Leimavo Revisited: Agrarian Land-Use Change in the Highlands of Madagascar

Describing and explaining land-use change is of critical concern in Madagascar, where land transformations such as deforestation and resulting environmental degradation currently capture widespread attention. While the eastern rain forest recedes in the face of swidden cultivators, the highlands demonstrate more constructive transformations. In this paper I present a case study of land-use change in Leimavo, a small village near Ambositra studied in the 1960s by Jean-Pierre Raison. Here, the twentieth century has seen a gradual reduction in irrigated rice cultivation and cattle husbandry, and a boom in market-oriented orange, vegetable, and grain production. In the long term, a historical landscape of grassy hills has been transformed into a productive cultural landscape with woodlots, anti-erosion benching, rice terraces, fruit groves, and diverse crops. Critical factors determining the trajectory of land-use change include regional population pressure, state policies, market incentives, climate variations, and access to land and water resources. These critical factors, or explanations, are linked in the discussion by the use of a simple heuristic device—the range of choice—as a theoretical framework.     

Leimavo Revisited: Agrarian Land-Use Change in the Highlands of Madagascar

Describing and explaining land-use change is of critical concern in Madagascar, where land transformations such as deforestation and resulting environmental degradation currently capture widespread attention. While the eastern rain forest recedes in the face of swidden cultivators, the highlands demonstrate more constructive transformations. In this paper I present a case study of land-use change in Leimavo, a small village near Ambositra studied in the 1960s by Jean-Pierre Raison. Here, the twentieth century has seen a gradual reduction in irrigated rice cultivation and cattle husbandry, and a boom in market-oriented orange, vegetable, and grain production. In the long term, a historical landscape of grassy hills has been transformed into a productive cultural landscape with woodlots, anti-erosion benching, rice terraces, fruit groves, and diverse crops. Critical factors determining the trajectory of land-use change include regional population pressure, state policies, market incentives, climate variations, and access to land and water resources. These critical factors, or explanations, are linked in the discussion by the use of a simple heuristic device—the range of choice—as a theoretical framework.     

基于遥感影像数据的汉川市土地利用动态变化探讨

以1991~2002年汉川市土地利用遥感数据为基础,选取土地利用变化幅度、动态度、土地利用程度指数及景观生态学指标中的多样性、均衡度和优势度指数,对研究区的土地利用变化状况和驱动力因素进行分析。结果表明:1991年以来,汉川市土地利用结构中,水域、未利用地有所减少,建设用地增加,林地、耕地变化幅度和动态度最大;12年来汉川市土地利用处于调整和发展期,生态景观和均质程度在上升。综合分析表明,人口、经济、政策在土地利用变化中起着主导作用。     

River channel response to short-term human-induced change in landscape connectivity in Andean ecosystems

The drainage basin of the Deleg River (88 km²), located in the southern Ecuadorian Andes, was studied to assess the geomorphic and hydrologic response of a fluvial system to human-induced environmental change in its contributing area. Historical data on land use, channel morphology and sedimentology were collected, based on a spatial analysis of aerial photographs (1963–1995) and a field survey (2002). Analysis of channel cross-sectional profiles and sedimentological data revealed a major change in morphology and sedimentology of the Deleg River during the past four decades: (i) the active river channel narrowed by over 45%, (ii) the riverbed incised on average by over 1.0 m and (iii) the median grain size of the bed surface decreased from 13.2 cm to 4.7 cm. The spatial pattern of land cover within the Deleg catchment also changed considerably: highly degraded agricultural land in the low-lying areas was abandoned and partially afforested for timber and wood production, whereas secondary upland forest was increasingly cleared for expansion of cropland and pastures. Notwithstanding large changes in the spatial organization of land use within the catchment, the overall land use did not change significantly during the past four decades. This suggests that the response of the Deleg River to land-use change not only depends on the overall land-use change, but also on the spatial pattern of land-use/cover change within the catchment. Although forestation and regeneration of bare gully slopes and floors throughout the catchment only represented a minor part of the total land-use change, these land-use/cover changes had a major impact on the hydrological and sediment connectivity in the landscape.     

豫西地区近二十年景观格局优化分析

区域尺度上, 土地利用的时空变化对景观结构和功能的稳定性及其异质性有着显著影响。本文在RS 技术 和GIS 技术支持下, 对豫西地区1987 年、1995 年、2000 年三期影像进行判读解译, 结合土地利用现状数据和地面 GPS 采集数据, 通过选取相关景观指数, 从斑块水平和景观水平两个层次,分析研究区景观格局及其动态变化。根据 景观格局连通度与景观功能通达性之间的关系, 从功能流的角度入手, 综合分析影响景观流的干扰因子: 距离、摩 擦力、障碍和坡度等, 基于最小累积耗费算法, 找出不同时空、不同人类干扰强度下景观流的通达性。结果表明,研究 区内近20 年来景观格局变化中, 生态景观斑块区域分布极不平衡, 东部人为干扰严重, 自然景观消失殆尽, 农业景 观和建设用地占有较高比重, 在整个区域中阻碍景观功能流的通达性。在此基础上, 综合自然因素(如坡度等)和人 为干扰因素(如景观破碎化程度等)提出优化方法, 利用可视化效果找出景观格局需要优化的重点地段, 在维持生态 稳定和社会经济发展的前提下, 提出景观的合理布局优化方案, 以提高流域内生物多样性和生态系统服务功能。     

Landscape position and spatial patterns in the distribution of land use within the southern Appalachian Mountains

Understanding the forces that influence the distribution of land use and land-use change (LUC) is an essential step in developing effective strategies for managing these issues. We examined the influence of landscape position on spatial patterns in land-use distribution within the Little Tennessee River Basin (LTRB) of the southern Appalachian Mountains. We show that landscape position, defined with respect to both natural and anthropogenic spatial variables, provides for the identification of statistically significant differences in the distribution of common forms of land use in the study region. Using the same variables, significant differences in the landscape positions subject to land-use change in the LTRB are also examined. These results suggest landscape position exerts a strong influence on the distribution of different forms of land use and the likeliness of given area undergoing LUC. The approach presented here, of considering land use as a function of landscape position that responds to both natural and anthropogenic forces, may prove useful in aiding the development of future strategies to address the consequences of land use in many regions.     

北京市土地利用空间格局演化模拟及预测

土地利用空间格局的演化模拟可定量地从空间尺度揭示区域土地利用变化的驱动因素,是厘清未来时期内土地变化的重要途径。基于CLUE-S模型,以北京市为研究案例,结合1985、2000和2010年三期土地利用数据,运用Logistic逐步回归方法识别了北京市各种土地利用类型演化的驱动因素,对北京市土地利用空间格局进行模拟。在此基础上,基于北京市社会经济发展、土地利用规划、资源禀赋及生态保护等不同情景,对北京市2020年土地利用空间分布格局进行模拟及预测。结果表明：①不同的时期内,驱动因子对不同土地利用类型的影响呈现差异性,其中交通因素及社会经济因素对土地利用类型的转化率影响较显著,坡度对各个土地利用类型的影响较大。②通过对2010年北京市土地利用变化的模拟结果来看,Kappa指数为87.03%,说明预测结果与实际土地利用情况有较好的一致性。③预测结果显示,北京市的城市发展均表现为继续向外扩展,且以东南、东北为主要扩展方向,但扩张的程度存在差异。     

Projecting land-use change processes in the Sierra Norte of Oaxaca, Mexico

The objective of study was to explore short-term trends of processes that determine land-use change in Sierra Norte of Oaxaca (SNO), Mexico. Land use and land cover changes (LULCC) were estimated in a complex mosaic of vegetation in the SNO from 1980 to 2000, and projected them to 2020 through a Markovian model. SNO is highly vulnerable to climatic change according to a 2050 GCM scenario. However, 3% annual rate of tropical and temperate forest deforestation from agriculture and livestock encroachment, suggest the threat from land-use change is higher than that from climatic change for this study site. Productive land-use strategies are needed to reduce such high deforestation rates for tropical regions. Controlling deforestation would also reduce short-term effects of CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere. Because of the necessity to evaluate anthropogenic ecosystem changes, it is imperative to separate short-term influences such as deforestation, from long-term influences such as climatic change.     

全球变化背景下景观生态适应性特征

全球变化包含气候变化、经济发展、土地利用变化等自然、人为及共同作用下引发的转变,是当前景观结构与功能保障面临的主要挑战。景观生态适应性是指景观这一地表镶嵌体吸纳上述影响并维持主要功能的特性,涉及不同景观类型、组成单元及层级在不同时空尺度中的不同程度转变。本文从景观生态学视角切入,以景观系统作为缓解与适应全球变化冲击的主体,整合农业景观、城市景观等相关研究案例,凝练当前景观系统适应全球变化过程的特征为：①由部分因子的绝对主导转向复合因子共同作用;②景观类型内部趋同,景观多样性及独特性降低;③同类景观间功能等级分明、分工明确,跨区域时空联系增强;④不同景观类型间空间边界清晰,过渡带景观功能退化。就当前全球变化议题,建议后续研究应加强：不同景观类型或组成单元的适应能力对比及其不确定性分析;基于景观系统整体健康的适应途径尺度联系解析;多学科、多部门研究在全球变化情景下的有效整合;景观系统适应性或适应能力量化分析方法的深化。     

甘肃省庆阳市景观演替情景分析

以覆盖甘肃省庆阳市的陆地卫星(Landsat TM/ETM)遥感数据以及1980—2000年统计资料与实地调研资料为数据源,利用系统动力学模型构建庆阳市景观演替模拟模型,通过分析景观变化与驱动因子的关系,模拟庆阳市景观演替的时空模式,开展参考模式、生态模式与经济模式下的情景分析,为制定环境保护与区域发展规划提供决策参考信息。     

Land use change of Kitakyushu based on landscape ecology and Markov model

Based on four phases of TM images acquired in 1990, 1995, 2000 and 2005, this paper took Kitakyushu in Japan as a case study to analyze spatial change of land use landscape and corresponding effects on environmental issues guided by landscape ecology theory in virtue of combining technology of Remote Sensing with GIS. Firstly, land use types were divided into 6 classes (farmland, mountain, forestland, water body, urban land and unused land) according to national classification standard of land use, comprehensible ability of TM image and purpose of this study. Secondly, following the theory of landscape ecology analysis, 11 typical landscape indices were abstracted to evaluate the environmental effects and spatial feature changes of land use. Research results indicated that land use has grown more and more diversified and unbalanced, human activities have disturbed the landscape more seriously. Finally, transfer matrix of Markov was applied to forecast change process of land use in the future different periods, and then potential land use changes were also simulated from 2010 to 2050. Results showed that conversion tendency for all types of land use in Kitakyushu into urban construction land were enhanced. The study was anticipated to help local authorities better understand and address a complex land use system, and develop improved land use management strategies that could better balance urban expansion and ecological conservation.     

A spatiotemporal calculus for reasoning about land-use trajectories

Earth observation images are a powerful source of data about changes in our planet. Given the magnitude of global environmental changes taking place, it is important that Earth Science researchers have access to spatiotemporal reasoning tools. One area of particular interest is land-use change. Using data obtained from images, researchers would like to express abstractions such as ‘land abandonment’, ‘forest regrowth’, and ‘agricultural intensification’. These abstractions are specific types of land-use trajectories, defined as multi-year paths from one land cover into another. Given this need, this paper introduces a spatiotemporal calculus for reasoning about land-use trajectories. Using Allen’s interval logic as a basis, we introduce new predicates that express cases of recurrence, conversion and evolution in land-use change. The proposed predicates are sufficient and necessary to express different kinds of land-use trajectories. Users can build expressions that describe how humans modify Earth’s terrestrial surface. In this way, scientists can better understand the environmental and economic effects of land-use change.     

关于景观格局演变研究的几个问题

针对特定的生态过程,将景观格局与生态过程相结合的格局分析是未来景观格局研究发展的方向。景观格局变化与景观过程改变互为因果,了解格局演变时空规律及其演变驱动机制是结合生态过程进行景观格局分析的前提与基础。文章归纳了景观格局演变分析方法有景观格局指数与景观空间统计特征比较法、马尔柯夫转移矩阵法和主要以细胞自动机理论为基础的景观格局动态模拟。主要分析了景观格局演变的人文驱动力系统,介绍典型相关分析与逐步回归分析两种定量判别景观格局演变驱动力的方法,简要总结景观格局演变的驱动机制。最后提出今后研究所要突破的方面。     

A total water management analysis of the Las Vegas Wash watershed,Nevada

Climate change, land-use change, and population growth are fundamental factors affecting future hydrologic conditions in streams, especially in arid regions with scarce water resources. Located in the arid southwest within the Las Vegas Wash watershed, Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas of the country. In the past 30?years, because of climate and land-use changes, it has experienced a decrease in clean water supply but an increase in water demand. To alleviate some of these problems, large amounts of water have been pumped into the city from different sources, such as Lake Mead, and the urban wastewater is treated and returned back to the reservoir for water augmentation. However, in the face of continual global climate change and urbanization in the watershed, long-term planning for sustainable water management is critical. This research was designed to provide a comprehensive analysis incorporating hydrologic modeling, population projection, land-use change modeling, and water management policies to examine the total water balance and management options in this arid and rapidly urbanizing watershed under various scenarios of climate regime, population growth, land-use change, and total water management programs for the year 2050.     

基于logistic回归模型的农牧交错区土地利用变化驱动力分析——以内蒙古翁牛特旗为例

本文以农牧交错带的典型区域——内蒙古翁牛特旗为例,考虑土地利用变化过程的空间变量,建立了不同土地利用变化过程的logistic回归模型。结果表明:模型中转为耕地的主要解释变量是到农村居民点的距离和农业气候区;转为草地的主要解释变量是到农村居民点的距离、土壤表层有机质含量和到乡镇中心的距离;转为林地的主要解释变量是到农村居民点的距离和海拔;空间异质性和土地利用变化过程的时间变量共同影响着使用logistic回归模型来解释土地利用变化驱动力的能力;通过对草地logistic回归模型的检验,得出空间统计模型能较好地揭示不同土地利用变化过程的主要驱动力及其作用机理。     

局地土地利用变化现实情景研究

局地土地利用变化表现为时序短、空间倾向性强且多为人类强制干扰, 其变化过程与结果 是区域尺度响应与反馈国家尺度、全球尺度最有效的途径。城市化、农业结构调整和土地整理是 目前我国局地土地利用变化的几种主要利用方式。城市化是一个不可逆过程, 农村景观转为城市 景观, 改变了诸如地表反照率、粗糙度等下垫面特征, 局地生境与物种的数量与种类发生改变, 逐 步形成以人类为主的均质化景观格局; 农户微观土地利用选择行为是局地农业产业结构调整的 原动力, 不同类型农户在投资、生产与经营等经济活动的差异将导致局地土壤结构、水分、养分等 土壤条件及环境改变; 土地整理是一个复杂的系统工程, 在一定程度上改变了局地土壤性状与土 壤生物, 更甚的是改变了局地斑块- 廊道- 基质模式的景观格局。因此, 为进一步加深局地土地利 用变化情景的理解, 厘定“人- 地协调系统”的理论框架, 进行局地土地利用变化的情景模拟和生 态环境效应研究将是未来局地土地利用变化的研究方向。     

The response of soil erosion and sediment export to land-use change in four areas of Europe: The importance of landscape pattern

The response of erosion and sediment export to past land-use change has been studied in four agricultural areas of Europe. Three of these areas were subject to land abandonment or de-intensification and one to intensification of land-use practices. Erosion and sediment yield were modeled using the WaTEM/SEDEM model, which combines the RUSLE equation with a sediment routing algorithm. Spatial relationships between the RUSLE C-factor (i.e. land-use) and other erosion and sediment export-determining factors (slope, soil erodibility and distance to rivers) were investigated, as these account for non-linearity in the response of erosion and sediment export to land-use change.Erosion and sediment export have decreased enormously in the de-intensified areas, but slightly increased in the intensively cultivated area. The spatial pattern of land-use change in relation to other erosion and sediment export-determining factors appears to have a large impact on the response of soil erosion and sediment export to land-use change. That the drivers of abandonment of arable land and erosion coincide indicates that de-intensification leads to a more favourable landscape pattern with respect to reduction of erosion and sediment export. This mechanism applies not only within the study areas, but also among the European study areas where the process of intensification of some areas and de-intensification of others might result in an overall decrease of erosion and sediment yield through time.     

Landscape persistence and stakeholder perspectives: The case of Romania's Carpathians

The traditional use of land for food, fuel and wood created cultural landscapes, which are threatened across Europe. The factors which contributed to their endangerment need to be identified to achieve effective preservation of such landscapes. The aim of our study was to identify landscapes with historical persistence in a GIS-based comparative analysis of historical and contemporary maps and the most prominent causes of the past landscape changes, based on stakeholders' perspective. We considered a case study in Romania's Carpathians. Three major land cover types were extracted from maps dating from 1912, 1980 and 2009: built-up, pastures and forests. The historical persistence of all land cover types was poor (<20%) and profound changes were quantitatively confirmed. Large, compact patches of unchanged forests were located in the neighbourhood of a national park. The persistent pastures were situated close to human settlements, and their preservation can be related to local traditional agro-silvo-pastoral management. Although the built-up area has increased over time, the corresponding surfaces are small and consist of scattered patches located around historical monuments. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate stakeholders' perspective. Using cluster analysis five prominent causes of past landscape changes are identified: 'increasing tourism', 'land tenure and social changes', 'land-use intensification', 'post-communist transition', and 'foreign investments'. We join the results of the GIS analysis with those from stakeholders' perspective to gain more insights into the landscape changes. This research offers important information that could be used for the further planning of these valuable cultural landscapes in order to avoid potential conflicts and degradation.     

城市土地利用空间变化趋势研究--以广州市海珠区为例

对研究区内不同年份的土地利用图进行叠置等空间信息处理运算,获得3个时段土地利用的空间变化图,将一个网格图层分别与3个时段的土地利用变化图叠加,分析各空间单元的年均变化强度指数,得到土地利用的空间变化结果.然后对年均变化强度指数进行分级统计后得到二级用地类型的土地利用空间变化情况,并结合社会经济因素加以分析,得到研究区3个不同时段的土地利用空间变化趋势.最后对主要二级用地类型的时空结构演变情况进行概括性的分析和评价.     

A Comparison of the Environmental Changes of the Post-European Period with those of the Preceding 2000 Years at Lake Keilambete,South-western Victoria

Several parameters representing aspects of vegetation, fire, erosion and lacustrine productivity are investigated to compare the environmental changes of the historic period against those of the last 2000 years at Lake Keilambete in south-western Victoria. The average sedimentation rate post-dating European settlement was found to be c .2.5 times that of the analysed pre-European period and the nature of this sediment is distinctly different. Pollen representation was generally stable prior to the European period, but instability increased subsequently, reflecting the influence of pastoralism and the increase in exotic plant species. An increased concentration (and variability) of carbonised particles in the historic period, despite the faster rate of sedimentation, suggests a complex change in the fire regime of the region. The productivity of Lake Keilambete has varied in the past (e.g. it was elevated between c .1750 and 1250 years BP) but the response to European land use was diminutive. The expression of the quantified sedimentary parameters as average accumulation rates suggests a marked difference in the rate of landscape processes between the pre- and post-contact periods. The environmental change of the post-European period suggests that this landscape was particularly susceptible to the land-use strategies of the European settlers.