Ecological evaluation of marine macroalgal communities on five islands of Korea in the Yellow Sea

Macroalgae have long been used as biological indicators of marine ecosystem health worldwide due to their ecological importance and sensitivity to environmental stress.A number of previous studies have utilized macroalgal communities in monitoring surveys of environmental conditions.This study examined the characteristics and patterns of marine macroalgal communities in the Yellow Sea off the western coast of Korea.Macroalgae were analyzed for the number of species,biomass,and coverage ratio by macroalgal type.During the study period,82 macroalgal species(10 green algae,17 brown algae,and 55 red algae)were identified at the five study sites,with the highest number of species found at Gwanrido and Uido(both containing 41 species)and the lowest at Daeijakdo(27 species).The average biomass(via dry weight)was 98.63 g/m^(2),consisting of green algae(8.39 g/m^(2)),brown algae(35.08 g/m^(2)),and red algae(55.16 g/m^(2)).The dominant macroalgae species in terms of biomass were Corallina pilulifera,Sargassum thunbergii,and Ulva australis in the intertidal zones,and Botryocladia wrightii and Gelidium elegans in the subtidal zones.Richness,evenness,and diversity indices based on the biomass of abundant species were 5.08,0.65,and 2.30,respectively,over the entire study area.Based on the evaluation of the environmental states by the community indices,overall,the Ecological Evaluation Index of macroalgae communities in the study area was marked as“Good-Moderate”,but was determined as“ModerateLow”at several sites during summer.The results can be a direct approach in the assessment of coastal habitats in which anthropogenic as well as climate change influences persist.

SUSTAINABLE LAND USE PLANNING BASED ON ECOLOGICAL HEALTH——Case Study of Beiwenquan Town, Chongqing, China

This paper, taking Beiwenquan Town of Beibei, Chongqing as an example, assessed the impacts of land use on ecological health by comprehensive index method, and discussed methodological system of sustainable land use planning based on ecological health. Results indicated that: 1) From 1992 to 2002, land use changes focused on 12 patterns with the total conversion area of 92.11%, which were related to cultivated land, residential and industrial-mining area, and orchard land. Urbanization and economic reconstruction were the leading driving forces. 2) There was obvious difference of the areas of ecotypes driven by land use change in wide valley and mild slope between 1992 and 2002, while there were little or no difference in steep slope and very steep slope. 3) Both of the conditions of ecological health in 1992 and 2002 were sound, and the ecotypes focused on the types of health and sub-health. But, health ecosystem in 1992, with an area of 764.64ha, accounting for 38.51% of the total evaluation area, was better than that in 2002, with an area of 636.10ha, accounting for 34.19% of the total evaluation area. 4) The ecotypes involved into different ranges have already degenerated, due to humankind’s disturbance, while the conditions of ecological health in the same ranges in 1992, regardless of stability and reconstruction, were better than that in 2002. 5) The planning scenario based on ecological health was accorded with the practice condition of Beiwenquan Town: 388.29ha of cultivated land could meet the Beiwenquan demand of food and byproduct; 1045.26ha of forest land area, the Beiwenquan demand of ecological health; and 1004.73ha of the residential and industrial-mining area, the Beiwenquan building demand. 6) Sustainable land use planning based on ecological health had higher useful value, because it not only stood to ecological theory, but also satisfied the developmental demand of society and economy.

Ecological suitability evaluation for urban growth boundary in red soil hilly areas based on fuzzy theory

The fuzziness exists in spatial distribution of geographic data of land suitability evaluation processes,which makes it difficult to quantify land boundaries by using traditional binary logic-based overlay model.Aiming at this limitation,an ecological suitability evaluation analysis model was presented based on fuzzy theory and a research on urban growth boundary(UGB) of the Great-Hexi Leading District(GHLD) of Changsha was conducted.With the support of GIS,RS and MATLAB,slope,elevation,vegetation,soil productivity,soil permeability,water body and land use are selected as the input of model according to the characteristic properties of soil and terrain in red soil hilly areas.The running result of this model indicates that the ratios of highly suitable land,suitable land,moderately suitable land and unsuitable land in GHLD are 18.75%,10.31%,64.16%,6.78%,respectively.This result accords with spatial structure worked out by Space Development Strategy Planning of GHLD,Based on this result,several suggestions are made to guide UGB developments in future.

Landscape Ecological Evaluation on the Artificial Forest of Leucaena leucocephala——Taking the Example of Xiaokua Hill of Yuanmou

Based on the theory of ecology, this article conducted a landscape ecological evaluation on Leucaena leucocephala artificial forest in the add-hot valley, Yuanmou Xiaokua hill, using a combination method of qualitative analysis and landscape comprehensive evaluation. The comprehensive evaluation indexes of landscape include forest coverage, biodiversity, stability, soil erosion, environmental quality, availability, scientific research characteristic, economic benefits. Using AHP （analytical hierarchy process）, determine the grade of ecological evaluation factors and the weight of evaluation index and calculate the CEI （comprehensive evaluation index） on ecological evaluation. Evaluation results showed that the area CEI was 0.714 225, a better quality of the ecological level, but biodiversity indicators was the lowest. To sum up, it was difficult to maintain ecological restoration effectiveness and process but also guarantee a good biodiversity in the add-hot valleys. We must reasonably arrange the alien species and the native species, in order to obtain a stable and sustainable eco-system.

Ecological Land Suitability for Arid Region at River Basin Scale:Framework and Application Based on Minmum Cumulative Resistance(MCR) Model

As an important and typical arid inland region in China,Shiyang River Basin plays an important role in maintaining the sustainable development of eco-environment,whose ecological land suitability restricts the development of the local human activities.Therefore,Shiyang River Basin was selected as the case study,the minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model and GIS technique were integrated to create land suitability evaluation map.We calculated the MCR value of ecological source and living source,and divided the whole basin into five partitions according to the difference between ecological source and living source,and analyzed the patterns and characteristics of the ecological land suitability evaluation(ELSE)regions,respectively.The results showed that:1)The suitable ecological land includes prohibited development region and restricted development region,which accounts for 15.45%and 23.35%of the total land area of the Shiyang River Basin,respectively.These two regions mainly distributed high altitude region in the southern Qilian Mountain and low altitude region where had high density of rivers.2)The protection of ecological land requires not only conserving existing ecological land but also focusing on ecological buffer belts around ecological sources and improving ecological land service ability.3)Ecological networks should be constructed through artificial planting trees around the boundary of oasis and ecological restoration region.Buffer greenbelts should also be established between optimized development region and ecological restoration region.

Numerical Simulation Analysis and Ecological Evaluation on Wind Environment of Dwelling Groups in Severe Cold Regions

The wind environment around residential building groups is increasingly concerned,while the dwelling groups as the elementary unit of planning design,its quality of surrounding wind environment will directly affect people's life. This study based on the climatic conditions of severe cold regions,selects four dwellings groups with different openings scale and position as the research objects,and then simulates and analyzes the wind speed distribution characteristics of each pattern. Meanwhile,it extracts the wind speed values of one hundred points of each pattern and applies the coefficient of uniformity method to the ecological evaluation. It has been found that grouping pattern of buildings has a dramatic effect on the resulting airflow behavior. Configurations that contain a T-shaped central space with small opened side can effectively prevent and contain airflow in the site offer. The interactive influence between layout of dwelling groups and wind environment are explored,so as to provide basis for the planning design of dwelling groups.

Application of aerial remote sensing in the study on vegetation in Guangzhou,China

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Evaluation of Ecological Environment in Jingxin Wetland Using Analytic Hierarchy Process

[Objective] The study aimed to assess the ecological environment in Jingxin wetland using analytic hierarchy process (AHP). [Method] Based on the field survey on Jingxin wetland in the downstream of Tumen River, as well as domestic and international indicators and methods of wetland ecological evaluation, ten indicators reflecting the environmental protection function, functions of the ecological system and social and cultural value of the wetland were selected to evaluate the ecological environment of Jingxin wetland using AHP. [Result] The comprehensive evaluation index ( CEI ) of Jingxin wetland was 0.7124, namely 0.7<CEI≤1.0, showing that the ecological environment in Jingxin wetland was better on the whole. Among the ten indicators, the functions of regulating flood, water supply, climate regulation, tourism and being an important animal habitat played important roles in the determination of the wetland value. [Conclusion] The research could provide theoretical foundations for the protection of ecological environment in Jingxin wetland.

An integrated approach to evaluation on ecological service functions for urban green space and its application

This methodological investigation deals with measurement and valuation of ecological service functions for urban green space. Social, economic and ecological dimensions for such types of function were analyzed and a concept “integrated ecological service functions” (IESF) was put forward for evaluation. Based upon this conceptual approach, an index system for measuring IESF for urban green space was established. With a methodological integration of fuzzy mathematics, decision making analysis and Delphi method, an AHP fuzzy evaluation techniques for IESF for urban green space, called AFIFUG method, was developed. Such a method has been directly applied to the land use strategic planning of Tianjin out ring green belt(TOGB), and its analysis results have been successfully put into operation.

Research on Ecological Space Planning Oriented Urban River Landscape Planning

Based on the generalized landscape perspective, regional connotation of urban river landscape is expanded. The area connotation of urban river landscape is expanded based on the generalized landscape perspective. In addition to natural and functional attributes, river landscape should be regarded as a regional space element based on heterogeneous space scale. First, as for research method system, the space research models(including ecological footprint, space planning, and landscape pattern index, etc.) coupled with different angle scales and interdisciplinary theory, are utilized to study different correlations and results formed by urban river landscape elements and other regional space elements from the perspective of the regional ecological space, and the overall development goal of the urban river landscape pattern based on the goals of the regional ecological space planning is obtained. Second, the oriented urban river landscape planning and the "M" type close-tonature design strategy are evaluated through the city function zoning orientation and micro-scale urban river landscape pattern index. The research realizes the compatibility of overall goals in terms of the regional ecology, the development of urban functional areas, and the river landscape planning, without losing micro difference and maneuverability based on the urban river landscape planning and design oriented strategy, which innovates the new approach of urban river landscape planning and design with sustainable and balanced development of regional resources, multi-scale, and multiple objectives.

Ecological Security Assessment of Red River Basin in Guangxi

[Objective] The study aimed at assessing the ecological security of Red River basin in Guangxi. [Method] Firstly, the ecological security assessment index system of Red River basin was established based on the framework of 'pressure-state-response' model, and index information of ecological security assessment was extracted by using RS and GIS technology; afterwards, the ecological security of Red River basin was divided into five grades according to ecological security index, and the distribution and characteristics of ecological security at various levels were analyzed; finally, the measures to maintain the ecological security of Red River basin were put forward on the basis of problems in ecological security. [Result] Most areas of Red River basin in Guangxi were in generally safe state, especially Lingyun County, Fengshan County, Du'an County, Dahua County, Shanglin County, Binyang County, Guiping City, etc., and the area accounted for 74.25% of total area; next came safer state (12.74%), the regions in the two states above were the most important environmental areas of Red River basin. The ecological security problems of Red River basin were mainly related to fragile ecological environment, lagging economic development, rapid population growth, excessive development and utilization of natural resources and so forth. [Conclusion] The research could provide scientific references for the rational development and utilization of land resources, protection and construction of ecological environment in Red River basin.

Research on the Regional Ecological Environment Evaluation and Application under the Influence of the Severe Earthquake Disaster

To conduct the ecological restoration and reconstruction of disaster areas after the severe earthquake, such as Wenchuan Earthquake and Lushan Earthquake, this article uses region al ecological environment evaluation and ecological footprint to construct a quantitative analysis model on the basis of ecololgical environment indexes in Mianzhu City. Through this model, resource status of the regional environment in Mianzhu is analyzed, as well as the ecological capacity and the ecological security. Based on the evaluation and analysis, this paper provides multi-path development strategies of ecological restoration and sustainable development of human settlements after the earthquake.

Environmental impact assessments should include rigorous scientific peer review

Twenty USA states or jurisdictions and 125 nations have modeled national environmental policies after the National Environmental Policy Act.That act mandates that federal agencies initiate environmental impact statements(EISs)when substantive environmental or human health consequences are likely because of an agency action related to proposed development projects.The science used to inform the EIS process,however,does not require independent scientific peer review(ISPR)in the USA or most other nations.But ISPR is needed for governments to accurately inform the EIS decision-making and public reporting processes.Instead,science is routinely manipulated during EIS reviews to generate expedient project outcomes with substantially negative ecological,political,and long-term economic consequences.We provide four examples of EISs that lack ISPR,as well as four examples where reviews by independent scientists were helpful to improve agency decisions.We also recommend that independent scientists(no affiliation with the project proponents or agencies overseeing projects)be used to help assess potential environmental and socio-economic impacts,as well as offer appropriate risk assessments,study designs,and monitoring timeframes.We conclude that nations should convene formal reviews using independent scientists as a form of peer review in the EIS process.

Tourism Ecological Security in Wuhan

The concept of ecological security stems from environmental security theory, and is generally used to evaluate the ecological security of land, water resources and the city. This study applies the Pressure-Station-Response （P-S-R） model and theory of ecological security with field research in 2010 to establish an index system for tourism ecological security evaluation. The findings show that tourism ecological security in Wuhan has increasingly improved from a comprehensive evaluation value of 5.8023 in 2004 to 6.459 in 2010, and has moved from a ＂sensitive＂ condition to ＂safe＂ condition. Ecological pressure and ecological response are negatively correlated, and the value of ecological response was below that of ecological pressure during the seven years. In order to make clear the impact factors affecting tourism ecological security in Wuhan, this paper summarizes ten limiting factors influencing tourism ecological security and makes several recommendations to improve tourism ecological security.

Influence of Ecological Technology Measures on the Annual Sediment Load of the Wuding River

The influence of ecological technology measures on the annual sediment loads of rivers complies with the principles of statistics. In this paper, the annual sediment load of the Wuding River is taken as the dependent variable and the rainfall, rainstorms during the flood period of the Wuding River and areas of ecological technology measures are taken as the independent variables to analyze the influence of ecological technology measures on the annual sediment load of the Wuding River during the years 1956 to 2007. This research uses a stepwise regression method. The result shows that 1） the non-linear regression equation composed of three independent variables including 7–8 monthly rainfalls along the Wuding River, areas of ecological technology measures and maximum daily rainfall along the Wuding River has been calculated and set up; the correlation coefficient is R2=0.857 and the significance level is α=0.001. 2） R2=0.717 is adjusted and the regression equation reveals a change of annual sediment load exceeding 71.7% over 52 years; 3） The standardized regression coefficient for ecological technology measure area has the maximum absolute value of the three independent variables shows maximum influence on the change of annual sediment load; and 4） Because of implementing the ecological technology measures, until to year of 2007, when the 7–8 monthly rainfall and maximum daily rainfall are the maximum values in the research section, the annual sediment load is calculated as 149 million ton, which is 36% of the maximum value in the history.

Distribution and Ecological Risk Evaluation of Organochlorine Pesticides in Sediments from Xinghua Bay,China

The concentrations of organochlorine pesticides （OCPs） in sediments from Xinghua （兴化） Bay, Fujian （福建） Province, China, were determined. The OCP concentrations ranged from 2.48 to 313.88ng/g, with a more serious contamination in the upper sediment. But the OCP concentration in the upper layer was less than that in the lower sediment at the exit of the bay due to the influence of the Coriolis force. At the joint of the internal and external bays, OCPs accumulated abundantly because of freshwater and seawater mingling. The isomer percentage combined with isomer ratios indicated that DDTs （dichlorodiphengltrichloroethanes） were mainly derived from long-term weather soils, while lindane was introduced recently to the bay. The rivers flowing into the bay contributed more to DDT and HCH （hexachlorocyclohexane） contamination, especially at low tide. Compared with the corresponding quality guidelines from Ingersoll, the sediments from Xinghua Bay were likely to pose biological impairment and should be taken into account.

Evaluating the Ecological Security of Land Resources based on Multi-source Data in the Altay Region of China

As a material carrier contributing to human survival and social sustainable development,the ecological environment is declining in its integrity and overall health.With the rapid development of society and economy,it is currently very necessary to carry out ecological security evaluation research to provide scientific guidance and suggestions for the construction of ecological civilization and the harmonious co-existence between man and nature.Taking Altay region as the research area,this paper collected and integrated regional geological,geographical,cultural,socio-economic,and statistical data,as well as previous research results.Combined with DPSIR and EES framework model,the evaluation index system of land resource ecological security in Altay region was constructed by using the analytic hierarchy process,entropy method and linear weighted summation function method.Using this index system,the evaluation research work was carried out to determine the current state of the security situation and the major threats which should be addressed.(1)The overall ecological security situation of Altay region was relatively safe,while the local ecological security situation was relatively fragile.Among them,the areas with safe and safer ecological environment accounted for 38.72%,while the areas with critically safe status accounted for 30.83%,and the areas with a less safe and unsafe environment accounted for 30.45%.In terms of spatial characteristics,the areas with unsafe ecological environment were mainly distributed in the west and east of the study area,while the areas with good ecological environment were distributed in the north of the study area.(2)Large-scale mining activities,frequent geological disasters,large-scale reclamation and long-term cultivation of arable land,and long-term large-scale grazing activities resulting in the destruction of grassland and vegetation were the main factors leading to the prominent ecological security problems of land resources in the Altay region.Therefore,in the process of the continuous development of the urban economy,we should pay more attention to the harmony between man and nature,and also actively and effectively advocate and implement certain policies and measures,such as returning farmland to forest,returning grazing land to grassland and integrating the mining of mineral resources.

Ecological Evaluation of Urban Development-A Case Study of the Pearl River Delta

Recent rapid industrialization and urbanization in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) is character-ized by broad geographical dispersion, diversities of scales and technological levels, and the proliferation of small-scale township and individual enterprises. Such a pattern of fast development has brought widespread environmental perturbation that is becoming difficult to contain or control. This study surveys the present environmental status in urban areas of PRD, assesses the trends of environmental quality, and evaluates the ecological impacts of development in the region.