Land‐use change and urbanization of Adana,Turkey

This study analyses land‐use/land‐cover (LULC) changes in Adana city, Turkey, using satellite data of 1984 and 2000. Study of the expansion of the city over adjacent agricultural fields and semi‐natural areas was the major focus. The satellite images were classified using supervised classification prior to comparison of LULC on two different dates. The change map was produced by pixel‐to‐pixel comparison of the classified images. Urban and built‐up area increased by a factor of 2ċ07 during the 16 years; about 30 per cent on agricultural land and 70 per cent on previously semi‐natural land. Permanent immigration and urban development strategies were the main driving forces. Some policy perspectives are also given. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land‐use evolution and degradation in Lesvos (Greece): a historical approach

An analysis has been undertaken of the land‐use evolution in the island of Lesvos for the last 5000 years, based on historical and archaeological documents and recent soil and vegetation survey data. A series of maps were compiled using historical documents for the period from 3300 bc to 1886 bc and vegetation field survey data for the period from 1886–1996. A soil survey (scale 1:50 000) was conducted in 1996 in order to relate the land‐use changes to the present physical environment. Cultivation of the land started around 3300 bc and intensified during the 18th century bc . During the Roman period forests were already significantly reduced to satisfy the increasing demands for agricultural products, timber and heating. In the Byzantine period (4th–15th century), vineyards and pastures expanded, mainly by clearing the forests. Olive plantations increased during the 13th century, motivated by the allocation of subsidies. During the first centuries of the Ottoman period, there was a further expansion of olive groves and pastures by reducing forests, while vineyards declined. Great changes occurred in the last century in the geographical distribution and the total area occupied by the various types of land use. Olive groves significantly expanded and were redistributed covering more fertile and productive land on hilly areas by clearing mainly pine forests. Oak forests increased on previous pasture areas. Today, pasture is the main type of land use in hilly areas. These previously forested areas have been cleared without any accompanying measures against soil erosion. This highly degraded land with shallow and severely eroded soils is not able to sustain any profitable agricultural use or natural forest. However, areas cultivated with olives remained sustainable for more than seven centuries without being significantly degraded. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land‐use change in subalpine grassland soils: Effect on particulate organic carbon fractions and aggregation

Abandonment of mountain grassland often changes vegetation composition and litter quantity and quality, but related effects on labile soil organic matter (SOM) are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of grassland management and abandonment on soil carbon distribution in light (< 1.6 g cm^–3) particulate organic matter (POM) and aggregation along a gradient of management intensity including hay meadows, pastures, and abandoned grasslands. The reduction of management intensity is an interregional phenomenon throughout the European Alps. We therefore selected sites from two typical climate regions, namely at Stubai Valley, Austria (MAT: 3°C, MAP: 1097 mm) and Matsch Valley, Italy (MAT: 6.6°C, MAP: 527 mm), to evaluate effects of land‐use change in relation to climate. Free water‐floatable and free POM (wPOM, fPOM), and an occluded POM fraction (oPOM), were isolated from three water‐stable aggregate size classes (2–6.3 mm, 0.25–2 mm, < 0.25 mm) using density fractionation. Aggregate mean weight diameter slightly decreased with decreasing management intensity. In contrast to absolute POM‐C, fPOM‐C increased in aggregates at both sites with abandonment. Because the oPOM‐C was less affected by abandonment, the ratio of oPOM‐C : fPOM‐C shifted from > 1 to < 1 from meadow to abandoned grassland in aggregates at both sites and thus independent of climate. This suggests that in differently managed mountain grasslands free and occluded POM are functionally different SOM fractions. In bulk soil, the oPOM‐C : fPOM‐C ratio is better suited as an indicator for the response of SOM to management reduction in subalpine grasslands than the total soil C, absolute or relative POM‐C content.     

基于正射影像和GIS技术的县级土地利用变更调查方法研究

该文针对中国县级土地利用变更调查工作的实际情况,分别以山西省昔阳县和太原市尖草坪区为研究区,探讨了基于正射影像和GIS技术的土地利用变更调查方法.该方法的主要特点是发挥航空遥感技术的优势,把正射影像作为县级土地利用现状更新的主要数据源,在土地利用数据库的支持下,用GIS集成数据,从而建立一个准确把握县级土地利用现状及其变化的动态监测系统.     

基于正射影像和GIS技术的县级土地利用变更调查方法研究

该文针对中国县级土地利用变更调查工作的实际情况，分别以山西省昔阳县和太原市尖草坪区为研究区，探讨了基于正射影像和GIS技术的土地利用变更调查方法。该方法的主要特点是发挥航空遥感技术的优势，把正射影像作为县级土地利用现状更新的主要数据源，在土地利用数据库的支持下，用GIS集成数据，从而建立一个准确把握县级土地利用现状及其变化的动态监测系统。     

土地利用变化分析与决策系统的设计与实现

为了快速准确地提取出土地利用数据的变化信息,该文采用增量变化提取方法,对同一地区2个不同时间的土地利用数据进行变化检测,并自动提取出土地利用空间及属性变化信息,设计并实现土地利用变化检测分析系统,能定量分析土地信息的变化,并成功应用于实际土地利用分析案例中,结果表明从技术上已解决土地利用规划上一些“定时,定位,定量”的问题。     

Seasonal migration and land‐use change in Ghana

When farmers migrate yearly to a village to carry out intense farming during the rainy season, and thereafter return to a more permanent place of abode this is referred to as seasonal migration. The impact of such migration on land‐use/land‐cover change in an area within the Volta Basin of Ghana was examined using satellite image analysis and socioeconomic surveys. The most drastic land‐cover change involved the conversion of woodland to agricultural land, while there was also a general transition to less vegetation cover. Socioeconomic surveys revealed that most of the migration occurred during the post‐structural adjustment period in Ghana with declining soil fertility accounting for the highest per cent of causes of migration. Multiple regression results highlighted the role of population size and distribution, marketing of agricultural produce and technological evolution of the household in determining agricultural land‐use change. Policy initiatives that could lead to environment conservation are suggested. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐factorial causes of land‐use change: land‐use dynamics in the agropastoral village of Im Mial,northwestern Syria

Land‐use dynamics in drylands are complex processes. In the context of a typical agropastoral village in northwestern Syria Im Mial, the effects of demographic and social changes, reduced soil productivity, changes in agricultural technologies and historical events on land use and land productivity are examined. Decreasing yields, mainly the result of reduced fallow periods and low investments in the land, and the deterioration of the grazing resources are the two main signs of the loss of land productivity in the area. The growing population forces the villagers to practise continuous rainfed barley cultivation with no or only occasional fallow, and without any application of plant nutrients. Also, technological changes, from the use of donkey ploughs and hand harvesting to less labour‐intensive and time‐consuming cultivation practices with tractors and combine harvesters, and the increased importance of stubble in the livestock diet have contributed to the reduction of the fallow periods. The villagers attribute the yield decreases mainly to the low rainfall in the area. The high rainfall variability discourages the fallowing of fields because continuous cultivation maximizes the chances for good harvests in years with high rainfall. There is also an expansion of cultivation into the less fertile and sloping traditional grazing areas. Population growth, increased numbers of livestock and the expansion of cultivated land into grazing areas has also put pressure on the grazing resources of the village. The possession of livestock is seen as a sign of wealth and the villagers aim to have large flocks of animals. For them, livestock is also an important means for investment of cash earned from off‐farm work, which is the main source of income for most of the households in the village. There is a recent trend of increasing levels of crop‐livestock integration with less free grazing that produces higher return to the land users. This may also have a positive effect on the restoration and conservation of the degraded natural traditional grazing grounds. The stabilization and productive use of the land resources in this dry environment requires the combined and interdisciplinary effort from both the land‐users and the policy‐makers. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land use change and land degradation in China from 1991 to 2001

China has long been experiencing intense land use/cover changes (LUCC). Undesirable land use/cover changes have resulted in widespread land degradation. This study examines the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use change and land degradation as evident from land use survey datasets (1991–2001). Six prominent land degradation processes were identified, namely: desertification, secondary salinisation, loss of agricultural use, deforestation, grassland degradation and loss of wetland. Rates of conversion were calculated and distribution patterns were mapped with the aid of GIS. The results showed that these land use changes have affected the wider environment and accelerated land degradation. It provided a more complete and up‐to‐date picture of China's land degradation which helps to develop improved conservation policies that combat land degradation and promote sustainable land management. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Land use/cover change and landscape fragmentation analysis in the Bindura District,Zimbabwe

Rapid land use/cover change and landscape fragmentation is occurring in many countries in central and southern Africa, as a result of colonial imbalances in land distribution, demographic pressure, agricultural expansion, government policies and environmental factors such as drought. This study analysed the dynamics of land use/cover and land degradation as revealed in landscape fragmentation in the Bindura District of Zimbabwe based on Landsat data for 1973 and 2000. A hybrid supervised/unsupervised classification approach coupled with GIS analyses was employed to generate land use/cover maps from which various class level landscape metrics were calculated using FRAGSTATS®, in order to analyse landscape fragmentation. The results show that agriculture, mixed rangeland, settlements, bareland and water increased, while woodland areas decreased. Consequently, the landscape became more highly fragmented as indicated by an increase in the patch number and a decrease in the mean patch size (MPS) of the woodland and mixed rangeland classes. This suggests that anthropogenic activities driven by agricultural expansion were the main causes of landscape fragmentation, leading to landscape degradation in the study area. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于GIS和分形理论的山西屯留县土地利用空间格局变化

该文以分形理论为基础，在地理信息系统技术支持下，对山西省屯留县土地利用空间格局变化进行了研究。通过对山西省屯留县土地利用数据库中空间数据的提取，运用面积－周长分形模型，分别计算出了1990年和2001年各种土地利用类型的分维数和稳定性指数。该文还引入了景观生态学中的相关指数—斑块密度指数，景观斑块数破碎化指数，斑块形状破碎化指数及景观多样性指数，并进行了定量分析，进一步揭示了屯留县土地利用空间格局变化，以期为开展区域土地整理、促进土地合理利用以及保持区域景观格局的持续发展提供参考。     

福建省土地适宜性及使用变化研究

To present the current status of land quality and distribution and the trends in land use change, the physical suitability of cropland and forestland and the associated changes in Fujian Province were evaluated and analyzed using data obtained from geographical information systems （GIS） and remote sensing （RS）. Of the total land area of Fujian Province, first class suitable cropland accounted for only 4.21%, whereas unsuitable cropland accounted for 84.78%. The percentage of first class suitable cropland in the southeastern region （5.32%） was much higher than that in the northwestern area （2.91%）. Only 13.63% of the existing cropland area consisted of first class cropland and 70.08% was classified as unsuitable for cultivation. Of the total land area of Fujian Province, the first class forestland comprised 55.25% and the unsuitable forestland （including third class） comprised 21.2%. The percentage of unsuitable forest area in the existing forestland was only 5.5%. From 1996 to 2001, cropland and unused land decreased significantly, whereas forestland and land used for urban and transport increased rapidly. Therefore, the major tasks ahead will be the land development for full grain production potential, the better coordination of allocating land to different uses, and the regulation inappropriate activities that damage agricultural ecosystems.     

Integrating socio‐economic and biophysical models: revision of a land‐use allocation model

Integration of large‐area, economically driven macro‐models and small‐area, biophysically based models in the Canadian agricultural sector was described recently in the development of a land‐use allocation model (LUAM). We have since developed and integrated an improved methodology for allocating crop area changes generated for large areas by the Canadian Regional Agricultural Model (CRAM) to much smaller Soil Landscapes of Canada (SLC) polygons. Validation of outputs showed considerable improvement. The new coefficients of determination (R²) between simulated and actual data, with previous values in brackets, were 0.69 for fodder corn (0.54), 0.88 for wheat (0.62), 0.77 for hay (0.26), 0.54 for alfalfa (not previously reported), 0.88 for soya bean (0.26) and 0.86 for grain corn (0.22). The best result was obtained for soya bean, with a normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) of 0.31%, and the poorest for alfalfa, with NRMSE = 17.34%.     

Consequences of feasible future agricultural land‐use change on soil organic carbon stocks and greenhouse gas emissions in Great Britain

The aim of this study was to assess the consequences of feasible land‐use change in Great Britain on GHG emissions mainly through the gain or loss of soil organic carbon. We use estimates of per‐area changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, coupled with Great Britain (GB) county‐level scenarios of land‐use change based on historical land‐use patterns or feasible futures to estimate the impact of potential land‐use change between agricultural land‐uses. We consider transitions between cropland, temporary grassland (<5 yr under grass), permanent grass (>5 yr under grass) and forest. We show that reversion to historical land‐use patterns as present in 1930 could result in GHG emission reductions of up to ca. 11 Mt CO₂‐eq./yr (relative to a 2004 baseline), because of an increased permanent grassland area. By contrast, cultivation of 20% of the current (2004) permanent grassland area for crop production could result in GHG emission increases of up to ca. 14 Mt CO₂‐eq./yr. We conclude that whilst change between agricultural land‐uses (transitions between permanent and temporary grassland and cropland) in GB is likely to be a limited option for GHG mitigation, external factors such as agricultural product commodity markets could influence future land‐use. Such agricultural land‐use change in GB could have significant impacts on Land‐use, Land‐Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) emissions, with relatively small changes in land‐use (e.g. 5% plough out of grassland to cropland, or reversion of cropland to the grassland cover in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones of 1998) having an impact on GHG emissions of a similar order of magnitude as the current United Kingdom LULUCF sink. In terms of total UK GHG emissions, however, even the most extreme feasible land‐use change scenarios account for ca. 2% of current national GHG emissions.     

Historical Land‐use and Vegetation Change in Northern Kwazulu‐Natal,South Africa

The role of anthropogenic activity is increasingly recognized as an agent of environmental change. Photographs, taken more than 130 years ago in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, show a very different landscape to that viewed today. In attempting to understand some of the dynamics behind the changes in the landscape, we explored the history of land‐use in communal rangelands in KwaZulu‐Natal from the arrival of Iron Age man through to modern practices. Communal farming is frequently cited as a major cause of environmental degradation. Traditional lifestyles have been eroded by social, political and economic changes since the arrival of European explorers and settlers in the early 1800s. This may have contributed to encroachment by woody plants into the open savannas and grasslands of KwaZulu‐Natal in recent times because of increased grazing pressure and, perhaps reduced fires. Furthermore, there is decreasing dependence on wood for everyday needs due to the increased availability of electricity. Interviews with a number of community members indicate that they have noted a change in climate and in vegetation structure. Their observations have been confirmed by climate data and historic photographs. Environmental planners need to view change in a holistic manner, taking cognisance not only of the physical changes but also of the history of land‐use and human needs and to give credence to community perceptions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

环京津贫困带土地利用变化的地形梯度效应分析

地形因素与土地利用变化的关系研究是土地利用/覆被变化研究的重要内容。该文以环京津贫困带为研究区,选取1985年、1995年、2000年和2010年Landsat TM影像为数据源,运用地学图谱分析法,从地形起伏度、坡度变率、坡向和地形位角度,系统分析了环京津贫困带土地利用变化的地形梯度特征,探讨了土地利用变化的地形梯度效应及其成因。结果表明:1)1985-2010年环京津贫困带土地利用类型分布呈现明显的层级性。耕地、水域和建设用地的优势分布区集中于低地形梯度区,草地优势分布区集中于中高、高地形梯度区,林地和未利用地优势分布区集中于高地形梯度区。2)研究区土地利用变化以稳定型图谱和反复变化型图谱为主,林地、耕地和草地是主要的土地利用类型,林地向耕地转换再又转换为林地是反复变化型图谱的主要类别。1985-2000年人地矛盾突出,土地利用变化以"林地-耕地"、"草地-耕地"和"未利用地-耕地"为主,耕地向较高地形梯度区扩展;2000年后社会经济发展和退耕还林政策的实施,土地利用变化以"耕地-建设用地"、"耕地-林地"和"草地-林地"为主,耕地在原优势地形位的优势度增大、草地和未利用地的优势分布区向更高级地形位集中,林地优势分布区向较低地形位扩张。3)土地利用变化地形梯度分布特征及分异效应是自然因素、社会经济因素和政策因素共同作用的结果,自然因素是基础,社会经济因素和政策因素是重要推动力。该文为研究区土地利用动态优化配置和生态环境建设提供了科学依据和决策支持。     

Global coffee market influence on land‐use and land‐cover change in the Western Ghats Of India

In this study, we used image‐processing techniques to examine the spatial pattern of land‐use and land‐cover (LULC) change that occurred in the coffee growing area in the Western Ghats of India during the international coffee crisis in the 1990s. The study also ascertains the driving forces of these changes using qualitative research methods that include archival studies and interviews of knowledgeable individuals. We analyzed Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) for 1991 and Landsat ETM+ for 2002 to quantify LULC. Historical land‐use changes in different land ownership regimes were also analyzed. Global coffee market fluctuations were found to be the major cause of landscape change in the study region. When the global coffee prices increased, more forested areas were cleared for coffee cultivation. Failure of global coffee market forced farmers to convert land from subsistence farming (rice) to short‐period commercial crops like ginger. This also resulted in land degradation in rice paddies. For the farmers in the Western Ghats, LULC decisions are one of the methods used to cope with the vulnerability created due to the international coffee crisis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

大渡河上游生计方式的时空格局与土地利用/覆被变化

该文以大渡河上游壤塘县、马尔康县和金川县为例,在野外考察、农户调查、历史资料分析的基础上,利用遥感、地理信息系统等多种手段,研究了该区1950～2000年生计方式的时空格局和1967～2000年的土地利用/覆被变化过程。结果表明：在河谷区、中山区、林区和牧区,居民生计方式的演变具有不同的特点。随着生计方式的演变,大渡河上游具有多样的土地利用/覆被变化过程。1980年代以后,该区不同地带劳动力向二三产业的转移具有显著的差异,居民对环境退化具有不同的响应方式。该研究还表明,生态脆弱区社会经济发展和生态重建的关键在于改变居民的生计方式,促进劳动力向二三产业转移。     

基于GIS的黄土高原生态系统服务价值对土地利用变化的响应及生态补偿

以黄土高原为研究对象,基于GIS技术,采用土地利用转移矩阵、土地利用动态度方法,研究1985-2005年黄土高原地区土地利用变化对生态系统服务价值的影响以及相应的生态补偿标准。结果表明：1）1985-2005年,黄土高原地区土地利用类型主要为草地和农地,占土地利用方式的75％以上,但农地面积总体在减少,林地面积在不断增加;2）聚落为最活跃的土地利用类型,聚落和湿地＋水体呈扩张的发展趋势;3）土地利用变化引起区域生态环境效应,20年间黄土高原地区生态系统服务总价值上涨约0．01％,其中森林增加最多,约为0．09％,农地的生态服务价值下降最多,约为-0．02％,而生态服务功能中,除了与农地和荒漠相关的废物处理和食物生产服务功能下降外,其他生态服务功能均表现为增加;4）根据黄土高原生态系统服务价值,确定该地区的生态补偿标准约为4亿2732万元。