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Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem...
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Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil-Sediment-Water Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 35358

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jinyan Zhan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Interests: land use/cover change; ecosystem services; environmental impact scenario estimation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xinqi Zheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences in Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: urban simulation and geo-spatial modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Shaikh Shamim Hasan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur 1706, Bangladesh
Interests: land use/land cover change; agricultural extension and rural development; sustainable development in agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wei Cheng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (IGSNRR), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China
Interests: climate dynamics; physical geography; sustainable development

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change and rapid urbanization cause serious problems for the ecosystem, threatening the sustainable development of human societies.  The world has experienced dramatic land degradation in recent years, and destructive land use is driving long-term losses of ecosystem function and productivity.  Ecosystems provide essential resources that support human survival and wellbeing. Therefore, land degradation greatly impacts socio-economic development. An exploration of suitable pathways and scenarios for urban and rural regional sustainable development is urgently required. The existing literature has been carried out to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of land degradation and its negative impacts on ecosystems. However, the research framework, dataset, method and case studies to estimate land degradation and associated ecosystem responses require further exploration. Specific solutions to address land degradation should be proposed and verified to contribute to and ensure regional ecological security.

For this Special Issue, we are interested in contributions that link the ecosystem changes response to land degradation, either via conceptual/theoretical work or empirical research, identifying the characteristics and solutions for sustainable development, including but not limited to:

  • Land use and land cover change;
  • Land degradation;
  • Ecological impacts of urbanization;
  • Ecosystem services estimation and simulation;
  • Influencing mechanism of land degradation on ecosystem;
  • Trend prediction and scenario analysis;
  • Spatial modelling and simulation;
  • Ecological planning and zoning;
  • Nature-based solutions;
  • Carbon neutrality;
  • Social, economic and ecological coordinated development;
  • SDGs and high-quality development.

Contributions in the field of land ecology are especially welcome, but research from other socio-economic fields that benefit the regional sustainable development are also highly welcome. Research regarding multi-scale analysis and field survey is also desired.

Proposed titles and abstracts (250 words) can be submitted by 31 May 2022 to the guest editors, at [email protected], for possible feedback, if prospective authors want some feedback before preparing their manuscripts.

Prof. Dr. Jinyan Zhan
Prof. Dr. Xinqi Zheng
Prof. Dr. Shaikh Shamim Hasan
Dr. Wei Cheng

Guest Editor

Keywords

  • land use/cover change (LUCC)
  • land degradation
  • ecosystem function
  • ecosystem services
  • GIS
  • land planning
  • Carbon neutrality
  • Spatial modeling
  • sustainable development

Published Papers (17 papers)

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20 pages, 3743 KiB  
Article
Wind Tunnel Tests Reveal Aeolian Relocation Processes Related to Land Cover and Surface Characteristics in the Souss Basin, Morocco
by Miriam Marzen, Mario Kirchhoff, Ali Aït Hssaine and Johannes B. Ries
Land 2023, 12(1), 40; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land12010040 - 23 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267
Abstract
The Souss Basin is a dryland environment featuring soil, surface and climatic conditions enhancing processes of wind erosion and mineral and organic dust emissions while subject to frequent grazing, tillage and driving. The fine-grained compacted surfaces are covered by physical and biological crusts [...] Read more.
The Souss Basin is a dryland environment featuring soil, surface and climatic conditions enhancing processes of wind erosion and mineral and organic dust emissions while subject to frequent grazing, tillage and driving. The fine-grained compacted surfaces are covered by physical and biological crusts and stone cover and are sparsely vegetated by open argan woodland and patchily distributed bushes. Wind-tunnel experiments and soil sampling were conducted on the deeply incised alluvial fans originating from High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountains to investigate the dryland ecosystem, including the open argan woodland, for information on local wind-induced relocation processes and associated dust emission potential. To investigate possible connections between dryland environmental traits and dust emissions, we used two approaches: (a) surface categories (stone cover, crust and cohesionless sand) and (b) Land Cover Classes (wasteland, woodland and wadi). The results indicate omnipresent dynamic aeolian surface processes on a local to regional scale. Wind impact is a powerful trigger for the on-site relocation of available mineral and organic dust and may be crucial to explain the heterogeneous spatial distribution of soil organic carbon and nutrients associated with mineral fines. Aeolian dust flux showed statistically significant relations with surface categories and, to some extent, with Land Cover Classes. While wind erosion processes are key to understanding on-site sediment and nutrient dynamics between fertile dryland islands, the results also indicate a considerable dust emission potential under increasing climate impact and anthropogenic pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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16 pages, 3038 KiB  
Article
Distribution Characteristics and Potential Risks of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Pollution at a Typical Industrial Legacy Site in Tianjin, North China
by Chaocan Li, Xiaopeng Zhang, Xuqin Wang, Xinbo Zhang, Shigang Liu, Ting Yuan, Weigui Qu and Youjun Zhang
Land 2022, 11(10), 1806; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11101806 - 15 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1126
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution in the soil of industrial legacy sites is a prominent problem when reusing urban land. To estimate the potential risks of PAHs, this study investigated 16 priority PAHs in the soil at different depths in a typical decommissioned [...] Read more.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollution in the soil of industrial legacy sites is a prominent problem when reusing urban land. To estimate the potential risks of PAHs, this study investigated 16 priority PAHs in the soil at different depths in a typical decommissioned industrial site in Tianjin. PAH concentrations were determined via gas chromatography-(tandem) quadrupole mass spectrometry. Incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) assessment was applied to assess the potential risks to the population after land reconstruction. The total concentrations of PAHs in the soil at different depths ranged from 38.3 ng·g−1 to 1782.5 ng·g−1, which were below the risk control standard for soil contamination of development land (GB 36600-2018). Low-ring (two-three ring) PAHs exhibit a dominant component, and the variations in PAH compositions were closely related to the former production units and soil properties. Compared to silty clay layers, PAHs tended to accumulate in the permeable miscellaneous fill layers. Incremental lifetime cancer risk assessment values associated with different exposure pathways for children, adolescents, and adults were calculated. The results showed potential carcinogenic risks for people of varying ages in this area, but they were still acceptable. In general, this legacy site can meet the demands of sustainable land development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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17 pages, 2186 KiB  
Article
An Assessment of the Rational Range of Eco-Compensation Standards: A Case Study in the Nujiang Prefecture, Southwestern China
by Weidong Xiao, Liquan Qu, Kai Li, Chuanxu Guo and Jie Li
Land 2022, 11(9), 1417; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11091417 - 28 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1332 | Correction
Abstract
Eco-compensation is an effective means of coordinating ecological protection and economic development, and the assessment of its standards is core content in the study of eco-compensation projects. To improve the operability of eco-compensation standards, taking Nujiang Prefecture as the study area, we combine [...] Read more.
Eco-compensation is an effective means of coordinating ecological protection and economic development, and the assessment of its standards is core content in the study of eco-compensation projects. To improve the operability of eco-compensation standards, taking Nujiang Prefecture as the study area, we combine the equivalent factor method and water footprint method to evaluate the ecosystem-service-value (ESV) spillover and use the market comparison method to calculate the opportunity cost. The final eco-compensation upper and lower limits model is constructed on the basis of the ESV spillover and opportunity cost. The results show the following: (1) the ecological protection of Nujiang Prefecture has been effective, based on the stabilization of its ESV after an initial increase. The main types of ecosystem services provided are regulation and provision services. Gongshan County makes the most significant contribution to the total ESV. (2) The ratio of the ESV self-consumption in Nujiang Prefecture shows a trend of first rising and then falling. This is mainly explained through the reduction in the use of industrial and agricultural water. After deducting self-consumption through the water footprint method, it can be observed that there is ecological spillover in Nujiang Prefecture. (3) The opportunity cost in Nujiang Prefecture increases yearly from 2005 to 2020 owing to ecological protection policies. Combined with the ESV spillover, it is determined that the rational range of the eco-compensation standard is between CNY 6.17 × 102 million and 120.01 × 102 million in 2005, between CNY 10.02 × 102 million and 128.25 × 102 million in 2010, between CNY 30.34 × 102 million and 197.12 × 102 million in 2015, and between CNY 41.97 × 102 million and 227.52 × 102 million in 2020. The current study can offer decision makers a more flexible eco-compensation standard while coordinating the contradiction between regional ecological protection and economic development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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21 pages, 2846 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Land Use on Pools and Indices of Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen in the Ghaggar Flood Plains of Arid India
by Pravash Chandra Moharana, Roshan Lal Meena, Mahaveer Nogiya, Roomesh Kumar Jena, Gulshan Kumar Sharma, Sonalika Sahoo, Prakash Kumar Jha, Kumari Aditi and P. V. Vara Prasad
Land 2022, 11(8), 1180; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11081180 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1724
Abstract
Changes in land use have several impacts on soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, both of which are important for soil stability and fertility. Initially, the study area was barren uncultivated desert land. During the late 1960s, the introduction of a [...] Read more.
Changes in land use have several impacts on soil organic carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, both of which are important for soil stability and fertility. Initially, the study area was barren uncultivated desert land. During the late 1960s, the introduction of a canal in the arid region converted the barren deserts into cultivated land. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of various land use systems on temporal changes in soil organic C and N pools, and to evaluate the usefulness of different C and N management indices for suitable and sustainable land use systems under arid conditions. We quantified soil organic C and N pools in five different land uses of the Ghaggar flood plains, in hot, arid Rajasthan, India. The study focused on five land use systems: uncultivated, agroforestry, citrus orchard, rice–wheat, and forage crop. These land use systems are ≥20 years old. Our results showed that total organic carbon (TOC) was highest (7.20 g kg−1) in the forage crop and lowest in uncultivated land (3.10 g kg−1), and it decreased with depth. Across different land uses, the very labile carbon (VLC) fraction varied from 36.11 to 42.74% of TOC. In comparison to the uncultivated system, forage cropping, rice–wheat, citrus orchard, and agroforestry systems increased active carbon by 103%, 68.3%, 42.5%, and 30.6%, respectively. Changes in management and land use are more likely to affect the VLC. In soil under the forage crop, there was a considerable improvement in total N, labile N, and mineral N. Lability index of C (LIC), carbon management index (CMI), and TOC/clay indices were more sensitive to distinguishing land uses. The highest value of CMI was observed in the forage crop system followed by rice–wheat and agroforestry. In the long term, adoption of the forage crop increased soil quality in the hot, arid desert environment by enhancing CMI and VLC, which are the useful parameters for assessing the capacity of land use systems to promote soil quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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19 pages, 5243 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Estimation of Saline-Soil Amelioration Using Remote-Sensing Indices in Arid Land for Better Management
by Hesham M. Aboelsoud, Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman, Ahmed M. S. Kheir, Mona S. M. Eid, Khalil A. Ammar, Tamer H. Khalifa and Antonio Scopa
Land 2022, 11(7), 1041; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11071041 - 08 Jul 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3423
Abstract
Soil salinity and sodicity are significant issues worldwide. In particular, they represent the most dominant types of degraded lands, especially in arid and semi-arid regions with minimal rainfall. Furthermore, in these areas, human activities mainly contribute to increasing the degree of soil salinity, [...] Read more.
Soil salinity and sodicity are significant issues worldwide. In particular, they represent the most dominant types of degraded lands, especially in arid and semi-arid regions with minimal rainfall. Furthermore, in these areas, human activities mainly contribute to increasing the degree of soil salinity, especially in dry areas. This study developed a model for mapping soil salinity and sodicity using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). It also provided salinity management techniques (leaching and gypsum requirements) to ameliorate soil and improve crop productivity. The model results showed a high correlation between the soil electrical conductivity (ECe) and remote-sensing spectral indices SIA, SI3, VSSI, and SI9 (R2 = 0.90, 0.89, 0.87, and 0.83), respectively. In contrast, it showed a low correlation between ECe and SI5 (R2 = 0.21). The salt-affected soils in the study area cover about 56% of cultivated land, of which the spatial distribution of different soil salinity levels ranged from low soil salinity of 44% of the salinized cultivated land, moderate soil salinity of 27% of salinized cultivated land, high soil salinity of 29% of the salinized cultivated land, and extreme soil salinity of 1% of the salinized cultivated land. The leaching water requirement (LR) depths ranged from 0.1 to 0.30 m ha−1, while the gypsum requirement (GR) ranged from 0.1 to 9 ton ha−1. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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25 pages, 4535 KiB  
Article
Landscape Planning Integrated Approaches to Support Post-Wildfire Restoration in Natural Protected Areas: The Vesuvius National Park Case Study
by Elena Cervelli, Stefania Pindozzi, Emilia Allevato, Luigi Saulino, Roberto Silvestro, Ester Scotto di Perta and Antonio Saracino
Land 2022, 11(7), 1024; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11071024 - 06 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1684
Abstract
In recent decades in the Mediterranean basin there has been a considerable increase in both the number of wildfires and the extent of fire-damaged areas, resulting in ecological and socio-economic impacts. Protected areas are particularly vulnerable and many characteristics underpinning their legal protection [...] Read more.
In recent decades in the Mediterranean basin there has been a considerable increase in both the number of wildfires and the extent of fire-damaged areas, resulting in ecological and socio-economic impacts. Protected areas are particularly vulnerable and many characteristics underpinning their legal protection are threatened. Several studies have been devoted to mitigating wildfire risks inside the protected areas, however often only in regard to natural heritage losses. Based on the adaptive wildfire resilience approaches, this work proposes a framework of actions that integrates natural, social and economic components. Starting from the Vesuvius National Park case study, affected by wildfires in 2017, the paper proposes a framework of action, envisaging two main phases: (i) the identification of priority intervention areas, by means of spatial multicriteria decision analysis, and (ii) damage assessment by using a monetary approach to value ecosystem services (ESs). The results identified priority areas where to concentrate economic and material resources, and estimated ecosystems damage, demonstrated ESs losses in areas adjacent to the burnt ones. This work, by integrating the relation between environmental sciences and policy, underpins a medium-long term development planning process. The aim of this work is to support landscape management and planning that includes socio-economic components such as sustainable development measures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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15 pages, 5311 KiB  
Article
Thermal Environment Effects of Built-Up Land Expansion in Shijiazhuang
by Ling Qin, Han Liu, Guofei Shang, Huicai Yang and Haiming Yan
Land 2022, 11(7), 968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11070968 - 24 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1265
Abstract
Exploring the thermal environment effects of built-up land expansion can lay a firm foundation for urban planning and design. This study revealed the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of built-up land and heat island center points in Shijiazhuang using land-use/land-cover data and land surface temperature [...] Read more.
Exploring the thermal environment effects of built-up land expansion can lay a firm foundation for urban planning and design. This study revealed the spatiotemporal dynamic characteristics of built-up land and heat island center points in Shijiazhuang using land-use/land-cover data and land surface temperature (LST) products from 1996 to 2019, and the response mechanism between the percentage of built-up land (PLAND) and LST with the grid sampling method and statistical analysis. Results indicated that heat islands are mainly clustered in the downtown, built-up areas of counties and the Hutuo River Basin. The spatiotemporal shift direction of the center point of the urban heat island (UHI) and built-up land in the whole study area varied due to the eco-environmental transformation of the Hutuo River Basin. In areas far from the Hutuo River Basin, the center points of UHI and built-up land were shifted in a similar direction. There is a remarkable linear correlation between the PLAND and LST, the correlation coefficient of which was higher than 0.7 during the study period. Areas with PLAND > 60% are urban regions with stronger heat island effects, and areas with PLAND < 55% are villages and towns where the temperature raised more slowly. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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14 pages, 1385 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Urban Ecological Resilience and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration of China
by Chenchen Shi, Xiaoping Zhu, Haowei Wu and Zhihui Li
Land 2022, 11(6), 921; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11060921 - 16 Jun 2022
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 3717
Abstract
Climate change and rapid urbanization bring natural and anthropogenetic disturbance to the urban ecosystem, damaging the sustainability and resilience of cities. Evaluation of urban ecological resilience and an investigation of its impact mechanisms are of great importance to sustainable urban management. Therefore, taking [...] Read more.
Climate change and rapid urbanization bring natural and anthropogenetic disturbance to the urban ecosystem, damaging the sustainability and resilience of cities. Evaluation of urban ecological resilience and an investigation of its impact mechanisms are of great importance to sustainable urban management. Therefore, taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration (BTHUA) region in China as a study area, this study builds an evaluation index to assess urban ecological resilience and its spatial patterns with the resilience surrogate of net primary production during 2000–2020. The evaluation index is constructed from two dimensions, including the sensitivity and adaptability of urban ecosystems, to capture the two key mechanisms of resilience, namely resistance and recovery. Resilience-influencing factors including biophysical and socio-economic variables are analyzed with the multiple linear regression model. The results show that during 2000–2020, the spatial pattern of urban ecological resilience in the BTHUA is characterized by high resilience in the northwest and relatively low resilience in the southeast. High resilience areas account for 40% of the whole region, mainly contributed by Zhangjiakou and Chengde city in Hebei Province, which is consistent with the function orientation of the BTH region in its coordinated development. Along with urbanization in this region, ecological resilience decreases with increased population and increases with GDP growth; this indicates that, although population expansion uses resources, causes pollution and reduces vegetation coverage, with economic growth and technological progress, the negative ecological impact could be mitigated, and the coordinated development of social economy and ecological environment could eventually be reached. Our findings are consistent with mainstream theories examining the ecological impact of socio-economic development such as the Environmental Kuznets Curve, Porter Hypothesis, and Ecological Modernization theories, and provide significant references for future urbanization, carbon neutrality, resilience building, and urban ecological management in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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15 pages, 2129 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution of Optimal Plant Cover and Its Influencing Factors for Populus simonii Carr. on the Bashang Plateau, China
by Yu Zhang, Wei Li, Shaodan Li, Baoni Xie, Fangzhong Shi and Jianxia Zhao
Land 2022, 11(6), 890; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11060890 - 11 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1357
Abstract
The Bashang Plateau is the core zone of the agro-pastoral ecotone in northern China and represents an ecological barrier for preventing the invasion of wind-blown sand in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Increasing plant cover to control soil erosion is an effective measure to address [...] Read more.
The Bashang Plateau is the core zone of the agro-pastoral ecotone in northern China and represents an ecological barrier for preventing the invasion of wind-blown sand in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Increasing plant cover to control soil erosion is an effective measure to address land degradation; however, plant cover is different from climatic conditions. In this study, we determined the optimal spatial distribution of Populus simonii Carr., which is a widely planted species used for revegetation on the Bashang Plateau. A modified Biome-BGC model was used to simulate the dynamics of the net primary productivity (NPP), actual evapotranspiration (AET), and leaf-area index (LAI). The model was validated using field-observed tree-ring and MODIS AET and NPP data. The dynamics of AET, NPP and LAI for P. simonii at 122 representative sites in the study area for the period 1980–2019 were simulated by the validated model. The results showed that the spatial distributions of mean AET, NPP, and LAI generally decreased from southeast to northwest. The ranges of optimal plant cover in terms of maximum LAI for P. simonii were 3.3 in the Fengning–Weichang area, 1.9 in the Shangyi–Zhangbei–Guyuan area and 1.3 in the Kangbao area. Mean annual precipitation (MAP), elevation, soil texture and mean annual temperature were the main factors influencing the distribution of AET, NPP and LAI. As the MAP decreased, the correlations between AET, NPP, LAI and precipitation gradually decreased. In different subregions, the factors influencing optimal-plant-cover distribution varied significantly. These quantitative findings provide the optimal plant cover for the dominant tree in different subregions and provide useful information for land degradation management on the Bashang Plateau. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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24 pages, 6327 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Ecosystem Services in the Agro-Pastoral Transitional Zone Based on Local Sustainable Management: Insights from Duolun County in Northern China
by Luwei Dai, Haiping Tang, Yunlong Pan and Dalin Liang
Land 2022, 11(6), 805; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11060805 - 28 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1654
Abstract
Ecosystem and associated ecosystem services (ESs) in the agro-pastoral transitional zone of northern China (APTZNC) are sensitive to climate change and human activities. Essential to designing targeted policy interventions toward achieving sustainability in the APTZNC is a comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal changes [...] Read more.
Ecosystem and associated ecosystem services (ESs) in the agro-pastoral transitional zone of northern China (APTZNC) are sensitive to climate change and human activities. Essential to designing targeted policy interventions toward achieving sustainability in the APTZNC is a comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal changes in ESs and their drivers. This study identified the spatiotemporal changes in six ESs in Duolun County from 2000 to 2017. The impacts of drivers—temperature, precipitation, wind speed, vegetation cover (FVC), land use/cover (LULC), soil type, altitude, and slope—on the changes in the ESs in the county and its ecological production zones were then explored. The results indicated that the six ESs improved during the study period. The drivers influencing changes in ESs over time exhibited similarities across regions. Although FVC contributed to improvements in the food supply, grass production, carbon sequestration, and soil wind erosion (SLwind), it also reduced water yield, which may exacerbate the water shortage in arid and semi-arid areas. In regions where the ecology was in the recovery phase, especially in slope farmland, the inhibition of soil water erosion (SLwater) by FVC was easily offset by the higher SLwater potential from increased precipitation. The decrease in wind speed improved the regional ESs, whereas the increase in temperature posed a threat to SLwind. The drivers affecting the spatial patterns of ESs varied among zones. Across the three zones, the greater influential drivers of ESs were FVC and LULC. The impacts of topographic drivers and soil type on the distribution of ESs should also be noted in the agro-zone and agro-pastoral zone, respectively. Our study advocated that ES management should be adjusted to local conditions, and differentiated planning policies should be implemented in line with the ecological characteristics in the APTZNC, which will contribute to regional ecological sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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15 pages, 1642 KiB  
Article
Spatial Distribution of Agricultural Eco-Efficiency and Agriculture High-Quality Development in China
by Mingjia Chi, Qinyang Guo, Lincheng Mi, Guofeng Wang and Weiming Song
Land 2022, 11(5), 722; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11050722 - 11 May 2022
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 2498
Abstract
Agricultural ecological efficiency is not only the key link between green development and high-quality development of agriculture, but also an important regulatory indicator for China’s rural revitalization. Based on provincial panel data of China from 2000 to 2019, using land, mechanical, labor, fertilizer, [...] Read more.
Agricultural ecological efficiency is not only the key link between green development and high-quality development of agriculture, but also an important regulatory indicator for China’s rural revitalization. Based on provincial panel data of China from 2000 to 2019, using land, mechanical, labor, fertilizer, pesticide, and agricultural film as input variables and economic output and agricultural carbon emissions as output variables, the inter-provincial agricultural ecological efficiency is calculated by a super-efficient SBM model, and the traditional spatial Markov probability transfer matrices are constructed based on time series and spatial correlation analyses. By exploring the spatial and temporal dynamic evolution characteristics of agricultural ecological efficiency, it is found that the agricultural ecological efficiency of China increased steadily with fluctuations. In addition, the provincial gap has been narrowing, but the overall level is still at a low level; thus, there is still a large space for improvement in agricultural ecological efficiency. The overall trend of agricultural ecological efficiency shifting to a high level in China is significant, but its evolution has the stability to maintain the original state, and achieving leapfrog transfer is relatively hard. The geospatial pattern plays an important role in the spatial-temporal evolution of agricultural ecological efficiency, with significant spatial agglomeration characteristics. Provinces with high agricultural ecological efficiency enjoy positive spillover effects, while provinces with low agricultural ecological efficiency have negative spillover effects; thus, gradually forming a “club convergence” phenomenon of “high agglomeration, low agglomeration, high radiation, and low suppression” in the spatial pattern. In addition, support for the improvement of agricultural ecological efficiency will be provided in this study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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24 pages, 3775 KiB  
Article
Identification of Priority Areas for Improving Urban Ecological Carrying Capacity: Based on Supply–Demand Matching of Ecosystem Services
by Xueqi Wang, Shuo Wang, Gengyuan Liu, Ningyu Yan, Qing Yang, Bin Chen, Junhong Bai, Yan Zhang and Ginevra Virginia Lombardi
Land 2022, 11(5), 698; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11050698 - 07 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1831
Abstract
As the most concentrated area of human activities, cities consume many natural resources and discharge a large amount of waste into the natural environment, which has a huge environmental impact. Most of the ecological and environmental problems, such as environmental pollution, global climate [...] Read more.
As the most concentrated area of human activities, cities consume many natural resources and discharge a large amount of waste into the natural environment, which has a huge environmental impact. Most of the ecological and environmental problems, such as environmental pollution, global climate change, and loss of biodiversity, are related to urban systems. How to coordinate urban development with the urban ecological carrying capacity is related to the destiny of the city itself, and also to whether its surrounding areas can successfully achieve the goal of high environmental quality and sustainable development. At present, the theory and methods of urban ecological carrying capacity research are relatively new, which has caused problems for policy makers in practical applications. This paper proposes a theoretical framework for urban ecological carrying capacity assessment based on the analysis of ecosystem services supply and demand. Combined with multi-source spatial data and spatial model methods, the supply and demand of ecosystem services were spatially quantified. The capital city of China, Beijing, was the case study area for this research. The spatial differentiation of the supply–demand relationship of ecosystem services is formed. The priority areas for ecological carrying capacity improvement at pixel scale and at the administrative level are obtained, respectively. The results show that the first priority area is concentrated in the center of the urban area, accounting for 31.11% of the total area of Beijing. According to the secondary zone and the specific ecosystem service type, the ecological carrying capacity improvement strategy of different zones is proposed. This study provides a new perspective for investigating urban ecological carrying capacity and for identifying the priority areas for ecological carrying capacity improvement, and helps the policy-makers to design tailored policy actions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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15 pages, 2375 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study on Farmland Circulation between Plains and Mountainous Areas in an Arid Region: A Case Study of Zhangye City in Northwest China
by Xingyuan Xiao, Luxiang Shang and Yaqun Liu
Land 2022, 11(4), 571; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11040571 - 13 Apr 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1578
Abstract
Farmland circulation is essential for agricultural scale management. Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, a large number of rural laborers have migrated to cities, resulting in accelerated farmland circulation. Revealing the farmland circulation in different geographical environments is conducive to efficient farmland management [...] Read more.
Farmland circulation is essential for agricultural scale management. Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, a large number of rural laborers have migrated to cities, resulting in accelerated farmland circulation. Revealing the farmland circulation in different geographical environments is conducive to efficient farmland management but remain largely unknown. To this end, based on the questionnaire survey data and statistical data of Zhangye City, we compared the features of farmland circulation between plains and mountainous areas, and used the binary logistic regression model and other methods to analyze the main factors affecting differentiated farmland circulation at the plot level. The main circulation modes and proportions in the plains were leasing (54.4%), exchange (22.4%), and subcontracting (16.2%), while the single leasing mode in mountainous areas accounted for 89.5%. The scale management units of more than 33.33 ha accounted for 6.48% and 30.72% in plains and mountainous areas, respectively. The proportion of circulation periods exceeding 5 years were 28.13% and 2.23% in plains and mountainous areas, respectively. The factor of “degree of farmland fragmentation” positively affected (p < 0.01) the farmland circulation in plains areas but negatively affected (p < 0.01) that in mountainous areas. The “farmland circulation price” promoted (p < 0.01) farmland circulation in both plains and mountainous areas. Whereas the “actual water diversion” (p < 0.01) and “river source water” (p < 0.05) only had varying degrees of negative impacts on farmland circulation in plains areas. Decision makers should practice management measures such as regulating farmland circulation behavior, formulating reasonable farmland circulation pricing models, and integrating farmland to promote the circulation and efficient use of farmland. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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13 pages, 6216 KiB  
Article
Scenario Analysis of Livestock Carrying Capacity Risk in Farmland from the Perspective of Planting and Breeding Balance in Northeast China
by Zhe Zhao, Xiangzheng Deng, Fan Zhang, Zhihui Li, Wenjiao Shi, Zhigang Sun and Xuezhen Zhang
Land 2022, 11(3), 362; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11030362 - 02 Mar 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2104
Abstract
In this paper, we selected the northeast region as a study area from the perspective of soil nutrient demand, calculated the livestock carrying capacity of farmland under three scenarios where nitrogen nutrient accounts for 35% (low level), 45% (medium level), and 55% (high [...] Read more.
In this paper, we selected the northeast region as a study area from the perspective of soil nutrient demand, calculated the livestock carrying capacity of farmland under three scenarios where nitrogen nutrient accounts for 35% (low level), 45% (medium level), and 55% (high level) of fertilization, and carried out a risk analysis. The results show that the scale of husbandry breeding is expanding and the scale of the planting industry has remained basically unchanged. Under the three scenarios, there were 23 regions where the livestock manure exceeded the maximum value that could be absorbed by farmland in 2008 and 28 regions in 2019. These regions in the potential area are mostly located in Heilongjiang province and the regions in the restricted area are mostly located in Liaoning Province. On the whole, the northeast region is generally faced with the problem of livestock overloading, and the insufficient utilization and treatment capacity of livestock manure poses a huge threat to regional ecological security. Based on this, adjusting the structure of regional planting and breeding, promoting the development of the livestock manure processing industry, enhancing the production capacity of organic fertilizer, and constructing an integrated pattern of regional planting and breeding are effective ways to realize the sustainable utilization of farmland in northeast China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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12 pages, 9330 KiB  
Article
Estimation of the Rational Range of Ecological Compensation to Address Land Degradation in the Poverty Belt around Beijing and Tianjin, China
by Haiming Yan, Wei Li, Huicai Yang, Xiaonan Guo, Xingran Liu and Wenru Jia
Land 2021, 10(12), 1383; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land10121383 - 14 Dec 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2018
Abstract
Ecological compensation provides innovative ecological solutions for addressing land degradation and guaranteeing the sustainable provision of essential ecosystem services. This study estimated the ecosystem service value and the opportunity cost of land use in the Poverty Belt of China—around Beijing and Tianjin—from 1980 [...] Read more.
Ecological compensation provides innovative ecological solutions for addressing land degradation and guaranteeing the sustainable provision of essential ecosystem services. This study estimated the ecosystem service value and the opportunity cost of land use in the Poverty Belt of China—around Beijing and Tianjin—from 1980 to 2015 on the small watershed scale, and thereafter estimated the rational range of ecological compensation in this ecologically fragile zone. Results showed that the total ecosystem service value in the study area gradually decreased from CNY 54.198 billion in 1980 to CNY 53.912 billion in 2015. Moreover, the annual total ecological compensation of the whole study area ranged between CNY 2.67 billion and 2.83 billion. More specifically, areas with higher ecological compensation standards are mainly concentrated in the northwestern and northern parts of the study area, with a lower economic development level, while areas with lower ecological compensation standards are mainly located in areas with a relatively high level of economic development, e.g., the southern and southeastern parts of the study area. These results can provide valuable decision-support information for the design and optimization of ecological compensation to address land degradation along with rapid urbanization in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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Review

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19 pages, 2713 KiB  
Review
Progress in Dust Modelling, Global Dust Budgets, and Soil Organic Carbon Dynamics
by Weixiao Chen, Huan Meng, Hongquan Song and Hui Zheng
Land 2022, 11(2), 176; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land11020176 - 21 Jan 2022
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3905
Abstract
Dust emission is an important corollary of the soil degradation process in arid and semi-arid areas worldwide. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the main terrestrial pool in the carbon cycle, and dust emission redistributes SOC within terrestrial ecosystems and to the atmosphere and [...] Read more.
Dust emission is an important corollary of the soil degradation process in arid and semi-arid areas worldwide. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the main terrestrial pool in the carbon cycle, and dust emission redistributes SOC within terrestrial ecosystems and to the atmosphere and oceans. This redistribution plays an important role in the global carbon cycle. Herein, we present a systematic review of dust modelling, global dust budgets, and the effects of dust emission on SOC dynamics. Focusing on selected dust models developed in the past five decades at different spatio-temporal scales, we discuss the global dust sources, sinks, and budgets identified by these models and the effect of dust emissions on SOC dynamics. We obtain the following conclusions: (1) dust models have made considerable progress, but there are still some uncertainties; (2) a set of parameters should be developed for the use of dust models in different regions, and direct anthropogenic dust should be considered in dust emission estimations; and (3) the involvement of dust emission in the carbon cycle models is crucial for improving the accuracy of carbon assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

1 pages, 143 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Xiao et al. An Assessment of the Rational Range of Eco-Compensation Standards: A Case Study in the Nujiang Prefecture, Southwestern China. Land 2022, 11, 1417
by Weidong Xiao, Liquan Qu, Kai Li, Chuanxu Guo and Jie Li
Land 2023, 12(5), 1052; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/land12051052 - 12 May 2023
Viewed by 572
Abstract
In the original publication [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Characterizing and Addressing Land Degradation and Associated Ecosystem Responses)
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