Assessing the high impacts of land use change: spatial characteristics of land uses and ecological compensation based on payment for ecosystem services model in a mountainous area,China

Most impacts on ecosystem services (ESs) are related to land use changes that may cause ecosystem fragmentation and loss of ecosystem functions. Spatial planning focused on sustainable landscape development should consider the local potential for providing ESs as well as ecological conservation due to land use changes. To better address the issues that are related to ecological and the ecological and environmental conservation, ecological compensation could coordinate the development of the energy, the economy, and the environment by internalizing environmental externalities and adjusting for the relationships with stakeholders’ benefits. In this study, we developed a framework for analyzing the spatial characteristics of land uses and calculating ecological compensation based on pay for ecosystem services (PESs) from 1995 to 2010 in the upstream of Min River, China. In terms of lacunarity analysis, we firstly explored the spatial patterns of land uses in these two periods that occurred at different spatial characteristic scales. We also observed a strong relationship between lacunarity values and the different distribution patterns of land uses. We then investigated changes in ESs in response to land use change through the assignment of per unit area ecological service value (ESV) method. The total value of ESs dropped from 449.97 billion yuan in 1995 to 441.35 billion yuan in 2010, exhibiting decreasing rate, mainly due to the degradation of woodlands. Soil formation and retention, gas regulation, and biodiversity protection were the three largest ESs, contributing about 50% of the total ESV. Considering the changed relation between social and economic indicators and ESV based on spatial visualization and analysis, we finally constructed a quantitative estimate model for ecological compensation taking a village as study unit and determined standard value so as to evaluate ecological compensation from 1995 to 2010. Spatial differences of the ecological compensation were significant among all the villages and towns. The maximum ecological compensation account (ranged from 1.68 to 8.54 billion yuan) appeared in the villages approximated to Li County, Heishui County, and Songpan County, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China. This proposed framework provides a better understanding of spatial characteristic scales of land uses and enables evaluation of the ecological integrity of landscapes. It also fills up the gap in the field of quantitative evaluation of regional ecological compensation and provides a feasible way to reconcile the conflicts among benefits in the economic, social, and ecological sectors.

     

Adaptation and mitigation: trade-offs in substance and methods

Adaptation to climate change and mitigation of climate change are policy substitutes, as both reduce the impacts of climate change. Adaptation and mitigation should therefore be analysed together, as they indeed are, albeit in a rudimentary way, in cost-benefit analyses of emission abatement. However, adaptation and mitigation are done by different people operating at different spatial and temporal scales. This hampers analysis of the trade-offs between adaptation and mitigation. An exception is facilitative adaptation (enhancing adaptive capacity), which, like mitigation, requires long-term policies at macro level. Facilitative adaptation and mitigation not only both reduce impacts, but they also compete for resources.     

Artificial lakes as a climate change adaptation strategy in drylands: evaluating the trade-off on non-target ecosystem services

Drylands are very susceptible to the effects of climate change due to water stress. One possible climate change adaptation measure is the construction of lakes to increase water availability for drinking and irrigation (food production) and decrease fire risk. These lakes can also increase local biodiversity and human well-being. However, other non-target services such as carbon (C) storage, water purification, and sediment retention might also change. Our main aim was to evaluate the trade-offs on non-targeted ecosystem services due to lakes construction in drylands. This was done using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) modeling tools, comparing a Mediterranean area located in southwest (SW) Europe, with and without artificial lakes. Results showed that the construction of artificial lakes caused an increase of 9.4% in C storage. However, the consequent increase in agricultural area decreased water purification and sediment retention services. This could diminish the life span of the lakes changing the initial beneficial cost-benefit analysis on lakes as adaptation measures to climate change. As a global measure for mitigation and adaptation to climate change strategy, we consider lake construction in drylands to be positive since it can store C in sediments and reduces the vulnerability to water scarcity. However, as a general recommendation and when built to support or increase agriculture in semi-arid landscapes, we consider that lakes should be complemented with additional measures to reduce soil erosion and nutrient leaching such as (i) locate agricultural areas outside the lakes water basin, (ii) afforestation surrounding the lakes, and (iii) adopt the best local agriculture practices to prevent and control soil erosion and nutrient leaching.     

Projected impacts to the production of outdoor recreation opportunities across US state park systems due to the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy

Numerous empirical and simulation-based studies have documented or estimated variable impacts to the economic growth of nation states due to the adoption of domestic climate change mitigation policies. However, few studies have been able to empirically link projected changes in economic growth to the provision of public goods and services. In this research, we couple projected changes in economic growth to US states brought about by the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy with a longitudinal panel dataset detailing the production of outdoor recreation opportunities on lands managed in the public interest. Joining empirical data and simulation-based estimates allow us to better understand how the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy would affect the provision of public goods in the future. We first employ a technical efficiency model and metrics to provide decision makers with evidence of specific areas where operational efficiencies within the nation's state park systems can be improved. We then augment the empirical analysis with simulation-based changes in gross state product (GSP) to estimate changes to the states’ ability to provide outdoor recreation opportunities from 2014 to 2020; the results reveal substantial variability across states. Finally, we explore two potential solutions (increasing GSP or increasing technical efficiency) for addressing the negative impacts on the states’ park systems operating budgets brought about by the adoption of a domestic climate change mitigation policy; the analyses suggest increasing technical efficiency would be the most viable solution if/when the US adopts a greenhouse gas reduction policy.     

不同尺度和数据基础的水文模型适用性评估研究——淮河流域为例

在淮河流域蚌埠站以上区域构建人工神经网络(ANN)、HBV-D 模型和SWIM模型等水文模型,评估不同时间、空间尺度和数据基础下水文模型的适宜性。得出:①时间尺度上三个模型对数据要求不同, ANN模型需要月尺度数据即可建立降水-径流关系且能取得较好的模拟效果,HBV-D 和SWIM模型为日尺度水文模型,需逐日降水、温度和径流量等数据,SWIM模型还需作物管理、营养盐和土壤侵蚀等数据;②空间尺度上,ANN模型适应于大尺度,HBV-D 模型适用于1×10⁴ km²及以上流域,SWIM模型更适合于1×10⁴ km²以下小流域降水-径流关系建立;③模拟效果分析,月尺度统计上ANN模型对水文模拟的整体效果较好,但不适合用于气候变化背景下水文水资源等研究,而有物理基础的HBV-D和SWIM模型虽模拟的纳希效率系数不及ANN模型,但在气候变化背景下仍是较好的工具。     

黄河中游河龙区间径流量变化趋势及其归因

黄河水沙变化关乎黄河流域生态安全和全流域的高质量发展。近年来黄河水量出现大幅锐减,制约了当地社会经济和下游可持续发展。量化气候变化和人类活动对径流量减少的贡献对于解析黄河水沙变化动因具有重要意义。由于研究尺度和研究方法的不同,径流量变化的因素和影响程度存在较大差异。本文采用MK趋势检验和双累积曲线法系统分析黄河中游河龙区间四个典型流域（皇甫川、窟野河、无定河、延河）1960—2015年间水文要素的变化趋势,利用Budyko水热平衡方程阐明气候变化和人类活动对流域径流变化的作用。结果表明：1960—2015年皇甫川、窟野河、无定河、延河流域径流量均显著下降（P<0.01）,且径流量均在1979年和1999年前后发生突变,而降水量变化不显著。同基准期（1960—1979年）相比,P2时期（1980—1999年）气候变化对径流减少的贡献率达64%~76%;随着退耕还林还草工程的大规模实施,P3时期（2000—2015年）人类活动成为径流减少的主要影响因素,其贡献率达71%~88%。     

Complementarity between mitigation and adaptation: the water sector

The water cycle, a fundamental component of climate, is likely to be altered in important ways by climate change. Climate change will most likely worsen the already existing water related problems. Then the question is how should policy makers respond to this dilemma. Climate change mitigation, through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and sequestration is not a sufficient response. Adaptation will also need to feature as a response strategy. Mitigation and adaptation need to be viewed as complementary responses to climate change. Complementarity between adaptation and mitigation in the water sector will be addressed in this paper. The paper will also outline the main impacts of climate change on water resources and identify those areas that are most dependent and vulnerable to hydrological systems (e.g., hydroelectric systems, irrigation, agriculture) and any changes thereof resulting from climate change. It will aim to assess the impact of water demand and water use, with a view to identifying the main relationships between mitigation and adaptation in the water sector and the means through which individual mitigation and adaptation actions can potentially interact with each other for the benefit of the water sector as a whole. It will also explore the implications of climate change on the management of water resources. Adaptation and mitigation options would be considered in the context of their socio-economic and environmental impacts and their contribution to sustainable development. A brief evaluation of how this information can be directly used for planning purpose will also be presented.

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The relationship between adaptation and mitigation in managing climate change risks: a regional response from North Central Victoria,Australia

This two-part paper considers the complementarity between adaptation and mitigation in managing the risks associated with the enhanced greenhouse effect. Part one reviews the application of risk management methods to climate change assessments. Formal investigations of the enhanced greenhouse effect have produced three generations of risk assessment. The first led to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), First Assessment Report and subsequent drafting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The second investigated the impacts of unmitigated climate change in the Second and Third IPCC Assessment Reports. The third generation, currently underway, is investigating how risk management options can be prioritised and implemented. Mitigation and adaptation have two main areas of complementarity. Firstly, they each manage different components of future climate-related risk. Mitigation reduces the number and magnitude of potential climate hazards, reducing the most severe changes first. Adaptation increases the ability to cope with climate hazards by reducing system sensitivity or by reducing the consequent level of harm. Secondly, they manage risks at different extremes of the potential range of future climate change. Adaptation works best with changes of lesser magnitude at the lower end of the potential range. Where there is sufficient adaptive capacity, adaptation improves the ability of a system to cope with increasingly larger changes over time. By moving from uncontrolled emissions towards stabilisation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mitigation limits the upper part of the range. Different activities have various blends of adaptive and mitigative capacity. In some cases, high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity may lead to large residual climate risks; in other cases, a large adaptive capacity may mean that residual risks are small or non-existent. Mitigative and adaptive capacity do not share the same scale: adaptive capacity is expressed locally, whereas mitigative capacity is different for each activity and location but needs to be aggregated at the global scale to properly assess its potential benefits in reducing climate hazards. This can be seen as a demand for mitigation, which can be exercised at the local scale through exercising mitigative capacity. Part two of the paper deals with the situation where regional bodies aim to maximise the benefits of managing climate risks by integrating adaptation and mitigation measures at their various scales of operation. In north central Victoria, Australia, adaptation and mitigation are being jointly managed by a greenhouse consortium and a catchment management authority. Several related studies investigating large-scale revegetation are used to show how climate change impacts and sequestration measures affect soil, salt and carbon fluxes in the landscape. These studies show that trade-offs between these interactions will have to be carefully managed to maximise their relative benefits. The paper concludes that when managing climate change risks, there are many instances where adaptation and mitigation can be integrated at the operational level. However, significant gaps between our understanding of the benefits of adaptation and mitigation between local and global scales remain. Some of these may be addressed by matching demands for mitigation (for activities and locations where adaptive capacity will be exceeded) with the ability to supply that demand through localised mitigative capacity by means of globally integrated mechanisms.     

Defining response capacity to enhance climate change policy

Climate change adaptation and mitigation decisions made by governments are usually taken in different policy domains. At the individual level however, adaptation and mitigation activities are undertaken together as part of the management of risk and resources. We propose that a useful starting point to develop a national climate policy is to understand what societal response might mean in practice. First we frame the set of responses at the national policy level as a trade off between investment in the development and diffusion of new technology, and investment in encouraging and enabling society to change its behaviour and or adopt the new technology. We argue that these are the pertinent trade-offs, rather than those usually posited between climate change mitigation and adaptation. The preference for a policy response that focuses more on technological innovation rather than one that focuses on changing social behaviour will be influenced by the capacity of different societies to change their greenhouse gas emissions; by perceived vulnerability to climate impacts; and by capacity to modify social behaviour and physical environment. Starting with this complete vision of response options should enable policy makers to re-evaluate the risk environment and the set of response options available to them. From here, policy makers should consider who is responsible for making climate response decisions and when actions should be taken. Institutional arrangements dictate social and political acceptability of different policies, they structure worldviews, and they determine the provision of resources for investment in technological innovation and social change. The importance of focussing on the timing of the response is emphasised to maximise the potential for adjustments through social learning and institutional change at different policy scales. We argue that the ability to respond to climate change is both enabled and constrained by social and technological conditions. The ability of society to respond to climate change and the need for technological change for both decarbonisation and for dealing with surprise in general, are central to concepts of sustainable development.     

Afforestation opportunities when stand productivity is driven by a high risk of natural disturbance: a review of the open lichen woodland in the eastern boreal forest of Canada

Afforestation has the potential to offset the increased emission of atmospheric carbon dioxide and has therefore been proposed as a strategy to mitigate climate change. Here we review the opportunities for carbon (C) offsets through open lichen woodland afforestation in the boreal forest of eastern Canada as a case study, while considering the reversal risks (low productivity, fires, insect outbreaks, changes in land use and the effects of future climate on growth potential as well as on the disturbances regime). Our results suggest that : (1) relatively low growth rate may act as a limiting factor in afforestation projects in which the time available to increase C is driven by natural disturbances; (2) with ongoing climate change, a global increase in natural disturbance rates, mainly fire and spruce budworm outbreaks, may offset any increases in net primary production at the landscape level; (3) the reduction of the albedo versus increase in biomass may negatively affect the net climate forcing; (4) the impermanence of C stock linked to the reversal risks makes this scenario not necessarily cost attractive. More research, notably on the link between fire risk and site productivity, is needed before afforestation can be incorporated into forest management planning to assist climate change mitigation efforts. Therefore, we suggest that conceivable mitigation strategies in the boreal forest will likely have to be directed activities that can reduce emissions and can increase C sinks while minimizing the reversal impacts. Implementation of policies to reduce Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the boreal forest should consider the biophysical interactions, the different spatial and temporal scales of their benefits, the costs (investment and benefits) and how all these factors are influenced by the site history.     

黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度林草植被减沙方程的尺度适应性

黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度植被减沙方程是分析黄土高原植被变化产沙效应的有效工具,其在不同空间尺度的适应性对于黄河水沙情势变化研究十分重要。运用数值试验方法,研究黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度林草植被减沙方程在小流域、子流域和栅格等3种空间尺度的适应性。结果显示,黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度林草植被减沙方程在各空间尺度的总体估算偏差（D）由小到大排序为小流域（D=52.26%）<子流域（D=60.07%）<栅格（D=92.17%）,纳什效率系数（NSE）由大到小排序为小流域（0.21）>子流域（-0.31）>栅格（-0.80）。可见,黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度植被减沙方程在约500 km²以上的流域单元较为适用,在500 km²以下的子流域和栅格单元不适用。该研究成果可为黄土丘陵沟壑区大空间尺度林草植被减沙方程的推广应用提供参考。     

Policy strategies to foster the resilience of mountain social-ecological systems under uncertain global change

Globalization and climate change threaten the sustained provision of essential ecosystem services (ES) for people living in and downstream of mountain regions. The increasing evidence of the many vulnerabilities of mountain social-ecological systems has highlighted the urgent need for policy-relevant research into ways of coping with these trends. In this context, resilience has been emerging as a concept for both understanding and managing the complex social-ecological systems in which ES are provided and consumed. Yet, literature on resilience of social-ecological systems is mainly theoretical with limited application in real-world mountain case studies. In this paper, we present a comprehensive quantitative assessment of the social-ecological resilience of a case study in the Swiss Alps under global change. We model and evaluate an indicator for resilience that shows the capacity of the mountain social-ecological system to provide a set of demanded ES. In a first step, we model the development of this indicator in different scenarios of global change. In a second step, we test the effect of a rich set of policy strategies under all these scenarios to identify types and timing of interventions that are robust under multiple global change settings. Results indicate that the resilience of the mountain social-ecological system is endangered in all scenarios, especially if strong globalization is assumed. Robust strategies that buffer the system against these pressures require early spatial planning action in combination with more targeted direct payments to support the current regional structure and traditional mountain farming practices. Such information is crucial to guide decision-making processes in the era of highly uncertain future global change.     

漳卫河流域水文循环过程对气候变化的响应

气候变化对我国各地区水资源影响的时空格局变化,是气候变化影响评估的重要内容。论文以漳卫河为研究流域,采用线性回归法、Mann-Kendall非参数检验等方法,分析了1957-2001年的水文气象要素变化特征;基于数字高程模型、土地利用和土壤类型等资料,建立了SWAT分布式水文模型,验证了SWAT模型在该流域的适用性;根据IPCC第四次评估报告多模式结果,分析了IPCC SRES-A2、A1B、B1情景下21世纪降水、气温、径流、蒸发的响应过程。结果表明漳卫河流域未来2011-2099年降水量变化较基准期呈现出增加趋势,年平均气温较基准期也呈现出显著的上升趋势,各年代径流量较基准期将出现先减少后增大的态势。     

气候变化及人类活动对地表径流改变的贡献率及其量化方法研究进展

地表径流的变化受气候变化和人类活动的双重驱动力作用,定量评估气候变化及人类活动对地表径流变化的影响对水资源管理具有重大意义。论文以水文循环过程为主线,分过程阐述气候变化及人类活动影响地表径流发生变化的机制机理,对各种量化二者对地表径流变化贡献率的方法进行比较,然后分析全球部分流域气候变化和人类活动对地表径流变化影响的差异。研究结果表明：1）气候变化和人类活动参与水文循环的各个过程之中,不同水文过程中气候变化和人类活动影响地表径流变化的途径不同;2）不同量化方法的适用范围和条件不同,不同方法对同一流域的研究结果可能不一致;3）全球不同流域间气候变化和人类活动对地表径流变化贡献率存在明显区域差异。现阶段,综合多种突变检验方法有利于提高识别地表径流突变点的准确率;消除干扰因素（如气象水文等数据选取、模型方法参数设置和方法本身不确定性）有利于提高同一流域不同量化方法评估结果的一致性;如何更好地耦合基于物理的水文模型方法和基于数学的经验统计方法来量化二者对地表径流变化的贡献率是未来研究的重点。     

农业气候资源多时间尺度分析——以郑州市小麦玉米为例

小波分析的时域局部变化特征可展现气候序列的精细结构,能够揭示不同时间尺度气候序列所隐含的不同变化规律,是进行时域分析的有力工具。论文以郑州市小麦、玉米生育期间的光热水农业气候资源分析为例,用Morlet小波变换法对其进行多时间尺度变化特征及演变规律分析。结果表明:郑州小麦、玉米生育期间的光热水气候要素具有不同的年际及年代际时间尺度周期变化规律和转换特征;小波变换能很好地揭示农业气候资源变化所包含的周期分量;其气候变化特征与全球气候变化趋势相比,有其一致性,也有其局地特殊性。     

A bibliometric review of nitrogen research in eutrophic lakes and reservoirs

The global application of nitrogen is far greater than phosphorus, and it is widely involved in the eutrophication of lakes and reservoirs. We used a bibliometric method to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate nitrogen research in eutrophic lakes and reservoirs to reveal research developments, current research hotspots, and emerging trends in this area. A total of 2695 articles in the past 25 years from the online database of the Scientific Citation Index Expended(SCI-Expanded) were analyzed. Articles in this area increased exponentially from 1991 to 2015.Although the USA was the most productive country over the past 25 years, China achieved the top position in terms of yearly publications after 2010. The most active keywords related to nitrogen in the past 25 years included phosphorus, nutrients, sediment, chlorophyll-a, carbon,phytoplankton, cyanobacteria, water quality, modeling, and stable isotopes, based on analysis within 5-year intervals from 1991 to 2015 as well as the entire past 25 years. In addition, researchers have drawn increasing attention to denitrification, climate change, and internal loading. Future trends in this area should focus on:(1) nutrient amounts, ratios, and major nitrogen sources leading to eutrophication;(2) nitrogen transformation and the bioavailability of different nitrogen forms;(3)nitrogen budget, mass balance model, control, and management;(4) ecosystem responses to nitrogen enrichment and reduction, as well as the relationships between these responses; and(5)interactions between nitrogen and other stressors(e.g., light intensity, carbon, phosphorus, toxic contaminants, climate change, and hydrological variations) in terms of eutrophication.     

Adapting to climate change: reducing water-related risks in Europe – EU policy and research considerations

Climate change impacts on the hydrological cycle, e.g. leading to changes of precipitation patterns, have been observed over several decades. Higher water temperatures and changes in extremes hydrometeorological events (including floods and droughts) are likely to exacerbate different types of pressures on water resources with possible negative impacts on ecosystems and human health. In addition, sea-level rise is expected to extend areas of salinisation of groundwater and estuaries, resulting in a decrease of freshwater availability for humans and ecosystems in coastal areas. Furthermore, climate-related changes in water quantity and quality are expected to affect food availability, water access and utilisation, especially in arid and semi-arid areas, as well as the operation of water infrastructure (e.g. hydropower, flood defences, and irrigation systems). This paper serves as an introduction to the special issue of Environment Science & Policy dealing with climate change impacts on water-related disasters. It provides a brief background about relevant EU water policies and examples of EU-funded research trends which illustrate on-going efforts to improve understanding and modelling of climate changes related to the hydrological cycles at scales that are relevant to decision making (possibly linked to policy).     

磷在农田溪流中的动态变化

磷是水体富营养化的限制因子,河流系统是农业非点源污染物的主要运移通道,污染物在河流中的持留控制着污染物向受纳水体的输出.本次研究对象是巢湖流域一个长约1.8 km的农田源头溪流六岔河,河流由4个渠道型、1个水塘型和3个河口型断面构成,长度分别为1.3 km、0.15 km和0.36 km.在河流上设置9个监测点研究总磷、磷酸盐和悬浮物在六岔河中的持留空间特征,评价人为严重干扰下的农田溪流在农业非点源污染物运移中的生态功能.结果表明:总磷、磷酸盐、悬浮物在溪流中的持留和释放受溪流的渠道型、水塘型和河口型断面控制,水塘型和河口型断面是污染物持留的主要区域,总磷、磷酸盐和悬浮物在水塘型、河口型断面内的持留量分别占溪流持留量的58%、77%和58%;污染物在降雨-径流过程中的持留是溪流持留的主要部分,总磷、磷酸盐和悬浮物的持留分别占溪流持留量的96%、98%和93%;渠道型断面是溪流最主要的内在污染源,总磷、磷酸盐和悬浮物的释放分别占溪流释放量的93%、99%和94%;养分和悬浮物在渠道型断面中具有不同的持留特性,而位于水塘前的渠道型断面在基流和降雨-径流过程中均能有效地持留污染物.     

气候变化对湿地景观格局的影响研究综述

气候变化是影响湿地景观格局变化的主要自然因素。文章从气候变化对湿地水资源面积、湿地土地利用格局、湿地植被空间格局及湿地生物多样性格局的影响研究等方面进行了综述,并对完善气候变化下湿地景观格局变化的研究方法和技术手段进行了探讨。指出:应用气候模型进行未来气候预测时,应合理选择气候变化情景,并确保不同模型的时空尺度匹配;应用"3S"技术提取湿地类型信息、观测湿地土地覆盖变化时要确保信息的精度,不同来源的数据必须采取制图综合等手段;实现气候变化下湿地景观结构与生态过程相结合的动态格局分析。     

降水和人类活动对松花江径流量变化的贡献率

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