Quantitative morphometric analysis of the Jama River profile in a tectonically active margin (Northwestern Ecuador)

The longitudinal profile of a river channel can be described in function of mathematical expressions. The logarithmic fit is the most used method to describe the relative equilibrium of a channel elevation profile. Rivers showing zones of high channel gradient and convex-upward profiles can be evaluated in function of the offset distance with respect to the logarithmic curve. The Jama River profile has been constructed using differential GPS data for the downstream reach and 4-m-grid DEM data base for the remaining headward profile. The resulting longitudinal profile shows a prominent knickpoint of about 80 m in elevation characterized by sharp local convexity. The offset distance in vertical direction from the logarithmic plot is interpreted as the successive accumulation of multiple uplift episodes associated with the Jama Fault System activity. The horizontal offset is suggested to represent the remaining retreated distance for the upstream propagation of the Jama knickpoint. The highly resistant Cretaceous rocks outcropping along the Jama knickpoint reach acts as an inflection point between two subprofiles that show well-fitted logarithmic curves, thereby representing a temporary partitioned equilibrium along the Jama River profile.     

Estimating aboveground biomass using Pléiades satellite image in a karst watershed of Guizhou Province,Southwestern China

Biomass in karst terrain has rarely been measured because the steep mountainous limestone terrain has limited the ability to sample woody plants.Satellite observation, especially at high spatial resolution, is an important surrogate for the quantification of the biomass of karst forests and shrublands. In this study, an artificial neural network(ANN) model was built using Pléiades satellite imagery and field biomass measurements to estimate the aboveground biomass(AGB) in the Houzhai River Watershed, which is a typical plateau karst basin in Central Guizhou Province, Southwestern China. A back-propagation ANN model was also developed.Seven vegetation indices, two spectral bands of Pléiades imagery, one geomorphological parameter,and land use/land cover were selected as model inputs. AGB was chosen as an output. The AGB estimated by the allometric functions in 78 quadrats was utilized as training data(54 quadrats, 70%),validation data(12 quadrats, 15%), and testing data(12 quadrats, 15%). Data-model comparison showed that the ANN model performed well with an absolute root mean square error of 11.85 t/ha, which was 9.88%of the average AGB. Based on the newly developed ANN model, an AGB map of the Houzhai River Watershed was produced. The average predicted AGB of the secondary evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest, which is the dominant forest type in the watershed, was 120.57 t/ha. The average AGBs of the large distributed shrubland,tussock, and farmland were 38.27, 9.76, and 11.69 t/ha, respectively. The spatial distribution pattern ofthe AGB estimated by the new ANN model in the karst basin was consistent with that of the field investigation. The model can be used to estimate the regional AGB of karst landscapes that are distributed widely over the Yun-Gui Plateau.     

Assessment of prospective hazards resulting from the 2017 earthquake at the world heritage site Jiuzhaigou Valley,Sichuan, China

On August 8, 2017, a Ms = 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Jiuzhaigou Valley, in Sichuan Province, China(N: 33.20°, E: 103.82°). Jiuzhaigou Valley is an area recognized and listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1992. Data analysis and field survey were conducted on the landslide, collapse, and debris flow gully, to assess the coseismic geological hazards generated by the earthquake using an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV), remote-sensing imaging, laser range finders, geological radars, and cameras. The results highlighted the occurrence of 13 landslides, 70 collapses, and 25 potential debris flow gullies following the earthquake. The hazards were classified on the basis of their size and the potential property loss attributable to them. Consequently, 14 large-scale hazards, 30 medium-sized hazards, and 64 small hazards accounting for 13%, 28%, and 59% of the total hazards, respectively, were identified. Based on the variation tendency of the geological hazards that ensued in areas affected by the Kanto earthquake(Japan), Chi-chi earthquake(Taiwan China), and Wenchuan earthquake(Sichuan China), the study predicts that, depending on the rain intensity cycle, the duration of geological hazard activities in the Jiuzhaigou Valley may last over ten years and will gradually decrease for the following five to ten yearsbefore returning to pre-earthquake levels. Thus,necessary monitoring and early warning systems must be implemented to ensure the safety of residents,workers and tourists during the construction of engineering projects and reopening of scenic sites to the public.     

Impacts of tourism development on the physical environment of Mussoorie,a hill station in the lower Himalayan range of India

Tourism in mountainous regions is a significant source of revenue generation. However, it has also been associated with many adverse environmental consequences. This study aims at assessing the negative impacts of the incessant upsurge in tourism development on the physical environment of Mussoorie, a well-known mountain tourist destination in India. The impact indicators for the region were identified and assessed by qualitative and quantitative analysis of field observations. The observations indicated the aggravation of traffic congestion, atmospheric pollution, undisposed solid waste, water scarcity and infrastructure unavailability as the prevalent issues, especially during the peak tourist months. The extent of the consequential damage to the environment was evaluated by conducting an assessment of tourism-induced human disturbance on the natural landscape of the town. Slope, slope aspect, vegetation cover, road network and drainage network were incorporated as the determining landscape attributes to prepare thematic maps of landscape quality (perceivable intrinsic properties) and landscape fragility (vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbances) using GIS technique. An absorption capacity map was finally prepared to characterize the study area into regions of different conservation needs. The results identified the need for planning appropriate preservation strategies for different tourist places in the town. The study can be used by the policy makers for implementing the regulatory measures against potential disturbances due to mass-tourism.     

Differentiated payments for environmental services schemes: Amethodology proposal

Payment schemes for environmental services face serious budget constraints in Mexico. Payments are equally distributed among forest owners, and the governmental agencies that make payments to beneficiaries do not evaluate the amount of environmental services produced by forested areas. This lack of evaluation could lead to economic and environmental deficiencies that restrict the possible benefits of such programmes. In general, these programmes do not achieve their conservation objectives, and local beneficiaries are not involved in the design or application of these programmes. Similarly, the Payments for Hydrological Environmental Services (PHES) programme of the State of Mexico, Mexico, makes equal payments to beneficiaries of forested areas considering tree density. The objective of the present work was to create a methodology for determining differentiated payments schemes for hydrological environmental services, prioritising areas that contribute the most to groundwater recharge and promote the participation of society. In the Nevado de Toluca Natural Protected Area, the environmental criteria of forest type, tree density and aquifer overexploitation as well as social participation were considered in a multi-criteria analysis implemented in a Geographic Information System. A methodology was developed to determine differentiated payments based on specific forest characteristics that influence the potential capacity of forests to recharge groundwater reserves in addition to the level of social participation. In particular, social participation is key as it could ensure the viability of PHES programmes as conservation alternatives in forested areas with high groundwater recharge potential.     

Stabilization versus decomposition in alpine ecosystems of the Northwestern Caucasus: The results of a tea bag burial experiment

Mountainous areas exhibit highly variable decomposition rates as a result of strong local differences in climate and vegetation type. This paper describes the effect of these factors on two major determinants of the local carbon cycle: litter decomposition and carbon stabilization. In order to adequately reflect local heterogeneity, we have sampled 12 typical plant communities of the Russian Caucasus. In order to minimize confounding effects and encourage comparative studies, we have adapted the widely used tea bag index (TBI) that is typically used in areas with low decomposition. By incubating standardized tea litter for a year, we investigated whether (1) initial litter decomposition rate (k) is negatively correlated with litter stabilization (S) and (2) whether k or S exhibit correlations with altitude and other environmental conditions. Our results show that S and k are not correlated. Altitude, pH, and water content significantly influenced the stabilization factor S, while soil-freezing had no influence. In contrast, none of these factors predicted the decomposition rate k. Based on our data, we argue that collection of decomposition rates alone, as is now common practice, is not sufficient to understand carbon input to soils and can potentially lead to misleading results. Our data on community-specific decomposition and stabilization rates further constrain estimates of litter accumulation in subalpine communities and the potential effects of climate change.     

Evolution Characteristics of Government-Industry-University-Research Cooperative Innovation Network for China’s Agriculture and Influencing Factors: Illustrated According to Agricultural Patent Case

Under the special background of China, the cooperative innovation between different government-industry-university-research institutes plays an increasingly important role in the agricultural field. However, the existing literature has paid little attention to it. Considering the cooperation patents, published in the agriculture field stemming from the Full-text Database of China Patents as the study object, the spatial and institutional attribute of the authors as the data source, and by combining the social network and spatial econometrics analysis, this paper analyzes the structure evolution characteristics of cooperative innovation networks of agricultural government-industry-university-research institute in the city level of China in 1985–2014, based on the triple helix theory, with the influence factors discussed. This shows that, 1) since 1985, China's agricultural innovation level has been substantially increased, but the development degree of the cooperative innovation network is low, and the patent cooperation mainly relies on authors in the same unit; 2) enterprises play a leading role in the agricultural cooperative innovation. The effect of the government and hybrid organizations driven by the government is not obvious; 3) the cooperative innovation in the province and city dominates, and a multi-pole pattern has been formed. The cooperative innovation network structure evolves from a single helix empty core and double helix multi core to a double helix hierarchical network; 4) the city's science, education funding and personnel investment are key factors determining the agricultural cooperative innovation, while the agricultural development of the city presents slight negative impacts on it. The spatial mismatch of supply and demand is present in the technical cooperative innovation of China's agriculture. Therefore, the science enhancement and education investment to big agricultural provinces should be promptly implemented.     

Iron Regulation of Wetland Vegetation Performance Through Synchronous Effects on Phosphorus Acquisition Efficiency

Iron-rich groundwater flowing into wetlands is a worldwide environmental pollution phenomenon that is closely associated with the stability of wetland ecosystems. Combined with high phosphorus(P) loading from agricultural runoff, the prediction of the evolution of wetland vegetation affected by compound contamination is particularly urgent. We tested the effects of anaerobic iron-rich groundwater discharge in a freshwater marsh by simulating the effect of three levels of eutrophic water on native plants(Glyceria spiculosa(Fr. Schmidt.) Rosh.). The management of wetland vegetation with 1–20 mg/L Fe input is an efficient method to promote the growth of plants, which showed an optimum response under a 0.10 mg/L P surface water environment. Iron-rich groundwater strongly affects the changes in ecological niches of some wetland plant species and the dominant species. In addition, when the P concentration in a natural body of water is too high, the governance effect of eutrophication might not be as expected. Under iron-rich groundwater conditions, the δ~(13)C values of organs were more depleted, which can partially explain the differences in δ~(13)C in the soil profile. Conversely, the carbon isotope composition of soil organic carbon is indicative of past changes in vegetation. The results of our experiments confirm that iron-rich groundwater discharge has the potential to affect vegetation composition through toxicity modification in eutrophic environments.     

Walking Access Distance of Metro Passengers and Relationship with Demographic Characteristics: A Case Study of Nanjing Metro

In the metropolises of China, the metro plays an increasingly important role in commuting because of its efficiency, affordability, and cleanliness. This paper attempts to explore the relationship between walking access distance to metro stations and the demographic characteristics of passengers, such as age, monthly income, travel frequency, gender, and travel purpose, as well as the influence of the urban context. Nanjing Metro Line 2 is selected as the case study. By using different methods such as a questionnaire survey, spatial decay function, analysis of covariance (ANOVA), network analysis of routes, and K-means cluster analysis, it is suggested that demographic characteristics have a significant impact on the pedestrian walking distance, with the exception of gender. Furthermore, the paper finds a spatial decay effect in walking access distance, the decay rate of which, however, varies across stations. Terminal stations have a larger pedestrian catchment area than in regular and exchange stations. Moreover, the passengers of Nanjing Metro Line 2 can be classified into six groups according to their demographic characteristics, among which education and occupation are vital indicators in determining their willingness to walk to the stations. Middle-class passengers have a higher dependence on the metro and tend to walk longer than other groups do. This study provides an important reference for planners and transport sectors to optimize land-use and transport infrastructures.     

Optimization Transmission Theory and Technical Pathways that Describe Multiscale Urban Agglomeration Spaces

Urban agglomerations are spatial entities that promote the development of ‘new urbanization' processes within China. In this context, the concept of ‘multiscale urban agglomeration spaces' encompasses three linked levels: macroscale urban agglomerations, mesoscale cities, and microscale urban centers. Applying a series of multidisciplinary integrated research methods drawn from geography, urban planning, and architecture, this paper reveals two intensive utilization laws that can be generalized to apply to multiscale urban agglomeration spaces, top-to-bottom ‘positive transmission' linkage and inside-to-outside ‘negative transmission' movement. This paper also proposes optimization transmission theory and policy decision technical pathways that can be applied to these three urban agglomeration spatial scales. Specific technical pathways of transmission include intensive expansion and simulated decision-making in macroscale urban agglomerations, ecology, production, and living space intensive layout and dynamic decision-making in mesoscale cities, and four cores(i.e., ‘single, ring, axis, and pole core') progressive linkage and intensive optimization decision-making in microscale urban centers. The theory and technical pathways proposed in this paper solve the technical problem of optimization and provide intensive methods that can be applied not only at the individual level but also at multiple scales in urban agglomeration spaces. This study also advances a series of comprehensive technical solutions that can be applied to both compact and smart growth cities as well as to urban agglomerations. Solid theoretical support is provided for the optimization of Chinese land development, urbanization, agricultural development, and ecological security.