In-between regional disparities and spatial heterogeneity: a multivariate analysis of territorial divides in Italy

Processes such as economic polarization, social disparities and the asymmetric distribution of natural capital are becoming progressively more interlinked in developed countries and may reflect the uneven decline of the ‘centre-periphery’ model. The assessment of regional disparities and spatial heterogeneity in socioeconomic phenomena is a key issue in regional studies and takes advantage of the use of multi-domain frameworks and decision support systems. We performed an exploratory analysis of 133 indicators assessing seven thematic domains (demography/settlements, labour market, economic structure, quality of life, agriculture/rural development, landscape/water, environment/soil resources) with the aim of investigating regional disparities in Italy in the light of territorial changes driven by urbanization, industrial decentralization, agricultural intensification and land abandonment. The results of our study indicate that latitude, elevation and urban gradients have determined a complex spatial pattern in both socioeconomic and environmental variables in Italy. The proposed approach provides an overall assessment of the intensity of territorial disparities on a regional scale for each thematic domain, and of intra-region spatial heterogeneity for each indicator, representing a decision-making tool for policies targeting a sustainable and spatially balanced development.     

城市生活垃圾处理能力提升的驱动因素研究——基于2004—2020年30个省份的实证分析

提升末端生活垃圾处理能力,走出城市“垃圾围城”之困,一直是地方政府关切的核心议题。为探究城市生活垃圾处理能力的影响因素及其时空差异,从“政府能力系统”视角出发,围绕需求驱动、经济驱动、政策驱动、技术驱动四个维度,提出相关研究假设,并运用2004—2020年30个省份的面板数据进行实证检验。研究发现：生活垃圾清运量、人均GDP、地方环保支出、政策文本出台数量、无害化处理厂数量以及市容环卫专用车辆数均对城市生活垃圾处理能力的提升具有促进作用。在时间变化上,2004—2007年为生活垃圾处理能力初创阶段,受到经济、政策与技术驱动因素的显著影响; 2008—2016年为生活处理能力缓慢提升和局部发展阶段,持续受到技术驱动因素的显著作用;2017—2020年为处理能力全面提升阶段,需求、经济与技术因素均呈现出显著促进作用。在区域变化上,经济驱动的影响效应由东部向西部逐渐减弱,需求驱动、政策驱动因素只在东部地区影响显著,技术驱动因素对不同区域的生活垃圾处理能力均具有显著促进作用。最后,研究从源头减量、资金投入、政策倾斜与技术创新等方面,对促进中国城市生活垃圾处理能力的发展提供了相应的政策建议。     

智慧城市试点政策对城市安全水平的影响研究——基于区域异质性的视角

为探究新的城市管理模式(即智慧城市政策)对城市安全水平的影响,采用我国国内(不含港澳台,下同)156个地级市2007—2019年间的面板数据,结合双重差分法进行评估,利用双重差分倾向得分匹配法(PSM-DID)进一步验证,探讨区域异质性视角下智慧城市试点政策对城市安全水平的影响。研究结果表明：智慧城市试点政策的实施对城市安全水平具有显著的正向促进作用;在控制地区层面因素及各固定效应后,结果证明随着政策实施时间的推移正向促进作用逐渐增强;异质性分析结果表明智慧城市政策对特大型城市及东部地区城市影响较为显著,对非省会城市影响显著大于省会城市。     

Single- and dual-porosity modelling of flow in reclaimed mine soil cores with embedded lignitic fragments

Lignitic mine soils represent a typical two-scale dual-porosity medium consisting of a technogenic mixture of overburden sediments that include lignitic components as dust and as porous fragments embedded within a mostly coarse-textured matrix. Flow and transport processes in such soils are not sufficiently understood to predict the course of soil reclamation or of mine drainage. The objective of this contribution is to identify the most appropriate conceptual model for describing small-scale heterogeneity effects on flow on the basis of the physical structure of the system. Multistep flow experiments on soil cores are analyzed using either mobile–immobile or mobile–mobile type 1D dual-porosity models, and a 3D numerical model that considers a local-scale distribution of fragments. Simulations are compared with time series' of upward infiltration and matric potential heads measured at two depths using miniature tensiometers. The 3D and the 1D dual-permeability models yielded comparable results as long as pressure heads are in local equilibrium; however, could describe either the upward infiltration or the matric potential curves but not both at the same time. The mobile–immobile type dual-porosity model failed to describe the data. A simultaneous match with pressure heads and upward infiltration data could only be obtained with the 1D dual-permeability model (i.e., mobile–mobile) by assuming an additional restriction of the inter-domain water transfer. These results indicate that for unsaturated flow conditions at higher matric potential heads (i.e., here >− 40 hPa), water in a restricted part of the fragment domain must be more mobile as compared to water in the sandy matrix domain. Closer inspections of the pore system and first neutron radiographic imaging support the hypothesis that a more continuous pore region exists at these pressure heads in the vicinity of the lignitic fragments possibly formed by fragment contacts and a lignitic dust interface-region between the two domains. The results suggest that the small-scale structure is too complex as to be represented by weighted contributions of individual components alone.     

A field experiment with variable-suction multi-compartment samplers to measure the spatio-temporal distribution of solute leaching in an agricultural soil

Solutes spread out in time and space as they move downwards from the soil surface with infiltrating water. Solute monitoring in the field is often limited to observations of resident concentrations, while flux concentrations govern the movement of solutes in soils. A recently developed multi-compartment sampler is capable of measuring fluxes at a high spatial resolution with minimal disturbance of the local pressure head field. The objective of this paper is to use this sampler to quantify the spatial and temporal variation of solute leaching below the root zone in an agricultural field under natural rainfall in winter and spring. We placed two samplers at 31 and 25 cm depth in an agricultural field, leaving the soil above undisturbed. Each sampler contained 100 separate cells of 31 × 31 mm. Water fluxes were measured every 5 min for each cell. We monitored leaching of a chloride pulse under natural rainfall by frequently extracting the collected leachate while leaving the samplers buried in situ. This experiment was followed by a dye tracer experiment. This setting yielded information that widely surpassed the information that can be provided by separate anionic and dye tracer trials, and solute transport monitoring by coring or suction cups. The detailed information provided by the samplers showed that percolation at the sampling depth started much faster (approximately 3 h after the start of rainfall) in initially wet soil (pressure head above − 65 cm) than in drier soil (more than 14 h at pressure heads below − 80 cm). At any time, 25% of the drainage passed through 5–6% of the sampled area, reflecting the effect of heterogeneity on the flow paths. The amount of solute carried by individual cells varied over four orders of magnitude. The lateral concentration differences were limited though. This suggests a convective–dispersive regime despite the short vertical travel distance. On the other hand, the dilution index indicates a slight tendency towards stochastic–convective transport at this depth. There was no evidence in the observed drainage patterns and dye stained profiles of significant disturbance of the flow field by the samplers.     

Investigating household preferences for kerbside recycling services in London: a choice experiment approach

Recent developments in national and European Union waste management policy have prompted considerable interest in alternative waste management programs, such as recycling, which could divert a portion of the municipal solid waste stream from landfills. This paper examines household preferences for kerbside recycling services and uses a stated preference choice experiment method to estimate households' valuation of such services. Using a sample of 188 households in the London area, the empirical analysis yields estimates of the willingness to pay for the number of 'dry' materials collected, the collection of compost, textile collection and the frequency of collection.     

Incorporating the perceptual range of animals into connectivity models

The perceptual range of an animal towards different landscape elements affects its movements through heterogeneous landscapes. However, empirical knowledge and modeling tools are lacking to assess the consequences of variation in the perceptual range for movement patterns and connectivity. In this study we tested how changes in the assumed perception of different landscape elements affect the outcomes of a connectivity model. We used an existing individual-based, spatially explicit model for the dispersal of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). We systematically altered the perceptual range in which animals recognize forest fragments, water bodies or cities, as well as the probability that they respond to these landscape elements. Overall, increasing the perceptual range of the animals enhanced connectivity substantially, both qualitatively and quantitatively. An enhanced range of attraction to forests had the strongest impact, doubling immigration success; an enhanced range of attraction to rivers had a slightly lower impact; and an enhanced range of avoidance of cities had the lowest impact. Correcting the enhancement in connectivity by the abundance of each of the landscape elements in question reversed the results, indicating the potential sensitivity of connectivity models to rare landscape elements (in our case barriers such as cities). Qualitatively, the enhanced perception resulted in strong changes in movement patterns and connectivity. Furthermore, model results were highly parameter-specific and patch-specific. These results emphasize the need for further empirical research on the perceptual capabilities of different animals in different landscapes and conditions. They further indicate the usefulness of spatially explicit individual-based simulation models for recognizing consistent patterns that emerge, despite uncertainty regarding animals’ movement behavior. Altogether, this study demonstrates the need to extend the concept of ‘perceptual ranges’ beyond patch detection processes, to encompass the wide range of elements that can direct animal movements during dispersal through heterogeneous landscapes.     

20世纪下半叶上海市居住用地扩展模式、强度及空间分异特征

基于多时相土地利用图与遥感影像资料,建立空间研究网格,通过土地利用扩展强度指数的空间分析,对1947～2002年上海市建成区居住用地扩展模式、强度及空间分异特征进行了研究。结果表明:①上海市建成区居住用地空间扩展并不是持续增长的,其扩展强度与速度均从建国初期开始减小,在1964～1979年期间达到最低值后又逐渐增大,总体上表现为先降后升的发展变化;②居住用地扩展模式随时间发生较大变化,由建国初期以核心建成区为主的渐进式扩展(1947～1964年)转变为跳跃式扩展(1964～1988年),到近些年又发展成兼具渐进扩展与跳跃扩展特征的混合扩展模式(1988～2002年),城市用地功能由简单趋于复杂和多元化;③不同时期居住用地扩展过程差异较大,其行为特征受国家宏观政策及社会经济发展等因素的影响,可以为复杂的城市扩展动力机制研究提供更多素材。     

基于地理探测器的土壤重金属空间分异及其影响因素分析研究进展

地理探测器是探测空间分异性,以及揭示其背后驱动因子的一种新的统计学方法,由于其既能揭示单一因素对因变量的影响,也能评价双因素相互作用的影响,且不需要考虑线性,还能避免多变量共线性的影响,没有较强的模型假设,解决了传统方法在分析类别变量时的局限性,在土壤重金属空间分异领域研究的应用越来越广泛.通过收集40篇关于地理探测器在土壤重金属空间分异领域的研究报道,梳理了采用的自变量离散化方法、研究尺度、因变量和自变量类型、因子探测、交换探测、风险探测和生态探测等内容,并提出下一步的应用研究急需明确的问题,为地理探测器在土壤重金属空间分异领域深层次应用提供支撑.     

中国居民消费碳排放影响因素的时空异质性

研究我国居民消费间接碳排放的阶段性和区域性特征,对于制定社会经济新常态发展下的碳减排策略具有重要的现实意义.利用投入产出法和结构分解分析法,核算了2002~2017年中国居民消费间接碳排放水平,量化了影响因素对间接碳排放的贡献;利用地理加权回归模型定量描述了省域间接碳排放的时空分异特征.结果显示:2002~2017年中国居民消费间接碳排放呈现先增长后下降的趋势,“食品”类和“居住”类消费是其主要来源,占比42%~48%.新常态下,“直接碳排放强度”、“生产技术”和“消费倾向”因素的抑制作用显著加强,大大抵消了“收入规模”、“人口”及“消费结构”因素对碳排放的促进作用,促使碳排放降低了145MtC.省域间接碳排放从东至西呈现递减的分布特征,表现出一定的集聚性.碳排放的影响因素具有空间异质性,“生产技术”与碳排放呈现负相关关系,其他因素呈现正相关关系.其中,“人口”、“收入规模”及“直接碳排放强度”对碳排放的影响程度较为突出.