Land Use Transformation Research Articles

Ecological Corridors Analysis Based on MSPA and MCR Model—A Case Study of the Tomur World Natural Heritage Region

The rapid urbanization process, accompanied by the transformation of high-intensive land development and land use, constantly encroaches on habitat patches, making them increasingly fragmented and isolated, which directly influences the regional landscape pattern and sustainable development. Taking the Tomur World Natural Heritage region as the study area, the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) method and landscape index method were used to extract the ecological source areas of great significance to the construction of ecological corridors. Then, using the minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR), the comprehensive resistance surface was constructed and the potential corridors were generated by the minimum cost path method. Finally, according to the gravity model, the important corridors of the study area were designed. Results showed that the MSPA method and MCR model can be used in combination to identify the potential ecological corridors in the study area and clarify the priority of landscape element protection in the study area, which can provide guidance to construct the ecological network and provide reference for other regions as well.

Distribution of nutrient elements and organic carbon in the lower reaches of the Selenga River

The content of nutrient elements and organic carbon in the water of the lower course of the Selenga River and its long-term changes under the influence of natural and anthropogenic factors are considered. For analysis, data from field studies carried out in the summer of 2018 and 2019 was used, as well as long-term materials on the chemical composition of water in the closing section of the river (Kabansk gauging station). Today, the hydroclimatic factor largely determines the chemical composition of water in the lower reaches of the Selenga. The aridization of the climate in the region and the associated decrease in the water content of the river led to a decrease in the dilution of diffuse and point pollution. During the period from 1980 to 2017, the average long-term concentrations of total phosphorus increased by 2 times and nitrates by 2.25 times. At the same time, the supply of silicon to Lake Baikal decreased by 1.7 times. Its concentration determines the growth of diatomaceous algae - the main producer of organic matter. Climatic changes largely influence to the transformation of land use on the watershed of the lower reaches of the Selenga River. It was found that agricultural activity on the watershed increases the proportion of suspended form of chemical elements (in particular phosphorus and organic carbon). In the delta of the river, when hydrodynamic conditions change, suspension deposition is observed, the content of dissolved forms of nutrients and organic substances increases. In heated delta areas with low flow rates and intensification of production processes, the organic form of phosphorus prevails over mineral.

Demographic, ecological, and life-history traits associated with bird population response to landscape fragmentation in Europe

Human land-use transformation has fragmented natural landscapes around the world, with fragmentation currently being considered a global threat to biodiversity conservation. Landscape fragmentation, however, does not affect all species similarly, suggesting that some species characteristics may render species more sensitive to fragmentation than others. The aim of this study was to test whether demographic, ecological, and life-history traits are associated with vulnerability to landscape fragmentation in European breeding bird species. Effective mesh size per area unit was used as an index of landscape fragmentation. Vulnerability to fragmentation for every bird species was estimated as population response to fragmentation per se (controlling for habitat loss due to fragmenting elements), with more vulnerable species showing a negative relationship between population density and fragmentation among countries, and less vulnerable species showing no (or even a positive) relationship. Comparative analyses controlled for similarity among species due to common phylogenetic descent. Response to fragmentation was more often positive than negative, and it was positively related to population size, migration distance, and body mass, and negatively related to age at first reproduction. The relationship between response to fragmentation and population size did not allow us to assess whether being less abundant was the cause or the consequence of being vulnerable to fragmentation. Response to fragmentation was not significantly related to other demographic, ecological, and life-history characteristics. These results suggest that small-sized resident bird species with delayed maturity are particularly vulnerable to landscape fragmentation. Future conservation efforts should target these species.

Power of Agricultural Credit in Farmland Abandonment: Evidence from Rural China

Labor, land, and funds are keys to revitalizing rural areas around the world. Previous studies have focused on the impacts of funds on agricultural production, but placed little emphasis on its role in agricultural land-use transformation. Thus, this study explores the quantitative relationship between agricultural credit and farmland abandonment from the perspective of rural revitalization. Using data on 8031 households from 27 provinces obtained from China’s Labor Force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), this study uses a Tobit model to examine the quantitative impacts of informal and formal agricultural credit on farmland abandonment. The results indicate that: (1) Access to agricultural credit helps to reduce farmland abandonment. (2) Compared with formal agricultural credit (provided by institutions), informal agricultural credit (provided by family and friends) is more significant in reducing farmland abandonment. Thus, this study enhances our understanding of the relationship between agricultural credit and farmland use. It will also prompt policymakers to improve rural financial markets in order to reduce the misallocation of farmland resources, thereby improving food security and rural economies.

Migration and disturbance: impact of fencing and development on Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus) spring movements in British Columbia

Due to increasing anthropogenic pressures, including land-use transformation globally, the natural process of animal migration is undergoing alterations across many taxa. Small-scale migrants provide useful systems at workable scales for investigating the influence of disturbance and landscape barriers on natural movement patterns and migrations. The Western Rattlesnake (Crotalus oreganus Holbrook, 1840) in British Columbia, Canada, is a small, migrant predator that undertakes seasonal spring movements from its communal hibernaculum to summer hunting and mating grounds and reverses its movements in autumn. From 2011 to 2016, we examined changes to spring migration movements in 27 male Western Rattlesnakes encountering both mitigative fencing barriers and disturbed habitats. Individuals moving through disturbed habitats or intercepted by mitigative fencing demonstrated shorter migration distances and reduced spring path sinuosity compared with individuals migrating in undisturbed habitats. Specifically, individuals encountering a fence during spring movements completed shorter total spring migration path lengths and occupied smaller home ranges over the course of the entire active season. Total spring migration distance also was strongly associated with the distance that individuals traveled until they first encountered human disturbance. This study contributes significantly to our knowledge of how fencing barriers may impact normal behavioural patterns in smaller vertebrates.

진도 당재봉 일대 토지이용 변화에 따른 해안사구 식생변화

진도 당재봉 일대 토지이용 변화에 따른 해안사구 식생변화

Land Use Transition and Its Influencing Factors in Poverty-Stricken Mountainous Areas of Sangzhi County, China

Previous studies have rarely revealed the characteristics and influencing factors of land use transformation (LUT) in poverty-stricken areas, where multiple actions of cultivated land protection are undertaken. The land use conversion matrix and Spatial Durbin Model were used to analyze the characteristics and influence factors of LUT based on remote sensing interpretation data of Sangzhi County in 2010, 2015, and 2018. The results demonstrate the following: (1) From 2010–2018, cultivated land, forest land, waters, and urban and rural construction land in Sangzhi County increased by 4.91%, 0.03%, 58.99%, and 55.63%, respectively, and grassland decreased by 13.32%. (2) Terrain, territorial, and traffic conditions were common influence factors of the land use type conversion (i.e., forest land to cultivated land, grassland to forest land, cultivated land to forest land, grassland to cultivated land, and cultivated land to urban and rural construction land). The conversion of land use type has a negative effect on the land use type conversion of adjacent townships. Territorial and traffic conditions affect the land use type conversion of adjacent townships. The results illuminate LUT at the township scale in mountainous areas and are beneficial to promoting the sustainable use of land resources and poverty alleviation.

Trajectories of land cover transformation in zonal types of landscapes of Indochina

The article deals with the study of the land cover change of Indochina based on the MODIS Land Cover database for 2001—2012. Geospatial land cover data, which are objectively recorded land surface characteristics, are widely used for small-scale mapping of landscapes and ecological systems. The case region of Indochina was selected for the analysis of land cover transformation. In recent decades it has been undergoing active transformation of land use, associated with rapid economic development, substantial population growth, and reorientation of the agricultural sector to foreign markets. The processes of land cover change were studied within the boundaries of zonal types of landscapes, altitudinal zonality spectra, and groups of intrazonal landscapes. The density of changes is uneven in different zonal types of landscapes, the greatest range of transformations is characteristic to the deciduous monsoon forests, semi-evergreen forests (in the subequatorial belt), and within river valleys. The main trajectories of land cover change for 2001—2012 are as follows: 1) expansion of arable areas due to the reduction of forests, savannas and grasslands; 2) the likely increase in the area of perennial plantations (mainly rubber trees and oil palm); 3) forest degradation and spread of savannas; 4) fluctuations of land under shifting cultivation. Since the 2000s commercial production of perennial cash crops is the main cause of deforestation in the region. Land clearing for these needs could have a greater impact on forest cover than logging. The revealed features of land cover change for Indochina made it possible to specify the regional characteristics of the transformation processes as compared to global typology of land coverchanges.

Dynamic simulation of urban expansion based on Cellular Automata and Markov Chain Model: a case study in Siliguri Metropolitan Area, West Bengal

Urbanization is a process of population concentration, horizontal and as well as vertical expansion of city, such expansion creates stress on local resource and the environment. With the increase of economic functionality, rapid rate of population concentration in Metropolitan city Siliguri and associated urban expansion has been observed. This outward expansion led rapid rate of land-use transformation and environmental decay. Therefore, it is very essential to monitor urban dynamics-related ecological transformation. The present investigation has been selected to model urban dynamics with the help of Markov Chain base simulation model for the prediction of future urban growth pattern and direction. Simulated outputs show that from 1991 to 2033, there will be considerable decay in the agricultural and forest land because of the rapid urban expansion. Sprawling tendency has been observed from 2001, and the expansion is continuously growing in south west direction. The major transformation has occurred with a growth in the amount of built area, from 1991 to 2017, and the amount of built lands increased by 11.2%, green land decreased by 11.5%, and the water body has been decrease by 3.7%. These changes reveal the encroachment of green lands and open lands as two important and ecological infrastructures.

Drivers of Household Decision-Making on Land-Use Transformation: An Example of Woodlot Establishment in Masindi District, Uganda

Land use transformation at the farm level is attributed to household decision-making, reflected by the behavior and activities of smallholder farmers. Unfortunately, household decision-making in local communities and its determinants are site-specific and hardly understood. This study uses multistage purposive selection of households as a unit for the analysis to investigate the transformation from pure agriculture to farm forest mosaics, especially through woodlot establishment. We use key informants, household surveys, and observations to obtain data on decision-making amongst 84 farm households in Nyantonzi parish, Masindi district, Uganda, as an example. Specifically, the study addresses four research questions. Firstly, what is the current status of gender-based decision-making at the household level? Secondly, is decision making within farm households individualistic or collective? Thirdly, which factors are considered to select annual, perennial and tree-crop farm management regimes? Fourthly, what determinants influence the decision-making process and the likelihood of woodlot establishment? A multilevel analysis comprising parametric statistical models and binary logistic regression is applied to assess difference in household natural, physical, human, and social capital, highlight gender roles, and obtain factors associated to selection of crops and determinants of woodlot establishment at the farm level, respectively. Results reveal that gender based decision-making is clearly disaggregated on the basis of husbands and wives and it is individualistic, mostly dominated by husbands with lower participation by wives and other family members. Households consider various factors before making any decisions, e.g., market prices for both annual and perennial crops, food consumption for annual crops, ease of management, and yields from the previous season for the tree-crop management regimes. The likelihood for woodlot establishment is positively influenced by the willingness and intention of households to establish woodlots and relative age of household head. However, knowledge of land use Policies, Laws, and Regulations (PLRs) in relation to tree planting and harvesting and access to non-farm income reduce the likelihood of woodlot establishment. Here, we recommend that current and future forest land restoration initiatives focus on reducing the gender gap and increase women’s participation in decision making, provide market information platforms on wood products, and include woodlot farmers in social organization. Current PLRs on tree tenure should be improved and clearly communicated by using the existing communication assets and social gatherings as channels of change and influence for decision-making.

Research of Urban Suitable Ecological Land Based on the Minimum Cumulative Resistance Model: A Case Study from Hanoi, Vietnam

Rapid urbanization process is accelerating the dramatic transformation of urban land use, creating strong economic, social and environmental impacts in Hanoi (Vietnam). Improving the quality and optimizing the model of using ecological land in urban areas is very important to solving environmental issues and sustainable urban development. Using the Hanoi capital of Vietnam, an important and typical city in the Red River Delta, as in the case of the study, we applied the Minimum cumulative resistance model (MCRM) to calculate ecological land and constructed land meet the needs of socio-economic development and ecological protection. Results showed that the suitable ecological land area is about 2.090,298km2 (ecological land area 1.112,216km2, ecotones land area 978,082km2), which is 62% of the total urban area of Hanoi is mainly distributed in Bavi, Socson, Unghoa, Myduc, Chuongmy districts and Sontay town; and constructed land area is about 1.275,736km2, which accounts for 38% mainly distributed in the city center and urban areas. Study the ecological land space and construction land of Hanoi area and compare with the current land use status through simulation of MCRM model, we propose three types of land use. For urban ecological land, there must be measures to manage and protect the ecological environment and prohibit construction activities in the area. For ecotones land between urban construction land and ecological land, it is necessary to control and limit the construction to improve the quality of the ecological environment. For construction land, there must be a policy to promote construction along with reasonable and efficient land use development to improve urban living environment.

Presión antrópica sobre cuencas de drenaje en ecosistemas frágiles: variaciones en las existencias (stock) de carbono orgánico asociadas a cambios morfológicos fluviales

Cambios antrópicos en el área de drenaje de cuencas hidrológicas determinan los procesos de erosión dominante y las fuentes de sedimento, movilizando ciertos reservorios (pools) de carbono. Además, estos cambios en el área de drenaje influyen en la dinámica sedimentaria con consecuencias en la morfología fluvial. Éstas, a su vez, pueden crear las condiciones para estabilizar carbono orgánico (CO) en los sedimentos por enterramiento, preservación de carbono, ralentización de la mineralización y colonización vegetal terrestre o acuática; causando todo ello un efecto importante en el sumidero o fuentes de carbono fluvial. Este trabajo explora el impacto de las alteraciones en el área de drenaje (reforestaciones, construcción de diques, abandono agrícola) en la morfología fluvial y en el sumidero de CO sedimentario, en una cuenca semiárida y de elevada erodibilidad. La aproximación metodológica combina el análisis cartográfico de los usos del suelo, la fotointerpretación geomorfológica del cauce y formas adyacentes en dos escenarios (1956 y 2016); y muestreos recientes de suelos y sedimentos para la determinación de las existencias (stock) de CO. La cobertura del suelo varió de un escenario principalmente agrario hacia un patrón forestal. Esa evolución alteró la dinámica sedimentológica de la cuenca que se tradujo en importantes cambios morfológicos en el cauce, disminuyendo la superficie de cauce activo (52%), incrementando la erosión lateral (77%) y las cárcavas adyacentes (11%), así como llanuras (31%) y abanicos aluviales (37%). Además, el cauce se revegetó ligeramente (16%). Todo ello propició un aumento del reservorio total de CO en los sedimentos fluviales (12%), ligeramente por encima del aumento del reservorio en los suelos de la cuenca (10%). La razón de las existencias (stock) de CO sedimentos/suelos fue >0.8, lo cual nos indica la gran capacidad de secuestro de carbono de los sedimentos, con existencias de CO por encima de los suelos agrícolas. Se constató que la dinámica geomorfológica fluvial juega un papel relevante en los flujos de CO, y en la capacidad de estabilizar sedimentos que generan sumideros de CO, en condiciones de estrechamiento del cauce activo y reverdecimiento del lecho. Estos procesos de secuestro de carbono en lechos secos y efímeros, tienen una gran relevancia para variados servicios ecosistémicos, y deberían ponerse en valor en la gestión de zonas sedimentarias fluviales.

Transformações Multi-Temporais do Uso e Coberturas das Terras no Bairro de Cruz das Almas, Litoral Norte de Maceió, Alagoas, Nordeste do Brasil (Multi-temporal transformations of land use and coverage in the Cruz das Almas neighborhood, Maceió north coast, Alagoas, Northeast Brazil)

O presente estudo se dedicou a discutir o avanço da mancha urbano no Bairro de Cruz das Almas em Maceió em um período de 32 anos, seus efeitos e consequências ambientais. Como metodologia foi utilizada uma análise quantitativa dos percentuais de coberturas das terras utilizando fotografias aéreas e imagens orbitais através do software Qgis 2.18, o que possibilitou o cálculo dos percentuais de coberturas existentes no bairro ao longo do tempo. Os anos de referência foram 1986, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2016 e 2018, possibilitando a confecção de mapas temáticos representativos dos parâmetros utilizados para a elaboração dos resultados. Observou-se que a área de estudo sofreu acentuadas modificações urbanas, com significativo adensamento na sua ocupação. Este fato pode ser comprovado ao se analisar os percentuais de área edificada entre os anos de 1986 e 2018, constatando-se um aumento de 38,54% na área edificada, ocasionado tanto por incentivos privados como públicos, resultando assim na metamorfose atual do bairro. Os efeitos deste crescimento vieram acompanhados por uma série de problemas socioambientais, decorrentes principalmente de planejamento territorial pouco efetivo no que concerne ao desenvolvimento humano e ambiental, a exemplo da ocupação de áreas de riscos geomorfológicos, poluição dos corpos hídricos e necessidade de ampliação do sistema de circulação local. As análises quantitativas e qualitativas realizadas se mostraram promissoras, possibilitando alcançar o objetivo proposto, bem como, ampliar as discussões sobre o Bairro. Viabilizando a representação detalhada das transformações no bairro de Cruz das Almas e seus efeitos paisagísticos em modelos cartográficos e apresentando informações que poderão ser utilizados como subsídio ao planejamento territorial, gestão e tomada de decisões pelos diversos setores que compõem a sociedade.A B S T R A C TThe present study was dedicated to discuss the advance of the urban stain in the neighborhood of Cruz das Almas in Maceió in a period of 32 years, its effects and environmental consequences. As a methodology, a quantitative analysis of the percentages of land cover using aerial photographs and orbital images through the software Qgis 2.18 was used, which made it possible to calculate the percentages of coverage existing in the neighborhood over time. The reference years were 1986, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2016 and 2018, making it possible to prepare representative thematic maps of the parameters used for the elaboration of results. It was observed that the study area underwent accentuated urban modifications, with a significant increase in its occupation. This fact can be proved by analyzing the percentages of area built between 1986 and 2018; a 38.54% increase in the built area was verified, caused by both private and public incentives, resulting in the current metamorphosis of the neighborhood. The effects of this growth were accompanied by a series of socio-environmental problems, mainly due to the lack of effective territorial planning for human and environmental development, such as the occupation of areas of geomorphological risks, pollution of water bodies and the need to expand the local system circulation. The quantitative and qualitative analysis performed were promising, making it possible to reach the proposed objective, as well as to broaden the discussions about the Neighborhood. Enabling the detailed representation of the transformations in the neighborhood of Cruz das Almas and its landscape effects in cartographic models and presenting information that can be used as a subsidy to territorial planning, to management and decision-making by the various sectors that compose society.Keywords: Multi-temporal transformations; Ground coverings; Urban stain.

An Assessment of Urban Sprawl in Northern Sakarya Province Following the 1999 Earthquake, NW Turkey

Quantifying and monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of the land use/land cover (LULC) in a given region are critical for better characterizing land use generally, including that for social, economic and environmental purposes. Urbanization plays a key role in modifying land cover and has a widespread impact on the environment, where uncontrolled urban sprawl also leads to disruption of landscapes and habitat and degradation in biodiversity. Monitoring continuous LULC changes can provide helpful insights for decision makers of future planning, in terms of establishing robust land use management planning. However, urban growth is very complex phenomenon and hard to control under unpredictable disasters such as earthquakes. Here, we have focused on Sakarya Province in order to assess LULC change in the city following the 1999 Kocaeli earthquake. For this purpose, three Landsat satellite images were used covering the last two decades. Segmentation process and supervised classification of images were also employed. In the whole study region following the 1999 destructive earthquake, the image analysis result shows that the significant transformation in land use developed in the settlement area from 1291.5 to 1516.3 ha (up to 17.4% in ratio) due to migration. According to the results, a decrease of 21.2% was recorded in forest areas from 3505.7 to 2761.3 ha and a decrease of 15.8% was recorded in inland wetlands from 120.5 to 101.0 ha. In contrast, we have estimated an increase in agricultural areas from 63.2 to 67.2 ha (6.3% in ratio) despite a slight decrease in the 2008–2016 periods. In conclusion, we have observed a northern urban sprawl in the area where the natural balance is estimated to deteriorate in the coming years.

Land-Use Change and Its Impact on Urban Flooding: A Case Study on Colombo District Flood on May 2016

Colombo district has become an increasingly congested urban society. It has been reported that the frequent flooding in the Colombo district occurs due to the shrinking of open spaces, illegal constructions, and lack of suitable waste disposal facilities. Therefore, this study focuses on analyzing the impact of land-use change on the flood of Colombo district in May 2016 in comparison to the land-use during the flood in 1989. Accordingly, Landsat images were utilized to identify the land-use by using NDVI, NDBI, and NDWI indices. Out of the several techniques examined, SVM classification was chosen, and change detection techniques in conjunction with remote sensing and GIS environment were adopted. SVM classification showed the highest accuracy for land-use classification, which was 99.0% in 1989 and 99.9% in 2016. The comparison of land-use changes of 1989 and 2016 with similar flood extent of the Colombo district proved that the area of the Kelani river watershed changed into urban area, having a significant impact on flood inundation. The Kelani river watershed includes 23% of the total urban area of the Colombo district. Similarly, the entire area of land-use transformation covered 37.7% of the area within the watershed region of the Colombo district. Eventually, this research identified the significant impact of Colombo district floods in May 2016 on land-use changes.

Unraveling latent transformations in metropolitan structures: a local-scale analysis of urban landscapes and social functions

Identifying the intimate mechanisms underlying urban growth and the resulting impact on local-scale landscape structures is an intriguing issue worldwide. Metropolitan expansion in the last decades resulted in (more or less) scattered settlements consuming (or degrading) semi-natural areas devoted to agriculture and forestry. This process has progressively led to multi-faceted landscape configurations influenced by different socioeconomic, demographic, cultural and political factors. At the same time, lack of comparable information among metropolitan areas prevents a comprehensive investigation of patterns and processes of urban expansion. Based on these premises, our study investigates the micro-scale structure of urban landscapes using a spatially-explicit analysis based on Geographic Information Systems tools. This approach was applied to a comparative, fine-grained analysis of landscape structures in three Southern European metropolitan areas characterized by different socioeconomic contexts (Barcelona, Rome and Athens). Results of this paper shed light on the intrinsic linkage between landscape structure and social functions, providing an informed knowledge of land-use transformations in contemporary cities. Rethinking complex interactions between contemporary landscapes and the (evolving) socioeconomic background is particularly urgent in urban contexts characterized by weak planning systems and limited participation to land-use decisions.

Payment for Ecosystem Services in Ukraine: Priority Direction of Revitalization

The authors of the article are involved in the actualization of the informational and educational campaign on the value of ecosystem services and their assessment in Ukraine. The content of the economic category of public welfare through the prism of ecosystem services, approaches to their classification, assessment and payments are researched. The results of the informational and educational campaign on the value of ecosystem services of Ukraine and the further application of assessment of such services as one of the priority strategic tasks of the country’s environmental policy are analyzed. The terminological, environmental protection and climatic context of state policy in the area of forest ecosystem services in Ukraine is highlighted. It is substantiated that the intensity of nature uses, in particular the use of land resources, forms space in different ways and affects the vulnerability of ecosystems and their stability. It is proved that ecosystem services and land use are directly related, since the intensity of the latter, which causes the formation of spatial transformations, is determined by qualitative and quantitative indicators. Three levels of land use intensity (low, medium, high), which determine changes in the spectrum and quality of ecosystem services are investigated. An economic assessment of ecosystem services in Ukraine are conducted in terms of areas for the following types of land use: agricultural (arable and pasture land), forest and land under bogs. The grouping of regions according to the level of ecosystem transformation and intensity of land use is done. The results of such grouping indicate that the current state of land use governance requires a revision of the existing artificial, unified governance approach. In the future, the activation of the instrument – payment for ecosystem services will increase the level of capitalization and investment attractiveness of both natural assets in general and of land economic assets in particular. Key words: assessment, welfare, ecosystem, ecosystem service, governance instrument, intensity of land use.

Establishing limits to agriculture and afforestation: A GIS based multi-objective approach to prevent algal blooms in a coastal lagoon

Biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services provision can compete with other land uses due to its incompatibility with many productive activities. The need for multifunctional landscapes that simultaneously provide food security, maintenance of ecological functions and fulfill welfare requirements is evident. Multi-objective optimization procedures can select between different land uses in each parcel of the territory, simultaneously satisfying contrasting objectives. Each solution (a map) represents a spatial configuration of land uses, generating spatial alternatives and offering flexibility to conduct discussions among social actors. In order to prevent eutrophication we developed a methodological approach for planning land-use transformations in productive territories, considering ecological processes from the beginning. A two-objective approach was used to allocate different land uses in the most suitable sites (objective one) that simultaneously minimize nutrients exportation (objective two). The land uses allocation was Pareto optimal and was conducted by integer linear programming. According to the relative importance given to each objective, two types of land use allocation were obtained, one dominated by agriculture but where a threshold of phosphorus load was exceeded, and another one where conservation and livestock ranching on natural grasslands prevailed and the phosphorus load decreased dramatically. This spatially explicit tool helps decision makers to design multifunctional landscapes for sustainable development and promote social discussions.

INFORMATION SUPPORT OF LAND MANAGEMENT IN AGRICULTURE

The article is devoted to the substantiation of the role of information support of land managementand the improvement of the theoretical and methodological foundations of information support of landmanagement in agriculture. The feasibility of introducing information support for land management isdetermined by scientific and technical progress in the field of geodesy and cartography, the developmentof geo-information technologies, as well as the need to improve the efficiency of land management causedby the transformation of agricultural land use, land redistribution and activation of the land market. Itis determined that the process of information support of land management allows you to create a comprehensiveview of the organization of the territory, improvement of agricultural land and crop rotationand make informed decisions in the process of land management design. A structural-logical model of asystem for information management of land management in agriculture has been proposed, which impliesthe functioning of three main interrelated subsystems: information-analytical, automation of land managementdesign, organization of land management works. The main task of the information-analyticalsubsystem of information management of land management in agriculture is the organization of datastorage, ensuring the procedures for editing and restoring them, and servicing requests for informationretrieval entering the system. The subsystem of automation of land management design includes elementsthat provide data processing, information transformation, mathematical modeling and analysis. The maintask of the latter subsystem is to conduct land management work on the basis of generating and formattingthe results of the system in the form of maps, graphic images, tables, texts and other information. Ingeneral, the information support of land management in agriculture is one of the ways to innovativelyimprove the process of managing agricultural production.

Assessment of land use land cover changes and its impact on variations of land surface temperature in Asansol-Durgapur Development Region

Fast transformation of land use/land cover because of urban expansion profoundly influences biodiversity and ecosystem function, as well as local and regional climate. One of the more serious impacts of urbanization is the formation of urban heat island (UHI) effect. Asansol-Durgapur Development Region is the second largest urban identity in West Bengal just after Kolkata urban agglomeration. Rapid urban growth in Asansol-Durgapur Development Region has brought about fast transformation of LULC pattern which in turn significantly affect the LST. Fast transformation of land use and land cover pattern brought significant changes in LST. The study attempts to examine the influence of land use/land cover (LULC) on land surface temperature in Asansol-Durgapur Development Region by employing multi temporal satellite data. LST is extracted in three different phases seasonally (e.g. winter, summer and post- monsoon periods) by using LANDSAT 4–5 TM and LANDSAT 8 OLI over the period of 1993, 2009 and 2015. Results depict that LST increases 0.06 °C/year in winter and 0.43 °C/year in summer periods respectively and the difference of surface radiant temperature is significant over existing different LULC units. The result of the study revealed that the impervious surface, industrial area and coal mining area has high surface temperature (38 °C) and water bodies and vegetation cover has experienced low surface temperature (27 °C). The study also examined causality of association between LST and deriving factors such as NDVI, NDBI and NDWI. The result reveals that LST maximally controls by impervious surface (r = 0.95) than water bodies (r = 0.62) and vegetation cover (r = 0.61).