Land

18 pages, 276 KB

Open AccessArticle

Policy Officials’ Views on Challenges and Opportunities to the Use of the Natural Capital Approach to Promote Environmental Improvement in England

by Diana Feliciano

Land 2026, 15(6), 1058; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061058 (registering DOI) - 16 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study explores the challenges and opportunities for embedding the Natural Capital Approach (NCA) in policy processes, especially in the framing of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), which is England’s strategic framework for improving the natural environment, including cleaner air and water, healthy [...] Read more.

This study explores the challenges and opportunities for embedding the Natural Capital Approach (NCA) in policy processes, especially in the framing of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP), which is England’s strategic framework for improving the natural environment, including cleaner air and water, healthy soil, thriving wildlife and climate-adapted landscapes. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with policymakers working in Defra (Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and its Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) organisations to investigate their views on the barriers and enablers to the adoption of the NCA. It has been widely recognised that the NCA provides unifying concepts that are able to connect economists and ecologists, and it can help to embed nature across government departments and supports to make the business case for nature improvement. On the other hand, there are perceived challenges in mainstreaming the NCA in environmental policy processes. There is some lack of agreement on the usefulness of the approach, problems with the oversuse of monetary valuation in policy appraisal, isolation of work, policy processes and government departments and difficulties in the communication of the benefits of the NCA. Recommendations to overcome the barriers include cross-departmental work placements of natural capital scientists, establishing cross-agency natural capital working goups to work on the use of the NCA to frame environment improvement policies, and prioritising the adoption of deliberative approaches to better understand local values on nature that are difficult or even impossible to monetise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Land Socio-Economic and Political Issues)

43 pages, 1882 KB

Open AccessArticle

Agricultural Land Challenges in China’s Shale Gas Development: An Analysis of Institutional Barriers and Reform Pathways

by Jie Huan, Yini He, Hongmei Du, Shougeng Hu, Tina Soliman Hunter and Zhi Zhang

Land 2026, 15(6), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061057 (registering DOI) - 15 Jun 2026

Abstract

China regards shale gas as a key energy source for ensuring energy security, promoting the transformation of the energy structure, and addressing climate change. However, at this stage, the scarcity of land resources, coupled with various institutional restrictions, has brought numerous practical obstacles [...] Read more.

China regards shale gas as a key energy source for ensuring energy security, promoting the transformation of the energy structure, and addressing climate change. However, at this stage, the scarcity of land resources, coupled with various institutional restrictions, has brought numerous practical obstacles to the large-scale commercial development of shale gas. By analyzing the restrictive provisions concerning shale gas development in China’s current laws, this paper points out three major institutional constraints faced by the use of agricultural land for shale gas development: first, stringent land use control policies; second, the legal acquisition system for surface land remains unstable; third, institutional gaps in the supervision of subsurface space on collectively owned land. To overcome these institutional barriers, this study proposes fundamental reform measures for the current land legal framework. If comprehensive reform cannot be achieved immediately, partial breakthroughs may be sought within the existing institutional framework. The sequence has three phases. Near-term one to three years: negative-list quotas, refined land classification, land linkage, benefit balance, and community guidance. No law changes needed; provinces can act. Medium-term three to seven years: regulations and the mining land chapter in the revised Mineral Resources Law. Long-term beyond seven years: constitutional amendment for collective land transfer and dual-track supply reform. This study provides a theoretical reference for solving the land use issues in China’s shale gas development, and its conclusions also provide a reference for resolving the conflicts between shale gas development and agricultural land use in other jurisdictions. Full article

26 pages, 1983 KB

Open AccessArticle

Institutional Pathways to Climate Resilience: Evaluating the Role of Farmer Producer Organizations in Climate-Smart Agriculture, Irrigation, and Land Management Among Smallholders in Arid Zone

by Dheeraj Singh, Mahendra Kumar Chaudhary, Arvind Singh Tetarwal, Bhola Ram Kuri, Chandan Kumar, Aishwarya Dudi, Devendra Singh, Saurabh Jakhar, Maqsood Ul Hussan, Mohamed A. Mattar and Ali Salem

Land 2026, 15(6), 1056; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061056 (registering DOI) - 15 Jun 2026

Abstract

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have gained increasing attention as institutional mechanisms for improving the resilience of smallholder farming systems under changing climatic conditions. This study examines the role of FPOs in promoting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices, improved irrigation strategies, and [...] Read more.

Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have gained increasing attention as institutional mechanisms for improving the resilience of smallholder farming systems under changing climatic conditions. This study examines the role of FPOs in promoting the adoption of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices, improved irrigation strategies, and sustainable land management in the arid region of Pali district, Rajasthan, India. A comparative assessment was conducted between FPO-associated member and non-member farmers to evaluate differences in climate change perception, adoption behaviour, and adaptive capacity. The study employed a mixed-methods research design using primary data collected from 408 farm households through structured interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant consultations. Descriptive statistics, mean comparison tests and regression analysis were used to examine adoption patterns and identify the major factors influencing farmers’ responses to climate risks. The findings indicate that delayed rainfall, rising temperatures, and increasing drought frequency are widely perceived by farmers as major threats to agricultural production. FPO membership was associated with higher levels of climate-risk awareness and greater reported adoption of CSA practices; however, these findings should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects. Farmers linked with FPOs reported stronger uptake of improved and stress-tolerant crop varieties, crop diversification, mixed farming systems, agroforestry, soil moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, improved irrigation methods, and integrated pest management practices. Education, farm size, access to extension services, market linkages, and climate information were also found to significantly influence adoption decisions. The study highlights the important contribution of FPOs in reducing transaction costs, improving access to inputs, technical knowledge, credit and markets, and encouraging collective responses to climate stress. Strengthening FPO governance, expanding extension support, and targeting vulnerable farmer groups can substantially enhance climate resilience and support sustainable agricultural transitions in arid regions. The findings demonstrate that farmer organizations can serve as effective intermediary institutions linking household-level adaptation strategies with broader goals of irrigation efficiency, land management, and rural sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience in Smallholder Irrigation and Land Management)

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29 pages, 5583 KB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress and Paradigm Evolution in Talus Slope Geomorphology: A Bibliometric Analysis Based on Web of Science

by Qingsong Du, Guoyu Li, Fei Wang, Wei Ma and Yanhu Mu

Land 2026, 15(6), 1055; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061055 (registering DOI) - 15 Jun 2026

Abstract

Talus slopes and scree deposits connect rockwall sediment supply, gravitational transport, footslope storage, hydrothermal conditions, and mountain hazards, yet their literature is distributed across several disciplines. This study develops a manually refined bibliometric dataset to clarify the knowledge structure and thematic evolution of [...] Read more.

Talus slopes and scree deposits connect rockwall sediment supply, gravitational transport, footslope storage, hydrothermal conditions, and mountain hazards, yet their literature is distributed across several disciplines. This study develops a manually refined bibliometric dataset to clarify the knowledge structure and thematic evolution of talus slope geomorphology. We retrieved 971 records from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection, including the Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) databases, manually screened their geomorphic relevance, excluded records from the incomplete publication year 2026, and analyzed 548 articles and reviews published during 1966–2025. Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny analyses show sustained publication growth, especially after 2006, and an intellectual base combining slope-process geomorphology, paraglacial and periglacial research, geophysical investigation, and hazard studies. Standardized Author Keywords indicate increasing attention to permafrost environment, subsurface detection, multi-source monitoring, and slope hazards. These indexed patterns support a synthesis of talus slopes as dynamic source-transport-storage systems, while the WoS-only coverage and manual refinement steps define the study’s evidential limits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Restoring Mountain Landscapes: Innovative Approaches for Long-Term Sustainability)

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25 pages, 8152 KB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlinear Effects of Station-Area Environments on Commercial–Employment Composite Vitality: Evidence from Osaka’s Midosuji Line

by Yu Li, Zihao Wang, Minfeng Yao, Yikang Zhang and Qi Zhang

Land 2026, 15(6), 1054; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061054 (registering DOI) - 15 Jun 2026

Abstract

Rail-transit station areas concentrate commercial services, employment, and intensive land development, but their vitality is shaped by multiple built-environment conditions rather than rail accessibility alone. Focusing on 20 stations along the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line in Japan, this study uses Japanese chome units, [...] Read more.

Rail-transit station areas concentrate commercial services, employment, and intensive land development, but their vitality is shaped by multiple built-environment conditions rather than rail accessibility alone. Focusing on 20 stations along the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line in Japan, this study uses Japanese chome units, which are small neighborhood-level address and statistical units, within an 800 m pedestrian catchment as analytical units and measures commercial-service agglomeration intensity, employment intensity, and commercial–employment composite vitality. The composite indicator measures the static co-concentration of commercial-service provision and employment carrying capacity, with pedestrian flow, consumption activity, and dwell time treated as separate dimensions of station-area vitality. Ten station-area environmental variables are examined using ordinary least squares (OLS), Lasso, Random Forest, Back-Propagation (BP) Neural Network, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) models, with Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) applied to interpret variable contributions and nonlinear responses. Results show that nonlinear models generally outperform linear models. Development intensity, officially assessed land price, and network distance to the nearest metro station are the most influential variables, showing threshold, marginal, and non-monotonic effects. Split models indicate that commercial-service agglomeration is more sensitive to rail proximity and street-network conditions, whereas employment intensity is more associated with development intensity and land price. These findings support fine-grained station-area renewal and mixed-function planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transport Planning in Smart Cities and Sustainable Urban Design)

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3 pages, 5791 KB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Zhu et al. Assessing the Multifunctional Potential and Performance of Cultivated Land in Historical Irrigation Districts: A Case Study of the Mulanbei Irrigation District in China. Land 2025, 14, 2421

by Yuting Zhu, Zukun Zhang, Xuewei Zhang and Tao Lin

Land 2026, 15(6), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061053 (registering DOI) - 15 Jun 2026

Abstract

In the original publication [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatial Optimization for Multifunctional Land Systems)

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32 pages, 18441 KB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Resilience to Heatwave Shocks in China’s Three Coastal Agglomerations: Spatial Heterogeneity and Nonlinear Driving Mechanisms with Threshold Effects

by Peirun Chen, Linhan Huang, Weiyu Cao, Ke Huang, Yangchen Zeng, Hongming Wang, Xiaohong Tang and Congshan Tian

Land 2026, 15(6), 1052; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061052 (registering DOI) - 14 Jun 2026

Abstract

Rising heatwaves threaten urban sustainability, necessitating a shift toward heat resilience. This study examines 38 cities across China’s three major coastal urban agglomerations (2016–2024) to quantify dynamic resilience responses. Utilizing a dual-threshold identification method and the Baidu Search Index to construct a Standardized [...] Read more.

Rising heatwaves threaten urban sustainability, necessitating a shift toward heat resilience. This study examines 38 cities across China’s three major coastal urban agglomerations (2016–2024) to quantify dynamic resilience responses. Utilizing a dual-threshold identification method and the Baidu Search Index to construct a Standardized Stress Index (SSI), the research evaluates urban heat vulnerability (UHV) through an exposure–sensitivity–adaptive capacity framework while applying NMF and machine learning models (XGBoost/SHAP) to analyze spatiotemporal heterogeneity. The results show that heatwave pressures peaked in 2022–2023, with Jing–Jin–Ji’s UHV evolving from localized clusters toward regional homogenization. Regional UHV profiles reveal that Jing–Jin–Ji is constrained by population pressures, the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) by resource allocation, and the Pearl River Delta by industrial attributes; notably, the YRD’s systematic coordination effectively offsets structural vulnerability. Furthermore, the optimized XGBoost model achieves strong predictive performance (R² = 0.673), revealing that core factors like summer heat exposure intensity (SHE, 25.65% importance) trigger sharp non-linear surges in social stress upon crossing critical inflection thresholds (e.g., SHE at −0.10). The conclusion will lead to the formulation of differentiated, forward-looking climate adaptation strategies to enhance urban resilience across major regions. Full article

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34 pages, 24945 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation and Spatial Network Analysis of Cultivated Land Use Eco-Efficiency in Prefecture-Level Administrative Units of China

by Yue Zhu, Changsheng Xiong, Jianghong Zhu and Jianxin Yang

Land 2026, 15(6), 1051; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061051 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026

Abstract

Improving the cultivated land use eco-efficiency (CLUE) is crucial to achieving sustainable land use and the green transformation of agriculture. This study is based on the data from 353 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2021. The slacks-based measurement (SBM)-undesirable model, the [...] Read more.

Improving the cultivated land use eco-efficiency (CLUE) is crucial to achieving sustainable land use and the green transformation of agriculture. This study is based on the data from 353 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2021. The slacks-based measurement (SBM)-undesirable model, the social network analysis (SNA), and the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) are adopted to measure and analyze the spatial patterns, network characteristics, and multiple driving pathways of inefficiency in the cultivated land use eco-efficiency in prefecture-level administrative units. Results show the following: (1) From 2013 to 2021, CLUE in the study areas shows spatial heterogeneity, with most efficiency values at a moderate level and showing a fluctuating downward trend over time. (2) The nine major agricultural regions have formed a complex association network, with the overall network connectivity being weak but efficiency relatively high. The hierarchical structure is gradually flattening, and inter-regional cooperation is increasing. (3) There are significant differences in influence, control, and accessibility within individual networks, and the collaborative network is developing into a “multi-core-hierarchical” structure. (4) The formation of inefficiency involves multiple concurrent mechanisms. Four typical inefficiency paths were identified, with significant heterogeneity across different agricultural regions. In the future, differentiated land use and ecological protection policies should be implemented based on the spatial network characteristics and inefficiency driving pathways of each agricultural region to promote the coordinated improvement of CLUE. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)

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26 pages, 17264 KB

Open AccessArticle

Supply–Demand Matching of Ecosystem Services in Rapidly Urbanizing Areas and Its Driving Mechanism: From the Perspective of the “Water–Energy–Food” Nexus

by Bingsheng Fu, Guoqing Li, Dongkai Lin, Guoxing Huang, Jinhuang Lin, Jixing Huang and Youquan Ouyang

Land 2026, 15(6), 1050; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061050 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026

Abstract

The water–energy–food (WEF) system acts as a critical nexus of social–ecological systems. However, rapid urbanization has intensified the regional imbalance in the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs). Clarifying the spatiotemporal matching of ecosystem services supply and demand (ESSD) within the WEF [...] Read more.

The water–energy–food (WEF) system acts as a critical nexus of social–ecological systems. However, rapid urbanization has intensified the regional imbalance in the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs). Clarifying the spatiotemporal matching of ecosystem services supply and demand (ESSD) within the WEF framework and revealing the driving mechanisms behind such imbalances are essential to formulating reasonable zoning schemes and targeted optimization strategies for the coordinated development of the regional WEF system. Taking Zhejiang Province as a case study, this research uses water yield (WY), carbon sequestration (CS), and grain production (GP) to characterize the WEF nexus system. It uses the InVEST model to assess WY and CS, applies spatial allocation methods to characterize GP, and integrates socioeconomic data to quantify the demand for the above three ESs. All indicators were standardized and integrated with equal weights to further clarify the comprehensive levels of ESSD. By integrating the Geodetector and K-Means clustering methods, the study analyzes the supply–demand matching of ecosystem services and its driving mechanisms in Zhejiang Province during this period, thereby exploring ecological management zoning and optimization strategies within the WEF system. The study findings indicate that: (1) From the supply perspective, Zhejiang Province’s WY services demonstrate a trend of elevated activity in the southwest and diminished presence in the northeast; high values for CS services are predominantly found in the vegetation-rich areas of the northwest, while high values for GP services are clustered in the northern Zhejiang Plain; from the demand perspective, high values for all three ESs in Zhejiang Province are primarily located in economically active, densely populated urban areas. (2) The correlation between ESSD within Zhejiang Province’s WEF system exhibits significant spatial heterogeneity and is driven by the combined effects of natural and socioeconomic factors, with the interaction between these two factors often producing a synergistic effect. Specifically, annual average precipitation and population density are the dominant factors influencing WY services, NDVI and human footprint are the dominant factors influencing CS services, and population density and GDP are the dominant factors influencing GP services. (3) From 2000 to 2020, the supply–demand ratio for comprehensive ESs in Zhejiang Province generally followed a pattern of being lower in the east and higher in the west. The supply–demand imbalance of ESs intensified in the core areas of eastern cities, whereas the western regions maintained a relatively sound supply–demand balance. (4) The study classifies the counties in Zhejiang Province into four ecological management zones—ecological stable zones, ecological conservation zones, ecological control zones, and ecological restoration zones—and explores differentiated approaches to optimizing these zones and implementing control strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecology of the Landscape Capital and Urban Capital—Second Edition)

21 pages, 31912 KB

Open AccessArticle

Trade-Offs and Synergies of Ecosystem Services in Oases Along Water–Heat Gradients in Arid Northwestern China

by Yangyang Meng, Jing He, Xiangju Zhang, Yang Gao, Ke Cheng and Ximei Li

Land 2026, 15(6), 1049; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061049 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026

Abstract

Understanding trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) along environmental gradients is crucial for sustainable oasis management. This study investigated four key ESs—carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and soil conservation (SC)—in three typical oases along water–heat gradients in arid [...] Read more.

Understanding trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services (ESs) along environmental gradients is crucial for sustainable oasis management. This study investigated four key ESs—carbon storage (CS), habitat quality (HQ), water yield (WY), and soil conservation (SC)—in three typical oases along water–heat gradients in arid northwestern China. The InVEST model was used to quantify ESs in 1990, 2005, and 2022, and Pearson correlation, geographically weighted regression, K-means clustering, and random forest models were applied to analyze service relationships, ecosystem service bundles (ESBs), and driving factors. The results showed that CS and HQ maintained strong synergies, while the WY–SC relationship shifted from weak trade-offs under drier conditions to stronger synergies under more favorable water–heat conditions. Geographically weighted regression revealed spatial heterogeneity and directional asymmetry in ES relationships. Four ESB types were identified: ecologically fragile zones, ecological transition or buffer zones, agricultural production zones, and core ecological source zones. Driving-factor analysis indicated that vegetation-related services were mainly associated with land-cover structure and vegetation growth, whereas hydrological and erosion-related services were more closely linked to precipitation, potential evapotranspiration, temperature, and topography. These findings support differentiated oasis management through ecological restoration, development regulation, water-saving agriculture, and strict ecological protection. Full article

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22 pages, 16027 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Park Morphology to Estimated Performance: Stormwater Management and Service Provision in Shanghai’s Sponge City Parks

by Peihao Tong, Zhifang Wang, Ian Trivers and Hongxi Yin

Land 2026, 15(6), 1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061048 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026

Abstract

Due to climate change and rapid urbanization, cities worldwide face the dual challenge of improving flood resilience and providing accessible green space within limited land resources. Sponge City parks offer a landscape-based approach for integrating stormwater management with park services. However, how park [...] Read more.

Due to climate change and rapid urbanization, cities worldwide face the dual challenge of improving flood resilience and providing accessible green space within limited land resources. Sponge City parks offer a landscape-based approach for integrating stormwater management with park services. However, how park morphology structures this combined performance remains insufficiently understood. This study examines 26 Sponge City parks in Shanghai and evaluates how node-, line-, and patch-type morphologies are linked to stormwater storage and service provision. Using geospatial analysis, DEM-derived catchment delineation, land-cover interpretation, and statistical analysis, this study compares estimated stormwater storage, storage efficiency, local park availability, and land-cover composition across different park morphologies. The results show that estimated performance of stormwater management and park service provision vary across morphological types, but these differences do not follow a simple node–line–patch hierarchy. Rather, the observed patterns are jointly shaped by park morphology, catchment setting, land-cover allocation, and surrounding urban context. These findings suggest that Sponge City parks should not only be evaluated by total stormwater storage. Their contribution depends on morphology, scale, catchment setting, land-cover allocation, and urban context. The study provides a morphology–performance perspective to support more differentiated planning of multifunctional green infrastructure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Measuring, Simulating, and Intervening in Urban-Rural Landscapes for Sustainability Science)

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25 pages, 15431 KB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlinear Day–Night Thermal Responses to Grey–Green Spatial Patterns and Building Morphology: A Land–Climate Interaction Assessment in Xi’an, China

by Xueyao Ma, Jing Chen and Hua Ding

Land 2026, 15(6), 1047; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061047 (registering DOI) - 13 Jun 2026

Abstract

Rapid urbanization reshapes urban land systems and intensifies surface thermal heterogeneity, yet nonlinear day–night land surface temperature (LST) responses to grey–green spatial organization and building morphology remain insufficiently understood, particularly in thermally stressed areas across the urban–rural gradient. Using Xi’an, China, as a [...] Read more.

Rapid urbanization reshapes urban land systems and intensifies surface thermal heterogeneity, yet nonlinear day–night land surface temperature (LST) responses to grey–green spatial organization and building morphology remain insufficiently understood, particularly in thermally stressed areas across the urban–rural gradient. Using Xi’an, China, as a case study, this study develops a priority-area-based land–climate interaction framework. Priority areas were defined as grid cells where elevated LST coincided with relatively strong local explanatory relationships between LST and land-cover or morphological variables. Multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR), gradient boosting decision trees (GBDTs), SHAP-based interpretation, and threshold sensitivity analysis were combined to identify dominant drivers, nonlinear response patterns, and interaction structures of daytime and nighttime LST. The results show pronounced day–night differentiation: daytime hotspots were concentrated in the built-up core, whereas nighttime hotspots extended toward the urban–rural fringe. Daytime LST was mainly associated with building coverage and grey-space organization, while nighttime LST was more strongly related to mean building height and the cooling contribution of green-space coverage. The analysis further identified localized empirical response ranges for built-up intensity, grey-space connectivity, building height, and green-space coverage within the priority areas. These findings clarify how land-cover configuration and building morphology jointly shape day–night surface thermal responses and provide context-specific evidence for land-use planning and targeted urban heat mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Heat Islands: Mechanisms, Impacts and Mitigation Through Planning and Land Cover Modification)

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25 pages, 3262 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Dynamics of Land Green Utilization Efficiency in Chinese Urban Agglomerations

by Meiqi Chen, Hyukku Lee, Hongjin Xu and LingLi Liu

Land 2026, 15(6), 1046; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061046 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

Improving land green utilization efficiency (LGUE) is essential for achieving sustainable development in China. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution and localized driving mechanisms of land green utilization efficiency across 127 cities in six major Chinese urban agglomerations from 2011 to 2023. Previous [...] Read more.

Improving land green utilization efficiency (LGUE) is essential for achieving sustainable development in China. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution and localized driving mechanisms of land green utilization efficiency across 127 cities in six major Chinese urban agglomerations from 2011 to 2023. Previous research frequently overlooks the spatial non-stationarity and structural interactions within regional land governance. To address this theoretical gap, a comprehensive multiscale framework is employed. This framework integrates the Super-SBM model, Dagum Gini decomposition, Spatial Markov chains, and Multiscale Geographically Weighted Regression. The empirical results reveal an overall upward efficiency trajectory alongside persistent spatial inequalities. A pronounced scale-efficiency inversion is observed between developed eastern coastal and developing central-western inland regions. Furthermore, spatial interaction analysis identifies a significant backwash effect. This mechanism constrains the upward mobility of peripheral cities adjacent to high-efficiency core nodes. The multiscale regression demonstrates substantial spatial heterogeneity in the effects of key driving factors. Elements such as industrial structure and financial development exhibit highly localized associations dependent on regional institutional contexts. These findings bridge macroeconomic growth models with micro-environmental governance. The study provides critical empirical evidence for shifting from uniform administrative management to spatially targeted regional policy frameworks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Land Use, Impact Assessment and Sustainability)

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24 pages, 2564 KB

Open AccessArticle

Tourism and Spatial Planning for Sustainable Development: Tourists’ Perceptions from Serbia

by Milan Milovanović, Danijel Pavlović, Marija Bratić, Anđelina Marić Stanković, Ninoslav Golubović, Jovana Vuletić, Milan Miletić and Jelena Živković

Land 2026, 15(6), 1045; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061045 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

The dynamic growth of tourism in Serbia has significantly reshaped the spatial structure of destinations, raising important issues related to sustainable development and spatial management. This study aims to examine the perceived effectiveness of spatial planning in tourism, based on tourists’ assessments of [...] Read more.

The dynamic growth of tourism in Serbia has significantly reshaped the spatial structure of destinations, raising important issues related to sustainable development and spatial management. This study aims to examine the perceived effectiveness of spatial planning in tourism, based on tourists’ assessments of plan implementation and its visible implications for sustainable development. The research was conducted in Serbia in 2025 using a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis based on a survey of 208 valid respondents. The quantitative analysis included Spearman’s rank correlation and Z-test to examine relationships between variables and differences in attitudes, while qualitative insights were derived from open-ended responses. The results indicate a statistically significant positive correlation between the perceived implementation of spatial plans and the level of tourism development (Rs = 0.283, p < 0.001). However, the findings also reveal that 41.3% of respondents believe that tourism is only slightly considered in spatial plans, while 45.19% express negative attitudes toward the integration of tourism into planning processes. The study identifies key challenges, including weak cross-sector coordination, insufficient integration of tourism into spatial plans, and limited involvement of local communities. These findings highlight a critical gap between formal planning frameworks and their practical implementation. The main contribution of this research lies in providing empirical evidence from the perspective of tourists, a stakeholder group often overlooked in spatial planning studies, thereby addressing a gap in the literature on tourism–planning integration in Serbia. The results suggest that improving institutional coordination, strengthening participatory planning, and enhancing monitoring mechanisms are essential for achieving sustainable tourism development. The study offers targeted policy implications for aligning spatial planning with tourism development goals while preserving natural and cultural resources. Full article

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61 pages, 16132 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Solar Energy Capacity Across Europe: Comparative Analysis of Production and Consumption Data

by Hassan Gholami

Land 2026, 15(6), 1044; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061044 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

Europe’s solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is expanding rapidly, raising a key question: how much PV can each national electricity system actually absorb? Most existing assessments rely on annual or seasonal averages, which overlook the hour-by-hour match between PV generation and demand that ultimately [...] Read more.

Europe’s solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity is expanding rapidly, raising a key question: how much PV can each national electricity system actually absorb? Most existing assessments rely on annual or seasonal averages, which overlook the hour-by-hour match between PV generation and demand that ultimately limits feasible deployment. This study quantifies the demand-constrained PV potential of 38 European countries and how it varies across regions. Hourly PV generation is simulated in PVsyst and matched against national hourly demand from ENTSO-E. Feasible capacity is defined as the largest installation whose output never exceeds demand in any hour of the year. This system-level, time-resolved method yields operationally constrained estimates rather than purely physical potential. The 38 countries could feasibly deploy about 614 GWp of PV, generating around 678 TWh per year without exceeding hourly demand. Regional differences are pronounced: southern Europe benefits from superior solar resources, while northern and eastern regions face seasonal and infrastructural challenges. These findings underline the importance of grid modernization, energy storage, and cross-border integration. The estimates form a conservative baseline; they exclude drivers such as electric-vehicle (EV) deployment, demand-side flexibility, battery energy storage, latent demand growth, power export, and building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), whose inclusion would expand the feasible potential. This study offers a transparent comparative framework to guide policy, investment, and system planning for Europe’s carbon-neutral energy transition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Next Era of Renewable Energy Deployment: Land-Use Planning, Policy, and Modelling Innovations)

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23 pages, 1151 KB

Open AccessArticle

Nature-Based Experience and Quality of Life in Mongolia and Rural South Korea: A Context-Dependent Perspective on Natural Resource Use

by Ju-hyoung Lee and Jae-hwan Joo

Land 2026, 15(6), 1043; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061043 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

This study examines how nature-based experience is associated with quality of life (QOL) under contrasting socio-ecological and labour-mobility-related conditions. Using an exploratory comparative design, survey data were collected from a Mongolian mobility-related sample in Ulaanbaatar and surrounding areas and from rural receiving communities [...] Read more.

This study examines how nature-based experience is associated with quality of life (QOL) under contrasting socio-ecological and labour-mobility-related conditions. Using an exploratory comparative design, survey data were collected from a Mongolian mobility-related sample in Ulaanbaatar and surrounding areas and from rural receiving communities in South Korea. Environmental values were measured using the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP), while nature-based experience was operationalized through visit frequency and duration of stay in natural environments. QOL was measured using items based on the WHOQOL framework. The results indicate clear differences between the two samples in environmental values, QOL, and patterns of nature-based experience. More importantly, the association between nature-based experience and QOL was not uniform across contexts. Visit frequency was positively associated with QOL in the Mongolian sample, whereas no comparable association was observed in the South Korean sample. By contrast, duration of stay did not show a comparable significant interaction effect. These findings suggest that the well-being relevance of nature-based experience may depend on the socio-ecological role of nature in each context. Given the use of convenience sampling, cross-sectional data, and the absence of full measurement invariance testing, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory comparative evidence rather than as statistically generalizable national-level conclusions. The study contributes to land-use, rural development, and socio-ecological research by highlighting the context-dependent relationship between natural resource use, human–nature experience, and QOL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development of the Territory and Use of Natural and Cultural Resources to Improve the Quality of Life of Residents, 2nd Edition)

21 pages, 11667 KB

Open AccessArticle

Land-Cover Responses to Reservoir Water-Level Regulation in the Danjiangkou Reservoir Shore Zone, China

by Zetao Chen, Baohua Zhang, Chengyu Zhang, Benning Liu and Debao Yuan

Land 2026, 15(6), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061042 (registering DOI) - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

Land-use and land-cover changes around reservoirs mediate the interface between watershed land systems and managed surface-water resources. In regulated reservoirs, water-level regulation can rapidly expose or inundate shore-zone land, yet evidence remains limited on where these transitions occur, how landscape configuration changes, and [...] Read more.

Land-use and land-cover changes around reservoirs mediate the interface between watershed land systems and managed surface-water resources. In regulated reservoirs, water-level regulation can rapidly expose or inundate shore-zone land, yet evidence remains limited on where these transitions occur, how landscape configuration changes, and how such information can inform watershed and reservoir-margin management. Using 0.5 m Jilin-1 optical imagery from April and September of 2024 and 2025, this study mapped land-use/land-cover change (LUCC) in the Danjiangkou Reservoir shore zone and integrated transition matrices, class-level landscape metrics, shoreline-distance gradients, reach-level zoning, paired hydrological records, and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). The classification achieved an overall accuracy of 93.1% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.921. The strongest land-cover shift occurred between September 2024 and April 2025, when the water proportion declined from 78.74% to 60.10% and bare land expanded during the lowest observed reservoir stage (151.02 m). Subsequent refill was accompanied by partial re-inundation and increases in grassland, cropland, and forest. The 0–30 m shoreline belt was the principal response zone, indicating that hydrologically driven land-cover replacement was concentrated in the immediate reservoir margin. MGWR showed spatially varying positive associations between change-patch characteristics, distance to permanent water, and elevation, but the low explanatory power requires these results to be interpreted as spatial diagnostics rather than causal attribution. The study links land-cover monitoring with reservoir water-level regulation, identifies priority shoreline belts, and provides spatial information for field verification and reservoir-margin management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land-Use Impacts on Water Resources and Watershed Management)

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22 pages, 15962 KB

Open AccessArticle

Contribution of Natural Water Retention Measures to Integrated Water Management in Ungauged Basins

by Branislava B. Matić, Barbara Karleuša and Bojana Horvat

Land 2026, 15(6), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061041 - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

Interest in Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRMs) for large river basins is growing rapidly as a result of a wide range of benefits, including improved water retention capacity and regulation of ecosystem services. However, suitable site-specific NWRMs in small ungauged basins prone to [...] Read more.

Interest in Natural Water Retention Measures (NWRMs) for large river basins is growing rapidly as a result of a wide range of benefits, including improved water retention capacity and regulation of ecosystem services. However, suitable site-specific NWRMs in small ungauged basins prone to flash floods and erosion, such as the Vrutci Reservoir Basin in Serbia, have yet to be evaluated and applied, primarily because of a lack of necessary data. The aim of this study was to design an easy-to-implement approach to evaluating the effects of NWRMs on peak discharge, tailored specifically to small basins with significant data gaps. The approach involves developing and analyzing a synthetic unit hydrograph (SUH) based on the available landscape geospatial data and evaluating the effects of NWRMs on the SUH before and after implementation of site-specific NWRMs. This methodological framework allows for quantification of the NWRMs’ effects on the basin and evaluates the proposed measures’ impact to secure better acceptance among stakeholders and informed decision-makers regarding their location in the basin. The results underscore a peak discharge rate reduction from 5% to 33% and hence indicate a positive impact on basin water retention potential. These results highlight the need for support for improved regulating ecosystem services in integrated water management. Full article

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23 pages, 5335 KB

Open AccessArticle

Provincial Land Use and Land Cover Change in Vietnam, 2000–2023: Intensity, Structural Dynamics, and Regional Differentiation

by An The Ngo and Linda See

Land 2026, 15(6), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15061040 - 12 Jun 2026

Abstract

Recent land use and land cover (LULC) transformation in Vietnam raises the question of whether recent changes reflect a uniform national trend or differentiated regional patterns. This study assesses provincial LULC dynamics across 34 provinces using nationally consistent remote-sensing data for 2000, 2020, [...] Read more.

Recent land use and land cover (LULC) transformation in Vietnam raises the question of whether recent changes reflect a uniform national trend or differentiated regional patterns. This study assesses provincial LULC dynamics across 34 provinces using nationally consistent remote-sensing data for 2000, 2020, and 2023. We combine annualized intensity analysis, transition matrices, Shannon entropy, dominant transition analysis, and spatial autocorrelation to compare the magnitude, structure, and spatial organization of LULC change before and after 2020. The results show that annualized land-change rates were substantially higher during 2020–2023 than during 2000–2023, with all provinces showing increased rates of transformation. However, this more recent intensification has not been spatially uniform. Higher increases have been concentrated in southern and delta provinces, while several northern and upland provinces showed lower acceleration. Structural responses also varied across provinces: only four of 34 provinces (11.8%) were classified as both accelerated and structurally concentrated, whereas diversified regimes accounted for about two-thirds of the provinces. Population density was moderately associated with post-2020 magnitude of change but only weakly related to structural configuration, indicating that the magnitude and composition of LULC change represent distinct dimensions. By separating change intensity from structural configuration, this study provides a reproducible framework for identifying differentiated provincial land-change regimes. The results show that recent land cover transformation in Vietnam is not a single national process, but a mosaic of spatially and structurally distinct change patterns. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integration of Remote Sensing and GIS for Land Use Change Assessment (Second Edition))

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