Landscape Ecological Analysis Research Articles

Small‐scale dispersal and gene flow of the agricultural pest two‐spotted spider mite in apple orchards: Implication from landscape ecological and population genetic analyses

AbstractThe two‐spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acarina, Tetranychidae), is a notorious agricultural pest known for its high dispersal ability. Understanding the dispersal patterns of T. urticae is crucial for studying its population dynamics and assessing the risk of gene dispersal related to acaricide resistance. We investigated the impact of surrounding landscapes on T. urticae occurrence and detected gene flow between nearby apple orchards. Land use data within 0.2–2 km radius buffers of the orchards were extracted and summarized using principal component analysis. The effects of landscape composition on the occurrence of T. urticae in apple orchards were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model that considers spatial autocorrelation. In addition, we conducted a population genetic analysis on samples collected from five orchards. The results indicate that the best model was one at a 200‐m scale, revealing a positive correlation between forest area ratio and T. urticae occurrence. The population genetic analysis demonstrated distinct genetic structures within T. urticae populations across different orchards. However, we estimated gene flow among some orchards that were geographically close. These findings suggest that T. urticae may migrate from surrounding landscapes, particularly forests, and nearby orchards to apple orchards. These findings have substantial implications for developing control units based on the gene flow range of the two‐spotted spider mite, as well as for assessing the risk of infestation in each orchard.

Socio-ecological system of the mountainous region: A case study from Georgia

Aim: The research aim to study the change to characteristics of the socio-ecological system of the mountain regions of Georgia. Methodology: Research methods included geographic, cartographic, ecosystem, and landscape research methodology, landscape-ecological analysis and synthesis methods, and social-ecological systems concepts. Results: The results showed the following: Ecological characteristics of medium and high mountain natural landscapes and ecosystems within the Central Caucasus (Georgia's historical-geographical province of Pshav-Khevsureti); Main forms of cultural landscape, their economic and social values of the mountain region; Environmental protection of the local population, ethics and environmental history and the ecological, economic, and social culture of the population of the mountain region. Interpretation: In the mountainous regions of Georgia, there is a high potential for creating cultural landscapes, based on the results of the long-term and effective interdependence of man and nature. Cultural landscapes, depending on their importance, will further increase the sustainability of the socio-ecological system of mountainous regions. Key words: Cultural landscape, Ecological culture, Georgia, Mountainous regions, Socio-ecological syste

Dynamic simulation of landscape ecological security and analysis of coupling coordination degree: A case study of Bole.

The ecological security of oasis cities in arid and semi-arid regions is highly susceptible to changes in regional landscape patterns and the degree of coordination between human activities and the environment. At the same time, the ecological security of urban landscapes also profoundly affects the success of regional economic and environmental coordination and development. This study is based on land use data from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, as well as land use data from the natural development scenario (NLD), economic development scenario (ECD), ecological development scenario (ELD) and ecological-economic development scenario (EED) simulated by the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model in 2030. From the perspective of production-living-ecological land (PLEL), it analyzes the changes in the past and future landscape ecological security and coupling coordination characteristics of Bole. The results show that from 1990 to 2020, Bole was mainly dominated by grassland ecological land (GEL) and other ecological land (OEL), accounting for a total proportion of 69.51%, with a large increase in production and living land area; the average value of landscape ecological risk is decreasing, and the landscape ecological security of Bole is developing towards benignity; the area of highly coupled coordination zone is decreasing continuously, while that of basic coordination zone and moderate coordination zone is increasing continuously. Under the 2030 EED scenario, the overall changes in various types of land use are not significant, and the average value of landscape ecological risk is the smallest, but it is higher than that in 2020 as a whole; under EED scenario, the area of highly coordinated zone and moderate coordinated zone is the largest among four scenarios, and the best coupling coordination level among the four scenarios. Landscape ecological security and its coupling coordination will be affected by land use patterns. Optimizing regional land use patterns is of great significance for improving urban landscape ecological security and sustainable high-quality development.

Landscape evolution in China’s key ecological function zones during 1990–2015

Landscape evolution has profound effects on ecosystems. Recently, some studies suggest that China has implemented plans leading in the greening of the world by mainly describing the changes based on satellite data. However, few studies have analyzed the policy effect on ecosystem improvement from the perspective of landscape pattern evolution. Among the numerous ecological policy plans, China’s key ecological function zones plan is an important one. In this study, we focus on depicting the long-term and large-scale landscape evolution in China’s key ecological function zones, which are accounting for 40.2% of China’s land area, and include four-type ecoregions where ecosystems are fragile or important, to comprehensively explore the environmental influences of policy planning. For this purpose, we first described the landscape composition changes and conversion mechanisms in China’s key ecological function zones from 1990 to 2015. Then we captured the detailed pattern evolution characteristics by landscape indices. The results show that these ecoregions were mostly evolving in an unfavorable direction in these 25 years, i.e. destruction of habitats and increment of fragmentation. Although greening areas increased based on other recent researches, the landscape pattern became worse, indicating it is necessary for the detailed analysis of landscape ecology and more accurate ecological planning. We also found the deterioration of the ecological environment had been uncharacteristically stopped or even improved in wind prevention and sand fixation ecoregions and biodiversity maintenance ecoregions after the implementation of this plan. Furthermore, we assumed that the policy is more prominent in these prohibiting sabotages and protecting areas with fragile ecological bases, which may be caused by the differentiated transfer payments in different ecoregions. Finally, some planning suggestions, such as stricter land use control, the regional balance of ecological transfer payments and deepening of ecological migration policies, etc., were proposed for promoting better future environmental changes.

Landscape Ecology Analysis of Traditional Villages: A Case Study of Ganjiang River Basin

Traditional villages, rich in historical and cultural value, hold a high level of preservation value. In the process of urbanization, traditional villages face the crisis of decline, making it difficult to perpetuate the carried cultural heritage. The Ganjiang River Basin hosts numerous traditional villages with rich research value, making the study of their preservation and development in this region a significant topic. This paper, from the perspective of landscape ecology, employs geographic detectors to analyze the driving factors behind the emergence of traditional villages in the Ganjiang River Basin, summarizing the spatial distribution characteristics of traditional villages. A classification method based on village landscape features is adopted to categorize traditional villages in the Ganjiang River Basin, providing a reference for planning the preservation and development of traditional villages. The research results show that plain areas are more suitable for the continuation of traditional villages; a single suitable environmental element cannot provide an environment conducive to the development of traditional villages, which is the result of the combined effect of multiple suitable elements; the study has divided traditional village landscapes into nine types, with clear distribution differences among different types of villages; for different regions and types of traditional villages, it is necessary to balance development and protection tendencies and plan differently according to environmental characteristics.

The Impact of Large-Scale Water Diversion Projects on the Water Supply Network: A Case Study in Southwest China

The uneven spatial and temporal distribution of water resources has consistently been one of the most significant limiting factors for social development in many regions. Furthermore, with the intensification of climate change, this inequality is progressively widening, posing a critical challenge to the sustainable development of human societies. The construction of large-scale water projects has become one of the crucial means to address the contradictions between water supply and demand. Thus, evaluating the functional aspects of water source network structures and systematically planning the layout of engineering measures in a scientifically reasonable manner are pressing issues that require urgent attention in current research efforts. Addressing this, our study takes the Erhai Lake basin and the surrounding areas in southwest China as the study area and combines landscape ecology and network analysis theory methods to propose a water supply network analysis method that takes into account both structure and node characteristics. Based on this methodology, we analyze the connectivity characteristics of water supply networks in the Erhai region under current (2020) and future (2035) planning scenarios. The results show that there were 215 nodes and 216 links in the water supply network of the Erhai Lake basin in 2020; with the implementation of a series of water conservancy projects, the planned 2035 water supply network will increase by 122 nodes and 163 links, and the connectivity of the regional water network will be significantly improved. Also, we identify some key nodes in the network, and the results show that the water supply network in 2035 will have obvious decentralization characteristics compared with that in 2020. And, based on the network degradation analysis, we find that with the implementation of engineering measures, the resilience of the water supply network will be significantly strengthened by 2035, with stronger risk tolerance. This study extends the quantitative representation of water source network characteristics, which can provide a useful reference for water network structure planning and optimization.

Analysis of the dynamics of changes in landscape ecological structure using geographic information system (GIS) technology in Badung regency, Bali

The development of land use in Badung Regency in the period 2013-2021 has an impact on changes in the ecological structure of the landscape. Changes in the ecological structure of the landscape occur in the three parameters, namely patch, matrix and corridor, which are indicated by changes in the area and function of the three parameters. The addition of matrix area in the settlement land use class and golf course patches causes changes in the area of the matrix of mixed gardens, rice fields and mangroves as well as corridors of non-volcanic coastal sand that dominantly have ecological functions. The objectives to be achieved in this study are to analyze the dynamics of changes in the ecological structure of the landscape caused by land use development in Badung Regency. The dynamics of changes in the ecological structure of the landscape due to large-scale changes is a driving factor in the deviation of spatial utilization and a decrease in the quality of the environment in Badung Regency. The research concluded that landscape ecology analysis is an important aspect in the development of regional zones in Badung Regency that takes into account the principles of sustainable development. This research found a new formulation in the analysis of ecological zone development that integrates the landscape ecology approach with the spatial approach and regional approach. The ecological zones of Badung Regency are grouped into 4 (four), namely: very high ecological zone, high ecological zone, medium ecological zone and low ecological zone.

Landscape ecology analysis of the Itajaí River hydrographical basin, SC, Brazil

A partir do entendimento da paisagem dinâmica e da influência humana nos processos de fragmentação da paisagem, evolui a Ecologia da Paisagem como uma ferramenta de análise espacial. Este trabalho buscou analisar a Ecologia da Paisagem da Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio do ItajaíC na intenção de avaliar as áreas prioritárias para compor o mosaico de Áreas Protegidas e às já legalmente protegidas e proporcionar elementos que permitam planejar a conservação a fim de se ampliar a proteção e a conectividade entre essas áreas. Na análise foi utilizado QGIS e LecoS. Os resultados mostraram o predomínio da Formação Florestal na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio do Itajaí, nas Áreas Protegidas e em outras áreas da Bacia onde existe a necessidade de se ampliar a proporção de áreas protegidas para garantir a conectividade estrutural e funcional dos Remanescentes Florestais restantes.

Mapping and Quantification of Miombo Deforestation in the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (DR Congo): Spatial Extent and Changes between 1990 and 2022

Population growth in the city of Lubumbashi in the southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) is leading to increased energy needs, endangering the balance of the miombo woodland in the rural area referred to as the Lubumbashi charcoal production basin (LCPB). In this study, we quantified the deforestation of the miombo woodland in the LCPB via remote sensing and landscape ecology analysis tools. Thus, the analysis of Landsat images from 1990, 1998, 2008, 2015 and 2022 was supported by the random forest classifier. The results showed that the LCPB lost more than half of its miombo woodland cover between 1990 (77.90%) and 2022 (39.92%) and was converted mainly to wooded savannah (21.68%), grassland (37.26%), agriculture (2.03%) and built-up and bare soil (0.19). Consecutively, grassland became the new dominant land cover in 2022 (40%). Therefore, the deforestation rate (−1.51%) is almost six-times higher than the national average (−0.26%). However, persistent miombo woodland is characterised by a reduction, over time, in its largest patch area and the complexity of its shape. Consequently, because of anthropogenic activities, the dynamics of the landscape pattern are mainly characterised by the attrition of the miombo woodland and the creation of wooded savannah, grassland, agriculture and built-up and bare soil. Thus, it is urgent to develop a forest management plan and find alternatives to energy sources and the sedentarisation of agriculture by supporting local producers to reverse these dynamics.

Landscape ecological risk analysis of subtropical vulnerable mountainous areas from a spatiotemporal perspective: Insights from the Nanling Mountains of China

Although mountains provide various important ecological services for human beings, the need remains to be stressed for further research on conducting ecological risk analysis in vulnerable mountainous regions characterized by a relatively high population density. In this study, the Nanling Mountains, which are recognized as a significant mountainous region in southern China, were selected as a case. Using the Globe Land30 dataset and landscape metrics, we calculated landscape ecological risk indices from 2000 to 2020. Our objective was to investigate the distribution and changes in landscape ecological risks within mountainous areas and their associated implication, to support the protection and development of the Nanling Mountains, and to provide a valuable reference case for risk management in other mountainous regions. The results showed that the land cover transformation in Nanling was predominantly driven by the expansion of artificial surfaces and open water, accompanied by a decline in woodland, cultivated land, grassland, wetland, and shrubland areas. The overall landscape metrics exhibited minimal changes, with the majority of modifications observed between 2000 and 2010. During this period, there was a noticeable shift in patch shape from complex to simple, a decrease in landscape continuity, an increase in landscape separation, and an overall increase in landscape heterogeneity. The landscape ecological risk index displayed substantial spatial heterogeneity within the study area. High-risk and medium–high-risk areas were primarily concentrated in the central and eastern regions, surrounded by medium-risk areas. Low-risk and medium–low-risk areas were widely dispersed across the entire study area. Between 2000 and 2020, there was an observed rise in the percentage of low and medium–low-risk areas from 61.74% to 64.05%. This indicates an overall enhancement in the ecological environment of the study area. The transfer of landscape ecological risk primarily involved artificial surfaces and high-altitude grasslands. The correlation analysis between the total regional GDP and LERI showed that there was a smooth inverse “U” linear relationship between them. To conclude, there exists a definite correlation between the landscape ecological risk and human activities, particularly environmental policies. Additionally, the relationship between the landscape ecological risk index and the total regional GDP aligns with the Environmental Kuznets Curve. It is crucial to approach major decisions concerning densely populated and fragile mountainous areas with careful consideration and caution. In promoting land optimization and integration, priority should be given to the area around the artificial surface.

Landscape Ecological Risk Assessment and Analysis of Influencing Factors in Selenga River Basin

Land degradation under the influence of global warming and ecological environmental destruction due to poor land management is the main challenge facing the Mongolian Plateau, and its future ecological risk change trends and drivers are also unclear. Therefore, to address the context relevant to this challenge, planning based on measured information from land use patterns is required. Based on land use and land cover (LULC), this study evaluates the landscape ecological risk (LER) of the Selenga River Basin by calculating the landscape pattern index. The spatiotemporal pattern and influencing factors of landscape ecological risk in the Selenga River Basin from 1990 to 2040 were analyzed. According to the results of LULC analysis, forest and grassland were the primary land use types in the Selenga River Basin. The built area, forest, and cropland showed an increasing trend, while the grassland area showed a fluctuating decreasing trend. From 1990 to 2010, the comprehensive land use dynamic degree showed a trend of rising first and then falling, specifically from 0.13% in 1990 to 0.29% in 2010, and will drop to 0.06% by 2040, indicating that the range of land use change is becoming more and more stable. The landscape ecological risk assessment shows a distribution pattern of “low at the edge and high in the middle”. The landscape ecological risk index (LER) first increases and then decreases, with the peak value in 2010 (0.085). By calculating the spatial aggregation of LER and the partial correlation with climate, we found that the Moran’s I index showed an “anti-V”-shaped change trend from 1990 to 2040, and the average landscape ecological risk presents positive spatial correlation, primarily with high-value aggregation, and peaked in 2010. Precipitation had a negative correlation with landscape ecological risk controlling for temperature, while there was a positive relationship between temperature and landscape ecological risk under the influence of controlling precipitation. This study provides a scientific basis for LULC planning in the Selenga River Basin, and is of great significance for maintaining the ecological security of the Mongolian Plateau.

Landscape ecological risk assessment and influencing factor analysis of basins in suburban areas of large cities – A case study of the Fuchunjiang River Basin, China

Landscape ecological risk reflects the impact of human activities or natural hazards on landscape patterns, functions, and processes in a region. The scientific assessment of its evolutionary trends can play an essential role in maintaining and improving regional human wellbeing. This study focused on the Fuchunjiang River Basin in the suburbs of Hangzhou, a large city in China with a high degree of landscape heterogeneity and rapid economic growth. Based on land use data from 1990 to 2020, an ecological risk assessment model and geodetector tools were combined to study the spatiotemporal variation characteristics and influencing factors of landscape ecological risk in the basin. The results showed the following: (1) from 1990 to 2020, the landscape pattern of various land use types showed a general trend of an increasing degree of agglomeration and decreasing loss index; (2) the spatial distribution pattern of landscape ecological risk was “high in the northwest and low in the southeast.” From basin to township scales, landscape ecological risk showed a decreasing trend on long time scales, although the changes were relatively drastic in short time periods; (3) GDP, human interference, area of urban and rural residential land, area of arable land transferred in, and area of arable land transferred out were the dominant influencing factors of landscape ecological risk; (4) the coupling between landscape ecological risk and GDP in 2020 exhibited an inverted “U” shaped relationship, indicating that the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) may have the same applicability in the ecological risk management; (5) according to the main functions of different risk agglomerations, targeted ecological risk management strategies were proposed. In short, this study carried out the landscape ecological risk assessment at the township scale for the first time, quantitatively analyzed the relationship between economic development and ecological risk, and proposed targeted risk prevention strategies, which are instructive for other basin areas that are experiencing rapid urbanization in the world.

Информационные ресурсы для оценки экологического потенциала геосистем (на примере территории Енисейского севера)

The experience of using open data to create thematic maps for the territory of the Yenisey Siberia on the most important components of the ecological assessment of landscapes is considered. An assessment of the ecologically significant properties of landscapes, revealing their environmental role, is the basis for substantiating the protection of nature and ethnoecosystems in the face of increasing anthropogenic impact. In this regard, the possibilities of using geospatial data for solving problems of this type in the boreal cryolithozone (on the example of the territory of the Yenisei Siberia) are discussed. To achieve this goal, taking into account the availability of open data, the most informative indicators (continuity and temperature of permafrost, net primary production, latent heat flux, uniformity of the habitat of plants and animals) characterizing the ecologically significant properties of the landscape were selected. The permafrost continuity characteristics determine not only the inertia of the state of permafrost landscapes under external influences, but also the potential for the activity of cryogenic processes. The temperature of frozen rocks diagnoses the nature of the response of permafrost geosystems to climatic influences. The environmental protection potential of landscapes is estimated using the combined accounting of net primary production and latent heat flux. Bioproduction characteristics make it possible to compare territories in terms of their vulnerability to external influences and their ability to recover. The calculated values of the latent heat flux largely indicate the homeostatic function of forests. The homogeneity of the habitat of plants and animals is considered as an indirect indicator of the diversity of natural resource conditions for traditional nature management. Mapping of geocryological conditions was made using vector data presented in the information system “Land Resources of Russia”. Processed data from the MODIS spectroradiometer were used to create maps of net primary production and latent heat fluxes. Mapping of the homogeneity of biogeocenotic conditions was made based on the results of calculating statistical patterns in the distribution of the improved vegetation index (EVI) from the Global Habitat Heterogeneity database. The results of comparing the homogeneity of biogeocenotic conditions with the geomorphological features of the region under study are considered. The inconsistency of the conclusions obtained solely on the basis of the analysis of geospatial data without involving the results of field studies is shown. The difficulties of using geospatial data for landscape-ecological analysis of territories with a layered relief structure (the Central Siberian Plateau, the Yenisei Ridge, etc.) are discussed.

Thermal Environment Effect of Landscape Ecological Pattern and Dynamic Analysis of Pattern Evolution

The obvious characteristics of urban thermal environment and heat island effect have brought a series of negative effects on urban ecosystem structure and residents' health. Scholars at home and abroad have conducted basic researches on urban thermal environment, but there is a lack of researches on areas with rapid urbanization and many interference factors. There are few researches on measures or suggestions to improve urban thermal environment and heat island effect from the perspective of ecological sustainable development. To this end, this paper conducts a study on thermal environment effect of landscape ecological pattern and dynamic analysis of pattern evolution. This paper, based on the radiative transfer equation method, carries out back calculation and back analysis on the parameters of urban surface temperature to obtain the dynamic characteristics of urban thermal ecological landscape pattern. By combining the obtained urban surface temperature with the landscape index, this paper analyzes the internal change of urban surface thermal ecological landscape pattern. Through the spatial characteristics of the barycenter of urban thermal environment effect, the expansion and development trend of urban thermal environment effect is revealed. Then based on Moran'sI coefficient, the whole spatial correlation of urban thermal environment effect and the degree of spatial aggregation in local areas are analyzed. Finally, the corresponding experimental results and analytical results are given in combination with the experiments.

Distribution of Wood Pastures in Slovakia—Constraints and Potentials for Restoration of Multifunctional Traditional Land Use Form

Wood pastures represent specific ecosystems across Europe with diverse ecological, agricultural, and socioeconomic roles. Land-use changes and the cessation of traditional management in conjunction with socioeconomic changes led to shifts in their spatiotemporal distribution. Despite a recent increase in scientific interest, data on historical patterns of wood pastures in many European locations remain insufficient. This study presents wood-pasture habitat continuity and analyzes changes in their distribution over space and time in selected parts of Slovakia. Simultaneously, we analyzed the relation of wood pastures to selected environmental and landscape features. To achieve this, we examined the historical distribution of wood pastures using aerial imagery from the 1950s. We thoroughly examined an area of 16,209 km2 to identify preserved wood pastures. To identify the present conditions and the spatial distribution of wood-pasture habitats, we compared the historical data with recent ortophotomaps. Based on landscape–ecological analyses of historical distribution, we determined prevailing environmental conditions of wood-pasture locations. The findings reveal that over 90% of wood pastures from the first half of the 20th century have now been lost or encroached and preserved in the form of a closed-canopy forest. In most of the encroached sites, we identified the presence of vital core veteran trees. For the identification of wood pastures and further analyses of the environmental variables, the ArcGIS 10.3 program was used; the R software was used for all statistical evaluations. The results show that the studied wood pastures were not established randomly, but were rather set within a certain landscape context, characterized by elevation, soil quality, and distance from settlements.

Uncontrolled Exploitation of Pterocarpus tinctorius Welw. and Associated Landscape Dynamics in the Kasenga Territory: Case of the Rural Area of Kasomeno (DR Congo)

The uncontrolled logging of Pterocarpus tinctorius Welw. in the Kasenga territory in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is of significant socioeconomic benefit, but above all, it is a threat to the stability of forest ecosystems. Based on Landsat images from 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021, the landscape dynamics of the Kasomeno region in the Kasenga territory, a P. tinctorius exploitation area, was quantified using a mapping approach coupled with landscape ecology analysis tools. The results reveal a continuous loss of forest cover over all the periods studied, mostly between 2013 and 2017, primarily through the dissection of patches. Also, through the spatial process of attrition, the fields recorded a regressive dynamic between 2013–2017, a sign of abandonment of agricultural activity in favour of P. tinctorius illegal logging. These landscape dynamics are the consequences of strong anthropic activities in the study area, leading to an important spatial expansion of the savannah. Consequently, the level of landscape disturbance doubled from 0.8 to 1.7 between 2009 and 2021. Our results suggest that, without regulatory enforcement, illegal logging of P. tinctorius seriously compromises forest ecosystem health and household food security in the region.

Zooscape ecology: a conceptual analysis of zoos and landscape ecology.

ContextZoos are a unique landscape with fascinating connections to the principles of landscape ecology. These ‘zooscapes’ have a focus on managing wild species.ObjectivesThis article examines the multiple scales of zoos as urban green spaces, exhibit landscapes, and resources for resilience. I identify that landscape ecology can inform zoo evolution and note how zoos may provide a novel research site for landscape ecology.MethodsI provide a brief history of American zoos and insight into lingering questions within zoos, including their representations of animals and humans. Additionally, I note conceptual overlap between zoo design/function and landscape ecology literature.ResultsZoos provide habitat for native species and valued cultural ecosystem services. Zoo exhibits developed a landscape focus as modern landscape ecology emerged in the 1980s. Patches, corridors, and matrices exist within a zoo, and these facilities have value for the genetic support of fragmented populations. Zoos’ strategies for disease management are increasingly relevant for global health. Simultaneously, zoos must exhibit sustainable landscapes, not just ecological simulacrums for threatened species.ConclusionsZoos must promote humanity’s continued coexistence with other species. A landscape view is essential to achieving this goal. Zoos need to model sustainable landscapes of our present and future.

Application of Landscape Ecological Pattern Analysis in Landscape Garden Planning and Design

Application of Landscape Ecological Pattern Analysis in Landscape Garden Planning and Design

Quantification and Simulation of Landscape Anthropization around the Mining Agglomerations of Southeastern Katanga (DR Congo) between 1979 and 2090

In Southeastern Katanga, mining activities are (in)directly responsible for deforestation, ecosystem degradation and unplanned building densification. However, little is known about these dynamics at the local level. First, we quantify the landscape anthropization around four agglomerations of Southeastern Katanga (Lubumbashi, Likasi, Fungurume and Kolwezi) in order to assess the applicability of the Nature–Agriculture-Urbanization model based on the fact that natural landscapes are replaced by anthropogenic landscapes, first dominated by agricultural production, and then built-up areas. Secondly, we predict evolutionary trends of landscape anthropization by 2090 through the first-order Markov chain. Mapping coupled with landscape ecology analysis tools revealed that the natural cover that dominated the landscape in 1979 lost more than 60% of its area in 41 years (1979–2020) around these agglomerations in favor of agricultural and energy production, the new landscape matrix in 2020, but also built-up areas. These disturbances, amplified between 2010 and 2020, are more significant around Lubumbashi and Kolwezi agglomerations. Built-up areas which spread progressively will become the dominant process by 2060 in Lubumbashi and by 2075 in Kolwezi. Our results confirm the applicability of the Nature–Agriculture-Urbanization model to the tropical context and underline the urgency to put in place a territorial development plan and alternatives regarding the use of charcoal as a main energy source in order to decrease the pressure on natural ecosystems, particularly in peri-urban areas.

Evaluating the impact of highway construction projects on landscape ecological risks in high altitude plateaus

In China and other countries, many highway projects are built in extensive and high-altitude flat areas called plateaus. However, research on how the materialisation of these projects produce a series of ecological risks in the landscape is very limited. In this research, a landscape ecological risk analysis model for high-altitude plateaus is proposed. This model is based on the pattern of land uses of the surrounding area. Our study includes buffer analysis, spatial analysis, and geostatistical analysis. We apply the model to the Qumei to Gangba highway, a highway section located in the southeast city of Shigatse at the Chinese Tibet autonomous region. Through global and local spatial autocorrelation analysis, the spatial clustering distribution of ecological risks is also explored. Overall, our study reveals the spatial heterogeneity of ecological risks and how to better mitigate them. According to a comparison of the risk changes in two stages (before and after the highway construction), the impact of highway construction on the ecological environment can be comprehensively quantified. This research will be of interest to construction practitioners seeking to minimize the impact of highway construction projects on the ecological environment. It will also inform future empirical studies in the area of environmental engineering with potential affection to the landscape in high-altitude plateaus.