Land-cover and land-use change in a Mediterranean landscape: A spatial analysis of driving forces integrating biophysical and human factors

This article develops a spatial analysis applied to examine the main driving forces of land-cover and land-use (LCLU) change in a Mediterranean region. Three different tools have been used in order to differentiate LCLU changes, driving forces and landscape dynamics. LCLU changes have been quantified with remote sensing techniques, driving forces have been analysed with multiple logistic regressions combining biophysical and human variables, whereas landscape dynamics have been quantified using different metrics. Results show the intensification of subsidised herbaceous crops on the coastal agricultural plain, the abandonment of olive trees and vineyards in the transitional area and forest restoration in the mountainous subregion.     

Comparison of soil physico-chemical properties under different land-use and cover types in northeastern China's Horqin Sandy Land

The Horqin Sandy Land of northeastern China was originally a grassland with plenty of water and lush vegetation dominated by palatable grass species along with sparsely scattered woody species. However, it has experienced severe desertification in recent decades due to its fragile ecology together with inappropriate human activities. Currently, the landscape of the Horqin Sandy Land is dominated by irrigated croplands and sand dunes with different degrees of vegetation cover, as the region has become the most important part of the semiarid agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China. In this study, we compared soil physical and chemical properties under different land-use and cover types (irrigated cropland, rainfed cropland, sandy grassland, fixed dunes, and mobile dunes). We found that soil particle size distribution; organic C, total N, and total mineral element, microelement, and available microelement and nutrient contents; pH; CEC; and bulk density differed significantly among the land-use and cover types. In general, soil quality was highest in the cropland, intermediate in the sandy grassland, and lowest in the dunes. The most important soil quality attribute, soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, decreased in the following order: irrigated cropland (5,699 g/m²) > sandy grassland (3,390 g/m²) > rainfed cropland (2,411 g/m²) > fixed dunes (821 g/m²) > mobile dunes (463 g/m²). SOC was significantly positively correlated with a large proportion of the other soil physico-chemical parameters. Our results suggest that the key issue in restoration of the degraded soils will be to increase SOC storage, which would also create a high potential for sequestering soil C in desertified areas of the Horqin Sandy Land.     

Spatio-temporal dynamics of land cover and land surface temperature in Ganges-Brahmaputra delta: A comparative analysis between India and Bangladesh

Land use and land cover (LULC) change in the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta (GBD) poses significant challenges towards future environmental sustainability of the region and requires regional scale monitoring of key bio-physical variables and changes in their inter-relationship over space and time. Focusing on the southern part of the lower GBD region along the international border of India and Bangladesh, this study examined the spatio-temporal variability of LULC change and its relationship with Land Surface Temperature (LST). Furthermore, LULC-LST relationships were compared between Indian and Bangladesh part and its trend in and around big cities (with more than 1 million population) and towns (with more than 100,000 population) was investigated. Results showed that LST changes were predominantly driven by LULC changes on both sides of the border. Urban growth is the dominant form of LULC change, and the rate of land change was faster in 2005–2010 time period than 1989–2005. Over the period of 21 years, mean January LST decreased by approximately 1.83 °C in Indian part and 1.85 °C in the Bangladesh part. Areas that changed from to rural from agricultural experienced decrease in mean LST, whereas those areas that changed to urban from either agriculture or rural, experienced increase in mean LST. The relationship between LULC and LST are same on both sides of the Indo-Bangladesh border. In bigger cities like Kolkata (in India) and Khulna (in Bangladesh), there is a high spatial variability in relationship between LULC and LST compared to large towns. The LULC-LST relationship in large towns in India was influenced by proximity to Kolkata and coastal areas, whereas in Bangladesh no such influence was evident. The results and the data produced in this study are crucial for monitoring LULC changes, for developing spatial decision support system, and thus will be helpful to address the current challenges of land management in the GBD region. Changes in the LULC and LST are important indicators of GBD's environmental health and access its vulnerability and thus the present findings serve as baseline information for future studies seeking to examine the impact of differential policies on the LULC change in the region.     

How landscapes change: Integration of spatial patterns and human processes in temperate landscapes of southern Chile

A comprehensive understanding of the patterns that occur as human processes transform landscapes is necessary for sustainable development. We provide new evidence on how landscapes change by analysing the spatial patterns of human processes in three forest landscapes in southern Chile at different states of alteration (40%-90% of old-growth forest loss). Three phases of landscape alteration are distinguished. In Phase I (40%-65% of old-growth forest loss), deforestation rates are < 1% yr⁻¹, forests are increasingly degraded, and clearance for pastureland is concentrated on deeper soils. In Phase II (65%-80%), deforestation reaches its maximum rate of 1-1.5% yr⁻¹, with clearance for pastureland being the main human process, creating a landscape dominated by disturbed forest and shrubland. In this phase, clearance for pastureland is the primary driver of change, with pastures expanding onto poorer soils in more spatially aggregated patterns. In Phase III (80%-90%), deforestation rates are again relatively low (<1% yr⁻¹) and forest regrowth is observed on marginal lands. During this phase, clearance is the dominant process and pastureland is the main land cover. As a forest landscape is transformed, the extent and intensity of human processes vary according to the existing state of landscape alteration, resulting in distinctive landscape patterns in each phase. A relationship between spatial patterns of land cover and human-related processes has been identified along the gradient of landscape alteration. This integrative framework can potentially provide insights into the patterns and processes of dynamic landscapes in other areas subjected to intensifying human use.     

Modeling of urban growth in tsunami-prone city using logistic regression: Analysis of Banda Aceh,Indonesia

The urban development of Banda Aceh, Indonesia was very rapid after the tsunami in 2004, posing critical challenges in planning for its future sustainable development. Scientifically-derived information about its land change patterns and the driving factors of its rapid urbanization might provide vital information. However, the spatio–temporal patterns of its urban land use/cover (LUC) changes have not been examined. Hence, this study aims to: (1) detect and analyze the spatio–temporal changes in the urban LUC of Banda Aceh between 2005 and 2009; and (2) examine the driving factors that influence urban growth. The 2005 and 2009 LUC maps were derived from remote sensing satellite images using a supervised classification method (maximum likelihood). Both LUC maps contained four categories, namely built-up area, vegetation, water body, and wet land. The 2005 LUC map had an overall accuracy of 77.8%, while the 2009 LUC map had 89.4%. The two LUC maps were re-classed into two categories (i.e. built-up area and non built-up area) to facilitate logistic regression analysis. A total of seven variables or potential driving factors of urban growth were identified and examined, including two socio-economic factors (population density and distance to central business district) and five biophysical factors (distances to green open space, historical area, river, highway, and coastal area). The results showed that the LUC of Banda Aceh has changed drastically between 2005 and 2009, particularly its built-up area, which increased by 90.8% (1016.0 ha) at the expense of the other LUC categories. The socio-economic factors showed positive influence to the growth of the city, whereas the biophysical factors showed negative effect, except the distance to coastal areas. The importance of the findings for future landscape and urban planning for Banda Aceh is discussed.     

北宋中期耕地面积及其空间分布格局重建(英文)

To understand historical human-induced land cover change and its climatic effects, it is necessary to create historical land use datasets with explicit spatial information. Using the taxes-cropland area and number of families compiled from historical documents, we esti-mated the real cropland area and populations within each Lu (a province-level political region in the Northern Song Dynasty) in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty (AD1004-1085). The es-timations were accomplished through analyzing the contemporary policies of tax, population and agricultural development. Then, we converted the political region-based cropland area to geographically explicit grid cell-based fractional cropland at the cell size of 60 km by 60 km. The conversion was based on calculating cultivation suitability of each grid cell using the topographic slope, altitude and population density as the independent variables. As a result, the total area of cropland within the Northern Song territory in the 1070s was estimated to be about 720 million mu (Chinese area unit, 1 mu = 666.7 m2), of which 40.1% and 59.9% oc-curred in the north and south respectively. The population was estimated to be about 87.2 million, of which 38.7% and 61.3% were in the north and south respectively, and per capita cropland area was about 8.2 mu. The national mean reclamation ratio (i.e. ratio of cropland area to total land area; RRA hereafter for short) was bout 16.6%. The plain areas, such as the North China Plain, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, Guanzhong Plain, plains surrounding the Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake and Sichuan Basin, had a higher RRA, being mostly over 40%; while the hilly and mountainous areas, such as south of Nanling Mountains, the southwest regions (excluding the Chengdu Plain), Loess Plateau and south-east coastal regions, had a lower RRA, being less than 20%. Moreover, RRA varied with topographic slope and altitude. In the areas of low altitude (≤250 m), middle altitude (250-100 m) and high altitude (1000-3500 m), there were 443 million, 215 million and 64 million mu of cropland respectively and their regional mean RRAs were 27.5%, 12.6% and 7.2% respectively. In the areas of flat slope, gentle slope, medium slope and steep slope, there were 116 million, 456 million, 144 million and 2 million mu of cropland respectively and their regional mean RRAs were 34.6%, 20.7%, 8.5% and 2.3% respectively.     

Vegetation change and fragmentation in the mega city of Delhi: Mapping 25 years of change

Delhi, the worlds' second most populous city, has experienced rapid, planned and unplanned expansion at the cost of its green cover in recent decades. In this study, we use satellite images from 1986, 1999 and 2010 to map changes in urban and green cover, assess the fragmentation of green spaces, and identify the drivers of change. We find that urban patterns of development have shaped the distribution and fragmentation of green spaces, with the city center containing more green spaces with less fragmentation compared to intermediate areas and the peri-urban periphery. Yet, the city core has also experienced the greatest degree of vegetation clearing and fragmentation over time due to infrastructural expansion, while the peri-urban periphery has shown an increase in vegetation and a decrease in fragmentation due to recent compensatory plantation in these peripheral areas. Forests, archaeological sites, and military and academic campuses have played a major role in protecting green cover and limiting fragmentation in the core and intermediate areas of the city. This research helps in advancing our understanding of the pattern–process relationship between urbanization and land cover change/fragmentation in India's largest city.     

The application of very high resolution satellite image in urban vegetation cover investigation： a case study of Xiamen City

With the technological improvements of satellite sensors, we will acquire more information about the earth so that we have reached a new application epoch of observation on earth environmental change and cartography. But with the enhancement of spatial resolution, some questions have arisen in the application of using traditional image processing and classification methods. Aiming for such questions, we studied the application of IKONOS very high resolution image (1 m) in Xiamen City on Urban Vegetation Cover Investigation and discussed the difference between the very high resolution image and traditional low spatial resolution image at classification,information abstraction etc. It is an advantageous test for the large-scale application of very high resolution data in the future.     

The application of very high resolution satellite image in urban vegetation cover investigation: a case study of Xiamen City

With the technological improvements of satellite sensors, we will acquire more information about the earth so that we have reached a new application epoch of observation on earth environmental change and cartography. But with the enhancement of spatial resolution, some questions have arisen in the application of using traditional image processing and classification methods. Aiming for such questions, we studied the application of IKONOS very high resolution image (1 m) in Xiamen City on Urban Vegetation Cover Investigation and discussed the difference between the very high resolution image and traditional low spatial resolution image at classification, information abstraction etc. It is an advantageous test for the large-scale application of very high resolution data in the future.     

应用高精度卫星图像进行城市植被覆盖调查:以厦门市为例

With the technological improvements of satellite sensors, we will acquire more informationabout the earth so that we have reached a new application epoch of observation on earthenvironmental change and cartography. But with the enhancement of spatial resolution, somequestions have arisen in the application of using traditional image processing and classificationmethods. Aiming for such questions, we studied the application of IKONOS very high resolutionimage (1 m) in Xiamen City on Urban Vegetation Cover Investigation and discussed the differencebetween the very high resolution image and traditional low spatial resolution image at classification,information abstraction etc. It is an advantageous test for the large-scale application of very highresolution data in the future.     

中尺度流域土地利用/土地覆盖变化评估--以伊洛河中部地区为例

将规范分析与实证分析相结合，提出了一个评估区域各点位土地利用／土地覆盖变化的新方法：（1）采用相对原则观察一时段内的变化方向；（2）物理模型与统计模型相结合，基于区域实际情况建立生境适宜性参照基准；（3）用多变量分析方法量度各点位与参照基准的差异。结合GIS和遥感技术，这种方法被应用于伊洛河中部地区的研究中。     

Different times,same story: Native forest loss and landscape homogenization in three physiographical areas of south-central of Chile

Temperate forest represents the smallest area among the main world's forest biomes, but is one of those most threatened by forest loss. Chile contains most of the temperate forest in South America and more than half of the temperate forest in the southern hemisphere. Chilean temperate forest is considered to be one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. In this study we assessed the rate of land use and land cover (LULC) change over time, identified the main LULCs replacing native forest, and described how changes have evolved in contrasting physiographical conditions and through different historical phases of the landscape over the last 40 years. To achieve this, we analysed LULC change with particular focus on forest cover in three areas representing different physiographical conditions and histories of human occupation in the Araucanía Region of Chile, namely the Central Valley, the Coastal range, and the Andean range. We found substantial differences in temporal and intra-regional patterns of forest loss and LULC change. In the Central Valley, forest loss started long ago, and the area occupied by native forest nowadays is less than 5% of the landscape. In the Coastal range, rapid land cover change has taken place since 1973, with an increasing rate of forest loss over time. We detected a similar but less intense pattern in the forests of the Andean range. Overall, the general pattern points to a process of landscape homogenization in all three physiographical areas. Exotic tree plantations have spread over large geographical areas, becoming the dominant land cover. Land cover change in the Araucanía Region reflects a model of change in which areas with better environmental conditions and accessibility are occupied first for productive activities. As the availability of suitable areas for the expansion of productive activities diminishes, these activities start to move into physiographical areas which were previously “protected” by adverse environmental conditions or poor accessibility. This model of production growth could lead to the complete deforestation of areas outside national protected areas, and other areas which still remain inaccessible due to technological restrictions on exploitation.     

The spatial distribution of green buildings in China: Regional imbalance,economic fundamentals,and policy incentives

Since China released its 3-Star green building rating system in 2006, the number of certified green buildings in the country has increased sharply. The concentrations of green buildings, however, are not spread evenly across different provinces. Employing the comprehensive green building data as of February 2014, this paper attempts to analyze the spatial distribution of green buildings in China and examine its underlying determinants. The empirical results confirm that a regional imbalance does exist with regard to green building numbers. The paper also finds that local economic fundamentals and subsidy-based incentive policies can explain the presence of green buildings, but the performance of real estate market, energy efficiency, and two specific green policies (local green standard and green building committee) are not significantly associated with green building concentrations at the provincial level. Based on the empirical results, the paper also yields a number of implications, which suggest that the government can promoting more green buildings via the alleviation of economic inequality across different regions, the establishment of a market-oriented mechanism, and the improvement of public awareness regarding sustainability. These implications will help to guide the government in its efforts to establish and implement more efficient and effective green policies. From a spatial perspective, this study unveils a general picture regarding green building development in China.     

Conservation-induced resettlement as a driver of land cover change in India: An object-based trend analysis

Located in the foothills of the Indian Himalaya, Rajaji National Park was established to protect and enhance the habitat of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and tiger (Panthera tigris). In 2002 the Van Gujjars, indigenous forest pastoralists, were voluntarily resettled from the Chilla Range (an administrative unit of Rajaji National Park) to Gaindikhata, a nearby area where they were granted land for agriculture. In this study we used a variety of remote sensing approaches to identify changes in land cover associated with the resettlement. The methods comprise two main approaches. First, we used object-based image analysis (OBIA) to identify the pre-resettlement land cover classes of use areas (representing agricultural expansion and adjacent areas of grazing, and collection of fuelwood and fodder) and recovery areas (representing areas where settlements were removed, and the adjacent areas of resource use). Secondly, we used trend analysis to assess the gradual and abrupt changes in vegetation that took place in use and recovery areas. To conduct the trend analysis we used BFAST (Breaks For Additive Season and Trend), which separates seasonal variation from long-term trends, and identifies breaks that can be linked back to disturbances or land cover changes. We found that the OBIA classification yielded high average class accuracies, and we were able to make class distinctions that would have been difficult to make using a traditional pixel-based approach. Pre-resettlement, the recovery areas were classified as mixed forest and riparian vegetation. In contrast, the use areas were classified primarily as grass dominated, brush dominated, and plantation forest, and were located relatively far away from riparian areas. Following the resettlement, the trend analysis showed a sudden change in the seasonal variation of NDVI in areas converted to agriculture. Areas neighboring the new agricultural land experienced sudden decreases in NDVI, suggestive of disturbances, at a higher rate than the same land cover types elsewhere. At the same time, these neighboring areas experienced a gradual overall increase in NDVI which could be caused by an expansion of leafy invasive shrubs such as Lantana camara in areas heavily used for biomass collection. The recovery areas also experienced a gradual increase in NDVI as well as sudden breaks to this trend, but we lacked evidence to connect these changes to the resettlement. Our findings support the claim that the resettlement has shifted pressure from more ecologically valuable to less ecologically valuable land cover types, and suggest that to some degree resource use pressure has increased outside the park. The study employs a novel synthesis of OBIA and trend analysis that could be applied to land change studies more broadly.     

Spatial concentration patterns of South Asian low-skilled immigrants in Oman: A spatial analysis of residential geographies

Oman is a major recipient of South Asian labor immigrants, and correspondingly, the demographic statistics reveal that the non-Omani populations primarily are constituted of the Asians. This research examines whether the largest immigrant groups (Indian, Bangladesh, Pakistani and Sri Lankan) in Oman form residential clusters according to their work skills (higher and lower skills). The residential geographies of South Asian workers at the subnational administrative boundaries have been investigated in the current study. Empirically, the study employs the use of Location Quotients (LQ) and Entropy Index within the GIS environment to spatially analyze the immigrant residential distributions based on their work skills. Interestingly, the findings of this research confirm the primary influence of geography on the residential patterns of the low-skilled immigrants. Initially, Al-Batnah governorates constituted the main destinations of low-skilled Bangladeshis. Further, the research also highlights significant clusters of Indian and Pakistani high-skilled immigrants in urban residential communities within the Muscat governorate. In addition, the South Asian are found to be a relatively constant stream of immigrants to inhabit the Omani urban areas, with employments in various public and private economic sectors (e.g. educational, health, manufacturing, finance, business etc.). This concentration pattern of low skilled immigrants is attributable to the need to labor shortages of native populations in certain jobs. The research results also indicate that the rural and suburban communities of Al-Batnah coastal plain not only have a greater number of low skilled immigrants but also display equitable distributions of the four South Asian groups in the residential settlements. For policy makers, it is imperative to understand the spatial patterns of low and high-skilled immigrants in Oman, which exert several geographic, economic, social and demographic implications. The significant role of immigration in development necessitates the identification of the predominant destinations for immigrants. It has been observed that the immigrants are crucial to several sectors of Omani urban economy, and urban areas with a large number of immigrants are more likely to grow and expand faster. In addition, the immigrants’ laborers offer potential economic benefits to the host country, which include fostering entrepreneurial activities, small businesses and reducing wages, especially in unskilled jobs. Despite the negative impacts of immigration (e.g. losing national cultural and creating socio-spatial segregation), the diverse and distinctive locational patterns of immigrant groups in Oman contribute crucially to the socioeconomic development and immigration policy. Yet understanding of the spatial dynamics of immigration in structuring the Omani regions and its influences remains very limited. Thus, further research accounting for the different spatial and attribute ancillary data is necessitated.     

Mapping crime harm and priority locations in New Zealand: A comparison of spatial analysis methods

Despite progress being advanced with spatial approaches to crime and crime control, the geography of crime harm has to date received little attention. The recent development of “Crime Harm Indices”, which weight crimes by an estimate of the relative harm they cause, offers an opportunity to improve on volume based spatial analysis approaches to identify where crime harm concentrates.This study aims to address this issue via the use of a Crime Harm Index (CHI) developed for New Zealand. By contrast to localized ‘harm-spotting’ analysis, we apply a census unit based approach to identify, at a macro level, the neighborhoods and wider communities suffering the highest crime harm in New Zealand. This approach enables harm to be viewed not only as a total Index but as a rate controlled for population and allows for the identification of census based sociodemographic factors which predict harm. Specifically, this paper compares the CHI with the New Zealand Priority Locations Index (PLI), an existing census unit based crime analysis tool which combines crime and demographic variables to identify communities vulnerable to crime and disorder issues.In this study CHI and PLI scores were calculated for Census Area Units (normally containing 3000–5000 population) across New Zealand. Bivariate correlations and a general linear model were used to determine the relationships between the CHI and PLI and additional population related variables. The CHI and PLI were weakly correlated, with population size and urban/rural categorization also accounting for CHI variance. Mapping techniques are used to illustrate outlier locations where the CHI and PLI differ widely and to identify location features which may assist in explaining CHI/PLI differences.This work exemplifies a novel geographic approach to the problem of crime harm with implications for resource allocation at national through to local levels. Wider implications for the theory and practice of crime and crime harm control are discussed, along with limitations of the study and areas for further research.     

基于MODIS数据网格化重建历史耕地空间分布的方法——以清代云南省为例

建立具有准确空间属性的历史时期土地覆被数据集有助于更好地模拟土地覆被变化的过程及其效应。本文基于我国过去300年耕地面积总体呈持续增加的特点,提出了历史时期耕地分布范围未超出现代耕地范围的合理假设,并以地表高程和坡度为影响土地宜垦程度的主导因子,评估了MODIS土地覆被产品中现代耕地分布区域的宜垦程度,再按宜垦程度从高...     

基于网格单元的西北干旱区城市土地覆被/土地利用时空变化研究——以新疆喀什市为例

利用1995、2005和2015年3期Landsat遥感数据,提取新疆喀什地区喀什市土地覆被/土地利用信息,并将各时期用地分类数据分别转入50 m×50 m的矢量网格单元,建立基于矢量网格单元的土地覆被/土地利用网格图,探讨喀什市1995-2015年土地覆被/土地利用时空变化特征及驱动因素;通过叠加分析,研究时期内各用地类型之间相互转换和替代关系。结果显示：（1）1995-2015年间喀什市土地覆被/土地利用变化剧烈,以建设用地面积变化最为显著,20 a间面积增加近3倍,未利用地和绿地面积均有所减少,水体的面积变化显现波动态势。（2）1995-2015年喀什市建设用地扩张主要以"摊大饼"式的外延扩张为主,但也伴随少量内部填充的集约式增长模式,通过回归分析,建设用地面积的增加与城市人口的增加和社会经济的发展具有紧密的正相关关系。（3）建设用地在扩张过程中主要侵占和替代了未利用地和绿地,并且绿地的增加与减少和未利用地的侵占与被侵占有着直接关联。     

Land change in the central Albertine rift: Insights from analysis and mapping of land use-land cover change in north-western Rwanda

Land change was assessed in the Albertine rift region (ARR) using its central section of north-western Rwanda as case study. This region is one of Africa's most ecologically sensitive environments under severe pressure from human activities. The study maps and quantifies the spatial extent of land use-land cover (LULC) changes between 1987 and 2016 from Landsat images. Transitions between five major land classes were identified in order to understand the trajectory of observed changes. In terms of gains, the forest class, the urban built-up and bare land class increased by 9% and 4% respectively over the study period. The gains of forest were mainly derived from the afforestation of some agricultural lands in the southern part, whereas the gains of built-up and bare lands were mostly from cultivated land which was a net losing class. Forest increase is in line with government's policy to increase the national forest cover to 30% by 2020. Forest losses occurred mostly outside protected areas due to land conversion for settlement and agricultural purposes. Much needed information about changes in LULC over the last three decades is provided. This study demonstrates in a timely manner how to analyse and monitor LULC change and the drivers in an environment where field based research is a challenge due to the mountainous terrain. The ecological richness of the region, which coincides with heightened human population pressure, necessitates the monitoring of land change as input for improving land use planning with focus on conserving biodiversity.