Measuring Protected‐Area Isolation and Correlations of Isolation with Land‐Use Intensity and Protection Status

Abstract: Protected areas cover over 12% of the terrestrial surface of Earth, and yet many fail to protect species and ecological processes as originally envisioned. Results of recent studies suggest that a critical reason for this failure is an increasing contrast between the protected lands and the surrounding matrix of often highly altered land cover. We measured the isolation of 114 protected areas distributed worldwide by comparing vegetation‐cover heterogeneity inside protected areas with heterogeneity outside the protected areas. We quantified heterogeneity as the contagion of greenness on the basis of NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) values, for which a higher value of contagion indicates less heterogeneous land cover. We then measured isolation as the difference between mean contagion inside the protected area and mean contagion in 3 buffer areas of increasing distance from the protected‐area border. The isolation of protected areas was significantly positive in 110 of the 114 areas, indicating that vegetation cover was consistently more heterogeneous 10–20 km outside protected areas than inside their borders. Unlike previous researchers, we found that protected areas in which low levels of human activity are allowed were more isolated than areas in which high levels are allowed. Our method is a novel way to assess the isolation of protected areas in different environmental contexts and regions.     

Coupling hydrologic and economic modeling for wetland management multi-optimization in Tram Chim National Park,Vietnam

We developed a comprehensive coupling framework with a multi-objective optimization that bridges a water balance model (WBM) and a wetland service model (WSM) to supporting wetland management. The framework was tested for management in Tram Chim National Park (with four wetland zones) where hydro-economic optimization was needed. The framework used (1) a model coupling process bridging WBM and WSM to create a modular hydro-economic model (MHEM), (2) a multi-objective optimization, and (3) an anneal scheduling for scenario optimization. The framework demonstrated its competency in identifying cause–effect/interaction flows (bridges) between WBM and WSM to design MHEM to simulate optimized scenarios; for the case study, the multi-objective optimization was met for all wetland zones. Results suggested a flexible consideration of management scales for optimization, i.e. hydrologic optimization at a zone level and net benefit optimization at a Park level. Our framework is applicable to supporting complex wetland decisions considering multiple objectives.     

Application of Remote Sensing Detection and GIS in Analysis of Vegetation Pattem Dynamics in the Yellow River Delta

Regional vegetation pattem dynamics has a great im- pact on ecosystem and climate change.Remote sensing data and geographical information system (GIS) analysis were widely used in the detection of vegetation pattern dynamics.In this study,the Yellow River Delta was selected as the study area.By using 1986, 1993,1996,1999 and 2005 remote sensing data as basic informa- tion resource,with the support of GIS,a wetland vegetation spa- tial information dataset was built up.Through selecting the land- scape met...     

复合垂直流人工湿地氧化还原特征及不同功能区净化作用研究

研究了复合垂直流人工湿地系统氧化还原电位（Eh）的时空变化规律及不同功能区中污染物的净化效果。结果表明：湿地系统下行流池表层、两池底层、上行流池表层Eh的变化范围分别为402～585、-87～-130、308～432 mV，沿水流方向依次形成了好氧A区/缺氧、厌氧区/好氧B区3个功能区。好氧A区是污染物去除的主要区域，BOD₅、COD_Cr、NH⁺_4- N的去除率分别为430%、484%、541%，特别是NH+4 N去除率占总去除率的79%；缺氧、厌氧区主要是进行反硝化反应和有机物的厌氧分解；好氧B区则主要是去除厌氧分解后的有机物以及进一步脱氮。另外，NH+4 N的去除率与系统各功能区Eh呈显著相关关系（〖WTBX〗p〖WTBZ〗＜001），而BOD₅、COD_Cr、NO^-_3-N的去除率与系统各功能区Eh相关性不显著。     

Application of Remote Sensing Detection and GIS in Analysis of Vegetation Pattern Dynamics in the Yellow River Delta

Regional vegetation pattern dynamics has a great impact on ecosystem and climate change. Remote sensing data and geographical information system （GIS） analysis were widely used in the detection of vegetation pattern dynamics. In this study, the Yellow River Delta was selected as the study area. By using 1986, 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2005 remote sensing data as basic information resource, with the support of GIS, a wetland vegetation spatial information dataset was built up. Through selecting the landscape metrics such as class area （CA）, class percent of landscape （PL）, number of patch （NP）, largest patch index （LPI） and mean patch size （MPS） etc., the dynamics of vcgetation pattern was analyzed. The result showed that the change of vegetation pattern is significant from 1986 to 2005. From 1986-1999, the area of the vegetation, the percent of vegetation, LPI and MPS decreased, the NP increased, the vegetation pattern tends to be fragmental. The decrease in vegetation area may well be explained by the fact of the nature environment evolution （Climate change and decrease in Yellow River runoff） and the increase in the population in the Yellow River Delta. However, from 1999 2005, the area of the vegetation, the percent of vegetation, LPI and MPS increased, while the NP decreased. This trend of restoration may be due to the implementation of water resources regulation for the Yellow River Delta since 1999.     

模糊综合法在城市绿地系统景观生态综合评价中的应用——以上海市为例

绿地是城市人工景观中最重要的自然要素,以往对绿地景观生态的研究主要集中在能量流动和空间结构等方面,很少涉及城市绿地景观生态的综合评价。本文利用融模糊综合评判和模糊聚类分析于一体的模糊综合法对城市绿地系统景观生态进行了综合评价。     

The Maintenance of Landscape Health in the Midst of Land Use Change

Land use design that recognizes the landscape attributes that characterize homeostatic health can emphasize them during land use change. The attributes of landscape health are the working mechanisms of all open systems, and can be observed in the homeostatic behavior of forests, deserts and floodplains. These attributes are openness, self-regulation, storage and diversity. The attributes of health comprise criteria for evaluating and guiding land use. To maintain landscape health, land use design can maintain and restore these mechanisms during change of moderate pace and scale.     

HYDROLOGIC LANDSCAPES ON THE DELMARVA PENINSULA PART 1: DRAINAGE BASIN TYPE AND BASE-FLOW CHEMISTRY1

ABSTRACT: The relation between landscape characteristics and water chemistry on the Delmarva Peninsula can be determined through a principal-component analysis of basin characteristics. Two basin types were defined by factor scores: (1) well-drained basins, characterized by combinations of a low percentage of forest cover, a low percentage of poorly drained soil, and elevated channel slope; and (2) poorly drained basins, characterized by a combinations of an elevated percentage of forest cover, an elevated percentage of poorly drained soil, and low channel slopes. Results from base-flow sampling of 29 basins during spring 1991 indicate that water chemistry of the two basin types differ significantly. Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, potassium, alkalinity, chloride, and nitrate are elevated in well-drained basins, and specific conductance is elevated. Concentrations of aluminum, dissolved organic carbon, sodium, and silica are elevated in poorly drained basins whereas specific conductance is low. The chemical patterns found in well-drained basins can be attributed to the application of agricultural chemicals, and those in poorly drained basins can be attributed to ground-water flowpaths. These results indicate that basin types determined by a quantitative analysis of basin characteristics can be related statistically to differences in base-flow chemistry, and that the observed statistical differences can be related to major processes that affect water chemistry.     

Agricultural area impacts within a natural area: Cades cove,a case history

Agricultural management in Cades Cove, an historic district in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, has affected natural resources both within the district and in the adjoining natural areas. Aquatic impacts of haying and cattle grazing included increases in water temperatures, turbidity, nutrient loading, and bacterial counts and decreases in benthic macroinvertebrate density and fish biomass. Wildlife populations, including groundhogs, wild turkeys, and white-tailed deer, have increased in the open fields and around the periphery of the historic district. Intensive deer foraging has removed deciduous seedlings and saplings from woodlots, lowering species diversity and favoring coniferous reproduction. Cades Cove has limestone habitats unique in the park, and both deer browse and cattle grazing may have disturbed populations of rare plant species. Effects on water quality are detectable at a campground 15 stream km from the agricultural area, and the effects of deer foraging extend about 1 km beyond the open fields.Since historic landscape preservation is presently a goal of the park, managing for open vistas in Cades Cove will require some sort of continuing disturbance. Conversion of cattle pastures to hayfields would reduce aquatic impacts but the deer herd might increase as a result of reduced competition for forage. Retarding old field succession would increase populations of native plant species dependent on sunlight, but would require government-funded mowing. Other options are discussed. Completely eliminating the effects of the historic district on adjoining areas may be impossible, at least under present economic constraints.     

上海市主要园林景观水体富营养化调查与评价

2004年8月,调查了上海市游人量超过200万人/年的7个公园中8个小型景观水体,调查结果表明,所有被调查的公园均已经达到富营养化状态,但是水体中营养盐的贡献度随景观水体的功能和管理而有一定的差异.因此科学的分析水体污染状况,采取相应措施加强对景观水体的管理,控制水体的进一步恶化已经到了刻不容缓的地步.