Water Flows Toward Power: Socioecological Degradation of Lake Urmia,Iran

Water is an invaluable resource, and equitable access to it is a fundamental human right. Disenfranchised groups often lose access to water resources because their interests are not well represented by decision makers. Excluding these groups from resource management policy often results in myopic decisions that contribute to further ecosystem damage. We describe the ecological degradation of Lake Urmia in Iran, which has recently experienced increased salinity and declining water quantity. The lake is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar site, and supports unique biodiversity in the region. The lake's decline is driven by the destruction of Zagros forests and the government's water policies, which diverted water to more politically connected agricultural land users, increasing social inequity and prompting more deforestation. The most straightforward restoration solution is to discontinue the diversions and allow critical inflows to recharge Lake Urmia, preserving the lake and wetlands for migratory birds, tourists, and local communities.     

乌尔米耶盐湖的综合利用

伊郎乌尔米耶盐湖是中东地区最大的盐湖之一。本文针对该湖卤水的和当地自然地理条件,对其卤水中钾,钠,溴,镁等资源综合利用的可能性,合理的开发规模,可行的化学加工路线,未来建厂的选址,环境问题及技术经济可行性等问题进行了研究。结果表明,该湖的溴和钠资源具有重要的开发价值。     

Lake Urmia, Iran: A summary review

The major hydrological, morphometric and chemical features of Lake Urmia, a large salt lake in Iran, are briefly reviewed. Some comments are made on bacteriological quality of the lake sediments.     

青藏高原土地沙漠化区划

青藏高原是土地沙漠化正在发展-强烈发展的重要区域,土地沙漠化区域分异明显。本文在确定区划原则和区划指标的基础上,将青藏高原沙漠化区域划分为藏南河谷湖盆区、藏北高原区、阿里高原区、藏东南三江河谷区、柴达木盆地区、共和盆地区、青海湖盆地环湖区、青南高寒区和川西甘南高原区等9区23亚区,各区域土地沙漠化的基本特征、现状与发展态势各有不同。按照高原沙漠化地域分异规律与特点,结合生态建设的要求,青藏高原沙漠化防治的基本思路是:全面保护,综合治理,适度开发,协调发展。     

Putting together the pieces of the puzzle: Traces of New Zealand in international school geography textbooks

How does a fairly remote space (the islands of New Zealand) contribute to the development of geographical literacy in the geography textbooks of post‐socialist (Romania), Western (Germany) and post‐colonial (Mexico) countries? A four‐step analysis of three textbooks of international selection revealed different regionalisation cultures combined with traditional and recently implemented educational paradigms of geography education and led to a similar result. Despite the many ways in which New Zealand's geographical distinctiveness could be used to enhance geographical literacy, there are few operationalisations of educational targets that might contribute to sustainable long‐term learning. Further, these results also offer a possible explanation for the absence of the ‘southern lands’ on students' cognitive maps of the world.     

Assessing and mapping human well-being for sustainable development amid flood hazards: Poyang Lake Region of China

Less developed places that are affected by climatic impacts face great challenges to future development. Place-based assessments that look at both the development level and climatic impacts on development are important for understanding the current state of human well-being and generating insights into how to facilitate sustainable development in the future. We carry out an assessment of human well-being in the Poyang Lake Region of China (PLR), using GIS, remote sensing, and socio-economic data. We measure human well-being in three aspects of (i) development level, (ii) exposure of development to flooding, and (iii) sensitivity of development to flooding. Following the United Nations Development Programme's human development index, we examine development through measures of life expectancy, literacy, and income. We first use a digital elevation model and GIS data on levees to map flood hazard in PLR. Based on the flood hazard map, we then derive quantitative measures of exposure and sensitivity of the development in a town to flooding. Our assessment indicates that development in PLR overall is highly exposed and sensitive to flooding. There are significant variations in different aspects of human well-being among the 298 towns in the region. These variations suggest different sustainable development pathways and policy interventions for different places. We discuss the potential usefulness of our approach for other similar places.     

海南岛西部沿海地区20世纪30年代以来土地利用变化及其驱动机制分析

选取海南岛目前风沙影响最严重的地区——昌江县西部的昌化地区和海南西部最干旱的地方——东方市八所地区作为研究区,利用20世纪30年代1：50000、50年代1：25000和70年代1：500003个时期的地形图,以及1986年和2000年TM影像图,解译了5期土地利用数据,以此为基础资料,并参考了有关文献,对海南西部沿海地区近80年土地利用的变化特点、趋势及其成因进行了系统的探讨．结果表明：近80年来,水田和建筑用地一直呈增加趋势;荒草地在20世纪50年代之前变化很小,以后持续减少;风沙化土地呈现低-高-低的变化特征,以20世纪50年代最多;林地、旱地表现为由多到少再到多的变化过程,其中林地是20世纪50年代最少,而旱地是20世纪70年代最少;防护林地从无到有到大面积增加．20世纪30—0年代是西部沿海地区风沙危害最严重、生态环境相对较差的时期．自然生态环境的脆弱性是其基础条件,而大规模的人类活动则是其变化的主要原因,人为因素一直通过正反2个方面起决定性的作用．     

风蚀作用对盐尘释放、输送过程的影响——以新疆艾比湖地区为例

艾比湖地区处于准噶尔盆地西部,发源于准噶尔西部山口的大风流决定了该区风蚀作用的发展.由于人类活动而引起的艾比湖的干枯变成了新松散物质来源,最终导致了该区沙尘一盐尘暴的加剧.从1950年以来,随着准噶尔西部山麓平原的开垦和河道三角洲灌溉农业的发展,新疆第一大盐水湖--艾比湖水域面积也逐渐缩小,干涸湖底和湖滨地区荒漠化程度加剧,已成为中国西北方区域沙尘一盐尘暴主要来源地.研究该区风力运输机制和风蚀作用对盐尘释放、输送过程的影响,分析降尘物中盐分的化学成分、总量及沙尘摹的年内发生率和强度机制等.研究结果表明,干涸盐土湖底和盐漠沙丘的风蚀对盐尘的释放、输送过程起到积极地作用,它的形成与盐尘的扩散与沉降有密切的关系.随着离干涸湖底距离越远,沙尘暴的发生率、强度及降尘量也下降;降尘量为600 g·m-2·a-1(湖近)到70 g·m-2·a-1(离湖水面距离为100～200 km),其中盐分总量为14～27g·m-2·a-1;最大盐分含量可达为77 g·m-2·a-1.离湖越远,盐分的钙和硫酸盐成分越高,钠和氯化物成分越低.最后提出了对艾比湖湖区采取筑坝与隔离技术,分离出常年积水区和干涸湖底区,稳定艾比湖的水域面积,综合利用生物、化学、物理的防治技术,种植梭梭、柽柳、胡杨等耐盐灌、乔木树种,治理干涸湖底盐土风蚀的建议.     

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.     

京津冀地区光伏开发空间适宜性及减排效益评估

京津冀地区作为中国重要的能源消费基地,近年在产业转型与发展中对清洁能源的需求不断增加。光伏发电是中国“十四五”期间加速能源结构转型,早日实现碳中和目标的关键举措与重要抓手。本文以京津冀为研究区,通过构建“地形—气象—成本”光伏开发适宜性综合评价指标体系,计算了光伏开发适宜性指数,刻画出京津冀地区2018年光伏开发适宜性的空间格局特征,进而定量评估不同开发适宜性情景下光伏发电潜力与减排效益。研究表明：① 京津冀地区光伏开发适宜区占到区域总面积的22%,一般适宜区面积最广,“燕山—太行山”一线是适宜区与不适宜区的主要分界线,各类适宜区主要分布在承德、张家口和保定市3个市。 ② 京津冀地区光伏发电发展潜力巨大,开发非常适宜区和较适宜区的年发电潜力是2018年京津冀地区电力消耗的3倍。③ 光伏发电节能减排效果显著。在将非常适宜区和较适宜区全部开发情景下碳减排量为京津冀2018年排放量的47%。④ 土地利用限制、大型输电网络和储能系统是制约光伏发展的主要因素。总体来看,虽然大规模光伏开发仍存在一定的限制条件与技术瓶颈,但在全球气候变化加剧和社会经济发展进入“低碳脱碳”新常态的背景下,京津冀地区的大规模光伏开发仍是助力区域早日实现碳中和目标、优化能源结构和提升人民福祉的重要途径。     

中国北方农牧交错带风水蚀复合区的粮食与退耕还林(草)问题

中国北方农牧交错带风水蚀复合区是一个非常特殊的生态脆弱区,通过对该类型区60个典型县域的实地考察和统计资料分析表明：①该类型区的人均粮食产量自给有余,但粮食单产较低,较高的人均粮食产量是以扩大耕地面积,牺牲生态为代价的,今后粮食增产的主要潜力重点应放在提高水浇地单产上。②从区域和国家生态安全角度考虑,该类型区不适宜大规模开垦耕地,而应在粮食自给的基础上逐渐转变为以牧为主的发展方向,退耕还林(草)正是实现这一重要转变的最有效途径和措施。③农户调查结果表明,退耕对农户粮食产量和家庭经济收入的影响不大,大部分农户能够自觉接受退耕还林(草)政策,但目前正处于相持阶段,仍需要国家给予适当经济补偿。因此,该类型区的退耕还林(草)工程不但不能压缩,而且应该进一步扩大规模,加大投资力度。     

Identifying sustainability challenges on land and water uses: The case of Lake Ziway watershed,Ethiopia

This paper firstly analyzes the land use - land cover (LULC) in Lake Ziway watershed (Ethiopia) and quantifies the changing patterns from 1973 to 2014 using Landsat images. Secondly, the paper estimates sediment yields using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT model). It also assesses and estimates water abstraction from Lake Ziway using survey data. The study shows that the conversions from woodlands into agricultural lands and settlement areas are the major detected LULC changes. Of the total area of the watershed, agricultural lands and settlement areas together increased from 57% in 1973 to 75% in 2014 at the expense of woodlands whose areas decreased from 26.16% to 6.63% in the study periods. The study also shows that water abstraction and sediment loads are increasing at Lake Ziway watershed. The major driving forces behind these LULC changes and the impacts on the lake natural condition are anthropogenic factors such as population growth, land policy changes and deforestation. Increasing demands for more land and water resources, i.e., land for settlements and cultivation, wood for fuel and charcoals, and water for irrigation and municipal water supply, are the underlying causes for the observed changes on the watershed resources. Thus, if the existing scenarios of human pressures are left neglected without management interventions, severe watershed degradations will continue to further affect the watershed's resources including the hydrology. Therefore, responsible government institutions should start mobilizing the local communities along with providing financial and material supports for watershed rehabilitation through afforestation and soil and water conservation activities. Additionally, the free-access practices for water use should be replaced by user-charge policy to regulate water abstractions in order to adequately sustain the water level of Lake Ziway and its feeder rivers. In this respect, this study provides firsthand information to policy makers and planners to put in place a comprehensive land and water use plan and regulations against the unruly human actions in the watershed before irreversible losses might happen to Lake Ziway and its watershed resources.     

遥感与GIS支持下近30 a来青海湖环湖区土地沙漠化动态变化研究

 青海湖环湖区是青藏高原土地沙漠化最为严重的区域之一。基于RS和GIS技术,选取1976、1987、1995年和2006年4期遥感影像,利用ERDAS的图像和信息处理功能对环湖区1.43万km2的土地进行专题信息提取,采用室内解译和野外检验修正的方法重建了环湖区近30 a来的沙漠化土地时空动态变化和分异格局,并在此基础上预测了未来20 a沙漠化土地的发展趋势。研究结果表明,近30 a来本区沙漠化在时间上表现为快速增加-缓慢上升-快速增加的持续扩展过程;在空间上由少成片分布或多零星分布向以4大沙区为主、滨湖沙堤为连线的环湖带状分异格局演变。受气候变化、人类活动和人工治理的综合影响,未来20 a该区沙漠化面积在前15 a呈增长趋势,后增长缓慢并出现逆转。     

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ON VANCOUVER ISLAND: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CORE-PERIPHERY MODEL *

This paper examines tourism development on Vancouver Island, B.C. in terms of the core-periphery approach to regional planning. It examines whether a core area (Victoria) is willing to share its tourism business with the rest of the island, and then focuses on the situation in a peripheral region (the Cowichan Valley Regional District–CVRD). A discriminant analysis of CVRD residents reveals they have different views regarding tourism's potential and future in their region. A follow-up analysis, reflecting a change in the scale of enquiry and local core-periphery conditions, shows residents'perceptions and priorities will change according to their respective area groupings. This analysis reveals that residents of a peripheral region, who are expected to participate in and welcome tourism development initiatives developed by senior levels of government, will in fact have different opinions regarding the industry and its potential. These differences are linked to present levels of tourism activity within the periphery and the varying community aspirations linking tourism's development potential with local needs and priorities.     

Moraine-dammed glacial lake changes during the recent 40 years in the Poiqu River Basin, Himalayas

Glacier retreat is not only a symbol of temperature and precipitation change, but a dominating factor of glacial lake changes in alpine regions, which are of wide concern for high risk of potential outburst floods. Of all types of glacial lakes, moraine-dammed lakes may be the most dangerous to local residents in mountain regions. Thus, we monitored the dynamics of 12 moraine-dammed glacial lakes from 1974 to 2014 in the Poiqu River Basin of central west Himalayas, as well as their associated glaciers with a combination of remote sensing, topographic maps and digital elevation models (DEMs). Our results indicate that all monitored moraine-dammed glacial lakes have expanded by 7.46 km² in total while the glaciers retreated by a total of 15.29 km² correspondingly. Meteorological analysis indicates a warming and drying trend in the Nyalam region from 1974 to 2014, which accelerated glacier retreat and then augmented the supply of moraine-dammed glacial lakes from glacier melt. Lake volume and water depth changed from 1974 to 2014 which indicates that lakes Kangxico, Galongco, and Youmojanco have a high potential for outburst floods and in urgent need for continuous monitoring or artificial excavation to release water due to the quick increase in water depths and storage capacities. Lakes Jialongco and Cirenmaco, with outburst floods in 1981 and 2002, have a high potential risk for outburst floods because of rapid lake growth and steep slope gradients surrounding them.     

Topographic thresholds in gully development on the hillslopes of communal areas in Ngqushwa Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, South Africa

The relationships between the spatial distribution of gully erosion and topographic thresholds in the form of slope angle, position and configuration, as well as land use change in the form of abandoned lands were examined in several affected catchments of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Land use and permanent gullies were mapped, digitized from orthophoto maps in Arc/info 3.5.2 GIS and converted to shapefiles using ArcView 3.2 GIS. Relationships between the mapped phenomena and topographic variables were sought using a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) in Idrisi Kilimanjaro GIS. A comparison between areas with a high potential for gullying and actual gully erosion was made using the Stream Power Index (SPI) as a surrogate for critical flow shear stress. Field surveys were also conducted to assess the present condition of the gullied sites as well as to validate DEM derivations.Seventy five percent of the gullied area was noted to lie on abandoned lands. A predominance of gullying in concave bottom lands was also identified. The SPI values highlighted a distinct preferential topographic zone for gully location. A conceptual model depicting the interaction between land use and topographic parameters to induce gully erosion was developed. This should assist local authorities to develop a policy regarding management of abandoned lands.     

城市建设对暴雨内涝空间分布的影响研究——以武汉市主城区为例

城市内涝灾害频繁,用地开发与空间扩张被普遍认为是其致因之一。对比武汉市遥感数据,1984—2017年,超过30%的自然水体被填占开发,城市建设开发活跃、填湖造陆强度大。论文以武汉市为例,采用二项Logistic模型,定量分析不同降雨强度情景下的内涝影响因素。研究表明,填湖造陆将极大地增加极端降雨情景下城市滨水区域的内涝风险。城市地形地势、排水管网条件、用地类型以及邻域用地结构等因素,也直接影响内涝风险。基于2种不同的用地开发策略,预测城市内涝风险结果显示,城市用地的不当开发将引致严重内涝风险。依据内涝风险的空间分布预测结果,论文提出了相应的改善策略,以为科学地制定防涝减灾规划提供参考。     

Assessing potential land suitable for surface irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia

Although Ethiopia has abundant land for irrigation, only a fraction of its potential land is being utilized. This study evaluates suitability of lands for irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia using GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques in order to enhance the country's agricultural industry. Key factors that significantly affect irrigation suitability evaluated in this study include physical land features (land use, soil, and slope), climate (rainfall and evapotranspiration), and market access (proximity to roads and access to market). These factors were weighted using a pair-wise comparison matrix, then reclassified and overlaid to identify suitable areas for groundwater irrigation using a 1-km grid. Groundwater data from the British Geological Survey were used to estimate the groundwater potential, which indicates the corresponding irrigation potential for major crops. Results indicated that more than 6 million ha of land are suitable for irrigation in Ethiopia. A large portion of the irrigable land is located in the Abbay, Rift Valley, Omo Ghibe, and Awash River basins. These basins have access to shallow groundwater (i.e., depth of groundwater less than 20 m from the surface) making it easier to extract. The comparison between available groundwater and total crop water requirements indicate that groundwater alone may not be sufficient to supply all suitable land. The study estimates that only 8% of the suitable land can be irrigated with the available shallow groundwater. However, groundwater is a viable option for supplementing surface water resources for irrigation in several basins in the country.     

艾比湖地区风沙危害趋势及对欧亚大陆桥的影响

艾比湖是新疆最大的尾闾盐湖,地质历史时期和人类活动时期处于不断干缩状态,所形成的于涸湖盆物质在阿拉山口大风驱动下对区域构成风沙危害。从物质来源和驱动风力两个方面分析了风沙危害的可能性;并在剖析扬尘爆发频率和风力条件变化趋势的基础上,得出近40年风沙危害加剧的主要由于沙尘策源地扩大的结论。重点分析了欧亚大陆桥艾湖段风沙危害现状及趋势,认为由于区域风力条件的稳定性,只有在与艾比湖地区生态环境恢复重建的基础上,进行全线的生物防护措施,改善下界面状况,才能取得可持续的防沙效益。