Long-term dynamics in land resource use and the driving forces in the Beressa watershed, highlands of Ethiopia

Land degradation in the Ethiopian highlands is considered to be one of the major problems threatening agricultural development and food security in the country. However, knowledge about the forces driving the long-term dynamics in land resources use is limited. This research integrates biophysical information with socio-economic processes and policy changes to examine the dynamics of land resource use and farmers' livelihoods in the Beressa watershed for over 40 years during the second half of the 20th century. It was found that there have been substantial dynamics in land resource use in the area. The natural vegetation cover has been extensively cleared, although most of the cleared areas have since been replaced with plantations. Grazing land has expanded remarkably at the expense of cropland and bare land. However, the expansion of cropland was minimal over the 43-year period despite a quadrupling of the population density. Yields have not increased to compensate for the reduction in per capita cropland, and the soil quality appears to be not that good. Though the farmers perceived it otherwise, the long-term rainfall pattern has improved. In response to soil degradation, water shortage, socio-economic and policy changes, farmers have tended to gradually change from annual cropping to tree planting and livestock production to cope with the problems of soil degradation, water scarcity and smaller farms. Income diversification through the sale of wood and cattle dung is becoming a major livelihood strategy. Apparently, however, little attention has been paid to investments in soil and water conservation (SWC) and local soil fertility amendments. In particular, increased erosion and related high nutrient losses in sediments, as well as the removal of potentially available soil nutrients through the sale of manure threatens to damage agricultural sustainability in the area.     

The ethics of Google Earth: crossing thresholds from spatial data to landscape visualisation

‘Virtual globe’ software systems such as Google Earth are growing rapidly in popularity as a way to visualise and share 3D environmental data. Scientists and environmental professionals, many of whom are new to 3D modeling and visual communications, are beginning routinely to use such techniques in their work. While the appeal of these techniques is evident, with unprecedented opportunities for public access to data and collaborative engagement over the web, are there nonetheless risks in their widespread usage when applied in areas of the public interest such as planning and policy-making?     

Impact of Urban Sprawl on Water Quality in Eastern Massachusetts,USA

A study of water quality, land use, and population variations over the past three decades was conducted in eastern Massachusetts to examine the impact of urban sprawl on water quality using geographic information system and statistical analyses. Since 1970, eastern Massachusetts has experienced pronounced urban sprawl, which has a substantial impact on water quality. High spatial correlations are found between water quality indicators (especially specific conductance, dissolved ions, including Ca, Mg, Na, and Cl, and dissolved solid) and urban sprawl indicators. Urbanized watersheds with high population density, high percentage of developed land use, and low per capita developed land use tended to have high concentrations of water pollutants. The impact of urban sprawl also shows clear spatial difference between suburban areas and central cities: The central cities experienced lower increases over time in specific conductance concentration, compared to suburban and rural areas. The impact of urban sprawl on water quality is attributed to the combined effects of population and land-use change. Per capita developed land use is a very important indicator for studying the impact of urban sprawl and improving land use and watershed management, because inclusion of this indicator can better explain the temporal and spatial variations of more water quality parameters than using individual land use or/and population density.     

The consequences of land use change on nutrient exports: a regional scale assessment in south-west Victoria, Australia

Estimation of nutrient load production based on multi-temporal remotely sensed land use data for the Glenelg-Hopkins region in south-west Victoria, Australia, is discussed. Changes in land use were mapped using archived Landsat data and computerised classification techniques. Land use change has been rapid in recent history with 16% of the region transformed in the last 22 years. Total nitrogen and phosphorus loads were estimated using an export coefficient model. The analysis demonstrates an increase in modelled nitrogen and phosphorus loadings from 1980 to 2002. Whilst such increases were suspected from past anecdotal and ad-hoc evidence, our modelling estimated the magnitude of such increases and thus demonstrated the enormous potential of using remote sensing and GIS for monitoring regional scale environmental processes.     

疏浚底泥的资源化利用

各种各样的疏浚工程产生的疏浚底泥量日益增加,以往的底泥堆放,吹填和抛海等常规处置方式对环境造成了潜在的不利影响.因而,疏浚底泥资源化越来越为人们所重视.本文总结了疏浚底泥资源化的途径,对土地利用、制造填方材料和建筑材料等资源化利用进行了讨论,并对疏浚底泥的资源化利用提出一些建议.     

Effect of land use change from paddy to vegetable field on the residues of organochlorine pesticides in soils

The effect of land use change from paddy to vegetable field on the residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) was investigated. Soil residues of OCPs were analyzed in vegetable fields which had been converted from paddy fields for 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 50 year in Yixing, China in 2003. The mean concentrations of OCPs followed a sequence of: ∑DDTs (13.7 μg kg⁻¹) > ∑HCHs (8.6 μg kg⁻¹) > > HCB (2.09 μg kg⁻¹) > α-endosulfan (1.30 μg kg⁻¹) > endrin (1.08 μg kg⁻¹) > PCNB (0.76 μg kg⁻¹) > dieldrin (0.58 μg kg⁻¹). The mean residues of OCPs especially DDTs increased significantly with vegetable planting time after land use change in the first 15 years, then decreased from 20 to 30 years and increased a little afterward. The time under anaerobic and aerobic conditions was suggested to control mainly the change of the residues of OCPs.     

降水波动对呼伦贝尔草甸草原初级生产力年际动态影响

降水是控制草原植被生产力最关键的因素. 为探明降水量在不同时间尺度上的波动及其对草原植被的响应机制,以呼伦贝尔草甸草原为研究对象,选用反映年际降水量波动的降水集中度和偏离期2个因子,将以地面光谱生物量模型计算获得的草甸草原植被NPP(net primary production,净初级生产力)与不同周期降水量和降水波动因子建立回归模型,分析年际降水量波动对草甸草原植被NPP的影响. 结果表明:①在呼伦贝尔草甸草原区,以年内4—7月为关键期,P_k(关键期累积降水量)对草甸草原植被NPP的影响最大,C_dk(关键期降水集中度)平均值为0.439±0.182,d_k(关键期降水偏离期)平均值为31.6 d,变幅为-3.6~94.2 d. ②以P_k和以旬为单位的C_dk、d_k构建的草甸草原植被NPP估算模型,y=-52.11+88.957C_dk+0.724d_k+0.953P_k,能较好地反映草甸草原植被NPP与降水波动之间的关系,模型估测精度可达91.0%. 因此,在半干旱草原区,利用基于遥感植被反射光谱构建的NPP模型计算草甸草原植被NPP具有较高的可信度,并且与样方调查结果有极高的关联性.      

上海市中心城区地表温度与绿地覆盖率相关性研究

利用卫星遥感提取的外环线以内绿地信息和由热红外波段资料反演的地表温度。对绿地覆盖率和中心城区地表温度进行相关分析。结果表明：在上海市外环线以内的大范围内。在有损估计的条件下。地表温度(T）和绿地覆盖率(S)之间满足线性关系；T=33.2132-4.6915S(r^2=1.000),即对整个外环线范围地区。绿地覆盖率每增加1％。地表平均温度将下降0．047℃；绿地对热岛效应的减缓作用。在斑块水平上体现明显，在绿地斑块水平上，地表温度(T)和绿地覆盖率(S)之间满足非线性关系：T=32.733 0.0121S-0.0011S^2 0.0000074S^2 (r^2=0.985)。用延安中路绿地作为检验表明,绿地建成后,地表平均温度降低了0．87～1．29℃。     

毛乌素沙地东南缘沙漠化过程中土壤酶活性的演变研究

研究了毛乌素沙地东南缘沙漠化过程中土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性的响应过程,并对其与土壤养分的相关关系进行分析。结果表明,随沙漠化程度的加剧,土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性均降低,随土层深度的增加,土壤脲酶活性呈降低趋势,土壤过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶并未表现出规律性变化,沙漠化过程破坏了土壤酶的活性,三种酶活性能较为敏感地反映土壤环境的变化;相关性分析结果显示,土壤三种酶活性之间存在着极显著正相关性．且三种酶活性与土壤有机质和全氮含量之间同样存在极显著正相关性,表明三种酶在相互作用过程存在共生关系,且能够作为衡量土壤肥力的重要指标。土壤脲酶、过氧化氢酶和多酚氧化酶活性变化可作为衡量沙漠化环境变化的重要指示性指标,并可为进一步揭示沙漠化的生物学规律提供依据。     

规范农田土壤修复项目管理提升农田土壤修复内涵

实现土壤修复项目的规范管理,对于提升农田土壤修复内涵、提高土地资源利用效率具有重大影响。本文在阐述农田土壤修复内涵及必要性的同时,对土壤修复项目管理中的问题进行分析,并提出当前农田土壤修复质量提升策略。期望有利于土壤修复项目的规范管理,进而提升土地资源利用效率。