Large-scale Land-use Change Research Articles

Balancing simulation performance and computational intensity of CA models for large-scale land-use change simulations

Balancing simulation performance and computational intensity of CA models for large-scale land-use change simulations

Evidence of longitudinal differences in spring migration strategies of an Arctic-nesting goose.

During spring, migratory birds are required to optimally balance energetic costs of migration across heterogeneous landscapes and weather conditions to survive and reproduce successfully. Therefore, an individual's migratory performance may influence reproductive outcomes. Given large-scale changes in land use, climate, and potential carry-over effects, understanding how individuals migrate in relation to breeding outcomes is critical to predicting how future scenarios may affect populations. We used GPS tracking devices on 56 Greater White-fronted Geese (Anser albifrons) during four spring migrations to examine whether migration characteristics influenced breeding propensity and breeding outcome. We found a strong longitudinal difference in arrival to the breeding areas (18 days earlier), pre-nesting duration (90.9% longer), and incubation initiation dates (9 days earlier) between western- and eastern-Arctic breeding regions, with contrasting effects on breeding outcomes, but no migration characteristic strongly influenced breeding outcome. We found that breeding region influenced whether an individual likely pursued a capital or income breeding strategy. Where individuals fell along the capital-income breeding continuum was influenced by longitude, revealing geographic effects of life-history strategy among conspecifics. Factors that govern breeding outcomes likely occur primarily upon arrival to breeding areas or are related to individual quality and previous breeding outcome, and may not be directly tied to migratory decision-making across broad scales.

Carbon stock projection for four major forest plantation species in Japan

Carbon sequestration via afforestation and forest growth is effective for mitigating global warming. Accurate and robust information on forest growth characteristics by tree species, region, and large-scale land-use change is vital and future prediction of forest carbon stocks based on this information is of great significance. These predictions allow exploring forestry practices that maximize carbon sequestration by forests, including wood production. Forest inventories based on field measurements are considered the most accurate method for estimating forest carbon stocks. Japan's national forest inventories (NFIs) provide stand volumes for all Japanese forests, and estimates from direct field observations (m-NFIs) are the most reliable. Therefore, using the m-NFI from 2009 to 2013, we selected four major forest plantation species in Japan: Cryptomeria japonica, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Pinus spp., and Larix kaempferi and presented their forest age–carbon density function. We then estimated changes in forest carbon stocks from the past to the present using the functions. Next, we investigated the differences in the carbon sequestration potential of forests, including wood production, between five forestry practice scenarios with varying harvesting and afforestation rates, until 2061. Our results indicate that, for all four forest types, the estimates of growth rates and past forest carbon stocks in this study were higher than those considered until now. The predicted carbon sequestration from 2011 to 2061, assuming that 100 % of harvested carbon is retained for a long time, twice the rate of harvesting compared to the current rate, and a 100 % afforestation rate in harvested area, was three to four times higher than that in a scenario with no harvesting or replanting. Our results suggest that planted Japanese forests can exhibit a high carbon sequestration potential under the premise of active management, harvesting, afforestation, and prolonging the residence time of stored carbon in wood products with technology development.

Workforce Implications of Large-scale Land-use Change in Aotearoa New Zealand

Workforce Implications of Large-scale Land-use Change in Aotearoa New Zealand

Anthropogenic noise and light alter temporal but not spatial breeding behavior in a wild frog.

Increasing urbanization has led to large-scale land-use changes, exposing persistent populations to drastically altered environments. Sensory pollutants, including low-frequency anthropogenic noise and artificial light at night (ALAN), are typically associated with urban environments and known to impact animal populations in a variety of ways. Both ALAN and anthropogenic noise can alter behavioral and physiological processes important for survival and reproduction, including communication and circadian rhythms. Although noise and light pollution typically co-occur in urbanized areas, few studies have addressed their combined impact on species' behavior. Here, we assessed how anthropogenic noise and ALAN can influence spatial and temporal variation in breeding activity of a wild frog population. By exposing artificial breeding sites inside a tropical rainforest to multiple sensory environments, we found that both anthropogenic noise and ALAN impact breeding behavior of túngara frogs (Engystomops pustulosus), albeit in different ways. Males arrived later in the night at their breeding sites in response to anthropogenic noise. ALAN, on the other hand, led to an increase in calling effort. We found no evidence that noise or light pollution either attracted frogs to or repelled frogs from breeding sites. Thus, anthropogenic noise may negatively affect calling males by shifting the timing of sexual signaling. Conversely, ALAN may increase the attractiveness of calling males. These changes in breeding behavior highlight the complex ways that urban multisensory pollution can influence behavior and suggest that such changes may have important ecological implications for the wildlife that are becoming increasingly exposed to urban multisensory pollution.

Accumulation and fluxes of potentially toxic elements in a large coastal lagoon (southern Gulf of Mexico) from 210Pb sediment chronologies

Three 210Pb-dated sediment cores were used to evaluate the contamination degree and flux ratios of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in seagrass meadows from the northern margin of Términos Lagoon (TL), southern Gulf of Mexico. The sediments displayed minor Cd, Ni, V, and Zn enrichments but moderate to strong enrichment by As. Results from a chemometric analysis revealed that: 1) salinization and grain size, along with 2) the terrigenous inputs are the major factors influencing the PTEs accumulation. The historical trends of PTEs flux ratios nearly follow the large-scale land-use changes around TL, linked to the growth of the Mexican oil industry in the area since the 1970s. Our findings showed the critical role of seagrass meadows as PTEs sinks. This information is useful for decision-makers to develop restoration projects for a vulnerable site within the largest coastal lagoon ecosystem in Mexico.

Understanding knowledge needs for Scotland to become a resilient Hydro Nation: Water stakeholder perspectives

Freshwater resources provide ecosystem services that support human prosperity and development. Future changes in climate, land-use, and population could lead to detrimental impacts on freshwater quality and quantity, threatening drinking water, irrigation and energy production. To increase resilience there is the need to better understand the possible impacts of future changes on freshwaters. We use Scotland – and its legislative agenda ‘Scotland: The Hydro Nation’ – to understand the knowledge needs of water stakeholders as a first step in building freshwater resilience. By interviewing water stakeholders across Scotland, we found an overarching ‘knowledge need’ for a greater understanding of the cumulative impacts on freshwaters associated with the interactions between multiple climatic and socio-economic drivers and their associated pressures. Stakeholders also identified five specific ‘knowledge need’ themes; large-scale land-use change, future water demands, water value, integrated development planning and water asset conditions. We identify a willingness of stakeholders to participate in systems-thinking approaches to address these ‘knowledge need’ themes. The ‘knowledge needs’ can be used to inform research priorities to support water-related policy in Scotland. We propose that participatory methods should be applied following the Driver Pressure State Impact Response (DPSIR) framework to address ‘knowledge need themes’ to identify and appraise adaptive management and policy options. Our methods used to identify stakeholder knowledge needs are a time, cost and environmentally effective way for collecting rich data. Methods can be replicated in other regions and water policy contexts to understand where increased knowledge is required to help build future resilience.

ANALISIS KONTRIBUSI FAKTOR-FAKTOR PERTUMBUHAN EKONOMI KABUPATEN KLATEN

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence economic growth in Klaten Regency. This type of research is descriptive qualitative or policy research. This research was conducted in Klaten district. The data sources of this research are primary and secondary data from Klaten district. Data analysis using the Klassen Method and regional disparities will be used using the Williamson Index calculation and Gini Index data. The results of this study based on the spatial aspect show that the use of agricultural land is still wide enough so that it is not worried about large-scale changes in land use and from the non-economic aspect that population growth is low but population density is high enough, TPAK and unemployment rates have decreased, HDI is equal to 74.79% shows a positive development and the condition of the poor in 2018 has also decreased.

Effects of Earth system feedbacks on the potential mitigation of large-scale tropical forest restoration

Abstract. To achieve the Paris Agreement requires aggressive mitigation strategies alongside negative emission technologies. Recent studies suggest that increasing tree cover can make a substantial contribution to negative emissions, with the tropics being the most suitable region from a biogeophysical perspective. Yet these studies typically do not account for subsequent carbon cycle and climate responses to large-scale land-use change. Here we quantify the maximum potential temperature and CO2 benefits from pantropical forest restoration, including the Earth system response, using a fully coupled, emission-driven Earth system model (HadGEM2-ES). We perform an idealised experiment where all land use in the tropics is stopped and vegetation is allowed to recover, on top of an aggressive mitigation scenario (RCP2.6). We find that tropical restoration of 1529 Mha increases carbon stored in live biomass by 130 Pg C by 2100 CE. Whilst avoiding deforestation and tropical restoration in the tropics removes 42 Pg C compared to RCP2.6, the subsequent reduction in extratropical and ocean carbon uptake means that carbon in the atmosphere only reduces by 18 Pg C by 2100. The resulting small CO2 (9 ppm) benefit does not translate to a detectable reduction in global surface air temperature compared to the control experiment. The greatest carbon benefit is achieved 30–50 years after restoration before the Earth system response adjusts to the new land-use regime and declining fossil fuel use. Comparing our results with previous modelling studies, we identify two model-independent key points: (i) in a world where emission reductions follow the Paris Agreement, restoration is best deployed immediately, and (ii) the global carbon cycle response to reduced emissions limits the efficacy of negative emissions technologies by more than half. We conclude that forest restoration can reduce peak CO2 mid-century, but it can only modestly contribute to negative emissions.

Land Use and Management Effects on Sustainable Sugarcane-Derived Bioenergy

Bioenergy is an important and feasible option for mitigating global warming and climate change. However, large-scale land-use change (LUC) to expand bioenergy crops, such as sugarcane, raises concerns about the potential negative environmental and socioeconomic side effects. Such effects are context-specific, and depending on the LUC scenario and management practices, several co-benefits can be attained. We reviewed the literature and discussed how LUC and best management practices affect key components of sustainability (e.g., soil health, soil carbon (C) sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions, nutrient cycling, water quality, among others) of sugarcane-derived bioenergy production in Brazil. Sugarcane expansion has occurred predominantly over pasture areas, although converting croplands could be also an environmentally feasible option. The land transition from low-productivity pastures to sugarcane cultivation seems to be a sustainable pathway to increase bioenergy production. This LUC scenario enhances soil health and soil C sequestration over time, although soil compaction, biodiversity loss, and erosion are still challenging. Besides, adopting best management practices, such as conservation tillage, sustainable crop residue management, rational fertilization, and recycling by-products, has been fundamental to ensuring sustainable bioenergy production. Public policies and well-designed legal frameworks and regulations, such as the Forest Code and the RenovaBio legislations in Brazil, are necessary to make bioenergy production compatible with rational land use and protection. Lastly, our analysis provided insights into sugarcane expansion over a small proportion (1%) of pasture areas in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, which may result in a substantial impact on global bioenergy supply. We concluded that sugarcane-derived bioenergy is a sustainable option to tackle climate change while provisioning other key ecosystem services and promoting socioeconomic development.

Nitrogen isotopic signatures and fluxes of N2O in response to land-use change on naturally occurring saline\u2013alkaline soil

The conversion of natural grassland to semi-natural or artificial ecosystems is a large-scale land-use change (LUC) commonly occurring to saline–alkaline land. Conversion of natural to artificial ecosystems, with addition of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) fertilizer, influences N availability in the soil that may result in higher N2O emission along with depletion of 15N, while converting from natural to semi-natural the influence may be small. So, this study assesses the impact of LUC on N2O emission and 15N in N2O emitted from naturally occurring saline–alkaline soil when changing from natural grassland (Phragmites australis) to semi-natural [Tamarix chinensis (Tamarix)] and to cropland (Gossypium spp.). The grassland and Tamarix ecosystems were not subject to any management practice, while the cropland received fertilizer and irrigation. Overall, median N2O flux was significantly different among the ecosystems with the highest from the cropland (25.3 N2O-N µg m−2 h−1), intermediate (8.2 N2O-N µg m−2 h−1) from the Tamarix and the lowest (4.0 N2O-N µg m−2 h−1) from the grassland ecosystem. The 15N isotopic signatures in N2O emitted from the soil were also significantly affected by the LUC with more depleted from cropland (− 25.3 ‰) and less depleted from grassland (− 0.18 ‰). Our results suggested that the conversion of native saline–alkaline grassland with low N to Tamarix or cropland is likely to result in increased soil N2O emission and also contributes significantly to the depletion of the 15N in atmospheric N2O, and the contribution of anthropogenic N addition was found more significant than any other processes.

Agriculture creates subtle genetic structure among migratory and nonmigratory populations of burrowing owls throughout North America.

Population structure across a species distribution primarily reflects historical, ecological, and evolutionary processes. However, large‐scale contemporaneous changes in land use have the potential to create changes in habitat quality and thereby cause changes in gene flow, population structure, and distributions. As such, land‐use changes in one portion of a species range may explain declines in other portions of their range. For example, many burrowing owl populations have declined or become extirpated near the northern edge of the species' breeding distribution during the second half of the 20th century. In the same period, large extensions of thornscrub were converted to irrigated agriculture in northwestern Mexico. These irrigated areas may now support the highest densities of burrowing owls in North America. We tested the hypothesis that burrowing owls that colonized this recently created owl habitat in northwestern Mexico originated from declining migratory populations from the northern portion of the species' range (migration‐driven breeding dispersal whereby long‐distance migrants from Canada and the United States became year‐round residents in the newly created irrigated agriculture areas in Mexico). We used 10 novel microsatellite markers to genotype 1,560 owls from 36 study locations in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. We found that burrowing owl populations are practically panmictic throughout the entire North American breeding range. However, an analysis of molecular variance provided some evidence that burrowing owl populations in northwestern Mexico and Canada together are more genetically differentiated from the rest of the populations in the breeding range, lending some support to our migration‐driven breeding dispersal hypothesis. We found evidence of subtle genetic differentiation associated with irrigated agricultural areas in southern Sonora and Sinaloa in northwestern Mexico. Our results suggest that land use can produce location‐specific population dynamics leading to subtle genetic structure even in the absence of dispersal barriers.

Assessment of Switchgrass-Based Bioenergy Supply Using GIS-Based Fuzzy Logic and Network Optimization in Missouri (U.S.A.)

Bioenergy has been globally recognized as one of the sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels. An assured supply of biomass feedstocks is a crucial bottleneck for the bioenergy industry emanating from uncertainties in land-use changes and future prices. Analytical approaches deriving from geographical information systems (GIS)-based analysis, mathematical modeling, optimization analyses, and empirical techniques have been widely used to evaluate the potential for bioenergy feedstock. In this study, we propose a three-phase methodology integrating fuzzy logic, network optimization, and ecosystem services assessment to estimate potential bioenergy supply. The fuzzy logic analysis uses multiple spatial criteria to identify suitable biomass cultivating regions. We extract spatial information based on favorable conditions and potential constraints, such as developed urban areas and croplands. Further, the network analysis uses the road network and existing biorefineries to evaluate feedstock production locations. Our analysis extends previous studies by incorporating biodiversity and ecologically sensitive areas into the analysis, as well as incorporating ecosystem service benefits as an additional driver for adoption, ensuring that biomass cultivation will minimize the negative consequences of large-scale land-use change. We apply the concept of assessing the potential for switchgrass-based bioenergy in Missouri to the proposed methodology.

How changing grain size affects the land surface temperature pattern in rapidly urbanizing area: a case study of the central urban districts of Hangzhou City, China.

Urbanization has led to the rapid and large-scale changes in land use and land cover and has affected the spatial distribution of land surface temperature (LST) in urban areas. Studying the LST pattern and their spatial heterogeneity characteristics at different scales can help understand the dynamic mechanism of the thermal landscape and provide insights into urban ecological planning. We utilized transfer matrixes, landscape metrics, and spatial autocorrelation analyses to study the transfer of LST classes, changes in the LST pattern, and changes in LST clusters with varying grain sizes by taking the central urban districts of Hangzhou City in China as a case study. Results indicate that (1) the transfer proportion of the LST classes increased, except for high-temperature class, and each LST class shifted to the adjacent dominant LST class with the increase in grain size. (2) The landscape metrics remarkably changed as the grain size increased, indicating that the LST pattern was scale-dependent. As the grain size increased, the small patches gradually merged into large patches; the fragmentation, complexity, and ductility of the urban thermal landscapes decreased; and the shape of the patches became simple and regular. (3) The LST pattern exhibited a positive spatial autocorrelation. The area of low-low cluster decreased, whereas that of non-significant clusters substantially increased with the grain size. The area of high-high cluster remained steady when the grain size exceeded 90m. (4) Patch density, mean patch fractal dimension, clumpiness index, and contagion index exhibited predictable responses to changing grain size, whereas Shannon's diversity and Shannon's evenness indexes showed erratic responses, indicating that the diversity and evenness of the LST pattern were not scale-dependent. (5) The suitable domain of scale for the analysis of LST pattern was (60, 120), and the optimal grain size was 120m. The selection of domains of scale and optimal grain size need to be determined according to the changes in thermal landscape patterns at different grain sizes and regional environments.

Avian ecological succession in the Amazon: A long-term case study following experimental deforestation.

Approximately 20% of the Brazilian Amazon has now been deforested, and the Amazon is currently experiencing the highest rates of deforestation in a decade, leading to large‐scale land‐use changes. Roads have consistently been implicated as drivers of ongoing Amazon deforestation and may act as corridors to facilitate species invasions. Long‐term data, however, are necessary to determine how ecological succession alters avian communities following deforestation and whether established roads lead to a constant influx of new species.We used data across nearly 40 years from a large‐scale deforestation experiment in the central Amazon to examine the avian colonization process in a spatial and temporal framework, considering the role that roads may play in facilitating colonization.Since 1979, 139 species that are not part of the original forest avifauna have been recorded, including more secondary forest species than expected based on the regional species pool. Among the 35 species considered to have colonized and become established, a disproportionate number were secondary forest birds (63%), almost all of which first appeared during the 1980s. These new residents comprise about 13% of the current community of permanent residents.Widespread generalists associated with secondary forest colonized quickly following deforestation, with few new species added after the first decade, despite a stable road connection. Few species associated with riverine forest or specialized habitats colonized, despite road connection to their preferred source habitat. Colonizing species remained restricted to anthropogenic habitats and did not infiltrate old‐growth forests nor displace forest birds.Deforestation and expansion of road networks into terra firme rainforest will continue to create degraded anthropogenic habitat. Even so, the initial pulse of colonization by nonprimary forest bird species was not the beginning of a protracted series of invasions in this study, and the process appears to be reversible by forest succession.

Towards systematic and evidence-based conservation planning for western chimpanzees.

As animal populations continue to decline, frequently driven by large-scale land-use change, there is a critical need for improved environmental planning. While data-driven spatial planning is widely applied in conservation, as of yet it is rarely used for primates. The western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) declined by 80% within 24 years and was uplisted to Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016. To support conservation planning for western chimpanzees, we systematically identified geographic areas important for this taxon. We based our analysis on a previously published data set of modeled density distribution and on several scenarios that accounted for different spatial scales and conservation targets. Across all scenarios, typically less than one-third of areas we identified as important are currently designated as high-level protected areas (i.e., national park or IUCN category I or II). For example, in the scenario for protecting 50% of all chimpanzees remaining in West Africa (i.e., approximately 26,500 chimpanzees), an area of approximately 60,000 km2 was selected (i.e., approximately 12% of the geographic range), only 24% of which is currently designated as protected areas. The derived maps can be used to inform the geographic prioritization of conservation interventions, including protected area expansion, "no-go-zones" for industry and infrastructure, and conservation sites outside the protected area network. Environmental guidelines by major institutions funding infrastructure and resource extraction projects explicitly require corporations to minimize the negative impact on great apes. Therefore, our results can inform avoidance and mitigation measures during the planning phases of such projects. This study was designed to inform future stakeholder consultation processes that could ultimately integrate the conservation of western chimpanzees with national land-use priorities. Our approach may help in promoting similar work for other primate taxa to inform systematic conservation planning in times of growing threats.

Living with plague: Lessons from the Soviet Union’s antiplague system

Zoonoses, such as plague, are primarily animal diseases that spill over into human populations. While the goal of eradicating such diseases is enticing, historical experience validates abandoning eradication in favor of ecologically based control strategies (which reduce morbidity and mortality to a locally accepted risk level). During the 20th century, one of the most extensive plague-eradication efforts in recorded history was undertaken to enable large-scale changes in land use in the former Soviet Union (including vast areas of central Asia). Despite expending tremendous resources in its attempt to eradicate plague, the Soviet antiplague response gradually abandoned the goal of eradication in favor of plague control linked with developing basic knowledge of plague ecology. Drawing from this experience, we combine new gray-literature sources, historical and recent research, and fieldwork to outline best practices for the control of spillover from zoonoses while minimally disrupting wildlife ecosystems, and we briefly compare the Soviet case with that of endemic plague in the western United States. We argue for the allocation of sufficient resources to maintain ongoing local surveillance, education, and targeted control measures; to incorporate novel technologies selectively; and to use ecological research to inform developing landscape-based models for transmission interruption. We conclude that living with emergent and reemergent zoonotic diseases—switching to control—opens wider possibilities for interrupting spillover while preserving natural ecosystems, encouraging adaptation to local conditions, and using technological tools judiciously and in a cost-effective way.

Land-use changes and check dams reducing runoff and sediment yield on the Loess Plateau of China

Revegetation and check dam construction are two widely applied soil erosion control measures on the Loess Plateau of China. They play important roles in sediment yield reduction. However, it remains unclear how these large-scale land-use changes and in-channel structures affect water yield and sediment load on the watershed scale. A combination of field work and modeling exercises were used to quantitatively assess the effects of land-use changes and check dam construction on hydrological processes in the Wuding River watershed. The study area suffered important land-use changes with increases in forestland and grassland, coupled with decreases in cropland, from 1980 to 2010. A large number of check dams were constructed from 1970 to 1980. Runoff and sediment yield in the watershed showed significant decreasing trends (P < 0.01), with change points occurring in the early 1970s. Human activity contributed to 75% and 89% of runoff and sediment changes, respectively. The simulations showed that in a scenario without check dams, runoff and sediment increased by 12% and 11.7%, respectively. Vegetation recovery reduced runoff and sediment yield. ‘Grain for Green’ resulted in decreasing runoff and sediment levels, and reforestation had more hydrological regulatory effects compared with scenarios involving the conversion of cropland to grassland. Moreover, the combination of revegetation and check dam construction had a greater impact on water yield and sediment transportation. Check dams provide short-term flood control and sediment reductions, whereas land-use changes are long-term sustained soil erosion control measures. It may be more efficient to combine check dam construction with revegetation strategies.

Assessment of genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow of tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) across Nepal's Terai Arc Landscape.

With fewer than 200 tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) left in Nepal, that are generally confined to five protected areas across the Terai Arc Landscape, genetic studies are needed to provide crucial information on diversity and connectivity for devising an effective country-wide tiger conservation strategy. As part of the Nepal Tiger Genome Project, we studied landscape change, genetic variation, population structure, and gene flow of tigers across the Terai Arc Landscape by conducting Nepal’s first comprehensive and systematic scat-based, non-invasive genetic survey. Of the 770 scat samples collected opportunistically from five protected areas and six presumed corridors, 412 were tiger (57%). Out of ten microsatellite loci, we retain eight markers that were used in identifying 78 individual tigers. We used this dataset to examine population structure, genetic variation, contemporary gene flow, and potential population bottlenecks of tigers in Nepal. We detected three genetic clusters consistent with three demographic sub-populations and found moderate levels of genetic variation (He = 0.61, AR = 3.51) and genetic differentiation (FST = 0.14) across the landscape. We detected 3–7 migrants, confirming the potential for dispersal-mediated gene flow across the landscape. We found evidence of a bottleneck signature likely caused by large-scale land-use change documented in the last two centuries in the Terai forest. Securing tiger habitat including functional forest corridors is essential to enhance gene flow across the landscape and ensure long-term tiger survival. This requires cooperation among multiple stakeholders and careful conservation planning to prevent detrimental effects of anthropogenic activities on tigers.

Comparison of Carbon-Use Efficiency Among Different Land-Use Patterns of the Temperate Steppe in the Northern China Pastoral Farming Ecotone

Carbon-use efficiency (CUE) is the proportion of gross primary production converted to net primary production. Changes to CUE strongly influence ecosystem carbon budgets and turnover. Little is known about the response of ecosystem CUE to human-induced land-use change, which limits the accurate evaluation of the environmental influence of large-scale steppe-use changes in northern China. We investigated the components of ecosystem carbon exchange and CUE under three typical steppe-use patterns in Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia. The results showed that CUE in grazing and grazing-excluded steppe were not significantly different (both over 0.7) but were significantly higher than in cultivated steppe (0.57). Ecosystem respiration and its components, including autotrophic respiration (Ra), aboveground respiration, heterotrophic respiration and belowground respiration showed significant negative correlation with CUE. Ra is the most important factor explaining the variation of CUE between different steppe-use patterns (p &lt; 0.001, 97%); Ra change may be the primary factor driving CUE variation between steppe-use patterns. Leaf area index of different grassland-use patterns also showed a significant negative correlation with CUE (p &lt; 0.001, 91%). These findings may help to improve accurate prediction of the environmental and climatic consequences of large-scale land-use change.