Coastal Strip Research Articles

Mapping Ecological Security Patterns Based on Ecosystem Service Valuation in the Qinling-Daba Mountain Area, China: A Multi-Scenario Study for Development and Conservation Tradeoffs

When focusing on biodiversity maintenance, ecological security pattern (ESP) planning gradually becomes a multi-objective planning strategy for sustainable development; wildlife conservation and ecosystem health maintenance should be balanced with local economic development and people’s livelihood enhancement goals. This study focuses on ESP mapping in the Qinling-Daba Mountain area, which is an ecologically significant and socioeconomically underdeveloped area. The tradeoff between conservation and development is made by varying the area of ecological sources and incorporating ecosystem service tradeoffs into ecological source identification through multi-scenario designation. ESPs under six scenarios were generated based on the minimum resistance model, and the important ecological corridors and strategic points in each scenario were identified and compared. The results show the following: (1) The scenario that sets around 30 percent of the study area as ecological sources maintains the integrity of natural ecosystems and leaves space for food and material supply to residents. (2) In this scenario, the ecological sources are connected by 60 corridors that cross 137 townships with high population densities (>100 people/km2) and intersect with major traffic lines at 71 points. Engineering, management, or education strategies must be taken in these townships or intersections to avoid human–wildlife conflicts. (3) The study area needs to construct both short (north–south) corridors linking proximate ecological sources for species’ daily movement and long (west–east) corridors connecting large and distant sources for species’ seasonal migration and gene flow. (4) The multi-scenario approach turns out to be an effective strategy for ESP planning with considerations for development–conservation tradeoffs.

Construction of an Ecological Security Pattern for the National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest on the Basis of the Importance of the Function and Sensitivity of Its Ecosystem Services

The National Park of Hainan Tropical Rainforest (NPHTR) plays the crucial role of an ecological barrier for Hainan Island. It also serves as a valuable repository of tropical biological heritage for the world. The scientific establishment of an ecological security pattern (ESP) for the NPHTR is therefore essential for ensuring the robustness and stability of this regional ecosystem, safeguarding tropical biodiversity, and promoting sustainable development. This study integrates ecosystem service functions (ESFs) and ecological sensitivity to identify ecological sources (ESs) so that regional integrity is promoted and ecological security is ensured. Ecological corridors (ECs) are established on the basis of a minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model and circuit theory. We integrate ESs, nodes, and corridors to construct the ESP of the NPHTR. The areas of extreme importance and sensitivity in the NPHTR account for 25.17% and 25.47% of its overall area, respectively, and are predominantly situated in the higher elevations of its eastern and central regions. Further, the ESs are mainly distributed in its western region, specifically Ba Wangling (BWL), Jian Fengling (JFL), and Ying Geling (YGL), covering an area of 1624.67 km2 (38.06% of the total area) of the NPHTR. After correction, 47 ECs with a distance of 870.9 km have been established, with BWL and YGL serving as the core areas. The ecological pinch- and barrier points in the NPHTR cover areas of 11.49 km2 and 16.35 km2, respectively, primarily consisting of man-made landscapes such as farmlands and buildings. These areas are significantly disturbed by human activities. The NPHTR has an ESP of “one screen, one district, three belts, multiple points, and multiple corridors”. BWL and YGL, which contain numerous sources and corridors, are crucial ecological functional zones. To ensure the horizontal connectivity of rare wildlife, such as of Nomascus hainanus and Cervus eldii hainanus, the NPHTR should establish buffer or development zones. These findings offer valuable insights for the development and planning of ecological civilization on Hainan Island, as well as for the establishment and management of the ESP of other national parks and nature reserves.

New framework of port logistics in the post-COVID-19 period with 6th-generation ports (6GP) model

ABSTRACT Since the outbreak of COVID-19, its impacts on the maritime transportation and logistics field have been multi-dimensional. In addition to the green shipping corridor proposed by the Clydebank Declaration in the United Kingdom in 2021, port digitalisation and decarbonisation of the maritime industry have become focal issues in the field. The industry needs a new framework to offset the negative impacts of the pandemic and to accommodate integrated technologies comprising of artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, cloud systems, internet of things (IoT) and others, which have been applied to the industry. Having considered these circumstances, this paper aims to propose the 6th-generation ports model with smart port (6GP) as a new framework for the port logistics industry in the post-COVID-19 period. The proposed 6GP contributes to providing business development strategy and port development policy for stakeholders in the industry in the post-pandemic era reflecting focal challenges such as digitalisation, decarbonisation, sustainability and smart transformation. It also contributes to expanding port devolution theory from the fifth-generation ports (5GP) to 6GP.

Landscape ecological risk assessment and driving factor analysis in southwest china.

Landscape ecological risk assessment and ecological network construction are of great significance for optimizing territorial functions and reducing regional ecological risks. Based on the production-living-ecological space perspective, this study evaluated the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of landscape ecological risk and its driving mechanism in Southwest China and constructed a landscape ecological network. The results showed that the proportions of ecological space, production space and living space to the total space in 2020 were 74.35%, 24.55% and 1.10%, respectively. The industrial production space had the highest growth rate, increasing by 9.8 times from 2000 to 2020. During the study period, the average value of the ecological risk index ranged from 0.2 to 0.21 for the whole landscape. The geographical distribution of ecological risk zones showed significant differences, with risk zones showing a transition from high-risk and low-risk to medium-risk zones. A total of 105 ecological corridors and 156 ecological nodes have been constructed in the 2020 ecological network. The northeastern part of the study area needs better landscape connectivity and should be focused on ecological protection. Random Forest (RF) and Geodetector modeling showed that anthropogenic disturbance and land use levels have strong explanatory power for the evolution of ecological risk in the landscape. The interactions between anthropogenic disturbance, natural climate and regional economy are essential factors in the spatiotemporal differentiation of ecological risk. This study provides scientific references for ecological risk research and the promotion of high-quality development in Southwest China.

Urban Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem Service Supply: A Study Concerning the Functional Urban Area of Cagliari, Italy

Urban green infrastructure (UGI) is a network composed of natural and semi-natural areas, such as greenspaces, open areas, and water bodies, designed to enhance the provision of ecosystem services and to meet the needs and expectations of local communities. UGIs should be accessible and should improve the well-being and health of their users, protect and enhance biodiversity, and allow for the enjoyment of natural resources. The study proposes a methodological approach to defining a UGI, conceived as a network of areas connected by urban ecological corridors and suitable for providing climate regulation, flood risk mitigation, outdoor recreation, and biodiversity and habitat quality enhancement. The methodology is applied to the functional urban area (FUA) of the City of Cagliari, Italy. The analysis results show that areas with high values of climate regulation, carbon storage and sequestration, and habitat quality enhancement are particularly suitable to be part of a UGI. Although values for outdoor recreation appear to be less significant, the provision of this service is particularly relevant within the Cagliari FUA. However, areas characterized by high values of flood risk mitigation show a different behavior, which highlights how the presence of impermeable surface within urban areas is associated with a loss of patch connectivity.

WITHDRAWN: Restoration of the ecological network structure based on the spatiotemporal changes of the wintering Grus japonensis habitat in the Yancheng coastal area

As an Asian endemic species, Grus japonensis (G. japonensis) reproduction and survival rely on natural wetland resources. G. japonensis is adept at long-distance flight, thereby displaying distinct network structural characteristics in its utilization of habitat within its range. Therefore, scientific restoration and management of the ecological network (ENs) are urgently needed. On the basis of the data of G. japonensis and environmental data, this study used the MaxEnt model, stepping-stone theory, and circuit models to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in the ENs structure of G. japonensis habitat. The primary factors influencing the habitat suitability of G. japonensis was the distance to Phragmites australis (P. australis) community. The area of ecological source areas decreased from 56,528.59 hm2 in 1987 to 14,040.20 hm2 in 2021, with the distribution range contracting from Beihuan (BH), Nanhuan (NH), Hexin (HX) and Tiaozini (TZN) to Hexin (HX). Between 1987 and 2007, there were dense ecological corridors along the coastal areas. However, by 2021, only BH and HX had dense ecological corridors between them. The node centrality of HX decreased from 900.78 in 1987 to 264.64 in 2021, with the most significant decrease between 2007 and 2021. On this basis, the expanded habitat area, the stepping stone area in 2021 and the ecological source area of 2007 with low development intensity were taken as restoration areas. The restoration areas were classified into two types based on their distribution: landing nodes and expansion nodes. The addition of landing nodes enhanced the overall stability of the ENs, resulting in an increase in the centrality of nodes from 264.64 to 398.08. Finally, an optimization and restoration framework for the habitat network based on identifying priority restoration areas, land use type transformation, and enhancing ENs stability for habitat restoration was proposed.

Predicting snow structures relevant to reindeer husbandry

ABSTRACT Snow conditions in the High North are an important control on wintertime forage availability for reindeer, and under climate change, they are changing rapidly. In the European Arctic, this has the potential to disrupt traditional reindeer herding practices, reindeer health, and local culture (including that of Indigenous communities like the Sámi). At the same time, Norwegian coastal cities are competing to act as multi-model transportation hubs as sea-ice retreat creates expectations for increased marine accessibility. An “Arctic Railway” connecting Rovaniemi to Kirkenes has been proposed to support these port developments, but this route passes through rangelands managed by Sámi and local herding communities. This study develops an assessment of past and future snow characteristics relevant to reindeer health to provide a context for understanding the impacts of this infrastructure development. Climate model and detailed snowpack simulations were performed for 1950 to 2100 along the proposed route. Results show that deep snow becomes less frequent and spring thaw advances, favorable to reindeer. However, icy snow conditions become more frequent, potentially forcing herds from tundra and farmland to forested areas. This suggests policy alternatives that focus on the development and maintenance of migration corridors to allow appropriate movement of reindeer herds.

Maximizing benefits to bat populations through management of power line corridors

Abstract Power line corridors are ubiquitous worldwide and are commonly used by bats as habitat. Targeted management of these corridor habitats has the potential to aid bat populations, which is critically important given the multifaceted threats facing bat species, including the emerging infectious disease white‐nose syndrome (WNS) in North America. Here, we review known and potential impacts of management of existing power line corridors on three bat behaviours: foraging, roosting and commuting. We also identify bats in the United States that would benefit from changes to management of power line corridors for improvements to roosting and foraging habitats, particularly species of conservation concern that roost and forage along forest edges. Key recommendations are to avoid disturbance to roosting bats when maintaining vegetation along power line corridors, apply integrated vegetation management to maximize native plant diversity to improve prey options for bats and apply targeted interventions (e.g. artificial roost creation, creation of ponds) in a well‐justified ecological context. Practical implication. We highlight high‐priority research topics to fill knowledge gaps, including testing whether vegetation management treatments targeting plant and insect communities increase bat fitness and cause positive population‐level responses in focal bat species. We conclude that building evidence on how bats are affected by power line corridor management is a conservation need.

Quantifying the Ecological Performance of Migratory Bird Conservation: Evidence from Poyang Lake Wetlands in China.

Protected areas are essential for the conservation of biodiversity. However, the rapid expansion of urbanization and the intensification of human activities have significantly disrupted environmental integrity, leading to a continuous deterioration in both the quantity and quality of large ecological patches. This has further diminished the connectivity among ecological patches, leading to significant consequences for regional biodiversity conservation. Taking Poyang Lake as a case study, which serves as a crucial wintering habitat for migratory birds along the East Asia-Australasia flyway, this research employs ArcMap technology. It considers various factors including land use type, slope, and elevation to evaluate habitat quality and degradation through the application of the InVEST model. Additionally, the study utilizes the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model alongside circuit theory to delineate ecological corridors within the area and to establish a comprehensive ecological network system. The research results in this paper are as follows. (i) During the period from 2000 to 2020, there was an overall decline in habitat quality within the study area, indicating a clear trend of habitat degradation. However, it is worth noting that there was an increase in habitat quality in certain local areas within the protected area. (ii) The ecological resistance values in the core area of the migratory bird reserve in Poyang Lake are generally low. However, the ecological resistance values of the habitats have shown a consistent increase from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, there has been a significant decrease in the density of ecological corridors during this time period. (iii) Over the period from 2000 to 2020, both the number and connectivity of ecological corridors decreased and their integrity and functionality degraded. Consequently, this weakened role of the ecological network has had implications for maintaining regional biodiversity and ecosystem service functions. The findings indicate two conclusions. (i) Ecological connectivity is essential for the conservation of migratory bird habitats. Strengthening control measures aimed at expanding ecological corridors can effectively safeguard flagship and umbrella species, thereby promoting biodiversity conservation. (ii) The establishment of ecological corridors can help reconcile conflicts between conservation efforts and development objectives. This reconciliation carries significant theoretical implications for fostering a harmonious coexistence between humans and birds in Poyang Lake's migratory bird sanctuary.

The Legal System of Natural Ecological Protection and Restoration in Newly Built Areas Based on the Multi-Dimensional Character-Istics of the Ecosystem

Natural environment protection compensation refers to the legal system that protects the natural ecological environment, protects the natural environment and makes the beneficiaries of the natural environment get compensation by some means, so as to adjust the interests of the relevant subjects of natural ecological environment protection. This paper discusses the ecosystem service function and its type division of newly built areas in Ganjiang, and the emergy evaluation of ecosystem service function of newly built areas in Ganjiang, establishes the regular scheduling and joint optimal scheduling models of natural ecosystem service value single reservoir, intro-duces the corresponding model solving methods, and applies the ant colony algorithm to the optimal schedule is a lesson. According to the ant colony algorithm, the best way to study the region is to determine these algorithms. Combined with the kernel density analysis method, the spatial scope, potential corridors and key recovery points of ecological corridors are identified, and the optimization mode of natural ecological security pattern of Shule River is constructed. The experimental results show that the optimized ant colony algorithm proves that joint scheduling plays a more prominent role in ecological environment protection, mainly in ecological support and ecological regulation. At the same time, it verifies the applicability of ant colony algorithm in joint scheduling, and improves the average protection efficiency of natural ecology to 20.9%.

FOR THE CONTROL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE COASTAL STRIP CASE OF THE FRINGE BETWEEN THE MENCHA AND NIL RIVERS (EAST OF THE WILAYA OF JIJEL-ALGERIA)

Environmental issues have constantly constituted the main focus of the Algerian authorities in the development of different sectors of activity. The challenge of reconciling economic growth with the protection of the environment and coastal areas dates back to the early 1980s. It is clearly expressed through a range of regulatory texts and anticipatory and restrictive territorial planning guidelines.The coastal strip between Mencha and Nil rivers to the east of the wilaya of Jijel has not been excluded from strategies for controlling natural resources and territorial projects (PAW, PDAU, and PAC). The anthropization of this small territory gives food for thought on the conditions for controlling the environmental impacts induced by overcrowding, rampant urbanization, landscape fragmentation, pollution and the reduction of natural spaces. Through this article, we aim to assess the socio-economic impacts on the study territory on the one hand and the factors and prospects of the possible divide between the state of affairs and the principles of good land and environmental governance.(The word Oued is a local name. It is used to mean river in this article).

Mapping core habitats, landscape permeability, and movement corridors for conservation of desert bighorn sheep in Sonora, México

Mapping core habitats, landscape permeability, and movement corridors for conservation of desert bighorn sheep in Sonora, México

THE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS BETWEEN TOURIST EXPLOITATION AND DEGRADATION, CASE OF EL KALA NATIONAL PARK (ALGERIA)

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by area and is among the countries in the world that possess a rich natural and cultural heritage due to its size, diversity of regions, environments, cultures, and the civilizations that passed through it, including Phoenicians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Ottomans, and others. Our study area, the El Kala National Park, is one of the most important regions in Algeria with significant natural and cultural resources. It boasts an important coastal strip with numerous beautiful beaches and tourism expansion zones that could attract investors. Additionally, it contains various ecosystems, including lakes, dunes, forests, diverse flora and fauna and historical sites from different eras, most notably the El Kala Church. However, this heritage faces degradation due to irresponsible practices, such as the destruction of vegetation in summer 2022, despite existing protective laws. These challenges prompted our study, which partly examines Algeria's policies on tourism, environmental conservation, and heritage preservation. The research methodology employs a combined approach, starting with a historical analysis of the park's status since its UNESCO world heritage classification. We then address the natural ecosystems in the area, illustrated with images, and present a comprehensive study of tourism potentials. Finally, we conduct an in-depth analysis using the SWOT method to obtain a holistic view of the region's natural ecosystems and cultural heritage. Based on our findings, we offer conclusions and recommendations to promote tourism and drive regional development while preserving the ecosystems and natural and cultural heritage of El Kala National Park from degradation and damage.

Identifying opportunities and risks from green hydrogen: a framework and insights from a developing region in Brazil

ABSTRACT Green hydrogen is often considered as an opportunity for developing countries to advance their economies while contributing to the global goal of climate change mitigation. Many international cooperation initiatives are being established to promote green hydrogen projects in developing countries. However, the extent to which the benefits would be localized in developing countries remains uncertain. Additionally, the risks of a massive expansion of a green hydrogen industry, including potential trade-offs with other societal goals, have been largely overlooked. To address these gaps, this study proposes an analytical framework to assess the risks, opportunities, synergies and trade-offs from international initiatives, both regarding goals and across geographical scales. The study then applies the framework to an empirical case study of the green hydrogen hub in the Brazilian state of Ceará, where a green corridor is being created with Europe. The analysis is based on triangulation of data collected via in-depth semi-structured interviews, field work, industry reports, as well as official documents and communications. This framework shows that opportunities and risks, including global distributional impacts, will depend on the interplay between technology-, project-, and context-specific factors that span multiple geographical scales. Findings suggest that a global green hydrogen economy could bring negative distributive effects and trade-offs, especially in the short-term. Benefits like decarbonization of end-use sectors and increased industrial output would be primarily mobilized by developed countries who import the green hydrogen and export the technologies, while risks regarding delaying the local energy transition and increased external dependency would be borne by developing countries. Longer-term opportunities related to learning and diversification are both more uncertain and more challenging to realize in places with lower capabilities due to path-dependencies in economic and technological trajectories. Promoting both economic development and sustainability transitions would require local governments to implement strategic policy approaches, international cooperation to build local capabilities and help establish governance mechanisms, and developed country importers of green hydrogen to more systematically address such risks in their own policy making and investment strategies.

Green Infrastructure as a Sustainability Strategy for Biodiversity Preservation: The Case Study of Pantanos de Villa, Lima, Peru

Currently, the lack of adequate spaces for raising awareness among the population, coupled with disorderly urban growth, has led to an increase in water pollution from solid waste and the disruption of natural habitats in Villa Marshes. Therefore, this research focuses on implementing green corridors for the study of birdlife and environmental education, aiming to raise awareness about the importance of preserving this ecosystem. Various methodologies were employed, including climate analysis, characterization of flora and fauna, and bioclimatic design strategies supported by specialized software. The feasibility of this proposal was compared with other similar projects, emphasizing community importance. As a result, a network of green corridors was designed, including environmental education and visitor centers, along with the implementation of renewable energies to enhance energy efficiency. The main conclusion is that integrating renewable energies into the conservation of Villa Marshes offers a unique opportunity to promote a balance between human development and environmental protection.

Identifying Regulatory Barriers in the Management of Ecological Corridors in an Increasingly Congested Space

Ecological corridors are essential in facilitating the movement and dispersal of flora and fauna between separate and often isolated habitat patches. In recent years, Israel has confronted significant challenges due to the rapid pace of construction, driven in part by exceptional population growth that sets it apart on the global demographic stage. This accelerated development creates an unprecedented long-term impact on ecosystems. A key obstacle to maintaining ecological corridors is the Israeli government’s decision to construct thousands of housing units using expedited plans that circumvent standard planning processes. Such projects significantly impact these corridors, given that approximately 16% of their designated areas overlap with ecological corridors. This raises two pressing questions: Can the existing ecological corridors endure these changes and remain functional, or does the role of ecological corridors need to be redefined due to increasing urban development? What are the necessary institutional frameworks required to effectively manage these corridors in an environment that is becoming progressively denser? The research focuses on two case studies in the densely populated Central District in Israel, encompassing both local and regional ecological corridors. The regulatory assessment will point out key stakeholders, identify potential threats to the corridors, and explore existing regulatory mechanisms for planning and managing these corridors.

Urban multi-scale ecological network sequence and spatial structure optimization: A case study in Nanjing city, China

Rapid urbanization has had a segmented effect on the ecological land and natural environment in cities. Constructing an ecological network is of vital importance to protect ecological resources and maintain regional ecological security. However, ecological spaces at different administrative scales have their own ecological functions and elemental characteristics. Therefore, we formed the ecological network sequence to present the integrative connection of multi-scale with municipal area (MA), main urban area (MUA) and central urban area (CUA) in Nanjing. Ecological sources were identified through “landscape—function—structure” framework, and ecosystem services value (ESV) was used as an auxiliary method to identify supplementary sources. Ecological corridors and some key points were identified through circuit theory. The results show that the area of ecological sources in MA, MUA and CUA was 427.3 km2, 62.5 km2 and 16.2 km2, respectively. By integrating sources of three scales, we got 14 sources (442.7 km2) in the first sequence and 10 sources (7.7 km2) in the second sequence. Apart from that, we also got 4 new supplementary sources with area of 13.5 km2. The length of ecological corridors in MA, MUA and CUA was 252.5 km, 263.9 km and 22.7 km, respectively. By integrating corridors of three scales, we found that the western corridors between the ecological sources had a higher gravitation. The ecological nodes are generally distributed in the landscape heterogeneity transition zone, ecological resource fringe zone and ecological spatial contiguous zone. The ecological pinch points are generally distributed along the water system. The ecological barrier points are generally distributed in the combination area among the urban block, village and road. In conclusion, this study made up for the research gap of finding the nesting and integration relationship among ecological networks at multi-scale.

Migration and Education in the Global South: A Study of South American Origin Children in the Argentinean Educational System

The question of how the children of migrants compare to natives in destination countries has long occupied the research agenda of migration and integration scholars. But, while there are many studies that have explored this issue in the Global North, with special attention to South–North migrants, little is known about integration patterns of South–South migrants, that is, Southern migrants and their children residing in the Global South. This article addresses this concern by studying one of the key indicators of migrant integration—the educational achievement of the children of migrants—in one of the most popular migration corridors in the Global South—that of South Americans who emigrated to Argentina. Using census microdata from 2010, the article explores the educational attainment and educational reproduction of Bolivian-, Paraguayan-, Peruvian-, and Chilean-origin children in comparison with that of their native Argentine counterparts. The analysis distinguishes between 1.5 and second-generation children and focuses on young people between 6 and 21 years old who live with at least one parent. Two dimensions of educational attainment are explored: school attendance and educational level. The results show that the role of parental education tends to be weaker among migrant-origin groups. This has implications for the educational gap. In general, migrant-origin groups are advantaged over native Argentines among those with low-educated parents. Conversely, they present no differences or are disadvantaged among those with middle–high educated parents. This is observed for both 1.5 and second generations, with variations based on the outcome and national origin. Possible explanations are offered.

Research on the Identification, Network Construction, and Optimization of Ecological Spaces in Metropolitan Areas Based on the Concept of Production-Living-Ecological Space

In the strategic orientation of promoting high-quality development of metropolitan areas, ecological space is not only the core carrier for maintaining regional ecological balance and harmony but also a key element in shaping the scientific layout of metropolitan areas and promoting harmonious coexistence between cities and nature. This paper takes the Chang-Zhu-Tan metropolitan area as the research object and identifies and classifies ecological space based on the “Production-Life-Ecology” concept, extracts core ecological source areas through the minimum resistance model, and generates ecological resistance surfaces. Then, three types of ecological space corridors are constructed by using the MCR gravity model. This study finds that the ecological space in the Chang-Zhu-Tan metropolitan area is seriously fragmented, the number of corridors is insufficient, and the spatial configuration of the “Production-Life-Ecology” is imbalanced in the region and proposes optimization models and strategies in combination with the spatial network approach to identify and classify ecological space patterns for the metropolitan area. Accordingly, the study proposes optimization models and strategies based on the spatial network approach to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the ecological spatial pattern and sustainable development of the metropolitan area.

Community perceptions and socio-economic implications of conservation corridors and networks in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa

Community perceptions and socio-economic implications of conservation corridors and networks in the Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa