Assessing the impact of ecological insecurity on ecosystem service value in stone quarrying and crushing dominated areas

The present study has tried to develop ecological insecurity model (EIM) in the growing stone quarrying and crushing dominated areas using robust machine learning techniques and attempted to link it with ecosystem service value (ESV). Satellite image-based landscape metrics have been used for developing machine learning-oriented EIM, and the global coefficient of Costanza et al. (Glob Environ Change 26:152–158, 2014) has been used for computing ESV. Field parameter-based ecological insecurity index (EII) has been developed for validating the EIMs along with the statistical methods. Applied Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) revealed that 21.88 to 60.79% area has predicted as highly ecologically insecure in all the selected four stone quarrying and crushing dominated clusters and this is has inflated from 2000 to 2020. All the applied models are acceptable in terms of their performances, but the RF model is found to be the best representative in relation to EII. It causes considerable loss of ESV which ranges from 160,845.18 US$ to 757,445.17 US$ in all the clusters from 2000 to 2020. The findings of the study are useful for ecological management in this area. It further recommends applying such an approach in such similar fields to establish the general finding and provides knowledge to the state of arts.

     

Quantifying carbon footprint for ecological river restoration

Environment, Development and Sustainability - RIVER restoration is a popular technique to rehabilitate degraded river habitat. Given the nature of these types of engineering projects, using...     

The governance of integrated ecosystem management in ecological function conservation areas in China

The relationship between ecological and socioeconomic systems in ecological function conservation areas (EFCAs) in China is analyzed from a governance perspective. Lashihai watershed in China’s southwestern Yunnan Province was chosen as a case study area, where leaders of 81 villager groups were interviewed through questionnaire surveys and anecdotal evidence was collected from focus group discussions. Our study found that the rehabilitated ecosystems in Lashihai, arising from conservation actions, provided the local communities with increasing natural capital to pursue horseback tourism as an important means of livelihood. Also, bonding social capital, together with unique cultural and ethnic assets, may have been instrumental in the formation of horseback tourism teams in some villager groups. However, the lack of higher-level government involvement and coordination among horseback tourism teams appeared to have led to a situation, where the rapidly developing tourism teams have started to impose threats on the wetland ecosystem. While highlighting some limitations of self-governance in adapting to complex and fast-changing socioeconomic conditions, the study called for the potential importance of fostering adaptive co-management to help modify the emerging undesired interconnectedness in social-ecological systems in Lashihai. For the future’s successful governance of integrated ecosystem management in EFCAs in China, the study also made brief discussion on some key elements of the adaptive co-management.     

Correction to: Quantifying carbon footprint for ecological river restoration

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The article “Quantifying carbon footprint for ecological river restoration”, written by “Yiwen Chiu, Yi Yang and Cody Morse”,...     

A spatially explicit and quantitative vulnerability assessment of ecosystem service change in Europe

Environmental change alters ecosystem functioning and may put the provision of services to human at risk. This paper presents a spatially explicit and quantitative assessment of the corresponding vulnerability for Europe, using a new framework designed to answer multidisciplinary policy relevant questions about the vulnerability of the human-environment system to global change. Scenarios were constructed for a range of possible changes in socio-economic trends, land uses and climate. These scenarios were used as inputs in a range of ecosystem models in order to assess the response of ecosystem function as well as the changes in the services they provide. The framework was used to relate the impacts of changing ecosystem service provision for four sectors in relation to each other, and to combine them with a simple, but generic index for societal adaptive capacity. By allowing analysis of different sectors, regions and development pathways, the vulnerability assessment provides a basis for discussion between stakeholders and policymakers about sustainable management of Europe’s natural resources. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The geomorphology and ecosystem service economic value baselines of tributary watersheds in Malaysia

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study presents how a cluster of tributary watersheds was evaluated for geomorphology and ecosystem service economic value baselines. Tributary...     

Hierarchical priority setting for restoration in a watershed in NE Spain, based on assessments of soil erosion and ecosystem services

Maintaining and enhancing ecosystem services through the restoration of degraded ecosystems have become an important biodiversity conservation strategy. Deciding where to restore ecosystems for the attainment of multiple services is a key issue for future planning, management, and human well-being. Most restoration projects usually entail a small number of actions in a local area and do not consider the potential benefits of planning restoration at broad regional scales. We developed a hierarchical priority setting approach to evaluate the performance of restoration measures in a semiarid basin in NE Spain (the Martín River Basin, 2,112 km²). Our analysis utilized a combination of erosion (a key driver of degradation in this Mediterranean region) and six spatially explicit ecosystem services data layers (five of these maps plotted surrogates for soil retention and accumulation, water supply and regulation, and carbon storage, and one plotted a cultural service, ecotourism). Hierarchical maps were generated using a geographic information system that combined areas important for providing a bundle of ecosystem services, as state variables, with erosion maps, as the disturbance or regulatory variable. This was performed for multiple scales, thereby identifying the most adequate scale of analysis and establishing a spatial hierarchy of restoration actions based on the combination of the evaluation of erosion rates and the provision of ecosystem services. Our approach provides managers with a straightforward method for determining the spatial distribution of values for a set of ecosystem services in relation to ecological degradation thresholds and for allocating efforts and resources for restoration projects in complex landscapes.     

国土资源规制:基本理论与中国实践

规制是政府或其特定部门,对企业及家庭、组织等行为,依据特定规定进行特定的约束.该文基于国土资源基础及其稀缺性和公共物品属性,以及企业活动的资源环境外部性等理论,提出国土资源规制的概念,认为国土资源规制既是对与国土资源相关的行为的规制,也是以国土资源为手段对企业及地方政府的规制.国土资源规制的基本内容包括:明晰国土资源基础状况、编制区域国土功能区划和国土规划、确定关键性国土资源的开发利用标准;优化国土资源规制路径,强化经济、法律、技术手段在国土资源规制中的运用;评定国土资源规制效果等.中国国土资源规制主要体现在土地参与宏观调控、用水配额管理和制定能源效率标准等方面.依据中国国土资源规制实践,选择出8个包含土地、水、能源、矿产和森林等在内的国土资源规制指标,以期建构我国国土资源规制的基本指标体系.同时,建议加强对重点行业和重点地区的国土资源规制,调整并完善现行统计指标体系和干部考核体系,以适应国土资源规制的需要.     

Pioneers of ecological restoration: the people and legacy of the University of Wisconsin Arboretum

A focus on communication can provide in-depth understanding of public participation in natural resource management. Analysis of empirical material from a participatory process using the theoretical concepts of discursive closure and discursive opening revealed that openings were achieved, but the perspectives represented in the process were also closed down. The reasons for closures are discussed in terms of structural constraints, with participants shown to have many different constraints and different reasons for making closures. The conclusion is that the type of theoretical analysis presented in this paper could be used by a facilitator in meetings as a participatory tool to investigate closures and open them up to achieve a more deliberative process.     

Impact of climate change on vulnerability of forests and ecosystem service supply in Western Rhodopes Mountains

The vulnerability of forest ecosystem services to climate change is expected to depend on landscape characteristic and management history, but may also be influenced by the proximity to the southern range limit of constituent tree species. In the Western Rhodopes in South Bulgaria, Norway spruce is an important commercial species, but is approaching its current southern limit. Using climate sensitive forest models, we projected the impact of climate change on timber production, carbon storage, biodiversity and soil retention in two representative landscapes in the Western Rhodopes; a lower elevation landscape (1000–1450 m a.s.l) dominated by mixed species forests, and a higher elevation landscape (1550–2100 m a.s.l.) currently dominated by spruce. In both landscapes climate change is projected to induce a shift in forest composition, with drought-sensitive species, such as Norway spruce, being replaced by more drought-tolerant species such as Scots pine and black pine at lower elevations. In the higher elevation landscape a reduction in spruce growth is projected, particularly under the more severe climate change scenarios. Under most climate scenarios a reduction in growing stock is projected to occur, but under some scenarios a moderate increase in higher elevation stands (>1500 m a.s.l.) is expected. Climate change is projected to negatively influence carbon storage potential across landscapes with the magnitude depending on the severity of the climate change scenario. The impact of climate change on forest diversity and habitat availability is projected to differ considerably between the two landscapes, with diversity and habitat quality generally increasing at higher elevations, and being reduced at lower elevations. Our results suggest that if currently management practices are maintained the sensitivity of forests and forest ecosystem services in the Western Rhodopes to climate change will differ between low and higher elevation sites and will depend strongly on current forest composition.     

Linking biophysical models and public preferences for ecosystem service assessments: a case study for the Southern Rocky Mountains

Through extensive research, ecosystem services have been mapped using both survey-based and biophysical approaches, but comparative mapping of public values and those quantified using models has been lacking. In this paper, we mapped hot and cold spots for perceived and modeled ecosystem services by synthesizing results from a social-values mapping study of residents living near the Pike–San Isabel National Forest (PSI), located in the Southern Rocky Mountains, with corresponding biophysically modeled ecosystem services. Social-value maps for the PSI were developed using the Social Values for Ecosystem Services tool, providing statistically modeled continuous value surfaces for 12 value types, including aesthetic, biodiversity, and life-sustaining values. Biophysically modeled maps of carbon sequestration and storage, scenic viewsheds, sediment regulation, and water yield were generated using the Artificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services tool. Hotspots for both perceived and modeled services were disproportionately located within the PSI’s wilderness areas. Additionally, we used regression analysis to evaluate spatial relationships between perceived biodiversity and cultural ecosystem services and corresponding biophysical model outputs. Our goal was to determine whether publicly valued locations for aesthetic, biodiversity, and life-sustaining values relate meaningfully to results from corresponding biophysical ecosystem service models. We found weak relationships between perceived and biophysically modeled services, indicating that public perception of ecosystem service provisioning regions is limited. We believe that biophysical and social approaches to ecosystem service mapping can serve as methodological complements that can advance ecosystem services-based resource management, benefitting resource managers by showing potential locations of synergy or conflict between areas supplying ecosystem services and those valued by the public.     

国家级重点生态功能区县生态系统生产总值核算研究——以阿尔山市为例

国家级重点生态功能区是国家重要的生态安全屏障,是保障生态系统稳定的重要区域,生态系统生产总值(GEP)是生态系统为人类福祉和经济社会可持续发展提供的产品与服务价值的总和。核算重点生态功能区县生态系统生产总值(GEP)不仅为揭示区域生态系统为人类福祉和经济社会发展贡献提供了新的手段,同时为完善限制开发区市县政府考核机制和离任审计提供了新的科学方法。本文以国家级重点生态功能区县——阿尔山市为例,运用市场价值法、影子工程法、替代成本法及旅游费用法等研究方法,对阿尔山市生态系统产品提供、调节服务、文化服务3大类11项服务功能进行核算,结果表明:(1)2014年,阿尔山市生态系统生产总值539.88亿元,就生态系统服务类别而言,调节服务价值最高,占88.44%;文化服务价值占8.72%;产品提供价值占2.83%。(2)就不同生态系统服务类型而言,气候调节功能价值最大,占45.33%;固碳释氧价值、水源涵养价值、洪水调蓄价值次之。(3)就不同生态系统类型而言,由大到小排序,森林湿地草地灌丛农田。其中,森林生态系统生产总值最高,占61.99%;湿地次之,占32.44%。     

Using unexplained variation in the chemical composition of organisms for identification of xenobiotics in ecological studies

The contents of ten metals in the bone and muscle tissues were studied in three fish species from a water body located in the impact zone of a copper smelter. In the course of principal component analysis with “tissue” and “species” taken as instrumental variables (IVs), a high proportion of unexplained IV variance was revealed for xenobiotic elements, and the procedure of optimal scaling by the CATPCA method allowed their pattern to be estimated. It is proposed to use the unexplained variance of multidimensional data on the chemical composition of organisms for identifying the pattern of xenobiotics in environmental objects.     

Assessment of Godavari estuarine mangrove ecosystem through trace metal studies

Trace metals (Fe, Mn, Cu, Co, Ni. Pb, Cd and Cr) analyses in particulate matter and sediments were carried out at 16 different stations in the Godavari mangrove ecosystem covering the three regions viz., Kakinada (KKD) bay, Goutami-Godavari estuary (GGE) and Coringa and Gaderu mangrove environments (CGME). Higher concentrations of trace metals in particulate matter and in sediments were noticed in the mangrove environment compared to the KKD bay and GGE region. The significant correlations observed between several couples of metals in different regions as well as between numbers of heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Zn) with Total Suspended Matter (TSM) in particulate organic matter could be an indication of the role of the complexation with organic matter in the distribution pattern of these metals. Further significant correlations between organic carbon (OC) and Cr, Co, Pb, Cu and Mn in sediments of all the three regions indicate that organic matter acts as a metal carrier. The values of Pollution Load Index (PLI) were low and varied between 0.34 and 0.68 in KKD bay, 0.47 and 0.49 in GGE and, from 0.62 to 1.03 in CGME area, which indicate that the estuarine ecosystem is not of pollution concern under the present scenario.     

Analysis of the cost-effectiveness for ecosystem service provision and rural income generation: a comparison of three different programs in Southern Ecuador

In recent years, new tools for funding nature conservation have been designed. Because poverty is often significant in areas with high biodiversity, the improvement of local livelihoods is frequently considered as a secondary goal of new financing mechanisms besides nature conservation. The buffer zone of the Podocarpus National Park in Ecuador is such a high biodiversity zone. In this paper, we compare the cost-effectiveness and development potential of three different mechanisms to finance nature conservation implemented in this buffer zone, namely (a) an organic coffee label, (b) the Socio Bosque Program, a nationwide payment scheme for private forest conservation, and (c) FORAGUA, a regional water fund. This paper describes the functioning and the scope of the mechanisms and analyses their environmental and socio-economic impacts which are compared to the total costs. Results show that the water fund has the highest additionality in ecosystem service provision, while the payment scheme is the most cost-effective both for current as for increased ecosystem service provision and for extra rural job creation. Organic coffee certification has the highest positive impact on rural income creation.     

Introduction of geomechanical restoration method and its implications for reservoir assessment of unconventional oil-gas resource in China

New technologies are in urgent need of unconventional hydrocarbon exploration and development in China.This paper provides a brief introduction and analysis of a new three-dimensional(3D)geomechanical restoration method developed in recent years.After an in-depth discussion on the technical principle and specific characteristics of the fields,we designed a feasible workflow for two oil-gas fields with great unconventional oil-gas resource potentials in China(Weiyuan and Jiulongshan oil-gas fields of Sichuan).After discussing the major challenges and limitations of the new technology,we also suggest its research efforts and future application prospect It is shown that the new technology will be an effective method to facilitate the exploration and development of unconventional oil and gas resources in China.     

中国特色可持续发展实践方式的跃变

可持续发展本质上是一种实践。我国的实践方式是在国家和地方两个层面建设可持续发展实验区,这体现了我国可持续发展的内在要求,具有鲜明的中国特色和丰富的内涵,20年来已取得显著成效。但随着区域一体化的深化,区域性问题异常突出,既往以县区行政区划为主的实践方式显露出许多局限,亟需向跨行政区域可持续发展转变,也就是实现由“点”到“面”的跃变。为此,以“十一五”主体功能区划为契机,进行理论和政策创新,对可持续发展实践方式进行调整,着重从区域和乡镇两个层面探索推进中国可持续发展。     

Farmer typology, future scenarios and the implications for ecosystem service provision: a case study from south-eastern Spain

Farming communities are increasingly expected to manage their agricultural activities in ways that ensure sustainable flows of a wide range of ecosystem services for society. The land use and management choices that farmers make are dependent upon their socio-economic characteristics and background, and in turn have important implications for the landscape and associated ecosystem services. Thus, a better understanding about the linkages between the characteristics of farmers, farm management and land use is important for managing multifunctional agro-ecosystems. In this paper, we first develop a typology of farmers for Torrealvilla catchment in Murcia, Spain, according to the characteristics of their households and farm management (e.g. the farmer’s age, household income, water access, land tenure and farm labour). This analysis distinguishes six types of farmers. Secondly, we analyse the link between farmer typology and the farmers’ responses to a number of scenarios. The scenarios describe different likely changes to agriculture in the catchment in terms of environmental constraints (irrigation water availability and rainfall pattern) and environmental policy regulation (water taxation and subsidies). This exercise enables us to explore the range of future land use changes that are likely to occur in the study area. The results indicate that: rain-fed agriculture is expected to experience gradual but extensive abandonment; vegetable/fruit farming and pig/animal rearing are likely to stagnate or even decline; and growing of grapes is likely to expand. Thirdly, we qualitatively evaluate how future land use changes are likely to affect key ecosystem services in the study area including future agricultural production and associated local income generation, erosion control, maintenance of the groundwater table and various cultural services associated with a heterogeneous agro-ecosystem. Particular changes such as expansion of grape production will increase food production and local income at the cost of further depletion of the aquifer and increased risk of salinisation. The outcomes of the study highlight that, to be effective, the design of agri-environmental schemes and other government interventions (e.g. specific compulsory regulations on farming practices and associated water use) should carefully take into account the characteristics of the farmers within the area of interest, their land uses and the possible diversity of responses to policy and environmental drivers. Opportunities exist for future studies quantifying the extent of the impacts of ecosystem service provision through formal models combining farmers’ land use decision-making and spatially explicit modelling of landscape processes.     

Environmental Implication of Intensive Farming Practices on North China Plain

1 INTRODUCTION Growing pressure on the land of North China Plain (NCP - a food bowl of the country, has made many of th traditional farming practices increasingly difficult to sustain such as manuring, composting, mulching, legume-based rotations, field levelling and fertilizing with mud from rivers and canals. The pressure on the farmlands has also led to a decrease in farm sizes and shortened fallow periods To cope with this pressure on the land and to maintain its fertility, farmers …     

Environmental Implication of Intensive Farming Practices on North China Plain

Abstract

The current pressure on production resources of North China Plain, such as land and water to feed the growing population, necessitates the assessment of the sustainability of farming practices. This study focuses on the sustainability of farming practices related to groundwater and soil fertility management. The assessment is based on selected site-specific key indicators and their established threshold limits. The current farming practices in the study area are clearly unsustainable. Only about 6% of the surveyed farm households practice sustainable farming. The study stresses that farming practice, which is economically sustainable, should not be promoted at the cost of environment. Holistic strategies need to be developed and implemented that aim at balanced use of inputs, which satisfy both productivity and environmental concerns.