Influence Of Land Use Patterns Research Articles

Effects of land use patterns on seasonal water quality in Chinese basins at multiple temporal and spatial scales

Diverse land use patterns exhibit varying effects on water quality across different seasons and spatial scales. However, current studies on the correlation between land use and water quality in single small-scale basins no longer meet the needs of regional coordinated development. Simultaneous comparative analysis of multiple large-scale basins can promote water environmental protection in different basins, but there is currently limited relevant research. In this study, the data from 86 sampling points across seven major river basins in China were analyzed. Multivariate statistical analysis and the redundancy analysis (RDA) were employed to investigate the influence of land use patterns on water quality at different seasons and spatial scales. The results indicated notable differences in water quality across various seasons and locations. Except for higher pH and permanganate index (COD) concentrations in the wet season in the Songhua River Basin and higher COD concentrations in the Pearl River Basin, the concentrations of all parameters in other basins are higher in the dry season. PH and COD exhibited considerable spatial variations within basins, while dissolved oxygen (DO) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) showed smaller variations. RDA showed that land use had a more pronounced effect on water quality during the dry season in the Yangtze, Liao and Pearl River Basins, while the impact was greater in the wet season in the four basins of the Yellow, Huai, Hai and Songhua River Basins. At the spatial scale, the 2000 m buffer zone had the most significant impact within the Yangtze, Hai and Liao River Basins, while the 1000 m buffer zone had the greatest impact in the Huai and Pearl River Basins. For the Yellow and Songhua River Basins, the buffer zone was 500 m during the wet season and 1000 m and 2000 m during the dry season, respectively. The research findings can offer a scientific foundation for the development of basin-specific land management policies and water quality protection measures in different basins from a multi-scale perspective.

Evaluating and simulating the impacts of land use patterns on carbon emissions in coal resource-based regions: A case study of shanxi province, China

It is essential for sustainable development worldwide to reduce carbon emissions (CE), however, how land use patterns in coal resource-based regions (CRBRs) affect CE remains less explored. Based on socioeconomic data and GlobeLand30, this study evaluated and predicted the influence of land use patterns on CE in Shanxi Province from 2000 to 2030. The key findings are as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the area of cropland in the study area decreased by 4.85 × 105 ha and the area of construction land increased by 4.38 × 105 ha, with the increase in construction land coming mainly from cropland. (2) There was an increasing trend in the overall net CE, from 3.17 × 107 t in 2000 to 3.89 × 107 t in 2010 and 6.38 × 107 t in 2020. The land use CE had a spatial distribution characteristic of being high in the west and south and low in the east and north. The total CE was the largest in 2030 in business-as-usual scenario (BAUs), and the CE class of the cities in the study area was mainly high CE, while the ecological and economic balance scenario (EEBs) was higher CE. In 2030, the BAUs will have the largest total CE, and the CE levels of the cities will mainly high CE. (3) The decoupling state between the land use mix degree (LUM) and CE in the study area was mainly an expansionary negative decoupling over the past 20 years and changed from long negative decoupling to weak decoupling in the economic development priority scenario (EDPs) and strong decoupling in EEBs, which might be better suited to the future development of Shanxi Province. This study makes it easier to comprehend how different land use patterns affect the number of CE in CRBRs. Additionally, it provides other CRBRs with a theoretical framework and instances needed to research CE.

Characteristic Analysis of Carbon Sink Capacity Changes in Xinjiang’s Terrestrial Ecosystem Based on EEMD

Net Ecosystem Productivity (NEP) is an important measure to assess the carbon balance and dynamics of ecosystems, providing a direct measure of carbon source–sink dynamics in terrestrial ecosystems and finding widespread applications in carbon cycle research. However, the nonlinear characteristics of NEP in Xinjiang’s terrestrial ecosystems remain unclear. Additionally, the influence of land use patterns, temperature, and precipitation variations on carbon sink capacity remains unclear. Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) is used to investigate the nonlinear variation of NEP in Xinjiang. Landscape pattern analysis of Xinjiang’s land use patterns from 1981 to 2019 is conducted using a 30 km moving window, and the interannual relationships between NEP, land use patterns, and meteorological factors are investigated through EEMD detrending analysis and Pearson correlation. The findings indicate that: (1) NEP exhibits interannual variations, primarily concentrated in the foothills of the Tianshan Mountains, with a three-year cycle. (2) Although NEP changes in most regions are not significant, urban clusters on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains show noteworthy trends, with initial decrease followed by an increase, covering around 34.87% of the total area. Areas at risk of NEP decline constitute approximately 7.32% of the total area. (3) Across Xinjiang, we observe a widespread rise in patch fragmentation and complexity, coupled with a decline in patch connectivity and the size of the dominant patch. Additionally, there is a notable increase in both the diversity and evenness of land use types. However, the correlation between land use patterns and NEP is generally found to be insignificant in the majority of areas, with a percentage exceeding 85%. (4) Approximately 62% of regions in Xinjiang have NEP that is positively correlated with temperature, with significance observed in 33% of these areas. Furthermore, almost 95% of regions demonstrate that NEP is positively correlated with precipitation, with significance noted in 83% of these regions. It appears that precipitation exerts a more pronounced influence on NEP fluctuations in Xinjiang when compared to temperature.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in coastal rivers in Jiangsu Province, China: Spatial distribution, source apportionment and human impacts

The ocean is the ultimate sink for all pollutants, rivers are important channels for land-based pollutants to enter the oceans. Riverine transport of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to coastal seas in China poses environmental threats. This study examined the spatial and temporal distribution of PAHs in coastal rivers in Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province of China, with the aim of identifying their likely sources, concentrations, and influencing factors. Surface sediments were taken from the Xinyanggang River (XYR) and the Sheyang River (SYR). The concentrations of Ʃ16PAHs in river sediments were measured on average 477.05 ng/g dry weight (dw), with values varying from 2.18 to 6351.42 ng/g, indicating a moderate pollution level, with a dominance of high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs. The XYR exhibited significantly higher PAHs concentrations compared to the SYR. The key sources of PAHs were vehicle emissions (47.87%), coal and natural gas combustion (35.07%). Geographically weighted regression and redundancy analysis linked PAHs pollution to distinct land use patterns and socioeconomic indicators, highlighting urban land as the major contributor, driven by high urbanization and industrialization (70.91%). In XYR, industrial activities and transport emissions were major contributors, while in SYR, agricultural activities predominantly influenced PAHs pollution. Urgent mitigation strategies are needed to reduce PAHs pollution in river sediments, mitigating ecological and human risks associated with these contaminants.

Land use alters diazotroph community structure by regulating bacterivores in Mollisols in Northeast China.

Changes in land use can generate environmental pressures that influence soil biodiversity, and numerous studies have examined the influences of land use on the soil microbial communities. However, little is known about the effects of land use on ecological interactions of soil microbes and their predators. Diazotrophs are key soil microbes that play important functional roles in fixing atmospheric nitrogen. In this study, we investigated the co-association of diazotroph community members and patterns of diazotroph and bacterivore networks under different long-term land uses including cropland, grassland, and bare land. Diazotroph community was characterized by high-throughput sequencing. The results indicated that land use type influenced the dominant genera of diazotrophs and shaped the occurrence of specific indicator diazotroph taxa. Co-existing pattern analysis of diazotrophs and bacterivores indicated that grassland converted from cropland increased the complexity of diazotroph and bacterivore network structure. The number of nodes for diazotrophs and bacterivores was higher in grassland than in cropland and bare land. Random forest analysis revealed that six bacterivore genera Cephalobus, Protorhabditis, Acrobeloides, Mesorhabditis, Anaplectus, and Monhystera had significant effects on diazotrophs. Bacterivores were found to have predominantly negative effects in bare land. Different bacterivores had differing effects with respect to driving changes in diazotroph community structure. Structural equation model showed that land use could control diazotroph community composition by altering soil properties and regulating abundance of bacterivores. These findings accordingly enhance our current understanding of mechanisms underlying the influence of land use patterns on diazotrophs from the perspective of soil food webs.

Native forest metacommunity structures in Uruguay shaped by novel land-use types in their surroundings.

We explore the effect of land‐use change from extensively used grasslands to intensified silvi‐ and agricultural monocultures on metacommunity structure of native forests in Uruguay. We integrated methods from metacommunity studies, remote sensing, and landscape ecology to explore how woody species distribution was influenced by land‐use change from local to regional scale. We recorded richness and composition of adult and juvenile woody species from 32 native forests, created land‐use maps from satellite image to calculate spatial metrics at landscape, class, and patch levels. We also analyzed the influence of land use pattern, climate, topography, and geographic distance between sites (d) on metacommunity, and created maps to visualize species richness and (dis)similarity between communities across the country. Woody species communities were distributed in a discrete pattern across Uruguay. Precipitation and temperature seasonality shaped species distribution pattern. Species richness and community dissimilarity increased from West to East. Latitude did not influence these patterns. Number of patches, landscape complexity, and interspersion and juxtaposition indexes determine woody species distribution at landscape level. Increasing areas covered by crops and timber plantation reduced species richness and increased community dissimilarity. The spatial metrics of native forest fragments at patch level did not influence metacommunity structure, species richness, and community dissimilarity. In conclusion, Uruguayan native forests display a high range of dissimilarity. Pressure of neighborhood land uses was the predominant factor for species assemblages. Conserving landscape structures that assure connectivity within and among native forest patches is crucial. On sites with rare target species, the creation of alliances between governmental institution and landowner complemented by incentives for biodiversity conservation provides opportunities to advance in species protection focused on those less tolerant to land‐use change.

Role of Advection on the Evolution of Near-Surface Temperature and Wind in Urban-Aware Simulations

AbstractThe role of advection of heat and momentum on the evolution of near-surface temperature and wind is evaluated in urban-aware simulations over Houston, Texas, under dry conditions on a light-wind day. Two sets of experiments, each consisting of four simulations using different planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes, were conducted over 48 h using the default urban scheme (BULK) and the single-layer urban canopy model (SLUCM) available within the Weather Research and Forecasting Model. We focus on understanding and quantifying the role played by temperature and momentum advection, particularly on the windward and leeward sides of the city. Previous studies have largely ignored any quantitative analysis of impacts from the advection of momentum over an urban area. The horizontal advection of temperature was found to be more important in the BULK because of the larger surface temperature gradient caused by warmer surface temperatures over urban areas than in the SLUCM. An analysis of the momentum budget shows that horizontal advection of zonal and meridional momentum plays a prominent role during the period of peak near-surface winds and that this effect is more pronounced in the windward side of the city. The local tendency in peak winds in the leeward side lags that in the windward side by about 1–2 h, similar to the lag found in horizontal momentum advection. The sensitivity of the results to different urban and PBL schemes was explored. The results imply that representation and influence of land-use patterns via sophisticated urban parameterizations generate locally driven winds that best resemble observations.

Influence of land-use pattern on soil quality in a steeply sloped tropical mountainous region, India

ABSTRACT The study investigates the effect of various existing hill land-use practices on soil quality. The land-use types selected for the analysis was based on common land-use types practice in the area. Soil samples were collected from different land-use types and analysed for bulk density (BD), clay, sand, silt content, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen (MBC and MBN), and exchangeable cations. Further, the soil fertility index, soil evaluation factor and Principal Component (PC) Analysis suggested that PC1 accounts maximum variance (41.6%) followed by PC2 (19.7%), PC3 (13.5%), PC4 (12.4%) and PC5 has the least variance (10.4%). Weighted soil quality index (SQIw) was computed based on SQIw. The majority of land-use samples showed a moderate quality of soil except for samples of current jhum (CJ) (SQIw = 0.75) which is in the good category. Almost all the soil parameters except BD have a higher concentration in the settled agricultural farm owing to the integration of sustainable approaches (viz., integration of livestock manure, conservation tillage, mixed cropping and terracing). The present study indicates that long term settled sustainable land-uses agricultural practices are the key to maintain soil organic carbon, and soil health in the sloping hilly region of tropics.

Idiosyncratic liver pigment alterations of five frog species in response to contrasting land use patterns in the Brazilian Cerrado.

BackgroundChanges in land use trigger environmental changes that can lead to decreased biodiversity and species loss. The liver is an essential detoxification organ that reflects systemic physiological responses to environmental changes. Here, we tested whether contrasting land use patterns influence the amount of substances from the hepatic cellular catabolism and melanomacrophages (MMs) of five anuran species in the Brazilian Cerrado.MethodsWe collected the same five species of pond-dwelling frogs in one protected area and in an area with intense agricultural activity. We used routine histological and histochemical techniques to quantify the area occupied by lipofuscin, melanin, and hemosiderin in the liver of two frogs Leptodactylus fuscus, Physalaemus cuvieri, and three tree-frogs Dendropsophus minutus, Scinax fuscomarginatus, and Boana albopunctata. We classified land use types in a buffer around each pond based on satellite images. We then used a double-constrained Correspondence Analysis, a recently developed ecological method to relate functional traits to environmental variables, to test the effect of each land use type on the area of each liver pigment.ResultsThere was an increase in the amount of melanin in environments with high proportion of agriculture, as well as variation in the amount of lipofuscin and hemosiderin. Liver pigments of P. cuvieri and B. albopunctata varied more strongly in response to land use types, suggesting they could be good indicator species. Therefore, the area of MMs in the liver and the metabolic products in their cytoplasm can be used as biomarkers of environmental changes in regions with intense agricultural activities. Our results add a new perspective to the influence of land use patterns on environmental health by highlighting the effect of environmental changes on internal morphological aspects of animals.

The Influence of Land Use Patterns on Soil Bacterial Community Structure in the Karst Graben Basin of Yunnan Province, China

Land use patterns can change the structure of soil bacterial communities. However, there are few studies on the effects of land use patterns coupled with soil depth on soil bacterial communities in the karst graben basin of Yunnan province, China. Consequently, to reveal the structure of the soil bacterial community at different soil depths across land use changes in the graben basins of the Yunnan plateau, the relationship between soil bacterial communities and soil physicochemical properties was investigated for a given area containing woodland, shrubland, and grassland in Yunnan province by using next-generation sequencing technologies coupled with soil physicochemical analysis. Our results indicated that the total phosphorus (TP), available potassium (AK), exchangeable magnesium (E-Mg), and electrical conductivity (EC) in the grassland were significantly higher than those in the woodland and shrubland, yet the total nitrogen (TN) and soil organic carbon (SOC) in the woodland were higher than those in the shrubland and grassland. Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia, and Acidobacteria were the dominant bacteria, and their relative abundances were different in the three land use types. SOC, TN, and AK were the most important factors affecting soil bacterial communities. Land use exerts strong effects on the soil bacterial community structure in the soil’s surface layer, and the effects of land use attenuation decrease with soil depth. The nutrient content of the soil surface layer was higher than that of the deep layer, which was more suitable for the survival and reproduction of bacteria in the surface layer.

Hydrogeochemical analysis of Groundwater in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu; Influences of Geological settings and land use pattern.

ABSTRACT The influence of land use patterns and geological settings on the hydrogeochemistry of the Thanjavur district in Southern India is assessed. Thirty-four samples were analyzed for groundwater quality in pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. The water quality Index (WQI) values derived based on these values show that, over 80% of the samples were categorized as either as excellent or good quality for drinking. A spatial variation map of WQI is generated and compared with geological and land-use maps. The major hydrogeochemical processes acting are silicate weathering – evaporation deposition (post-monsoon) and carbonate dissolution (pre-monsoon). The results agree with the mineralogy of geological formations such as sandstone with clay and fluvial depositions. The main land-use pattern in the district is agricultural, built areas and industrial regions. The most common contaminant in agricultural lands is nitrate pollution from fertilizers. However, nitrate in the groundwater did not exceed the WHO standard of 50 mg/L. High salinity in many samples may be due to water logging as well as salt usage in the textile and chemical industries, which is correlated with the landuse as well as WQI Map. Overall, geology and land use have significant influence on groundwater quality of the region.

A GIS based approach for the mitigation of surface runoff to a shallow lowland reservoir

Shallow lowland reservoirs situated in agricultural areas are especially prone to eutrophication. For the purpose of protection of such water bodies it is essential to determine not only sources and loads of pollution, but also nutrient pathways from the catchment to the reservoir. The aim of the undertaken research was to establish surface runoff transport pathways from the direct catchment through the shore zone to the retained water. The influence of land use pattern and its management on the directions of flow and accumulation of the surface runoff was analysed. The research was conducted for the Gołuchów Reservoir (N: 51°50′37ʺ, E: 17°56′09ʺ), situated in the central-western part of Poland. From the generated digital terrain model (DTM) with the resolution of 1.0 m, terrain slopes were established and surface runoff transport pathways designated. In the direct catchment of 980 ha four surface runoff areas were delineated (from 29 to 468 ha), from which pollution flows in a concentrated manner to the reservoir through indicated delivery points. Moreover, two areas of 69 and 50 ha were identified, wherefrom unconcentrated surface runoff reaches the water body along the shoreline (1750 m and 2130 m long). Thus, the hotspots for pollution were identified. The high resolution digital terrain model (DTM) for detection of micro-topographic features proved to be especially useful in lowland catchments for identification and analysis of surface runoff transport pathways, as well as for effective planning, development and management of mitigation measures such as riparian buffers, constructed wetlands, agricultural BMPs, or other erosion control techniques (including forest roads).

Effect of riparian land use on environmental conditions and riparian vegetation in the east African highland streams

Agricultural land use is expanding and at an accelerated rate. In Ethiopia, most of this expansion has occurred in highland areas and involve deforestation of natural riparian vegetation. However, the impacts on the water quality of streams are poorly understood, especially with regard to the influence of land use patterns on highland streams. In this study, we investigated the effects of land use modifications on the water quality and riparian condition of highland streams and examined whether the preservation of riparian vegetation would help mitigate the negative impacts of intensive agriculture practices. Our results show significant differences in the water quality of streams with different land use. Several parameters commonly used to indicate water quality, such as the concentrations of orthophosphate, turbidity, and suspended solids were significantly higher in the agricultural streams than in the forest stream. The preservation of riparian vegetation in the surrounding highland streams was associated with overall better riparian condition, floristic quality, and water quality such as lower turbidity, total suspended solids, orthophosphate, and higher dissolved oxygen. We conclude, that increases in vegetation cover improved riparian condition and water quality relative to other non-vegetated areas. Therefore, we strongly recommend the preservation of riparian vegetation in tropical highland streams surrounded by intensive agriculture. More studies on the effects of best management practices in areas dominated by agriculture can greatly improve our capacity to prevent the degradation of water quality in tropical highland streams of Africa.

Impacts of converting low-intensity pastureland to high-intensity bioenergy cropland on the water quality of tropical streams in Brazil.

In Brazil, the cultivation of bioenergy crops is expanding at an accelerated rate. Most of this expansion has occurred over low-intensity pasture and is considered sustainable because it does not involve deforestation of natural vegetation. However, the impacts on the water quality of headwater streams are poorly understood, especially with regard to the influence of land use patterns in the watershed. In this study, we investigated the effects of land-use conversion on the water quality of streams draining sugarcane fields and examined whether the preservation of forested areas at the top of the headwaters would help mitigate the negative impacts of intensive agriculture. Water samples were collected in two paired catchments in southeastern Brazil, which is one of the largest sugarcane production regions in the world. Our results show significant differences in the water quality of streams predominantly draining the pasture or the sugarcane field. Several parameters commonly used to indicate water quality, such as the concentrations of nitrate and suspended solids, were significantly higher in the sugarcane than in the pasture stream. Differences in water quality between the streams draining predominantly pasture or sugarcane fields were accentuated during the wet season. The preservation of forests surrounding the headwater streams was associated with overall better water quality conditions, such as lower nitrate concentrations and temperature of the stream water. We concluded that forest conservation in the headwater agricultural catchments is an important factor preventing water quality degradation in tropical streams. Therefore, we strongly recommend the preservation of robust riparian forests in the headwaters of tropical watersheds with intensive agriculture. More studies on the effects of best agricultural practices in bioenergy crops can greatly improve our capacity to prevent the degradation of water quality in the tropical waterways as intensive agriculture continues to expand in this region of the world.

Influence of land use and land cover patterns on seasonal water quality at multi-spatial scales

The influence of land use patterns on stream water quality is scale-dependent in space and time. Understanding the relationship between landscape characteristics and water quality is of great importance to improve water contamination prediction in unmonitored watersheds and for providing guidelines for watershed land use planning. In this study, five water sampling sites in the upper Dan River basin were established to monitor seasonal water chemical contamination over the period of 2000 to 2008. The relationships between land use patterns and water quality were analyzed across multiple-scales using redundancy analysis. The results showed that stream water quality variables displayed highly temporal variations, with electrical conductivity (EC), ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO3−N), and total suspended solids (TSS) all generally displaying higher levels in the wet season, while there were higher concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (CODcr), and dissolved oxygen (DO) in the dry season. The total contribution of land use patterns on overall water quality was stronger at the riparian scale than at the catchment and reach scales during the wet season. However, different land use metrics had different scale effects. Urban land had a higher positive relationship with degraded water quality at small scales than at large scales, whereas agricultural land displayed the opposite scale effects. Forest and grassland explained more water quality variations at the riparian scale than at other scales. Analyses of spatial development patterns suggested that size, density, aggregation, and diversity of landscape patterns were important factors impacting on stream water quality. The results provide important information regarding sustainable land use and landscape planning at multiple-scales that can be used to improve water quality.

A Study on the Relationship between Land Use around Railway Stations and the Railway Station Passengers

A new urban planning that targets the reduction of automobile dependence and the use of public transit is required for realization of sustainable city. This paper studies the influence of land use patterns around railway stations on railway passengers from the viewpoint of sustainable rail transit service and urban re-generation, especially viewpoint of Transit Oriented Development (TOD) . As a result, It’s found that mixed land use around railway stations has a constant effect on the increase and retention of the number of railway passengers. On the other hand, the station around sprawl area without planned urbanization showed decrease of passengers. Therefore, it’s important to perform mixed land use and urban development to improve convenience of transportation nodes.我が国は、大都市圏でも高齢化を迎え鉄道利用者は減少する可能性があり，今後の課題となることが予想される．さらに，公共交通機関利用促進による野環境負荷の低減に加え従来から形成されている鉄道駅周辺市街地の維持再生が今後の都市整備の鍵になるという観点からもTODに注目する．その上で，東京大都市圏を対象に，鉄道駅周辺土地利用について着目し，鉄道駅周辺の土地利用形態と駅乗降客数の変化との関係について分析した。その結果、全体として高齢化が進むと乗降客数が減少する傾向にあるが、高齢化が進行しても乗降客数が増加した駅もあることを明らかにした.また、東京大都市圏では，カルソープの提起する都市型TODの土地利用に近い土地利用構成を周辺に持つ駅が45.3%と半数近くに上りこの観点ではTOD先進国とされることが裏付けられること、駅周辺において住宅用地、商業・業務用地、公共公益施設用地などが混在した、複合的な土地利用を実現している駅では駅乗降客数が維持増加の傾向にあること等を明らかにした．

The influence of land use patterns on water quality at multiple spatial scales in a river system

AbstractThe influence of land use patterns on water quality in a river system is scale‐dependent. In this study, a four‐order hierarchical arrangement method was used to select water sampling sites and to delineate sub‐basins in the Daliao River Basin, China. The 20 sub‐basins were classified into four spatial scales that represented four different stream orders. Pearson correlation analysis was used to quantify relationships between land use composition and the river's physical‐chemical variables for all samples collected. This analysis showed that the presence of forest cover was associated with higher water quality at the scale of the whole basin. The scale effects of land use patterns on water quality were then examined using stepwise multiple regression analysis that compared different land use types with water quality variables. The results from this analysis showed that urban areas, as opposed to forest areas, became the most significant contributors of water pollutants when scale effects were considered. The influence of urban land cover on water pollution was significantly higher at larger scales. The lack of a significant regression correlation for the forest land use type at smaller scales revealed that forest located upstream of the Daliao River Basin did not provide a buffer for improved water quality. Further analysis showed that this result could be because of disproportionate spatial distributions for forest and urban land use types. The topographic characteristics of sub‐basins, such as average slope (S) and size (A), were determined to be secondary explanatory variables that affected land use impacts on stream water quality. Areas with steep slopes were associated with increased water oxygenation, whereas areas with flatter slopes were associated with higher concentrations of pollutants. These results are significant because they can provide a better understanding of the appropriate spatial scale required for effective river basin management in the future. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using a multi equation model to unravel the influence of land use patterns on travel behavior of workers in Lisbon

This work addresses the relations between travel behavior and land use patterns using a simultaneous equation model system framework. The proposed model structure draws on an earlier model developed for the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (LMA), using data from a survey made in 1994, which concluded for the existence of significant effects of land use patterns on travel behavior, whereas the data used here were collected in 2009. During the last 15 years several and important changes have occurred in the study area with transport provision increasing substantially. Also several socioeconomic changes occurred that were accompanied by a strong increase in auto-ownership and an increase in urban sprawl. The research presented in this paper aims to answer an important policy question: Does the relation between travel behavior and land use patters found in 1994 still hold? And if not which changes occurred in 15 years? The behavior variables included here are multidimensional and include home location, car ownership, amount of mobility by mode, and the total time spent between the first and last trips in a day. The land use patterns are described by factors both at the residence and employment zones of each individual. The model results confirm the important role of land use on travel behavior in 2009 as we found for 1994 and the importance for public transportation in spite of the heavy investment in infrastructure for private cars.

Using structural equations modeling to unravel the influence of land use patterns on travel behavior of workers in Montreal

This paper addresses the relations between travel behavior and land use patterns using a Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) framework. The proposed model structure draws on two earlier models developed for Lisbon and Seattle which show significant effects of land use patterns on travel behavior. The travel behavior variables included here are multifaceted including commuting distance, car ownership, the amount of mobility by mode (car, transit and non-motorized modes), both in terms of total kilometers travelled and number of trips. The model also includes a travel scheduling variable, which is the total time spent between the first and last trips to reflect daily constraints in time allocation and travel.The modeled land use variables measure the levels of urban concentration and density, diversity, both in terms of types of uses and the mix between jobs and inhabitants/residents, the transport supply levels, transit and road infrastructure, and accessibility indicators. The land use patterns are described both at the residence and employment zones of each individual included in the model by using a factor analysis technique as a data reduction and multicollinearity elimination technique. In order to explicitly account for self selection bias the land use variables are explicitly modeled as functions of socioeconomic attributes of individuals and their households.The results obtained show that people with different socioeconomic characteristics tend to work and live in places of substantially different urban environments. But besides these socioeconomic self-selection effects, land use variables significantly affect travel behavior. More precisely the effects of land use are in great part passed thru variables describing long term decisions like commuting distance, and car ownership. These results point to similar conclusions from the models developed for Lisbon and Seattle and thus give weight to the use of land use policies as tools for changing travel behavior.

Influence of Landuse Patterns on Otamiri River, Owerri and Urban Quality of Life

Research was conducted on the impact of landuse patterns in the pollution of Otamiri river to ascertain the environmental quality of life of the city dwellers. Water and sediment samples in Otamiri river were obtained from locations closest to landfill, mechanical workshop village and sand and gravel mine. Samples were subsequently subjected to standard analytical procedures. The ranges of the result for the physicochemical parameters analyzed include pH (5.28-5.63), temperature (27.3-28.2 C), Conductivity (123- o 203 µS/cm), turbidity (6.4-16.3 NTU), DO (1.9-2.1 mg/l), BOD (30.00-39.50 mg/l), TSS (2.0-2.9 mg/l), total hardness (40.5-61.2 mg/l), phosphate (3.45-6.99 mg/l), Nitrate (0.5-3.0 mg/l), Sulphate (5.07-10.0 mg/l), Lead (0.02-0.60 mg/l). Result of the analysis showed that for all sampled points, the values of som e variables exceeded the safe limits of WHO standards. The increased Lead concentration in the sediment, low value of d issolved oxygen and high acidity shows that landuse patterns along the Otamiri watershed deteriorated its quality, rendered it unfit and posed a health risk to Owerri residents. Consequently these activities should be zoned out of their present areas of operation to secure a better quality of life for the city dwellers.