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Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 12558

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Dr. Shunguang Hu

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Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100094, China
Interests: land use change; land cover change; remote sensing; impact assessment; special information service mode; double carbon; harmonious development
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In order to promote the realization of “double carbon”, ecologically sustainable development, and harmonious development between humans and nature, the impact of land use/land cover change on the environment has become one of the developing trends of global ecological sustainable development, and it is considered as the main topic of research interest with a focus on the number of changes, the size of the impact, and the delicate relationship between them. Specifically, the first area of focus is new technologies and methods applied to remote sensing monitoring of land use/land cover change. Secondly, the quantitative evaluation of the impact of land use/land cover change on the environment has developed rapidly in recent years. Thirdly, innovative applications and service mode of thematic information of land use/land cover change have also become a focus of attention. All of these research fields cover different scales, such as global, regional, and specific ecological units.

Dr. Shunguang Hu
Guest Editor

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Keywords

land use change
land cover change
remote sensing
impact assessment
special information service mode
double carbon
harmonious development

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 91637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land Use Carbon Emissions and Multiple Driving Factors in the Guanzhong Area of Shaanxi Province

by Yali Wang, Yangyang Liu, Zijun Wang, Yan Zhang, Bo Fang, Shengnan Jiang, Yijia Yang, Zhongming Wen, Wei Zhang, Zhixin Zhang, Ziqi Lin, Peidong Han and Wenjie Yang

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7730; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097730 - 08 May 2023

Viewed by 1476

Abstract

Land use change is one of the key elements leading to carbon emission changes, and is of great significance to the process of achieving the goals of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. In this study, we calculated the land-use carbon emissions (LCE) in the Guanzhong area (GZA) of Shaanxi province from 2000 to 2019 by using an improved LCE measurement model. Meanwhile, the spatial and temporal changes of LCE were analyzed and the driving forces were investigated based on the correlation analysis and multi-scale geographical weighting regression (MGWR). The results showed that the total amount of LCE showed a significant increasing trend from 2000 to 2019. Regions where the LCE significantly increased occupied 71.20% of the total area; these regions were distributed in the central and eastern parts of the study area. The LCE showed a significant positive spatial correlation and had a remarkable aggregation state. The H-H agglomeration area of LCE was distributed in the central urban agglomeration. The L-L agglomeration areas were always distributed in the southwest part of the GZA with low carbon emissions. The average correlation coefficients between LCE and nighttime light (NTL), population density (PD), and gross primary productivity (GPP) were 0.13, 0.21, and −0.05, respectively. The NLT and PD had obvious positive effects on LCE, while GPP has obvious negative effects on carbon emissions, which can be ascribed to the carbon sink effect of forests and grasslands. The results of this study have important reference value regarding the formulation of carbon emission reduction policies and the development of a low-carbon social economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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17 pages, 7155 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Slope Scaling Effect and Slope-Conversion-Atlas for Typical Water Erosion Regions in China

by Xue Chen, Guokun Chen, Junxin Feng, Jingjing Zhao and Yiwen Wang

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3789; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043789 - 19 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1064

Abstract

Slope has obvious scale-dependent characteristics and it changes with the change in DEM resolution, which brings uncertainty to the evaluation process of regional resource and environment. In this paper, one typical county in each of the six water erosion regions in China was selected as the sample area, respectively. Based on DEM data of ALOS DEM, ASTER GDEM and SRTM DEM with different spatial resolutions, slope characteristics, such as gradient, eigenvalue, frequency and cumulative frequency curves, were calculated by using the third-order inverse distance square weighted difference algorithm, to explore the ability of depicting terrain by these three DEM data. Based on the idea of geo-information map, the “surface-slope conversion atlas” under different resolutions was constructed to achieve the grading correction of slope extraction under low resolution. The results showed that: (1) with the resolution of DEM decreases, the slope information of each area tends to be more generalized and gradually concentrated. The slope frequency curve gradually changed from “tall and thin” to “short and fat”, and the peak of the cumulative frequency curve moved to the low-slope area. Six sample areas showed different degrees of slope reduction. (2) In the process of slope grading correction, except for Maoxian, the proportion of low-resolution results converted to medium and low slope grades (0°–25°) is large. (3) The slope spectrum conversion method has a good correction effect on the errors generated by the slope extraction results of DEM₉₀ and DEM₃₀, and the correction rates reached 80% and 90%, respectively. A slope conversion atlas can effectively improve the expression ability of low-resolution DEM data on topography, which can provide a basis for regional resource and environment evaluation, and territorial space optimization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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17 pages, 6212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Use Carbon Emission Measurement and Risk Zoning under the Background of the Carbon Peak: A Case Study of Shandong Province, China

by Jia-Li Zhong, Wei Qi, Min Dong, Meng-Han Xu, Jia-Yu Zhang, Yi-Xiao Xu and Zi-Jie Zhou

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15130; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215130 - 15 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1668

Abstract

Land use and cover change (LUCC) has a non-negligible impact on both carbon emissions and carbon sinks. Based on the analysis of land use dynamics in Shandong Province, this study simulates land use changes in Shandong Province in 2030 under the Natural Development Scenario (NDS) and Sustainable Development Scenario (SDS), classifies the risk level of carbon emissions in Shandong Province using the Land Use Carbon Emission (LUCE) risk indexes, and compares the differences between the risk level regions under NDS and SDS. This study shows that under the influence of LUCC, the carbon emissions in Shandong province increased significantly, from 90.5591 million tons in 2000 to 493.538 million tons in 2020, with urban land being the main source of carbon emissions, which increased from 90.0757 million tons in 2000 to 490.139 million tons in 2020. The main source of the increase in urban land was cropland. The LUCE was positively correlated with urban land area. The LUCE of SDS was 7.2423 million tons less than that of NDS. From 2000 to 2020, the risk areas of LUCE in Shandong province were mainly no-risk and mild-risk areas. The number of moderate-risk areas and high-risk areas of SDS was less than that of NDS. The rational organization of land use is important for Shandong Province to achieve low-carbon development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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16 pages, 6073 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics of Land Use Change in China before and after 2000

by Zijuan Zhu, Zengxiang Zhang, Xiaoli Zhao, Lijun Zuo and Xiao Wang

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14623; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114623 - 07 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1501

Abstract

China, with notable population blooming and economic development in the last decades, has experienced profound land-use changes, which, in turn, dramatically impacted the regional, even global and environment system. However, characteristics of land-use changes in China have not yet been well addressed, especially around the year 2000 when a series of land policies were put forward, such as the project of “returning farmland to forest”. To fill this gap, this paper investigated the temporal and spatial patterns of land use changes in China for the period from 1987 to 2010, by taking advantage of the continually updated China Land Use Database developed from remote sensing images. The land-use dynamic matrix, zonal model, and transition matrix were employed to characterize land-use change patterns for four time intervals (1987–1995, 1995–2000, 2000–2005, and 2005–2010) on the dimensions of conversion and modification. Results showed that land-use change affected 4 × 10⁵ km² (4.5%) of the total landscape in China for more than the past twenty years. Of the six land-use types, built-up land experienced the largest net increase by almost 30% (52,434 km²), with the rate of expansion accelerating after 1995. The area of cropland increased before 2000 and declined afterwards, ending with a net increase in 14,280 km², approximately 1% of its original area. The loss in the eastern coastal region is attributed mainly to built-up land expansion, while the gain in northern China, with the price of grassland and woodland shrinking, reshaped the cropland distribution in China. The area of woodland decreased slightly by 7880 km² without a clear pattern over time. The modification of woodland indicated an intensive forest management in terms of planting fast-growing trees in the south of China. Grassland continues to shrink at a decreasing rate, and the modification of grassland shows a tendency of transformation from sparse grassland into a dense one in the 21st century. Trade-offs among demands on food security, economic development, and environment protection forced and shaped the contemporary land-use change in China. These results contribute to understanding the trends and causes of land use change in China, which could provide underpinning knowledge for assessing environmental change, and provide insights on future land planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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17 pages, 3973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Soil Organic Carbon, Soil Nutrients, and Land Use in Linyi City (East China)

by Xiyuan Wu, Lizhi Wang, Juan An, Yun Wang, Hongli Song, Yuanzhi Wu and Qianjin Liu

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13585; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013585 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1757

Abstract

The distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil nutrients under different land-use types in Linyi City, East China, were studied. The spatial distribution of SOC under different land-use types and the relationship between SOC and soil nutrients were analyzed using remote sensing interpretation and soil sample analyses. The results showed that SOC in Linyi was mainly stored in drylands and paddy fields. SOC and total nitrogen (TN) levels were positively correlated for most land use types. There was a positive linear correlation between SOC and total K in the paddy fields. The coefficients of variation for SOC and TN differed greatly among the land use types studied. Total SOC storage was 8772.73 × 10³ kg in the surface 0.2 m soil layer. The order of total SOC storage was drylands (6771.45 × 10³ ton) > paddy field (764.67 × 10³ ton) > nurseries (510.79 × 10³ ton) > forest land (413.49 × 10³ ton) > low-cover grasslands (238 × 10³ ton) > bare land (74.35 × 10³ ton). With the largest SOC storage, and C density, respectively, drylands and paddy fields are conducive to enhancing soil C sequestration, achieving low-carbon goals, and mitigating climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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19 pages, 3286 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation of Land Use and Carbon Storage Evolution in Multi-Scenario: A Case Study in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration, China

by Wei Guo, Yongjia Teng, Yueguan Yan, Chuanwu Zhao, Wanqiu Zhang and Xianglin Ji

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13436; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013436 - 18 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2000

Abstract

In considering regional sustainable development, optimizing the distribution of land use and land cover (LULC) and improving terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage (CS) have emerged as major concerns. In this study, considering the synergistic effect between LULC and CS, a coupling model (named MPI) that integrates Multi-objective Optimization (MOP) model, the Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model, was proposed to simulate the 2030 CS and explore its spatial-temporal characteristics in a Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTH). The MPI model, which combines the advantages of the above three models, can optimize the LULC structure, simulate the LULC distribution, and efficiently extract CS variation. The results indicated that: (1) LULC changes in BTH were mostly represented in transfers between cropland, forest, and grassland; (2) three different scenarios were simulated using the MPI model, named BAU (Business as usual), EDP (Ecological development priority), and EEB (Ecological and economic balanced). The simulation results of the three scenarios are in line with their respective goals, and the results are quite different; (3) cropland, water, and bare land, will be reduced, and the constant shrinking of water is a pressing issue that must be addressed; and (4) the EEB scenario balanced ecological services and economic rewards, increased the ecosystem carbon sink function, and is an efficient way to investigate “carbon neutrality”. The application of the MPI model is of reference value for exploring the optimal configuration of land resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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Review

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23 pages, 57257 KiB

Open AccessReview

Progress and Hotspots of Research on Land-Use Carbon Emissions: A Global Perspective

by Min Liu, Yinrong Chen, Kun Chen and Yi Chen

Sustainability 2023, 15(9), 7245; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15097245 - 27 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2236

Abstract

Carbon emissions from land use change are the leading causes of the greenhouse effect. Exploration of the progress and hotspots of research on land-use carbon emissions (LUCE) is crucial for mitigating global climate warming. However, a comprehensive and systematic review of LUCE research from a global perspective is still lacking. We used the WoS Core Collection Database to analyze the current status of research on LUCE from a global perspective with the aid of a bibliometrix tool, aiming to reveal research hotspots and future development trends. We found that (1) the process of LUCE research has gone through a nascent exploration stage (1992–2001), a problem-focused stage (2002–2011), and a prosperous development stage (2012–2022) under different policy orientations. European and North American countries prioritize LUCE research more than others. (2) Overseas research hotspots mainly focus on the climate effects of land-use change, the impact of deforestation and fire on carbon stocks, the impact of soil organic carbon stocks on climate change and biodiversity, and agricultural carbon emissions. Research hotspots in China mainly focus on the study of the influencing factors of land-use carbon emissions, the path to achieving the dual carbon goal, and the transition to a low carbon economy. (3) Research frontiers show that China mainly researches low-carbon land use intensification in the context of a “dual carbon” strategy; carbon emission reduction based on energy transition; and the multi-dimensional, dynamic, and accurate tracking and monitoring of land-use carbon emission systems using remote sensing satellite data. Other countries have shifted from measuring historical land-use carbon emissions, deforestation, degradation and fire carbon emissions to biomass combustion and global warming mitigation research. This study enhances the depth and breadth of LUCE research, which can provide a theoretical foundation and scientific reference for subsequent research on LUCE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land Use/Cover Change and Its Environmental Effects)

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