Enhancement of the Beauty of Human Landscape Based on Metro Artistic Dimension： A Case Study of Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3 of Xi＇an Metro

As a means of transportation to reduce traffic congestion, the metro has drawn increasing attention. In order to effectively enhance the beauty of the city's human landscape, authors of this paper, based on the public art dimension of metro, explore the artistic expression, problems, and countermeasures related to the enhancement of the beauty of human landscape, and solutions to the common failing of metropolises in the evolution of urban civilization, so as to optimize and spread the urban culture. It is hoped that this paper can cover the shortage of relevant domestic and international studies and provide a theoretical reference for the majority of man-made landscape researchers.

Are spatial distributions of major elements in soil influenced by human landscapes?

The present study attempted to evaluate the influence of human activity on major elements （Na2O, MgO, A1203, SiO2, K2O, CaO, Fe203）, and to find a method to explore correlations between major elements and human disturbances, according to geospatial theories and methods. The study results indicate that landscapes influence major elements in diverse ways： Al2O3 is closely related to road and mine landscapes; strong relationships exist between MgO, Fe2O3, CaO, and SiO2 and roads; Na2O, SiO2, and Fe2O3 are unrelated to city landscapes; and Na2O is unrelated to road and mine landscapes.

Carbon stocks in a highly fragmented landscape with seasonally dry tropical forest in the Neotropics

Background:Global modeling of carbon storage and sequestration often mischaracterizes unique ecosystems such as the seasonally dry tropical forest of the central region of the Gulf of Mexico,because species diversity is usually underestimated,as is their carbon content.In this study,aboveground and soil carbon stocks were estimated to determine the climate mitigation potential of this highly degraded landscape(<25%of forest cover).Results:Tree species in the study area had carbon content values that were 30%–40%higher than the standard value proposed by the IPCC(i.e.,50%).Tropical oak forest in the region,despite its restricted distribution and low species richness,accounted for the highest mean carbon stocks per unit area.The main factors driving spatial variability in carbon stocks were:maximum precipitation,soil organic matter,clay and silt content.No strong relationship was found between aboveground carbon stocks and soil organic carbon in the study area.Quanti-fication of carbon stocks is an important consideration in the assessment of the conservation value of remnants of native vegetation in human-modified landscapes.Conclusions:This study demonstrates the importance of the highly fragmented tropical dry regions of the Neo-tropics in maintaining landscape functionality and providing key ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration.Our results also highlight how crucial field-based studies are for strengthening the accuracy of global models.Furthermore,this approach reveals the real contribution of ecosystems that are not commonly taken into account in the mitigation of climate change effects.

Human Landscape Construction on Campus: A Case Study of Colleges and Universities in Northwestern Anhui

This paper selected colleges and universities in northwestern Anhui for research to analyze the current situation of human landscape construction on campus in northwestern Anhui and discuss the deficiency in the human landscape construction on campus in northwestern Anhui. It also proposed principles that should be followed in the human landscape construction on campus as well as optimization measures to create a harmonious campus full of humanity, with a view to providing a reference for the human landscape construction on campus in northwestern Anhui.

Conception of Planning Scheme of Zijingang West Campus of Zhejiang University

This paper, by introducing the conception of planning scheme of Zijingang West Campus of Zhejiang University, expounds how to integrate the traditional "human landscape" spirit into the planning and design of the modern campus, so as to create a personalized campus where cultural traditions are complementary to natural atmosphere. In this paper, with the campus planning and design as an extension as well as the blending and symbiosis between urban historical culture and natural scenery as the focus of attention, the Chinese thinking pattern stressing prefect harmony and in-depth dialogue between culture and nature is expected to be applied to the construction of modern cities to build and improve the "Shanshui city" planning system so that the planning concept that Chinese thought, "unity of man and nature", is used to build modern cities is carried forward.

Unintended consequences of rangeland conservation structures

By the 1930's vast areas of the western US were severely degraded by overgrazing and erosion.In response,Congress authorized conservation work including the construction of erosion control and water storage,distribution,and conveyance structures.Thousands of structures such as check dams,water spreaders,and contour berms were built during the 1930s and 40s to control water and sediment in an attempt to restore degraded rangelands.However,across most of the western US,these soil and water conservation measures were implemented without the benefit of local hydrologic data or technical design guidance.Many of the established conservation practices had been developed for humid regions and were untested for use in semiarid areas that are characterized by highly variable rainfall and flash floods.As a result,many structures proved ineffective and were subsequently abandoned.Even in cases where structures were effective,many never received maintenance after their initial construction.Although structurally compromised,abandoned and unmaintained structures continue to alter surface runoff patterns and can greatly exacerbate erosion.Four sites in Arizona,USA were selected to charac-terize the multi-decadal impacts of conservation structures.Breaches have formed in 100%of contour berms(n=67)while 96%of water spreader berms(n=26)were compromised.Localized failures in these structures has created concentrated flow paths that reorganized routing of runoff and sediment thus transforming sheetflow regimes to concentrated flow regimes.This study emphasizes the unin-tended legacy impacts of soil and water conservation structures and highlights their role as a potential constraint on contemporary resource management.