Effects Of Corridors Research Articles

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's Impact on Pak-China Bilateral Relations

Within the larger framework of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), this study examines the complex effects of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The study looks at how China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a flagship project promotes economic, political, cultural, educational, and security cooperation while strengthening the historical links between Pakistan and China. The study examines how Pakistan's economic growth, infrastructure development, and regional integration are facilitated by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), utilizing Rostow's theory of economic development as a framework. It is projected that the effective execution of CPEC will revolutionize global connections, possibly enhancing Pakistan's economy as a whole and encouraging closer ties with China.

Heterogeneous conservation corridors of remnant vegetation protect biodiversity in South African timber mosaics

AbstractIt is urgent now to place greater emphasis on harmonising conservation of indigenous biodiversity with food and fibre production. This is especially important in countries like South Africa which support high levels of irreplaceable biodiversity. The local timber industry has responded to this challenge by retaining large-scale networks of conservation corridors of historic ecosystems in the forestry landscape. The corridors consist mostly of grassland, with patches of indigenous forest, thickets, wetlands, ponds, and rivers. The motivation is to future proof compositional and functional biodiversity for ecological resilience in these production environments in a rapidly changing world. We synthesise here the substantial evidentiary research on the effectiveness of conservation corridors in plantation forestry-dominated landscapes in the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany biodiversity hotspot. We focus on six emergent themes: 1. corridor dimensions, orientation, and connectivity, 2. heterogeneity at different spatial scales, 3. maintaining aquatic and terrestrial habitat quality in the conservation corridors, 4. biodiversity value of conservation corridors relative to protected areas, 5. the plantation matrix, and 6. assessment of corridor network performance. Results show the importance of prioritising large, high quality conservation corridors, especially those with a high number of natural features and variety of environmental conditions, both terrestrial and aquatic. Alien clearing, grazing control, and appropriate fire regimes should be prioritised in these corridors. Where possible we need to retain, restore, or replicate the natural ecological regimes. Overall, this conservation approach in commercial forestry landscapes helps to conserve indigenous biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, improves connectivity across afforested landscapes while also having sustainable timber production, thereby safeguarding the resilience of these working landscapes well into the future.

Influence of land use intensity on ecological corridors and wildlife crossings’ effectiveness: comparison of 2 pilot areas in Austria

Human development and induced activities significantly affect the natural functioning of ecosystems and hence landscape connectivity. Ecological corridors are essential for maintaining structural as well as functional connectivity in cultural landscapes for wildlife, while providing interchange between core areas. In two pilot areas in the north-western and eastern part of Austria, ecological corridors were delineated using a geographic information system (GIS). The pilot areas are key to preserving ecological connectivity and are located along important international migration corridors (Bohemian Forest-Northern Alps corridor, Alpine-Carpathian corridor). Both areas are situated in highly human-altered and therefore dissected as well as fragmented landscapes. A one-year monitoring campaign using camera traps was carried out at selected locations along proposed ecological corridors in the cultural landscape and at wildlife crossings structures (WCSs) at intersections with road infrastructure. The monitoring was focused on mammals with a total of 18 species being observed. The most abundant species were roe deer, European hare and wild boar. European otter, European beaver, golden jackal and wildcat have only rarely been observed. Mammal species richness was positively correlated with the presence of vegetation cover and the coefficient of ecological stability (CES). The insights obtained can be used for recommendations and support in planning the planting of vegetation (use of grasslands, scattered and continuous woody vegetation, agroforestry systems) on the sites and in the vicinity of ecological corridors. The green bridges (wildlife overpasses) were used more frequently as well as by a larger number of mammal species compared to other studied WCSs showing characteristics that are less favourable for animals. The effectiveness of WCSs is mainly influenced by human activities, resulting in the recommendation to limit them on WCSs located along the routes of ecological corridors. We point out that actual wildlife migration corridors are likely to differ from designated data-driven ecological corridors generated by spatially explicit models, because these generally do not take into account all factors relating to the effectiveness of corridors. Our results suggest, that the application of the concept of functional connectivity is able to enhance the quality of ecological corridor designations, since usually they are based only on the concept of structural connectivity. For this reason, further studies are needed to help understanding factors and their specificities influencing the interplay between structural and functional connectivity of ecological corridors.

Study on import trade effect of six economic corridors on provinces along China

The construction of the six economic corridors is an important pillar of the "Belt and Road" initiative. This paper collected the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2005 to 2022, and constructed a differential differential model to study the trade effect of the construction of the six economic corridors on the imports of provinces along the country. The results show that: on the whole, the construction of the six economic corridors has indeed played a role in promoting the import scale of the provinces along the line; Secondly, there is regional heterogeneity in this effect. The import driving effect of the economic corridor mainly depends on the trade promotion effect of the economic corridor on the central region, followed by the eastern region, and the contribution degree of the western region is the lowest. In addition, the level of regional economic development, industrial structure, and scientific research are important factors to promote the development of regional trade in China. In the future, the in-depth construction of high-level development of economic corridors needs to pay more attention to these factors to promote coordinated development. At the end of this paper, countermeasures are proposed to speed up the construction of economic corridors, which is also conducive to the hierarchical and focused work to promote China's trade promotion, so that provinces along the country can use the "six economic corridors" to achieve a new pattern of opening u.

Assessing the effectiveness of “River Morphodynamic Corridors” for flood hazard mapping

In dynamic rivers the assessment of flood hazard related to geomorphological dynamics assumes crucial importance. Recently, some geomorphological approaches have been developed to assess channel dynamics in response to floods. In this study we explore the River Morphodynamic Corridors which include the current active channel and areas of the alluvial plain that may be (re)activated by channel dynamics during floods. In order to assess the effectiveness of such corridors for mapping flood hazard, we delineated the morphodynamic corridors along a river network of 74 km in the Cordevole River catchment (Italy) and compared the corridors with the channel changes that were triggered by a high-magnitude event (Vaia Storm) that hit the study area in October 2018. We observed that the morphodynamic corridors are capable to define areas where channel dynamics are most likely to occur and have proven satisfactorily effective in predicting channel widenings triggered by a severe flood. The results show that it is crucial to adopt different procedures for corridor delineation based on channel width, i.e., for small streams (width < 30 m) a more precautionary approach should be adopted that considers the entire alluvial plain as an area potentially affected by channel dynamics. The study highlighted an inherent limitation of the approach, since erosion that can affect valley slopes or fluvial terraces (i.e., widening of the alluvial plain) is not taken into account. This application represents the first validation of the River Morphodynamic Corridors approach through comparison with observed flood channel changes. Through this analysis, it can be inferred that, notwithstanding its relatively simple procedure, the approach allows a robust mapping and delineation of flood hazard due to river channel dynamics. The River Morphodynamic Corridors, when applied jointly with hydraulic model for assessing inundation processes, allow an overall assessment of flood hazard, particularly in dynamic river contexts.

ТРАНСПОРТНЫЕ КОРИДОРЫ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНОЙ АЗИИ В СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОЛОГИЧЕСКОМ ИЗМЕРЕНИИ

The article examines the socio-ecological aspects of creating transport corridors in Central Asia in the modern context. The region's unique geographical position has long attracted attention, becoming a key link between East and West, particularly along the historical Silk Road. In this regard, the environmental optimization of transport corridors is crucial for sustainable regional development. However, the increase in freight traffic amplifies human impact on the environment, leading to air, water, and soil pollution, as well as changes in the soil's chemical composition and microflora. The article offers recommendations to minimize the negative effects of multimodal transport corridors on the region’s ecosystem, a necessary step toward balancing economic growth with environmental preservation.

Assessment of Ventilation Potential and Construction of Wind Corridors in Chengdu City Based on Multi-Source Data and Multi-Model Analysis

The establishment of urban ventilation corridors (UVCs) aims to mitigate the urban heat island effect. While most studies focus on the construction and assessment of the environmental benefit of UVCs, they often overlook the analysis of UVCs’ topological features. This research integrates multi-source data including 3D urban buildings, historical meteorological observations, high-resolution remote sensing, and land use planning, combined with multiple models, including geographic information system spatial analysis, circuit theory, and complex networks. Based on an assessment of urban ventilation potential, the circuit model was applied to extract UVCs aligned with the prevailing wind direction for both summer and winter seasons. Complex network modeling was employed to analyze the topological features of the ventilation network. From the analytical results, a multi-level wind corridor system for Chengdu was quantitatively developed. The results indicate that the city’s overall ventilation resistance is high, with notable spatial clustering, and the southeastern region faces substantial ventilation obstructions. A total of 143 critical ventilation nodes were identified, with the number of air inlets and outlets in summer being significantly fewer than in winter. However, the cooling effect of ventilation corridors in the prevailing summer wind direction is superior to that in winter. The ventilation network comprises 16 communities with distinct ventilation characteristics, exhibiting moderate connectivity, lacking small-world properties, and showing congestion and instability.

Impact of high-speed railway network on county-level accessibility and economic linkage in Jiangxi Province, China: A spatio-temporal data analysis

Abstract High-speed railway (HSR) networks have profoundly influenced interregional accessibility and economic linkages. This study examined 100 counties (cities) and districts in Jiangxi Province, using spatial and temporal data to measure weighted average travel time, daily accessibility, the accessibility coefficient, and the total and intensity of economic linkages. This study analyzed the impacts of operating a single HSR line versus an entire network. The findings revealed that (1) the HSR network has created a balanced spatial–temporal convergence effect, narrowing the gap between most locations and showing a clear “corridor effect”; (2) the network has strengthened economic connections among counties and has significantly enhanced overall economic output by creating two high-level economic linkage belts, formed around the Shanghai–Kunming and Beijing–Hong Kong HSRs; and (3) the network amplifies the “Siphon effect” and “Matthew effect,” further disadvantaging non-connected regions. Therefore, the province should promote a well-designed, HSR network, enhancing economic exchanges among counties and fostering a high-level economic belt characterized by diversity, complementary advantages, and coordinated development.

Meteorological effects of ventilation corridor in central urban areas: A case study of Wuhan

How ventilation corridors affect urban climate is attracting researchers' attention. Taking the inland Chinese city of Wuhan as an example, this paper first uses remote sensing image technology to evaluate the urban thermal environment. Additionally, based on the GIS/RS spatial analysis method, the ventilation corridors in the central urban area are identified and constructed. Finally, the mesoscale meteorological model WRF-UCM is used to simulate four cases with different corridor forms to explore the impact of different corridors on the climate environment in Wuhan during the summer. The results indicate that: (1) The WRF-UCM model, when coupled with LCZ classification, can significantly improve the accuracy of mesoscale urban canopy meteorological field simulations. (2) The water corridors located in the central urban area can effectively regulate the temperature and wind environment during summer. In the high-temperature period of the day, the average temperature in the central city decreases by 0.3–0.4 °C, the heat island proportion index decreases by 1.61 %, and the strong heat island proportion index decreases by 1.89 % in the afternoon. During the period of low temperature, the average wind speed in the central urban area increased by 0.05 m/s increase, and even increased by 0.1 m/s. (3) The specific humidity value of the green corridor is reduced by 0.0000136 kg/kg in comparison to the construction land in the corridor, while the water corridor can increase by 0.000133 kg/kg. If the two kinds of surface, water and green land, are organically combined in the corridor, it will be able to improve the hot and humid conditions in Wuhan in summer. (4)Low-rise and low-density construction land as the corridors in the central urban area can not improve the urban thermal and wind environment. Through an attempt to conduct a complete workflow of urban heat island analysis, ventilation corridor identification and setting, urban climate simulation, analysis and summary, the authors believe that it is an effective set of working methods in sustainable urban planning, design, and policy-making. The implementation of pertinent research findings in the domain of urban planning and design demonstrates its universal applicability and has the potential to extend to analogous research and practice.

Observed Impacts of Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic Systems on the Microclimate and Soil in an Arid Area of Gansu, China

Ground-mounted photovoltaic (GMPV) systems are a crucial component of photovoltaic (PV) applications, and their environmental impacts during large-scale development require thorough attention. This study conducted continuous observations at a GMPV plant in an arid region, employing a three-site comparative monitoring system to assess the environmental impact of both shaded and non-shaded areas within GMPV systems. The parameters measured included atmospheric temperature (AT), relative humidity (RH), soil temperature (ST), soil water content (SWC), and wind speed. The results revealed significant diurnal and seasonal variations in AT, with daytime warming and nighttime cooling ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 °C, with particularly large variations observed during high-temperature seasons. Shaded areas under the PV panels exhibited increased RH at night and decreased RH during the day, along with a cooling effect on ST, with a maximum reduction of 7 °C. SWC was higher in shaded areas during dry seasons but exhibited complex redistribution patterns during rainy seasons. Wind speed and direction were notably altered, demonstrating a corridor effect. These findings contrast with previous studies that only focused on the environmental assessment of non-shaded areas within PV systems and external areas using two-site monitoring. This study highlights the critical role of shaded areas in understanding the local environmental impacts of PV systems. This comprehensive approach offers deeper insights into how PV systems influence local meteorological and environmental conditions, suggesting that optimized design and placement of PV systems can enhance their ecological benefits and mitigate adverse environmental impacts in arid regions.

Research on Optimization Strategies of Regional Cross-Border Transportation Networks—Implications for the Construction of Cross-Border Transport Corridors in Xinjiang

Facility connectivity plays a pioneering role in the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by General Secretary Xi Jinping in 2013. Xinjiang, as the core area of the Silk Road Economic Belt bordering eight Eurasian countries, plays a crucial role in cross-border transportation and humanistic exchanges and is the focus of the national connectivity initiative. While the current analysis on regional accessibility has become more diversified, analyses on long-distance cross-border corridors are still relatively rare. Therefore, this paper takes the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China as the main study area extending westward to the five Central Asian countries. Modified accessibility accounting methods and gravity models are used to analyze the current status of accessibility and the strength of economic ties between Xinjiang and the five Central Asian countries. The results showed that the distance decay effect of transportation accessibility between Xinjiang and the five Central Asian countries is obvious; the constraints of “natural geography + transportation economy” affect the accessibility level from each state in Xinjiang to the five Central Asian countries and shows a trend of strength in the north and weakness in the south. From the optimization of the regional planning road network in a reverse projection, G3033 and other highways and the construction of the Yi-A railroad will improve the status quo of “east-west access but not north-south access” in Xinjiang. The “corridor effect” and spatial polarization characteristics of economic connection intensity from Xinjiang to the five Central Asian countries are significant. This study has important theoretical and practical significance for the construction of cross-border corridors.

Impact of Collared Peccaries Dycotiles tajacu (Artiodactyla: Tayassuidae) on understory vegetation in the tropical rainforest of the Nogal-La Selva Biological Corridor, Costa Rica

Introduction: Evidence suggests that herbivores, such as peccaries, shape vegetation structure and diversity through predation, trampling, dispersal, and rooting behavior. Objective: To evaluate the impact of peccaries (Dycotiles tajacu) on the understory vegetation of the tropical rainforest in the Nogal-La Selva Local Biological Corridor, Costa Rica, comparing a site with the absence of peccaries to another with the presence of these animals. Methodology: From June to November 2021, 20 experimental exclusions and 20 free access plots, each measuring 2 m2 were used to quantify herbivory, the number of leaf blades, damaged leaves, healthy leaves, sapling height, and fallen biomass at both sites. Results: A higher sapling density was found in the Nogal Reserve, but a lower sapling diversity, while in La Selva there was a higher sapling diversity, but a lower density of seedlings. Herbivory and sapling height in La Selva exceeded those in Nogal. The exclusion of peccaries reduced seedling damage but did not affect the dynamics of fallen biomass. Conclusion: For the design, implementation, and evaluation of the effectiveness of biological corridors, it is crucial to consider plant-animal interactions to enhance the flow of ecological processes through functional and structural connectivity, analyzed from interactions such as those presented in this paper.

Quantifying the impact of urban ventilation corridors on thermal environment in Chinese megacities

In the context of global warming and rapid urbanization, urban wind-heat environment has become increasingly prominent. Although the identification of ventilation corridors has been well investigated, the impact of ventilation corridors on thermal environment remains unclear. Here, we use the single-window algorithm and circuit theory method to analyze the characteristics of land surface temperature (LST) and ventilation corridors in four megacities of China, so as to quantify the effect of ventilation corridors on thermal environment. Results show that circuit theory works well for identifying ventilation corridors. Moreover, we find that spatial distribution of ventilation corridors in one city is remarkably different from another. Interestingly, ventilation corridors, which consist of green spaces, waters, and roads, have a remarkable mitigation effect on thermal environment. LST of each city is mitigated by 2.39 ℃, 3.22 ℃, 2.11 ℃ and 2.60 ℃, respectively, and the cooling intensity in summer is better than that in winter. Thus, it is of great significance to arrange urban form and ventilation corridors to alleviate the impact of high temperature on urban residents.

New Opportunities and Prerequisites for Cross-Border Cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

The purpose of this article is to explore the cross-border processes of neighbouring countries based on the interaction and mutual influence of the economies of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and to identify new opportunities in the development of border areas. Scientific research has been studied and a review of literary sources reflecting not only the processes of interaction between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in the field of economics, politics, economic security, education and the formation of infrastructure projects has been conducted. Research and compare the economic development of the two countries, show the economic and resource potential and give a comparative description of the development of border areas. The research methodology was aimed at a comprehensive analysis of cooperation priorities based on a survey of the main documents on cross-border cooperation of international organizations, including a database on measuring and monitoring the effectiveness of corridors; conducting a comprehensive statistical analysis of data from the Bureau of Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Economic Reform of the Republic of Kazakhstan, international rating agencies; assessing the distribution of regions of Kazakhstan in terms of per capita GRP; development and calculation of the coefficient of uneven economic development of the regions of Kazakhstan; conducting a rating of regions of Uzbekistan in terms of GRP per capita

Past, present and future climate connectivity informs conservation strategies in the Yangtze River delta urban agglomeration, China

Given ongoing climate change and anthropogenic disturbance, conservation strategies that connect habitats and protect biodiversity are urgently needed. Climate connectivity among remaining natural habitat patches (NHPs) may facilitate animal and plant species migration forced by climate change. In developing more effective conservation strategies, it is therefore important to analyse the spatiotemporal changes in climate connectivity driven by climate change and the human footprint, and to consider how these may change in the future. In this study, we mapped the human footprint of the Yangtze River delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) for the years 1980, 2015, and 2050, quantified the potential ability to achieve climate connectivity of each NHP, and determined whether each NHP could achieve climate connectivity over time in the face of ongoing warming and increased disturbance. Results suggest that, despite climate warming and an increased overall human footprint in the YRDUA from 1980 to 2050, the potential to achieve climate connectivity is challenging but possible. NHPs with “connection failure” and “connection interruption” are projected to increase, and the loss of climate connectivity will therefore become progressively severe. It is concluded that the effect of corridors on climate connectivity becomes more pronounced. Climate connectivity can be achieved if the least cost paths (LCPs) are strategically included as corridors in the ecological network. Under this scenario, the NHPs with “connection failure” are reduced by 82% relative to the scenario in which all LCPs are omitted in the ecological network. We proposed a strategy for sustainable biodiversity protection based on a multiscale nested ecological network that enhances landscape connectivity and stability, and an ecological compensation system that balances economic growth and ecological conservation. The proposed strategy is suitable to application elsewhere to guide the design of more appropriate corridor structures that promote biodiversity conservation.

Historical Spatial Radiation Range of the Yongding River Corridor in Beijing Plain Section: Implications for Landscape Patterns and Ecological Restoration

The radiation range of the corridor effect holds great significance for the ecological restoration, planning, and sustainable development of river corridors. This study focuses on the Beijing plain section of the Yongding River, which has been cut off for half a century, and improves the research methodology. Utilizing land use data from 1967 and 1980, ArcGIS and Fragstats were employed to establish 5 km buffer zones on both sides of the Yongding River corridor. The buffer zone analysis method was then applied to investigate landscape pattern changes. Through SPSS correlation analysis and curve fitting, sensitive landscape indices were identified, and their change characteristics were analyzed to unveil the historical spatial radiation range and characteristics of the Yongding River corridor. The findings of this research are as follows: First, as the buffer width increases, the landscape pattern changes, showing a decrease in heterogeneity, an increase in aggregation and spread, and a good connection between dominant patches. Forest land exhibited higher levels of fragmentation and dispersion, cultivated land demonstrated improved dominance, and construction land became more regular and dispersed. Second, the spatial radiation range of the landscape level within the river corridor was approximately 4 km. The inflection point for the radiation range on forest land was found at 3.5–4 km, while for construction land, it occurred at 4.5 km. The outcomes of this study can be utilized to evaluate the impact of river corridors on landscape patterns in the period of good historical ecology. They also provide more targeted measures and scientific basis for landscape pattern protection and river ecological restoration planning after the restoration of water flow in the Yongding River plain.

Species distribution model identifies influence of climatic constraints on severe defoliation at the leading edge of a native insect outbreak

Eastern North America is in the midst of a spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem., SBW) epidemic. SBW is one of the most important forest insects with regard to outbreak coverage and impacts to the forest industry in this region. Numerous bioclimatic, vegetation, and spatial–temporal variables can influence the distribution and outbreak patterns of phytophagous insects such as SBW. Published models have yet to agree on consensus drivers of SBW defoliation. Spatially-explicit, fine-scale predictive models are needed, however, to aid in our understanding of current and future SBW impacts. We used a species distribution model - MaxEnt to examine the relationships between the 1972–1981 SBW defoliation and 13 predictor variables for the island of Newfoundland, Canada the leading edge of the current SBW outbreak. The optimal model for predicting the probability of severe SBW defoliation included precipitation in May and June, precipitation in July and August, and maximum temperature in June and July. The probability of severe defoliation rapidly increased when precipitation ranged at 75.0 mm – 91.0 mm in May and June but showed a complex relationship with precipitation in July and August. Probability also increased with maximum temperature in June and July until temperature reached 18.0 °C. Defoliation probability decreased with increasing distance from major roads and river channels, suggesting possible corridor effects. Counter to research in other study areas, host tree species was not an important predictor of defoliation in our analysis. We then used this MaxEnt machine learning algorithm to predict the probability of severe defoliation for the forests of the entire island on a 2 km resolution raster. Areas with high probability (>0.80) were concentrated in the northeast part of the island where black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) dominates the forest landscape. The predicted severe defoliation area (probability 0.4–1.0) for black spruce was 1.4 times the area for balsam fir, which is the dominant canopy forming tree species on the island and preferred host species for SBW. The higher predicted probability of severe defoliation in black spruce stands relative to balsam fir stands may arise due to the unique combination of climatic conditions and geographical distributions of two species on the island. Species distribution models for irruptive insect impacts (i.e., defoliation) are relatively rare but may be an important tool in forecasting future insect damage.

The European freshwater landscape and hotspot areas of mass effects and regional connectivity

AbstractAimThe maintenance of broad‐scale connectivity patterns is suggested as a sustainable strategy for biodiversity preservation. However, explicit approaches for quantifying the functional role of different areas in biogeographic connectivity have been elusive. Freshwaters are spatially structured ecosystems critically endangered because of human activities and global change, demanding connectivity‐based approaches for their conservation. Mass effects—the increase in local diversity by immigration—and corridor effects—the connections with distant communities—are basic and relevant mechanisms connecting diversity with landscape configuration. Here, we identified freshwater hotspots areas for mass and corridor effects across Europe.LocationEurope.MethodsUsing satellite images, we quantified the areas of ephemeral, temporal and permanent freshwaters. The landscape structure of the freshwater ecoregions was represented as a directed‐graph, and the link weights were determined by the distance between cells and the water cover. Three centrality metrics were used to rank freshwater areas with respect to their potential role in dispersal‐mediated mechanisms. Out‐degree represents the potential of an area to operate as a diversity source to other regions. In‐degree reflects the importance that incoming dispersal may have in local diversity. Betweenness refers to the importance of local areas for connecting other distant areas.ResultsWe detected great concentrations of source hotspots on the northern regions associated to lentic ecosystems, main European rivers acting as ecological corridors for all freshwaters, and a mixed distribution of connectivity hotspots in southern and Mediterranean ecoregions, associated with lentic and/or lotic systems.Main ConclusionsWe showed an explicit connection between landscape structure and dispersal process at large geographic scales, highlighting hotspots of connectivity for the European waterscape. The spatial distribution of hotspots points to differences in landscape configurations potentially accounting for biogeographic diversity patterns and for mechanisms that have to be considered in conservation planning.

Alp-valley and elevation effects on the reference evapotranspiration and the dominant climate controls in Red River Basin, China: Insights from geographical differentiation

Complicated topography can drastically affect the geographical distribution of evaporation, runoff production, water cycle, and water security guarantee. However, whether the elevation and Alp-valley have differentiated effects on basin evaporation and handle the change with constant variables is still being determined. This manuscript calculates reference evapotranspiration (ET0) of the Red River Basin with a typical Alp-valley and elevation gradient from 1960 to 2021. Then at the scales of the whole basin, both sides of the main Alp (western of Ailao mountain (WAL) and eastern of Ailao mountain (EAL)), the mainstream valley (Yuanjiang valley (YJV)), the spatial–temporal distribution pattern of ET0 and its sensitivity of climate variables are depicted from the insights of barrier-corridor and elevation effects. The results indicate that ET0 grows at a rate of 27.77 mm per decade throughout the Red River Basin, China (RRBC), gradually declines from northwest to southeast, and increases with increasing elevation. The barrier effect of the Ailao Mountains within the RRBC alters the elevation distribution pattern of ET0 on both sides of the mountain. In contrast, the corridor effect along the YJV causes the ET0 increases with the depth of the valley. Accordingly, the aridity index increases with rising elevation resulting in drier climatic conditions in the north of the RRBC, and suffers a significant influence from Alp-valley topography resulting in wet WAL, dry EAL and drier YJV. The topography plays an impact on ET0 through the climatic control variables. Solar radiation (Rs) has the highest impact on ET0, followed in descending order by relative humidity (RH), air temperature (T) and wind speed (U). With the elevation increases, Rs and T reduce the effect on ET0, whereas RH increases its effect. Also, the barrier effect changed the dominant factors: Rs and RH control the ET0 on WAL and EAL, respectively, while the corridor effect enhances the role of T and U. Moreover, the schematic diagram of the ET0’s change with elevation gradient and Alp-valley, and its climate controls is deduced. This research can help us comprehend the spatial differentiation of ET0 in complicated topographical areas, as well as uncover its dynamic mechanisms under elevation and Alp-valley effects.

Effectiveness of Unconventional Monetary Policy Tools on Financial Stability: A NARDL Approach for Turkey

The primary purpose of central banks is to achieve and maintain price stability. Until the global financial crisis in 2008, it was accepted that financial stability was achieved in an economy where price stability was achieved. However, after the crisis, it was seen that financial stability could not be achieved in economies where price stability was achieved, and alternative policies began to be sought. In this context, many developed and developing countries have started using unconventional monetary policy tools to ensure financial stability along with price stability. As a result of the expansionary policies implemented by the central banks of developed countries, there has been an intense capital inflow to Turkey, which has led to credit expansion and overvaluation of the domestic currency. Therefore, as of 2011, the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) started to use non-traditional monetary policy instruments to support financial stability. In this study, a financial stability index has been calculated for the Turkish economy and the effects of interest rate corridor and required reserve implementations on this index were examined with the Non-Linear Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model. According to the results of the analysis, it has been understood that the effects of unconventional monetary policy tools in ensuring financial stability are limited and monetary policy implementations alone are insufficient.