Response of ecosystem carbon storage to land use change from 1985 to 2050 in the Ningxia Section of Yellow River Basin,China

Regional sustainable development necessitates a holistic understanding of spatiotemporal variations in ecosystem carbon storage(ECS),particularly in ecologically sensitive areas with arid and semi-arid climate.In this study,we calculated the ECS in the Ningxia Section of Yellow River Basin,China from 1985 to 2020 using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)model based on land use data.We further predicted the spatial distribution of ECS in 2050 under four land use scenarios:natural development scenario(NDS),ecological protection scenario(EPS),cultivated land protection scenario(CPS),and urban development scenario(UDS)using the patch-generating land use simulation(PLUS)model,and quantified the influences of natural and human factors on the spatial differentiation of ECS using the geographical detector(Geodetector).Results showed that the total ECS of the study area initially increased from 1985 until reaching a peak at 402.36×10^(6) t in 2010,followed by a decreasing trend to 2050.The spatial distribution of ECS was characterized by high values in the eastern and southern parts of the study area,and low values in the western and northern parts.Between 1985 and 2020,land use changes occurred mainly through the expansion of cultivated land,woodland,and construction land at the expense of unused land.The total ECS in 2050 under different land use scenarios(ranked as EPS>CPS>NDS>UDS)would be lower than that in 2020.Nighttime light was the largest contributor to the spatial differentiation of ECS,with soil type and annual mean temperature being the major natural driving factors.Findings of this study could provide guidance on the ecological construction and high-quality development in arid and semi-arid areas.

Integrated Application of RS and GIS to Agriculture Land Use Planning

This paper gives some guidelines of land use planning firstly.A framework of agriculture land use planning is designed based on land use suitability evaluation using integrated technologies of RS and GIS.Further work expected is also given.

Application of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System in Land Use and Land Cover Change

The integration and application of remote sensing （RS） and geographic in-formation system （GIS） in the study of the Land Use and Land Cover Change （LUCC） were summarized, as wel as researches on the monitoring dynamic changes in LUCC, driving force and application examples of the integration and the application of RS and GIS in simulation research. The methods and technical ap-proaches of RS and GIS in LUCC research were discussed. Views on the existing problems of the integration and the application of RS and GIS were put forward, and the future developing direction of LUCC technology was forecasted.

Spatial features of land use/land cover change in the United States

With the classifi cation data covering American land-use/land-cover (LUCC) with 30 m resolu tion from the project of National Land Cover Data (NLCD), we normalize d them and made their resolution changed into 1 km ×1 km, created the data of American land-use grade and analyzed the spatial distribution and featur es of American LUCC as well as the influence of population and altit ude on the land-use grade in light of methods of sampling analysis a nd correlation study. Based on the analysis, we concluded that forestr y and grassland, accounting for 71.24% of the whole country, has taken the main part of American land cover, and besides, construction and arable land has occupied 19.22% of the total land, the rest of land cover types, including water area, wetland and underdeveloped land, is 9. 54% of the country's total. The developing potential of American land resources is enormous with less destroyed and disturbed ecological environment. Although, in some sense, the population and altitude influence the sp atial variation of American land-use grade respectively, the influence of spatial variation of altitude and population density on that of la nd-use grade is not significanct.

Land use planning, sustainable food production and rural development: A literature analysis

In many countries agricultural land is a scarce resource, either due to natural conditions or because of competition over land. An increased need for food globally, changing environmental conditions and increased demand for environmentally sound agriculture and food systems, all require better integration of planning for rural land use and food production. A literature analysis was conducted including coding of 76 papers, to answer the question on how and to what extent, literature addresses the integration of land use policy and planning, and food system planning, in the context of sustainable rural development and agri-food production. The results indicate that land use and food system planning co-occur in literature, yet lacking the perspective of sustainable rural development, suggesting that integrated planning for sustainable rural land use and food systems needs to be strengthened. Food system research has largely focused on availability and access, or what can be associated with consumers, rather than rural land use. Likewise, the inclusion of food systems is neither common in rural land use planning nor in agricultural policies. Holistic planning for a sustainable food system may be suffering from a disjointed approach, e.g., planning for farmland may not have any links to planning for accessibility, consumer preferences or food marketing. Increased cooperation between stakeholders is necessary to break down the silos in the food system. Policies and plans for rural land use and agri-food production should be coordinated for the common goal of sustainability.

Spatially Heterogeneous Response of Carbon Storage to Land Use Changes in Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China

Carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems plays a vital role in advancing carbon neutrality. Better understanding of how land use changes affect carbon storage in urban agglomeration will provide valuable guidance for policymakers in developing effective regional conservation policies. Taking the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration(PRDUA) in China as an example, we examined the heterogeneous response of carbon storage to land use changes in 1990–2018 from a combined view of administrative units and physical entities. The results indicate that the primary change in land use was due to the expansion of construction land(5897.16 km2). The carbon storage in PRDUA decreased from 767.34 Tg C in 1990 to 725.42 Tg C in 2018 with a spatial pattern of high wings and the low middle. The carbon storage loss was largely attributed to construction land expansion(55.74%), followed by forest degradation(54.81%). Changes in carbon storage showed significant divergences in different sized cities and hierarchical boundaries. The coefficients of geographically weighted regression(GWR) reveal that the alteration in carbon storage in Guangzhou City was more responsive to changes in construction land(-0.11) compared to other cities, while that in Shenzhen was mainly affected by the dynamics of forest land(8.32). The change in carbon storage was primarily influenced by the conversion of farmland within urban extent(5.05) and the degradation of forest land in rural areas(5.82). Carbon storage changes were less sensitive to the expansion of construction land in the urban center, urban built-up area, and ex-urban built-up area, with the corresponding GWR coefficients of 0.19, 0.04, and 0.02. This study necessitates the differentiated protection strategies of carbon storage in urban agglomerations.

Land Use Changes in Himalaya and Their Impacts on Environment, Society and Economy: A Study of the Lake Region in Kumaon Himalaya, India

The traditional resource use structure in Himalaya has transformed considerably during the recent past, mainly owing to the growth of population and the resultant increased demand of natural resources in the region. This transformation in resource use practices is particularly significant in the densely populated tracts of Himalaya. As a result, cultivated land, forests, pastures and rangelands have been deteriorated and depleted steadily and significantly leading to their conversion into degraded and non-productive lands. These rapid land use changes have not only disrupted the fragile ecological equilibrium in the mountains through indiscriminate deforestation, degradation of land resources and disruption of the hydrological cycle, but also have significant and irreversible adverse impacts on the rural economy, society, livelihood and life quality of mountain communities. It has been observed that the agricultural production has declined, water sources are drying up fast due to decreased ground water recharge and a large number of villages are facing enormous deficit of critical resources, such as food, fodder, firewood and water, mainly due to unabated deforestation. As a result, the rural people, particularly the women, have to travel considerably long distances to collect fodder and firewood and to fetching water. It is therefore highly imperative to evolve a comprehensive and integrated land use framework for the conservation of the biophysical environment and sustainable development of natural resources in Himalaya. The land use policy would help local communities in making use of their natural resources scientifically and judiciously, and thus help in the conservation of the biophysical environment and in the increasing of the productivity of natural resources. The study indicates that conservation of forests and other critical natural resources through community participation, generation of alternative means of livelihood, and employment in rural areas can help increase rural income as well as restore ecosystem services.

An iterative approach to an integrated land use and transportation planning tool for small urban areas

There has been increasing interests in developing land use models for small urban areas for various planning applications such as air quality conformity analysis. The output of a land use model can serve as a major input to a transportation model; conversely, transportation model output can provide a critical input to a land use model. The connection between the two models can be achieved by an accessibility measure. This paper presents an iterative approach to solving a regression-based land use model and a transportation model with combined trip distribution- assignment. A case study using data from a small urban area is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed modeling framework. Tests show that the procedures can converge, and the modeling framework can be a valuable tool for planners and decision-makers in evaluating land use policies and transportation investment strategies.

Relationship Between Land Use Changes and the Production of Dust Sources in Kermanshah Province,Iran

Recognizing land use changes(LUC)and evaluating their relationship with producing dust sources are considered effective to manage the environment.Taking Kermanshah Province,Iran as study area,dusty days from 2008 to 2015 were selected and dust sources were identified applying thermal-infrared dust index(TDI),hybrid single-particle lagrangian integrated trajectory(HYSPLIT),false color composite(FCC)and true color composite(TCC)of MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)images.Afterwards,the land use change map was produced using Landsat images in 2000 and 2015.Then,the distribution and frequency of the sources in each land-use change class and important dust production areas were specified.Eventually,two non-parametric tests including Chisquare and Kruskal-Wallis were applied to examine the relationship between LUC and dust sources.Results indicated that the distribution of dust sources was not identical in the study area,and the sources were mainly generated in the areas where land-use change had occurred.In fact,different classes of LUC have different contributions to dust production,and the highest contribution refers to the deflation in gentle slope areas and lowlands where the rangeland has been converted into agriculture land.The findings from this study are useful to manage and control dust in the identified sources.

Development of land use transitions research in China

With the introduction of the concept of land use transition into China,related researches have been carried out extensively in the past two decades,which enrich the knowledge of land system science.This paper describes the development of research on land use transitions in China from the perspectives of conceptual connotations,theoretical model,research methods,and research progress and prospects.With the in-depth investigation of land use transitions,the concept and connotations of land use morphology are developed and encapsulated as two kinds,i.e.,dominant morphology and recessive morphology.The dominant morphology refers to the land use structure of a certain region over a certain period of time,with features such as the quantity and spatial pattern of land use types.While the recessive morphology includes the land use features in the aspects of quality,property rights,management mode,input,output and function.Accordingly,the concept of land use transition is further developed,and the theoretical model of regional land use transitions is established.Thereafter,three innovative integrated approaches to study land use transitions are put forward,i.e.,multidisciplinary research framework for recessive land use transition,transect and horizontal comparison.To date,there have been 62 Ph.D.and 166 M.S.dissertations on the topic of"land use transition"in China.During 2002–2019,the National Natural Science Foundation of China has funded 48 research programs on the theme of"land use transition".As such,the Chinese scholars have adapted the concept derived from western literature to the situations and experiences in China.

Land use transition and rural spatial governance: Mechanism, framework and perspectives

The pattern for utilization of rural space is closely related to rural transformationdevelopment (RTD). The problem of rural space utilization is an important manifestation of theuncoordinated relationship between land use patterns and rural development status during atransformation period. Considering the rural space utilization issue, this article seeks to analyzethe interaction mechanisms between land use transition (LUT) and rural spatial governanceand then build a rural spatial governance analysis framework based on LUT. Also, thepaper explores the internal relationship between rural spatial governance and rural vitalizationand discusses the research prospective of the interaction. The study found that: (1) Ruralspace utilization has systemic problems such as limited development space, ill-defined ownershipand poor organization, which have become important obstacles for rural development.(2) The uncoordinated relationship between LUT and RTD is an important reason for the dilemmasurrounding rural space utilization. (3) The LUT provides a basis for determining thetiming of rural spatial governance, specifying spatial governance objectives, and clarifyingrural spatial governance methods. (4) The construction of a comprehensive analysis frameworkof “matter-ownership-organization” of rural space based on the LUT has created conditionsfor the orderly promotion of rural spatial governance. (5) Rural spatial governance whichfacilitates the integration of urban-rural development is an important foundation for rural vitalization.(6) Interaction analysis of LUT, RTD and rural spatial governance is conducive tofacilitating research on the operational mechanism of rural regional systems and to expandingthe research field of rural geography.

Integrating global socio-economic influences into a regional land use change model for China

With rapid economic development and urba- nization, land use in China has experienced huge changes in recent years; and this will probably continue in the future. Land use problems in China are urgent and need further study. Rapid land-use change and economic development make China an ideal region for integrated land use change studies, particularly the examination of multiple factors and global-regional interactions in the context of global economic integration. This paper presents an integrated modeling approach to examine the impact of global socio-economic processes on land use changes at a regional scale. We develop an integrated model system by coupling a simple global socio-economic model （GLOBFOOD） and regional spatial allocation model （CLUE）. The model system is illustrated with an application to land use in China. For a given climate change, population growth, and various socio-economic situations, a global socio-economic model simulates the impact of global market and economy on land use, and quantifies changes of different land use types. The land use spatial distribution model decides the type of land use most appropriate in each spatial grid by employing a weighted suitability index, derived from expert knowledge abot^t the ecosystem state and site conditions. A series of model simulations will be conducted and analyzed to demonstrate the ability of the integrated model to link global socio- economic factors with regional land use changes in China. The results allow an exploration of the future dynamics of land use and landscapes in China.

Remote sensing and GIS for land use/cover mapping and integrated land management： case from the middle Ganga plain

In India, land resources have reached a critical stage due to the rapidly growing population. This challenge requires an integrated approach toward harnes- sing land resources, while taking into account the vulnerable environmental conditions. Remote sensing and Geographical Information System （GIS） based technologies may be applied to an area in order to generate a sustainable development plan that is optimally suited to the terrain and to the productive potential of the local resources. The present study area is a part of the middle Ganga plain, known as Son-Karamnasa interfluve, in India. Alternative land use systems and the integration of livestock enterprises with the agricultural system have been suggested for land resources management. The objective of this paper is to prepare a land resource development plan in order to increase the productivity of land for sustainable development. The present study will contribute necessary input for policy makers to improve the socio-eeonomic and environmental conditions of the region.

The consequences of uncertainties in land use, climate and vegetation responses on the terrestrial carbon

The IPCC SRES narratives were implemented in IMAGE 2.2 to evaluate thefuture condition of the climate system (including the biosphere). A series of scenario experiments was used to assess possible ranges in emissions and concentrations of greenhouse gases, climate change and impacts. These experiments focussed on the role of the terrestrial carbon cycle. The experiments show that the SRES narratives dominate human emissions and not natural processes. In contrary, atmospheric CO2 concentration strongly differs between the experiments. Atmospheric CO2 concentrations range for A1B from 714 to 1009 ppmv CO2 in 2100. The spread of this range is comparable with the full SRES range as implemented in IMAGE 2.2 (515-895 μmol/mol CO2). The most important negative and positive feedback processes in IMAGE 2.2 on the build-up of CO2 concentrations are CO2 fertilisation and soil respiration respectively. Indirect effects of these processes furtherchange land-use patterns, deforestation rates and alter the natural C fluxes. The cumulative effects of these changes have a pronounced influence on the final CO2 concentrations. Our scenario experiments highlight the importance of a proper parameterisation of feedback processes, C-cycle and land use in determining the future states of the climate system.

The Land-Use Consequences of Woody Biomass with More Stringent Climate Mitigation Scenarios

Integrated assessment models increasingly rely on biomass for energy with ever more stringent mitigation policies. The stringency of mitigation will therefore have large effects on land use. As discussed in the literature, crop bio-energy will lead to substantial pressure to increase deforestation. This paper consequently explores using woody biomass for bioenergy. The paper combines the IAM WITCH with a global dynamic forestry model GTM to determine the optimal size of the woody biomass market, the effects on the timber market, and the resulting forestland under two alternative mitigation strategies. This paper predicts that moving from a moderate to a stringent mitigation policy would increase the demand for woody biomass from 3.7 to 5.2 billion m3/yr, increasing forestland by 1049 to 1890 million ha, and shrinking farmland by 748 to 1550 million ha. The stringency of mitigation will therefore have large effects on land use.

“Three-Plan Integration”: Exploring the Order and Regulation Capacity of Spatial Planning

China's spatial planning system has a tradition of prioritizing vertical control over horizontal coordination, which leads to conflicts among various plans for one area. This has brought many problems to the spatial management of Chinese cities. Since socio-economic development plan, urban-rural plan, and land use plan are the three major elements of China's spatial planning system, conflicts among them can be taken as an intensified case of the system's problems, and the practice of three-plan integration should focus on bridging the gaps and solving conflicts among them, so as to eventually eliminate predicaments to China's spatial planning. Currently, due to influences of the actual law and governance systems, threeplan integration is largely a sort of government-led planning coordination dedicated to urban-rural spatial development. In the context of China's constantly deepened political and economic system reforms, three-plan integration, together with the extended multi-plan integration, will surely play an important role in the construction and exploration of China's spatial planning system.

Visualizing Relationships between Drivers of Environmental Change and Pressures on Land-Based Ecosystems

The pursuit of human needs and demands is placing more pressure on land resources than ever before. The challenge of feeding 7 billion people is increasingly competing with rising demands for materials and biofuels. Deforestation and land degradation are among the pressing outcomes of these trends. Drivers of environmental change—including population growth, economic activity, consumption, urbanization, trade, conflict, and governance—clearly play a role in aggravating or mitigating these pressures on land. Despite advances in understanding causality in complex systems, navigating the interactions between these drivers remains a major challenge. This paper analyzes and visualizes the relationships between multiple, interacting drivers of environmental change and specific pressures on land-based ecosystems. Drawing on experience from the development of the Drivers and Land chapters of the UN Environment Programme’s Fifth Global Environment Outlook report (GEO-5), we use a series of Kiviat diagrams to illustrate the relative influence of key drivers on selected pressures on land. When individual diagrams are overlaid, patterns of influence emerge that can provide insight into where policy responses might best be targeted. We propose that, subject to some limitations, the Kiviat exercise can provide an accessible and potentially valuable “knowledge-intermediary” tool to help link science-based information to policy action.

Catchment Management and Its Effects on Arable Lands of Zimbabwe: A Look beyond the Fast Track Land Reform Program

This study was carried out in selected districts of Mashonaland East and Central provinces of Zimbabwe in 2011 to determine the effects of soil erosion on arable lands and how this related to catchment management. Results show that the highest contribution is 53% and is obtained from arable land codes 5 and 7. These fields show signs of excessive sheet and gully erosion. The least contribution is 0.8% and this is on arable land codes 3, 4 and 8. These fields have properly done conservation works existing. 33% of the assessed arable lands have conservation works in place whilst 67% are not protected and as such the fields are eroded. Soil erosion results in the washing away of the precious top soil, responsible for plant growth and infiltration of rain or irrigation water. This reduces the usefulness of such affected arable lands as crops grown on it can’t thrive due to lack of soil fertility. The paper recommends that government policies focus more on promoting sustainable land use through integrated catchment area management. This will go a long way in achieving sustainable development in Zimbabwe.

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Changes and Driving Forces of Ecosystem Services of Zhejiang Coasts,China,Under Sustainable Development Goals

Ecosystem services(ESs)refer to the continuous provisioning of ecosystem goods and services that benefit human beings.Over recent decades,rapid urbanization has exerted significant pressure on coastal ecosystems,resulting in biodiversity and habitat loss,environmental pollution,and the depletion of natural resources.In response to these environmental challenges,the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)were proposed.Given the pressing need to address these issues,understanding the changes in ESs under the SDGs is crucial for formulating specific ecological strategies.In this study,we first analyzed land use and cover change in the Zhejiang coasts of China during 2000–2020.Then,we investigated the spatiotemporal configuration of ESs by integrating carbon storage(CS),soil retention(SR),habitat quality(HQ)and water yield(WY)using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs(InVEST)model.The driving mechanisms of ESs,which varied by space and time,were also explored using the Geo-detector method.The results revealed that,over the past two decades:1)the Zhejiang coasts have experienced a significant increase of 2783.72 km^(2) in built-up land areas and a continuous decrease in farmland areas due to rapid urbanization;2)owing to higher precipitation,extensive vegetation cover,and reduced anthropogenic disturbances,forests emerge as a crucial land use type for maintaining ecosystem services such as HQ,CS,WY,and SR;3)ESs have generally declined across the entire Zhejiang coasts,with a significant decrease observed in the northern areas and an increase in the southern areas spatially;4)the expansion of built-up land areas emerged as the primary factor affecting ecosystem services,while the vegetation factor has been increasingly significant and is expected to become predominant in the near future.Our study provides insights of understanding of ecosystem service theory and emphasizing the importance of preserving biodiversity for long-term sustainable development,and valuable scientific references to support the ecological management decision-making for local governments.

重庆市国家级农用地分等汇总前后等别分布规律

为了验证全国农用地分等汇总成果与原省级成果分布规律的一致性与继承性,以及汇总成果与区域本底资源匹配程度的差异程度,该文以重庆市为例,采用统计分析法和综合分析法,对重庆市农用地等别转换前后的成果进行对比研究,并分析其国家级自然等别、利用等别和经济等别的分布规律与标准耕作制度、土壤和海拔的关系。结果表明,通过以省级成果的标准粮产量作为等别的转化纽带,成功实现了省级自然等、利用等和经济等向国家级相应等别的成果转化;转化后结果显示,国家相应等别的面积比例分布规律与重庆市等别面积比例一致;转化后的国家农用地等别与区域的标准耕作制度、土壤和海拔的分析表明,在重庆市2个标准耕作制度分区内,水田类的自然等别要高于旱地类的自然等别,2个标准耕作制度间相比,渝西方山丘陵区和渝东南方低、中山区的自然等别要高于渝中平行岭谷低山区和渝东北中山区的自然等别;国家农用地自然等别、利用等别和经济等别分布与有效土层厚度、土壤有机质质量分数呈正相关,而与海拔高度呈负相关。农用地分等国家级汇总成果继承了原市级成果的等别序列,并且实现了农用地分等成果的全国统一可比,国家农用地分等汇总技术方法为实现全国统一可比的农用地分等提供了依据。