Landscape ecological assessment and eco-tourism development in the South Dongting Lake Wetland, China

As an important resource and the living environment of mankind, wetland has become gradually a highlight, strongly concerned and intensively studied by scientists and sociologists. The governments in the world and the whole society have been paying more and more attention on it. The Dongting Lake of China is regarded as an internationally important wetland. For a rational development and protection of the wetland, an investigation and studied on its resources and its value to tourism in the South Dongting Lake was conducted, to create an assessment system of the ecological landscapes, and to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the value of wetland landscape to the eco-tourism. The results showed that the scenic value of the South Dongting Lake Wetland satisfied the criterion of AAAA grade of China national scenic attraction. The eco-tourism value of the landscape cultures in the South Dongting Lake Wetland was discussed with emphasis. It were formulated that a principle and frame of sustainable exploitation of the wetland landscapes and it was proposed as well that establishing a Wetland Park and developing eco-tourism in the South Dongting Lake. Wetland is a fragile ecosystem with low resistance to the impact of the exploitation. Thus, we must pay intensively attention to the influence of exploitation on the landscape, take the ecological risk in account to employ a right countermeasure and avoid the negative affection.

Eco-tourism Value and Utilization Design of Constructed Wetland Park

The paper had emphasized that constructed wetland park was a "win-win" artificial tourist program integrating wetland function and park function and springing up exuberantly at present,and highlighted that it possessed good landscape effect and eco-tourism value in addition to treatment of water pollution and recovery of ecological environment.From the perspectives of ornamental value,science popularization and environmental education value,and multiple experience value,it had analyzed eco-tourism value of constructed wetland park and pointed out that the important approach for maximum display of its eco-tourism value was to well design and build constructed wetland park or constructed wetland eco-tourist area.Furthermore,by taking constructed wetland park for example,the paper had discussed design and utilization of eco-tourism value of constructed wetland park,highlighted three aspects covering perfection of landscape creation and leisure facilities,display of popular science education,design and organization of experience activity,so as to bring the comprehensive value of constructed wetland park into full play and promote healthy development of eco-tourism in constructed wetland park.

Efficiency and effectiveness of systems for the treatment of domestic wastewater based on subsurface flow constructed wetlands in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Constructed wetlands(CwW)are well known nature-based systems for water treatment.This study evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of seven domestic wastewater treatment systems based on horizontal flow CWs in Jarabacoa,the Dominican Republic.The results showed that the CWs were efficient in reducing the degree of contamination of wastewater to levels below the Dominican wastewater discharge standards for parameters such as the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand(BOD5)and chemical oxygen demand,but not for the removal of phosphorus and fecal coliforms.In addition,a horizontal flow subsurface wetland in the peri-urban area El Dorado was evaluated in terms of the performance of wastewater treatment in tropical climatic conditions.The concentrations of heavy metals,such as zinc,copper,chromium,and iron,were found to decrease in the effluent of the wetland,and the concentrations for nickel and manganese tended to increase.The levels of heavy metals in the effluent were lower than the limit values of the Dominican wastewater discharge standards.The construction cost of these facilities was around 200 USD per population equivalent,similar to the cost in other countries in the same region.This study suggested some solutions to the improved performance of CWs:selection of a microbial flora that guarantees the reduction of nitrates and nitrites to molecular nitrogen,use of endemic plants that bioaccumulate heavy metals,combination of constructed wetlands with filtration on activated carbon,and inclusion of water purification processes that allow to evaluate the reuse of treated water.

Mangrove wetlands distribution status identification, changing trend analyzation and carbon storage assessment of China

This research investigates the ecological importance,changes,and status of mangrove wetlands along China’s coastline.Visual interpretation,geological surveys,and ISO clustering unsupervised classification methods are employed to interpret mangrove distribution from remote sensing images from 2021,utilizing ArcGIS software platform.Furthermore,the carbon storage capacity of mangrove wetlands is quantified using the carbon storage module of InVEST model.Results show that the mangrove wetlands in China covered an area of 278.85 km2 in 2021,predominantly distributed in Hainan,Guangxi,Guangdong,Fujian,Zhejiang,Taiwan,Hong Kong,and Macao.The total carbon storage is assessed at 2.11×10^(6) t,with specific regional data provided.Trends since the 1950s reveal periods of increase,decrease,sharp decrease,and slight-steady increases in mangrove areas in China.An important finding is the predominant replacement of natural coastlines adjacent to mangrove wetlands by artificial ones,highlighting the need for creating suitable spaces for mangrove restoration.This study is poised to guide future mangroverelated investigations and conservation strategies.

Significance of Primary Treatment Selection in the Efficiency of Wastewater Treatment in Constructed Wetlands (CWs)

This research explores strategies to enhance the efficiency of secondary treatment in Vertical Flow Constructed Wetlands (CW) in Montenegro. The focus is on selecting appropriate primary treatment methods alongside three distinct substrate types to improve wastewater treatment efficacy. The study examines the combination of two primary treatments with different substrate types in constructed wetlands (CW1, CW2, and CW3). The primary treatments include the existing wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Podgorica, involving coarse material removal through screens, inert material separation in aerated sand traps, and sediment and suspended matter removal in primary sedimentation tanks. The Extreme Separator (ExSep) was employed to evaluate its efficacy as a primary treatment method. The research demonstrates that the efficiency of CW can be significantly enhanced by selecting suitable primary treatment methods and substrates in Podgorica’s conditions. The most promising results were achieved by combining ExSep as a primary treatment with secondary treatment in CW-3. The removal efficiencies after CW3 for COD, BOD, and TSS exceeded 89%, 93%, and 91%, respectively. The outcomes underscore the significance of primary treatment in mitigating pollutant loads before discharge into the constructed wetlands, emphasizing potential areas for further optimization in wastewater treatment practices to enhance environmental sustainability and water quality management.

Seasonal Abundance and Diversity of Birds of Prey and Owls in Al Wathba Wetland Reserve in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Inland wetlands in Abu Dhabi Emirate are wintering and stopover sites for migratory birds of prey. We conducted long-term regular monitoring surveys in Al Wathba Wetland Reserve (AWWR) from January 1995 to December 2022. Both diurnal and occasionally nocturnal surveys were undertaken to record the migratory raptors and owls in the Wetland Reserve. During the study, a total of 1282 regular monitoring visits were undertaken and 27 species of diurnal raptors and owls representing five families and three orders were detected. These represent 57% of the total species of birds of prey recorded in the UAE. Overall, 63% of all the species that we observed were Accipitriformes followed by 26% Falconiformes and 11% Strigiformes. We found that changes in mean daily temperature have a positive effect on raptor species diversity and abundance in the Wetland Reserve. The species encounter rate was higher in low temperature as compared to high temperature and overall regression equation was statistically significant F (4, 1126) = 8.49), p = 0.00). However, the numbers of raptors did not vary significantly across the years (p = 0.51). Western Marsh-harrier (Circus aeruginosus) and Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga) were recorded to be the most abundant species in the wetland reserve followed by Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). However, the encounter rate of globally threatened Greater Spotted Eagle was detected to have significantly decreased since 2016. Moreover, 63% of the species detected were uncommon and rarely recorded such as 1) Saker Falcon 2) Lanner Falcon 3) Long-eared Owl & Merlin, which were the rare records from the wetland reserve. Furthermore, 27 years of regular monitoring in the wetland have yielded diverse diurnal raptors and owl fauna (H) = 0.83, (E) = 1.43 (Shannon Diversity Index). The results demonstrate that long-term monitoring surveys in arid environments are essential to determine the trends in the raptor populations and to document rare and globally important species.

Impact of Sky Conditions on Net Ecosystem Productivity over a “Floating Blanket” Wetland in Southwest China

Based on eddy covariance(EC) measurements during 2016–20, the effects of sky conditions on the net ecosystem productivity(NEP) over a subtropical “floating blanket ” wetland were investigated. Sky conditions were divided into overcast, cloudy, and sunny conditions. On the half-hourly timescale, the daytime NEP responded more rapidly to the changes in the total photosynthetic active radiation(PARt) under overcast and cloudy skies than that under sunny skies. The increase in the apparent quantum yield under overcast and cloudy conditions was the greatest in spring and the least in summer. Additionally, lower atmospheric vapor pressure deficit(VPD) and moderate air temperature were more conducive to enhancing the apparent quantum yield under cloudy skies. On the daily timescale, NEP and the gross primary production(GPP) were higher under cloudy or sunny conditions than those under overcast conditions across seasons. The daily NEP and GPP during the wet season peaked under cloudy skies. The daily ecosystem light use efficiency(LUE) and water use efficiency(WUE) during the wet season also changed with sky conditions and reached their maximum under overcast and cloudy skies, respectively. The diffuse photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_d) and air temperature were primarily responsible for the variation of daily NEP from half-hourly to monthly timescales, and the direct photosynthetic active radiation(PAR_b) had a secondary effect on NEP. Under sunny conditions, PAR_b and air temperature were the dominant factors controlling daily NEP. While daily NEP was mainly controlled by PAR_d under cloudy and overcast conditions.

Seasonal response of nitrogen exchange fluxes to crab disturbance at sediment-water interface in coastal tidal wetlands

Coastal wetlands are hotspots for nitrogen(N)cycling,and crab burrowing is known to transform N in intertidal marsh soils.However,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.This study conducted field experiments and used indoor control test devices to investigate the seasonal response of nitrogen to crab disturbance at the sediment-water interface in coastal tidal flat wetlands.The results showed that crab disturbance exhibited significant seasonality with large seasonal differences in cave density and depth.Due to crab disturbance,nitrogen fuxes at the sediment-water interface were much greater in the box with crabs than in the box without crabs.In summer,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO2-N and NOg-N showed positive fluxes from the sediment to the overlying water only in early stages.In winter,NH-N showed a positive flux from the sediment to the overlying water,but NO-N and NO,-N both exhibited positive and negative fluxes.These results indicated that the presence of crab burrows can cause the aerobic layer to move downward by approximately 8-15 cm in summer and directly promote nitrification at the sediment surface.

Mapping and understanding degradation of alpine wetlands in the northern Maloti-Drakensberg, southern Africa

The alpine terrestrials of the Maloti-Drakensberg in southern Africa play crucial roles in ecosystem functions and livelihoods,yet they face escalating degradation from various factors including overgrazing and climate change.This study employs advanced Digital Soil Mapping(DSM)techniques coupled with remote sensing to map and assess wetland coverage and degradation in the northern Maloti-Drakensberg.The model achieved high accuracies of 96%and 92%for training and validation data,respectively,with Kappa statistics of 0.91 and 0.83,marking a pioneering automated attempt at wetland mapping in this region.Terrain attributes such as terrain wetness index(TWI)and valley depth(VD)exhibit significant positive correlations with wetland coverage and erosion gully density,Channel Network Depth and slope were negative correlated.Gully density analysis revealed terrain attributes as dominant factors driving degradation,highlighting the need to consider catchment-specific susceptibility to erosion.This challenge traditional assumptions which mainly attribute wetland degradation to external forces such as livestock overgrazing,ice rate activity and climate change.The sensitivity map produced could serve as a basis for Integrated Catchment Management(ICM)projects,facilitating tailored conservation strategies.Future research should expand on this work to include other highland areas,explore additional covariates,and categorize wetlands based on hydroperiod and sensitivity to degradation.This comprehensive study underscores the potential of DSM and remote sensing in accurately assessing and managing wetland ecosystems,crucial for sustainable resource management in alpine regions.

Occurrence,Spatial Distribution,Sources and Risk Assessment of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Surface Sediments of the Yellow River Delta Wetland

Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFASs)are emerging persistent organic pollutants(POPs).In this study,47 surface sediment samples were collected from the Yellow River Delta wetland(YRDW)to investigate the occurrence,spatial distribution,potential sources,and ecological risks of PFASs.Twenty-three out of 26 targeted PFASs were detected in surface sediment samples from the YRDW,with totalΣ23PFASs concentrations ranging from 0.23 to 16.30 ng g^(-1) dw and a median value of 2.27 ng g^(-1) dw.Perfluorooctanoic acid(PFOA),perfluorobutanoic acid(PFBA)and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid(PFOS)were the main contaminants.The detection frequency and concentration of perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids(PFCAs)were higher than those of perfluoroal-kanesulfonic acids(PFSAs),while those of long-chain PFASs were higher than those of short-chain PFASs.The emerging PFASs substitutes were dominated by 6:2 chlorinated polyfluoroalkyl ether sulfonic acid(6:2 Cl-PFESA).The distribution of PFASs is significantly influenced by the total organic carbon content in the sediments.The concentration of PFASs seems to be related to human activities,with high concentration levels of PFASs near locations such as beaches and villages.By using a positive matrix factorization model,the potential sources of PFASs in the region were identified as metal plating mist inhibitor and fluoropolymer manufacturing sources,metal plating industry and firefighting foam and textile treatment sources,and food packaging material sources.The risk assessment indicated that PFASs in YRDW sediments do not pose a significant ecological risk to benthic organisms in the region overall,but PFOA and PFOS exert a low to moderate risk at individual stations.

Activity Pattern and Habitat Use of Shorebirds in an Artificial Wetland Complex:A Case Study of Breeding Pied Avocet in the Yellow River Delta,China

With the loss of substantial natural wetlands in coastal zones,artificial wetlands provide alternative habitats for many shorebirds.Scientific management of artificial wetlands used by shorebirds plays an important role in maintaining the stability of shorebird population.Satellite tracking technique can obtain high-precision location information of individuals day and night,providing a good technical support for the study of quantitative relationship between waterfowls and their habitats.In this study,satellite tracking method,Remote Sensing(RS)and Geographic Information System(GIS)technology were used to analyze the activity pattern and habitat utilization characteristics of Pied Avocet during breeding period in an artificial wetland complex in the Yellow River Delta(YRD),China.The results showed that the breeding Pied Avocets had a small range of activity,with a total core and main home range of 33.10 km^(2) and 216.30 km^(2),respectively.This species tended to forage in the pond and salt pan during the day and night,respectively,with an unfixed staying time in the breeding ground.The distance between breeding ground and feeding ground was less than 6 km.It is emphasized that in addition to improving the conditions of the remaining natural habitats,effective managing artificial habitats is a priority for shorebird conservation.This research could provide reference for the management of artificial wetlands in coastal zones and supply technique support for the protection of shorebirds and their habitats,and alleviate human-bird conflicts and sustainable development of coastal zones.

Persistence of fertilization effects on soil organic carbon in degraded alpine wetlands in the Yellow River source region

In the restoration of degraded wetlands,fertilization can improve the vegetation-soil-microorganisms complex,thereby affecting the organic carbon content.However,it is currently unclear whether these effects are sustainable.This study employed Biolog-Eco surveys to investigate the changes in vegetation characteristics,soil physicochemical properties,and soil microbial functional diversity in degraded alpine wetlands of the source region of the Yellow River at 3 and 15 months after the application of nitrogen,phosphorus,and organic mixed fertilizer.The following results were obtained:The addition of nitrogen fertilizer and organic compost significantly affects the soil organic carbon content in degraded wetlands.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen addition increases soil organic carbon in both lightly and severely degraded wetlands,whereas after 15 months,organic compost enhanced the soil organic carbon level in severely degraded wetlands.Structural equation modeling indicates that fertilization decreases the soil pH and directly or indirectly influences the soil organic carbon levels through variations in the soil water content and the aboveground biomass of vegetation.Three months after fertilization,nitrogen fertilizer showed a direct positive effect on soil organic carbon.However,organic mixed fertilizer indirectly reduced soil organic carbon by increasing biomass and decreasing soil moisture.After 15 months,none of the fertilizers significantly affected the soil organic carbon level.In summary,it can be inferred that the addition of nitrogen fertilizer lacks sustainability in positively influencing the organic carbon content.

Sustainable Wetland Management Using the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework as a Guide in the Sierra Leone Case

The Sustainable Wetland Management adopted for this study depicts that, the identification of drivers and impacts is needed first, in other to get a clearer roadmap, after which the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework would come into play to serve as a pathway for Sustainability. The study evaluates how Sierra Leone might implement the Framework’s proposed strategies in National Wetland Management. As a result, the research tried to thoroughly examine the factors that contribute to wetland degradation as well as the effects they have on the people who live nearby. The purposive sampling method was used to administer 385 structured questionnaires to inhabitants. The data was then processed in an Excel spreadsheet. Microsoft Publisher was used to draw the framework and a descriptive analysis was done. Results indicated that;the majority of the inhabitants of Aberdeen Creek are traders/self-employed, furthermore, the majority chose the place because it’s less expensive and nearer to the workplace, settlement expansion and pollution are the two most common degrading activities, while flooding and health-related issues are some of the consequences, and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is regarded to be a perfect tool for wetland management. It was concluded that to accomplish the objectives in the framework, it is necessary to have both political and social will. Satellite data and water quality research are further needed to validate the report.

Optimization of Wetland Plant Selection and Configuration in Urban Water Environment Ecological Restoration Projects

In urban water ecological restoration projects,the selection and configuration of wetland plants are crucial for water quality improvement,ecological diversity enhancement,and landscape beautification.Different plants have different characteristics,and a scientific and rational selection and optimization of plant species is needed.This paper proposes an optimized plant selection and configuration scheme for urban water ecological restoration based on the ecological characteristics and pollutant removal performance of wetland plants.It analyzes the diversity,removal mechanisms,and configuration modes of wetland plants,taking into account ecology,aesthetics,and cost-effectiveness,to provide scientific evidence for wetland plant configuration and support water environment management decision-making.

Study on Safeguard System of Eco-tourism Compensation of Hukou Section during Ecological Water-control Project of Poyang Lake

Through analysis on the background to develop eco-tourism and necessity for ecological compensation,based on specific condition of Hukou County,in line with the situation to develop eco-tourism during ecological water control project of Poyang Lake,residents' interest protection system and ecological benefit safeguard system for eco-tourism compensation were put forward.

General Plan of Rural Eco-tourism—A Case Study of Wenxian Manor in Wuchang City of China

From the perspective of eco-tourism and principles for sustainable development,based on the analysis of tourist resources of Wenxian Manor in Wuchang City,the paper has proposed development principles for Wenxian Manor,and identified its development tendency and tourism project in the general plan,division of functional zones,development of tourist products,organization of tourism route,construction of tourism service facilities,and transport planning.The concept of eco-tourism has been fully integrated into the general plan,striving to achieve the harmonious unity between human and nature in the development of Wenxian Manor.

Plights and Outlet:Environmental Problem Analysis of Agricultural Eco-tourism

As agricultural eco-tourism development played a vital role in promoting rural economic and social development and constructing new harmonious countryside,the paper had analyzed environmental problem produced during its development,pointed out that blind development of agricultural eco-tourism had seriously destroyed resources and ecological environment and that tourist infrastructure construction and urbanization had ruined rural unique natural landscape.In view of current situation of environment,it also studied reasons causing environmental disruption,which lied in insufficient guidance and support of government,deficient scientific development planning and management system,and poor environmental consciousness of tourist operators and tourists.On this basis,it summarized that agricultural eco-tourism development should follow principles of sustainable development,synchronization between development and protection,and coordination between tourism development and environmental protection.It concluded proper ways to develop agricultural eco-tourism,and emphasized that it should draw up scientific and reasonable development planning,enhance government's macro-administration,establish and perfect ecological compensation mechanism,and strive to cultivate people's environmental awareness.

Eco-tourism: A New Approach of Ecological Rehabilitation and Out of Poverty Development in Wumeng Mountainous Area

The economic and social development status and the formation mechanism of "poverty trap" in Wumeng mountainous area were analyzed, the feasibility of developing eco-tourism to ecological restoration and rural poverty reduction was discussed, and some corresponding countermeasures were put forward.

Study on the Development and Planning of Eco-tourism Manor

With the rapid development of eco-tourism and "happy farmhouse" tourism, eco-tourism manor had received more attentions and developed vigorously. The paper had proposed the concept of eco-tourism manor, and studied its design and project planning based on the analysis of development situation, existing problems and development opportunities of eco-tourism manor in China. Then, it had analyzed the economic, social and environmental effects. Finally, in view of problems existing in eco-tourism and "happy farmhouse" tourism development, countermeasures and methods for eco-tourism manor development had been proposed from the perspective of financing channels, planning design, residents' benefits, service facilities and management, so as to provide a guidance for planning, construction and development of eco-tourism manor.

Eco-tourism Development Conception of Wutai Mountainous Scenic Area in Shanxi Province

From the perspectives of sustainable development and creating high-quality tourism brand,this study proposed the scheme of establishing two particular eco-tourism routes based on the characteristics of tourist resources and present tourism development in Wutai Mountainous Scenic Area.The conception of eco-tourism would be able to integrate typical and unique temple landscapes and geological heritages in the study area,in this way to create high-quality tourism brands,make the travel more scientific and interesting,and give it higher ornamental and cultural value.