Sand-dust storms in China: temporal-spatial distribution and tracks of source lands

Sand-dust storm is a special natural disaster that frequently occurs in deserts and their surrounding areas. With the data published onSurface Meteorological Monthly Bulletin andSurface Chart during 1971–1996, the temporal-spatial distribution and annual variation of sand-dust storms are analyzed on the basis of the case study of atmospheric processes. Furthermore, the tracks and source areas of sand-dust storms are determined with the aid of GIS. The results show that except some parts of Qinghai Province and Inner Mongolia as well as Beijing, sand-dust storms decrease apparently in time and space in recent decades in China. Sand-dust storms occur most frequently in spring, especially in April. According to their source areas, sand-dust storms are classified into two types, i.e., the inner-source and outer-source sand-dust storms. Most of the outer-source sand-dust storms move along the north and west tracks. The north-track outer-source sand-dust storms always intrude into China across the Sino-Mongolian border from Hami, a city in the eastern part ofXinjiang, to Xilin Gol, a league in Inner Mongolia, while the west-track ones intrude into China from both southern and northern Xinjiang. The source lands of inner-source sand-dust storms concentrate in the Taklimakan Desert and its surrounding areas in southern Xinjiang, southern part of the Junggar Basin in north of Xinjiang, the Hexi Corridor in western Gansu Province, the dry deserts of Inner Mongolia and the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai.

Investigation of Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Snow Cover by Using Satellite Imagery (Case Study: Sheshpirdam Basin)

About one third of the water needed for agriculture in the world is generated by melting snow. Snow cover, surface and ground water recharge are considered as sustainable and renewable resources. It is therefore necessary to identify and study these criteria. The aim of this study is to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of snow cover in the district of the Sheshpir basin in Fars province (in south of Iran). Ground-based observation of snow covers, especially in mountainous areas, is associated with many problems due to the insufficient accuracy of optical observation, as opposed to digital observation. Therefore, GIS and remote sensing technology can be partially effective in solving this problem. Images of Landsat 5TM and Landsat 7TM satellites were used to derive snow cover maps. The images in ENVI 4.8 software were classified by using the maximum likelihood algorithm. Other spatial analyses were performed in ARC-GIS 9.3 software. The maximum likelihood method was accuracy assessed by operation points of testing. The least and the average of overall accuracy of produced maps were found to be 91% and 98%, respectively. This demonstrates that the maximum likelihood method has high performance in the classification of images. Overall snow cover and the review of terrain through the years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 showed that snow cover begins to accumulate in November and reaches its highest magnitude in February. Finally, no trace of snow can be observed on the surface of the basin in the month of May. By average, 34% of the basin is covered in snow from November through to May.

Multifractal characteristics and spatial variability of soil particle-size distribution in different land use patterns in a small catchment of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,China

Characterizing soil particle-size distribution is a key measure towards soil property.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the multifractal characteristics of soil particle-size distribution among different land-use from a purple soil catchment and to generalize the spatial variation trend of multifractal parameters across the catchment.A total of 84 soil samples were collected from four kinds of land use patterns(dry land,orchard,paddy,and forest)in an agricultural catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region,China.The multifractal analysis method was applied to quantitatively characterize the soil particle size distribution.Six soil particle size distribution(PSD)multifractal parameters(D(0),D(1),D(2),(35)a(q),(35)f[a(q)],α(0))were computed.Additionally,a geostatistical analysis was employed to reveal the spatial differentiation and map the spatial distribution of these parameters.Evident multifractal characteristics were found.The trend of generalized dimension spectrum of four land use patterns was basically consistent with the range of 0.8 to 2.0.However,orchard showed the largest monotonic decline,while the forest demonstrated the smallest decrease.D(0)of the four land use patterns were ranked as:dry land<orchard<forest<paddy,the order of D(1)was:dry land<paddy<orchard<forest,D(2)presented a rand-size relationship as dry land<forest<paddy<orchard.Furthermore,all land-use patterns presented asΔf[α(q)]<0.The rand-size relationship ofα(0)was same as D(0).The best-fitting model for D(0),D(1),D(2)andΔf[α(q)]was spherical model,forΔα(q)was gaussian model,and forα(0)was exponential model with structure variance ratio was 1.03%,49.83%,0.84%,1.48%,22.20%and 10.60%,respectively.The results showed that soil particles of each land use pattern were distributed unevenly.The multifractal parameters under different land use have significant differences,except forΔα(q).Differences in the composition of soil particles lead to differences in the multifractal properties even though they belong to the same soil texture.Farming behavior may refine particles and enhance the heterogeneity of soil particle distribution.Our results provide an effective reference for quantifying the impact of human activities on soil system in the Three Gorges Reservoir region.

The Spatial and Temporal Variation Characteristics of CH₄and CO₂Emission Flux under Different Land Use Types in the Yellow River Delta Wetland

The Yellow River Delta Wetland is one of the youngest wetlands, and also the most complete, extensive wetlands in China. The wetland in this delta is ecologically important due to their hydrologic attributes and their roles as ecotones between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In the study, the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of CH4 and CO2 emission flux under five kinds of land use types in the wetland were investigated. The results indicated that the greenhouse gas emission flux, especially the CO2 and CH4, showed distinctly spatial and temporal variation under different land use types in the wetland. In the spring, the emission flux of CO2 was higher than that of CO2 in the autumn, and appeared negative in HW3 and HW4 in the autumn. CH4 emission flux of HW4 and HW5 was negative in the spring and autumn, which indicated that the CH4 emission process was net absorption. Among the five kinds of land use types, the CO2 emission flux of HW4 discharged the largest emission flux reaching 29.3 mg.m-2.h-1, but the CH4 emission flux of HW2 discharged the largest emission flux reaching 0.15 mg.m-2.h-1. From the estuary to the inland, the emission flux of CO2 was decreased at first and then appeared increasing trend, but the emission flux of CH4 was contrary to CO2.

Inferring Spatial Distribution Patterns in Web Maps for Land Cover Mapping

Web maps represent an effective source for land cover mapping in capturing human activities.However,due to spatial heterogeneity,previous research has mainly focused on generating land cover maps in partial areas.Inferring spatial distribution patterns in Web maps may provide an alternative perspective on improving map production on a larger scale.This paper represents a novel approach to investigating the spatial distribution in Web maps for land cover mapping.First,linear features from Web maps are utilised to delineate parcels with insufficient Web map data for classification.Then,spatial factors are constructed from point and polygon features to identify the spatial variety of Web maps,with an artificial neural network classifier being adopted to classify land cover automatically.Land cover mapping is finally proposed by combining classified parcels and existing polygon features.The proposed method is applied in Guangzhou,Guangdong Province,using a Web map from AutoNavi.The results show an approximately 88%classification accuracy and an overall mapping accuracy of 85.06%.The results indicate that the proposed approach has the potential to be utilised in land cover mapping,and the constructed spatial factors are effective at characterising land cover information.

Spatial and Temporal Distribution Characteristics of Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution in Xixi Watershed of Jinjiang Basin

The SWAT model was applied to analyze the temporal-spatial distribution patterns of non-point source pollution loads and the difference of pollution loads of different land use types in Xixi Watershed of Jinjiang Basin. The results showed that both yearly nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads were evenly distributed during 1973 to 1979,the annual TN pollution from non-point source was 1530 t,or 6. 3 kg / ha,and the annual TP pollution from non-point source was 270 t,or 1. 1 kg / ha during 1973 to 1979 in the watershed. Considerable differences were identified on both monthly nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads. The TN and TP pollution loads during the flood season( from April to September) accounted for 76. 2% and 75. 8% of the annual load respectively. There were great differences in both TN and TP pollution loads of different land use types in the study area,and the pollution load of both farmland and orchard was higher than that of the other land use types. TN and TP pollution loads of farmland accounted for 66% and 83% of total watershed. There was a great spatial difference in the nonpoint source pollution load of the study area. The critical source areas of non-point source pollution are mainly located at Guanqiao Town,Longmen Town,Changkeng Town,Shangqing Town and Dapu Town,where the efforts of controlling pollution should be made.

Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Landuse/Landcover Change of District Pishin Using Satellite Imagery and GIS

Detecting change on the face of the globe using GIS (Geographic Information System) aided by remotely sensed imagery is now becoming an indispensable tool in managing the resources of our planet. The present study with the help of GIS and remote sensing (RS) is also a similar attempt in recording and quantifying change in land use and land cover in district Pishin both in spatial and temporal extents. Satellite imagery was acquired from the USGS official website from three LANDSAT satellites. Theses satellites are LANDSAT 5, LANDSAT7 and LANDSAT 8. The data were acquired for the years 1992, 2003 and 2013. Satellite imagery was processed in ArcMap 10.1 and maximum likelihood supervised image classification was applied in reaching the goal of detecting change. The result of the analysis revealed that built-up area was increased by 5.84%;vegetation was increased by 3.89%;water bodies were increased by 0.05% and bare surfaces were decreased by 9.78%. The decrease in the barren surfaces was attributed to the increase in vegetation and built-up area which replaced the barren land in the study area. This paper also shows the significance and potential of digital change detection methods in managing the resources of our environment and keeping an eye on the land use and land cover of our Earth.

Future Land-Use Land-Cover Scenarios for the Flint River Watershed in Northern Alabama Using the Prescott Spatial Growth Model

A changing mosaic of natural vegetation and human land uses has evolved within and around the Flint River Watershed (FRW) in Alabama and Tennessee over the past several decades. To determine the cause of change and linkage between human activities and environmental change can prove problematic. Subsequently, there is a need to produce projections of future environments based on planning instruments and socio-economic parameters. Scenarios of potential future land use land cover (LULC) change are required in order to better manage potential impacts on many environmental issues. This study creates future scenarios for the year 2030 from baseline land use of 2001, relative to three projected land use scenarios which include differences related to conservation, planning, and development. The future growth scenarios were created using the ArcGIS tool, Prescott Spatial Growth Model (PSGM). The model allows users to build different future growth scenarios based on socio-economic projections such as population, employment and other controlling factors. The simulation results indicate that LULC changes associated with future urbanization can increase by ~23% - 43% within the FRW, which will lead to significant environmental issues if not managed properly. The overall analysis and model results demonstrate the ability of future growth scenarios to explore and evaluate options for a future environment. Spatial modeling and analysis tools, such as PSGM, provide a powerful approach to evaluate potential impacts of LULC change in the future and should be used to manage urbanization in areas with more intense development.

LAND USE/COVER CHANGE AND DRIVING FORCES IN SOUTHERN LIAONING PROVINCE SINCE 1950S

Land use/cover change (LUCC) is a key aspect of global environment change, and in a sense indicates the influence of human activities on natural environment. Regional case study is the core of LUCC research. Taking the southern Liaoning Province, a coastal area facing the Bohai Sea and the Huanghai Sea, as an example, supported by ARCVIEW and ARC/INFO, this paper reconstructed LUCC patterns in three periods of 1954, 1976 and 2000, and analyzed their spatial-temporal changes from 1954 to 2000. On the base of these, it also studied the LUCC’s driving mechanism. The results show that the land transformation mainly occurs among cultivated land, forestland and urban and industrial land. Industrialization and urbanization in rural area are the major driving forces for cultivated land change, and the extension of the built-up area in cities is mainly the result of economic development and tertiary industry development, etc., which is at expense of cultivated land.

Evaluation of carbon emissions associated with land use and cover change in Zhengzhou City of China

Studies on carbon emissions associated with land use and cover change(LUCC)are key to understanding the impact of human activities on regional sustainability.In this study,we analyzed the temporal and spatial changes in carbon emissions associated with LUCC for production,living,and ecological spaces in Zhengzhou City of China.Landsat remote sensing images were used to classify the land use and land cover(LULC)types in Zhengzhou City in 1988,2001,2009,and 2015.Carbon emissions associated with LUCC were evaluated using a spatial gradient model and the niche mechanism.It was found that during 1988-2015,carbon emissions associated with LUCC in Zhengzhou City increased by 17.1×10^(6) t,while the carbon sink resulted from cultivated land,forests,water bodies,and unused land decreased significantly.Most of the increase in carbon emissions associated with LUCC occurred in the center of the city.The peak carbon emissions were located in the northeastern,southeastern,northwestern,and southwestern regions of Zhengzhou City,and carbon emissions varied considerably in the different spatial gradient rings over time.Among the three spaces,carbon emissions associated with LUCC were mainly affected by the living space.The population size and population urbanization rate were negatively correlated with the ecological space and positively correlated with the production and living spaces.Our results highlight that Zhengzhou City should take the new urbanization path of urban transformation development and ecological civilization construction to ensure the realization of the promised carbon emission reduction targets.

Present land use and cover patterns and their development potential in North Ningxia

With the objectives to acquire the fundamental dat a of the territorial resource, understand the impacts of human activit ies on the land use and cover patterns and evaluate the potential of the future exploitation, an intensive land cover classification with an accuracy of 93% has been completed for North Ningxia by remote sen sing technique based on the adoption of a combination method composed o f texture training, maximum likelihood classification and post-processing such as re-allocation and aggregation. This classification result was incorporated with the contemporaneous socio-economic and meteorological d ata for cross-sectional regression modelling to reveal the spatial dete rminants of the land cover patterns and understand the human-environmen tal relationships. A tentative evaluation on the potential of soil exp loitation in the near future was carried out in combination with our land use and cover change detection results aiming at supplying some useful references for the central and local governments in their sustainable l and use planning.

Assessing the Effects of Land-Use and Land Cover Change and Topography on Soil Fertility in Melka Wakena Catchment of Sub-Upper Wabe-Shebelle Watershed, South Eastern Ethiopia

This study was conducted in Melka Wakena catchment;south eastern Ethiopia to assess land use/cover change (LULCC) and topographic elevation effect on selected soil quality/fertility parameters. 144 soil samples collected from 0 - 30 cm depth under three land cover types across three elevation gradients were analysed for selected soil quality/fertility parameters. Data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean comparisons were made using Least Significant Difference (LSD). The soil properties examined generally showed significant variations with respect to land-use/land cover changes and elevation. Soil particles, soil organic carbon, total N, pH, available phosphorus, potassium and calcium content significantly decreased as forestland is converted into cropland/grassland. Heaviest soil deterioration was recorded in soils under cropland and followed by grassland soils. The conversion of natural forest to different land uses without proper soil conservation and management practices resulted in the overall decline of soil fertility quality. Thus, integrated land resource management approach is indispensable for sustaining agricultural productivity and the environmental health of the Melka Waken a catchment.

Surface coal mining impacts on land use change and ecological service value:a case study in Shengli coalfield,Inner Mongolia

Coal plays a crucial role in global economic development and remains the most common and widely distributed fossil fuel worldwide.As the world's largest developing country,China's mining and utilization of coal resources have contributed signifcantly to the country’s rapid economic growth.Inner Mongolia is an ecologically fragile arid and semi-arid area of China.The exploitation of opencast mining has seriously hindered the sustainable use of regional land and the residents'well-being.Using ENVI-based remote sensing images from 2000,2005,2010,2015,and 2020,this study employed a random forest algorithm to divide land utilization types into construction land,vegetation,cultivated land,bare land,and water areas and analyzed the characteristics of land use and ecosystem service value changes over the past 20 years.The results were as follows:(1)Construction land in the mining area changed minimally from 2000 to 2020;vegetation and water bodies showed a decreasing trend,whereas bare and cultivated lands showed an increasing trend.Bare land exhibited the largest change in area proportion and water bodies the smallest.(2)The total ecosystem service value of the mining area declined from 10.939 to 9.527 billion Yuan.Vegetation ecosystem service value was the highest,followed by cultivated land and water,with the bare land ecosystem service value the lowest.(3)On a spatial scale,the total ecosystem service value of the Shengli mining area decreased year by year,indicating that land use changes in the mining area do have an impact on ecosystem service value.

Study on Ecological Risk of Land Use in Urbanization Watershed Based on RS and GIS:A Case Study of Songhua River Watershed in Harbin Section

By using RS and GIS technology,the ecological risk index ( ERI) was constructed based on the analysis of land use change and structural characteristics in urbanization watershed of Songhua River in Harbin section. Afterwards,the spatial distribution and change characteristics maps of ERI obtained by using block Kriging were analyzed to reveal the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics,change rules and formation mechanisms of ecological risk based on land use under the background of urbanization,and to minimize land use risk during urbanization process. The results showed that during the past 18 years,moderate ecological risk level was major,while proportion of high ecological risk was the lowest,and the area of higher and lower ecological risk region changed most greatly; high and higher ecological risk were focused on urban region and the transition zone from urban to suburban region,while low and lower ecological risk mainly distributed in forestland with higher vegetation coverage,water bodies,grassland,shrub land and so on. Meanwhile,the transition zone from high to low ecological risk was very obvious. In addition,ecological risk became slightly worse in some region due to the transformation from cropland to residential and urban land,while it became slightly better in other regions because of the transformation from cropland to forestland; the center of gravity in lower ecological risk region shifted most greatly,while the shift was the smallest in high ecological risk region,namely 12. 31 and 0. 57 km respectively.

Evaluation of temporal compositing algorithms for annual land cover classification using Landsat time series data

In this paper, four widely used temporal compositing algorithms, i.e.median, maximum NDVI, medoid, and weighted scoring-basedalgorithms, were evaluated for annual land cover classification usingmonthly Landsat time series data. Four study areas located in California,Texas, Kansas, and Minnesota, USA were selected for image compositingand land cover classification. Results indicated that images compositedusing weighted scoring-based algorithms have the best spatial fidelitycompared to other three algorithms. In addition, the weighted scoringbasedalgorithms have superior classification accuracy, followed bymedian, maximum NDVI, and medoid in descending order. However, themedian algorithm has a significant advantage in computational efficiencywhich was ~70 times that of weighted scoring-based algorithms, andwith overall classification accuracy just slightly lower (~0.13% onaverage) than weighted scoring-based algorithms. Therefore, werecommended the weighted scoring-based compositing algorithms forsmall area land cover mapping, and median compositing algorithm forthe land cover mapping of large area considering the balance betweencomputational complexity and classification accuracy. The findings of thisstudy provide insights into the performance difference between variouscompositing algorithms, and have potential uses for the selection ofpixel-based image compositing technique adopted for land covermapping based on Landsat time series data.

Temporal and spatial differences in human activities performed in Urban Green Spaces of Vilnius(Lithuania)

Urban green spaces(UGS)are relevant to city well-being,as recognized by the United Nations’Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).However,few studies have studied the temporal use of UGS.This work assessed the seasonal,weekly,and daily use of three urban green spaces(Vingis Park,Bernardino Garden,and Jomantas Park)in Vilnius(Lithuania).The study is based on an on-site observation-based survey,which recorded users’characteristics,activities,and weather conditions during summer and winter.The results showed that UGS’s seasonal,weekly,and daily use differed according to park and users’characteristics.Parks with a higher diversity of facilities had a high seasonal difference in the number of observed activities.User numbers were higher in the summer for activities with children,social activities,sports,and water activities than in the winter.Jomantas Park had the lowest variability in user characteristics.Weather variables were linked to changes in users’activities.Higher precipitation and lower temperature were associated with reducing the number of users and the diversity of registered activities.Most of the stationary activities were observed during summer.The diversity of the observed activities was associated with the available facilities rather than the park size.The distribution of stationary activities was spatially correlated with facility/equipment(benches,playgrounds,sports,and fitness equipment)and proximity to water features.The results of this study are relevant for UGS design,planning,and management.

基于LUCC的生态系统服务价值时空演变——以祁连山区域为例

分析祁连山区域生态系统服务价值的时空变化特征,可为该区土地高效开发利用、生态恢复与保护机制的构建提供数据支撑。基于1980年、1990年、2000年、2010年和2020年的土地利用数据,运用改进的当量因子定量评估祁连山区域不同历史时期的生态系统服务价值,结合空间自相关及GIS空间统计方法,探究研究区不同乡镇的地均生态系统服务价值时空变化特征。结果表明:1)1980-2020年,研究区主要土地类型为未利用地、草地、林地、耕地,总覆盖率在93%以上。其中林地和未利用地面积减少,建设用地动态度变化最大。2)1980-2020年,祁连山区域生态系统服务总价值增加了170.8285×10^(8)元,其中草地、林地和水域的生态服务价值占78%,水文调节和气候调节的生态服务价值占60.14%。3)地均生态系统服务价值的空间正相关性较明显,空间集聚程度较高。高值聚集区有由增加向减少转变的趋势,低值聚集区逐年增加。4)1980-2010年,祁连山区域南部生态系统服务价值高于北部,北部生态系统服务价值在2010年后有增加趋势,但研究区南北间生态系统服务价值还未达到均衡和稳定。

黄土高原极端降水变化及其对植被覆盖度影响

全球变暖背景下,黄土高原极端降水事件频发,对社会经济及植被生态产生了重要影响,研究黄土高原极端降水变化特征及其对植被覆盖度(fractional vegetation cover,FVC)影响,可为生态环境保护和区域可持续发展提供科学支撑。基于2000—2020年黄土高原64个气象站点逐日降水数据和MODIS NDVI数据,采用趋势分析、相关分析等方法,分析了黄土高原地区极端降水和FVC时空变化特征及极端降水对FVC的影响。结果表明:2000—2020年黄土高原地区总降水量P_(RCPTOT)、中雨日数R_(10mm)、大雨日数R_(20mm)、强降水日数R_(25mm)和降水强度S_(DII)均呈显著上升趋势(P<0.05),区域西部和北部强降水总体增加,但区域南部呈干旱化。2000—2020年黄土高原FVC总体呈显著上升趋势(P<0.05),集中分布在区域中东部,占区域总面积的32.00%;显著下降趋势主要分布在南部少部分地区,仅占区域总面积的4.91%。2000—2020年黄土高原地区FVC与中雨日数R_(10mm)、大雨日数R_(20mm)、强降水日数R_(25mm)和降水强度S_(DII)以正相关关系为主,其中呈显著正相关的区域占比分别为22.33%、48.19%、14.36%和24.37%,主要分布在中部地区。研究认为近20年黄土高原极端降水和FVC同步增加,表现为极端降水促进植被生态改善的作用,但应注意极端降水研究中的时间尺度效应问题,即年尺度数据可能掩盖了短时间尺度上极端降水对FVC的破坏作用。

Spatial and temporal classification of synthetic satellite imagery:land cover mapping and accuracy validation

This study focused on land cover mapping based on synthetic images,especially using the method of spatial and temporal classification as well as the accuracy validation of their results.Our experimental results indicate that the accuracy of land cover map based on synthetic imagery and actual observation has a similar standard compared with actual land cover survey data.These findings facilitate land cover mapping with synthetic data in the area where actual observation is missing.Furthermore,in order to improve the quality of the land cover mapping,this research employed the spatial and temporal Markov random field classification approach.Test results show that overall mapping accuracy can be increased by approximately 5% after applying spatial and temporal classification.This finding contributes towards the achievement of higher quality land cover mapping of areas with missing data by using spatial and temporal information.

Exploration of spatial and temporal characteristics of PM2.5 concentration in Guangzhou, China using wavelet analysis and modified land use regression model

This article attempts to detail time series characteristics of PM2.5 concentration in Guangzhou(China)from 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2013 based on wavelet analysis tools,and discuss its spatial distribution using geographic information system software and a modified land use regression model.In this modified model,an important variable(land use data)is substituted for impervious surface area,which can be obtained conveniently from remote sensing imagery through the linear spectral mixture analysis method.Impervious surface has higher precision than land use data because of its sub-pixel level.Seasonal concentration pattern and day-by-day change feature of PM2.5 in Guangzhou with a micro-perspective are discussed and understood.Results include:(1)the highest concentration of PM2.5 occurs in October and the lowest in July,respectively;(2)average concentration of PM2.5 in winter is higher than in other seasons;and(3)there are two high concentration zones in winter and one zone in spring.