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Land
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Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section
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Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Landscape Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2023) | Viewed by 29736

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Javier Martínez-López

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Ecology Department, Facultad de Ciencias - Campus de Fuentenueva, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Interests: landscape ecology; remote sensing; ecosystem services; environmental modelling; climate change
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Alejandro Rescia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Interests: landscape ecology; biological diversity; ecosystem services; spatial resilience; socio-ecological sustainability; agricultural landscapes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Robert Baldwin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Forestry and Environmental Conservation Department, 261 Lehotsky Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
Interests: biodiversity; landscape-scale conservation planning; wetland landscapes; habitat connectivity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Diane Pearson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
Interests: sustainable landscape management; landscape ecology; environmental management; land system change; land use; GIS; environmental change; participatory research; co-production of knowledge; landscape planning and design and landscape function
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Guillermo J. Martinez-Pastur

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratorio de Recursos Agroforestales, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC CONICET), Ushuaia 9410, Argentina
Interests: forest management and biodiversity conservation in native forests of South Patagonia; development of new silviculture; the variable retention of elements in the managed areas to promote the conservation of endangered species
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Landscape ecology is the science of studying and improving relationships between ecological environmental processes and particular ecosystems within a variety of landscape scales and organizational levels of research and policy. Landscapes are spatially heterogeneous geographic areas characterized by diverse interacting patches or ecosystems, ranging from relatively natural terrestrial and aquatic systems to human-dominated environments such as agricultural and urban settings. Landscape ecology predominantly focuses on the relationship surrounding pattern, process and scale, which often needs coupling between biophysical and socioeconomic sciences. Landscape Ecology specifically seeks to integrate human activities influencing pattern and process, and also provide information that is helpful for land use planning.

This Special Issue aims to tackle complex problems related to landscape ecology from a broad perspective, and will address issues such as ecosystem services assessment, integrated catchment management, protected area monitoring and management, connectivity assessment, land use and land cover change, the relationship between landscape pattern analysis and ecological processes, spatial resilience to disturbances, changes in spatial structure, landscapes as socio-ecological systems, etc.

This Special Issue seeks contributions concerning the dynamics of patterns and processes at landscape scales related to any land use or land cover type, including aquatic and marine systems. Manuscripts can be original research articles covering theory and applications, or "state of the science" reviews, but should explicitly address scale. Interdisciplinary manuscripts are particularly welcome, as are manuscripts from fields adjacent to landscape ecology, such as geography, macroecology, agriculture and biological diversity.

Prof. Dr. Javier Martínez-López
Prof. Dr. Alejandro Rescia
Prof. Dr. Robert Baldwin
Prof. Dr. Diane Pearson
Dr. Guillermo Martinez-Pastur
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • landscape ecology
  • remote sensing
  • land use and land cover change
  • ecological processes
  • connectivity assessment
  • landscape services
  • agricultural landscapes
  • spatial resilience
  • biological diversity
  • global change

Published Papers (15 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

7 pages, 191 KiB  
Editorial
Feature Papers in Landscape Ecology: An Editorial Overview
by Diane Pearson, Javier Martínez-López, Alejandro J. Rescia, Robert Baldwin and Guillermo J. Martínez Pastur
Land 2024, 13(3), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030342 - 07 Mar 2024
Viewed by 607
Abstract
Landscapes can be seen as important socio-ecological systems [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

13 pages, 1686 KiB  
Article
Accumulation of SOC and Carbon Fractions in Different Age Red Fescue Permanent Swards
by Aida Skersiene, Alvyra Slepetiene, Vaclovas Stukonis and Egle Norkeviciene
Land 2023, 12(5), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12051025 - 07 May 2023
Viewed by 1282
Abstract
One of the practices often mentioned to achieve climate change mitigation is the long-term cultivation of perennial plants. The objective of the study was to estimate changes in the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions in 0–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm, [...] Read more.
One of the practices often mentioned to achieve climate change mitigation is the long-term cultivation of perennial plants. The objective of the study was to estimate changes in the accumulation of soil organic carbon (SOC) and its fractions in 0–10, 10–20, 20–30 cm, and within 0–30 cm soil layer of red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) swards that differ in age (5, 10 and 15 years) as well as to compare them with the arable field. Our results show that SOC accumulation at 5-year-old cultivation of red fescue is high, later this SOC increase slowed down from 71% in the 0–30 cm soil layer when land use was converted from arable field to 5-year-old sward to 1% from 10 to 15 years. The level of water extractable organic carbon (WEOC) in the 0–30 cm soil layer of swards was significantly higher compared to the arable field. The positive effect of these swards in the accumulation and stabilization of organic carbon during humification in the soil was also determined. The largest amounts of mobile humic substances (MHS) and mobile humic acids (MHA) accumulated in the 0–10 cm layer of sward soil (3.30–4.93 and 1.53–2.48 g kg−1, respectively). In conclusion, the findings suggest that a conversion from arable to soil under permanent grass cover significantly improves carbon status. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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19 pages, 4011 KiB  
Article
Construction and Optimization of Ecological Network Based on Landscape Ecological Risk Assessment: A Case Study in Jinan
by Xvlu Wang, Yingjun Sun, Qinghao Liu and Liguo Zhang
Land 2023, 12(4), 743; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040743 - 25 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1396
Abstract
Due to the rapid development of urbanization, land-use types have changed greatly, which has led to many ecological problems. Therefore, the current research objective is to solve the problems in existence in Jinan, so as to determine the existing landscape ecological risks and [...] Read more.
Due to the rapid development of urbanization, land-use types have changed greatly, which has led to many ecological problems. Therefore, the current research objective is to solve the problems in existence in Jinan, so as to determine the existing landscape ecological risks and optimize the landscape structure. Using 2 m high-resolution remote sensing images and related natural economic data, this study evaluated the landscape ecological risk and constructed a full-factor ecological network in Jinan with a landscape ecological risk assessment method (ERI) and a minimum cumulative resistance model (MCR) based on landscape ecology theory. The results showed that: (1) The ERI in Jinan presented a spatial concentration of high value areas in the central and central–eastern regions, while other levels in ERI areas presented a spatial distribution around the ecological regions with high risk. (2) The important corridors were mainly distributed in the south of Jinan, which were stable and not easily destroyed. The corridors in other areas were secondary, mainly passing through cultivated land and urban greenways, which were unstable and susceptible to interference. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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19 pages, 3633 KiB  
Article
Sociogeomorphological Analysis in a Headwater Basin in Southern Brazil with Emphasis on Land Use and Land Cover Change
by Itzayana González-Ávila, Daniel Jato-Espino, Mauricio Andrades Paixão, Michele Moraes Carvalho and Masato Kobiyama
Land 2023, 12(2), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020306 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1089
Abstract
Effects of natural processes on community building and the modification of nature by man’s hands are an intrinsic part of the co-production of the landscape between man and nature. However, the interactions of this co-production have scarcely been analyzed. Based on data from [...] Read more.
Effects of natural processes on community building and the modification of nature by man’s hands are an intrinsic part of the co-production of the landscape between man and nature. However, the interactions of this co-production have scarcely been analyzed. Based on data from the MapBiomas project, an analysis of the variation in land use and cover over 35 years in the Quilombola São Roque and Mãe dos Homens communities in southern Brazil was carried out. The sociogeomorphological units in the study area were established, and its geomorphological units and social units were analyzed and described. There is a prevalence of more than 50% of forest formation. Cluster analysis classified the analyzed variables into two groups, with the first corresponding to forest and grassland formations associated with more natural landscape features. The second group is formed by anthropogenic activities. Social units including traditional communities seem to be more related to the stimulation of forest formation. The action of conservation units influences the variation in land use and land cover. There is a Supplementary Material which explains abbreviations concerning the manuscript. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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17 pages, 3207 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Optimization of Landscape Patterns Based on the Ecological Restoration of Territorial Space
by Xuewei Hu, Wenwen Xu and Fayong Li
Land 2022, 11(12), 2114; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11122114 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1421
Abstract
The ecological restoration of territorial space emphasizes the synergy between ecology and social development. On this basis, we used landscape index analysis methods to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of landscape patterns in urban areas on a district scale. Then, we used multiple regression [...] Read more.
The ecological restoration of territorial space emphasizes the synergy between ecology and social development. On this basis, we used landscape index analysis methods to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of landscape patterns in urban areas on a district scale. Then, we used multiple regression analysis to explore the driving factors behind this evolution. The results showed the following: (1) Landscape compositions have changed significantly. The growth rate of construction land in the main districts was about three times that in the urban area. (2) There were differences in the characteristics of landscape pattern evolution. Arable land is becoming more fragmented as construction land expands outward. The shapes of public green spaces, arable land, and woodlands tend to be simple and regular. The degree of both urban sprawl and agglomeration decreased in the urban area and the main districts. Meanwhile, landscape separation first decreased and then increased, and landscape diversity increased. (3) Population growth, industrial development, changes in industrial structure, and real estate development are the main driving factors of landscape pattern evolution. Based on this, this study puts forward some suggestions for landscape pattern optimization, which is significant for ecological restoration planning and promotion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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10 pages, 1388 KiB  
Article
Ecological Evaluation of Sponge City Landscape Design Based on Aquatic Plants Application
by Dan Jiang, Rui Hua and Jian Shao
Land 2022, 11(11), 2081; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112081 - 18 Nov 2022
Viewed by 1391
Abstract
Urbanization increases the impervious surface of land and disrupts the hydrological cycle of urban water resources. Optimum landscape design based on climatic and geographical factors can reduce the destructive effects of urban development on surface and subsurface flows. The construction of a sponge [...] Read more.
Urbanization increases the impervious surface of land and disrupts the hydrological cycle of urban water resources. Optimum landscape design based on climatic and geographical factors can reduce the destructive effects of urban development on surface and subsurface flows. The construction of a sponge city is an essential step towards achieving this structure. Aquatic plants are the most important component of the ecological regeneration of urban landscapes. The land cover changes caused by aquatic plants reduce the speed of water and increase the penetration of runoff into the porous environment. In addition, not only can the use of aquatic plants as the main component of water saving for ecological restoration control water erosion, but it can also have a positive effect on landscape architecture. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a multi-objective urban landscape design model based on the use of aquatic plants. Moreover, the limitations of improving the urban ecosystem with aquatic plants were analyzed based on the theory of ecological restoration in a sponge city. The required area for the cultivation of these plants was calculated according to the flood return periods and the two objective functions of land slope and runoff rate. The results show that surface runoff decreased by 15% and that rainfall and flood decreased by 21% for a 50-year return period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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21 pages, 4887 KiB  
Article
The Importance of Very-High-Resolution Imagery to Map Invasive Plant Species: Evidence from Galapagos
by Carolina Carrión-Klier, Nicolas Moity, Christian Sevilla, Danny Rueda and Heinke Jäger
Land 2022, 11(11), 2026; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11112026 - 12 Nov 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1688
Abstract
Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity worldwide, and the Galapagos Islands are no exception. With the need to control many invasive plant species, accurate distribution maps of invasive plant species are crucial for cost-effective management actions. To guide the [...] Read more.
Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity worldwide, and the Galapagos Islands are no exception. With the need to control many invasive plant species, accurate distribution maps of invasive plant species are crucial for cost-effective management actions. To guide the selection of appropriate multispectral satellite imagery for this, we evaluated the effects that spatial resolution has on the mapping accuracy of the most invasive plant species in Galapagos with different “growth forms”: (1) tall tree: Cuban cedar (Cedrela odorata), (2) medium tree: guava (Psidium guajava), and (3) shrub: blackberry (Rubus niveus). We developed a mapping methodology based on very high resolution (VHR, WorldView-2) imagery and visual interpretation from orthophotos obtained from unmanned aerial vehicles for training and validation. We then compared our VHR mapping results with medium resolution (MR, Landsat) mapping results and calculated the overall accuracy (OA) and Kappa from confusion matrices for each target species and resolution based on the visual interpretation of Google Earth imagery. The results showed that the OA of the maps produced with VHR was significantly higher than the ones produced with MR. The OA was higher for the tall tree growth form, followed by the shrub and the medium tree growth form. Kappa estimates of <0.5 for MR for the medium tree and shrub growth forms demonstrated its unsuitability for accurate mapping. While MR may be sufficient for mapping the tall tree growth form, we concluded that VHR is indispensable for mapping the medium tree and shrub growth forms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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22 pages, 6241 KiB  
Article
Spatial Patterns and Intensity of Land Abandonment Drive Wildfire Hazard and Likelihood in Mediterranean Agropastoral Areas
by Michele Salis, Liliana Del Giudice, Roghayeh Jahdi, Fermin Alcasena-Urdiroz, Carla Scarpa, Grazia Pellizzaro, Valentina Bacciu, Matilde Schirru, Andrea Ventura, Marcello Casula, Fabrizio Pedes, Annalisa Canu, Pierpaolo Duce and Bachisio Arca
Land 2022, 11(11), 1942; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11111942 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2861
Abstract
In Mediterranean agropastoral areas, land abandonment is a key driver of wildfire risk as fuel load and continuity increase. To gain insights into the potential impacts of land abandonment on wildfire risk in fire-prone areas, a fire-spread modeling approach to evaluate the variations [...] Read more.
In Mediterranean agropastoral areas, land abandonment is a key driver of wildfire risk as fuel load and continuity increase. To gain insights into the potential impacts of land abandonment on wildfire risk in fire-prone areas, a fire-spread modeling approach to evaluate the variations in wildfire potential induced by different spatial patterns and percentages of land abandonment was applied. The study was carried out in a 1200 km2 agropastoral area located in north-western Sardinia (Italy) mostly covered by herbaceous fuels. We compared nine land abandonment scenarios, which consisted of the control conditions (NA) and eight scenarios obtained by combining four intensity levels (10, 20, 30, 40%) and two spatial patterns of agropastoral land abandonment. The abandonment scenarios hypothesized a variation in dead fuel load and fuel depth within abandoned polygons with respect to the control conditions. For each abandonment scenario, wildfire hazard and likelihood at the landscape scale was assessed by simulating over 17,000 wildfire seasons using the minimum travel time (MTT) fire spread algorithm. Wildfire simulations replicated the weather conditions associated with the largest fires observed in the study area and were run at 40 m resolution, consistent with the input files. Our results highlighted that growing amounts of land abandonment substantially increased burn probability, high flame length probability and fire size at the landscape level. Considering a given percentage of abandonment, the two spatial patterns of abandonment generated spatial variations in wildfire hazard and likelihood, but at the landscape scale the average values were not significantly different. The average annual area burned increased from about 2400 ha of the control conditions to about 3100 ha with 40% land abandonment. The findings of this work demonstrate that a progressive abandonment of agropastoral lands can lead to severe modifications in potential wildfire spread and behavior in Mediterranean areas, thus promoting the likelihood of large and fast-spreading events. Wildfire spread modeling approaches allow us to estimate the potential risks posed by future wildfires to rural communities, ecosystems and anthropic values in the context of land abandonment, and to adopt and optimize smart prevention and planning strategies to mitigate these threats. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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16 pages, 1835 KiB  
Article
Landscape and Stand Characteristics Influence on the Bird Assemblage in Nothofagus antarctica Forests of Tierra del Fuego
by Julieta Benitez, Marcelo D. Barrera, Yamina M. Rosas, Guillermo J. Martínez Pastur and María V. Lencinas
Land 2022, 11(8), 1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081332 - 17 Aug 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1351
Abstract
Different variables operate simultaneously at different spatial scales, influencing community composition and species distribution. This knowledge could improve management and conservation practices in managed menaced forests. The objective of this work was to determine the influence of landscape and stand variables on the [...] Read more.
Different variables operate simultaneously at different spatial scales, influencing community composition and species distribution. This knowledge could improve management and conservation practices in managed menaced forests. The objective of this work was to determine the influence of landscape and stand variables on the bird assemblage of the managed Nothofagus antarctica forest of Tierra del Fuego (Argentina). We used data from bird point counts (three or four censuses during middle summer of two consecutive years) located at 48 sites distributed at four ranches. At each site, we extracted landscape variables with Fragstat software from the forest patches, the cover classes, and the whole landscape. We also evaluated local stand characteristics, such as forest structure, ground cover, and food availability, including understory plant cover usually consumed by birds and available arthropods. Data were evaluated by detrended and canonical correspondence analyses. We found that landscape configuration (e.g., forest patch shape) and local stand variables (e.g., canopy cover) influenced bird assemblage more than landscape composition. Moreover, bird functional groups responded differently to different spatial scale variables (e.g., forest specialist species were associated with forest structure, but species that use low strata to nest and feed were associated with landscape configuration variables), demonstrating the importance of using multiple spatial scales to better understand bird species requirements. The combination of practices that promote some local characteristics (e.g., high canopy cover) and more complex landscape configurations could simultaneously favor different bird species groups and improve the effectiveness of management and conservation strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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20 pages, 6406 KiB  
Article
Application of the Optimal Parameter Geographic Detector Model in the Identification of Influencing Factors of Ecological Quality in Guangzhou, China
by Maomao Zhang, Abdulla-Al Kafy, Bing Ren, Yanwei Zhang, Shukui Tan and Jianxing Li
Land 2022, 11(8), 1303; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11081303 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 3037
Abstract
The ecological environment is important for the survival and development of human beings, and objective and accurate monitoring of changes in the ecological environment has received extensive attention. Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), wetness (WET), normalized differential build-up and bare [...] Read more.
The ecological environment is important for the survival and development of human beings, and objective and accurate monitoring of changes in the ecological environment has received extensive attention. Based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), wetness (WET), normalized differential build-up and bare soil index (NDBSI), and land surface temperature (LST), the principal component analysis method is used to construct a comprehensive index to evaluate the ecological environment’s quality. The R package “Relainpo” is used to estimate the relative importance and contribution rate of NDVI, WET, NDBSI, and LST to the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI). The optimal parameter geographic detector (OPGD) model is used to quantitatively analyze the influencing factors, degree of influence, and interaction of the RSEI. The results show that from 2001 to 2020, the area with a poor grade quality of the RSEI in Guangzhou decreased from 719.2413 km2 to 660.4146 km2, while the area with an excellent quality grade of the RSEI increased from 1778.8311 km2 to 1978.9390 km2. The NDVI (40%) and WET (35%) contributed significantly to the RSEI, while LST and NDBSI contributed less to the RSEI. The results of single factor analysis revealed that soil type have the greatest impact on the RSEI with a coefficient (Q) of 0.1360, followed by a temperature with a coefficient (Q) of 0.1341. The interaction effect of two factors is greater than that of a single factor on the RSEI, and the interaction effect of different factors on the RSEI is significant, but the degree of influence is not consistent. This research may provide new clues for the stabilization and improvement of ecological environmental quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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18 pages, 7088 KiB  
Article
Impact of Future Development Scenario Selection on Landscape Ecological Risk in the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone
by Kangwen Zhu, Jun He, Lanxin Zhang, Dan Song, Longjiang Wu, Yaqun Liu and Sheng Zhang
Land 2022, 11(7), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11070964 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1669
Abstract
The management of regional eco-environmental risks is the key to promoting regional economic sustainability from the macro level, and accurate evaluation of the evolutionary trends of regional ecological risk in the future is of high importance. In order to clearly identify the possible [...] Read more.
The management of regional eco-environmental risks is the key to promoting regional economic sustainability from the macro level, and accurate evaluation of the evolutionary trends of regional ecological risk in the future is of high importance. In order to clearly identify the possible impact of future development scenario selection for the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Zone (C-C E Zone) on the evolution of landscape ecological risk (LER), we introduced the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model to simulate land use data for the C-C E Zone from 2030 to 2050 for two scenarios: natural development (ND) and ecological protection (EP). Based on the ecological grid and landscape ecological risk index (LERI) model, the landscape ecological risk (LER) evolutionary trends seen in the C-C E Zone from 2000 to 2050 were analyzed and identified. The results showed that: (1) The PLUS model can obtain high-precision simulation results in the C-C E Zone. In the future, the currently increasing rate of land being used for construction will be reduced, the declining rates of forest and cultivated land area will also be reduced, and the amount of land being used for various purposes will remain stable going into the future. (2) This study found that the optimal size of the ecological grid in the LERI calculation of the mountainous area was 4 × 4 km. Additionally, the mean values of the LERI in 2030, 2040, and 2050 were 0.1612, 0.1628, and 0.1636 for ND and 0.1612, 0.1618, and 0.1620 for EP. (3) The hot spot analysis results showed that an area of about 49,700 km2 in the C-C E Zone from 2000 to 2050 belongs to high agglomeration of LER. (4) Since 2010, the proportions of high and extremely high risk levels have continued to increase, but under the EP scenario, the high and extremely high risk levels in 2040 and 2050 decreased from 14.36% and 6.66% to 14.33% and 6.43%. Regional analysis showed that the high and extremely high risk levels in most regions increased over 2010–2050. (5) Under the ND scenario, the proportions of grids with decreased, unchanged, and increased risk levels were 15.13%, 81.48%, and 3.39% for 2000–2010 and 0.54%, 94.75%, and 4.71% for 2040–2050. These trends indicated that the proportion of grids with changed risk levels gradually decreased going into the future. This study analyzed the evolutionary trends of LER at the C-C E Zone for the ND and EP scenario. On the whole, the LER for the C-C E Zone showed an upward trend, and the EP scenario was conducive to reducing the risk. These research results can serve as a valuable data reference set for regional landscape optimization and risk prevention and control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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19 pages, 3340 KiB  
Article
Albedo-Induced Global Warming Impact at Multiple Temporal Scales within an Upper Midwest USA Watershed
by Pietro Sciusco, Jiquan Chen, Vincenzo Giannico, Michael Abraha, Cheyenne Lei, Gabriela Shirkey, Jing Yuan and G. Philip Robertson
Land 2022, 11(2), 283; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11020283 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1923
Abstract
Land surface albedo is a significant regulator of climate. Changes in land use worldwide have greatly reshaped landscapes in the recent decades. Deforestation, agricultural development, and urban expansion alter land surface albedo, each with unique influences on shortwave radiative forcing and global warming [...] Read more.
Land surface albedo is a significant regulator of climate. Changes in land use worldwide have greatly reshaped landscapes in the recent decades. Deforestation, agricultural development, and urban expansion alter land surface albedo, each with unique influences on shortwave radiative forcing and global warming impact (GWI). Here, we characterize the changes in landscape albedo-induced GWI (GWIΔα) at multiple temporal scales, with a special focus on the seasonal and monthly GWIΔα over a 19-year period for different land cover types in five ecoregions within a watershed in the upper Midwest USA. The results show that land cover changes from the original forest exhibited a net cooling effect, with contributions of annual GWIΔα varying by cover type and ecoregion. Seasonal and monthly variations of the GWIΔα showed unique trends over the 19-year period and contributed differently to the total GWIΔα. Cropland contributed most to cooling the local climate, with seasonal and monthly offsets of 18% and 83%, respectively, of the annual greenhouse gas emissions of maize fields in the same area. Urban areas exhibited both cooling and warming effects. Cropland and urban areas showed significantly different seasonal GWIΔα at some ecoregions. The landscape composition of the five ecoregions could cause different net landscape GWIΔα. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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18 pages, 17641 KiB  
Article
Coupling Coordination Analysis and Prediction of Landscape Ecological Risks and Ecosystem Services in the Min River Basin
by Shihe Zhang, Quanlin Zhong, Dongliang Cheng, Chaobin Xu, Yunni Chang, Yuying Lin and Baoyin Li
Land 2022, 11(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11020222 - 02 Feb 2022
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 2960
Abstract
Watershed landscape ecological security and ecosystem service functions are the material basis and environmental guarantee for promoting socioeconomic development. Analyzing the spatiotemporal characteristics of landscape ecological risks (LERs) and ecosystem services (ESs) and exploring the coupling coordination relationship between the two are of [...] Read more.
Watershed landscape ecological security and ecosystem service functions are the material basis and environmental guarantee for promoting socioeconomic development. Analyzing the spatiotemporal characteristics of landscape ecological risks (LERs) and ecosystem services (ESs) and exploring the coupling coordination relationship between the two are of great significance for promoting the construction of ecological civilization and achieving sustainable development in the watershed. With the Min River Basin as the study area, the landscape ecological risk assessment, Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST), and Carnegie Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) models were used to evaluate the LERs and ESs based on the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs), and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model was used to predict the land use distribution of the Min River Basin in 2030. On this basis, the coupling coordination degree model was used to explore the coupling coordination relationship between the LERs and ESs. The results show that, from 2000 to 2020, the LER of the Min River Basin gradually decreased, and the overall spatial distribution pattern was “high in the north and low in the south”. The ES of the Min River Basin initially decreased and then increased, showing a spatial distribution pattern of “low in the south and high in the north”. Among the SSPs in 2030, the LER is the largest under the SSP3 scenario and the smallest under the SSP4 scenario. The ES improvement is the most significant under the SSP1 scenario and the lowest under the SSP3 scenario. From 2000 to 2030, the coupling coordination degree of the Min River Basin first decreased and then increased, showing a spatial distribution pattern of “high in the south and low in the north”. Among the five SSPs, the coupling coordination degree was the highest under SSP1. The spatial distribution of urban area is the main driving factor affecting the coupling coordination relationship between the LER and ES, and the development of social and economy is the beginning of landscape pattern optimization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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Review

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16 pages, 2619 KiB  
Review
Review of Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services and Realization Approaches in China
by Shiliang Liu, Yuhong Dong, Hua Liu, Fangfang Wang and Lu Yu
Land 2023, 12(5), 1102; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12051102 - 21 May 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2704
Abstract
Forests are essential for the provision of water, financial resources, food, and carbon, and offer immense ecosystem service values. The accurate, quantitative, and objective evaluation of forest ecosystem service (FES) values can help uncover methods for realizing ecological product value, which in turn [...] Read more.
Forests are essential for the provision of water, financial resources, food, and carbon, and offer immense ecosystem service values. The accurate, quantitative, and objective evaluation of forest ecosystem service (FES) values can help uncover methods for realizing ecological product value, which in turn supports forest conservation and ecological benefit enhancement. In China, FES valuation methods are diverse and tailored to specific objectives, encompassing matter quantity assessment, value quantity assessment, energy value analysis, and landscape ecological modeling methods. The “Forest Ecosystem Service Function Assessment Specification” guideline plays a crucial role in fostering standardized valuation. Carbon-related ecosystem services have been increasingly studied in China; however, valuation challenges remain, including data accuracy, the double counting of ecosystem services, methodological limitations, and the incomplete assessment of non-use values. Regarding value realization, the development of payment for ecosystem services (PES), ecological product benefit trading (EPBT), ecological premiums, and ecological industries has seen gradual progresses in recent years. However, realization approaches still depend on government support, and the establishment of market-oriented strategies requires further reinforcement. Enhancing FES valuation necessitates the integration of interdisciplinary and multi-method approaches, as well as the creation of an accounting and assessment mechanism. Realization approaches must not only be continuously expanded but also consistently innovated over time. It is essential to consider the impact of market development on FES valuation; establish robust realization approaches; reinforce promotional and guarantee mechanisms; and increase the efficacy of policy management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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18 pages, 312 KiB  
Review
Acknowledging Landscape Connection: Using Sense of Place and Cultural and Customary Landscape Management to Enhance Landscape Ecological Theoretical Frameworks
by Diane Pearson and Julian Gorman
Land 2023, 12(4), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040729 - 23 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1974
Abstract
Landscapes are important socio-ecological systems. They are widely researched through landscape ecology to aid conservation and environmental management efforts, yet these efforts are not always as successful as they could be in terms of on-the-ground impact. Increasingly when considering conservation, it is being [...] Read more.
Landscapes are important socio-ecological systems. They are widely researched through landscape ecology to aid conservation and environmental management efforts, yet these efforts are not always as successful as they could be in terms of on-the-ground impact. Increasingly when considering conservation, it is being recognized that indigenously managed landscapes have slower rates of biodiversity loss and better environmental outcomes. Local knowledge and connection to the landscape can play a significant part in successfully managing these landscapes. Acknowledging that stewardship of the landscape is more effective when people are a part of the landscape with deep-rooted connection to place is important for understanding the significance of traditional ecological knowledge and the implementation of indigenous-led action. It has also been shown that researchers who have a stronger sense of place and connection to landscapes can also drive initiatives that have better environmental outcomes. This means that human connections to landscapes are important for management strategies, and a better understanding of the human cognition of landscapes is necessary in landscape ecological theoretical frameworks. This review paper explores literature that acknowledges cultural perspectives and cognition of landscapes and how this relates to landscape ecology. It makes recommendations about how landscape ecology can contribute towards better on-the-ground outcomes by embracing more effective mechanisms of collaboration and participation to incorporate local and indigenous knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers for Landscape Ecology Section)
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