长江经济带土地开发均衡度及限度评价研究

基于长江经济带11个省市2005~2015年土地变更调查数据,从土地开发均衡度和土地开发限度两方面对该地区的土地开发强度进行综合评价。研究表明:(1)长江经济带各省市土地均衡度呈现两极分化,东部和西部地区土地开发失衡,中部地区土地开发相对均衡;(2)长江经济带整体土地开发限度为5.58%,11省市均超过或临近极限值,未来需建立集约型土地开发模式;(3)长江经济带不同地区的土地开发强度差异显著,呈现出下游高上游低,东部高集聚的空间格局。因此,应参考各省市土地开发限度对规划进行修编;增强土地供给能力,为建设用地紧张地区挖掘新的开发潜力;建立跨区域的土地开发体制等,通过完善政策法规促进土地的合理开发利用。     

长江经济带土地城镇化时空格局及其驱动力研究

研究长江经济带土地城镇化时空格局演变及驱动因素,对长江经济带新型城镇化建设具有重要的理论及实践意义。测度了1994~2014年长江经济带121个地级市土地城镇化水平,并利用探索性空间数据分析方法(ESDA)探究其时空格局演变特征,最后运用偏最小二乘回归分析模型(PLS)探讨了土地城镇化空间格局差异形成的主要驱动因素。研究结果表明:时序演变上,长江经济带土地城镇化水平总体上呈现不断上升的趋势,并表现出阶段性变化特征;空间演化上,长江经济带土地城镇化水平空间差异明显,主要表现为:空间自关联性显著,且土地城镇化热点区域作为极化的核心,集聚趋势由东北向西南方向逐渐递减;长江经济带土地城镇化水平时空差异受到经济发展水平、产业结构升级、人口规模、固定资产投资和区位条件等因素的共同作用影响。     

湖北省道路网络中心性与土地利用景观格局关系分析

深入理解道路网络与土地利用之间的关系有助于开展可持续的土地利用与道路网络规划。引入多中心性评价模型,对临近中心性、中介中心性、直线中心性3个指标,运用UNA对湖北省道路网络中心性进行测度;选取景观百分比,香农多样性指数,平均斑块大小,平均形状指数4个景观格局指数计算土地利用景观格局特征,并通过斯皮尔曼相关方法对两者之间的关系进行探讨。结果表明:(1)湖北省道路网络中心性格局和空间特征各异,整体上东高西低,临近中心性呈现条带状分布,中介中心性呈孔隙状分布,直线中心性呈片状分布;(2)景观层面上,土地利用景观破碎化和多样化对直线中心性最为敏感,而临近中心性与中介中心性与景观格局指数关系相对复杂;(3)在类型层面上,道路网络中心性与各类土地利用景观格局相关性各异,其中高中心性区域对林地表现为鲜明的排斥和破碎化效应,而对建设用地表现为强烈的吸引和空间集聚现象。该研究以道路网络中心性视角探讨道路网络与土地利用景观格局之间的关系,为区域空间形态和构成及其相关影响因素提供了新的视角。     

Hurricane Katrina‐linked environmental injustice: race,class, and place differentials in attitudes

Claims of environmental injustice, human neglect, and racism dominated the popular and academic literature after Hurricane Katrina struck the United States in August 2005. A systematic analysis of environmental injustice from the perspective of the survivors remains scanty or nonexistent. This paper presents, therefore, a systematic empirical analysis of the key determinants of Katrina‐induced environmental injustice attitudes among survivors in severely affected parishes (counties) in Louisiana and Mississippi three years into the recovery process. Statistical models based on a random sample of survivors were estimated, with the results revealing significant predictors such as age, children in household under 18, education, homeownership, and race. The results further indicate that African‐Americans were more likely to perceive environmental injustice following Katrina than their white counterparts. Indeed, the investigation reveals that there are substantial racial gaps in measures of environmental injustice. The theoretical, methodological, and applied policy implications of these findings are discussed.     

Supporting the risk management process with land information: a case study of Australia

It is frequently argued that, at the parcel level, 1 stakeholders are capable of and well supported in managing their land‐related risks. Yet, evidence from the contemporary Australian context suggests otherwise: numerous large‐scale disaster events have revealed that citizens are ill‐prepared to respond and recover adequately. This paper begins with the premise that information, specifically land information, could better support parcel‐level risk preparation, mitigation, response, and recovery. State land administration organisations in Australia primarily maintain this information and make it accessible. Land information is used regularly across all levels of government to support risk management activities; however, such application has not always occurred at the parcel and citizen level. Via a case study approach, this paper initially explores the land information available in Australia to stakeholders interested in parcel‐level detail, and then goes on to propose how the utilisation of parcel‐level land information could serve to enhance risk management practices.     

Toxicity potential of Grassate® a non-selective herbicide on snails (Achachatina marginata) and earthworms (Aporrectodea longa)

The application of herbicides in agricultural practices may pose certain toxic effects on non-target species including molluscs (snails), earthworms and other soil-dwelling organisms, which would in turn put the lives of humans at great risk. This study considered the lethal and sublethal effects of Grassate®, a non-selective glyphosate-based herbicide on snails (Archachatina marginata) and earthworms (Aporrectodea longa) with regards to ecotoxicological risk assessment. The lethal concentration LC₅₀ for the test chemical averaged at 1.731?±?0.05 and 3.045?±?0.08?mg?kg^?1 for snails and earthworms, respectively. There was decrease in growth and biomass with increased concentration for the species. Growth inhibition of 11–38% in size and 7–43% in length was obtained for earthworms while 26–65% reduction in weight was reported for snails. Using the ecotoxicological risk assessment matrix, the herbicide was classified as D 4 (A; P; E) or 16 (A; P; E), which could be considered as high risk to animals, plant and the environment. Thus, if these herbicides are used uncontrollably and unregulated, further consequence could lead to harmful effects on humans who feed on snails, a rich source of protein and depend on earthworms for nutrient.     

Per-capita estimations of long-term historical land use and the consequences for global change research

Changes in land use and land cover are important in global climate change, but the many uncertainties in historical estimates seriously hamper climate modelling. We collected new data on estimated per capita land use over the last two millennia, using new data sources from the Humanities. In general, and in agreement with literature, we found that per capita land use indeed has not been constant in the past, but differ per region and over time. Land use in the distant past was mostly less than 1 ha/cap. However, the recently colonised regions show much higher values and have experienced a much higher per capita land use for the recent past. Most known trajectories follow a concave or bell-shaped curve towards the present.     

Identifying the roots of Green Civil War over utility-scale solar energy projects on public lands across the American Southwest

Utility-scale solar energy (USSE) development is an emerging cause of land use change across the American Southwest. Many proposed projects in the region have encountered resistance from environmental groups because of concern about endangered, threatened, and special status species. Projects have also faced resistance from impacted local communities and Native American tribes. This research documents land use conflicts that surfaced during the initial wave of USSE development from 2009 to 2015. The goal is to identify potential roots of land use conflict over renewable energy development, to help explain why there is consistent support for renewables in general, but widespread opposition to projects during the proposal and development stages. The primary data presented include public comments to formal rule-making processes, semi-structured interviews conducted from 2009 to 2013, and various media sources. The paper concludes describing emerging planning frameworks that identify sites for USSE with fewer land use conflicts.     

Patterns and drivers of forest land cover changes in tropical semi-deciduous forests in Ghana

This study was conducted to determine the patterns and drivers of forest land cover changes in Bobiri and Oboyow Forest Reserves (BFR and OFR, respectively), Ghana. Landsat images were employed to determine forest land cover types and changes in 1990, 2000 and 2010 using supervised classification method. Factors that drive forest land cover changes in the forest reserves were determined using a semi-structured questionnaire and field observations. Generally, closed-canopy forest decreased by 49% in both forests over 20-year period resulting in a tremendous increase in open-canopy forest (BFR: 85%; OFR: 46%) and non-forest land cover types (BFR: 48–80% OFR: 127–350%). Factors such as logging manual illiteracy among timber operators, offences of authorised timber operators, ineffective community participation, harvesting schedule revision, chainsaw logging, illegal logging, bushfires, fuel gathering and weak penalty for offences were identified as contributing to rapid depletion of closed canopy forest cover in the forest reserves.     

Modelling habitat conversion in miombo woodlands: insights from Tanzania

Understanding the drivers of natural habitat conversion is a major challenge, yet predicting where future losses may occur is crucial to preventing them. Here, we used Bayesian analysis to model spatio-temporal patterns of land-use/cover change in two protected areas designations and unclassified land in Tanzania using time-series satellite images. We further investigated the costs and benefits of preserving fragmenting habitat joining the two ecosystems over the next two decades. We reveal that habitat conversion is driven by human population, existing land-use systems and the road network. We also reveal the probability of habitat conversion to be higher in the least protected area category. Preservation of habitat linking the two ecosystems saving 1640 ha of land from conversion could store between 21,320 and 49,200 t of carbon in the next 20 years, with the potential for generating between US$ 85,280 and 131,200 assuming a REDD+ project is implemented.