Regional analysis of indirect factors affecting the recovery,degradation and deforestation in the tropical dry forests of Oaxaca,Mexico

This study evaluates the dynamics and identifies the indirect biophysical and socio‐economic factors related to the recovery, degradation and deforestation of the tropical dry forest (TDF) cover in the municipality of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. Annual rates and transition matrices were determined to identify indirect factors; the cartographic information of 25 variables with shift points were overlaid and Generalized Linear Models (GLM) were applied. The change process with the greatest impact in TDF during the study period (1993–2011) was degradation, with 10468 ha degraded (12 per cent of the initial tropical cover); recovery of coverage was the second most important change process, with 4808 ha (5.5 per cent); and deforestation was the change process with the lowest impact, with a loss of 2800 ha (3.23 per cent). The net balance was negative, with a decrease (through land degradation and deforestation) of 8460 ha (9.75 per cent). The recovery of coverage was mainly associated with biophysical factors such as land suitability and accessibility to natural vegetation. On the other hand, deforestation and degradation of coverage were associated with both biophysical and socioeconomic factors such as land suitability, accessibility to natural vegetation, migration, marginalization, population pressure, economy, education and health. The findings of this study determined the spatial distribution of forest recovery, deforestation and degradation processes at a regional level, allowing for future researchers to focus their efforts at local and landscape levels. Also, the work allows for an approximation of the factors associated with the change processes studied, hence supporting the allocation of resources for the establishment of management, conservation, development and restoration strategies of tropical dry forests at the regional level.     

Fallow,labour and livelihood in shifting cultivation: implications for deforestation in northern Lao PDR

Shifting cultivation is often blamed for deforestation in tropical upland areas. Based on a case study of three villages in northern Lao PDR, this paper combines household surveys with a remote sensing based analysis of forest cover, covering the period 1989–1999, in order to analyse changes in shifting cultivation practices and livelihood strategies and the impact of these on deforestation. Due to population pressure and relocation of villages, easily accessed land is increasingly scarce and fallow periods have been shortened during the 1990s. A net annual deforestation of about 1% was found in the area during the study period. This deforestation rate reflects shorter fallow periods in secondary forests rather than encroachment on mature forests, which are not used for cultivation by the farmers in the three villages. Farmers rate scarce labour as a major constraint on shifting cultivation; nonetheless, a tendency towards lower labour input with shorter fallow periods is observed, contradicting conventional intensification theory. Livelihoods are diversifying through the establishment of plantations, cultivation of wet rice and adoption of animal husbandry, but given the socio-economic conditions in the area, shifting cultivation is likely to remain the most suitable farming system in the near future.     

中国人口分布的土地资源限制性和限制度研究

以人口分布的土地资源限制性评价为核心,建立土地资源限制性与限制度模型,从全国、分省、分县等三个不同尺度,全面评估近10年中国人口分布的土地资源限制度及其时空耦合规律,定量揭示中国人口分布的土地资源限制程度及其空间格局与变化规律。结果表明：① 1949年以来中国的土地资源承载力趋于增强; 2010年与2000年相比,人口分布的土地资源限制度由42.87下降到34.50,土地资源限制度在降低。② 分省的人粮关系趋于好转,大多省份人口分布的土地资源限制度处于较低水平; 2010年与2000年相比,分省人口分布的土地资源限制度整体呈降低趋势。③ 2000-2010年分县粮食盈余地区在增加,人口超载地区在减少,人粮关系趋于改善; 2010年和2000年相比,基本不受土地资源限制的分县单元由60.27%增至70.63%,基于人口分布的土地资源限制度整体较低,且近10年呈降低趋势;土地资源限制度整体上东部强于西部、南部强于北部、泛黄河流域强于长江流域。     

塔里木河干流土地利用/覆盖变化的社会经济驱动力分析

土地利用/覆盖变化的驱动力分析是土地利用/覆盖研究的一个主要核心内容。利用相关分析和主成分分析,探讨土地利用变化的社会经济驱动力。在驱动力分析的基础上,建立人口因素与土地利用程度的分异模型,并通过干扰度指数的计算,分析人类活动对不同景观类型的干扰强度。研究结果表明：研究区土地利用变化的主要社会经济驱动力为：人口因素、经济因素、技术因素和区域社会经济发展程度等。人类活动对建设用地的干扰强度最大,其次是林地、耕地和水域,而对于其他景观类型的干扰度则不甚明显。人口密度与土地利用程度的分异模型适用于分析现阶段人口密度与土地利用程度之间的关系,而且还可以通过预测未来人口变化状况进行土地利用程度的预测。     

African Environment and Development: Rhetoric,Programs, Realities

Tropical deforestation is widely believed to directly influence the climate at a number of scales. Yet while much has been written about the tropical forest-climate relationship, there is little empirical evidence showing if and how local and regional climates are modified by deforestation. This study presents the results of an analysis of deforestation and climate change in a rain forest in southern Mexico. Records from 18 climate stations in the Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico were examined and related to an analysis of deforestation based on Landsat images. The area surrounding some stations has been deforested since the stations were established, while the area surroundings others has remained forested. Strong climatic trends were generally evident at the deforested stations, including decreases in the average daily maximum temperature and temperature range. No precipitation changes were observed. A comparison of the results with microclimatic experiments and modeling studies suggests that the climatic impacts of deforestation are overgeneralized at the local scale. Landscape heterogeneity appears to influence the biophysical mechanisms linking tropical forests and climate, and should be explicitly represented in modeling studies.     

Spatial modelling of road network development,population pressure and biophysical properties of upland crop and forest conversions in Lop Buri province,Thailand, 1989–2006

Over the past few decades, land use and land cover change has become a global concern. In the Lop Buri province of Thailand, rapid land cover change, specifically conversion of forests to agriculture, has occurred. The purpose of the study is to identify the predictors of land cover change in Lop Buri province for land that has been converted to upland crops or has undergone deforestation between 1989 and 2006. Four logistic regression models were constructed using spatially explicit biophysical and geo‐social data, to account for changes to upland crops and forest loss from1989–98 and 1998–2006. Across the four models, slope, distance to forest edge, distance to towns, distance to roads, population size, and population density in various stand‐alone and interactive forms were found to be the most consistent predictors of land cover change.     

Groundwater Depletion and Agricultural Land Use Change in the High Plains: A Case Study from Wichita County,Kansas*

Shifts in resource availability and resulting land use changes are important research themes for coupled human and natural systems and human dimensions of global environmental change. This study examines the relationship between groundwater depletion and agricultural land use change within a single county in the High Plains, where agro-economic systems and populations are dependent on access to reliable groundwater supplies. Results indicate a significant relationship between high proportionate decreases in groundwater and land being removed from irrigation. This case study strengthens the links among local, regional, and global environmental change, and contributes to a greater understanding of the High Plains in the context of regional sustainability and vulnerability concerns.     

Fragmentation Patterns in Land Reform Settlements in the Brazilian Amazon

Direct action land reform (DALR) and settlement formation are new drivers of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. However, until now no research has paid attention to fragmentation patterns and the social processes that lead to them. This article analyzes two types of settlements, spontaneous and social movement organization-led settlements. The study uses neutral landscape models (NLMs) to compare simulated landscapes with the real fragmentation patterns found in DALR settlements. In sequence, the article uses landscape metrics to analyze the temporal and spatial dynamics of fragmentation patterns in these two types of DALR settlements. Results showed that there are significant differences between real landscape patterns and simulated landscapes using NLMs. In other words, human interferences did play a significant role in shaping deforestation patches in DALR settlements. Our metric results revealed a process in which deforestation patch mean area, shape complexity, and physical connectedness increase over time.     

滇西北高原湿地区土地利用变化特征

湿地景观格局的动态变化与区域土地利用/覆盖格局的变化有着十分紧密的联系。以纳帕海、碧塔海和属都湖三块高原湿地所在的云南省香格里拉县建塘镇为例,在遥感和GIS技术的支持下,对该区域1974、1987和2000三期Landsat TM(ETM)影像进行了解译,分析了26 a间的土地利用/覆盖变化规律,并结合景观格局动态分析的方法,借助FRAGSTATS软件定量分析了该区景观格局特征及其动态变化。结果表明:该区土地利用/覆盖状况变化显著,主要土地利用/覆盖类型有林地以822 hm2/a的速度在大面积减少,并主要转为灌木林地,使得后者在26 a间扩大高达17倍,变化幅度最大。建设用地和耕地的面积分别扩大了6倍和2倍,而草地和雪地面积持续减少。相应地,该区景观格局定量分析显示,有林地的斑块密度增大而平均斑块面积减小迅速,呈破碎化趋势,灌木林地的斑块密度、平均斑块面积均增加,草地则与之相反均减小,耕地的斑块密度降低而平均斑块面积增加,在不断融合成大斑块,其余各景观单元斑块密度增大平均斑块面积减小,同时各斑块几何形状在1987年变化最剧烈,景观格局趋于复杂。     

Amplifying (or Reversing) the Territorial Disparities in Land Vulnerability to Soil Degradation: The Case of Italy

This article analyzes the territorial disparities in the level of land vulnerability (TDLV) to soil degradation caused by five processes (soil erosion, salinization, sealing, contamination, and compaction) as well as by climate variations in Italy in 1990 and 2000. The analysis reveals, for each soil degradation process, a typical spatial distribution across Italy. Three processes (soil salinization, compaction, and sealing) contribute significantly to the increase in land vulnerability, which is mainly concentrated in risky areas. The observed disparities highlight a growing environmental divide between northern Italy (an economically developed region, not at risk of desertification) and southern Italy and the two main islands (dry, disadvantaged regions at risk of desertification). The knowledge of such a territorial divide and of the underlying soil degradation processes is regarded as important for environmental policies at the country and regional scales aimed at sustaining the economic and socioenvironmental cohesion between areas that are either vulnerable or nonvulnerable to soil degradation. The proposed approach should be seen as part of a decision-making tool informing policies and supporting the design of management solutions, hopefully reversing disparities in land vulnerability to soil degradation.     

土地质量的空间变异与尺度效应研究进展

土地质量能体现自然因素与人类活动对土地的影响，直接关系着环境改善与土地持续利用。20世纪80年代以来，人口增长与经济发展对土地资源的压力越来越大，并导致了不同程度的土地质量退化，人们越来越关注土地质量的提高及其管理。深入认识不同尺度土地质量空间变化与发展对土地质量的提高与管理具有重要意义。本文首先介绍了土地质量和尺度的概念及其特征，阐述了空间变异的研究方法，重点综述了土地质量的空间变异与尺度效应研究进展，并提出了土地质量空间变异及其相关研究的发展趋势，以期对我国土地质量的研究和实现土地资源可持续利用有所启迪。     

农业多功能性与都市区土地利用管理——框架和案例分析

采用理论和案例分析相结合的方法探讨了农业多功能性对都市区土地利用管理的意义和实现途径。论文从农业多功能性的多尺度嵌套层级结构出发,构建了基于农业多功能性评价的都市区土地利用管理框架,然后基于高清卫星遥感影像解译、文献资料整理等分析了北京市海淀区1968—2014年间土地利用、农业多功能性和土地利用管理措施的变化及相互作用。研究指出：都市区土地利用管理者应该在区域尺度和农户/农园尺度农业多功能性评价的基础上,围绕农户/农园与区域、国家等各级社会经济系统的相互作用,从改进土地用途管制分区和发展多功能农业两个方面进行区域的农业用地管理。最后,展望了未来的研究方向,希望优化都市区土地利用管理,推动都市型现代农业建设,并促进区域可持续发展。     

导致塔里木河流域土地沙漠化扩展的深层次原因分析

就塔里木河流域的总体情况而言,在人类历史之前,沙漠化形成是一种完全受气候变化制约的自然过程,在现代干旱环境背景下,超载放牧、滥挖滥采、毁林毁草开荒以及水资源的不合理利用是导致目前塔里木河干流沙漠化持续扩展的几种主要的不合理人为活动。那么,又是什么原因促使人们在与自然相处过程中,采取了这些显然违背自然规律的活动？在实地考察基础上,结合前人研究的成果资料,对导致塔里木河流域沙漠化扩展的深层次原因进行分析。认为,主要是人口压力、政策失误和利益驱动促使人们在与自然相处过程中,采取了这些显然违背自然规律的活动。因此,控制人口增长、采取正确的政策引导、正确处理经济利益和生态环境之间的关系是促进当地土地沙漠化逆转所必须的。     

1960-2010 年贵州省喀斯特山区陡坡土地利用变化

基于GIS 与RS技术, 以贵州省喀斯特山区坡度大于25°的区域为研究对象, 利用1960 年1:50000 地形图、1990 年Landsat TM遥感影像以及2010 年的环境减灾卫星(HJ-1A/1B)影像, 解译获取1960、1990、2010 年3 个时间点的土地利用数据, 并结合贵州省水文地质图、坡度图进行陡坡土地利用变化分析。结果表明:①1960-1990 年的30 年间, 有林地、灌木林、水体呈减少趋势, 其中灌木林减少的最多, 其次是有林地;而草地、建设用地、裸岩和耕地呈持续增长趋势, 其中草地增加的最多, 其次是耕地。②1990-2010 年的20 年间, 灌木林、裸岩、耕地呈减少趋势, 其中耕地减少的最多;而有林地、疏林地、草地、水体呈增长趋势, 其中疏林地增加的最多。③随坡度增加覆盖比例呈降低趋势的土地利用类型为有林地、疏林地、水体、建设用地和耕地;随坡度增加覆盖比例呈增加趋势的土地利用为灌木林、草地和裸岩。     

Land use/cover, landforms and fragmentation patterns in a tropical dry forest in the southern Pacific region of Mexico

In spite of widely documented studies of deforestation rates and land use/cover changes in tropical dry forests in Mexico, relatively little is known about fragmentation patterns in such forests. This study defines the spatial distribution of landforms and land use/cover types the lower Papagayo River basin and examines their influence on fragmentation patterns and biological diversity in a tropical dry forest in that southern Pacific region. The land use/cover map was constructed from aerial photographs, Landsat TM imagery (2000) and fieldwork. Landform units were defined based on altitude, slope, lithology and morphology. Landscape fragmentation parameters were obtained using FRAGSTATS (version 3.3) considering the numbers of patches, mean, minimum and maximum patch size, edge density, total edge and connectivity. Results show tropical dry forest to be remnant vegetation (~11 per cent), characterized by isolation and low connectivity. Land use/cover types have different effects on fragmentation patterns. Agriculture and cattle raising produce similar numbers of patches, but with a different mean size; and human settlements have a scattered distribution pattern. The abandonment of rural agricultural livelihoods has favoured the expansion of secondary tropical dry forest characterized by continuity and high connectivity, which suggests a high regeneration potential from land abandonment. It can be concluded that tropical dry forest fragmentation and recovery at regional scales depend on such landscape attributes as lithology, slope, geomorphology and management.     

闽东北沿海罗源县土地利用空间分布格局的多尺度分析

在不同的空间尺度上,制约土地利用空间分布的影响因子及其影响程度并不相同,因此区域空间分布格局 分析应优先考虑制约空间分布的影响因子识别及其影响程度的尺度依赖性的研究。本文以闽东沿海的罗源县为研 究区域,采样统计方法与GIS 技术,选取20 个候选影响因子,研究了该县主要土地利用空间分布格局的影响因子 及其空间尺度相关性。研究表明模型的解释能力、影响因子及其影响系数均会随研究尺度发生不同程度的变化,回 归模型的解释能力以及主要影响因子的制约程度总体上均随研究尺度增大呈增强趋势。除受坡度、海拔高程等地 形条件的严格制约外,罗源县主要地类均在一定程度上受到人口因素以及若干可达性因素的影响。     

土地变化科学中的尺度问题与解决途径

尺度问题是土地变化科学中的关键问题。总结国内外近10年来土地变化研究中尺度问题的进展表明:土地变化研究中的尺度问题多集中于数据处理、格局与过程的表征、驱动力的影响、模型运用、生态环境效应以及土地政策与可持续管理等方面。尺度问题主要产生于地理现象的异质性、地理系统的等级性、响应与反馈的非线性、干扰因素的影响及主观认识的局限等。土地变化中尺度问题研究的一般途径为尺度选择-尺度分析-尺度综合;尺度选择时应该以问题为指向,数据为基础,选择适宜的尺度;尺度分析中需要从更大尺度和更小尺度同时开展分析,找出重要的变化动态,防止信息的遗漏或夸大;尺度综合是认识全球与地方关系的纽带,可将其分为尺度上推和尺度下推,在尺度综合中方法是主导,目标是寻找各尺度之间的"连通性"。模型有助于深刻理解土地利用系统动态,发展嵌套式模型是目前尺度综合研究中的重要内容。     

基于斑块层次的土地利用变化对土地质量影响的初步分析——以河北省张北县为例

利用SPOT2/4、SPOT5 等遥感数据源, 以人工目视解译为主, 分析了1999 年到2003 年河 北省张北县土地利用( 耕地) 变化情况; 运用GIS 和统计分析的方法, 初步分析林草地转变为耕 地、耕地转变为林草地和未变化耕地斑块等的土地退化特征。从1999 年到2003 年, 张北县耕地 减少20229.5ha, 耕地的主要流向为林草地, 其中又以旱地转化为人工草地为主, 2003 年新增耕 地的主要来源为牧草地。除耕地转为疏林地外, 耕地转为林草地的其余类型未退化斑块的面积较 大; 林草地转化为耕地的情况比较复杂: 林地转化为旱地、牧草地转化为水浇地的斑块发生了比 较明显的土地退化; 而牧草地转化为旱地、其它土地转化为旱地、牧草地转化为菜地斑块中退化 斑块数和面积比例都不大。和未变化耕地斑块的退化特征比较, 旱地转化为牧草地, 退化斑块与 未退化斑块数量比例比较接近, 但未退化斑块面积比例远远高于未变化耕地斑块; 而牧草地转为 旱地的退化与未退化斑块数量和面积比例没有明显差别。旱地转化为林地的未退化斑块数量和 面积比例要大于林地转化为旱地的斑块。说明旱地向林草地转化有助于提高区域土地质量。     

Mechanism and regulation of land degradation in Yulin district

Yulin district is located in the transitional zone between Mu Us Desert and Loess Plateau of northern Shaanxi Province, thus it is particularly vulnerable to degradation due to its fragile ecosystem and intense human activities there. The purpose of this study is to explore the mechanism, process and driving force of land degradation in area with vulnerable eco-environment within the context of increasing population and intensifying human economic activities, and then find out the patterns and countermeasures of how to control them using the economic and technological ways. In detail, this study includes three main sections: the first section analyzes the mechanism, causes and characteristics of land degradation, which can be achieved by the typical field investigations and systematical analysis within the regional natural, social and economic context. Based on the technologies of remote sensing and GIS, and combined with the modeling methods, the second section reveals the change characteristics of land use and its driving force from 1990 to 2000; As to the third section, feasible countermeasures of how to prevent the degradation and rehabilitate the regional ecology are proposed, which are studied from the perspective of harmony between nature and economy, and the conception of regional sustainable development.     

Multi‐scale correlations between topography and vegetation in a hillside catchment of Honduras

All systems have causes and effects that can be appreciated at different spatial scales. Understanding and representing the complexity of multi‐scale patterns in maps and spatial models are key research objectives. We describe the use of three types of correlation analyses: (1) a standard Pearson correlation coefficient, (2) a ‘global’ multi‐scale correlation, and (3) local geographically weighted correlation. These methods were applied to topographic and vegetation indices in a small catchment in Honduras that is representative of the country's hillsides agro‐ecosystem which suffers from severe environmental degradation due to land‐use decisions that lead to deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural. If the geographical scale at which topography matters for land‐use allocation can be determined, then integration of knowledge systems can be focused. Our preliminary results show that: (1) single‐scale correlations do not adequately represent the relationship between NDVI and topographic indices; (2) peaks in the global multi‐scale correlations in agricultural areas coincided with the median farm size, but there was no evidence of any community or larger‐scale land‐use planning or optimization; and (3) local multi‐scale correlations varied considerably from the global results at all scales, and these variations have a strong spatial structure which may indicate local optimization of land use.