Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.4
Journals
IJERPH
Special Issues
The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment...
ijerph-logo
Submit to IJERPH Review for IJERPH Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Science and Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2023) | Viewed by 37282

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Ying Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Land Resources Management, School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
Interests: land use and its dynamics; ecosystem services; sustainable rural livelihoods; coupled human–environmental systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Weiwen Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, China
Interests: human settlement governance; rural environmental economics
Dr. Bin Yang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Public Policy & Management, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221008, China
Interests: land consolidation; urban and rural development; land use efficiency; land use policy; natural resource management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The coordination between human beings and the ecological environment is an important global challenge today and in the longer term. In the face of the increasing complexity of human–environment interactions, it is important to quantify the temporal-spatial evolution of coupled human–environment systems and their responses to social and ecological factors. Hence, this Special Issue calls for papers that examine the impact of social and ecological factors on coupled human–environment systems through the lens of landscape ecology, the social sciences, environmental assessment, agent-based modeling, etc. This call is open to original research and scholarly reviews.

Topics may include (but are not limited to):

  • Modeling the interactions between human behaviour and the environment;
  • Monitoring or projecting the spatial-temporal dynamics of the coupled system;
  • Responses of the coupled system to socio-ecological factors and processes;
  • Sensitivity, vulnerability, and adaptation assessment of the coupled system;
  • Environmental policy design and evaluation;
  • Implications for the sustainable management of the coupled system.

Dr. Ying Wang
Dr. Weiwen Wang
Dr. Bin Yang
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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 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 2500 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

  • coupled human–environment system
  • socio-ecological behaviour
  • agent-based modeling
  • environmental assessment
  • temporal-spatial dynamics
  • human–environment interaction
  • adaptive co-management
  • sustainable development

Published Papers (20 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

20 pages, 657 KiB  
Article
The Proactive Effects of Built Environment on Rural Community Resilience: Evidence from China Family Panel Studies
by Xiaowan Dong, Yuhui Xu and Xiangmei Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4913; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064913 - 10 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1160
Abstract
Rural community resilience (RCR) is crucial to rural sustainable development in the context of rural decline globally. Previous studies seem to underestimate the role of the built environment (BE) in the proactive aspect of RCR (P-RCR), that is, a rural community’s ability to [...] Read more.
Rural community resilience (RCR) is crucial to rural sustainable development in the context of rural decline globally. Previous studies seem to underestimate the role of the built environment (BE) in the proactive aspect of RCR (P-RCR), that is, a rural community’s ability to cope with change proactively. This study explores BE’s effects on P-RCR with a holistic framework involving objective BE (OBE), perceived BE (PBE), place attachment (PA) and P-RCR, using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on a sample of 7528 rural respondents from eastern, central and western China. The results are as follows: (1) Both OBE (population density and accessibility) and PBE (perceptions of facilities, surrounding environment and safety) can significantly affect P-RCR in terms of social, economic and environmental dimensions. (2) In all regions, PBE’s impacts were consistent and positive on social and economic dimensions at both the individual and community levels (except the community-level economic dimension in western regions), but negative on the individual-level environmental dimension; OBE’s impacts were varied among regions. (3) In certain regions, PA and PBE were mediators in the BE-P-RCR relationship. This study can help researchers to construct a more detailed picture of the BE-P-RCR relationship and identify BE-related factors that contribute to P-RCR enhancement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 4288 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Analysis of the Coupling Relationship between Habitat Quality and Urbanization in the Lower Yellow River
by Jinxin Sun, Mei Han, Fanbiao Kong, Fan Wei and Xianglun Kong
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(6), 4734; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20064734 - 08 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1194
Abstract
Natural habitats are damaged by human interference to varying degrees during the urbanization process, which can impede a region’s high-quality development. In this study, we examined the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality and urbanization in the Lower Yellow River from 2000 to [...] Read more.
Natural habitats are damaged by human interference to varying degrees during the urbanization process, which can impede a region’s high-quality development. In this study, we examined the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality and urbanization in the Lower Yellow River from 2000 to 2020 using the integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the comprehensive indicator method. We also evaluated the coupling relationship between the habitat quality and urbanization using the coupling coordination degree model. The findings indicate the following aspects: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, the Lower Yellow River’s habitat quality was typically mediocre, with a steady declining trend. The majority of cities displayed a trend toward declining habitat quality. (2) Both the urbanization subsystem and the urbanization level in 34 cities have demonstrated a consistent growth tendency. The urbanization level is most affected by economic urbanization among the subsystems. (3) The coupling coordination degree have revealed an ongoing trend of growth. In most cities, the relationship between habitat quality and urbanization has been evolving toward coordination. The results of this study have some reference value for ameliorating the habitat quality of the Lower Yellow River and solving the coupling coordination relationship between habitat quality and urbanization. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3732 KiB  
Article
Improvement Pathways for Urban Land Use Efficiency in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration at the County Level: A Context-Dependent DEA Based on the Closest Target
by Ye Tian and Jiangfeng Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4429; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054429 - 01 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1055
Abstract
One of the most effective ways to achieve sustainable land use and the regional coordinated development of urban agglomerations lies in improving the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) of both large, medium, and small cities and small towns. However, in previous studies, less [...] Read more.
One of the most effective ways to achieve sustainable land use and the regional coordinated development of urban agglomerations lies in improving the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) of both large, medium, and small cities and small towns. However, in previous studies, less attention has been paid to pathways for potential improvement, especially at the county level. The main purpose of this paper is to examine potential improvement paths for the ULUE at the county level in urban agglomerations, while attempting to provide more practical targets for improvement and formulate more reasonable improvement steps for inefficient counties. Therefore, a total of 197 counties in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration (BTHUA) in 2018 were taken as examples to build a context-dependent data envelopment analysis (DEA) model based on the closest target. In addition, by utilizing methods such as the significant difference test and system clustering analysis, the shortest path and steps to achieve efficiency were identified for inefficient counties, and the characteristics of improvement paths at different levels were summarized. Furthermore, improvement pathways were compared for two dimensions: administrative type and region. The results showed that the causes of polarization for ULUE at different levels were mainly reflected in more complex targets to be improved in the middle- and low-level counties than at high levels. Improving environmental and social benefits was essential to achieving efficiency in most inefficient counties, especially at the middle and low levels. The improvement paths for inefficient counties between different administrative types, as well as the prefecture-level cities, were heterogeneous. The results of this study can provide a policy and planning basis for improving urban land use. This study is of practical significance in accelerating the development of urbanization and the promotion of regional coordination and sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 705 KiB  
Article
How Neighbors Influence Rice–Crayfish Integrated System Adoption: Evidence from 980 Farmers in the Lower and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River
by Ke Liu, Zhenhong Qi, Li Tan and Canwei Hu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4399; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054399 - 01 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1143
Abstract
Rice-aquatic animal integrated systems can alleviate food and environmental insecurity. Understanding how this practice is adopted by farmers is significant for promoting the development of the agricultural industry. Given the information inadequacy and information frictions in agricultural society in China, farmers are susceptible [...] Read more.
Rice-aquatic animal integrated systems can alleviate food and environmental insecurity. Understanding how this practice is adopted by farmers is significant for promoting the development of the agricultural industry. Given the information inadequacy and information frictions in agricultural society in China, farmers are susceptible to the behaviors of their neighbors through social interaction. This paper defines neighboring groups that are both spatially and socially connected to identify whether neighbors influence farmers’ adoption of rice–crayfish integrated systems using a sample in the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River in China. The findings reveal that for every one-unit increase in neighbors’ adoption behavior, the probability of farmers’ adoption increases by 0.367 units. Therefore, our results may have great value for policymakers seeking to take advantage of the neighborhood effect to complement formal extension systems and promote the developments of China’s ecological agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1405 KiB  
Article
Allocation of Land Factors in China Looking Forward to 2035: Planning and Market
by Yuzhe Wu, Jia Ao and Yuhang Ren
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3424; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043424 - 15 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1420
Abstract
Land factors are natural resources with fundamental and strategic significance in the achievement of China’s 2035 modernization goals. Dilemmas caused by market-oriented or planning-oriented allocation of land factors urgently call for new theoretical guidance and mode. After conducting a systematic review of the [...] Read more.
Land factors are natural resources with fundamental and strategic significance in the achievement of China’s 2035 modernization goals. Dilemmas caused by market-oriented or planning-oriented allocation of land factors urgently call for new theoretical guidance and mode. After conducting a systematic review of the literature, this paper built a new framework from the perspective of production–living–ecological spaces to facilitate a better understanding of China’s land factors allocation looking forward to 2035. Inductive and deductive methods were both used to interpret the applications of planning and market in land factors allocation. Our results show that: (1) The allocation of land factors for production space is truth-oriented and needs the guidance of market efficiency. The essential feature of “production” as the driving force in production space requires that the allocation of land factors in production space must “respect rules, give play to the agglomeration effect, and rationally carry out regional economic layout”. (2) For the allocation of land factors for living space, it is necessary to pursue a kindness-oriented approach and establish a reasonable housing supply system based on people. Among them, the ordinary commercial housing and improving housing should rely on market forces to achieve multi-subject supply, while affordable housing should be ensured through government intervention in a multi-channel way. (3) For the allocation of land factors in ecological space, aesthetic-oriented planning should follow the rule of territorial differentiation and realize the transformation of ecological function into ecological value through market mechanisms. Top-down planning and bottom-up market represents the logic of overall and individual rationality, respectively. The effective allocation of land factors requires the utilization of both planning and market forces. However, the intersection needs be guided by boundary selection theory. This research indicates that “middle-around” theory could be a possible theoretical solution for future study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2507 KiB  
Article
Maximize Eco-Economic Benefits with Minimum Land Resources Input: Evaluation and Evolution of Land Use Eco-Efficiency of Agglomerations in Middle Reaches of Yangtze River, China
by Jie Zhang, Yajing Wang and Jiangfeng Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 1985; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20031985 - 21 Jan 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1355
Abstract
Increasing land-use eco-efficiency can alleviate human-land conflict in urban areas as well as improve regional urbanization quality to achieve sustainable development. As the central urban agglomeration in China, the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River (MRYR) has experienced rapid urbanization and huge land-use change [...] Read more.
Increasing land-use eco-efficiency can alleviate human-land conflict in urban areas as well as improve regional urbanization quality to achieve sustainable development. As the central urban agglomeration in China, the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River (MRYR) has experienced rapid urbanization and huge land-use change during 2000 to 2020, which poses great threats to its ecological environment. This study adopted the Super-Slack-Based Data Envelopment Analysis (Super SBM-DEA) model to evaluate the eco-efficiency of land use in MRYR. The result shows that the average eco-efficiency value of land use is above 0.77 for each year, indicating that the general efficiency is at a middle level. The trend of the evolution of the eco-efficiency can be summarized as a “U-shape” style curve. The variance between the four urban agglomerations of the MRYR changed over time. Not all capital cities or cities with higher GDP per capita obtain higher eco-efficiency in this study. Policy intervention, population and land use, technique, and environmental pollution are influencing factors of land-use eco-efficiency. Based on slacks analysis, this study proposed the optimization of the land-use structure to improve eco-efficiency from four aspects of land-use structure, investment and labor, ecosystem services value (ESV) and environment pollution, and industry structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 2379 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Urban Construction Land Change on Carbon Emissions—A Case Study of Wuhan City
by Yuchuan Tan, Yanzhong Liu, Yong Chen, Zuo Zhang, Dan Wu, Hongyi Chen and Yufei Han
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(2), 922; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20020922 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1235
Abstract
Urban construction land (UCL) change is a significant cause of changes in urban carbon emissions. However, as the extent of this effect is currently unclear, cities cannot easily formulate reasonable carbon reduction policies in terms of land use. Taking the city of Wuhan, [...] Read more.
Urban construction land (UCL) change is a significant cause of changes in urban carbon emissions. However, as the extent of this effect is currently unclear, cities cannot easily formulate reasonable carbon reduction policies in terms of land use. Taking the city of Wuhan, China, as an example, this paper combines data on land use and carbon emissions from 1995 to 2019 and uses spatial analysis, curve estimation, and correlation evaluation to explore the direct and indirect effects of the UCL changes on carbon emissions. The results show that: (1) Between 1995 and 2019, the UCL area in Wuhan increased by 193.44%, and carbon emissions increased by 78.63%; moreover, both changes showed a gradually increasing spatial correlation, and the quantitative relationship could be better fitted with a composite function model; (2) The UCL change had mainly an indirect impact on carbon emissions via factors such as population and energy use intensity per unit of carbon emissions; (3) The maximum value of carbon emissions inside a unit area decreased during the study period, with an average annual decrease of about 2.02%. Therefore, the city of Wuhan can promote the achievement of its carbon emissions reduction targets by improving the existing land use policies, for example, by dividing the city into multiple functional zones. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4657 KiB  
Article
Constructing a Flood-Adaptive Ecological Security Pattern from the Perspective of Ecological Resilience: A Case Study of the Main Urban Area in Wuhan
by Hongyi Chen, Yanzhong Liu, Lin Hu, Zuo Zhang, Yong Chen, Yuchuan Tan and Yufei Han
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010385 - 26 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1358
Abstract
The frequent occurrence of floods in urban areas caused by climate change challenges urban resilience. This research aims to construct an ecological security pattern (ESP) that is adaptive to floods to enhance urban resilience in the hope that it will help cities cope [...] Read more.
The frequent occurrence of floods in urban areas caused by climate change challenges urban resilience. This research aims to construct an ecological security pattern (ESP) that is adaptive to floods to enhance urban resilience in the hope that it will help cities cope with floods better. In this research, the main urban area of Wuhan (WUH) represents the study area. The lakes were selected as the ecological sources and the Soil Conservation Service-Curve Number (SCS-CN) model was used to calculate the runoff volume corresponding to each land type and, based on this, assign resistance values to the land types; as such, the land type surface is referred to as the runoff resistance surface, and the runoff resistance surface is then modified by ecosystem service capabilities. The Minimum Cumulative Resistance (MCR) model was used to extract the connecting corridors between the sources. This research plan includes 18 ecological sources, 10 key ecological corridors, and 22 potential ecological corridors, with a total length of about 344.21 km. Finally, it provides a two-axis and three-core urban ecological resilience optimization strategy for decision makers and a new approach for controlling floods in urban areas from the perspective of ecological resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

14 pages, 6390 KiB  
Article
Correlation between Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Habitat Quality and Human Activity Intensity in Typical Mountain Cities: A Case Study of Guiyang City, China
by Yongfei Luan, Guohe Huang, Guanghui Zheng and Yuee Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14294; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114294 - 01 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1492
Abstract
The acceleration of the urbanization process brings about the expansion of urban land use, while changes in land-use transformation affect the urban habitat quality, and land-use change brings a threat to regional sustainable development. Against such a backdrop, the assessment of land use [...] Read more.
The acceleration of the urbanization process brings about the expansion of urban land use, while changes in land-use transformation affect the urban habitat quality, and land-use change brings a threat to regional sustainable development. Against such a backdrop, the assessment of land use on the habitat quality and the relationship between the intensity of human activities is becoming a hot spot in terms of the current land use coordinated with habitat quality. Based on the land-use data of Guiyang in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020, the spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of habitat quality in the study area, combined with the spatial correlation between human activity intensity and habitat quality, were hereby analyzed using the InVEST model. The impact of human activity intensity on habitat quality was correspondingly analyzed. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the habitat quality level in Guiyang remained stable without drastic changes, but the changes showed hierarchical distribution and were scattered, mainly reflected in the urban expansion areas of the urban–rural fringe and the key areas of industrial development, and the ecological environment quality fluctuated in a small range. (2) From 2000 to 2020, the intensity of human activities in Guiyang was mainly affected by the relatively concentrated distribution, featuring obvious and significant changes. From 2010 to 2015, the high-impact area surrounded the Guanshan Lake New Area, and the regional habitat quality presented a downward trend. In 2020, the high-impact area of the main urban area and the key industrial development zone was expected to be formed, while the low-impact area was still distributed in forest areas with complex natural conditions. (3) From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant positive correlation between human activity intensity and habitat quality in Guiyang, and such a spatial correlation was weak from 2000 to 2005. The period from 2015 to 2020 witnessed the rapid development of urban construction in Guiyang, human construction activities continue to affect the urban habitat quality. The results show that the intensity of human activities on the promoting function of land use, and the dependencies between them should be considered at the same time, and that explorations on the influence of human activities on land-use intensity and habitat quality of space link are crucial to improving the efficiency of urban land use and ecological environment protection, as well as the coordination between land use and the sustainability of urban development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 43734 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Rural Revitalization and an Improvement Path: A Typical Old Revolutionary Cultural Area as an Example
by Yang Liu, Jiajun Qiao, Jie Xiao, Dong Han and Tao Pan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13494; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013494 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3429
Abstract
At present, the focus of global attention is on implementing rural revitalization strategies. However, constructing a set of scientifically based evaluation indexes for the evaluation of the effectiveness of rural revitalization implementation, exploring the implementation plan for rural revitalization, has become a common [...] Read more.
At present, the focus of global attention is on implementing rural revitalization strategies. However, constructing a set of scientifically based evaluation indexes for the evaluation of the effectiveness of rural revitalization implementation, exploring the implementation plan for rural revitalization, has become a common concern and a focus of discussion in political and academic circles. This study used a typical rural revitalization demonstration area in China as an example. We proposed a theoretical framework for rural revitalization research and constructed an index evaluation system for the evaluation of the effectiveness of rural revitalization implementation and influencing factors from two perspectives: material life and spiritual life. The results were as follows: Differences were found in the implementation effectiveness of rural revitalization strategies in the study area; especially, in areas with obvious rural cultural characteristics, their implementation level was relatively high. The implementation effectiveness of rural revitalization strategies was the result of multi-factor interactions. The village greening rate, innovation ability, and the age of village supporters were the main factors affecting rural revitalization, and the interaction effects of a village’s innovation ability and other factors were significant. Therefore, we argue that in the process of promoting the sustainable development of villages, it is necessary to prominent the characteristics of village construction and improve the effectiveness of the implementation of village revitalization strategies at both the material and spiritual levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2867 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Changes and Regional Differences of Net Carbon Sequestration of Food Crops in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China
by Liping Zhao, Xincheng Li, Xiangmei Li and Chenyang Ai
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013229 - 14 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1094
Abstract
The carbon sequestration of food crops is of great significance to slow down agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production and management. This paper analyzes the dynamic change and regional differences of net carbon sequestration of food crops from temporal and spatial perspectives [...] Read more.
The carbon sequestration of food crops is of great significance to slow down agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in agricultural production and management. This paper analyzes the dynamic change and regional differences of net carbon sequestration of food crops from temporal and spatial perspectives for the case study area of the Yangtze River economic belt (YREB) in China. We use the calculation formula of carbon sequestration and carbon emission to calculate the net carbon sequestration in the Yangtze River economic belt. On this basis, we analyze the dynamic trend and regional differences of net carbon sequestration in the Yangtze River economic belt. Furthermore, we use the Gini coefficient to measure the quantitative gap of net carbon sequestration of grain crops in different regions of the Yangtze River economic belt. The results show that: (1) from 2000–2018, the net carbon sequestration of food crops keeps rising within the studied area, while the carbon emission shows a fluctuating downward trend; (2) remarkable regional differences in the net carbon sequestration of food crops have occurred, and most provinces (cities) show an upward trend for the studied area; (3) the unequitable distribution of net carbon sequestration of food crops is clearly displayed in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the studied area. Moreover, the most uneven place is located on the lower reaches, and the least uneven place is in the upper reaches. These findings are important points of reference for reducing the carbon emissions of the agricultural industry in the Yangtze River economic belt of China and in China more generally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 826 KiB  
Article
Nudging Strategies for Arable Land Protection Behavior in China
by Yanwei Zhang, Xinhai Lu, Yucheng Zou and Tiangui Lv
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12609; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912609 - 02 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2721
Abstract
Arable land protection is critical to the sustainable development of agriculture in China and acceleration of the realization of the trinity protection goal of the quantity, quality, and ecology of arable land. As a new program of behavioral science to promote social development, [...] Read more.
Arable land protection is critical to the sustainable development of agriculture in China and acceleration of the realization of the trinity protection goal of the quantity, quality, and ecology of arable land. As a new program of behavioral science to promote social development, nudge has gradually gained the favor of researchers and policy makers due to its unique advantages of small cost and substantial effect. However, current research and practical exploration of arable land protection behavior intervention based on the idea of nudging are still lacking. Implicit nudging strategies directly target the heuristic and analytic systems of arable land protection behavior of each stakeholder and possess more advantages than traditional intervention strategies. Therefore, this article designs six arable land protection behavior nudging strategies from the perspectives of cognition and motivation to realize the theoretical discussion of “generating medium-scale returns with nano-level investment”. The nudging strategies of the cognitive perspective include default options, framing effects, and descriptive norms, while those of the motivation perspective aim to stimulate home and country, and heritage and benefit motives to promote arable land protection behavior of various stakeholders. The utility of nudge to arable land protection behavior may be controversial in practice. Therefore, the implementation in China should be based on the division of farmers, the number of options should be appropriate, and the external environment of arable land protection behavior should be fully considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 9135 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal of the Coupling Relationship between Ecosystem Services and Human Well-Being in Guanzhong Plain Urban Agglomeration
by Jianxiu Yang, Xing Ma, Xueyan Zhao and Wenqing Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12535; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912535 - 01 Oct 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1728
Abstract
Understanding the complex relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being during the rapid development of urban agglomerations can promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. In this paper, the InVEST model and ArcGIS10.2 were used to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics [...] Read more.
Understanding the complex relationship between ecosystem services and human well-being during the rapid development of urban agglomerations can promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. In this paper, the InVEST model and ArcGIS10.2 were used to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of ecosystem services and human well-being in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration. On this basis, the coupling coordination index is used to reveal the spatiotemporal coupling relationship between them. (1) From 2010 to 2018, the water conservation services, soil conservation services, and carbon sequestration services of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration showed a fluctuating downward trend. The spatial differences of ecosystem services were significant. (2) From 2010 to 2018, human well-being in the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration showed a fluctuating downward trend, with a decrease of 17%, and regional differences tended to narrow. (3) The coupling coordination degree between ecosystem services and human well-being has slightly decreased while maintaining the basic coordination state. The results show that there was a significant relationship between the decline of ecosystem services and the rapid development of the Guanzhong Plain urban agglomeration, and policies should be classified according to the coupling coordination types of human well-being and ecosystem services to promote the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 4321 KiB  
Article
Is There a Spatial Relationship between Urban Landscape Pattern and Habitat Quality? Implication for Landscape Planning of the Yellow River Basin
by Dike Zhang, Jianpeng Wang, Ying Wang, Lei Xu, Liang Zheng, Bowen Zhang, Yuzhe Bi and Hui Yang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 11974; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911974 - 22 Sep 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1914
Abstract
The extent to which landscape spatial patterns can impact the dynamics and distribution of biodiversity is a key geography and ecology issue. However, few previous studies have quantitatively analyzed the spatial relationship between the landscape pattern and habitat quality from a simulation perspective. [...] Read more.
The extent to which landscape spatial patterns can impact the dynamics and distribution of biodiversity is a key geography and ecology issue. However, few previous studies have quantitatively analyzed the spatial relationship between the landscape pattern and habitat quality from a simulation perspective. In this study, the landscape pattern in 2031 was simulated using a patch-generating simulation (PLUS) model for the Yellow River Basin. Then, the landscape pattern index and habitat quality from 2005 to 2031 were evaluated using the Fragstats 4.2 and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model. Furthermore, we analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics and spatial spillover effects of habitat quality using spatial autocorrelation analysis. Finally, the spatial association between the landscape pattern index and habitat quality was quantitatively revealed based on a spatial lag model. The simulation results showed that: (1) from 2005 to 2031, the landscape of the Yellow River Basin would be dominated by grassland and unused land, and the areas of construction land and water body will increase significantly, while the area of grassland will decrease; (2) patch density (PD) and Shannon’s diversity index (SHDI) show significant increases, while edge density (ED), landscape shape index (LSI), mean patch area (AREA_MN), and contagion index (CONTAG) decrease; (3) from 2005 to 2031, habitat quality would decrease. The high-value areas of habitat quality are mainly distributed in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin, and the low-value areas are distributed in the lower reaches. Meanwhile, both habitat quality and its change rate present positive spatial autocorrelation; and (4) the spatial relationships of habitat quality with PD and COHESION are negative, while ED and LSI have positive impacts on habitat quality. Specifically, landscape fragmentation caused by high PD has a dominant negative influence on habitat quality. Therefore, this study can help decision makers manage future landscape patterns and develop ecological conservation policy in the Yellow River Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

22 pages, 5445 KiB  
Article
Quantifying the Relationship between Land Use Intensity and Ecosystem Services’ Value in the Hanjiang River Basin: A Case Study of the Hubei Section
by Hui Yang, Liang Zheng, Ying Wang, Jiangfeng Li, Bowen Zhang and Yuzhe Bi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10950; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710950 - 02 Sep 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1847
Abstract
An increased land use intensity due to rapid urbanization and socio-economic development would alter the structure and function of regional ecosystems and cause prominent environmental problems. Revealing the impact of land use intensity on ecosystem services (ES) would provide guidance for more informed [...] Read more.
An increased land use intensity due to rapid urbanization and socio-economic development would alter the structure and function of regional ecosystems and cause prominent environmental problems. Revealing the impact of land use intensity on ecosystem services (ES) would provide guidance for more informed decision making to promote the sustainable development of human and natural systems. In this study, we selected the Hanjiang River Basin (HRB) in Hubei Province (China) as our study area, explored the correlation between land use intensity and ecosystem Services’ Value (ESV), and investigated impacts of natural and socio-economic factors on ESV variations based on the Geographical Detector Model (GDM) and Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR). The results show that (1) from 2000 to 2020, land use intensity in HRB generally showed an upward trend, with a high spatial agglomeration in the southeast and low in the northwest; (2) the total ESV increased from 295.56 billion CNY in 2000 to 296.93 billion CNY in 2010, and then decreased to 295.63 CNY in 2020, exhibiting an inverted U-shaped trend, with regulation services contributing the most to ESV; (3) land use intensity and ESV had a strong negative spatial correlation, with LH (low land use intensity vs. high ESV) aggregations mainly distributed in the northwest, whereas HL (high land use intensity vs. low ESV) aggregations were located in the southeast; (4) natural factors, including annual mean temperature, the percentage of forest land, and slope were positively associated with ESV, while socio-economic factors, including GDP and population density, were negatively associated with ESV. To achieve the coordinated development of the socio-economy and the environment, ES should be incorporated into spatial planning and socio-economic development policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4526 KiB  
Article
Evolution Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Production-Living-Ecological Space in China: Perspective of Main Function Zones
by Ning Xu, Wanxu Chen, Sipei Pan, Jiale Liang and Jiaojiao Bian
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(16), 9910; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19169910 - 11 Aug 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1670
Abstract
The main function zone (MFZ) is the major strategy of China’s economic development and ecological environment protection. Clarifying the logical relationship between “MFZ strategy” and “territorial spatial layout” is vital to construct regional economic layout and territorial spatial supporting system of high-quality development. [...] Read more.
The main function zone (MFZ) is the major strategy of China’s economic development and ecological environment protection. Clarifying the logical relationship between “MFZ strategy” and “territorial spatial layout” is vital to construct regional economic layout and territorial spatial supporting system of high-quality development. However, few studies have revealed the evolution process and formation mechanism of the production-living-ecological space (PLES) structure of China’s MFZ over a long period of time. To bridge the gap, based on the land use dataset in China from 1980 to 2020, this study analyzed the evolution patterns of PLES in China’s MFZs using multiple methods and measured the formation mechanism of PLES in different types of MFZs with the GeoDetector model. Results showed that the spatial structure of China’s national territory has evolved drastically in the past 40 years, showing significant horizontal regional differentiation and vertical gradient differentiation. Ecological space has been continuously decreasing, while production space and living space have been continuously increasing, and the evolution of PLES varied significantly in different MFZs. During the study period, the gravity center of PLES in China all moved westward. The spatial distribution pattern of production space and living space was from northeast to southwest, and the ecological space was from east to west. The evolution of China’s territorial spatial structure was subject to the combined effects of natural and socio-economic factors, exhibiting significant differences in different MFZs. Land use intensity had the most prominent influence on the formation of PLES, followed by elevation. The influences of different factors on PLES structure were strengthened mainly through two types of nonlinear enhancement and dual-factor enhancement. This study can provide scientific support for the optimal management and high-quality development of territorial space in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 4084 KiB  
Article
Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Obstacle Factors Analysis of Tourism Ecological Security in Huanggang Dabieshan UNESCO Global Geopark
by Mengting Chen, Liang Zheng, Dike Zhang and Jiangfeng Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8670; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148670 - 16 Jul 2022
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1983
Abstract
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geoparks (UGGp) and geotourism activities not only improve people’s scientific quality by popularizing geoscience knowledge, but also play important roles in protecting precious geoheritages and promoting the development of regional economies. However, tourism [...] Read more.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Global Geoparks (UGGp) and geotourism activities not only improve people’s scientific quality by popularizing geoscience knowledge, but also play important roles in protecting precious geoheritages and promoting the development of regional economies. However, tourism activities also have a negative impact on the local ecological environment, placing the regional ecological system under great pressure. Therefore, this paper constructed a tourism ecological security evaluation indicator system suitable for geoparks by using the “Driving-Pressure-State-Impact-Response” (DPSIR) model. The spatial autocorrelation and obstacle degree model are used to analyze the spatio-temporal characteristics and influencing factors of the tourism ecological security index (TESI) of Huanggang Dabieshan UGGp in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2018, respectively. The results indicate that the TESI of the study area has gradually improved from 2000 to 2018. Spatially, the level of TESI presents a gradient distribution from the townships where the main scenic spots are located to the surrounding townships. The main obstacle factors affecting TESI include: per capita tourism income, proportion of comprehensive tourism revenue in GDP, per capita net income of rural residents, proportion of tertiary industry in GDP, coverage of nature reserves, planning integrity of geopark, informatization of geopark, growth rate of tourists, comprehensive utilization rate of solid waste, etc. The influencing factors of TESI varied from time to time. Balancing the conflict between local tourism activities and environmental protection, encouraging the participation of local communities, and strengthening science popularization for the local public will effectively improve the tourism ecological security of geoparks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 2201 KiB  
Article
Are Farmers in National Park Communities Willing to Reallocate Their Lands? A Situational Analysis
by Yan Gao, Qian Dong and Yi Deng
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(14), 8589; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148589 - 14 Jul 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1514
Abstract
Limited by China’s mixed land ownership model, which is divided into collective and state ownership, national parks’ strict ecological protection measures of restricting land use patterns and intensity are subject to the decisions made by collective landowners and contract operators, namely, rural households [...] Read more.
Limited by China’s mixed land ownership model, which is divided into collective and state ownership, national parks’ strict ecological protection measures of restricting land use patterns and intensity are subject to the decisions made by collective landowners and contract operators, namely, rural households in national park communities. The disposition and intention of community farmers regarding collective land ownership is related to the nature conservation effect of the national park. In the context of national park land functions for ecological conservation, environmental education, leisure and recreation, scientific research, and “nest eggs” (basic living guarantees), the research on the influencing factors of farmers’ intentions to reallocate their land (expropriated or transferred) will provide a basis for a National Parks Administration (NPA) to develop supporting policies for collective land reallocation in different functional zones and to prevent community conflicts. The research took Shennongjia National Park as an example and, combined with literature analysis, used the Structural Equation Model (SEM) to explore the influencing factors of community farmers’ land reallocation intentions and drew the following conclusions: farmers’ intentions to leave their land for nature conservation purposes and for urbanization purposes are different. In the five land function situations above, farmers’ perceptions of land function in national parks did not directly affect their land reallocation intentions, while their trust in the land management ability of NPA was a complete mediator. Farmers’ preferences for the economic value of land had no significant moderating effect on land reallocation intentions. Farmers’ characteristics have a moderating effect on different land function situation models. Older and less educated farmers are more likely to receive livelihood compensation rather than monetary compensation after leaving their land. Therefore, some management suggestions are put forward, such as strengthening the capacity for building national park land and other natural resources management, adapting to the collective land policy in different function zones, and paying attention to the livelihood compensation of community farmers after they leave the land. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 3026 KiB  
Article
Identification of Priority Implementation Areas and Configuration Types for Green Infrastructure Based on Ecosystem Service Demands in Metropolitan City
by Dongmeng Wang, Yongge Hu, Puxia Tang, Chang Liu, Weihan Kong, Jie Jiao, Krisztina Filepné Kovács, Dezheng Kong, Yakai Lei and Yiping Liu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 8191; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19138191 - 04 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1920
Abstract
During urbanization in developing countries, fragmentation of green infrastructure due to increasing populations and the expansion of construction land leads to an extremely serious imbalance between the supply and demand for urban ecosystem services. In this study, the central city of Zhengzhou, a [...] Read more.
During urbanization in developing countries, fragmentation of green infrastructure due to increasing populations and the expansion of construction land leads to an extremely serious imbalance between the supply and demand for urban ecosystem services. In this study, the central city of Zhengzhou, a central city in central China, was selected as the study area and the excessive demand for six ecosystem services, namely, air purification, flood regulation, heat regulation, hydrological regulation, CO2 sequestration and recreational services, was quantitatively evaluated. The entropy method was used to calculate the weights of various ecosystem services, and spatial overlay analysis was performed to obtain the comprehensive ecosystem service excessive demand. Finally, bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis was used to explore the response of population density to comprehensive excessive demand for ESs. The results of this study indicate that: (1) The most prevalent need is for more CO2 regulation service throughout the study area. (2) Except for hydrological regulation service, the spatial distribution of the remaining highly excessive ecosystem service demands are mostly concentrated in old neighborhoods. (3) Of the six excessively demanded economic services, rainwater regulation obtained the greatest weight, reflecting the poor urban infrastructure configuration for countering the rapidly increasing threat of flooding caused by climate change in the city. (4) The comprehensive ecosystem service excessive demand results show that there are eight priority green infrastructure implementation blocks in the central city of Zhengzhou. (5) There were three agglomeration types between population density and comprehensive excessive demand for ESs: high-high type, low-high type and low-low type. The spatial distribution characteristics of population density and comprehensive ES demand are positively correlated. The results of this study could help to provide information for decision making when delineating the priority areas and types of green infrastructure implementation in developing cities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1975 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Dynamic Relationship between Green Economy Efficiency and Urban Land Development Intensity in China
by Jiao Hou, Xinhai Lu, Shiman Wu, Shangan Ke and Jia Li
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7960; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137960 - 29 Jun 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1591
Abstract
The improvement of green economic efficiency (GEE) should be realized under reasonable urban land development intensity (ULDI). Improving GEE can also help alleviate the negative externalities of excessive or unreasonable ULDI. Clarifying the interactive response mechanism between GEE and ULDI is a key [...] Read more.
The improvement of green economic efficiency (GEE) should be realized under reasonable urban land development intensity (ULDI). Improving GEE can also help alleviate the negative externalities of excessive or unreasonable ULDI. Clarifying the interactive response mechanism between GEE and ULDI is a key link in regional sustainable development. Therefore, this paper uses the super-efficiency slack-based model (SBM) method, panel entropy method, and panel vector auto regression model to comprehensively analyze the interactive response relationship between GEE and ULDI in 283 prefecture-level cities in China from 2003 to 2019. This paper finds that: (1) during the research period, both the GEE and ULDI showed a relatively obvious upward trend, which is manifested in the fact that ULDI increased year by year while GEE overall increased in volatility. The growth and evolution trend of ULDI and GEE has the characteristics of interaction and coordination; (2) there is a two-way interactive Granger causality between ULDI and GEE, showing a positive interactive response effect; and (3) both ULDI and GEE have positive inertial growth and self-enhancement mechanisms. In the long run, GEE has a greater impact on the change of ULDI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Impact of Social and Ecological Factors on Coupled Human-Environment Systems)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-20
Back to TopTop