Social and economic impacts of carbon sequestration and land use change on peasant households in rural China: a case study of Liping, Guizhou Province

Numerous innovative approaches to mitigate effects of excessive emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) on global climate change are being proposed and formulated. Sequestering carbon to terrestrial ecosystems represents one of the important clean development mechanisms. Reforestation through converting various non-forest lands to forests is undoubtedly an important dimension of carbon sequestration. Using Liping County in Guizhou Province as a case region, this study examines the perceived change in social and economic livelihoods of peasants and the factors responsible for the variations in the changes. The results of the study reveal that socio-economic changes associated with the government-financed project are multifaceted and profound. Because of the financial subsidies provided by the central government, this environmental action in many aspects can be regarded as a poverty reduction measure in the underdeveloped area where rural poverty is widespread. A majority of peasant households have benefited from project participation. The land conversion project with continued financial support also contributes to the social transformations of traditional rural society in remote areas to a more mobile, less subsistence agriculture-based, and open society.     

The Spatio-Temporal Dynamic Pattern of Rural Residential Land in China in the 1990s Using Landsat TM Images and GIS

Through interpreting Landsat TM images, this study analyzes the spatial distribution of rural settlements in China in 2000. It calculates rural residential land percentage for every 1-km² cell. The entire country is divided into 33 regions to investigate the spatio-temporal dynamic patterns of rural residential land during the 1990s. According to the remote sensing survey, the rural residential land increased by 7.88 × 10⁵ ha in the 1990s. The increment of rural residential land was 0.55 million ha in 1990–1995 and 0.23 million ha in 1995–2000. In 1990–1995, rural residential land increased dramatically in the eastern regions such as the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and North China Plain, accounting for 80.80% of the national growth; the expansion in the western regions was much more moderate. In 1995–2000, the expansion of rural residential land in eastern regions slowed, accounting for only 58.54% of the increase at the national level, whereas the expansion in the western regions accelerated. Rapid rural residential development resulted from increasing home construction and the limited control on rural land. The great regional disparity reflected the regional economic development and land-use policy change. Our finding shows that nearly 60% of the rural residential area came from cropland.     

区域土地整理对生态系统的影响及补偿

为了降低土地整理对生态系统影响的负面效应,提出了生态补偿的经济措施、社会措施和生态措施.结合国家投资土地整理重点项目的规划设计,重点讨论了土地整理生态补偿的生态措施,主要通过农地平整工程设计、道路工程设计、农田灌排工程设计的生态学方法及生态边界设计等来实现.     

基于生态服务价值的全国土地利用变化环境影响评价

针对中国的实际情况,对不同土地利用类型单位面积生态服务价值进行了校正,并以此为基础,计算了自上一轮土地利用规划实施以来(1996～2004年)我国不同省市土地利用变化引起的生态服务功能的变化.结果表明,该时期内全国土地利用变化导致生态服务功能整体增加了0.91%.其中正向变化最大的省份是天津市,其生态服务功能增加了5.69%;负向变化最大的省份是上海市,其生态服务功能下降了9.79%.对不同生态服务类型的变化分析表明,生态服务中气候调节功能增加最快,1996～2004年间全国增加了3.43%;生物资源控制功能下降最快,期间下降了2.26%.研究还认为,引起我国土地生态服务价值变化的主要原因是该时期内全国水域面积和林地面积的增加导致了生态系统服务功能的增加,而城市建设用地和交通用地的增加导致了全国生态服务功能的下降.     

太湖丘陵地区农田氮素迁移的时空分布特征

在太湖丘陵地区选择4种有代表性的土地利用类型进行野外原位试验,研究自然降雨条件下氮素随地表径流迁移的时空分布特征.试验结果表明,随地表径流迁移的农田氮素以氨氮为主,其“次降雨径流平均浓度”中位值占总氮的44.5%,亚硝态氮浓度最小,仅占1.8%.地表径流中的氮素浓度存在显著的季节性差异,其分布主要受降水量、气温等气象条件以及农事活动的影响.总氮、氨氮、硝态氮和亚硝态氮的“多场降雨径流平均浓度”的时间变异性依次减小.菜地径流中总氮、氨氮和硝态氮以及竹林亚硝态氮的SMC值最高,不同土地利用下氮素浓度的空间分布主要与施肥条件以及植被覆盖度有关.各氮素形态SMC值的空间变异性小于其时间变异性.旱地和菜地的氮素迁移通量大于板栗林和竹林,径流量是导致迁移通量存在显著差异的主导因素.     

城市非点源污染的主要来源及分类控制对策

土地利用方式是影响流域水质的主要因素,加强土地利用管理是提高流域水环境质量的重要途径之一.以武汉市汉阳区为例,利用逐步回归模型分析了城市土地利用类型与流域湖泊水质之间的相关关系,发现农村居民地、城市居民地、商业用地和滩地等用地类型是城市湖泊非点源污染的主要来源.基于土地利用类型,流域中的17个汇水单元可聚为3类,分别以农村居民用地,城市居民用地和商业用地,滩地为主.依照各类汇水单元的景观结构特点,针对性地提出了非点源污染的分类控制措施,简化了控制措施和提高了可操作性.     

北京市丰台区土地利用变化及社会经济驱动力分析

近十年来．北京城市化水平大幅度提升．建设用地不断向外扩展。城市边缘区土地利用变化异常明显。丰台区作为北京城市边缘区的重要组成部分。土地利用变化特征具有典型性，在分析丰台区12年间土地利用的类型变化、数量变化、程度变化和区域变化特征基础上。对形成这种土地利用变化的驱动力从社会经济方面进行了剖析，并在统计软件SPSS的支持下对土地利用变化驱动力指数进行了计算。结果表明．研究时段内土地利用变化幅度大。土地利用程度增加；耕地、园地和未利用地净减．而建设用地和林地净增．土地利用变化的社会驱动力主要是人口增长、经济发展和城市化水平提高．并且这些因素的驱动力指数是逐年增加的。政策的干预作用也不容忽视。     

Relations of Habitat-Specific Algal Assemblages to Land Use and Water Chemistry in the Willamette Basin, Oregon

Benthic algal assemblages, water chemistry, and habitat were characterized at 25 stream sites in the Willamette Basin, Oregon, during low flow in 1994. Seventy-three algal samples yielded 420 taxa — mostly diatoms, blue-green algae, and green algae. Algal assemblages from depositional samples were strongly dominated by diatoms (76% mean relative abundance), whereas erosional samples were dominated by blue-green algae (68% mean relative abundance).Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) of semiquantitative and qualitative (presence/absence) data sets identified four environmental variables (maximum specific conductance, % open canopy, pH, and drainage area) that were significant in describing patterns of algal taxa among sites. Based on CCA, four groups of sites were identified: streams in forested basins that supported oligotrophic taxa, such as Diatoma mesodon;small streams in agricultural and urban basins that contained a variety of eutrophic and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa; larger rivers draining areas of mixed land use that supported planktonic, eutrophic, and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa; and streams with severely degraded or absent riparian vegetation (> 75% open canopy) that were dominated by other planktonic, eutrophic, and nitrogen-heterotrophic algal taxa. Patterns in water chemistry were consistent with the algal autecological interpretations and clearly demonstrated relationships between land use, water quality, and algal distribution patterns.     

Spatial and temporal dynamics of land use pattern in Eastern Turkey: a case study in Gümüşhane

Recognition and understanding of landscape dynamics as a historical legacy of disturbances are necessary for sustainable management of forest ecosystems. This study analyzed spatial and temporal changes in land use and land cover patterns in a typical mountain watershed in the Gumushane district along the Northeastern part of Turkey. The area is investigated by comparing LANDSAT images from 1987 to 2000 and evaluated the temporal changes of spatial structure of forest conditions through spatial analysis of forest cover type maps from 1971 and 1987 using GIS and FRAGSTATS™. The results show a general decreasing trend in area of natural land cover types including broadleaf and conifer forests as well as coppice between 1971 and 1987 (0.54%, respectively). In contrast, between 1987 and 2000 this natural land cover types show increasing trend (1.6%). In parallel with forest dynamics, the area of managed land including lowland and upland agricultural areas, rangelands and grasslands increased during the first period and decreased during second period. In terms of spatial configuration, Gümüşhane forests aren’t generally fragmented by intensive forest utilization in the latter periods. This is partially due to out-migration of rural population in Gümüşhane. Nevertheless, land use pattern significantly changed over time depending on a few factors such as unregulated management actions, social pressure and demographic movements. The study revealed that demographic movements have a major effect on landscape dynamics.     

Potential Mortality Effects of Off-Highway Vehicles on the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phrynosoma mcallii</Emphasis>): A Manipulative Experiment

Southern California desert public lands receive especially high levels of off-highway recreation due to large population centers nearby and popular riding environments such as sand dunes. Controversy has developed over the flat-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii), previously a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Some evidence suggests lower lizard abundance in areas of higher recreational use than in areas with low or no use. We designed a manipulative experiment to ensure maximum inference in evaluating the direct impact of recreational riding of off-highway vehicles on lizards. Thirty-six lizards, in situ, were treated with an off-highway vehicle treatment during hibernation season in three treatment groups: high impact, low impact, and control. Treatments consisted of timed riding by off-highway vehicles. In all treatment groups survival was 100%, despite hibernation of lizards at very shallow depths. Consequently, indirect effects of off-highway vehicles deserve increased attention. The relative importance of direct versus indirect (i.e., degradation of lizard habitat) impacts caused by off-highway vehicles remains unknown. These indirect effects may include the altering of vegetation, substrate, and prey. We recommend that a manipulative approach be adopted to investigate these possibilities.