Loss Of Farmland Research Articles

Effects of mining activities on social-cultural development: A case of Kapijipanga chiefdom in Solwezi district of North-Western Province, Zambia

Overview: This study examined the impact of mining activities on the social and cultural development of Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. The study investigated various ways in which mining activities influence the social and cultural identity of local people. Body of knowledge: The findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex relationship between mining activities and social cultural development and offer insight for sustainable development and community well-being in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. Methods: The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods and descriptive survey design that sampled local people of Kapijipanga chiefdom, mine workers, headmen and chief. The sample size for this study was 150. Data was obtained from respondents by means of interviews and questionnaires. Tables, graphs and pie-charts were used to analyze the quantitative and qualitative data obtained. Data was then analyzed manually in some cases and also, a combination of software MS Access, and MS Excel. Results: The results indicated that the effects of mining activities on social –cultural development in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District is negative in the sense that social development is strongly influenced by the loss of farmland, houses, and livelihoods in Kapijipanga chiefdom. Additionally, the study found that mining activities has led to the loss of traditional authority in Kapijipanga chiefdom of Solwezi District. This is because mining projects often require the relocation of indigenous communities and villages to make way for mining infrastructure. Recommendation: The government of Zambia through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the Department of culture should ensure that mines offer cultural awareness training programs for their employees to increase understanding and appreciation of local customs, traditions, and languages.

Land for Whom? Diversity, Land Trusts, and Farmers and Gardeners from Marginalized Backgrounds in New England, U.S.

Land trusts in the U.S. play an important role in preventing the loss of farmland to development. Farmers seeking affordable land may benefit from these conservation efforts. Yet the distribution of these benefits across farmer groups is unclear. This study asks: To what extent are land trusts meeting the needs of farmers and gardeners from marginalized backgrounds? Interviews with land trust staff and focus groups with marginalized farmers and gardeners in New England, USA reveal discrepancies in how diversity and land access are discussed. Access to adequate, affordable land was a serious concern among farmers and gardeners, yet few land trusts had programs to increase access for diverse populations. Land trusts approached diversity, equity, and inclusion work by making limited commitments, pivoting to social class, and avoidance due to perceptions of mission drift. These findings have significant implications for who benefits and who is excluded from private farmland conservation.

Key Advantages of Agrivoltaic Systems in Germany – A Comparison of the Electricity Yield of Different Systems

In addition to food production, energy can also be produced on agricultural land. This can lead to land use conflicts and often results in political discussions. As the energy transition progresses, the area required for renewable energies is increasing, leading to more land use conflicts. Agrivoltaics (APV) allows for continued farming alongside solar power production, providing a solution to this conflict. In this analysis, the land energy yields of different APV concepts were compared with those of other renewable energies. The results show that wind and PV can produce the most energy on land, regardless of whether the sectors are electricity, heat or transport. When considering different APV concepts on cropland, it is important to consider which area is being evaluated. A distinction can be made between the PV-system area (the visually influenced area in the landscape) and the loss of farmland. Depending on the perspective, the concepts have different advantages. The APV vertical concept enables 3 times more electricity production per loss of farmland compared to a conventional ground-mounted PV system. However, in relation to the PV-system area, the electricity yield is only 1/3 of this. The APV horizontal concept has the highest electricity yields per area of loss of farmland. The APV 3D tracing system has the highest electricity yield of all APV concepts per PV-system area. Initial economic analyses show that higher energy yields per loss of farmland are accompanied by higher costs for APV systems. These results can be used for political advice.

Adaptation Strategies Through Mining Compensation in Mabayi Commune, Burundi

One of main effects of mining on rural agriculture is the loss of farmland by households living near mining sites. In return, these households should receive compensation. This compensation, if well invested, may lead to improved livelihoods for these farming households. If not, these households may find their livelihoods deteriorating if the compensation is not properly managed. This paper aims to analyze household compensation investment strategies in Mabayi commune (Burundi) and their effects on the livelihoods of households affected by mining activities. A survey of 140 households, interviews with key informants, and observations were conducted in July and August 2022 on Gahoma and Ruhororo hills where foreign company ‘‘Tanganyika Mining Burundi (TMB)’’ and local cooperative ‘‘Dukorere Hamwe Dusoze Ikivi (DHDI)’’ were carrying out their activities respectively since December 2018, in Mabayi commune. Results showed that 17 out of 20 households (85%) and 13 out of 17 households (76.5%) had invested their compensation well, in Gahoma and Ruhororo hills respectively. They had improved or maintained their overall quantity of agricultural production, and improved their livelihoods in general. On other hand, 3 households (15%) and 4 households (23.5%) had invested their compensation inappropriately, in Gahoma and Ruhororo respectively. They had suffered reduction in their overall quantity of agricultural production, and experienced deterioration of their livelihoods in general. Fair and up-front compensation for households, assistance in how to invest compensation, capacity-building in agriculture and alternative activities, should maximize opportunities for improved livelihoods. The mining company and cooperative must also comply with environmental regulations.

Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Electro Spectroscopic Characterisation of Some Indigenous Nigerian Leafy Vegetables as Prospective Mineral Sources In Human Diets

Minerals are nutrients that are needed in macro and micro amounts to guarantee proper body function. They are obtaineable from plant and natural sources. There has been continuous change in climatic conditions and this has resulted to low yield, pest infestation, loss of farm land, and concomitant low income generated from vegetables that are consumed regularly. The regular cuisines are becoming scarce and expensive with many households not aware of possible sources of suitable substitute to complement and supplement mineral requirements. This study examined the mineral composition of some indigenous leafy vegetables that can be consumed by humans as an alternate source of mineral. Colocasia esculenta (red Cocoyam), Laportea aestuans (L) (Tropical nettle weed), Daucus carota L (Carrot leaves), Manihot esculenta, Crantz (Cassava leaves) and Sesamum indicum (Sesame leaves) were collected and authenticated. Inductively coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry was used to analyse the mineral composition of each of the leaves. Microminerals like Boron, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Silicon, and Zinc were present in amount sufficient to fufill the daily required intake when 100 g of the plant was consumed. Macrominerals like Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, and Sodium were also observed to be in quantities able to supply the recommended daily allowance on consumption of 100 g of the plant. The plants are rich in micro and macro minerals and therefore should be explored further as prospective sources of minerals for humans.

Review of Urbanization-Associated Farmland Research in China: A Sustainability Perspective

Farmland loss in drastically urbanizing landscapes has long been a research concern for resource management, landscape planning, and spatial governance, especially in the context of China. In recent years, the issue of urbanization-associated farmland loss (UAFL) seems to be increasingly recognized as relevant to sustainability. To date, however, existing studies have not yet comprehensively addressed the research gap between UAFL and sustainability. Here, we aim to help fill this knowledge gap by considering UAFL research as an example of the broader land/landscape-related literature, in a hope of informing future studies to better advance sustainability through land-related approaches. Specifically, we combined bibliometric analyses with code-based content analysis to reveal the knowledge base, thematic evolution, and historiographic paths of the literature on UAFL across China and the empirical case studies’ relevance to sustainability. Our main findings include: (1) the examined literature barely draws insights from sustainability science and sustainability only started to arise as a notable topic at around 2016; (2) over half of the empirical studies show awareness in advancing sustainability and interest in understanding the social-environmental drivers and processes underlying landscape dynamics, yet few demonstrate methodological transdisciplinarity; (3) those sustainability-relevant studies either frame UAFL as depletion of the farmland resource that may threat China’s food security and consequently hinder sustainable urbanization or frame UAFL as part of widespread landscape dynamics that affect the environmental outcome(s) or social–environmental tradeoffs of landscape multi-functions; and (4) existing empirical studies are disproportionately focused on 1991–2006, national, regional, and city scales, and some of China’s most developed areas. Our findings provide an overview of this specific research avenue on UAFL and, more importantly, point to the imperative for land/landscape scholars to break out of their disciplinary silos, especially in the natural sciences, to generate more actionable sustainability insights.

How can restricted farmland development rights be compensated to stimulate farmland protection? A provincial exploration in China

Stimulating farmland protection (FP) is crucial to ensure food security and environmental well-being. Some countries, including China, are seeking to incorporate transferable development rights (TDR) to realize economic incentives for FP. This study developed an indicator – planning regulation intensity on farmland (PRIF) – to describe the restricted farmland development rights (FDRs) and designed a compensation-oriented farmland transferable development rights (FTDR) mechanism. The threshold model and two-way fixed effect model were employed to unlock the transfer direction, quantity, and economic value of FDRs. Taking Hubei Province in China as the study area; the empirical research was conducted and demonstrated the necessity and feasibility of implementing the compensation-oriented FTDR mechanism in China. This study addresses the issue of unfair distribution of FDRs due to planning regulations and provides a promising economic-incentive policy instrument for curbing farmland loss. The FTDR mechanism considering PRIF that we propose enables the extension of TDR to countries that implement authority-exerted planning regulations.

Agro-Food Supply Chains in Peri-Urban Agricultural Areas: Do They Contribute to Preserve Local Biodiversity? The Case of Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park

Peri-urban regions, especially in the Mediterranean, face challenges like farmland loss due to urban pressure. This study emphasizes retail stores as strategic focal points for evaluating societal, economic, and production systems. It hypothesizes that analyzing retail stores in agricultural areas provides insights into traded and cultivated agrobiodiversity. Using the Baix Llobregat Agrarian Park (Catalonia, NE Iberian Peninsula) as a case study, this research examines different food retailers from short and conventional food supply chains. Results indicate variations in plant diversity, origin, and seasonality among different retail stores. Farmers’ markets exhibit higher intraspecific diversity, contributing to local agrobiodiversity conservation. This study observes temporal changes in farmers’ markets, highlighting shifts influenced by socioeconomic factors and climate change perceptions. Finally, this research underscores certain strategies to promote sustainable peri-urban local food systems and preserve agrobiodiversity, offering valuable insights into food supply chain dynamics in peri-urban agricultural regions.

Erosion mechanism of point bar retreat under the protection of a flexible mattress

Channel retreat can be responsible for the significant loss of banks, farmland, and wetlands, leading to drastic changes in fluvial sediment and local river regimes. Although current studies focus on the erosion process of natural river channels, the mechanism by which revetments, such as the flexible mattress, influence bank evolution is still unclear. Hence, by conducting a generalized model experiment, this study investigates the point bar failure process under the mattress protection, i.e., the episodic event when the soil reaches the static equilibrium state. Specifically, a scour hole develops at the junction between the soft and hard materials, causing mattress suspension on the bank toe’s side wall and resulting in a reduction coefficient for transverse scouring rate ranging from 0.08 to 0.15. Based on the theories of soil mechanics and river dynamics, the critical conditions for point bar instability were deduced, and a mechanical model describing its erosion process under the mattress protection was established. Furthermore, our model calculated the bank morphology and total erosion volume at different periods in the flume experiment, demonstrating a good agreement with the measured data. Additionally, variations in stability coefficient and forces exerted on soil (including shear strength, gravity, and fluid pressure) of the typical sections during point bar retreat were analyzed. Sensitivity analysis of the bank toe stability emphasized the controlling effect of soil mechanical properties and the negative feedback of mattress weight. The results reveal the interaction mechanism between the mattress protection and point bar failure, theoretically guiding the bank erosion strengthening and river management planning.

A GIS-based assessment of flood impact on agricultural farm activities along river Dilimi, JOS north local government area of Plateau state

Flood is a natural disaster that impacts lives, food security, and ecosystems. Hence, this study sought to investigate the impact of urban flooding on agricultural farm activities along river Dilimi, Jos North LGA Plateau State Nigeria. The study identified urban agricultural farm activities along River Dilimi, and flood-prone areas along the river, and evaluated the economic impact of flood on farmer’s activities in the study area. The study utilized a satellite image of 2021 to digitize urban agricultural farmland along River Dlimi while, DEM, slope, and the landuse of the study area were utilized in an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) on ArcGIS version 10.4 to determine areas prone to flood in the study area. Concerning the economic impact of flooding, the study revealed that loss of farm was ranked 1st, hunger and starvation, loss of properties, and high incidence of poverty with a weighted mean score of 1.22, 1.21, and 1.20 ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th while loss of family members, displacement from a natural domain with a weighted mean score 1.19, 1.15 ranked 5th and 6th. Other impacts of floods include damaging roads (1.14), causing malaria (1.13), adding nutrients to the soil (1.11), and causing environmental pollution (1.09). loss of farmland, hunger, and starvation, loss of properties, high incidence of poverty were perceived as serious economic impacts of flood on farmers in the study area. In addition, the result further reveals that river Dilimi covers 1.5%, agricultural landuse covers 2.82%, and other landuse covers 95.66%.

Machine Learning based Disease and Pest detection in Agricultural Crops

INTRODUCTION: Most Indians rely on agricultural work as their primary means of support, making it an essential part of the country’s economy. Disasters and the expected loss of farmland by 2050 as a result of global population expansion raise concerns about food security in that year and beyond. The Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data and Analytics are all examples of smart agricultural technologies that can help the farmers enhance their operation and make better decisions.
 OBJECTIVES: In this paper, machine learning based system has been developed for solving the problem of crop disease and pest prediction, focussing on the chilli crop as a case study.
 METHODS: The performance of the suggested system has been assessed by employing performance metrics like accuracy, Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE).
 RESULTS: The experimental results reveals that the proposed method obtained accuracy of 0.90, MSE of 0.37, MAE of 0.15, RMSE of 0.61
 CONCLUSION: This model will predict pests and diseases and notify farmers using a combination of the Random Forest Classifier, the Ada Boost Classifier, the K Nearest Neighbour, and Logistic Regression. Random Forest is the most accurate model.

Addressing the Proliferation of Anti-Personnel Mines

Anti-personnel mines, first used in World War II, continue to be a persistent threat to life up to today. With technological advances, landmines have been easily deployed and difficult to detect, and an estimated 25,000 km2 is currently considered contaminated with landmines. Widespread in Egypt, Afghanistan and Iraq, these landmines have resulted in great humanitarian and economic devastation and continue to do so presently. For example, Egypt witnessed 19 casualties per day due to landmines in 2020. Further, given their low cost and ease of use, non-state armed groups (NSAGs) are currently liberally using landmines. Globally, the estimated cost to clear landmines is around $50-$100 billion, with the countries most affected unable to afford these costs. In this study, we discuss the history of use, efforts to curb, and current deployment of landmines. The economic factors connected with anti-personnel mine use are discussed, including the cost associated with procuring and clearing landmines. The multifaceted ways that landmines impact economic growth are detailed, including the cost of emergency and long-term medical care, loss of infrastructure and farmland, and barriers to accessing education, health care, and employment. The study particularly focuses on Afghanistan, Cambodia, Egypt, Iraq, Myanmar and Russia. The role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in assisting victims, building awareness, and supporting governments is discussed. Events from 1939 to the current day are examined, as are the relevant UN treaties and events from the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, 1997, to the present United Nations Mine Action Strategy (2019-2023). The treaties are discussed in the context of their effectiveness and impact, particularly on NSAGs. Several proposed solutions are presented and examined for their potential feasibility and effectiveness, including awareness building, technological approaches and international coordination. There is an urgent need to bring landmines to our conversation in order to address their continuing threat, and this study aims to do the same.

Livelihood Impact Due to Riverbank Erosion Among the Affected Households Along the River Jamuna of Bangladesh

The present study examines the impacts of riverbank erosion on locals' lives and livelihoods in a particular area of the Jamuna River floodplain of Bangladesh. Riverbank erosion causes thousands of people to be affected, resulting in damage and loss of crops, cattle, housing structures, and farmland. It also erodes public infrastructures and communication networks significantly. This study undertakes empirical methods (including the open-ended questionnaire with a total of 155 households) to demonstrate the study's findings. The lack of adequate measures is the major factor associated with riverbank erosion in the study area. Land property loss becomes one of the major threats among the surveyed families. Some mitigation measures, such as using Geo bags and concrete blocks to protect the banks and operation of dredging machines to divert the water flow, are observed in the study area to reduce erosion. However, these measures are not bringing any effective solution to the local people’s livelihoods due to the slow ongoing work processes. J. Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 49(2): 179-191, December 2023

Farmland Loss and Livelihood Effects: Diamond and Gold Mining Implications on Farmers’ Sustainability in Sierra Leone

Mining businesses are problematic in developing countries because they intrude on farming ecologies, rendering arable lands almost unavailable to farmers and making them unproductive. This paper expounds on the impact of agricultural land loss on mining activities in Kenema, as farming is the primary source of income for the locals; nevertheless, small-farm holdings are a definitive characteristic of this district. Using perceptions-based data gathered from 358 respondents, the software STATA 14 was employed to analyse the ordinal logit model. The results suggest that though mining operations gave the community quick income and short-term jobs, the negative impacts on farmers’ livelihood and outcomes surpass the benefits. The challenges farmers face from mining activities are Water pollution, displacement from their lands, and agricultural land degradation, and most get into illegal mining due to these constraints. This is mirrored in the average cultivation area of about 4 acres, with a relatively small harvest and an average monthly farm income of less than USD 40. Moreover, the results disclosed that the mines had increased land concession with less or no land reclamation or restoration. Therefore, it is recommended that all parties involved use a standardized method of communication that will prevent mining-related farmland encroachment. Moreover, it is good that authorities empower environmental law-enforcing bodies to monitor mining operations closely to ensure total compliance with the laws of the land management system.

Evaluation of the efficiency and drivers of complemented cropland in Southwest China over the past 30 years from the perspective of cropland abandonment

Complemented croplands are a crucial component of cropland resources and play a significant role in ensuring national food security. In recent decades, to counter the loss of prime farmland caused by urban construction, the Chinese government introduced a requisition–compensation balance policy, leading to the substantial expansion of new croplands. Therefore, there is an urgent need to determine whether these complemented croplands can be effectively used. Taking Southwest China as a case study, we used high-precision long-term land-use data from 1990 to 2020 to reveal the dynamics of complemented cropland utilization, evaluate the efficiency of complemented cropland utilization from the perspective of abandoned farmland, and identify the factors driving complemented cropland use efficiency based on more than 13 million land parcels. The results showed that: (1) From 1990 to 2020, complemented cropland amounted to approximately 1170.07 × 104 hm2, accounting for 32.67% of the total arable land area in 1990. The potential grain production capacity of these complemented croplands was significantly lower than that of base croplands. (2) The abandonment of complemented croplands was more serious than that of base croplands, and 47.03% of the complemented croplands experienced abandonment at least once during the study period, and the average efficiency of the complemented croplands was 75.61%. (3) The labor population ratio, elevation, and land parcel size played pivotal roles in influencing the complemented cropland utilization efficiency; however, there was substantial variation among the different provinces. Labor replacement, overcoming farming difficulties brought by mountainous terrain, and improving farmers' income are the keys to alleviating cropland abandonment in mountainous areas and improving cropland utilization efficiency. This study provides novel insights into the efficiency assessment and exploration of the mechanisms driving complemented croplands and can provide references for cropland management.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Rank–Size Pattern of Chinese Urban Settlements

Accurate and timely urban boundaries can effectively quantify the spatial characteristics of urban evolution and are essential for understanding the impacts of urbanization processes and land-use changes on the environment and biodiversity. Currently, there is a lack of long time-series, high-resolution, nationally consistent Chinese urban boundary data for urban research. In this study, the city clustering algorithm was used to generate urban settlement boundaries in China based on the local density, size, and spatial relationships of impervious surfaces. The results showed that both the area and the number of urban settlements in China revealed an upward trend from 1985 to 2020, with East China (EC) being much higher than other regions and South China showing the most significant growth rate. The average area ratio of urban green space in China was 41.68%, with the average area ratio in EC being higher than in other regions. Meanwhile, Zipf’s law was used to verify the universality of urban settlement rank–size; the changes in the Zipf index from 1985 to 2020 also revealed that China’s urban size tended to be concentrated, and the development of large urban settlements was relatively prominent. The urban definition method we propose in this study can divide urban boundaries efficiently and accurately, identify urban expansion hotspots, and promote research on farmland loss and ecological land degradation, further exploring the impacts of urbanization on food security, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. By coupling big data such as economy, energy, and population with urban evolution patterns, urban managers can analyze current and future problems in urban development, thereby providing scientific decision-making for urban sustainability.

Climate (im)mobilities in the Eastern Hindu Kush: The case of Lotkuh Valley, Pakistan

The relationship between climate, environment, and human mobility is complex as (im)mobility outcomes are influenced by multiple socioeconomic, political, and environmental factors. The current debate is focused on migration as an adaptation strategy in the face of climate change but largely ignores the immobility aspect, particularly in the Eastern Hindu Kush where mountain livelihoods are strongly dependent on local environmental conditions. In this study, we examine the interrelations between climate change and the environment as drivers of human mobility and immobility in the mountain communities of Lotkuh valley, Chitral, in north Pakistan. We employed a mixed methods approach grounded in migration theory to describe the relationship between climate change, environment, and (im)mobility outcomes. The study reveals that climate (im)mobilities are the outcome of a complex interplay between climate change, extreme events, and local livelihoods. The primary drivers of (im)mobility are socioeconomic factors. Forced displacement is driven by a multitude of extreme events in the area. Three critical aspects of livelihoods—land resources, crop productivity, and livestock farming—are identified as significant factors influencing mobility and immobility outcomes. Recurring extreme events such as floods and landslides exacerbate soil erosion and the loss of fertile farmlands, leading to food insecurity and compelling households to resort to labor migration as an adaptation strategy. Conversely, for households facing severe income stress and depleted economic assets, immobility becomes the only viable option due to insufficient resources for migration. Moreover, the study reveals that some households adopt a mixed strategy by sending select members to other areas while others remain in their places of origin to sustain their livelihoods. The study has implications for policymakers, government, and development organizations in the region suggesting sustainable livelihoods and adaptation measures to address the specific challenges faced by mountain communities in the Lotkuh valley and the wider region.

Impact of urbanization on the welfare of farm households: Evidence from Adama Rural District in Oromia regional state, Ethiopia

Urbanization is a widespread phenomenon with varying causes, patterns, and effects across countries. However, existing studies have overlooked the specific impact of urbanization on households near urban areas by failing to compare them with households in more distant regions. This study examines the impact of urbanization on rural household welfare in the Adama Rural District of the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed, selecting a sample of 397 households from two distinct categories. Of these households, 148 were located near the urban center, while 249 were far away. The study utilized descriptive and inferential data analysis methods and employed the propensity score matching technique to investigate the impact on farm households. Data was collected through questionnaires to gather cross-sectional information, supplemented by qualitative insights from Key Informant Interviews. The findings revealed that households near urban areas had a significantly lower mean annual consumer expenditure of 5207 ETB compared to 8092 ETB spent by families in distant areas. The results from propensity score matching further indicated that households near urban centers experienced lower annual consumption expenditures than those located further away. These results highlight the influence of urbanization on the welfare of rural farming households near urban areas. To address the negative effects of urbanization on these households, city administrations, and regional governments need to prioritize the development and implementation of alternative livelihood support strategies. Additionally, the study emphasizes the necessity of implementing policies that mitigate farmland loss while considering the socioeconomic factors impacting farmers in the region.

How does urbanization impact the supply–demand relationship of agroecosystem services? Insights from farmland loss in the Huaihe River Basin, China

China’s urbanization has gradually become the dominant factor in farmland loss, but it remains unclear how urbanization impacts the supply–demand relationship of agroecosystem services at different rates of farmland loss, which in turn poses new challenges to the ecological security of farmland. Taking the Huaihe River Basin as a case, this paper analyzes farmland loss from 2000 to 2020, as well as changes in the supply–demand relationship of four types of agroecosystem services: food production, socio-economic security, carbon sequestration, and soil conservation, revealing the driving mechanisms of urbanization on the supply–demand relationship of agroecosystem services in sub-regions with different rates of farmland loss. The results show that: (1) A total of 13588.11 km2 of farmland was converted to construction land from 2000 to 2020, accounting for 75.62 % of the total amount of farmland converted to different land types, and 95.57 % of the total amount of farmland converted to construction land. (2) There was a surplus supply of grain production services and socio-economic security services, while there was a deficit in the supply of carbon sequestration services, and a balance in the supply–demand of soil conservation services. (3) The matching degree of supply–demand for agroecosystem services was lower in the Rapid Loss Area compared to the Medium Loss Area and Slow Loss Area. (4) Urbanization was divided into population, economic, and spatial urbanization. The supply–demand relationships of agroecosystem services were impacted greatly by spatial urbanization in the Rapid Loss Area and by economic urbanization in the Medium Loss Area and Slow Loss Area.

Evaluating the impact of multi scenario land use change simulation on carbon storage at different scales: a case study of Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration

Carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems is crucial to advance carbon neutrality and support sustainable development. Extensive studies have explored the effect of land use change on carbon storage, especially urban expansion. As one of the world’s top urban agglomerations, the Pearl River Delta Urban Agglomeration (PRDUA) is facing a dramatic loss of carbon storage along with urbanization. Coordinating economic development and ecological protection and achieving low-carbon green development are urgently needed to alleviate the decline in urban carbon storage. Here, we quantified land use change in the historical period (2000, 2010, 2020) and in 2030 and then estimated carbon storage dynamics at different scales by combining the PLUS model and the InVEST model. We found that: (1) Construction land significantly increased simultaneously with considerable losses of farmland (2273.29 km2) and forestland (949.98 km2) from 2010–2020. In 2030, construction land will expand by 997.83 km2 (12.51%), 1419.97 km2 (17.79%), and 238.60 km2 (2.99%) under the natural growth (NG), urban expansion (UE), and low carbon development (LCD) scenarios, respectively. (2) Compared to 2020, carbon storage under the LCD will reach 6.51×108 Mg, with the lowest decline rate (0.35%). (3) At the city level, Shenzhen had the highest decline rate under various scenarios, followed by Zhuhai and Guangzhou. At the county scale, carbon storage followed the order NG > UE > LCD in 2000–2030. At the grid scale, carbon storage showed a declining trend from the central PRDUA region to marginal areas. Thus, comprehensive considering the multiscale effects of land use change on carbon storage was beneficial to formulate reasonable measures for specific areas. Differentiated development categories at different scales and low-carbon industrial upgrading should be implemented to maintain ecosystem services and achieve sustainable development.