Abstract
We adopted a weight of evidence approach to establish a causal analysis of an impaired land ecosystem on a regional scale; namely, Daye, a traditional mining city in China. Working processes, including problem statements, a list of candidate causes, and a conceptual model were developed to represent a causal hypothesis for describing land degradation. Causal criteria were applied to integrate multiple lines of evidence. Then, various pieces of evidence were scored to either strengthen or weaken our causal assumptions. Results showed that habitat alteration, heavy metal accumulation, organic pollutants, water eutrophication, and nutrient runoff were the probable causes of land ecosystem impairment in Daye. Meanwhile, noxious gas, toxicants, altered underground runoff, atmospheric deposition, and acid rain were identified as possible causes. The most unlikely causes were altered hydrology, altered earth surface runoff, and soil erosion. Soil salinization, soluble inorganic salts, biological species invasion, and pathogens were deferred as delayed causes due to lack of adequate information. The causal analysis approach was applied to identify the primary causes of land degradation and implement accurate protective measures in an impaired land ecosystem.
Highlights
Land ecosystems are highly important life-support systems worldwide, and they play an essential role in ecological performance and socioeconomic development [1,2]
Our study provides a suggested guideline for investigating possible causal relationships between ecological stressors and their effects on land ecosystems
Multiple lines of evidence based on the application of the weight of evidence (WOE) approach are applied to the causal analysis to determine land degradation on a regional scale
Summary
Land ecosystems are highly important life-support systems worldwide, and they play an essential role in ecological performance and socioeconomic development [1,2]. The unsustainable mining activities of human beings, including industrial land sprawl, the overpumping of underground water, the discharge of industrial wastewater and exhaust, mineral processing and smelting, large areas of solid waste piles and transportation, and deforestation, have led to extensive ecological degradation [3,4]. Land degradation has a long incubation period and leads to the serious unsustainable development of human beings [1,8]. A method that can accurately identify the causes of such a phenomenon should be developed. A causal analysis of an impaired land ecosystem is essential to determine state and degradation trends and ecological mechanisms, identify the causes of such a phenomenon, establish a mutual relation among land usage and high-quality risk assessment, and adopt efficient solutions for land ecological crises
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