Effect of land use and land cover change on soil erosion and the spatio-temporal variation in Liupan Mountain Region, southern Ningxia, China

The Liupan Mountains are located in the southern Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China, that forms an important divide between landforms and biogeographic regions. The populated part of the Liupan Mountain Region has suffered tremendous ecological damage over time due to population pressure, excessive demand and inappropriate use of agricultural land resources. To present the relationship between land use/cover change and spatio-temporal variation of soil erosion, data sets of land use between the late 1980s and 2000 were obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery, and spatial models were used to characterize landscape and soil erosion conditions. Also, soil erosion in response to land use and land cover change were quantified and analyzed using data from geographical information systems and remote sensing. Soil erosion by water was the dominant mode of soil loss, while soil erosion by wind was only present on a relatively small area. The degree of soil erosion was classified into five severity classes: slight, light, moderate, severe, and very severe. Soil erosion in the Liupan Mountain Region increased between the late 1980s and 2000, both in terms of acreage and severity. Moderate, severe, and very severe eroded areas accounted for 54.86% of the total land area. The lightly eroded area decreased, while the moderately eroded area increased by 368817 ha (22%) followed by severe erosion with 146552 ha (8.8%), and very severe erosion by 97067.6 ha (5.8%). Soil loss on sloping cropland increased with slope gradients. About 90% of the cropland was located on slopes less than 15°. Most of the increase in soil erosion on cropland was due to conversion of steep slopes to cropland and degradation of grassland and increased activities. Soil erosion was severe on grassland with a moderate or low grass cover and on dry land. Human activities, cultivation on steep slopes, and overgrazing of pastures were the main reasons for the increase in erosion severity.     

Assessment of land degradation and its impact on crop production in the Dry Zone of Myanmar

Land degradation in terms of soil degradation is a major environmental issue posing threat to sustainable livelihood in the semi-arid region of Central Myanmar. However, the studies on soil degradation status and its impacts in this region are very scanty. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of land degradation on crop production both in terms of area and yield in the Dry Zone of Myanmar. Remote sensing and geographic information system-based modelling was utilized to assess and map soil erosion rates. Household survey was conducted to understand the causes of land degradation and its impacts on crop productivity and livelihoods. It has been found out that the current rate of soil erosion ranged from 0 to 114 t ha^–1 yr^–1, and that the average rate of soil erosion increased from 14.2 to 54.6 t ha^–1 yr^–1 over a period from 2000 to 2012. The major types of land degradation were physical and chemical soil degradation. Farmers identified topographic condition, soil types, improper crop management practices and climatic factors as the main causes of soil erosion. The observed crop yields of monsoon rice, groundnut, sesame and cotton in the highly degraded area were 3–12 times lower compared with the yields of these crops grown in less degraded area. Livelihoods of the farmers in the high-degraded area were affected by crop yield reduction, increased cultivation cost and increased uncultivable land area. The impact of land degradation on crop production was dependent on the severity of degradation. This suggests that advanced conservation measures are immediately required and the supportive policy strategies need to be implemented to educate farmers and to strengthen extension services for sustainable land management in the Dry Zone of Myanmar.     

安徽省耕地资源利用分析

根据安徽省生态环境现状调查的结果 ,耕地是安徽省主要的土地利用类型。由于经济建设、生态建设、经济利益的驱动和有限的后备资源 ,耕地面积逐年减少 ;肥力不足、土壤退化、水土流失等因素影响了安徽省耕地资源质量 ;低的生态占用表明该省人口数量已给环境造成巨大的生态压力 ,人地矛盾日趋突出。粮食的安全保障依赖于耕地的高强度利用、化肥的大量施用和有效灌溉面积的扩大。加强土地管理 ,严格执法 ,合理规划用地 ,以科学技术来提高粮食的单产水平和土地利用的集约化程度 ,是耕地可持续利用的保证。     

Natural resource depletion and the economic performance of local districts: suggestions from a within-country analysis

SUMMARY

Studying the interactions among ecological factors and economic performance measured at the local scale is necessary to suggest policies able to mitigate natural resource depletion in complex ecosystems, like those in the Mediterranean region. The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship among natural resource depletion due to land degradation (LD) and some economic characteristics of local labour systems in Italy, a country where many areas, especially southern regions, are vulnerable. LD was estimated using an environmental sensitive area index, covering the national territory at a fine scale, which takes into account ecological factors such as climate, soil and vegetation. Economic indicators used here consider per capita income, land productivity, production and labour productivity by sector (agriculture, industry and services). A regression analysis was built-up at the LLS scale using an index change over time (1990–2000) as dependent variable and economic variables as predictors. A principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to synthesise the outputs of the regression analysis. Results indicate a negative relationship among per capita income and LD over the whole study area. However, other variables showed a significant correlation with the dependent variable, highlighting the importance of local factors to increase land vulnerability. In order to clarify the contribution of economic factors to natural resource depletion it is necessary to drive integrate policies to combat LD in dry Mediterranean areas.     

土壤学与广东持续农业的发展

持续农业是关于建立资源、生态、地力、经济效益等各个方面均可持续发展的农业制度的一种思想．水土流失、土地退化、耕地锐减、环境污染，制约着广东农业的持续发展．土壤学应围绕持续农业开展研究工作．目前应加强土壤生态环境的保护，防治土地退化，提高土壤肥力，保证耕地生产力的持续发展．应开展土壤资源的动态变化研究，为合理开发和利用土壤资源提供科学依据．     

辽西大凌河流域土地利用变化及驱动力分析

从政策、流域综合治理、经济发展和技术进步、农民认知态度等4方面对影响大凌河流域土地利用变化的驱动力进行了分析。同时运用农户问卷调查和驱动力分析结果,选取影响耕地变化的社会经济和人口因子,运用主成分分析和多元迭代回归分析确定影响耕地变化的主要因子,并拟合出耕地变化的最优度模型。研究结果表明:在1987—2002年期间,农田和未利用荒地面积在不断减小,而林地、果园、草地在不断增加,但1995年后变化边际度大大减小;主成分分析表明影响土地利用变化主要影响因子是农业人口(A-POP)、总人口(T-POP)、农村经济收入(TIRE)、农林牧渔收入(IAFAF)和第三产业总产值(GTI);多元迭代回归分析表明耕地面积变化的最优回归模型中主变量是农业人口(A-POP)、总人口(T-POP)、农村经济收入(TIRE),这些变量能够解释95.1%的耕地变化。     

Ecological issues and risk assessment in China

As a result of economic development and population explosion, global ecological environments have been severely disturbed and markedly changed. An ecological crisis involving desertification, soil erosion, degradation of land quality, loss of biodiversity and global climate change has been brought about all over the world. In order to manage ecosystems efficiently, it is necessary to assess ecological risk at multiple scales. Ecological risk is the probability that a region and/or site will experience defined ecological or environmental problems. In this paper, the ecological risks of soil erosion, desertification, and acid deposition have been assessed on a national scale according to natural and human factors, such as topography, soil, vegetation and climate. This assessment has provided very useful information for ecological environmental management in China.     

Towards sustainable land-use in the hills of Central Himalaya,India

SUMMARY

Over-population in relation to poor land productivity and cultivation in less fertile lands is resulting in land degradation and deforestation in UP hills. Growing demand of more food production and increasing need for more cash in hand have forced the hill people to cultivate all kinds of land, resulting in the denudation of land resources and soil erosion. These changes resulted in out migration of the area's human resource. A new management system for the revival of natural resources and the sustainable utilization of the area's human population and livestock has been proposed, involving active local participation in order to change the existing land-use to a system based on the soil fertility scale.     

长江上游水土流失主要成因与防治对策

长江上游水土流失面积广 ,侵蚀强度大 ,是其生态环境退化的重要标志。水土流失加剧是人类不合理活动 ,主要有陡坡种植、森林砍伐、草场退化、工程破坏等所使然。当前严重的水土流失状况是自然因素与人为因素综合作用的结果。防治长江上游水土流失关键是通过改变人类不合理的生产方式和开发方式 ,引导人类活动向与自然协调、与水土保持相一致的方向发展 ,并对退化生态系统进行恢复与重建。     

Using and comparing two nonparametric methods (CART and MARS) to model the potential distribution of gullies

Gully erosion represents an important soil degradation process in rangelands. In order to take preventive or control measures and to reduce its environmental damages and economical costs it is useful to localize the points in the landscape where gullying takes place and to determine the importance of the different factors involved. The study is carried out in Extremadura, southwest Spain. The main objectives of this work are: (a) comparing two nonparametric schemes to model the potential distribution of gullies, (b) evaluating the importance of the different factors involved in gullying processes, (c) analyzing the role of prevalence in the success of the model and finally, (d) implementing and mapping the results with the help of a Geographical Information System (GIS). Two methods were used to model the response of a dependent variable (gullying) from a set of independent variables: Classification And Regression Trees (CART) and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS). Three different datasets were used; the first one for constructing the model (training dataset) and the others for validating the model (external datasets). These datasets are formed by a target variable (presence or absence of gullies) and a set of independent variables. The dependent variable was obtained by mapping the locations of gullies with the help of a GPS and high resolution aerial ortophotographs. A set of 32 independent variables reflecting topography, lithology, soil type, climate, land use and vegetation cover of each area were used. The performance of the models was evaluated using a non-dependent threshold method: the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The results showed a better performance of MARS for predicting gullying with areas under the ROC curve of 0.98 and 0.97 for the validation datasets, while CART presented values of 0.96 and 0.66.     

A comparative assessment of land management approaches in Bhutan

Arable land in Bhutan is under serious threats of land degradation. Proper land management approach is needed to control soil erosion problems. This study is an attempt to characterize and document the conventional and the community-based land management approaches, applied in Chukha and Dagana districts, respectively. The study tried to make a comparative assessment of their social, economic and environmental impacts on the participating farmers. Farmers’ level of participation in the program, implementation of the soil erosion control measures (SECM) and subsequent social, economic and environmental impacts were found to be significantly influenced by the type of approach applied. The study found that community-based approach is by any means better suited for the study sites than the conventional approach. The social, economic and environmental attributes of respondents from the community-based approach were found to have improved significantly as compared to the conventional approach. The community-based approach was thus found to have a higher potential to meet the diverse requirements of rural subsistence farming communities in Bhutan than the conventional approach.     

雷州半岛地表水体非点源污染物时空变化特征研究

以雷州半岛为研究区，利用2000-2003年问南渡河与九洲江，以及赤坎水库与鹤地水库的4年常规监测数据，结合实地调查，利用数理统计分析，对雷州半岛地表水体非点源污染物及其时空变化规律进行了初步研究。研究发现，河流与水库的水质均是以氮污染为主，水体有富营养化现象发生，同时，两河流在雨季都不同程度受到了非点源污染的影响，而只有赤坎水库明显受到了非点源污染的影响。究其原因，主要是由于土地利用方式的不同在一定程度上决定了雷州半岛地表水体非点源污染物质量浓度的时空变化特征。因此，只有合理调整流域和库区的土地利用方式、加强区域的水土流失治理工作，才能有效降低非点源污染所带来的地表水体环境污染问题。     

松嫩盆地生态环境地质图编图方法研究

松嫩盆地是一个生态环境脆弱地区。本文以松嫩盆地为典型研究区域,采用定性指标与定量化手段相结合的方法,综合考虑干旱、洪涝、盐渍化、荒漠化、沼泽化和水土流失等一系列生态环境地质问题,编制出反映生态环境地质问题鲜明醒目、层次清晰和规律清楚、具有一定预测功能的生态环境地质图。     

Impacts of land use conversion on soil properties and soil erodibility

Land use conversion can affect natural ecological processes such as surface runoff and erosion. Therefore, it has potential to change soil stability To investigate this process in depth, Iskalan creek catchment in the Black sea region, where excessive land use applications and erosion events have often occured, was selected as the study area. The objective was to determine the effects of land use conversion on soil properties, soil erodibility and the relationships among soil properties and some erodibility indices. Duplicate topsoil samples were taken by using steel cylinders at 100 different sampling points from three different land use types; 34 of them are in farmlands, 34 in rangelands and 32 in forestlands. Soil particle size distribution, loss of ignition, pH, electrical conductivity skeleton percentage and three erodibility indices were determined. Data were analysed by using Pearson correlation analysis (at 95% and 99% significance level), ANOVA and Tukey's test at 95 % significance level. According to study results, land use conversion affects some properties of soils significantly Loss of ignition of soils in forests was significantly higher than soils in farmlands and rangelands. Soil skeleton percentage in rangelands and farmlands were significantly different. The study results showed that there was significant difference between pH of soils in forests and farmlands (p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis results showed significant correlations among erodibility indices and certain soil properties such as clay and sand fraction of soils (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01). Topsoils of the study area were sensitive to erosion according to all three erodibility indices. The most sensitive soils were in farmlands.     

人为作用对土壤环境质量的影响及对策

人为作用引起的土壤环境变化是衡量和反映土壤资源与环境质量的标志,它与当前世界关注的全球变化和可持续发展密切相关。本文着重讨论近百年来土壤环境的变化以及未来土壤环境变化的新趋势。通过大量的数据,阐述由于人为作用,上地退化和水土污染问题日益严重。文章还进一步从气候变化、人口压力和大型工程建设等几方面对未来土壤环境的影响进行了预测。最后提出了防治土地退化、水土污染及提高土壤环境质量的对策。     

广东省农业生态环境问题与对策

随着社会经济和城市化的快速发展，以及人口的剧增，广东省的农业发展正面临一系列严重的生态环境问题。这些问题包括耕地资源日益缺乏，农业环境污染日益严重，土壤肥力退化和水土流失仍未遏止，地区性的洪旱灾害频繁，森林生态系统简单而脆弱，外来物种入侵猖獗，等等。文章对这些问题进行了讨论，并提出了若干治理对策。认为要使广东省农业可持续发展，必须合理开发利用农业自然资源，严格控制非农业用地与人口增长，加强农业环境污染的防治，加强土壤肥力退化和水土流失的综合治理，发展节水农业，改善林分结构和生态服务功能。此外，认为还应加强外来物种的安全防范工作和科学研究，防止外来物种对农业生态系统的组成、结构和功能的破坏。     

基于RS-GIS的湖北丹江库区土壤水力侵蚀定量分析

湖北丹江库区是南水北调中线工程的主要淹没区和水源区,土壤水力侵蚀是影响水质安全和工程实施的重要因素。以1998年和2003年的TM遥感影像为主要信息源,建立了以植被覆盖度、坡度和土地利用为指标的水力侵蚀遥感分析方法,将水力侵蚀强度分为六级,并结合GIS的空间分析功能对1998年和2003年库区水力侵蚀强度变化及空间分布进行了划分。结果表明五年间库区微度侵蚀、中度侵蚀和强度侵蚀面积呈增加趋势,而轻度侵蚀和极强度侵蚀面积呈减少趋势;并将库区水力侵蚀空间分布划分为北部中低山丘陵中强度侵蚀区和中部河谷城区轻度流失区。分析结果对库区土壤侵蚀的治理和生态环境的改善具有指导意义。     

基于遥感与GIS的土壤侵蚀强度快速估测方法

针对土壤侵蚀问题,提出了一种基于遥感数据、气象数据、土壤数据的区域土壤侵蚀快速估测方法。首先,通过对土壤侵蚀问题形成原因和影响因素的分析,确定土壤侵蚀敏感性因子;其次,利用遥感(RS)、GIS技术提取土壤侵蚀敏感性因子信息;然后,在GIS系统支持下,运用主成分分析方法,进行土壤侵蚀强度分级;以北京密云水库周边区域为例,进行了土壤侵蚀估测方法的应用,并对该区域的土壤侵蚀空间特征进行分析。研究结果表明:(1)区域土壤侵蚀快速估测方法与实际情况有较好的一致性;(2)密云水库周边地区土壤侵蚀以微度和轻度侵蚀为主,所占面积比例为67.51%,中度以上侵蚀仅占面积的1.46%;(3)土壤侵蚀受坡度、地貌影响明显,中度侵蚀主要发生在低山、丘陵区以耕地为主的土地利用上以及坡度在大于25°的阳坡地带。     

广东土地抗蚀潜势初步研究

利用计算机和地理信息系统软件．研究了广东省的土壤质地、土壤有机质、地势三个侵蚀因子对土壤侵蚀方面的影响，指出了广东土地抗蚀性极弱地区主要是湛江市、新丰县的小部分地区，而抗蚀性弱的区域则很大，约占全省土地面积的49．8％，遍布全省中部和南部．针对这样的现状，提出要减少抗蚀性弱和极弱地区的土壤侵蚀，必须做到：对土地的利用开垦进行统一规划；严禁乱伐森林；采取生物措施和工程措施相结合的方式防治土壤侵蚀的进一步变化．     

Source-Sink Models and the Problem of Habitat Degradation: General Models and Applications to the Yellowstone Grizzly

I used source-sink population models to explore the consequences of habitat degradation for populations living on good and degraded habitats linked by movement. In particular, I modeled the conversion of land from good habitat quality supporting positive population growth to a degraded condition in which there was population decline. I found that with high rates of movement between good and bad quality areas populations require relatively large amounts of good habitat to remain stable. However, low movement rates resulted in greater sensitivity of population growth to habitat loss. Even small amounts of habitat degradation could result in rapid changes in overall population growth rates depending upon the rates of population increase and decline in the two habitat types. I also developed and simulated an age-structured model for grizzly bears ( Ursus arctos horribilis ) existing in good and degraded habitats and fit this model to data from the Yellowstone grizzly population. I used this model to predict the ability to detect crucial amounts of habitat degradation from census data and found that when degradation is slow (e.g., 1% conversion of good to poor habitat per year), more than a decade may pass between crucial amounts of degradation—beyond which populations begin long-term decline—and its detection, even if census data were unrealistically good. Thus these simple models indicate that, at least in some circumstances, habitat degradation can have rapid and severe impacts on population dynamics and traditional monitoring programs may not be adequate to detect the consequences of degradation.