Land Utilization Efficiency Research Articles

Variations in growth, water consumption and economic benefit of transplanted cotton after winter wheat harvest subjected to different irrigation methods

In the North China Plain (NCP), the utilization efficiency of cultivated land can be improved by transplanted cotton after winter wheat harvest (TCWWH). To understand the growth, water consumption and economic benefit of TCWWH under different irrigation methods, an irrigation experiment was carried out during 2013–2015 to explore the effects of border irrigation (BI), surface drip irrigation (SDI) and micro-sprinkling hose irrigation (MHI) on the plant development, water use efficiency (WUE) and economic benefit of TCWWH. The results showed that the survival rate of cotton seedlings in the SDI treatment was 12% and 7% larger than that in the BI and the MHI treatments, respectively. SDI increased plant height by 19% and 8% and increased leaf area index (LAI) by 24% and 17%, compared with BI and MHI, respectively. The highest seed cotton yield and better fibre quality were obtained in the SDI treatment, compared to the BI and the MHI treatments. Compared with BI and MHI, SDI reduced the soil evaporation and evapotranspiration (ET) in the field, and resulted in the largest WUE. The net profit generated by the SDI treatment exceeded that of the BI and the MHI treatments by 183% and 23%, respectively. Therefore, SDI can promote the growth of TCWWH and can increase the WUE and the economic benefit of TCWWH, compared with BI and MHI.

Isolated or integrated? Planning and management of urban renewal for historic areas in Old Beijing city, based on the association network system

Against the backdrop of urban renewal and owing to functional segmentation, land resources in old cities are often trapped in an isolated management mode, causing ratcheting tensions in the human–land relationship. Therefore, the efficiency of land utilization and urban renewal suitability has attracted considerable attention. This study provides an urban renewal planning and management model to improve land-use efficiency and revitalize the old city via integrated development. Further, it seeks to strengthen system connectivity and network coordination of natural, social, and cultural resources in the old city and to propose a resource-sustainable development strategy of regionalization, cooperation, and differentiation for historic-area development. Based on the tracking data of tourism routes and the check-in data of tourists, and adopting a social network analysis and space syntax theory, the tourism network structure, node level, and network location are analyzed to differentiate the connections between area and node functions. Finally, an integrated network model of multi-group and multi-core hierarchical structures is proposed to strengthen the overall development. Based on the construction of a spatial network, from the perspective of supporting traffic network and land-resource spatial elements, similarities and differences between the status-quo land use and tourism development demand based on the association network system are compared to help promulgate management strategies for the land use of areas lacking attraction and supporting functions, which is conducive to land-use adjustment. The aim of this study is to provide a new view of the balance between resource sustainability, functional adaptability, and cultural continuation during the process of old-city renewal and to coordinate the relationship between urban conservation and renewal planning and industry development in historic areas.

Soil moisture management and fertilizer micro-dosing on yield and land utilization efficiency of inter-cropping maize-pigeon-pea in sub humid Tanzania

Principally caused by soil water stress and declining soil fertility, low crop productivity results in both food and income insecurity. The effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer micro-dosing with inter-row rainwater harvesting practices for maize and pigeon-pea inter-cropping on yield and land use efficiency are inadequately documented in sub humid tropics. A field experiment on sandy loam soils in sub humid conditions using a split-split plot design was conducted. Plots used in situ rainwater harvesting practices of tied ridges, open ridges, and flat cultivation. Sub-plots were sole maize, sole pigeon-pea, and 1:1 maize-pigeon pea inter-cropping. The sub-sub plots were control, fertilizer (N and P) application at the micro-dose level, and recommended rates. Tied ridges significantly (p < 0.001) conserved more soil moisture than flat cultivation at 30 cm depth after ten days of rainfall. Ridges increased maize yield by 0.3 t ha−1 over flat cultivation. Fertilizer application significantly (p < 0.001) increased maize yield by 1.12 t ha−1 with micro-dosing and by 1.60 t ha−1 with recommended rates over the control. Combining tied ridges and fertilizer significantly (p < 0.040) increased maize yield by 132–156% compared to flat cultivation without fertilizer. Reflecting a land equivalent ratio, land use efficiency was 67–122% higher in inter-cropping than sole crop. Tied ridges conserved more soil moisture than flat cultivation, enhancing fertilizer use efficiency that improved crop yields and land equivalent ratio under inter-cropping. This strategy could increase food availability and income generation under smallholder farming systems in sub-humid tropic areas.

Study on the utilization efficiency of land and water resources in the Aral Sea Basin, Central Asia

This paper analyzes and calculates the utilization and efficiency of land and water resources in the Aral Sea Basin (ASB) from 2000 to 2014, using MODIS remote sensing data and the Water Use Efficiency Monitor in Central Asia (WUEMoCA) database. The results show that: (1) Over the past 15 years, the water area in ASB has decreased at a rate of 1048 km2 per year, from a proportion of 2.5% in 2000 to 1.5% in 2014. The Aral Sea in particular has witnessed a significant reduction of 60.28% of its area, dropping from 28,119 km2 in 2000 to 11,169 km2 in 2014. (2)The annual yield per unit area of wheat was the highest (4.16 tons/ha), followed by rice (2.27 tons/ha) and cotton (2.22 tons/ha). Water productivity of wheat in the ASB was the highest (0.881 kg/m3), followed by rice (0.689 kg/m3) and wheat (0.451 kg/m3). (3) Generally, crop and water productivity in irrigated areas along the Syr Darya River is greater than that of the Amu Darya River, and that of the upper irrigation areas is larger than the lower ones. The Fergana Valley and Tashkent areas have the relatively highest land and water resources utilization efficiency.

Investigating Spatiotemporal Patterns of Surface Urban Heat Islands in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, China, 2000–2015

Rapid urbanization has resulted in a serious urban heat island effect in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Area of China during the past decades, negatively impacting the area’s sustainable development. Using Landsat images from 2000 to 2015, this paper analysed the spatial-temporal patterns in a surface urban heat island (SUHI) and investigated its relationship with urbanization. The derived land surface temperature (LST) and surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) were used to quantify the SUHI effect. Spatial analysis was employed to illustrate the spatial distribution and evolution of a SUHI. The geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was implemented to identify statistically significant factors that influenced the change of SUHII. The results show that hot and very hot spot areas increased from 387 km2 in 2000 to 615 km2 in 2015, and the spatial distribution changed from a monocentric to a polycentric pattern. The results also indicate that high-LST clusters moved towards the east, which was consistent with urban expansion throughout the study period. These changes mirrored the intensive development of three satellite towns. The statistical analysis suggests that both population density (e.g., changes in population density, CPOPD) and green space (e.g., changes in green space fraction, CGSF) strongly affected the changes in SUHII at different stages of the urbanization process. Increasing in population density has a lastingly effect on elevating the SUHII, whereas increasing green space has a constantly significant effect in mitigating the SUHII. These findings suggest that urban planners and policymakers should protect the cultivated lands in suburbs and exurbs, and make efforts to improve the utilization efficiency of construction land by encouraging the migrating population to live within the existing built-up regions.

Spatial distribution and influential factors of industrial land productivity in China's rapid urbanization

This study aims to assess the utilization efficiency of industrial land in China's rapid urbanization. Land productivity is calculated to analyze spatial characteristics using the data of 275 prefecture-level cities from 2006 to 2016. Findings suggest that urban industrial land productivity has steadily increased over time. The points and belt shape is the spatial feature, in which high-level productivity cities located in the coastal regions are connected into an S curve. The gap of land productivity among the four regions in China had been widening from 2006 to 2016. The empirical results show that capital density, labor density, urban developed area, urban population, economic growth, and industrial structure are significant factors of land productivity.

Maximizing efficiency of land and water utilization and profitability of interplanting maize with mandarin trees using irrigation with fish waste water under sandy soil and drip irrigation conditions

Maximizing efficiency of land and water utilization and profitability of interplanting maize with mandarin trees using irrigation with fish waste water under sandy soil and drip irrigation conditions

Measurement of cultivated land utilization efficiency: Construction and application of random forest

Measurement of cultivated land utilization efficiency: Construction and application of random forest

The spatial-temporal differentiation of green land use in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration

ABSTRACTAs the space carrier of the construction of ecological civilization, land’s green and efficient utilization is an important guarantee for realizing national sustainable development. Based on traditional land evaluation, this paper scientifically defines the green land use, puts land as one of the production factors, and brings energy consumption, environmental pollution, etc. into the input-output system to measure the green land utilization efficiency of the urban construction land of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration from 2006 to 2016. The study shows that the overall efficiency variation of the urban agglomeration is related with the land and environment policies. Efficiency of 2016 is higher than that of 2006, and energy and environment are the principal factors affecting the green land use. The efficiency of each city is positively correlated with its economic development, negatively correlated with the construction land expansion. Efficiency gaps in different cities are expanding. Th...

Analysis on Industrial Land Efficiency in Sichuan Province from the Perspective of Sustainable Development

To promote the efficiency of industrial land in Sichuan province is an inevitable requirement of realizing sustainable development. Through the improvement of the Cobb-Douglas production function to construct the Two-way Fixed Effects panel model of output efficiency of urban industrial land, the data regression analysis of 93 prefecture-level cities since 1998 has found that the growth rate of industrial land efficiency indexes in Sichuan province is higher than the national level and has fallen back in recent years, but the absolute level is always lower than the national average, due to the fact that in the chase of national level, Sichuan industry did not fundamentally eliminate the root cause of low efficiency of industrial land. As a result, it is necessary to realize the improvement of optimal land utilization and land use efficiency through scientific planning, progressive construction steps and industrial transformation and upgrading, etc.

Effects of dual land ownerships and different land lease terms on industrial land use efficiency in Wuxi City, East China

In the current Chinese land administration system, two types of land ownership including state and collective ownership coexist and the industrial land use rights can be transferred between different land lease terms. Previous studies found the significant relationship between land ownerships and lease terms with agriculture land use efficiency, but it is still unclear for the industrial land use efficiency. This study researched the effects of China's dual land ownerships and land lease terms on rural town industrial land use efficiency. Questionnaires of 294 industrial enterprises in Hudai, Qianqiao, and Xibei in Wuxi City, East China, were studied using two multiple linear regression models. The results showed that collective land with incomplete property rights caused land use inefficiency of lower industrial enterprises' output per hectare of land. The industrial enterprises' outputs per hectare from collective land were 2.16 million Yuan (0.31 million US dollar) and 2.06 million Yuan (0.30 million US dollar) less than those from state land in these two models, respectively. Different land lease terms negatively correlated with the use efficiency of rural industrial land. The outputs per hectare of industrial enterprises using the long-term lease were 1.30 million Yuan (0.19 million US dollar) less than those using the short-term lease in model 2. Our results highlight the importance of the integrated urban-rural land system and tailored lease terms of industrial land to increase the utilization efficiency of industrial land.

Impact of the Surrounding Built Environment on Energy Consumption in Mixed-Use Building

While a mixture of residential and non-residential uses in urban development has advantages in reducing transportation energy consumption and improving efficiency of land utilization, the patterns of energy consumption in mixed-use buildings are largely unknown. To understand associations between the built environment and energy consumption and to find effective strategies for energy saving, this study aims to examine how the gas and electricity energy consumption of mixed-use properties is influenced by the characteristics of the immediate surroundings of the building as well as by the building’s attributes. The sample for this study is 22,109 mixed-use buildings in Seoul, Korea and the main source of outcome is electricity and gas energy consumption data retrieved from the open system of building data in 2015 and 2016. The regression results showed that a higher proportion of non-residential uses in mixed-use buildings was positively associated with higher electricity consumption overall but that it reduced gas energy use during the winter. In particular, increased restaurant and service use significantly influenced electricity consumption in the buildings. With regard to surrounding built environment, higher impervious surfaces and dense development near the buildings increased the electricity consumption of the buildings but it reduced gas energy consumption. Our results imply that, through the mediating effects of UHIs, the built environment characteristics of immediate surroundings may have indirect effects on energy consumption in mixed-use buildings.

The Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Cultivated Land Utilization in Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration

Based on the data of economic, social and ecological benefits of cultivated land in Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration from 2005 to 2014, this paper applies multi-factor comprehensive evaluation model and ArcGIS spatial analysis method to explore the dynamic change and regional difference of the cultivated land use efficiency of Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration. The results showed that the overall efficiency index of cultivated land utilization in Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration, except the economic benefit index, is rising steadily year by year. Among them, the fluctuation of ecological benefit is the most significant, and in 2010 and 2013, there appeared obvious trough. The utilization efficiency of cultivated land in different cities is relatively large, and in terms of distribution pattern, northwest is high, southeast low. The farmland utilization comprehensive efficiency high value district is Ziyang city, Chengdu city and Meishan city. In the future, the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration should pay more attention to the improvement of agro-ecological environment, control the application of pesticides and fertilizers, and promote the coordinated development of the economic, social and ecological benefits of cultivated land.

中国林地绿色利用效率时空差异分析

中国林地绿色利用效率时空差异分析

GROWTH, YIELD COMPONENTS AND COMPETITIVE INDICES OF FENNEL AND FENUGREEK AS INFLUENCED BY INTERCROPPING SYSTEM AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER RATE

The present study was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture (Ghazala Farm), Zagazig University, Egypt during the two seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. The effect of intercropping systems of fennel and fenugreek at ratios of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 2:1 on alternative rows in comparison with sole cropped of each species and different phosphorus fertilization rates (0.0, 32 and 48 P2O5 kg/faddan) and their combination treatments on growth, yield components, oil production as well as some competitive indices of both tested crops. Application of phosphorus at 48 kg P2O5/faddan caused significant increase in all parameters of fennel and fenugreek over the other rates under study. Intercropping system 1:3 (fennel: fenugreek), in most cases, significantly increased the recorded growth parameters, yield components, fixed oil content of fenugreek and volatile oil yield per fennel plant as well as competitive indices of the two components in the two seasons, whereas all intercropping systems significantly decreased seed, fruit and oil yield per faddan compared to sole crop (control). In addition, from studying competitive indices, it was clear that, the high land equivalent ratio (1.137 and 1.156), area time equivalent ratio (1.013 and 1.023), land utilization efficiency (107.53% and 108.72%) and relative crowding coefficient (2.143 and 2.917) values were achieved by the combination treatment between intercropping system of one row of fennel alternating with three rows of fenugreek combined with phosphorus at a rate of 32 P2O5 kg/faddan during the first and second seasons, respectively. Generally, it could be gained from sowing one faddan, by using the intercropping pattern of 1:3 combined with phosphorus fertilization at 32 kg P2O5/faddan , the same yield which would required about 1.137 or 1.156 faddan of each crop cultivated alone. Also this treatment is economic by using small area.

Improvement of yield, pest control and Si nutrition of rice by rice-water spinach intercropping

Intercropping is an effective agricultural practice for crop production, resource utilization, and pest control. However, aquatic crops (e.g., rice) intercropping is relatively rare. Field experiments of two years/four seasons (early and late seasons in 2012, 2013) was carried out to test the effects of rice-water spinach intercropping on yield, disease and pest control, and Si, N nutrition of rice plant in the present study. The experiment contained three treatments including rice monoculture, water spinach monoculture and rice-water spinach intercropping with three replicates by randomized block design. Results showed that rice-water spinach intercropping significantly reduced the incidence of disease and pest of rice, with a reduction of rice sheath blight by 17.3%–50.6% and rice leaf folders by 5.1%–58.2%. For yield, intercropping resulted in an increase of rice yield by 45.1%–71.7% in early season and 20.9%–34.3% in late season, but a decrease of water spinach yield by 14.1%–37.1% in early season and 3.8%–18.3% in late season. However, rice-water spinach intercropping gave a higher land equivalent ratio (1.02–1.17) therefore improved land utilization efficiency. Furthermore, intercropping significantly increased Si concentration, Si and N absorption in rice leaves in ripening stage compared with rice monoculture. Our findings suggest that rice-water spinach intercropping exhibits yield advantage for rice or total yield, improves Si nutrition of rice and provides an environmentally sound approach in controlling disease and pest.

Promotion incentives for local officials and the expansion of urban construction land in China: Using the Yangtze River Delta as a case study

China’s promotion incentive is the main motivation behind local officials’ decisions regarding the expansion of urban construction land, and is therefore crucial to understanding the mechanism behind the expansion of urban construction land. This paper discusses the promotion incentive’s theoretical influence on urban construction land expansion. Then, using 25 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region (including Shanghai and prefecture-level cities in the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang) as samples, we estimate two econometric models that reflect the relationship between local officials’ characteristics and changes in the scale and efficiency of urban construction land to test the specific influence of different local officials on the expansion of urban construction land when driven by the promotion incentive. Our results show that the promotion sources of local officials and their terms in office significantly impact changes in the urban construction land scale and utilization efficiency. We also found that the ages of local officials significantly impact the efficiency of urban construction land use, but have an insignificant impact on the expansion of urban construction land. Considering China’s unique administrative system, the promotion incentive has a definite but divergent influence on mayors and municipal party secretaries regarding urban expansion. This paper concludes with policy proposals to improve the administrative management system and regulation on urban construction land expansion.

Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Urban Sprawl in Chinese Port Cities from 1979 to 2013

China has been through a period of remarkable urban sprawl since the reform and opening-up policy in 1978, with the highest urbanization occurring in the coastal zones. Sustainable urban development requires a better understanding of the spatiotemporal characteristics of urbanization. This study systematically explored urban sprawl in Chinese coastal cities with a visual interpretation method from 1979 to 2013. The results show that urban built-up areas kept increasing at a faster pace during the study period (i.e., increased about 9-fold in 34 years), especially in the first decade of the 21st century. Spatially, urban sprawl intensity generally peaked in the urban fringe. Urban built-up areas expanded mostly at a cost to cultivated land and non-urban built-up land, and became more irregular and less compact through the study period. Land-use policies, economic development levels, port developments and locations are all closely related with urban sprawl in these port cities. The results also suggest that improving the utilization efficiency of urban land and coordinating the development of city and port are necessary and important for sustainable development in coastal cities.

Performance of Active Heat Storage-Release Unit Assisted with a Heat Pump in a New Type of Chinese Solar Greenhouse

Abstract. Chinese Solar Greenhouses (CSG) rely solely on solar radiation for heating to achieve energy savings. However their land utilization efficiency is only 30% to 48%. A new type of solar greenhouse was designed where an active heat storage-release system (AHS) was added to replace the north wall and the greenhouse ridge was north-south oriented. In this way, the spacing between greenhouses can be shortened and the land utilization efficiency can be increased up to 91%. To further improve the thermal performance of the new type of greenhouse, a heat pump (HP) was incorporated in the AHS system to form a new design defined as AHS-HP. The HP was used to regulate the water temperature in three storage tanks that served as the heat reservoir for the AHS system. By regulating the water temperatures, the heat collection and releasing can be done more efficiently than without HP. Two new types of greenhouses located in Beijing, one with AHS-HP (experimental greenhouse) and one without (reference greenhouse), were compared in terms of indoor air temperature, relative humidity (RH), and electricity consumption. Nighttime air temperature in the experimental greenhouse was increased from 2°C to 4.5°C, on average, compared with the reference greenhouse. The coefficient of performance (COP) of the HP was 4.8 to 6.3 during the daytime and 3.1 to 4.9 at night. The COP of the AHS-HP system was 3.2. The average daily electricity consumption of the AHS-HP is 0.04 kWh m-2 day-1. The low cost AHS-HP has the potential to be applied in solar greenhouses if it is properly designed and operated.

Key Note Speech on Bangladesh Railway Master Plan (2010-2011 to 2029-2030) (Presentation Slides)

Rapid development of Bangladesh over last 4 decades has been underpinned by large-scale investment in the transport sector, albeit mostly in road infrastructure. There is a growing consensus that continued road building to deal with increasing demand for transport is neither environmentally nor financially sustainable. Railways pose less carbon emission and its land utilization efficiency is very high as a mode of mass transport. A properly integrated transport plan should utilize the best features of road and rail, and these two modes can largely complement one another. Railways surely can play vital role especially for a densely populated country like Bangladesh. Government’s recent policies for a paradigm shift away from road construction towards investment in railways and inland water transport is a way forward towards developing sustainable transport in Bangladesh.