variables and canopy density and stock litter were selected as independent variables, and integral diffusing models were established for evaluation of the benefit of soil and water conservation of forest. By solving the parameters of models using the package of STATISTICA, the Power function between independent variables and dependent variables was set up. The soil conservation amount of forest and economic values were estimated using the contrast method for the ecological forestry engineering of the above three areas.

Study on Changes of Industrial Structure and Its Ecological Environment Benefit in Shaanxi Province

[Objective] To reduce influences of adjustment of regional industrial structure on ecological environment,promote coordinated development of regional economy and ecological environment,and improve the relationship between human beings and natural environment. [Method]Based on the statistical data of Shaanxi Province during 1978- 2013,the ecological environmental impact index and effect index of industrial structure in Shaanxi Province were calculated,and then the ecological environment benefit of changes in industrial structure in Shaanxi Province from1978 to 2013 was assessed quantitatively. [Result]The impact of changes in industrial structure on ecological environment in Shaanxi Province was moderate,but later changes in industrial structure had greater influences on ecological environment than before. [Conclusion]Industrial structure in Shaanxi Province should be optimized further to ensure the healthy development of ecological environment.

Service Object-based Evaluation Framework of Economic, Social and Ecological Benefits of Urban Green Spaces

Researchers' understandings of economic, ecological and social benefits of urban green spaces were discussed from many perspectives, connotations of such three major benefits were redefined, existing problems in the present evaluation were analyzed. According to service objects of urban green spaces, 6 relationship fields were classified, specifically, global ecology, regional environment, regional health, basic life, spiritual life and material life, a basic framework for evaluating economic, ecological and social benefits of urban green spaces was proposed.

Comprehensive benefits assessment of the ecological management model in Hobq Desert of China

The Hobq Desert is the seventh largest desert in China. Since 1988, the effects of ecological management in Hobq Desert have been obvious and a typical desertification control model developed gradually, which is well known as the ＂Hobq model＂. It is important to evaluate the comprehensive benefits of the ＂Hobq model＂, but this has not been addressed in previous studies. Thus, we established an index system to comprehensively evaluate the benefits of the ＂Hobq model＂, using an analytic hierarchy process method from 1988 to 2013. The results show the following： ecological benefits of the ＂Hobq model＂ had a positive trend, but with fluctuations during 2008 and 2009; economic benefits increased by 74% and the maximum value occurred in 2013; and social benefits increased steadily, but with fluctuations in 2010 and 2011. The social benefits were higher than ecological and economic benefits in the same period. Trends in overall benefits of the ＂Hobq model＂ were similar to changes in ecological benefits, which increased each year.

Ecological Benefits Evaluation in Ecological Migration Zone Based on Ecological Green Equivalent: A Case Study of Migration Zone in Yanchi County

With four ecological migration zones in Huamachi Town of Yanchi County in Ningxia Autonomous Region as the object of study,we carry out the evaluation of ecological benefits in ecological migration zone. Using the SPOT satellite remote sensing image in 2008 and UAV aerophotographic image in 2013,we first monitor and analyze the land use change over five years in the study area,and then adopt ecological green equivalent evaluation model for the evaluation of ecological benefits in the ecological migration zone. Studies have shown that:( i) from 2008 to 2013,the ecological green equivalent in the study area was increased and the ecological environment was improved;( ii) the ecological green equivalent in the study area was less than 1 in 2008 and 2013,and ecological environment was still fragile in the migration zone;( iii)the forest coverage rate of the study area was 20% less than the minimum forest coverage rate of the United Nations,but 15% higher than the forest coverage rate of the Ministry of Environmental Protection. There is a large gap between the forest coverage rate based on ecological green equivalent and optimal forest coverage rate,suggesting that the land use still needs to be adjusted in study area,and it is necessary to increase efforts to strengthen ecological restoration and continue to implement forest conservation,returning land for farming to forestry and other measures.

Open pit limit optimization considering economic profit,ecological costs and social benefits

Pit limit design has,up to date,focused mainly on maximization of economic profit alone,with environmental and social issues largely ignored.This paper focuses on incorporating both environmental and social issues in the pit limit design process and provides an approach to pit limit optimization that is in compliance with sustainable development.The case study demonstrates that ecological costs have a substantial down-sizing effect and social benefits have a substantial up-sizing effect on the optimal pit limit.When the ecological costs are factored in,the optimal pit limit is 37.5%smaller than the economically optimal pit limit.However,when the social benefits are factored in,the optimal pit limit is 48.3%larger than the economically optimal one.The overall optimal pit limit,with the economic profit,ecological costs and social benefits simultaneously considered,is a result of balancing conflicting goals of maximizing economic profit,minimizing ecological cost,and maximizing social benefit.