Landscape Units Research Articles

Assessing the ecological suitability of land-use change. Lessons learned from a rural marginal area in southeast Portugal

Land-use planning practice and policy are still lacking a landscape perspective that takes into account landscape history integrated with land suitability. This article presents a method that allows assessing the ecological suitability of land-use change. This method was applied to Baixo Guadiana, a rural marginal area in southeast Portugal. The first step of the land-use change ecological assessment is the study area delimitation. Baixo Guadiana limits were obtained through land morphology and slopes cartography, based on the "morphological landscape unit” concept. The second step - land suitability analysis - includes a characterization of the landscape ecological suitability. The third step - land-use change analysis - combines landscape history, with land-use change analysis and historical literature review. The final step – land-use change ecological assessment – is the evaluation of the land-use changes regarding land suitability. This paper highlights how the integration of two widely used methods, land-use change and land suitability analysis, supports land use policy analysis. Firstly, this research shows how past policies did not consider Baixo Guadiana Landscape Suitability. The current lack of natural regeneration of holm and cork oaks, the death of these adult trees and the low production of stone pine plantations, represent the main challenges to the planning and recovery of this landscape. Secondly, besides highlighting how these problems resulted from past inadequate land uses, promoted by national and European agricultural policies, this study indicates the areas where landscape recovery actions should be financed.

Place-Based Approach to Landscape Planning for Conservation of the Baduy Dalam Cultural Landscape

The Baduy tribe is one of the Sundanese indigenous groups who still adhere to the customs of their ancestors, their life is dedicated to fulfilling the mandate of their ancestors in maintaining the balance and harmony of the universe. Development activities, locally and global climate change pose a threat to traditional tribes, such as the Baduy as well. These issues need to be solved through a study conducted by identifying various problems and threats to the Baduy Dalam and providing solutions in the form of a landscape plan. Landscape planning was developed through a place-based approach, in this approach a place is a unit of analysis containing the unique characteristics and local values that shape it. This research was carried out through the stages of preparation, inventory, analysis, synthesis, to create a landscape plan. Place units were analyzed through bioregional analysis by classifying landscapes hierarchically into three bioregional units, namely bioregion units, landscape units, and place units. The results of the classification and bioregional analysis of the Baduy Dalam landscape can be classified into 103 place units. Evaluation was carried out on each site unit based on threats and problems for each unit. The main issues found in the Baduy Dalam landscape is the limited availability of agricultural land resources (huma) which are used on a rotational basis, which has implications for decreasing land fertility. On the other hand, the population growth rate is quite high which requires increased demand for agricultural production land. The solution to these problems is realized in the form of a landscape plan which was developed based on the concept of spatial division by balancing the utilization area of land for productive use (huma, jami, reuma) in order to be able to meet the demands of the population for agricultural production land. Landscape plan was implemented in spatial plans (zoning), circulation plans, and vegetation plans.

Open Spaces in the European Alps—GIS-Based Analysis and Implications for Spatial Planning from a Transnational Perspective

This article presents an open space concept of areas that are kept permanently free from buildings, technical infrastructure, and soil sealing. In the European Alps, space is scarce because of the topography; conflicts often arise between competing land uses such as permanent settlements and commercial activity. However, the presence of open spaces is important for carbon sequestration and the prevention of natural hazards, especially given climate change. A GIS-based analysis was conducted to identify an alpine-wide inventory of large-scale near-natural areas, or simply stated, open spaces. The method used identified the degree of infrastructure development for natural landscape units. Within the Alpine Convention perimeter, near-natural areas (with a degree of infrastructural development of up to 20%) account for a share of 51.5%. Only 14.5% of those areas are highly protected and are mostly located in high altitudes of over 1500 m or 2000 m above sea level. We advocate that the remaining Alpine open spaces must be preserved through the delimitation of more effective protection mechanisms, and green corridors should be safeguarded through spatial planning. To enhance the ecological connectivity of open spaces, there is the need for tailored spatial and sectoral planning strategies to prevent further landscape fragmentation and to coordinate new forms of land use for renewable energy production.

Soyabean response to rhizobial inoculation under contrasting smallholder agro-ecological conditions in Zimbabwe

Soyabean is grown widely with rhizobial inoculants on commercial farms in Zimbabwe, but its inoculation response in smallholder cropping environments is poorly characterized. Symbiotic interactions of six rhizobial strains (MAR 1305,1306,1326,1494, 1497 and 1515) from the Grasslands Rhizobium Collection were evaluated under contrasting soils and rainfall zones (natural region) in Zimbabwe. The rhizobial strains were evaluated on one specific and three promiscuous soyabean varieties (SC Saga and TGX (1740-2F/ 1987-628/ 1987-11E). The study was conducted over two rainfall seasons namely 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. Field experiments were set up as a randomized complete block design with two factors (soyabean variety and rhizobial strain), a negative control without inoculation and a positive control inoculated with commercial inoculant strain MAR 1491. All treatments were replicated three times. Nodulation was significantly (P< .0001) influenced by rhizobial strain inoculation with nodulation ranging from 28 to37 nodules per plant. Over the two seasons, soyabean inoculated with MAR 1305, 1306, 1494 and 1515 consistently gave higher grain yield higher (average of 600kg/ha) compared to that inoculated with commercial inoculant strain MAR 1491 (average of 400kg/ha). Nodulation of both promiscuous and specific varieties decreased with annual rainfall amounts in the order: Natural Region (NR)II> NRIII> NRIV. Rhizobial strains MAR 1305, 1306 and 1494 were superior in NR II and NRIII while rhizobial strain MAR 1515 was superior in NR IV. Our results show that identification of superior strains best suited to smallholder cropping environments and inoculation response are crucial for increasing soyabean productivity in these environments.

Understanding process controls on groundwater recharge variability across Africa through recharge landscapes

• Classifications can help consolidate our understanding of recharge controls. • Wetter Recharge Landscapes generate more recharge than dry Recharge Landscapes. • Mean annual recharge rates increase with increasing recharge ratios. • Global datasets limit our ability to explain the spatial variability of recharge. Groundwater is critical in supporting current and future reliable water supply throughout Africa. Although continental maps of groundwater storage and recharge have been developed, we currently lack a clear understanding on how the controls on groundwater recharge vary across the entire continent. Reviewing the existing literature, we synthesize information on reported groundwater recharge controls in Africa. We find that 15 out of 22 of these controls can be characterised using global datasets. We develop 11 descriptors of climatic, topographic, vegetation, soil and geologic properties using global datasets, to characterise groundwater recharge controls in Africa. These descriptors cluster Africa into 15 Recharge Landscape Units for which we expect recharge controls to be similar. Over 80% of the continents land area is organized by just nine of these units. We also find that aggregating the Units by similarity into four broader Recharge Landscapes (Desert, Dryland, Wet tropical and Wet tropical forest) provides a suitable level of landscape organisation to explain differences in ground-based long-term mean annual recharge and recharge ratio (annual recharge / annual precipitation) estimates. Furthermore, wetter Recharge Landscapes are more efficient in converting rainfall to recharge than drier Recharge Landscapes as well as having higher annual recharge rates. In Dryland Recharge Landscapes, we found that annual recharge rates largely varied according to mean annual precipitation, whereas recharge ratio estimates increase with increasing monthly variability in P-PET. However, we were unable to explain why ground-based estimates of recharge signatures vary across other Recharge Landscapes, in which there are fewer ground-based recharge estimates, using global datasets alone. Even in dryland regions, there is still considerable unexplained variability in the estimates of annual recharge and recharge ratio, stressing the limitations of global datasets for investigating ground-based information.

Upland reclamation promotes forest evaporative losses in the Boreal Plains of Canada: A comparison of carbon and water fluxes

Reclaiming upland boreal forests as part of post-mining watershed construction in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) requires evaluation criteria as these novel ecosystems develop. Here, we analyzed 55 site-years of eddy covariance observations of constructed forests and soils on formally pit-mined landscapes (9 sites) and contrasted them to 18 site-years of post-harvested ecosystems (3 sites) and 38 site-years of mature Boreal Plains ecosystems (3 sites). After approximately 5 years, the post-harvested sites had fluxes of gross primary productivity (GPP), evapotranspiration (ET), and water use efficiency (WUE) within the variability of the widely studied mature Boreal Plains BERMS FLUXNET sites. However, even after 10 years the constructed forests had significantly lower WUE than the mature sites. High ET fluxes drove low WUE in the constructed upland conifer sites despite similar rates of GEP. Conversely, in the constructed broadleaf forests low GEP, despite similar ET, resulted in low WUE. A climate sensitivity analysis showed that there was little impact of abnormal hot, cold, wet, or dry growing seasons on GEP or evapotranspiration (ET) at the constructed forests. It is presumed that the high moisture retaining properties of the soils used in reclamation produced the low WUE and resilience to dry and hot conditions in constructed forests. Placing moisture retaining soils incorporates a degree of resilience to climate variability but also limits downgradient water yields to low lying wetlands in the relatively dry AOSR climate. This highlights a potential shortcoming of reclamation objectives developed for specific ecosystems when scaling from ecosystem to watershed scale construction. Finally, robust relationships between satellite observed greenness (MODIS EVI and NDVI) and ecosystem scale fluxes highlight how remote sensing-based metrics can be used by land managers to identify regions within landscape units that may be under performing.

‘Benefit Maximizing Routes’: Development and Evaluation Using the Historical Roads of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910)

Least cost paths (LCPs) have been widely used by archaeologists and geographers to reconstruct probable routes of movement within past landscapes using GIS-based modelling. By definition, LCP modelling is based on the premise that ‘least cost’ features as the primary factor in the decision-making of movement. It can be argued, however, that movement within the landscape was structured not only by the need to <em>minimize costs</em> but also by the desire to <em>maximize benefits</em>. This study introduces a new way of estimating terrain costs that can factor in this tendency towards ‘benefit maximization’ when modelling routes. This alternative methodology features a distinctive way of perceiving the landscape, which differs from the grid-based division of the landscape generally used in LCP modelling. The landscape is seen to be made up of ten different ‘hillslope position units’ (which are generic landscape units widely used in landscape evolution studies) and ‘movement suitability’ values are estimated for each of the hillslope position units. These values are then used to produce a ‘hillslope position unit movement suitability’ (HPMS) cost surface. The evaluation of the HPMS cost surface is undertaken by comparing HPMS-based routes and slope gradient-based LCPs against the historical roads of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). It is observed that HPMS-based routes demonstrate a greater degree of correspondence with historically confirmed routes, compared to slope gradient-based LCPs. The similarity between HPMS-based routes and historically confirmed routes is found to be greater in mountainous regions <em>vis-à-vis</em> non-mountainous regions. It is proposed that, by taking into account human desire to utilize beneficial landscapes, HPMS-based cost surfaces may result in modelled routes that are closer to actual past experiences.

Soil Moisture Control of NO Turnover and N2O Release in Nitrogen-Saturated Subtropical Forest Soils

Acid forest soils in South China experience a chronically elevated input of atmospheric nitrogen (N), turning them into hot spots for gaseous N emissions. Soil moisture is known to be a major controller for the partitioning of gaseous N loss to nitric (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O), which may be of particular relevance in the monsoonal climate of South China. To study this partitioning in more detail, we determined gas phase kinetics of NO and N2O release during laboratory dry-out of acidic surface soils from the headwater catchment TieShanPing (TSP), situated close to Chongqing, SW China. Soils were sampled from two hydrologically distinct environments, a well-drained hill slope (HS), and a periodically flooded groundwater discharge zone (GDZ). Production and consumption of NO were studied in an automated flow-through system purged with NO-free or NO-spiked air. Production rates peaked at 21% and 18% water filled pore space (WFPS) in HS and GDZ soils, respectively, suggesting nitrification as the dominant process of NO formation in both landscape units. In HS soils, maximum production and consumption occurred at the same WFPS, whereas GDZ soils displayed maximum NO consumption at higher WFPS than maximum production, suggesting that denitrification is an important NO sink in GDZ soils. Net N2O release was largest at 100% WFPS and declined steadily during drying. Integrated over the entire range of soil moisture, potential NO-N loss outweighed potential N2O-N loss, suggesting that N-saturated, acid forest soil is an important NO source.

Automatic vectorization of fluvial corridor features on historical maps to assess riverscape changes

ABSTRACT The vectorization of historical maps is an important scientific issue for understanding the dynamics of change recorded by territories. Historical maps are potentially an excellent source of data for characterizing river changes at large scales. The use of vectorized data is essential for such characterization, as well as for highlighting changes in the planform alignment of such reaches over time. At a regional network scale of several thousand kilometers of river, such work requires the vectorization of several hundred or even thousands of maps. This work proposes an automated vectorization procedure for the hydrographic network detailed in the cartographic resources of the IGN (the French National Mapping Agency). The ultimate goal is to use these historical maps to track the planform evolution of the elementary landscape units (water, bare banks, and riparian vegetation) that constitute river corridors at the basin network scale. The Historical Maps Vectorization Toolbox was developed to automatically vectorize river corridor objects (sediment banks, water surfaces, and vegetation polygons) with a high level of accuracy. The toolbox works with a 2-step process: first it classifies the colors detected on the map, then it reconstructs the objects of the fluvial corridor. We also demonstrate a practical use of the toolbox through measuring changes in the surface area of river networks of several hundred kilometers.

Modelling services provisioning through tree species in the Moribane Forest Reserve, Mozambique

Among the main effects of human activities on the environment are land use and the resulting land cover changes. Such changes impact the capacity of ecosystems to provide goods and services to human beings. The benefits obtained by people from ecosystems are called ecosystem services. This paper aims at developing a model of ecosystem services provisioning through trees in the Moribane Forest Reserve (MFR), Manica - Mozambique. The study was carried out using a social survey through semi-structured interviews to 149 out of 479 households living within the reserve, and its objective was to understand the level of supply and demand for wood products. A field survey through 72 rectangular 50mx20m plots was also conducted with 24 plots established in each of the three land types, namely Forest land Fallow land and Cropland. This was to understand the phytosociological aspects of the most used wood species for household livelihood. The results show that, of the 89 identified trees, 61 are used locally for different purposes, including house building, manufacture of utensils and fuelwood. The Fallow land is the main source of extraction of such resources. The Forests revealed higher levels of richness in terms of species (83.1%). Thirty-five point nine (35.9%) of these species are assumed to be the most used by the community. Analysis through the Bayesian Belief Networks model shows a trend towards unsustainability, where over 80% of landscape units (plots) in Fallow and Cropland are of Moderate and Low Importance, evidencing the risk of unavailability of ecosystem services in the near future if the use and management practices are not changed. Conclusion, the model shows that the stage of services provided by wood forest species in MFR is under threat due to swidden-fallow rotations agriculture practice combined with overpressure. The study can help the academic community in future studies by replicating the methodology used for monitoring purposes or conducting studies in other similar areas, and the results may support decision-makers in designing better strategies towards sustainability. • The forest ecosystems constitute habitat and, a key provider of goods and services. • People in rural areas of developing countries are very reliant on tree provisioning services for their livelihoods. • The agriculture and exploitation of natural resources create serious concern when ecosystem changes affect ecological processes. • The alfa diversity and the structure are important metrics for monitoring ecological conditions. • The Bayesian Belief Networks are useful tools for representing expert knowledge about an ecosystem.

Physiographic Analysis as a Conceptual Approach for the Integrated Study of the Landscape. A Case Study of the Usumacinta River watershed, Mexico

In order to conserve and make adequate use of the services provided by the natural system, it is necessary to know it as a whole, as well as each of its components. Physiographic analysis and classification is a conceptual and methodological approach that facilitates the study of the components of the natural environment in an integral manner. The objective of this study is to show the results of the application of this methodology, which consists of a multicategorical and hierarchical system that includes five categories, which in this case only the first three are represented, up to the level of large landscapes. In the discussion of the results, a brief analysis is presented in which the results of the methodology used are compared with the existing cartography of the area. One of the fundamental conclusions is that the physiographic analysis and classification provides and adjusts fundamental elements to the soil mapping and its correlation with the landscape units in geological, geomorphological and climatic terms.

Human-induced oscillations in a network landscape model

In this work, we investigate the role of the human factor in the resilience of environmental systems. To this end, a coupled human-landscape model is proposed for a network of Landscape Units (LUs), where each LU is endowed by a system of ODEs for the time evolution of two environmental variables (fraction of green areas and production of bio-energy) and one human variable (fraction of environmentalists in the population). Injunctive social norms that tend to population conformity are taken into account. First the dynamics in each (isolated) LU is analytically investigated, with reference to equilibria and their stability; the possible occurrence of Hopf bifurcations is proved, with consequent periodic oscillations of environmental and human variables, as typical of resilient territories. The numerical investigation shows that such oscillations may disappear by global heteroclinic bifurcations. Then, the connectivity among the LUs is considered, with the aim of pointing out the effects of the single LU dynamics on the network landscape model. Numerical simulations of different scenarios are performed in a sample model of an environmental system in Northern Italy.

Dissolved organic matter characterization in soils and streams in a small coastal low-Arctic catchment

Abstract. Ongoing climate warming in the western Canadian Arctic is leading to thawing of permafrost soils and subsequent mobilization of its organic matter pool. Part of this mobilized terrestrial organic matter enters the aquatic system as dissolved organic matter (DOM) and is laterally transported from land to sea. Mobilized organic matter is an important source of nutrients for ecosystems, as it is available for microbial breakdown, and thus a source of greenhouse gases. We are beginning to understand spatial controls on the release of DOM as well as the quantities and fate of this material in large Arctic rivers. Yet, these processes remain systematically understudied in small, high-Arctic watersheds, despite the fact that these watersheds experience the strongest warming rates in comparison. Here, we sampled soil (active layer and permafrost) and water (porewater and stream water) from a small ice wedge polygon (IWP) catchment along the Yukon coast, Canada, during the summer of 2018. We assessed the organic carbon (OC) quantity (using dissolved (DOC) and particulate OC (POC) concentrations and soil OC content), quality (δ13C DOC, optical properties and source apportionment) and bioavailability (incubations; optical indices such as slope ratio, Sr; and humification index, HIX) along with stream water properties (temperature, T; pH; electrical conductivity, EC; and water isotopes). We classify and compare different landscape units and their soil horizons that differ in microtopography and hydrological connectivity, giving rise to differences in drainage capacity. Our results show that porewater DOC concentrations and yield reflect drainage patterns and waterlogged conditions in the watershed. DOC yield (in mg DOC g−1 soil OC) generally increases with depth but shows a large variability near the transition zone (around the permafrost table). Active-layer porewater DOC generally is more labile than permafrost DOC, due to various reasons (heterogeneity, presence of a paleo-active-layer and sampling strategies). Despite these differences, the very long transport times of porewater DOC indicate that substantial processing occurs in soils prior to release into streams. Within the stream, DOC strongly dominates over POC, illustrated by DOC/POC ratios around 50, yet storm events decrease that ratio to around 5. Source apportionment of stream DOC suggests a contribution of around 50 % from permafrost/deep-active-layer OC, which contrasts with patterns observed in large Arctic rivers (12 ± 8 %; Wild et al., 2019). Our 10 d monitoring period demonstrated temporal DOC patterns on multiple scales (i.e., diurnal patterns, storm events and longer-term trends), underlining the need for high-resolution long-term monitoring. First estimates of Black Creek annual DOC (8.2 ± 6.4 t DOC yr−1) and POC (0.21 ± 0.20 t yr−1) export allowed us to make a rough upscaling towards the entire Yukon Coastal Plain (34.51 ± 2.7 kt DOC yr−1 and 8.93 ± 8.5 kt POC yr−1). Rising Arctic temperatures, increases in runoff, soil organic matter (OM) leaching, permafrost thawing and primary production are likely to increase the net lateral OC flux. Consequently, altered lateral fluxes may have strong impacts on Arctic aquatic ecosystems and Arctic carbon cycling.

Summit typology and detailed geomorphological landscape units mapping through the application of direct and indirect methods. A case study in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, Spain

This paper analyzes the topography and the geomorphological characteristics of the central sector of the Sierra de Guadarrama (Spanish Central Range) from the point of view of the geomorphological landscape. Using Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and topographic maps, the aim is to supplement conventional geomorphological analysis by applying indirect morphometric methods for the detailed study of landforms through topographic analysis in order to obtain maps of diverse morphometric parameters, resulting in an exhaustive study, which is useful and revealing both in terms of geomorphology and of landscape. The morphometric maps obtained for each variable, such as the density of the dissection, the depth of the dissection and the energy of the relief, are overlaid on the derived maps from the DEM using Geographical Information System (GIS). Their analysis, using both indirect and direct methods during several field studies, in combination with the geology and the geomorphology of the study area, allows a more accurate study of the unit delimitation of the geomorphological landscape at a detailed scale. In a mountainous environment with smooth and apparently homogeneous summits, this detailed study of the geomorphological landscape shows the existence of different types of summits. The results are presented as a typology of summits and a map synthesizing the detailed units of geomorphological landscape that can be found in the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park (Central Spain).

ENCLAVE DE CERRADO E A ATUALIZAÇÃO DO MAPEAMENTO DAS UNIDADES DE PAISAGEM DO ESTADO DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

The mapping of landscape units is a dynamic process in which constant modifications are needed. Based on this, this article sought to update the mapping of landscape units in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. This was possible due to the combination of field activities and new methodological procedures, with analyzes and refinements of previous mappings conducted by Silva (2018), Bernardino (2019), and Souza (2020). The main result is the update of a mapping that includes the (re-) delimitation and (re-) classification of Morphoclimatic Domains, Natural Regions, and Geocomplexes in the territory of this state. A new unit was identified and inserted: a cerrado enclave, which, until then, had not been described and analyzed as such in the established literature; consequently, one more natural region and two geocomplexes were mapped and delimited. New territorial occurrences of units already identified/classified in the original work were also mapped and, therefore, there was a resizing of landscapes of different taxa, which resulted from these modifications and of the refinement of their limits, due to the greater scalar detail, with the deepening of the research. Keywords: Keywords:Geosystem; Geoprocessing Techniques; Landscape Analysis.

Quantifying relations between altered hydrology and fish community responses for streams in Minnesota

BackgroundAltered hydrology is a stressor on aquatic life, but quantitative relations between specific aspects of streamflow alteration and biological responses have not been developed on a statewide scale in Minnesota. Best subsets regression analysis was used to develop linear regression models that quantify relations among five categories of hydrologic metrics (i.e., duration, frequency, magnitude, rate-of-change, and timing) computed from streamgage records and six categories of biological metrics (i.e., composition, habitat, life history, reproductive, tolerance, trophic) computed from fish-community samples, as well as fish-based indices of biotic integrity (FIBI) scores and FIBI scores normalized to an impairment threshold of the corresponding stream class (FIBI_BCG4). Relations between hydrology and fish community responses were examined using three hydrologic datasets that represented periods of record, long-term changes, and short-term changes to flow regimes in streams of Minnesota.ResultsRegression models demonstrated significant relations between hydrologic explanatory metrics and fish-based biological response metrics, and the five regression models with the strongest linear relations explained over 70% of the variability in the biological metric using three hydrologic metrics as explanatory variables. Tolerance-based biological metrics demonstrated the strongest linear relations to hydrologic metrics. The most commonly used hydrologic metrics were related to bankfull flows and aspects of flow variability.ConclusionsFinal regression models represent paired streamgage records and biological samples throughout the State of Minnesota and encompass differences in stream orders, hydrologic landscape units, and watershed sizes. Presented methods can support evaluations of stream fish communities and facilitate targeted efforts to improve the health of fish communities. Methods also can be applied to locations outside of Minnesota with continuous streamgage data and fish-community samples.

Estimating the pollutant loss rate based on the concentration process and landscape unit interactions: a case study of the Dianchi Lake Basin, Yunnan Province, China

The landscape analysis model establishes a quantitative relationship between landscape patterns and pollution processes. The spatial heterogeneity within and between landscapes affects the pollutant transmission process and originates from the superposition effect of terrestrial geographical and morphological characteristics. This study aimed to develop a new method to estimate the pollutant loss rate. From the perspective of the flow process of pollutants entering a water body, the interaction between each landscape unit and adjacent unit during pollutant migration was simulated along the pollutant migration flow path. The role of pollutants affected by external forces in the process of migration could be divided into "promoting" and "hindering." Four indices were proposed to simulate the pollutant loads entering the lake. The linear coefficients between the load of the pollutants chemical oxygen demand (CODCr), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) entering the lake and the pollutant load emission weighted by the upstream and downstream confluence ratio index were 0.930, 0.835, 0.925, and 0.795, respectively, and the non-linear variance explanation coefficients were 87.70%, 87.50%, 87.60%, and 84.70%, respectively. When the surface resistance was integrated into the index as a parameter, the linear and nonlinear correlation coefficients were significantly improved. The linear coefficients were 0.952, 0.897, 0.919, and 0.939, respectively, and the non-linear variance explanations were 99.00%, 97.30%, 95.10%, and 97.30%, respectively. The spatial distribution of landscape surface resistance reflects the spatial movement trend of pollutants from different sources. The indices characterizing the promoting and hindering effects could be integrated to calculate the loss rate of pollutant load entering the lake from landscape units at different locations in the basin space.

Morphometric Evaluation of the Santana River Basin in Itapuranga, Goiás (Brazil)

In view of the importance of morphometric studies for the planning and management of watersheds, this study aimed to carry out the morphometric assessment of the Santana River Basin, located in the municipality of Itapuranga, Goiás. The study area was chosen due to the basin is extremely important for the region, as it is responsible for the irrigation of large areas of cultivation. This fact led to the realization of this study, in order to be able to contribute to the planning and management of the hydrographic basin. The methodology consisted of eight steps, using ArcGis 9.2 software. The results showed the hierarchy of drainage channels in the Santana River basin in four orders. The slope mapping in conjunction with the hypsometric mapping showed areas of steep slopes and interfluves that appear as flattened tops, with considerable elevation. The valley bottoms are at an elevation of 540 to 570 meters. The unevenness of the hydrographic basin was 360 meters, 540 meters at the lowest point and 900 meters from the highest point. The Santana River basin can be fragmented into three distinct landscape units: hills, alluvial plains and top areas. Thus, this study showed basic characteristics of the physical environment that can enable, and support studies aimed at the planning and management of that basin, helping to reduce and mitigate the socioeconomic impacts on water sources.&#x0D;

Algorithm Based on Grey Clustering and Shannon Entropy to Assess Landscape Visual Quality

Landscape assessment has been limited to methodologies with subjective and qualitative approaches, due to prevailing the concept of landscape as the perception of territory. In this work, the intrinsic visual quality of the landscape was evaluated using an algorithm based on grey clustering and Shannon entropy. The grey clustering method was used to determine the landscape visual quality, and Shannon entropy was applied to calculate wights of criteria used for evaluation. The case study was performed on mining project located in Cajamarca, Peru, where three landscape units were identified and four evaluation criteria were established, before and after the implementation of project. The results revealed that there is a notable effect of the change in landscape visual quality in three evaluated landscapes units. The criteria in order of evaluation were the intrinsic visual quality of the water, relief, vegetation cover, and artificial elements. Consequently, the method showed quantitative and qualitative results that could help the landscape assessment process to make better decisions regarding mining projects. Keywords—Grey clustering, Landscape visual quality, Mining project, Shannon entropy.

Índice de provisión de hábitat potencial para la biodiversidad de controladores biológicos en un paisaje de interfase urbano rural en Mendoza, Argentina

Urban sprawl over agricultural landscapes generates urban-rural interfaces. The coexistence of agricultural and residential land uses can promote conflicts over the use of pesticides. In Mendoza (Argentina), the scarcity of water resources is a constraint for moving agriculture beyond irrigated areas, so it is important to improve this coexistence. In order to reduce the use of pesticides, strategies based on ecosystem functions such as biological pest control through conservation are necessary. This strategy depends on the functional biodiversity present in the landscape, especially on plant communities with the capacity to provide habitat for arthropod species, parasitoids and generalist predators. The objective of this work was to construct an index to evaluate the capacity to provide potential habitat for biological controllers (IHPB) in different areas of a landscape, in order to provide knowledge for the territorial environmental management of interface areas. The IHPB was constructed from five indicators and evaluated in the Lunlunta district (Maipú, Mendoza). The study area was classified into six landscape units (UP): Dryland natural, Riverside natural, Semi-natural, Conventional agricultural, Biodiverse agricultural and Urban, in which vegetation censuses were conducted for the calculation of the indicators. The IHPB showed the highest value in the Dryland natural UP due to the high diversity, total cover and native tree and shrub species present in its plant community; the lowest was registered in Conventional agriculture. Its application confirmed the importance of natural areas in terms of their potential to sustain the beneficial entomofauna base for the biological control of pests, and the need to improve habitat conditions in agricultural environments.