Conservation Businesses and Conservation Planning in a Biological Diversity Hotspot

The allocation of land to biological diversity conservation competes with other land uses and the needs of society for development, food, and extraction of natural resources. Trade‐offs between biological diversity conservation and alternative land uses are unavoidable, given the realities of limited conservation resources and the competing demands of society. We developed a conservation‐planning assessment for the South African province of KwaZulu‐Natal, which forms the central component of the Maputaland–Pondoland–Albany biological diversity hotspot. Our objective was to enhance biological diversity protection while promoting sustainable development and providing spatial guidance in the resolution of potential policy conflicts over priority areas for conservation at risk of transformation. The conservation‐planning assessment combined spatial‐distribution models for 646 conservation features, spatial economic‐return models for 28 alternative land uses, and spatial maps for 4 threats. Nature‐based tourism businesses were competitive with other land uses and could provide revenues of >US$60 million/year to local stakeholders and simultaneously help meeting conservation goals for almost half the conservation features in the planning region. Accounting for opportunity costs substantially decreased conflicts between biological diversity, agricultural use, commercial forestry, and mining. Accounting for economic benefits arising from conservation and reducing potential policy conflicts with alternative plans for development can provide opportunities for successful strategies that combine conservation and sustainable development and facilitate conservation action. Negocios de Conservación y Planificación de la Conservación en un Sitio de Importancia para la Biodiversidad     

Land Development in and around Protected Areas at the Wilderness Frontier

Protected areas’ chief conservation objectives are to include species within their boundaries and protect them from negative external pressures. Many protected areas are not achieving these goals, perhaps in part due to land development inside and outside protected areas. We conducted spatial analyses to evaluate the ability of Canadian protected areas to mitigate the effects of nearby land development. We investigated correlations of national patterns of land development in and around protected areas and then examined national patterns of roads, urban area, and croplands in protected areas. We calculated the amount of developed land in protected areas and within 25–100 km of protected‐area borders, the density of roads, and extent of urban and cropland area in protected areas. We constructed logistic‐regression models to test whether development in a protected area was associated with landscape and protected‐area characteristics. Land development was far less extensive inside than outside protected areas. However, several protected areas, particularly small southern areas near small urban centers had substantial development inside their boundaries, and nearly half of protected areas had roads. The cumulative extent of development within 50 km of protected areas was the best predictor of the probability of land development in protected areas. Canadian First Nations, industries, government, and nongovernmental organizations are currently planning an unprecedented number of new protected areas. Careful management of areas beyond protected‐area boundaries may prove critical to meeting their long‐term conservation objectives. Desarrollo de Tierras Dentro y Alrededor de Áreas Protegidas en la Frontera Silvestre     

典型流域土地利用/覆被变化预测及景观生态效应分析——以太湖上游西苕溪流域为例

以太湖上游西苕溪流域为研究区，基于1985和2002年土地利用空间数据，结合土地利用变化的驱动因子，运用马尔科夫模型和CLUE S模型，模拟了研究区2020年土地利用的空间格局；在此基础上，通过对斑块类型和景观水平上格局指数的变化分析， 揭示研究区未来土地利用/覆被变化及其景观生态效应。结果表明： 按照1985～2002年土地利用变化的发展趋势，未来研究区土地利用变化主要表现为建设用地面积大幅度增加，耕地、林地面积减小，研究区未来景观格局指数将发生较大的变化。在景观尺度上，斑块数量、边缘密度、多样性指数、均匀度指数、分维数等指标都呈增加趋势，而斑块平均面积减小，表现出景观结构破碎化、斑块形状复杂化、景观向多样性和均匀化发展的特点；而从斑块类型水平上看，各景观类型之间的景观格局指数变化差异较大，反映了生态系统的复杂性.     

植物床-沟壕系统的藻类捕获功能

采用原位实验验证植物床．沟壕系统的藻类捕获功能。结果表明：该系统能够有效拦截和捕获源水藻类。在水力梯度驱动下，约35％源水进入高位小沟流经植物床内部根孔结构而汇至低位小沟。低位小沟内叶绿素a（Chl-a）浓度显著低于高位小沟（P=0．0239），其降低比例为11．1％。以植物床．沟壕系统为结构形式的根孔净化区其出水Chl-a浓度较源水整体下降了27．0％。估算该片根孔净化区捕获藻类鲜生物量约122kg／d。石臼漾湿地共含根孔净化区11片，按供水25万t／d计，估算捕获藻类鲜生物量约1100kg／d。     

生态退耕对安塞县土地利用及其生态服务功能的影响

以生态系统服务价值作为衡量区域生态服务功能的指标,对安塞县1998-2006年间生态服务功能的变化进行了分析。根据黄土丘陵沟壑区耕地坡度与水土流失相关关系以及农户调查数据,对安塞县耕地扰动调节、水分调节、水供应、侵蚀控制以及不同坡耕地食物供应能力的生态服务价值指数进行了修正。在此基础上,分析了安塞县退耕还林还草政策对区域生态服务功能变化的影响。结果表明:生态建设措施使得安塞县生态恶化的趋势得到扭转,其生态服务功能在1998-2006年间增加了12%,其中缓坡耕地、中坡耕地和陡坡耕地的退出,对安塞县生态服务功能增强的贡献率分别为25%,48%,27%。文章还对生态建设的监督与投资进行了讨论,认为基于实验的生态系统功能监测与评估技术才是生态系统服务价值评估的基础;生态建设所带来的生态效益的主要获益者是更大空间范围的利益相关者甚至全社会,因此作为社会代表的政府应成为生态建设的主要投资主体。     

许昌市土地资源利用结构优化配置研究

土地资源优化配置是城市化进程中面临的主要问题,土地利用结构优化配置是土地利用总体规划的主要内容和基本方法,也是区域经济和社会发展规划的重要依据.在对许昌市土地利用变化分析的基础上,结合当地社会经济发展的需求和有关规划控制指标,借助线性规划模型求解未来许昌市土地利用结构的优化方案,力求提高土地利用的综合效益,实现土地资源永续利用和国民经济持续发展.     

Adapting cities to climate change – exploring the flood risk management role of green infrastructure landscapes

There is now an emerging sense of the scope and nature of response that can be implemented at building and neighbourhood scales to help adapt cities and urban areas to the changing climate. In comparison, the role of larger natural and semi-natural landscapes that surround and permeate cities is less well understood. Addressing this knowledge gap, this paper outlines two case studies that describe and map the flood risk management functions offered by green infrastructure landscapes situated within the Urban Mersey Basin in North West England. The case studies establish that areas potentially exposed to flooding can be located at some distance, and within different jurisdictions, from upstream areas where the flood hazard may be generated and could be moderated via functions provided by green infrastructure landscapes. This raises planning and governance challenges connected to supporting and enhancing flood risk management functions provided by green infrastructure landscapes.     

云南省耕地生产效率的时空差异及影响因素

以第二次全国土地调查完成以来的2009~2013年为研究时段,在测算云南省16个州(市)的耕地生产效率基础上,综合运用ESDA技术、基尼系数等方法系统分析云南省耕地生产效率的时空差异,并构建计量经济模型研究影响不同区域耕地生产效率变化的主要因素。结果表明:(1)2009~2013年,云南省耕地生产效率呈总体上升趋势,但增幅逐年降低;效率低值地区增长明显,高值地区则并不显著;(2)云南省耕地生产效率区域差异呈缩小态势,并表现出由西南向东北递减的空间分布特征;(3)滇中、滇西南等粮食主产区受≤6°耕地面积比重、旱涝保收面积的影响较大,而滇东地区则更易受到6°坡耕地面积和人均GDP的影响,滇西北地区受≤6°耕地面积比重和人均GDP的影响显著。     

Welfare effects of rural-urban land conversion on different aged land-lost farmers: exemplified in Wuhan city

Rural-urban land conversion is a universal phenomenon in the rapid process of economic development and urban growth. The welfare of farmers who lost their farmland attracted a widespread concern within the society and academia. However, further research about differentiated policies according to the characteristics of different farmer groups is still need to be conducted. This article divides the land-lost farmers into three age groups: younger than 45, 45–65, and more than 65. It proposes a welfare index system including eight functional areas based on different age groups of affected farmers, taking four districts of Wuhan City as case study area. Fuzzy mathematics method is used to derive the aggregated welfare effect index. Our analysis show that the overall welfare levels of land-lost farmers of all age groups declined, but with a varying degree, with the level of welfare in those farmers who are 45–65 years old, younger than 45 years old, and older than 65 years old decreased by 18.7%, 16.6%, and 12.7%, respectively. The direction and degree of effects on the functional activity index varies among different groups. Economic conditions, living environment, health, and social participation of all age groups decrease while social security and housing conditions increase. On the other hand, development opportunities, social communication, and leisure have different changing directions in different age stages. These results call for differentiated and tailor-made compensation policies for land-lost farmers, towards improving the welfare levels of all farmers and reduce the disparity among them.     

A Small‐Scale Land‐Sparing Approach to Conserving Biological Diversity in Tropical Agricultural Landscapes

Two contrasting strategies have been proposed for conserving biological diversity while meeting the increasing demand for agricultural products: land sparing and land sharing production systems. Land sparing involves increasing yield to reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture, whereas land‐sharing agricultural practices incorporate elements of native ecosystems into the production system itself. Although the conservation value of these systems has been extensively debated, empirical studies are lacking. We compared bird communities in shade coffee, a widely practiced land‐sharing system in which shade trees are maintained within the coffee plantation, with bird communities in a novel, small‐scale, land‐sparing coffee‐production system (integrated open canopy or IOC coffee) in which farmers obtain higher yields under little or no shade while conserving an area of forest equal to the area under cultivation. Species richness and diversity of forest‐dependent birds were higher in the IOC coffee farms than in the shade coffee farms, and community composition was more similar between IOC coffee and primary forest than between shade coffee and primary forest. Our study represents the first empirical comparison of well‐defined land sparing and land sharing production systems. Because IOC coffee farms can be established by allowing forest to regenerate on degraded land, widespread adoption of this system could lead to substantial increases in forest cover and carbon sequestration without compromising agricultural yield or threatening the livelihoods of traditional small farmers. However, we studied small farms (<5 ha); thus, our results may not generalize to large‐scale land‐sharing systems. Furthermore, rather than concluding that land sparing is generally superior to land sharing, we suggest that the optimal approach depends on the crop, local climate, and existing land‐use patterns. Un Método para Reservar Tierras a Pequeña Escala para Conservar la Biodiversidad en Paisajes Agrícolas Tropicales