The impact of land use and land cover changes on the landscape pattern and ecosystem service value in Sanjiangyuan region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Investigating land cover changes and their impact on land surface temperature in Tay Ninh province, Vietnam

Land surface temperature (LST) serves as a crucial indicator for evaluating the effects of different environmental factors on the ecosystem, including alterations in land use, climate variations, and emissions of greenhouse gases. This comprehensive study used remote sensing data to analyze changes and effects of land use/land cover (LULC) on LST in Tay Ninh province, Vietnam, from 1988-2023. Landsat satellite images in 1988, 2004, and 2023 were preprocessed and supervised classification on ArcGIS 10.8 software. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and LST in the study area were determined using the Landsat image data. The classification results showed a decrease in the area of agricultural land, barren land, and forest classes by 8.30%, 8.82%, and 15.93%, respectively, from 1988 to 2023. Conversely, the area of built-up and waterbodies classes indicated an increase of 33.00% and 0.06%, respectively, during the same period. In terms of LST, the study area exhibited temperature ranges of approximately 19.75 °C-35.28 °C, 26.26 °C-46.33 °C, and 21.05 °C-40.60 °C in 1988, 2004, and 2023, respectively. Contribution Index (CI) and multiple regression analysis evaluated the relationship between land cover, LST, NDVI, and NDBI. The regression analysis preliminary showed a negative correlation between NDVI and LST, while a positive correlation was observed between NDBI and LST. The CI of built-up areas has increased from 0.01 in 1988 to 0.77 in 2023, which shows that this coating has contributed to rising temperatures in the study area. Meanwhile, the forest and water body classes have consistently negative CI throughout the period 1988-2023, which has contributed to the decrease in temperature. This comprehensive study provides policymakers with valuable information regarding LULC and LST, instilling confidence in developing effective policies for land resource management.

Significant implications of diversity and stability for ecosystem sustainability necessitate differentiated management strategies: A case study of the urban agglomeration around Hangzhou Bay, China

Ecosystems are crucial for providing essential services, supporting ecological conservation, and promoting sustainable development on both regional and global scales. However, robust methodologies and comprehensive frameworks for assessing ecosystem sustainability are still lacking. This study presents an integrated framework that incorporates both diversity and stability in evaluating ecosystem sustainability. Our methodology involves a multi-step process: first, we select and integrate landscape metrics to quantify ecosystem diversity; second, we establish an ecological network and apply a robustness model to assess ecosystem stability; finally, we delineate zones of ecosystem sustainability based on the combined assessments of diversity and stability. Our findings reveal that (1) from 1995 to 2020, ecosystem diversity significantly increased within the urban agglomeration around Hangzhou Bay (UAHB), with notable regional patterns, particularly in Huzhou, Jiaxing, and Ningbo. (2) The structure and connectivity of the ecological network have markedly improved, with network robustness in 2020 surpassing that of 1995, indicating enhanced ecosystem stability. (3) Five distinct ecological zones were identified-high sustainability protected areas, ecosystem stability improving areas, low sustainability fragile areas, ecosystem diversity improving areas, and moderate sustainability transition areas-each accompanied by specific management strategies. This research offers theoretical insights and practical guidance for ecological protection and restoration, advancing sustainable ecosystem development.

Ecological protection makes the ecological Kuznets curve turning point come earlier

Exploring the relationship between land use cover/change (LUCC) and ecosystem service value (ESV) under different future scenarios can provide guidance for selecting future development patterns and for the scientific utilization of land resources in the region. In this study, LUCC under different scenarios in the North Slope of Tianshan Mountain (NSTM) was simulated using the PLUS model. The ESV coefficients were adjusted for regional differences and social development factors to better reflect the actual situation in the study area. The interactions between LUCC, landscape pattern (LSP), and ESV were systematically analyzed, while at the same time, ESV and the level of economic development were fitted to the Ecological Kuznets Curve, which was then used to determine its trend and inflection point. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) Cropland and unused land are the main types of land use change in the NSTM, both historically and in the future. Cropland shows an increase in the natural development scenario and a decrease in the ecological protection scenario. Unused land shows an increase in the different development scenarios, indicating that unused land has higher development potential in the NSTM. NSTM shows a continuous decrease in ESV in the natural development scenario and a continuous increase in ESV in the ecological protection scenario. (2) LSP in both historical and future NSTM have evolved to show fragmentation, heterogeneity, and complexity in patch forms. However, this trend is slower in the ecological protection scenario than in the natural development scenario. LUCC, LSP, and ESV form an integrated framework of interactions, where LUCC influences ESV through LSP, and changes in ESV feedback to LUCC through LSP, which acts as a bridging mediator. (3) The Ecological Kuznets Curve of NSTM exhibits an N-shape, showing a clear overall rightward trend across different development scenarios at the annual level. At the interannual level, the curves for the natural development scenario are situated in the middle of the declining phase of the N-shape, with no ecological inflection point occurring during the study period. In contrast, the curves for the ecological protection scenario display a declining-ascending trend, with the ecological inflection point occurring when per capita GDP reaches 2.5 × 10^6 CNY.

Improving grassland ecosystem services for human wellbeing in the karst desertification control area: Anthropogenic factors become more important

Elucidating the spatial and temporal patterns of grassland ecosystem service value (ESV) changes under different karst geomorphic types (KGTs) is crucial for promoting regional sustainable development and enhancing human well-being. Karst ecosystems are characterized by high spatial heterogeneity. However, analyses of the drivers of spatial and temporal changes in ESV in karst grasslands at multiple scales are lacking. In this study, the South China Karst (SCK) region was selected as the focus area, the gross ecosystem product (GEP) accounting method was used to quantify the grassland ESV from 2000 to 2020, and the GeoDetector model was used to elucidate the spatial and temporal evolution of the GEP, the drivers, and their interactions in different KGTs. The results indicate the following: (1) Over the past 20 years, the grassland GEP of SCK has increased from ¥ 14,844.24 × 108 in 2000 to ¥ 17,174.90 × 108 in 2020. Among the various KGTs, the karst gorge exhibited the fastest GEP increase (24.93 %) and karst hilly depressions the slowest (6.22 %). (2) The karst grassland GEP showed a strong positive spatial correlation with significant clustering characteristics (p < 0.05). (3) There are significant differences in the factors influencing the GEP of grasslands with different KGT values, and although they are generally influenced by factors such as NPP, precipitation, and population density, anthropogenic factors are becoming increasingly important. In addition, the multifactor interaction explained GEP better than the single factor. Based on our findings, we propose targeted grassland ESV restoration approaches and management recommendations for various KGTs dominated by distinct factors. Our results provide a scientific basis for decision-making regarding karst ecosystem service enhancement and value realization.

Impact of changing urban form and production-living-ecological space on changing ecosystem services of a smart city of Eastern India, Durgapur

Worldwide land use land cover (LULC) transformation become a serious issue in the last few decades due to its immense importance in environmental and human well-being perspectives. Expansion of urban areas at the expense of natural land covers and changing urban form is mainly responsible for changing environmental conditions. This study focused on identifying the impacts of LULC change on environmental conditions through the assessment of changing ecosystem services (ESs) of the Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) from 1990 to 2020. Changing ESs are assessed based on changing urban forms and production-living-ecological space (PLES) components. Results found that the compactness of urban areas is increasing along with the outward expansion. The core urban area of DMC has risen from 8.11% to 30.11% during 1990-2020. Similarly, living space increased from 15.57% to 42.60%, production space decreased from 53.06% to 25.59%, and ecological space fluctuated from 1990 to 2020. This transformation of PLES components negatively affects DMC's environmental condition, affecting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These significant results may be utilized to understand changing environmental conditions and priority issues for DMC's future sustainable urban development.

Constructing cropland ecological stability assessment method based on disturbance-resistance-response processes and classifying cropland ecological types

The cropland ecosystem stability (CES) has received increasing attention, especially in ecologically fragile areas, because of its impact on cropland quality, agricultural production and its ability to resist external disturbances. In this study, we first introduced the concepts of resilience and resistance, proposed the ecosystem disturbance-resistance-response process, and established a framework for evaluating the spatial and temporal dynamics of the CES based on RS data, and innovatively combined the RS assessment results of CES with soil field samples data to further classify cropland ecological types (CET) in a key agricultural areas of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which can effectively identify those croplands in need of priority ecological protection. Results indicate that the combined interactions of disturbance, resistance and response systems affect CES, forming a complex process with significant fluctuations and spatial variations. We also conclude that the disturbance system is positively influenced by topography and precipitation, while slope negatively affects resistance system. Hydrothermal conditions positively influence resistance system, while the response system is influenced by environmental factors at a lower intensity in six periods. It was interesting to note that soil α-biodiversity indicators are significantly and positively correlated with CES at the end of the study period. Therefore, based on the CES assessment results, we further combined the soil α-biodiversity indicators to classify the type of spatial pattern of CET and found that the eastern and northern areas have better quality, which implied an increase in the CES and a higher level of soil biodiversity, which was ideal for cropland expansion. On the contrary, we concluded that the ecosystem maintenance of the Huangshui headwaters and the northern mountainous areas needs to be strengthened in order to reverse the ecological fragility here and safeguard the cropland productive capacity.

Assessing the influence of simulated environmental gradients on the spatial heterogeneity of landscape patterns in the Tibetan Plateau

Landscape patterns are pivotal in the realms of land use planning and ecological development, yet there remains a dearth of comprehensive research pertaining to the prediction of changes in landscape pattern characteristics. Within this study, we adopt the PLUS-CA-Markov and Fragstats models to forecast landscape patterns on the Tibetan Plateau spanning the period from 2030 to 2050. Through qualitative and quantitative analyses, we explore the spatiotemporal characteristics of landscape pattern changes between 2000 and 2050, concurrently identifying correlations among landscape pattern indices. Moreover, acknowledging the distinctive environmental gradients encompassing the plateau, notably elevation, slope, temperature, and precipitation, we investigate their implications on landscape pattern changes. Our findings indicate that: (1) Grassland degradation exhibited the utmost severity between 2000 and 2020, primarily attributed to overgrazing and climate-induced glacial melt. In contrast, cropland, forest, and water showcased divergent trends from 2020 to 2050 when compared to the preceding two decades, indicative of the efficacy of climate change control measures. (2) The distribution of landscape patterns on the Tibetan Plateau exhibited a considerable level of instability, marked by a decline in aggregation, reduced diversity and complexity, and amplified ecological connectivity between 2000 and 2020, signifying a partial amelioration in ecological quality. Between 2020 and 2050, landscape aggregation decreased alongside landscape fragmentation and the number of connectivity paths, signifying a discernible degradation of the plateau's ecosystem. (3) The most significant trade-off relationship was observed between landscape division index and largest patch index, while the synergistic relationship between landscape shape index and mean shape index was more pronounced. (4) Landscape aggregation, division, and largest patch index demonstrated non-linear quadratic trends in relation to elevation and temperature. Landscape shape index and patch density exhibited irregular non-linear effects. Largest patch index was predominantly influenced by slope, whereas division index was most affected by precipitation.

Changes in total and per-capital ecosystem service value in response to land-use land-cover dynamics in north-central Ethiopia

Ecosystems provide a wide range of services crucial for human well-being and decision-making processes at various levels. This study analyzed the major land cover types of north-central Ethiopia and their impact on total and per-capita ecosystem service value (ESV). The ESV was estimated using the benefit-transfer method along the established global and local coefficient values for the periods 1973, 1986, 2001, 2016, and 2024. The findings show that agricultural lands continued to expand at a rate of 563.4 ha year-1, at the expense of forests and grasslands. As a result, the total ESV of the study area declined from $101.4 to $61.03 million and $60.08-$43.69 million, respectively. The ESV per capita was also diminished by $152.4 (37.7%) and $257 (40.6%), respectively. However, land-cover improvement during the period 2001-2016 enhanced the total and per capita ESV in the study area. Therefore, potential future research may be required to develop a valid approach for assessing the robustness and sensitivity of value coefficients for the valuation of the ESV at the landscape level.

Ecosystem service valuation and multi-scenario simulation in the Ebinur Lake Basin using a coupled GMOP-PLUS model

The Ebinur Lake Basin is an ecologically sensitive area in an arid region. Investigating its land use and land cover (LULC) change and assessing and predicting its ecosystem service value (ESV) are of great importance for the stability of the basin's socioeconomic development and sustainable development of its ecological environment. Based on LULC data from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, we assessed the ESV of the Ebinur Lake Basin and coupled the grey multi-objective optimization model with the patch generation land use simulation model to predict ESV changes in 2035 under four scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU) development, rapid economic development (RED), ecological protection (ELP), and ecological-economic balance (EEB). The results show that from 1990 to 2020, the basin was dominated by grassland (51.23%) and unused land (27.6%), with a continuous decrease in unused land and an increase in cultivated land. In thirty years, the total ESV of the study area increased from 18.62 billion to 67.28 billion yuan, with regulation and support services being the dominant functions. By 2035, cultivated land increased while unused land decreased in all four scenarios compared with that in 2020. The total ESV in 2035 under the BAU, RED, ELP, and EEB scenarios was 68.83 billion, 64.47 billion, 67.99 billion, and 66.79 billion yuan, respectively. In the RED and EEB scenarios, ESV decreased by 2.81 billion and 0.49 billion yuan, respectively. In the BAU scenario, provisioning and regulation services increased by 6.05% and 2.93%, respectively. The ELP scenario, focusing on ecological and environmental protection, saw an increase in ESV for all services. This paper can assist policymakers in optimizing land use allocation and provide scientific support for the formulation of land use strategies and sustainable ecological and environmental development in the inland river basins of arid regions.

Effects of agricultural land use on soil nutrients and its variation along altitude gradients in the downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin, Tibetan Plateau

Agricultural development in alpine ecosystems can cause significant changes in soil nutrients. With large altitude spans, the combined effect of the two is still unclear in existing research. To answer this problem, this study took the downstream of the Yarlung Zangbo River Basin (YZRB) as the study area, and designed a comparative soil sampling scheme along the altitude gradient. We compared soil nutrient characteristics facility agricultural land (FA) and field cultivated land (FC), using grassland (GL), the main source of agriculture expansion, as a reference. A total of 44 sampling areas were designed within an altitude range of 800-3500 m to reveal the effects of agricultural land development along the altitude gradient on soil nutrients. Research found that the FA significantly improved soil nutrient levels, with most nutrient indicators higher than those of FC and GL (P < 0.05), while the above indicators of FC were only slightly higher than GL. Moreover, the effects of agricultural development decreased with soil depth, and mainly occurred within the 0-30 cm soil layer (P < 0.05). With increasing altitude, most of soil nutrients first decreased and then increased and differences in soil nutrients among different land use modes first expanded and then shrank. This may be related to differences in farmland management methods, vegetation coverage, and temperature under different altitude gradient constraints. Especially in middle-altitude areas, the FA not only breaks through the low-temperature limitations of the plateau, but also has the advantage of large-scale development, which is suggested for future agricultural intensification in the plateau.

Evolution and spatial reconstruction of rural settlements based on composite features of agglomeration effect and ecological effects in the Hexi Corridor, Northwest China

Rural reconstruction plays a pivotal role in the revitalization of rural areas and the development of regions. Understanding the pattern and direction of rural settlement reconstruction is crucial for effectively coordinating urban and rural development, as well as promoting regional rural revitalization. The present study proposes a novel approach to elucidate the evolution and spatial reconstruction of rural settlements by integrating features of agglomeration effect and ecological effect. By employing GIS spatial analysis technology and ecosystem service value modeling, the research analyzes the combined spatial agglomeration and ecological value characteristics of rural settlements in an arid oasis area, specifically focusing on the Hexi Corridor. Based on the analysis, the study identifies specific rural settlement reconstruction zoning and directions for optimization, considering rural settlement accessibility. The study reveals three key findings: (1) There are significant differences in the scale density and spatial distribution of rural settlements across the Hexi Corridor. (2) The overall ecological environment quality is good, and there is significant spatial differentiation in the ecosystem service value, influenced by topographic factors. (3) The optimal layout mode for rural settlements in the Hexi Corridor is the combination type of 'higher-ecological higher-density'. Based on the combined agglomeration effect and ecological effect features, the research determines the reconstruction scope of alienated rural settlements. Additionally, four predominant reconstruction modes are identified: urban agglomeration type, central village construction type, internal coordination type, and ecological protection type. The study proposes viable reconstruction paths for rural settlements based on these modes.

Spatio-Temporal Change of Land Use/Land Cover and Vegetation Using Multi-MODIS Satellite Data, Western Ethiopia

Land use and land cover (LULC) change and variability are some of the challenges to present-day water resource management. The purpose of this study was to determine LULC and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) fluctuations in western Ethiopia during the last 20 years. The first part of the study used MODIS LULC data for the change analysis, change detection, and spatial and temporal coverage in the study region. In the second part, the study analyzes the NDVI change and its spatial and temporal coverage. In this study, The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data were applied to determine LULC and NDVI changes over four different periods. Evergreen broadleaf forests, deciduous broadleaf forests, mixed forests, woody savannas, savannas, grasslands, permanent wetlands, croplands, urban and built-up lands, and water bodies are the LULC in the period of analysis. The overall classification accuracy for the classified image from 2001 to 2020 was 85.4% and the overall kappa statistic was 81.2%. The results indicate a substantial increase in woody savannas, deciduous broadleaf, grasslands, permanent wetlands, and mixed forest areas by 119.6%, 57.7% 45.2%, 37%, and 21.3%, respectively, followed by reductions in croplands, water bodies, savannas, and evergreen broadleaf forest by 90.1%, 19.8%, 13.2%, and 4.8%, respectively, for the catchment between 2001 and 2020. The result also showed that the area's vegetation cover increased by 64% from 2001 to 2022. This study could provide valuable information for water resource and environmental management as well as policy and decision-making.

Spatial-temporal evolution of production-living-ecological space and layout optimization strategy in eco-sensitive areas: a case study of typical area on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China

To achieve sustainable development goals and to solve environmental problems, land resources in eco-sensitive areas should be used and optimized. Qinghai, which is an important eco-sensitive area in China, represents a typical ecological vulnerable region on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Using land use/cover data for 2000, 2010 and 2020, this study applied a series of quantitative methods to analyze the spatial pattern and structure of the production-living-ecological space (PLES) in Qinghai. The results indicated that the spatial pattern of the PLES in Qinghai was stable over time, but the spatial distribution was very different. The structure of the PLES in Qinghai was stable, and the proportion of each space from high to low was ecological (81.01%), production (18.13%) and living (0.86%). We found that the proportion of ecological space in both the Qilian Mountains and the Three River Headwaters Region was lower than the rest of the study area, except for the Yellow River-Huangshui River Valley. Our study objectively and credibly presented the characteristics of the PLES in an important eco-sensitive area in China. This study further formulated targeted policy suggestions to provide a basis for regional sustainable development, ecological environment protection, and land and space optimization in Qinghai.