Sustainability

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16 pages, 310 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improvement of the Methodology for the Assessment of the Agro-Resource Potential of Agricultural Landscapes

by Zhumakhan Mustafayev, Akhmetkal Medeu, Irina Skorintseva, Tatiana Bassova and Gulnar Aldazhanova

Sustainability 2024, 16(1), 419; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16010419 - 3 Jan 2024

Viewed by 709

Abstract

The purpose of this study was the scientific justification of the concept of assessment of the agro-resource potential of agricultural landscapes and the improvement of the methodology for such assessment, on the basis of knowledge integration principles that allow for the combining of [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study was the scientific justification of the concept of assessment of the agro-resource potential of agricultural landscapes and the improvement of the methodology for such assessment, on the basis of knowledge integration principles that allow for the combining of various fields of science in order to create an integrated methodological approach to addressing scientific and practical problems of environmental management. Based on the analysis of modern worldviews and natural scientific ideas on the mechanisms of biomass production in natural systems, we propose a methodology for the assessment of the agro-resource potential of agricultural landscapes that is an integral function of four key components (groups of factors)—agroclimatic resources (ACR), soil–land resources (SLR), agrobiological resources (ABR) and water resources (WR)—and that is based on the laws of nature and the principles of agricultural nature management. The proposed algorithm for predicting the natural state of agricultural landscapes based on agroclimatic, agrochemical and agrobiological integrated indexes allowed us to develop a unified integrated approach to the methodology for the assessment of the agro-resource potential of agricultural landscapes that makes it possible to determine the logical sequence of the trend of changes in the natural process, fully characterizing its state in the space–time scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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20 pages, 3668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment and Enhancement of Ecosystem Service Supply Efficiency Based on Production Possibility Frontier: A Case Study of the Loess Plateau in Northern Shaanxi

by Zhenjun Yan, Yirong Wang, Xu Hu and Wen Luo

Sustainability 2023, 15(19), 14314; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151914314 - 28 Sep 2023

Viewed by 744

Abstract

Enhancing the supply efficiency of ecosystem services plays a central role in improving both natural ecosystems and human well-being. Taking the Loess Plateau of Northern Shaanxi as an example, this study utilizes InVEST to assess the ecosystem services of water yield and habitat [...] Read more.

Enhancing the supply efficiency of ecosystem services plays a central role in improving both natural ecosystems and human well-being. Taking the Loess Plateau of Northern Shaanxi as an example, this study utilizes InVEST to assess the ecosystem services of water yield and habitat quality. The optimal solutions for the combination of these two services are calculated on the basis of the Pareto principle. The production possibility frontier curves for the two services are fitted, and the services’ supply efficiency is measured. Furthermore, this study employs ordinary least squares and geographically weighted regression to analyze the dominant factors affecting supply efficiency. The results comprise the following findings: (1) There are eighteen solutions representing the optimal combinations between the two services. (2) The supply efficiency of the two services increases from northwest to southeast in spatial distribution. (3) The dominant factors vary among different zones of supply efficiency. Population, hydrology, and gross domestic product (GDP) are the dominant factors in the general-efficiency, sub-low-efficiency, and low-efficiency supply zones, respectively. Hydrology, NDVI, and GDP are the dominant factors in the sub-high-efficiency supply zone, while GDP, terrain, and population are the dominant factors in the high-efficiency supply zone. In conclusion, this paper proposes recommendations for reducing trade-offs and enhancing supply efficiency between ecosystem services. These include dynamic supervising for the high-efficiency supply zone, moderate greening in the sub-high-efficiency supply zone, stabilizing the population in the general-efficiency supply zone, and reducing development intensity in low- and sub-low-efficiency zones. The study reveals the potential and approaches for improving the supply of ecosystem services and offers guidance for formulating ecological protection plans. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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13 pages, 2050 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Optimizing the Location and Layout of National Emergency Material Reserve

by Zhuang Wu, Chenjun Liu, Zhiying Yao and Yi Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15922; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315922 - 29 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1208

Abstract

Scientific planning, and the layout of the national level reserve base of emergency materials, will help improve the effectiveness of a country’s overall emergency disaster reduction system. Based on the P-center location theory, this paper analyzes the factors affecting site selection at the [...] Read more.

Scientific planning, and the layout of the national level reserve base of emergency materials, will help improve the effectiveness of a country’s overall emergency disaster reduction system. Based on the P-center location theory, this paper analyzes the factors affecting site selection at the national and state levels, determines the reasonable number of emergency material reserve bases at national and state levels, and then develops a national macro-level emergency supply reserve location planning model. In this study, the city of 28 states in a country were selected as alternative reserve cities and emergency demand city matrix, to conduct the research. The model is solved using a variable neighborhood search algorithm (VNS). The calculation results obtain the reasonable number of emergency material reserve bases set at the national level in this studied country, and the optimal solution of the base layout can be obtained if the number of emergency reserve bases set at the national level remains unchanged. The experimental results shows that the selected algorithm is reasonable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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17 pages, 2127 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Tourism and Natural Hazards: River Landform Changes Due to Geohazards and Its Influence on the Economic Development of Ecotourism in Sabah, Malaysia

by Adi Jafar, Ramli Dollah, Nordin Sakke, Mohammad Tahir Mapa, Eko Prayitno Joko, Marsitah Mohd Radzi, Ubong Imang, Syahruddin Awang Ahmad, Andika Ab. Wahab and Jemmy Amanda Sipatau

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315832 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1712

Abstract

Geohazards are often portrayed as a calamity that has a detrimental effect on humans and the environment. It is usually uncommon to consider geohazards in the opposite context. Therefore, this study examines the positive effects of an earthquake event centered in Ranau, Sabah, [...] Read more.

Geohazards are often portrayed as a calamity that has a detrimental effect on humans and the environment. It is usually uncommon to consider geohazards in the opposite context. Therefore, this study examines the positive effects of an earthquake event centered in Ranau, Sabah, especially from the aspect of ecotourism development. A total of 27 homestay entrepreneurs in Kampung Melangkap were interviewed in this study. The raw data collected during the interview were conceptually and descriptively analyzed using the ATLAS.ti 8 software. Observation techniques were used to supplement the interviews. This study found that the morphological changes of the Panataran Kedamaian River in Kampung Melangkap were a result of an earthquake centered in Ranau. This disaster has led to the development of more interesting physical attractions, attracting many tourists to Melangkap Village. The dramatic increase of tourists in Melangkap during the post-geohazard phase has become the starting point for the economic growth of ecotourism in the region. This is shown by the increase in the number of homestay entrepreneurs, the expansion in the size of their businesses, higher overall income of homestay entrepreneurs, and better job opportunities for the local population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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14 pages, 2437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Urban Distribution Routes Considering the Impact of Vehicle Speed on Carbon Emissions

by Zhiying Yao, Haiqing Cao, Zhenliang Cui, Yuru Wang and Ning Huang

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15827; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315827 - 28 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 949

Abstract

To solve the low-carbon vehicle routing problem (VRP) with sustainable development background, the VRP considering the impact of vehicle speed on carbon emissions is studied. A vehicle routing optimization model aims to minimize the total cost of distribution, penalty cost and carbon emission [...] Read more.

To solve the low-carbon vehicle routing problem (VRP) with sustainable development background, the VRP considering the impact of vehicle speed on carbon emissions is studied. A vehicle routing optimization model aims to minimize the total cost of distribution, penalty cost and carbon emission cost. In the model, the driving time and carbon emissions are calculated on the basis of the varying vehicle speed matching the real road network. Moreover, the improved genetic algorithm is applied to optimize vehicle routing in this paper. Using the Solomon standard datasets, the experimental results validate the carbon emission cost and the total cost from the dynamic road network are lower than those from the static network; furthermore, the carbon emission cost and the total cost from the improved GE algorithm are much lower than those from the general GE algorithm in the dynamic road network. Obviously, the built model and the improved algorithm are more feasible and effective. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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18 pages, 15203 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Hainan Island’s 2010–2020 Gross Ecosystem Product Accounting

by Xiaozhen Zhou, Qianfeng Wang, Rongrong Zhang, Binyu Ren, Xiaoping Wu, Yue Wu and Jiakui Tang

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15624; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315624 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1674

Abstract

Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) is a single currency to measure the contribution of an ecosystem to society. It is the sum of the value of products and services provided by the ecosystem to humans. Based on this, GEP characterizes the current situation of [...] Read more.

Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) is a single currency to measure the contribution of an ecosystem to society. It is the sum of the value of products and services provided by the ecosystem to humans. Based on this, GEP characterizes the current situation of the ecological environment in a region and can measure the contribution index provided by ecosystems. Based on land use data, rainfall data, soil data, statistical yearbook, DEM and other data, this paper constructs the accounting framework of Hainan Island’s GEP, quantitatively evaluates Hainan Island’s GEP from 2010 to 2020 and analyzes the research results. The results are as follows: (1) The GEP of Hainan Island’s ecosystem rose from 596.404 billion CNY in 2010 to 1032.096 billion CNY in 2020, an increase of about 42.21% with an average annual growth rate of 6.3%. The overall GEP has shown an upward trend. Among them, the value of regulation service accounts for the largest proportion was up to 73–83%. (2) The overall distribution of GEP in Hainan Island is uneven, decreasing from the central mountainous areas to the eastern coastal areas around to the west. In particular, Danzhou City, Wenchang City and Haikou City have higher values, while Tunchang, Baoting County and Wuzhishan City have lower values, and Wuzhishan City has the lowest values. Hainan Island is rich in natural resources, which contain great value. Through the accounting of GEP, we can clearly determine the value of the ecosystem, which can help the relevant departments estimate the GEP of Hainan Island’s ecosystem. It can provide a reference for Hainan to formulate ecological protection and sustainable development policies, and for the GEP estimation of other islands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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13 pages, 568 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Corporate Sustainability Disclosure and Investment Efficiency: The Saudi Arabian Context

by Amel Kouaib

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13984; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113984 - 27 Oct 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2303

Abstract

Drawing on legitimacy and stakeholders’ perspectives, this research aims to investigate the association between investment efficiency, a value-added corporate activity important to firm viability and profitability, and the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting extent in a Saudi Arabian context. A sample of [...] Read more.

Drawing on legitimacy and stakeholders’ perspectives, this research aims to investigate the association between investment efficiency, a value-added corporate activity important to firm viability and profitability, and the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting extent in a Saudi Arabian context. A sample of 25 Saudi firms reporting ESG information is used to test the research hypotheses. The sample is listed on the Saudi Exchange, with the research period spanning from 2014 to 2021. An OLS regression analysis shows that adopting ESG disclosure practices promote and maintain corporate investment efficiency. It displays a significant effect of corporate sustainability disclosure on the under- and over-investment levels of Saudi indexed firms. These findings are important in terms of sustainable reporting and development for the Middle East region in general and for Saudi Arabia in particular. They provide confirmation of the importance of ESG reporting as a key driver of enhanced corporate investment and bring additional evidence for regulators, policymakers, and standard-setters in terms of the effect of ESG on each sector. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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13 pages, 4175 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Ecosystem Protection and Sustainable Development Strategies—Evidence Based on the RWEQ Model on the Loess Plateau, China

by Ruiya Song, Xiufeng Zhao, Yongcai Jing, Xiaoxia Li, Jiwen Su, Xiao Wang and Dandan Zhao

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11502; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811502 - 14 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1211

Abstract

Environmental sustainability and high-quality development are global issues since soil deterioration and potential desertification are caused by human activities and global climate change, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. The Loess Plateau is one of the most severely eroded regions in the world. [...] Read more.

Environmental sustainability and high-quality development are global issues since soil deterioration and potential desertification are caused by human activities and global climate change, especially in arid and semi-arid areas. The Loess Plateau is one of the most severely eroded regions in the world. Since the “Grain for Green Program” was established on the Loess Plateau in the late 1990s as a result of the degradation of the soil, it has been an important state policy and demonstration project for ecological protection and sustainable development in China. Therefore, understanding the spatiotemporal changes of soil wind erosion, such as yearly and monthly fluctuations in various periods, under the scenarios of global climate change and human activities, is crucial for carrying out soil conservation initiatives in the Yellow River basin. The revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ) model was applied in this study to evaluate the dynamics of soil wind erosion on the Loess Plateau, China. The soil wind erosion was evaluated on the Loess Plateau from 1981 to 2019 to provide a creative idea for managing ecosystems at the regional scale. By examining the case of the Loess Plateau, we hope to be better able to comprehend the significance of putting environmental protection projects into action to enhance the ecological environment and the well-being of locals, as well as to offer recommendations for the future creation of effective and sustainable development strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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17 pages, 3219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Deformation Monitoring of Offshore Oil Platforms with Integrated GNSS and Accelerometer

by Songliangzi Yang, Changhui Xu, Jinzhong Mi and Shouzhou Gu

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10521; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710521 - 24 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1702

Abstract

Dynamic deformation monitoring is a crucial component of the structural health monitoring of an offshore oil platform. Given the insensitivity of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to high-frequency vibration information, a combination of GNSS and accelerometer is used for vibration monitoring of [...] Read more.

Dynamic deformation monitoring is a crucial component of the structural health monitoring of an offshore oil platform. Given the insensitivity of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to high-frequency vibration information, a combination of GNSS and accelerometer is used for vibration monitoring of platform structures. A hybrid filter based on complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) combined with a Chebyshev filter is proposed to process the monitoring data. The extracted GNSS low-frequency displacement is fused with the high-frequency displacement obtained from acceleration integration to obtain the overall dynamic displacement of the platform. The experimental analysis shows that the combination of t-test and correlation coefficient can select the required intrinsic mode function (IMF), the proposed hybrid filter can reduce the noise error to a certain extent, and the quadratic frequency domain integration of the acceleration data can avoid the influence of the integration trend term. The correlation coefficient between the overall reconstructed displacement and the original GNSS monitoring data was 0.8576, and the signal correlation after denoising and refactoring was more than 85%, thereby preserving the essential information components. Integrated GNSS and accelerometer monitoring systems complement each other’s advantages, compensating for their shortcomings in monitoring the dynamic deformation of a structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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15 pages, 4684 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Method for Identifying Urban Functional Zones Based on Landscape Types and Human Activities

by Yongcai Jing, Ranhao Sun and Liding Chen

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4130; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074130 - 30 Mar 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2194

Abstract

The effects of land use and socioeconomic changes on urban landscape patterns and functional zones have been increasingly investigated around the world; however, our knowledge on these effects is still inadequate for sustainably managing urban ecosystems. The urban functional zone (UFZ) refers to [...] Read more.

The effects of land use and socioeconomic changes on urban landscape patterns and functional zones have been increasingly investigated around the world; however, our knowledge on these effects is still inadequate for sustainably managing urban ecosystems. The urban functional zone (UFZ) refers to a kind of regional space that provides specific functions for human activities and reflects the land use type in a city. They are important for urban planning and exploring urban texture dynamics. UFZs improve understanding of sustainable development for urban ecosystems with extreme environments and unique social backgrounds. However, the identification methods for UFZs are incomplete because of a lack of socioeconomic attributes, as well as their hierarchical relations. Here, we present a hierarchical weighted clustering model to identify UFZs based on the entropy weight method. The data included points of interest (POIs), land use type data, road network data, socioeconomic data, and population density. We found that the adjusted cosine metric and the average criterion were the optimal distance metric and linkage strategy, respectively, to cluster urban zone data. The performance with weighted data was better than that with raw data, and the level of the POI classification scheme and landscape pattern affected the accuracy of identification UFZs. The research indicated that the hierarchical weighted clustering model was a useful method to classify UFZs in order to improve urban planning and environmental management schemes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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Review

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16 pages, 1850 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of Climate Change on Urban Transportation Resilience to Compound Extreme Events

by Tao Ji, Yanhong Yao, Yue Dou, Shejun Deng, Shijun Yu, Yunqiang Zhu and Huajun Liao

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 3880; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14073880 - 25 Mar 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4142

Abstract

Global warming, sea-level rise, and rapid urbanization all increase the risk of compound extreme weather events, presenting challenges for the operation of urban-related infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. In this context, some questions become important. For example, what are the temporal and spatial distribution [...] Read more.

Global warming, sea-level rise, and rapid urbanization all increase the risk of compound extreme weather events, presenting challenges for the operation of urban-related infrastructure, including transportation infrastructure. In this context, some questions become important. For example, what are the temporal and spatial distribution and development trends of transportation resilience when considering the impact of multilpe extreme weather events on the urban transportation system? What is the degree of loss of urban transportation resilience (UT resilience) under different extreme event intensities, and how long will it take for the entire system to restore balance? In the future, if extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, what trends will urban transportation resilience show? Considering these problems, the current monitoring methods for transportation resilience under the influence of extreme events are lacking, especially the monitoring of the temporal and spatial dynamic changes of transportation resilience under the influence of compined extreme events. The development of big data mining technology and deep learning methods for spatiotemporal predictions made the construction of spatiotemporal data sets for evaluating and predicting UT resilience-intensity indicators possible. Such data sets reveal the temporal and spatial features and evolution of UT resilience intensity under the influence of compound extreme weather events, as well as the related future change trends. They indicate the key research areas that should be focused on, namely, the transportation resilience under climate warming. This work is especially important in planning efforts to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels and is relevant to policymakers, traffic managers, civil protection managers, and the general public. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Geography and Sustainable Earth Development)

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