Modeling the relationship of land use change and some geophysical indicators for the interlock area of farming and pasturing in China

This paper discusses land-use changes in the interlock area of farming and pasturing (IAFP) in northern China. It presents detailed analyses of land-use features in the IAFP, which are controlled by the macro geomorphic units and geophysical conditions-constraints or advantages. Additionally, it selects some indicators, according to the availability in acquiring and processing their quantitative data, to analyze the canonical correlations between the typical conversion of grassland and geophysical conditions. The preliminary study indicates that the physical conditions are of great advantages to the development of grassland. There exists significant correlation between land use change and some geophysical conditions.

Study on Sustainable Development in Vulnerable Eco-areas

The vulnerable eco-area is one of the important research targets in the field of sustainable development. It is the requirement of building a well-off society in an all-round way that we should study more on the vulnerable eco-areas, deal with the relationship between environmental protection and economic development, speed up the economic development in these areas and increase the living standard of the local people. This paper puts forward the countermeasures of environment---economy coordination, on the basis of the recognition of eco-environment features and social economic conditions in the vulnerable eco-areas of China, in view of the progress in sustainable development studies of the vulnerable ones, taking the transitional areas of farming and pasturing in northeast China as an example to study the regional environment vulnerability.

Adaptive evolution of the rural human-environment system in farming and pastoral areas of northern China from 1952-2017

The theory on the cyclic adaptation between society and ecosystems sheds new light on the evolution and internal structure of human–environment systems.This paper introduces the risk index(RI)and adaptation capacity index(ACI)to evaluate the rural human–environment system.An evaluation index system for the adaptability of rural human–environment systems is configured in the context of climate change and policy implementation.On this basis,the stages,features,dominant control factors,and evolution mechanism were examined vis-à-vis the adaptability of the rural human–environment system in Darhan Muminggan Joint Banner from 1952 to 2017.The main results are as follows:(1)The evolution of the rural human–environment system can be divided into three stages,namely,the reorganization and rapid development stage(1952–2002)with population,cultivated land,livestock and degraded grassland increasing by 260%,13%,134%and 16.33%,respectively.The rapid to stable development stage(2003–2010)with population increasing by 2.8%;cultivated land,livestock and degraded grassland decreasing by 2.3%,13.6%and 10.7%,respectively.The stable to release stage(2011–2017)with population,cultivated land,livestock and degraded grassland decreasing by 2.6%,0.2%,10.6%and 3.8%,respectively.(2)With the passage of time,the ACI of the rural human–environment system first increased slightly(–0.016–0.031),followed by a slight decline(0.031–0.003),and culminating in a rapid increase(0.003–0.088).In terms of spatial patterns,adaptability is high in the middle,moderate in the north,and low in the south.(3)The evolution of adaptability in the rural human–environment system was mainly controlled by the per capita effective irrigation area(22.31%)and the per capita number of livestock(23.47%)from 1990 to 2000,the desertified area(25.06%)and the land use intensity(21.27%)from 2000 to 2005,and the per capita income of farmers and herdsmen(20.08%)and the per capita number of livestock(18.52%)from 2010 to 2007.(4)Under the effects of climate change and policy interventions,the cyclic adaptation of the rural human–environment system was propelled by the interactions between two kinds of subjects:farmers and herdsmen on the one hand and rural communities on the other hand.The interaction affects the adaptive behavior of the two kinds of subjects,which in turn drives the cyclic evolution of the system.As a result,the system structure and functions developed alternatively between coordinated and uncoordinated states.Small-scale adaptive behaviors of farmers and herdsmen have a profound impact on the evolution of the rural human–environment system.

Analysis of Division of Beibei Agro-climatic Zones

[Objective] The aim was to analyze and explore division of agro-climatic zones of Beibei District in Chongqing municipality. [Method] According to major triple-cropping crops in Beibei District, such as wheat （spring and winter）, rice （midmaturation early season rice, later-maturation early rice, later-maturation late rice and middle-season rice）, heat demanded by rapeseed, different cultivation methods and cultivation regions with different crop varieties, the accumulated temperatures in four cultivation regions featured by special cultivation methods and variety-matching are concluded. Based on average and accumulated temperatures in different locations in 30 y and other factors, such as terrain, elevation, rainfall and soil property, Beibei District can be classified into four agro-climatic zones. [Result] Four cultivation regions are as follows： the 1st cultivation region where accumulated temperature in T y is ≥6 530 ℃, the 2nd cultivation region where 6 530 ℃ accumulated temperature in T y≥6 350 ℃, the 3rd cultivation region where 6 530 ℃ accumulated temperature in T y≥5 990 ℃, and the 4th cultivation region where accumulated temperature in T y is ≤5 990 ℃. Beibei District can be classified into four agro-climatic zones, involving lower hill temperate zone, higher hill temperate zone, single-slope lower hills and karst temperate zone, and lower ridge cool zone. [Conclusion] Based on characters of four agro-climatic zones and accumulated temperatures required in four cultivation regions, agro-climatic zones can be classified in Beibei District, providing references for rational arrangement of crops and is of significance for stabilization of agricultural production, improvement of crops and increase of farmers’ income.

Soil Acidity： Is It a Problem in Large Scale Commercial Farms in Zimbabwe？

A study was conducted to identify the causes of low crop yield on a large scale commercial farm in Zimbabwe. Soil and water samples were collected from fields （0-60 cm） and the dam used for irrigation, respectively. Soil samples were analysed for soil fertility characteristics while the water was analysed for irrigation quality. The soils on the farm were heavy, ranging from sand loams to sand clays and fertile （〉 40 mg kgl N and 〉 20 mg kg1 available P） indicating high fertilizer utilization. It was also noted that 50% of the fields on the farm had soil pH below 5.0 despite having high basic cation （Ca = 10-18 meq% and Mg = 4-7 meq%）. A similar trend was observed down the soil profile （30-60 cm）. The soil also had extremely high concentration of iron （〉 200 ppm）, manganese （〉 400 ppm） and sulphate （〉 4000 ppm）. These findings suggest that the extreme acidity under these soils is the outcome of the exposure of pyrite to moisture and air by tillage of the land. The water used for irrigation was established to be medium saline and alkaline （pH 〉 7.6）. This pyrite induced acidity could not be neutralised by the water from the dam and the high exchangeable bases in the soil. Such problems can possibly be managed by growing tolerant crops. Soil testing on commercial farms is vital for identifying such problems in commercial farms in Zimbabwe.

Assessment of Coffea Shade Value through Comparison of Mountainous Area with Farm Land Coverage,in Arsi Gololcha District,Oromia,Ethiopia

Coffea cultivation with shade tree is used for improving soil health,increasing coffea production,sustaining agro ecology.The study was attended in two kebele,on 36 farmers’fields,at Gololcha district of East Arsi zone.The study was intended to assess the influence of coffea shade trees on farm lands versus mountainous area.Household interviews were used to get imperative separately,i.e.from old farmers,middle age farmers and young farmers.Significant difference value was observed between farm land and mountainous area coverage.Based on this respondents’idea,before 25-30 years;the‘condition of tree coverage at mountainous’area in Arsi Gololcha district was‘medium condition’but not normal that means as deforestation of mountainous area have been starting before 30 years’time;while the condition of tree coverage at farmland area also has been starting before 30 years’time.The third respondents’idea was interpreted with the real situation of the district,that it gave us a constructive inspiration on the role of coffea shade tree to enable the farm land to be taken as regular natural forest.The existing coffea shade trees are Cordia africana followed by Erythrina abyssinica and Acacia senegal.Farmers accounted 95%of coffea shade users and 4.6%without shade users.The respondents said that even if the rainfall intensity is increasing at farmland rather than mountainous area occasionally due to shade tree effect.On the contrary side,mountainous area exposed to deforestation since the farmers have been shifting to hilly side for their livelihood dependency.

Characteristics of nonpoint source pollution load from crop farming in the context of livelihood diversification

Based on objective data collected from interviews in typical villages of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, the present study devised three livelihood scenarios related to rural transformation development： agriculturally dominant livelihood, multiple-type livelihood and non-agriculturally dominant livelihood. Moreover, the present study reports the trend characteristics of nonpoint source pollution load of crop farming in relation to the transformation of dominant livelihood types, and discussed the primary factors which affect livelihood type transformations. Results indicated the following：（1） The current farmland pattern shows a trend of diversification as self-cultivation, cropland transfer and fallow in the sample region. Dynamic characteristics of cultivated land present a special feature that is more ＂transfer-into＂ than ＂transfer-out＂. Various scales of planting are represented among the various households, according to the following decreasing order： half-labor household ＆gt; non-labor household ＆gt; adequate labor household.（2） The highest pollution loading produced by crop farming occurs in half-labor households while the lowest occurs in non-labor households. With increasing labor, the pollution load per unit area tends to first increase and then decrease within families with enough labor.（3） As the type of livelihood transitions from agriculturally dominant to non-agriculturally dominant, the maximum reduction of total pollution loading produced by the agricultural industry can reach 72.01%. Compared to agriculturally dominant livelihoods, multiple-type livelihoods produce a pollution load reduction yield of 19.61%-29.85%, and non-agriculturally dominant livelihoods reduce the pollution load yield by 35.20%-72.01%. However, the rate of reduction of total nitrogen is not the same as total phosphorus.（4） The non-agricultural characteristics of labor allocation and income promote the transformation from dominant livelihood types to non-agricultural livelihoods, while potential revenue conversion follows a similar trend. In addition, different household types do not display identical conversion rates, according to the following decreasing order： enough labor household ＆gt; half-labor household ＆gt; non-labor household.（5） During rapid urbanization and the building of new industrial systems, the livelihood types of rural households have been further transformed to off-farm household types in the mountainous region; this process will lead to the further reduction of pollution load generated by planting and agriculture. Hence, significant decreases in the planting pollution load necessitate the development of control measures to enhance transformations from agricultural to off-farm livelihoods.

Land use transitions and their dynamic mechanism: The case of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain

Land use transition refers to changes in land use morphology, including dominant morphology and recessive morphology, of a particular region over a period of time driven by various factors. Recently, issues related to land use transition in China have attracted interest among a wide variety of researchers as well as government officials. This paper examines the patterns of land use transition and their dynamic mechanism in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain during 2000-2010. First, the spatio-temporal patterns of land use transition, their character- istics and the laws governing them were analyzed. Second, based on the established con- ceptual framework for analyzing the dynamic mechanism of land use transition, a spatial econometric regression analysis method was used to analyze the dynamic mechanism of the five types of major land use transition in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain at the county level. Land use pattern changes in the study area were characterized by an increase in construction land, water body and forested land, along with a decrease in farmland, unused land and grassland. The changes during 2000-2005 were much more significant than those during 2005-2010. In terms of factors affecting land use transitions, natural factors form the basis, and they have long-term effects. Socio-economic factors such as population and GDP, however, tend to determine the direction, structure, size and layout of land use transition over shorter time periods. Land law and policy factors play a mandatory guiding and restraining role in land use transitions, so as to improve the overall efficiency of land use. Land engineering is also an important tool to control land use transitions. In general, the five types of major land use transition were the result of the combined action of various physical, social and economic factors, of which traffic condition and location condition had the most significant effects, i.e. they were the common factors in all land use transitions. Understanding the spatio-temporal process of land use transitions and their dynamic mechanisms is an important foundation for utilizing land resources, protecting regional ecological environment and promoting sustain- able regional socio-economic development.