Land Use Indicators Research Articles

Applying Built-Up and Bare-Soil Indices from Landsat 8 to Cities in Dry Climates

Arid and semi-arid regions have different spectral characteristics from other climatic regions. Therefore, appropriate remotely sensed indicators of land use and land cover types need to be defined for arid and semi-arid lands, as indices developed for other climatic regions may not give plausible results in arid and semi-arid regions. For instance, the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) and normalized difference bareness index (NDBaI) are unable to distinguish between built-up areas and bare and dry soil that surrounds many cities in dry climates. This paper proposes the application of two newly developed indices, the dry built-up index (DBI) and dry bare-soil index (DBSI) to map built-up and bare areas in a dry climate from Landsat 8. The developed DBI and DBSI were applied to map urban areas and bare soil in the city of Erbil, Iraq. The results show an overall classification accuracy of 93% (κ = 0.86) and 92% (κ = 0.84) for DBI and DBSI, respectively. The results indicate the suitability of the proposed indices to discriminate between urban areas and bare soil in arid and semi-arid climates.

Tourism Intensity in the NUTS III Regions of Slovakia

Although Slovakia is not yet well known on the international tourism market, regional specificity and variability predetermine the Slovak area for the development of tourism, which has become increasingly popular in recent years. The aim of this paper is to assess and visualize the tourism intensity in the NUTS III regions of Slovakia. Therefore, we calculate indicators such as Defert index, tourism intensity rate, Charvat index, index of territorial density of tourism, tourist density rate, and index of land use. Results show that Bratislava Region had the biggest volume of tourism intensity; the second position occupied the Zilina Region; and the Presov Region ranked third. We found out that there has been a positive change in the development of almost all tourism intensity indicators during the period from 2001 to 2016. Based on the values of the calculated indicators, it seems that Slovakia still has the opportunity to develop tourism sector in all regions.

Does intensive land use promote a reduction in carbon emissions? Evidence from the Chinese industrial sector

Human land use activity is an important contributor to the growth of CO2 emissions. Thus, reasonable land use is an effective method of reducing CO2 emissions. Based on an extended STIRPAT (Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology) model, the impacts of population size, wealth level, technology level, and four representative indicators of intensive industrial land use (IILU) on CO2 emissions in China from 2006 to 2015 were estimated. The results showed that research and development (R&D) investment intensity is negatively related to CO2 emissions in all three regions (east, central and west) of China; labor intensity is negatively related to CO2 emissions in the eastern region; and capital intensity is negatively related to CO2 emissions in the western region. We further calculated the contribution of changes in each driving factor to the growth of CO2 emissions in the study period, and the results showed that changes in R&D investment intensity contributed the most to CO2 emissions reductions, whereas the decrease in the labor intensity in the central region and the increase in the capital intensity in the western region show weaker but similar effects. Targeted policy implications are proposed to adjust the mode of IILU from the perspectives of labor, energy, capital and R&D investments in the three regions across China.

Mortalidad por desnutrición en menores de cinco años. Un análisis de las inequidades Colombia. 2003-2012

Este estudio indaga acerca de uno de los problemas más relevantes en el contexto mundial: la mortalidad por desnutrición. En Colombia, esta situación se concentra en los menores de cinco años y los mayores de 65. La investigación evidenció la relación entre la mortalidad por desnutrición y las desigualdades socioeconómicas y territoriales, expresadas en los indicadores de pobreza, uso de la tierra y diferencias productivas. Dicha relación se manifiesta en el comportamiento diferencial de las tasas y en la configuración de clúster de municipios con altas y bajas tasas de mortalidad por desnutrición, especialmente en los menores de cinco años.

Exploring links between the sustainability performance of urban public transport and land use in international cities

Sustainability is a major driver of world policy for cities, and public transport is said to be a more sustainable mode of travel than other modes. But how do public transport (PT) systems in different cities compare to each other? This paper measures the relative sustainability of public transport systems between cities rather than between modes within cities. However, its primary focus is to explore the extent to which public transport sustainability is influenced by land use. Do cities with low-density land use automatically have poor sustainability performance? Do high-density megacities always have good sustainability performance relative to other cities? Does land use mean some cities cannot improve sustainability performance? These are some of the questions this research seeks to explore through an empirical study of land use and PT sustainability metrics using correlation/cross sectional and regression analyses. 
 Results suggest that westernized, developed countries (Western Europe, North America, and Oceania) have good environmental and social sustainability performance but poor service effectiveness and economic performance. Asia and Latin America perform the other way around, better on economic and service effectiveness and worse on social and economic performance. Eastern Europe is the one region with higher sustainability performance all around. Prague, Dakar and Tokyo are at the top of 98 cities studied, while Dubai, Shizuoka (Japan), Denver, and Johannesburg perform the worst.
 
 Land-use results show that population and job density present the highest correlation with PT sustainability metrics, implying that about a third of overall sustainability performance of public transport in cities might be explained by land use. Higher-density land use improves sustainability performance. A wider range of land-use indicators is more strongly correlated with the service effectiveness categories of sustainability indicators and to less strongly correlated with the economic sustainability indicators, suggesting that Western cities with poor service effectiveness and economic sustainability performance should densify cities to address sustainability challenges. 
 
 Policy implications and areas for future research are explored.

典型喀斯特地区石漠化景观格局对土地利用变化的响应

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 典型喀斯特地区石漠化景观格局对土地利用变化的响应 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201807231576 作者: 作者单位: 贵州师范大学,中国科学院地球化学研究所,贵州师范大学地理与环境科学学院,中国科学院地球化学研究所,贵州师范大学,中国科学院地球化学研究所,贵州师范大学,中国科学院地球化学研究所 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家重点研发计划（2016YFC0502102）；中国科学院科技服务网络计划（KFJ-STS-ZDTP-036）；"西部之光"人才培养计划（A类）（〔2018〕X）；贵州省科技计划（2017-2966） Response of landscape pattern of karst rocky desertification to land-use change in a typical karst area Author: Affiliation: School of Geography and Environmental Sciences,Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences,,Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences，Guizhou normal university,Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences，Guizhou normal university,Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Fund Project: This research work was supported jointly by national key research program of China (No. 2016YFC0502102 & 2016YFC0502300), 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:土地利用是人类活动最基本的表现形式，探讨石漠化与土地利用变化之间的响应关系，对于石漠化治理和区域的可持续发展是非常重要的。基于贵州道真县2005年、2015年LANDSAT和石漠化数据，再利用ENVI 5.3进行监督分类，将道真县土地利用分为8种类型。通过景观格局空间分析技术和3S技术，对道真县土地利用时空演变和石漠化景观格局进行综合分析，结果表明：（1）2005-2015年间，道真县建设用地和灌木林地面积增加，大部分灌木林地由水田和旱地转化而来，其面积增加了7.51%，建设用地增加了1.30%。（2）近10年间，研究区石漠化等级间的转移表现为轻、中、重度转化为潜在石漠化，其斑块转移面积分别为11.26、38.79、2.71 km2，表明研究区石漠化景观得到了恢复，低等级石漠化斑块面积增加，降低了原有高等级石漠化斑块的优势度。（3）2005-2015年间道真县土地利用和石漠化景观格局，多样性指数分别下降了0.6434和2.4309，均匀度指数各减少了0.0552和0.5436，分维度指数各提高了0.0061和0.0801，蔓延度指数各增加0.1751、25.5396和聚合度指数分别增加1.8688和2.9112，景观形状指数分别减少0.9812和4.536，石漠化景观格局的变化对应土地利用景观格局指数的变化，随着人们土地利用方式的改变，石漠化也发生相应的改变。通过该研究的进行，有助于提高人们对石漠化和土地利用景观格局的认识，基于景观生态学背景对石漠化治理成效进行评估，为之后的石漠化治理工作的进行及研究提供了参考。 Abstract:Land-use is the most basic manifestation of human activities. It is essential to explore the response relationship between Karst Rocky Desertification (KRD) and land-use change for the control of KRD and regional sustainable development. Based on LANDSAT and KRD data from 2005 and 2015 in Daozhen County of Guizhou Province, the land-use in Daozhen County was classified into 8 types by ENVI5.3. The spatial and temporal evolution of land use and landscape pattern of KRD in Daozhen County were analyzed using landscape pattern spatial analysis and 3S technology. The results showed that:(1) During 2005-2015, the area of construction land and shrubbery land increased; most shrubbery land was transformed from paddy fields and dry land, and the area increased by 7.51%. Construction land increased by 1.30%. (2) Over the 10 study years, the metastasis between the rocky desertification grades in the study area exhibited light, medium, and severe conversion into potential rocky desertification. The plaque transfer areas were 11.26 km2, 38.79 km2, and 2.71 km2, respectively, indicating a rocky desertification landscape in the study area. The land has been restored, and the area of low-grade rocky desertification plaques has increased, which reduced the superiority of the original high-grade rocky desertification patches; (3) Landscape patterns of land-use and KRD in Daozhen County decreased by 0.6434 and 2.4309 in 2005 and 2015. The evenness index decreased by 0.0552 and 0.5436, the fractal dimension index increased by 0.0061 and 0.0801, the contagion index increased by 0.1751, 25.5396, and the aggregation index increased by 1.8688 and 2.9112, respectively, and the landscape shape index decreased by 0.9812 and 4.536, respectively. The change in the landscape pattern index of land use corresponded to the change in the landscape pattern of KRD. With change of land-use patterns, the contagion index increased by 0.1751, 25.5396, and 2.9112, respectively. The KRD changed accordingly. This study will help to improve people's understanding of KRD and land-use landscape patterns. Based on the landscape ecology background, the effect of KRD control was evaluated, which will provide a reference for future research regarding KRD control. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

京津冀城市群土地利用生态风险的时空变化分析

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 京津冀城市群土地利用生态风险的时空变化分析 DOI: 10.5846/stxb201801300246 作者: 作者单位: 天津城建大学,天津城建大学,天津城建大学,天津城建大学,天津城建大学,天津城建大学,天津城建大学 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 国家重点研发计划课题（2016YFC0503001） Spatiotemporal analysis of the dynamic changes in land use ecological risks in the urban agglomeration of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei vegion Author: Affiliation: Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University,Tianjin Chengjian University Fund Project: The National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:以京津冀城市群为研究区，基于1984、1990、2000、2005、2010和2015年土地利用数据，利用斑块密度、蔓延度和土地利用类型的主观权重构建土地利用生态风险指数，从而揭示京津冀城市群地区6个时间节点的土地利用生态风险空间分布特征。土地利用生态风险划分为5个等级：低风险区、较低风险区、中等风险区、较高风险区和高风险区，将较高风险区和高风险区定义为综合高风险区，然后计算其重心转移轨迹，从而探究土地利用生态综合高风险区的空间转移动态变化规律。结果表明在研究时段内：（1）研究区土地利用生态风险的总体分布规律为城市中心城区周边的土地利用生态风险逐渐加剧，非城市地区低于城市地区，且高风险区、较高风险区的面积呈增加趋势。（2）京津冀城市群13个地级市综合高风险区变化各不相同：北京市、天津市、唐山市和廊坊市的综合高风险区呈现出增加的趋势；承德市、张家口市、保定市、石家庄市、秦皇岛市、邯郸市和邢台市的综合高风险呈现出降低的趋势；而沧州市和衡水市几乎不变。（3）综合高风险区的重心转移方向基本分为三类：朝首都方向、朝东部海洋方向和自身发展方向，且重心转移方向与城市的规划、治理及发展方向联系密切。 Abstract:In this study, the patch density, contagion degree and subjective weight of land use type were combined to construct an ecological risk index of land use for the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei vegion based on the land use data from 1984, 1990, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. The results revealed the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei spatial distribution characteristics of land use ecological risks for six nodes of urban agglomeration. Land use ecological risks were divided into five levels: low risk area, low medium risk area, medium risk area, medium high risk area, and high risk area. The medium high and high risk areas were defined as the comprehensive high risk areas, and then their centers of gravity were calculated. Transfer trajectories were used to explore the dynamic changes in spatial transfer dynamics for high risk land use. The following results were found for the study period. (1) Based on the overall distribution pattern of ecological risks of land use in the study area, the ecological risks from land use around the urban center area have gradually intensified, non-urban areas are lower than the urban areas, and high risk and medium high risk areas are increasing in size. (2) The comprehensive high risk areas in the cities of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei vegion are subject to various changes, with Beijing, Tianjin, Tangshan, and Langfang showing an increasing trend, Chengde, Zhangjiakou, Baoding, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Handan, and Xingtai showing a decreasing trend, and Cangzhou and Hengshui remaining almost unchanged. (3)The shifting focus of comprehensive high risk areas can be generally divided into three categories: the direction of capital, direction of the eastern sea and its development direction, and shifting direction of the center of gravity closely related to the planning, governance, and development direction of the city. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Investigation of weekend travel, social networking and transport-support application usage: A structural equation modeling approach

This paper examines the influence of the smartphone-based social networking and transport-support application usage intensity on travel behavior, specifically on vehicle kilometer traveled during weekends. It utilizes data from the ‘Smartphone Use and Travel Choice Survey 2015’, which was exclusively conducted on smartphone users in Halifax, Canada. One of the unique features of the study is that it explores the direct and indirect effects of individuals’ attributes, including socio-demographic, neighborhood and attitudinal attributes, on weekend travel and smartphone application usage intensity. Model results suggest that higher usage intensity of social networking applications and pro-environmental attitude decrease individuals’ probability of higher weekend vehicle kilometer traveled. While lower age group people tend to have higher social networking and transport-support application usage and lower weekend vehicle travel, middle age individuals more likely to have lower social networking application usage and higher weekend vehicle kilometer traveled. Interesting results are observed in relation to the direct and indirect effects. For instance, positive direct effect of land-use index on weekend vehicle kilometer traveled indicates individuals’ tendency to perform higher weekend travel by vehicles while living in higher mixed land-use areas. However, negative indirect effect suggests that individuals living in higher mixed land-use areas may indirectly decrease their probability of higher weekend vehicle kilometer traveled due to lower transport-support application usage intensity and pro-environmental attitude.

Korelasi Klasifikasi Penutup Lahan dengan Debit Puncak di Daerah Aliran Sungai

Many studies have shown that land use changes in watersheds such as forests that convert to settlements, industrial and estates, have an impact on flooding. So it is important to know the correlation between the various land use changes to the discharge within a watershed. This study is a preliminary study in an attempt to assess the correlation between land cover index and peak discharge, with case studies in the Beringin River Basin.The peak discharge with the return period of 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 years are computed with HEC-HMS software, developed by Hydrologic Engineering Centre (HEC) and US Army Corps of Engineers which computes the runoff discharge from the precipitation. As for land covered index (LCI), it is defined as the sum of the land-use index (LUI). The result of the case study shows the strong correlation between the land covered index with the the runoff discharge with such relation : Q100 = -22.42LCI2 + 214.30LCI - 10.62, Q50 = -18.33LCI2 + 181.87LCI - 20.19, Q20 = -14.30LCI2 + 145.27LCI - 15.61, Q10 = -11.36LCI2 + 118.41LCI - 12.29, Q5 = -8.42LCI2 + 91.27LCI - 8.9 and Q2 = -4.44LCI2 + 53.54LCI - 4.5.

MODEL LAND COVER INDEX – PEAK DISCHARGE IN MANAGEMENT OF RIVER BASIN

A change of the characteristic of a river basin’s component could transform the behaviour of the basin as a whole. In some parts of Indonesia, the land-use changes from forest into settlement, industry, and farming increase the risk of flooding. Therefore, it is important to understand the correlation between the changes of various land uses and runoff discharge in a river basin. This study makes an attempt to formulate the relation between the land-use change indexes and run-off discharge, i.e. the correlation between the changes in the index of covered land in a river basin and the change in the peak run-off discharge. The peak discharge is computed with HEC-HMS software, developed by the Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) and US Army Corps of Engineers, which computes the run-off discharge from the precipitation. As for the land cover index (LCI), it is defined as the sum of the land-use index (LUI). The result of the case study in the Beringin river basin (Indonesia) shows the strong correlation between the change in the land cover indexand the change in the run-off discharge with such a relation: DQ = -4E - 05 DLCI2 + 0.0788 DLCI + 6.6187or DLCI = 0.25 DQ2 + 6.24 DQ - 47.40. DQ is defined as the change in the run-off discharge and DLCI is the change in the land cover index.

Predictive mapping of the biotic condition of conterminous U.S. rivers and streams.

Understanding and mapping the spatial variation in stream biological condition could provide an important tool for conservation, assessment, and restoration of stream ecosystems. The USEPA's 2008-2009 National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) summarizes the percentage of stream lengths within the conterminous United States that are in good, fair, or poor biological condition based on a multimetric index of benthic invertebrate assemblages. However, condition is usually summarized at regional or national scales, and these assessments do not provide substantial insight into the spatial distribution of conditions at unsampled locations. We used random forests to model and predict the probable condition of several million kilometers of streams across the conterminous United States based on nearby and upstream landscape features, including human-related alterations to watersheds. To do so, we linked NRSA sample sites to the USEPA's StreamCat Dataset; a database of several hundred landscape metrics for all 1:100,000-scale streams and their associated watersheds within the conterminous United States. The StreamCat data provided geospatial indicators of nearby and upstream land use, land cover, climate, and other landscape features for modeling. Nationally, the model correctly predicted the biological condition class of 75% of NRSA sites. Although model evaluations suggested good discrimination among condition classes, we present maps as predicted probabilities of good condition, given upstream and nearby landscape settings. Inversely, the maps can be interpreted as the probability of a stream being in poor condition, given human-related watershed alterations. These predictions are available for download from the USEPA's StreamCat website. Finally, we illustrate how these predictions could be used to prioritize streams for conservation or restoration.

<b>Indicators of land use by cattle: associations among methods and role of environmental factors

The objectives of this study were to investigate the associations among direct and indirect indicators of land use by cattle and to understand the role of some environmental factors on the definition of these indicators. The study was carried out in two areas, Nature Reserve (63.6 ha) and Private Area (30.4 ha), with 53 Hereford animals in each area. Daytime observations of animals’ location were used as direct indicator of land use; while cattle track and dung pat distributions throughout the areas were used as indirect indicators. Environmental characteristics recorded were: terrain slope, prevalence of woody vegetation cover (forests, isolated tress and open grasslands), as well as the position of fences, water sources and salt blocks. Spatial correlations among the three indicators of land use were low ( r < 0.30). The environmental factors had lower predictive power of animals’ sightings distribution, followed by cattle tracks, and the highest predictive power occurred for dung pat distribution. We concluded that each one of the methods evaluated in this study addresses a different aspect of land use by cattle. The environmental factors assessed were useful to predict the dung pat distribution, but less valuable to predict the cattle tracks and animals’ sightings distributions.

Using Social, Economic and Land-Use Indices to Build a Local Sustainability Index in a Mining Region of the Sierra Tarahumara, Mexico

Ore mining has served as a predictor of economic wellbeing since it brought development to countries. However, these benefits do not always extend to all localities that comprised the center of this industry. This paper examined the contribution of mining to local communities. An index of local sustainability was constructed based on economic, social, and land-use data from twelve localities where mining and forestry are their major economic activities. Land-use variables were obtained from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM 5) images for 2000, and Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI8) for 2014, while the socio-economic variables were collected in twelve localities with an 85-question survey. A sustainability index was developed for each group of variables—economic (ESI), social (SSI) and land-use sustainability index (LUSI)—to further build a local sustainability index (LSI). Three localities showed the highest ESI (0.61, 0.53 and 0.43) and SSI (0.90, 0.79 and 0.78), while two localities had the lowest values in the ESI and SSI. In contrast, the highest value of LUSI was found in two other different localities and in one with lower SSI. Income from mining activities is positively associated with the ESI and SSI, but there was no evidence of linear association with the LUSI. A local index of sustainability provides useful information for planning and development strategies.

Development of a dietary environmental index to assess nutritional quality versus environmental effect of foods and dietary patterns

BackgroundAnthropogenic environmental effects of food production and processing, alongside diets that fail to meet nutritional requirements, are contributing to an unhealthy as well as unsustainable food system. Going forward it is crucial that nutritional health be considered alongside the ecological effects of food decisions. However, our ability to assess dietary sustainability is restricted by the absence of coherent, standardised methods that consider both the quality and environmental effects of our diets. As a result, we know little about the sustainability of healthy dietary patterns. MethodsTo address this gap, a dietary environmental index (DEX) was developed as an assessment instrument to gauge environmental costs against nutritional quality for foods commonly consumed in the USA. For a nationally representative selection of foods reported in the 2007–08 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), life cycle assessment (LCA) indicators of land and water resource use, eutrophication, and greenhouse gas emissions were standardised and combined into an aggregate environmental impact score (EIS). The EIS was then evaluated against nutrient density, as determined using the Nutrient Rich Foods Index 9.3, to calculate the DEX values as the ratio of NRF9·3 to EIS for about 1200 NHANES food items arranged into 135 food categories. FindingsDEX scores for most fruit, vegetable, legume, and nut categories performed above the median, and frequently above the 75th percentile, due to simultaneously high NRF9·3 and low EIS. Cereals, pasta, and grain products ranged predominantly around the median DEX. Among dairy, milk and cheeses generally ranked 25th–50th percentile. Meat-based dishes fluctuated around the 25th percentile, with higher DEX generally for poultry and egg products and lower scores for beef and pork. InterpretationResults obtained from this research will provide insight on how food product choices might enhance the nutritional quality of the diet, while reducing harm to the environment. FundingThe National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Agriculture—Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

Behind the Differentiation of Suburban Development in the Hinterland of Bratislava, Slovakia

Several tendencies seem to indicate that in the hinterland of Bratislava specific new residential zones are forming with a different socio-economic structure. This article analyses the hinterland of Bratislava from various perspectives of suburban development. The selection of variables covers the origin of in-migrants and their economic activity, education, and family status. Indicators of land use, housing construction, and property prices supplement these data. The data are processed based on a factorial ecology approach, which tries to discover the basic dimensions of the socio-spatial structure, and cluster analysis. Using these methods the authors identify similar clusters and categorise individual municipalities into relatively homogeneous units-suburban development types. The results lead to a number of very interesting findings. The same types of suburban municipalities are not arranged in concentric zones, which means that the factor of distance from the city does not play a prominent role. The prevailing factor is the sectorial structure, which reflects the different levels of attractiveness municipalities hold for different socio-economic groups of in-migrants. This article seeks to identify key factors that affect the formation of individual suburban zones and thus contributes to a better understanding of the processes that decisively shape the socio-spatial organisation of hinterlands in post-socialist cities today.

Ecological and human land-use indicator value of fungal spore morphotypes and assemblages

The value of non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs) to complement reconstructions of past communities and environments has led to the identification of an increasing number of microfossil morphotypes. Unfortunately, limited knowledge about their specific ecological indicator values still restricts the interpretation of NPP accumulation rates or assemblage variations. Here, a comparison with classical palaeoecological proxies along a sedimentary sequence has been tested to improve the ecological indicator values of NPP morphotypes. Pollen, geochemical and NPP analyses performed on the same samples all along the Holocene sedimentary sequence of Lac de Moras (France) were compared using principal component analysis to identify statistical relationships and to establish correlations between all these parameters. Ecological indicator values were obtained for some morphotypes such as UG-1097 which is related to specific taxa (Corylus sp.), or Diporotheca rhizophila defined as an indicator of the local presence of alder swamp habitat. However, most of the NPP morphotypes can be combined in two opposite NPP assemblages reflecting the change from natural to managed ecosystems at the drainage basin scale and over the Holocene. It more specifically illustrates a change in the source of organic matter transferred to the lake system provided from the plant debris of woodland cover (litter) to organic matter from animal excreta (dung and manure).

LAND USE INDICES FROM SMMS DATA IN WESTERN THAILAND

This applied research was conducted by employing both quantitative and qualitative innovative research methods. This research investigates the satellite data of four spectral bands sent from the Small Multi-Mission Satellite (SMMS). Each band was analyzed to create color composition indices of the western areas of Thailand. Band 1 had a wavelength between 0.43 and 0.52 micrometers, Band 2 between 0.52 and 0.60 micrometers, Band 3 between 0.63 and 0.69 micrometers, and Band 4 between 0.76 and 0.90 micrometers. Three layers of satellite data were overlaid in non-repeating arrangements. Bands showing grayscale were substituted by three additive primary colors of blue, green, and red. The arrangements were permutated into 24 indices: 123, 124, 132, 134, 142, 143, 213, 214, 231, 234, 241, 243, 312, 314, 321, 324, 341, 342, 412, 413, 421, 423, 431, and 432. The data of color composition indices were then analyzed to create the land-use indices. The visual interpretation of the three levels of land-use classification were used in this procedure. The result was a land-use classification with 15 indices: City, Commercial, and Services; Airport; Golf Course; Paddy Field; Field Crop; Perennial; Aquacultural Land; Shrimp Farm; Evergreen Forest; Deciduous Forest; Mangrove Forest; Marine; River; Canal; Reservoir; and Road.

Occurrence and distribution of synthetic musks, triclosan and methyl triclosan in a tropical urban catchment: Influence of land-use proximity, rainfall and physicochemical properties

This study involved a comprehensive thirteen month survey of synthetic musks, triclosan (TCS) and methyl triclosan (MTCS) in surface water, as well as suspended particular matter (SPM) and bottom sediments in a tropical urban catchment in Singapore. The polycyclic musk, Galaxolide (HHCB), exhibited the highest concentration among musk compounds, ranging from 5.16 to 42.9ng/L in surface water, 11.0 to 108ng/g dry wt. in sediments and 44.1 to 81.3ng/g dry wt. in SPM. Concentrations of musk ketone, the dominant nitroaromatic musk, ranged from 0.08 to 6.45ng/L in water, 0.082 to 0.72ng/g dry wt. in sediments and 1.75 to 5.50ng/g dry wt. in SPM. Concentrations of MTCS ranged from 0.0056 to 5.6ng/L in water, 0.01 to 0.17ng/g dry wt. in bottom sediments and 0.75 to 2.81ng/g dry wt. in SPM. These concentrations are below predicted no-effect concentrations (PNEC). Principal components analysis (PCA) results showed that synthetic musk concentrations were positively correlated, indicating common source emissions. Rainfall amount and land-use index were found to be key determinants of hydrophobic organic contaminant concentrations in this catchment. Concentrations of TCS and its methylated degradation product, MTCS, were also positively correlated. However, the relative composition of MTCS to total triclosans was relatively low in water (2.8±2.5%) and bottom sediments (0.3±0.1%), suggesting only minor transformation of TCS to MTCS. The organic carbon-water distribution ratio, log Koc (observed), ranged between 3.8 and 5.4 for musks, TCS and MTCS, indicating relatively strong partitioning from dissolved to solid phases. These field-derived log Koc (observed) values are comparable to estimated values based on physicochemical properties. The results provide insight into the occurrence, transport pathways and exposure risks of synthetic musks, triclosan and methyl triclosan in this tropical catchment.

Impacts of land use and population density on seasonal surface water quality using a modified geographically weighted regression

As an important regulator of pollutants in overland flow and interflow, land use has become an essential research component for determining the relationships between surface water quality and pollution sources. This study investigated the use of ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models to identify the impact of land use and population density on surface water quality in the Wen-Rui Tang River watershed of eastern China. A manual variable excluding-selecting method was explored to resolve multicollinearity issues. Standard regression coefficient analysis coupled with cluster analysis was introduced to determine which variable had the greatest influence on water quality. Results showed that: (1) Impact of land use on water quality varied with spatial and seasonal scales. Both positive and negative effects for certain land-use indicators were found in different subcatchments. (2) Urban land was the dominant factor influencing N, P and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in highly urbanized regions, but the relationship was weak as the pollutants were mainly from point sources. Agricultural land was the primary factor influencing N and P in suburban and rural areas; the relationship was strong as the pollutants were mainly from agricultural surface runoff. Subcatchments located in suburban areas were identified with urban land as the primary influencing factor during the wet season while agricultural land was identified as a more prevalent influencing factor during the dry season. (3) Adjusted R2 values in OLS models using the manual variable excluding-selecting method averaged 14.3% higher than using stepwise multiple linear regressions. However, the corresponding GWR models had adjusted R2 ~59.2% higher than the optimal OLS models, confirming that GWR models demonstrated better prediction accuracy. Based on our findings, water resource protection policies should consider site-specific land-use conditions within each watershed to optimize mitigation strategies for contrasting land-use characteristics and seasonal variations.

Dynamic Ecological Risk Assessment and Management of Land Use in the Middle Reaches of the Heihe River Based on Landscape Patterns and Spatial Statistics

Land use profoundly changes the terrestrial ecosystem and landscape patterns, and these changes reveal the extent and scope of the ecological influence of land use on the terrestrial ecosystem. The study area selected for this research was the middle reaches of the Heihe River. Based on land use data (1986, 2000, and 2014), we proposed an ecological risk index of land use by combining a landscape disturbance index with a landscape fragility index. An exponential model was selected to perform kriging interpolation, as well as spatial autocorrelations and semivariance analyses which could reveal the spatial aggregation patterns. The results indicated that the ecological risk of the middle reaches of the Heihe River was generally high, and higher in the northwest. The high values of the ecological risk index (ERI) tended to decrease, and the low ERI values tended to increase. Positive spatial autocorrelations and a prominent scale-dependence were observed among the ERI values. The main hot areas with High-High local autocorrelations were located in the north, and the cold areas with low-low local autocorrelations were primarily located in the middle corridor plain and Qilian Mountains. From 1986 to 2014, low and relatively low ecological risk areas decreased while relatively high risk areas expanded. A middle level of ecological risk was observed in Ganzhou and Minle counties. Shandan County presented a serious polarization, with high ecological risk areas observed in the north and low ecological risk areas observed in the southern Shandan horse farm. In order to lower the eco-risk and achieve the sustainability of land use, these results suggest policies to strictly control the oasis expansion and the occupation of farmland for urbanization. Some inefficient farmland should transform into grassland in appropriate cases.