Effects of landscape fragmentation of plantation forests on carbon storage in the Loess Plateau,China

Tree plantation and forest restoration are the major strategies for enhancing terrestrial carbon sequestration and mitigating climate change.The Grain for Green Project in China has positively impacted global carbon sequestration and the trend towards fragmentation of plantation forests.Limited studies have been conducted on changes in plantation biomass and stand structure caused by fragmentation,and the effect of fragmentation on the carbon storage of plantation forests remains unclear.This study evaluated the differences between carbon storage and stand structure in black locust forests in fragmented and continuous landscape in the Ansai District,China and discussed the effects of ecological significance of four landscape indices on carbon storage and tree density.We used structural equation modelling to explore the direct and indirect effects of fragmentation,edge,abiotic factors,and stand structure on above-ground carbon storage.Diameter at breast height(DBH)in fragmented forests was 53.3%thicker,tree density was 40.9%lower,and carbon storage was 49.8%higher than those in continuous forests;for all given DBH>10 cm,the trees in fragmented forests were shorter than those in continuous forests.The patch area had a negative impact on carbon storage,i.e.,the higher the degree of fragmentation,the lower the density of the tree;and fragmentation and distance to edge(DTE)directly increased canopy coverage.However,canopy coverage directly decreased carbon storage,and fragmentation directly increased carbon storage and tree density.In non-commercial forests,fragmentation reduces the carbon storage potential of plantation,and the influence of patch area,edge,and patchy connection on plantation should be considered when follow-up trees are planted and for the plantation management.Thus,expanding the area of plantation patches,repairing the edges of complex-shaped patches,enhancing the connectivity of similar patches,and applying nutrients to plantation forests at regular intervals are recommended in fragmented areas of the Loess Plateau.

Application of Landscape Engineering based on BIM Visualization Technology

The rapid advancement of building information modeling(BIM)technology has garnered significant interest regarding its application within the domain of landscape engineering.BIM technology,as a construction and management tool that integrates digitization and visualization,has demonstrated considerable advantages in enhancing project quality,reducing costs,and improving collaborative efficiency.This study aims to systematically investigate the application and developmental trends of BIM visualization technology within the field of landscape engineering.Through an analysis of technological advancements and industry dynamics over the past decade,it has been observed that BIM visualization technology is intricately linked with green building practices,sustainable construction methods,and the development of smart cities within the context of landscape engineering projects.The technology also possesses significant potential for application in the planning and design of landscape engineering,construction management,and project maintenance.The convenience of visualization enhances the expressive capacity of the design scheme,improves communication efficiency between the involved parties,and mitigates the costs and time inefficiencies associated with design modifications.By drawing on the successful experiences of other industries and integrating them with the unique characteristics of landscape engineering,BIM visualization technology is poised to assume a more significant role within this field.This integration is expected to advance the entire industry towards greater intelligence and informatization,while simultaneously enhancing the efficiency and quality of design,construction,and maintenance processes.

The Classification of Colorful-leaf Tree Species and the Application in Landscape Architecture

This paper summarized the classification of colorful tree species and the application principles on landscape architecture and briefly introduced the present application situation of colorful tree species in China. It also raised suggestions related to the introduction and application of the colorful tree species.

Ecological Harmony:Core Concept for the Construction of Urban Landscape Architecture

On the basis of analyzing the narrow sense and broad sense of landscape architecture,classical gardens and modern landscape architecture,the authors proposed functions of landscape architecture,and that highquality landscape architecture designs should demonstrate ecological,social and aesthetic functions.By combining theoretical analysis and practical experience,it was verified that urban landscape architecture has to integrate ecological,social and aesthetic functions to manifest its social value to the most.

Application of Eye Movement Analysis in Landscape Visual Quality Evaluation

The existing methods of landscape visual quality evaluation is mostly based on people's subjective feelings,and the objectivity and scientificity of evaluation results are insufficient.As an important means of experimental psychology,eye movement technology can show great advantages and potential in landscape visual quality evaluation.On the basis of combing and summarizing the relevant literature,based on the explanation of the technical principle of eye movement analysis,the application field,research content,technical methods and other aspects of eye movement analysis were reviewed.The application prospect of eye movement technology in landscape visual quality evaluation was explored to provide theoretical reference for the in-depth evaluation and research of landscape visual quality evaluation theory.

Landscape Upgrading and Transformation of Old Urban Parks from the Perspective of Place Attachment:A Case Study of Nanchang Bayi Park

On the basis of combing the relevant theories of place attachment, the planning framework of upgrading and reconstruction of old parks based on place attachment was put forward. Taking Nanchang Bayi Park as an example, the methods and key points of landscape improvement and transformation of old urban parks based on place attachment were explained to provide new ways and references for the renewal of old urban parks.

Enlightenment from Urban Design Teaching in Blekinge Institute of Technology for Landscape Architecture Education in China

Emphasis on and popularization of education has pushed Sweden,an economically developed country in north Europe,to the rapid urbanization,and the country is also known as a modern welfare society with social liberalism and pursuit of equity. Against this background,higher education in Sweden has its own special properties. Urban design education in Blekinge Institute of Technology in Karlskrona,south Sweden,was taken for example,and its successful experience in specialized courses,contents and teaching modes was analyzed,and its signifi cant referential value for the current landscape architecture education in China was proposed.

Theories and Methods of Landscape Architecture Heritage Protection

This paper firstly made an overview of foreign and domestic theories and methods of landscape architecture heritage protection.It studied the landscape architecture heritage from policies and regulations,investment management,talent cultivation,and popular science education.Then,it discussed problems of landscape architecture heritage protection in China:lack of legislation,weak awareness of heritage resources,overdevelopment of heritage resources,and vacancy in management and monitoring of heritage resources.Finally,it came up with recommendations that competent authorities of Chinese government should attach greater importance to heritage management,talent cultivation,and fund input,integrate with advanced management methods of developed countries,and exploring a landscape architecture heritage protection and management mode suitable for national conditions of China at levels of thought,methods,and technology.

Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Heat Islands and Optimization of Spatial Network Construction in the Central Urban Area of Fuzhou City, China

Although accelerated urbanization has led to economic prosperity,it has also resulted in urban heat island effects.Therefore,identifying methods of using limited urban spaces to alleviate heat islands has become an urgent issue.In this study,we assessed the spatiotemporal evolution of urban heat islands within the central urban area of Fuzhou City,China from 2010 to 2019.This assessment was based on a morphological spatial pattern analysis(MSPA)model and an urban thermal environment spatial network constructed us-ing the minimum cumulative resistance(MCR)model.Optimization measures for the spatial network were proposed to provide a theor-etical basis for alleviating urban heat islands.The results show that the heat island area within the study area gradually increased while that of urban cold island area gradually decreased.The core area was the largest of the urban heat island patch landscape elements with a significant impact on other landscape elements,and represented an important factor underlying urban heat island network stability.The thermal environment network revealed a total of 197 thermal environment corridors and 93 heat island sources.These locations were then optimized according to the current land use,which maximized the potential of 1599.83 ha.Optimization based on current land use led to an increase in climate resilience,with effective measures showing reduction in thermal environment spatial network structure and function,contributing to the mitigation of urban heat island.These findings support the use of current land use patterns during urban heat island mitigation measure planning,thus providing an important reference basis for alleviating urban heat island effects.

Effects of urbanization and forest type on species composition and diversity,forest characteristics,biomass carbon sink,and their associations in Changchun,Northeast China:implications for urban carbon stock improvement

Differences in forest attributes and carbon sequestration of each organ and layer between broadleaved and conifer forests of central and outer urban areas are not well-defined,hindering the precise management of urban forests and improvement of function.To clarify the effect of two forest types with different urbanization intensities,we determined differences in vegetation composition and diversity,structural traits,and carbon stocks of 152 plots(20 m×20 m)in urban park forests in Changchun,which had the largest green quantity and carbon density effectiveness.We found that 1.1-fold thicker and healthier trees,and 1.6-to 2.0-fold higher,healthier,denser,and more various shrubs but with sparser trees and herbs occurred in the central urban forests(p<0.05)than in the outer forests.The conifer forests exhibited 30–70%obviously higher tree aboveground carbon sequestration(including stem and leaf)and 20%bigger trees,especially in the outer forests(p<0.05).In contrast,1.1-to 1.5-fold higher branch stocks,healthier and more diverse trees were found in broadleaved forests of both the inner and outer forests(p<0.05).Plant size and dominant species had similarly important roles in carbon stock improvement,especially big-sized woody plants and Pinus tabuliformis.In addition,a higher number of deciduous or needle species positively affected the broadleaved forest of the central urban area and conifer forest of the outer urban area,respectively.These findings can be used to guide precise management and accelerate the improvement of urban carbon function in Northeast China in the future.

Long-term thinning decreases the contribution of heterotrophic respiration to soil respiration in subalpine plantations

Interest in the dynamics of soil respiration(R_(S))in subalpine forest ecosystems is increasing due to their high soil carbon density and potential sensitivity to environmental changes.However,as a principal silvicultural practice,the long-term impacts of thinning on R_(S) and its heterotrophic and autotrophic respiration components(R_(h) and Ra,respectively)in subalpine plantations are poorly understood,espe-cially in winter.A 3-year field observation was carried out with consideration of winter CO_(2) efflux in middle-aged sub-alpine spruce plantations in northwestern China.A trench-ing method was used to explore the long-term impacts of thinning on Rs,Rn and R_(a).Seventeen years after thinning,mean annual Rs,Rn and R_(a) increased,while the contribu-tion of R_(h) to R_(s) decreased with thinning intensity.Thinning significantly decreased winter R,because of the reduction in R_(n) but had no significant effect on Ra.The temperature sensitivity(Q_(10))of R_(h) and R_(a) also increased with thinning intensity,with lower Q_(10) values for R_(h)(2.1-2.6)than for Ra(2.4-2.8).The results revealed the explanatory variables and pathways related to R_(n) and R_(a) dynamics.Thinning increased soil moisture and nitrate nitrogen(NO_(3)^(-)-N),and the enhanced nitrogen and water availability promoted R_(h) and R_(a) by improving fine root biomass and microbial activity.Our results highlight the positive roles of NO_(3)^(-)-N in stimulating R_(s) components following long-term thinning.Therefore,applications of nitrogen fertilizer are not recommended while thinning subalpine spruce plantations from the perspective of reducing soil CO_(2) emissions.The increased Q_(10) values of R_(s) components indicate that a large increase in soil CO_(2) emissions would be expected following thinning because of more pronounced climate warming in alpineregions.

Exogenous calcium enhances the physiological status and photosynthetic capacity of rose under drought stress

Drought(water shortage)can substantially limit the yield and economic value of rose plants(Rosa spp.).Here,we characterized the effect of exogenous calcium(Ca^(2+))on the antioxidant system and photosynthesis-related properties of rose under polyethylene glycol 6000(PEG6000)-induced drought stress.Chlorophyll levels,as well as leaf and root biomass,were significantly reduced by drought;drought also had a major effect on the enzymatic antioxidant system and increased concentrations of reactive oxygen species.Application of exogenous Ca^(2+)increased the net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance of leaves,enhanced water-use efficiency,and increased the length and width of stomata following exposure to drought.Organ-specific physiological responses were observed under different concentrations of Ca^(2+).Application of 5 mmol·L^(-1)Ca^(2+)promoted photosynthesis and antioxidant activity in the leaves,and application of 10 mmol·L^(-1)Ca^(2+)promoted antioxidant activity in the roots.Application of exogenous Ca^(2+)greatly enhanced the phenotype and photosynthetic capacity of potted rose plants following exposure to drought stress.Overall,our findings indicate that the application of exogenous Ca^(2+)enhances the drought resistance of roses by promoting physiological adaptation and that it could be used to aid the cultivation of rose plants.

The anthocyanin formation of purple leaf is associated with the activation of LfiHY5 and LfiMYB75 in crape myrtle

Purple-leafed plants not only have a higher resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses,but also have higher ornamental value.Anthocyanins are vital for leaf color formation,growth and development of purple leaves.However,the molecular mechanism underlying purple leaf formation in Lagerstroemia indica remains unclear.Metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of purple-leafed cultivar‘Ebony Embers’and greenleafed cultivar‘Arapahoe’showed that the high expression of anthocyanin structure genes induced hyperaccumulation of cyanidin and pelargonidin derivatives,making the leaves purple.LfiHY5,LfiMYB75 and LfibHLH1 were identified using correlation analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis.In‘Arapahoe’‘Ebony Embers’population,LfiHY5 and LfiMYB75 showed significant positive correlation with leaf anthocyanin content.Transient expression of LfiMYB75 and LfiHY5 in tobacco and purple-leafed crape myrtle indicated that the two genes activated anthocyanin synthesis.Yeast two-hybrid analysis showed that LfiMYB75 and LfibHLH1 could form a complex that enhanced anthocyanin synthesis.Yeast monohybrid and dual-luciferase assays confirmed that LfiHY5 activated the expression of LfiMYB75,to activate the transcription of anthocyanin structural genes LfiCHS and LfiANS.Moreover,there were three alleles of LfiHY5 in crape myrtle,and the different sequences had different activation effects on LfiMYB75.In conclusion,the results showed that LfiHY5 led to upregulate the transcription of LfiMYB75,and LfiMYB75 formed a complex with LfibHLH1,which increased the transcription level of LfiCHS and LfiANS to affect anthocyanin synthesis in crape myrtle.

Extremely thin but very robust:Surprising cryptogam trait combinations at the end of the leaf economics spectrum

Leaf economics spectrum(LES)describes the fundamental trade-offs between leaf structural,chemical,and physiological investments.Generally,structurally robust thick leaves with high leaf dry mass per unit area(LMA)exhibit lower photosynthetic capacity per dry mass(Amass).Paradoxically,“soft and thinleaved”mosses and spikemosses have very low Amass,but due to minute-size foliage elements,their LMA and its components,leaf thickness(LT)and density(LD),have not been systematically estimated.Here,we characterized LES and associated traits in cryptogams in unprecedented details,covering five evolutionarily different lineages.We found that mosses and spikemosses had the lowest LMA and LT values ever measured for terrestrial plants.Across a broad range of species from different lineages,Amass and LD were negatively correlated.In contrast,Amass was only related to LMA when LMA was greater than 14 g cm^(-2).In fact,low Amass reflected high LD and cell wall thickness in the studied cryptogams.We conclude that evolutionarily old plant lineages attained poorly differentiated,ultrathin mesophyll by increasing LD.Across plant lineages,LD,not LMA,is the trait that represents the trade-off between leaf robustness and physiology in the LES.

The Preference of Sculpture Landscape Types among College Students in Different Psychological States

In this paper, characteristics of sculptures and tiie preference for sculptures of college students in different state of mind were analyzed. A total of 165 college students were invited to participate in the study. The method of image fating was employed to investigate these students,landscape preferences after they completed the Profile of Mood States （POMS）. The results showed that when the sculptures were placed alone, students in a positive mood had a preference for abstract sculptures, students in a negative mood had a preference for figumtive sculptures with unique symbolic meanings, and paftidpatofy sculptures were populous among college students in different emotional states. When sculptures were placed in the environmentj natural elements of die sculptures greatly affected college students, preference＊ Students in a positive mood tended to choose sculpture landscapes combined with plants, and students in a negative mood had a preference for sculpture landscapes with water bodies. There were difFefences in the types of sculptxiie landscapes that the college stxidents in different moods thought can telieve their bad moods. Apart from tiieir current dominant emotions, the results of the stxidy were related to their past experiences, cultural backgrounds,and fimctions,social attributes and symbols of the landscape.

Comparative Analysis of Differences among Northern,Jiangnan,and Lingnan Classical Private Gardens Using Principal Component Cluster Method

This paper investigates the design essence of Chinese classical private gardens,integrating their design elements and fundamental principles.It systematically analyzes the unique characteristics and differences among classical private gardens in the Northern,Jiangnan,and Lingnan regions.The study examines nine classical private gardens from Northern China,Jiangnan,and Lingnan by utilizing the advanced tool of principal component cluster analysis.Based on literature analysis and field research,273 variables were selected for principal component analysis,from which four components with higher contribution rates were chosen for further study.Subsequently,we employed clustering analysis techniques to compare the differences among the three types of gardens.The results reveal that the first principal component effectively highlights the differences between Jiangnan and Lingnan private gardens.The second principal component serves as the key to defining the types of Northern private gardens and distinguishing them from the other two types,and the third principal component indicates that Lingnan private gardens can be categorized into two distinct types as well.

Planning and Design of Settlement Based on Rural Landscapes:A Case Study of Fenshui Village, Dazhou City of China

Landscape planning and design of settlements in Fenshui Village, Dazhu County, Dazhou City of Sichuan Province was taken for example, specifically, Tudibao Settlement, Gouyaonaoke Settlement and Bianyaqi Settlement, to analyze their location advantages and restrictions. On this basis, planning support for rural areas in east Sichuan Province was proposed, integrality of the settlement, landscape diversity, landscape integration and sharing were highlighted. It was proposed that local landscape planning should follow the principle of "human- land coordination", protect and inherit folk cultures of east Sichuan, pay attention to physical and spiritual needs of the locals. Core contents of rural landscape planning and design in east Sichuan were summarized, utilization of natural landscapes in the ecological design and sustainable development of landscapes were stressed.

Teaching Reform and Practice of the Preliminary Course of Landscape Architecure Design

Since landscape architecture became the first-level discipline in 2011, its connotation and extension have been greatly expanded, and the discipline has been in the reform and transformation period. Cultivation of the top-notch compound innovative talents has been the key point of the teaching reform. Northeast Forestry University made a newround talent cultivation scheme in 2014, preliminary courses of landscape architecture design took this as the opportunity to launch the teaching reform, and tried to explore an innovation-oriented cultivation mode of compound talents from the perspectives of cultivation objective, teaching content, teaching method and so on.

Landscape Pattern Analysis of International Livable Communities Based on Satellite Images of Wenjiang District, Chengdu City

This paper used Google Earth satellite maps of Wenjiang District, Chengdu City in 2008, 2012 and 2015 as basic data sources, and field investigation data in recent years, and employed Photoshop and Auto CAD to analyze landscape pattern of urban and suburban areas of Wenjiang District—the international livable communities. The results showed that urban forest patches accounted for the absolute dominance in the study area, the overall landscape fragmentation index in 2008 was 0.0054, landscape diversity index 1.3603, landscape dominance index 0.2937, and evenness index 0.8452. From 2008 to 2012, patch density index reduced by 7.04, landscape fragmentation index increased by 0.0014, diversity index reduced by 0.043, evenness index reduced by 0.0269, landscape dominance index increased by 0.0027. From 2012 to 2015, patch density index increased by 1.22, landscape fragmentation index kept stable, diversity index reduced by 0.024, evenness index reduced by 0.0149, landscape dominance index increased by 0.0196. Through analyzing quantitative indexes of urban landscape pattern, and exploring basic features of the international livable communities from the perspective of landscape eco-pattern, this paper put forward suggestions for city management and green space system protection of Wenjiang as the references for the future researches on maintenance and operation of landscape eco-pattern.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Rural Landscapes Based on the AVC Theory: A Case Study of Nandoujiao Village in Shaanxi Province

The comprehensive evaluation of rural landscapes is the theoretical basis and evaluation system of tourism planning and landscape design with the goal of comprehensive revitalization of rural landscapes. It is an important component of rural landscapes research. Based on the AVC theory, this study constructed a comprehensive evaluation system of rural landscapes, determined the indicator score by means of the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods and the weights indicator by the analytic hierarchy process(AHP), and established an evaluation model to comprehensively evaluate the landscapes of Nandoujiao Village in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. The results showed that the comprehensive landscape score of Nandoujiao Village fell into the good category, whose rural economic vitality was high, followed by social attraction and environmental carrying capacity, which provided a good resource basis for the development of rural tourism. However, its single industrial structure and the low landscape diversity had limited the development of rural tourism.