Land

Clarifying the constituent elements of agricultural land quality, carrying out multi-dimensional quality evaluation of agricultural land, and implementing precise land consolidation and utilization zoning all have important guiding significance for achieving efficient utilization of agricultural land in China. This work analyzed the multi-dimensional evaluation framework of agricultural land based on its comprehensive quality elements and the production, ecological, and health functions. This paper constructed a multi-dimensional agricultural land “production–ecology–health” quality evaluation index system and evaluation criteria, and carried out a multi-dimensional quality evaluation of agricultural land in Huanghua City, Hebei Province, China. The spatial superposition of each dimension′s evaluation results, combined with the logical relationship between agricultural land use and each dimension′s quality, realized the renovation and utilization zoning of agricultural land. The results are as follows: (1) The production, ecological, and health qualities of agricultural land in Huanghua City were below the average and there is spatial variability, whose proportions of grade III and below were 63.12, 66.23, and 69.32%, respectively. In addition, low score areas are mainly located in the south and northwest of the study area. (2) The obstacle factors to quality in different dimensions were different: The obstacle factors to production quality were matter content, soil pH, irrigation guarantee rate, and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen; groundwater salinity and depth, soil pH, and chemical fertilizers consumption for ecological quality; and groundwater salinity and depth and soil pH for health quality. (3) Agricultural land in Huanghua city is divided into five types of remediation, including 30,277.34 hm² for high efficiency utilization area, 10,576.54 hm² for production quality cultivation area, 34,387.86 hm² for health quality cultivation area, and 56,311.22 hm² for comprehensive consolidation and restoration area; special remediation measures are proposed for different types of zones. The work improves the multi-objective quality evaluation index system for agricultural land and implements differentiated land remediation strategies by identifying obstacle factors through zoning. It provides methodological ideas to improve the efficiency of land remediation and utilization. Full article

A viable pathway towards achieving shared prosperity is made possible by the growth of tourism, which encourages the movement of urban and rural elements. This harmonious alignment of tourism development and urban–rural integration also helps to narrow the gap between urban and rural areas. This study uses a set of panel regression models to investigate whether tourism growth promotes urban–rural integration within 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China from 2010 to 2020. The findings show that the effect of tourism development on urban–rural integration is significantly positive, displaying significant heterogeneity across various times and city sizes. Furthermore, tourism development exhibits a threshold effect and city-type heterogeneity concerning urban–rural integration. The effect demonstrates significant continuous growth along with the expansion of economic growth. However, the impact of tourism development on urban–rural integration demonstrates a distinct promotional threshold effect, and its positive effect appears to be weakened. Full article

Comparisons of spatial planning systems still require in-depth reflection, especially in Central and Eastern European countries. This article compares national (central) government approaches to spatial planning in Belarus, Ukraine and Poland, answering the following research questions: (1) How are spatial planning issues regulated nationally? Which topics do laws focus on? What values and objectives are laws particularly emphasizing? (2) Are there any central/national strategic documents dealing with spatial planning, and which spatial issues do they address mostly? The article covers two key issues: comparing national approaches to spatial planning systems and comparing spatial planning issues in the three countries. We focus on statutory approaches and those contained in central-level strategic acts. In each country, spatial planning issues are covered by numerous laws, generating confusion when interpreting individual provisions. Our study makes an important, innovative contribution to the academic discussion by proposing a way of comparing and analyzing approaches of national authorities to spatial planning. Full article

Coordinating the relationship between resources, environmental protection, and economic development is essential for regional sustainable development. Various frameworks and models for quantifying the sustainable development of regional natural–social–economic systems have been produced. This paper focused on measuring regional sustainable development from the perspective of sustainable consumption and production. The study improved the emergy sustainable indices and the evaluation system commonly used in the method of emergy accounting by introducing input and output emergy into the emergy flows. Then, we proposed new subsystem sustainable indexes for evaluating and analyzing the sustainable development trend of the complex natural–social–economic system in Liyang from 2005 to 2020 by adopting the entropy weight method. The results showed that Liyang was generally in a state of sustainable development, with good social sustainability. The economic and natural sustainability indexes were low, which might cause unsustainable risks in the future. From the input structure and production efficiency perspective, the secondary industry with the highest emergy output has a meager net output rate. In contrast, the tertiary industry has a higher net output rate (NOR) and better output efficiency, which should be the core industry in the region’s future development. From the perspective of environmental impact and resource and environmental carrying capacity, the natural contribution rate and environmental carrying rate should be improved and the waste emergy rate necessary to be reduced. This study hopes to provide implications for formulating regional land use, industrial planning, and sustainable development policies. Full article

Linear cultural heritage—a heritage system spanning time and space—is a large-scale cultural settlement that accommodates various heritage types. Here, we comprehensively explored the Straight Road (Zhidao) of the Qin Dynasty in Shaanxi Province, China, as a gene of traditional cultural connotations and geographical features, and provided holistic conservation strategies and effective utilization paths. From an ecological security pattern perspective, 4399.89 km² of ecological sources and 19 ecological nodes were identified based on the importance of four ecosystem services—carbon sequestration and oxygen release, water conservation, habitat maintenance, and soil retention. Then, 45 ecological corridors with a total length of 2938.49 km were determined using the minimum cumulative resistance model. The intersections of ecological corridors were distinguished and the key areas of cultural landscape construction were extracted by taking into account the spatial distribution of existing relics as well as the spatial network relationship of prohibited-development areas and existing gray corridors (roads), blue corridors (rivers), and green ecological corridors (shade zones, green belts, recreational greenways). A plan was proposed to construct 98.45 km² of new parks (country parks: 28.38 km², forest parks: 70.07 km²) and 101.26 km of new landscape corridors (urban type: 32.08 km, countryside type: 26.49 km, ecological type: 42.69 km). Multilevel landscape complexes should be built to form a functional and networked ecological–cultural spatial structure system. Findings of this study could provide ecological ideas for promoting the reservation and active utilization of linear cultural-heritage corridors on a regional scale. Full article

The integration of multisensory-based public subjective perception into planning, management, and policymaking is of great significance for the sustainable development and protection of UGBS. Online reviews are a suitable data source for this issue, which includes information about public sentiment, perception of the physical environment, and sensory description. This study adopts the deep learning method to obtain effective information from online reviews and found that in 105 major sites of Tokyo (23 districts), the public overall perception level is not balanced. Rich multi-sense will promote the perception level, especially hearing and somatosensory senses that have a higher positive prediction effect than vision, and overall perception can start improving by optimizing these two senses. Even if only one adverse sense exists, it will seriously affect the perception level, such as bad smell and noise. Optimizing the physical environment by adding natural elements for different senses is conducive to overall perception. Sensory maps can help to quickly find areas that require improvement. This study provides a new method for rapid multisensory analysis and complementary public participation for specific situations, which helps to increase the well-being of UGBS and give play to its multi-functionality. Full article

In the context of China’s new urbanization construction, it is crucial to deal with the issue of migrants. While land finance, as an essential means of local government financing in China over the past three decades, has made important contributions to China’s economic growth, the impact of land finance on the settlement intentions of migrants still needs to be studied. This study considered cross-sectional data containing 78,642 samples based on the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey 2017 (CMDS) and China Land and Resources Statistical Yearbook. In addition, a binary choice model was constructed, and the impact of the degree of land finance on the settlement intentions of migrants for the prefecture-level cities in China was empirically analyzed. With the help of the mediating- and moderating-effect models, the impact of the degree of land finance on the settlement intentions of migrants was examined from the perspectives of housing pressure, social security, and housing property rights. The results show the following: (1) The higher the degree of land finance, the lower the settlement intentions of migrants. (2) Land finance’s effect on settlement intentions is stronger for urban domiciles, low-skilled laborers, in large cities, and eastern and southern cities in these samples. (3) The higher the degree of land finance, the greater the housing pressure on the migrants, further reducing the settlement intentions of these individuals. However, social security and homeownership can reduce the negative effect of land finance on the settlement intentions of migrants. This paper provides policy implications for the construction of new urbanization and the realization of modernization. Full article

Facing the realistic threat of natural environment deterioration and frequent extreme weather, improving agricultural carbon productivity has become an objective requirement for achieving the goal of double carbon and for promoting the high-quality development of agriculture. As an important path toward improving land-use efficiency and promoting agricultural technological progress, land transfer has a potential positive effect on improving agricultural output and inhibiting agricultural carbon emissions. Based on the current situation of land transfer and the characteristics of agricultural carbon productivity in China, this study used the panel data of 30 provinces, from 2006 to 2019, in China to empirically test the relationship between land transfer and agricultural carbon productivity via the spatial Durbin model. The results show that (1) land transfer has a positive effect on agricultural carbon productivity; (2) agricultural carbon productivity has a spatial correlation, and the impact of land transfer on agricultural carbon productivity has a spillover effect; and (3) there are regional differences in the impact of land transfer on agriculture carbon productivity. Based on the results of the study, this paper puts forward policy recommendations from three aspects through which to optimize land transfer and enhance agricultural carbon productivity. Full article

The impacts of climate change are becoming more widespread across the world, with hydro-meteorological extreme events on the rise, causing severe threats to nature and communities. Increasing trends in the frequency and intensity of floods and landslides have been projected by climate models. This necessitates the development of more effective measures such as nature-based solutions (NBS) which can complement grey infrastructures. Recent studies have identified knowledge gaps and limitations in existing research and tools that aid in spatial planning for the implementation of large-scale NBS and proposed new methodologies for the spatial allocation of large-scale NBS for flood risk reduction. This work presents a novel method for mapping the suitability of NBS addressing geo-hydrological hazards such as shallow landslides, debris flow, and rockfall, which are typically caused due to slope instability. This methodology incorporates landslide susceptibility mapping, and was used to create a toolbox ESRI ArcGIS environment to aid decision-makers in the planning and implementation of large-scale NBS. The spatial allocation toolbox was applied to the case study Portofino promontory, Liguria region, Italy, and 70% of the area was found to be highly susceptible to landslides. The produced suitability maps show that 41%, 33%, and 65% of the study area is suitable for the restoration of terraces, bio-engineering, and vegetative measures such as NBS for landslide risk reduction. Full article

China’s urbanisation process is unique compared to that of other developed economies in that while the rural population is migrating to the cities in large numbers, the area of rural homestead use also continues to increase. This research uses macro data and a threshold model to further analyse this phenomenon of “farmers leaving while rural homestead increasing”. Specifically, we focus on the mechanisms of action, development patterns and regional differences in the impact of the rate of rural–urban migration (RRUM) on the rate of increase in the area of rural homesteads (IARH), and discuss the spatial spillover effects of the impact between the two. The results of the research show that: (1) There is an “inverted U-shaped” double threshold effect on the impact of RRUM on IARH. (2) Rural population density and regional urban–rural income disparity are used as threshold variables, respectively, resulting in a sudden change in the relationship between RRUM and IARH. (3) The threshold effect of RRUM on IARH mainly exists in the central and western regions, non-minority nationality areas, non-provincial capital cities and non-resource-based cities. (4) The RRUM can not only directly affect the local IARH, but also indirectly affect the surrounding areas through spatial spillover effects. Our research provides critical insights for policy makers on the reform of the rural homestead system and urbanisation development strategies in different regions. Full article

In recent years, the frequent occurrence of extreme emergencies represented by heavy rainfall has posed a significant impact on urban transportation networks and caused great inconvenience to people’s production and life. This paper examines the impact of heavy rainfall on the urban transportation network in Xi’an’s main urban area, models the map of urban road network in the main urban area of Xi’an by applying complex network theory, quantifies and analyzes the topological and geographic structural characteristics of the affected sections (interrupted by heavy rainfall) due to heavy rainfall, as well as the impact of heavy rainfall on the functional indexes of the road network such as access efficiency and accessibility, and, finally, analyzes its formation causes and proposes targeted management countermeasures. The findings of this study serve as a valuable reference for enhancing urban traffic emergency management capabilities and fostering sustainable urban development. Full article

The vulnerability of China’s rural system is becoming increasingly obvious due to the multiple pressures of geological conditions and human interference. This study selected Guizhou Province to measure the degree of vulnerability and determine a rural system’s temporal and spatial characteristics. We select the county as the unit, build the vulnerability assessment of a rural system based on the three dimensions of exposure, sensitivity, and adaptability, and employ the combination weighting method. The final development indicator of the rural vulnerability measurement model was obtained using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution method. Further, SatScan v10.1 software was used for spatiotemporal scanning statistical analysis, and its clustering pattern was analyzed. Finally, visual analysis was conducted using ArcGIS 10.7 software. The results showed that exposure and sensitivity have an increasing fluctuation trend, while adaptability has a decreasing trend. The combined effect resulted in an increasing trend of vulnerability. The mean values of exposure, sensitivity, adaptation, and rural vulnerability in Yunyan are 0.906, 0.894, 0.772, and 1.028 higher than those in Nanming, i.e., 0.417, 0.426, 0.687, and 0.262, respectively. The vulnerability of the rural system shows a spatial pattern of “low in the middle and high on both sides,” with spatial clustering, and Guiyang and Zunyi are the cluster centers. Full article

Greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from agricultural practices contribute 14% of anthropogenic emissions to the atmosphere, and novel practices to reduce these emissions, including feeding cattle a modified diet, are of interest. This study examines how additions of manure from cattle fed a regular diet or a diet supplemented with 2% biochar, and biochar at 5 or 10 Mg ha⁻¹, impact GHG emissions in a Gray Luvisol agricultural field experiment. Emissions of CH₄ and N₂O were monitored, and soil samples were collected to analyze exchangeable NPKS, microbial biomass, total C and N, electrical conductivity, and pH. Wheat (Triticum aestivum) was planted, and grain yield measured. We calculated the yield-based emission factor (EF_yield) and cumulative area-based GHG emissions emission factor (EF_area). The results showed an up to 98.5% change in the inhibition of CH₄ oxidation from biochar-manure + biochar at 5 and 10 Mg ha⁻¹ compared to the CT. The biochar in biochar-manure may have acted as a biocide to methanotrophs, causing a reduction in the release of CH₄ over time. Yet, there were no significant differences in N₂O emissions amongst treatments. Therefore, biochar-manure + biochar at 5 and 10 Mg ha⁻¹ applications may impact total GHG emissions and improve grain productivity and protein content compared to BM alone. Full article

Rural migrants, who are widespread in China, experience diverse production and living needs upon resettlement in towns because of their various population attributes. However, the planning of resettlement community public spaces solely follows urban community function programming, which is misaligned with rural migrants’ needs, leading to a conflict between migrants and community regulation. Under the architectural planning theory and founded on previous research about rural migrants’ needs by the authors, this study involves expanded research that explores an approach to transforming migrants’ needs into resettlement community public space function programming. This approach includes three steps: (1) judging the dividing line between high and low levels of migrants’ needs, (2) extracting “Basic–Expansion–Potential” function item sets from the permutation and combination of different migrant types, and (3) calibrating function item sets with the current national architecture standard. In addition, this study compared the transformed data results with the need characteristics of migrants to inspect the rationality of the research method, formed two types of resettlement community public space function programming, namely “medium-high” and “medium-low” urbanization resettlement communities, and proposed elastic design strategies to respond to the complex functional programming. This research will provide a theoretical reference for the planning and construction of such resettlement spaces in China as well as other countries with the same migration and resettlement situation. Full article

Ecosystem service assessments are crucial for sustainable water area management. Previous studies and actions on waterfront area management often emphasized merely the saving and use of water resources per se, ignoring the safeguarding of hydrological source ecosystems and assurance of sustainable provision capacity of water supplies. Using the Yangtze River Delta Ecological Green Integration Demonstration Zone (demonstration zone) as an example, this study integrated ecosystem service assessment into waterfront area management in an urbanizing region. We evaluated and mapped four ecosystem services—carbon sequestration, water purification, stormwater regulation and climate regulation—in the demonstration zone in 2020. We examined ecosystem service quantities, spatial distributions and economic values to inform policy balancing development and the environment. Our results show that ecosystem services provide significant benefits to waterfront areas: the zone furnished substantial ecosystem services, sequestering 544,900 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (USD 2.03 million), eliminating the total material quantities of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution of 47,700 tons and 13,900 tons (USD 66.31 billion and USD 20.17 billion, respectively), and retaining over 467.48 million cubic meters of stormwater runoff (USD 1756.35 million) and total material quantity of climate regulation amounts to 65.13 billion kilowatt hours (USD 5.10 billion). However, these service provisions varied spatially. Wujiang District provided the most ecosystem services overall, while Qingpu District had the highest per-unit intensities in stormwater regulation. Policy, planning and action should consider ecosystems providing security and prosperity. Managing the trade-offs between development and environment, reducing risks and cultivating resilience necessitates safeguarding ecosystem service potential. Full article

Understanding the spatial distribution pattern and evolution characteristics of the elderly population in urban areas is of great significance for the development of urban planning and the implementation of public management policies in the context of rapid aging. Accurately identifying the spatial distribution and evolution characteristics of the elderly population in a city requires a comprehensive analysis of multiple indicators and large-scale data. Taking Wuhan City as an example, this article measures the spatial distribution characteristics and evolution trend of the elderly population from 2000 to 2020 at the street/township level based on data from the fifth, sixth, and seventh censuses, using methods such as kernel density hotspot detection, spatial clustering analysis, and standard deviation ellipse analysis. The results show that (1) there are significant differences in the aging spatial pattern between the central area and the suburban areas of Wuhan; (2) overall, Wuhan’s aging rate shows a typical “core–periphery” growth mode in space, while the density of the elderly population has significant spatial aggregation characteristics and shows an evolution trend of “centralized concentration, peripheral outliers, axial development, and near-field growth”; (3) the center of gravity of the elderly population remains relatively stable over time. Full article

Urban areas are rapidly expanding into natural habitats worldwide. When species are threatened with habitat loss, it is vital to understand how they will respond or adapt to the change in their environment. One primate species threatened by habitat loss is the fully arboreal Javan slow loris (Nycticebus javanicus). This non-leaping species not only relies on canopy continuity but is also subject to capture for illegal wildlife trade, especially in anthropogenic landscapes where they are easier to catch. We examine the use of urban areas by Javan slow lorises in terms of habitat use as well as feeding and terrestriality behaviours in the municipality of Cipaganti in West Java, Indonesia. For this study, we observed Javan slow lorises from May 2018 to April 2020 for two dry periods and two wet periods. We combined home ranges and core areas with a land cover classification of the area to understand the composition of the loris habitat. We also included feeding and terrestriality data to determine the ratio of these activities within each land cover class. We found that approximately half of their territory falls into natural areas (bamboo patches: 45–60%), and the other half is in human land use areas (agriculture, shade gardens, urban areas, and fallow land). Urban areas ranged from 0 to 54% of an individual loris’s habitat, with the proportion of urban land cover being higher in some individuals’ core areas than in their home ranges. Only urban areas showed a variation between periods, with p-values of 0.06 and 0.002 for home ranges and core areas, respectively, showing a significant increase usage during dry periods. Of all feeding observations, 4% occurred in urban areas with nectar being the most common feeding item. We recorded thirteen different food species in urban areas with Calliandra calothrysus being the most frequent. We found that 7% of terrestriality events occurred in urban areas. The findings from this study show that human land use areas cover a significant portion of the Javan slow lorises habitat in this region, further emphasising the need to consider the needs of these Critically Endangered primates when developing natural habitats into those of human managed landscapes. The same principles are true for the large number of species that are able to persist in urban areas in a world increasingly dominated by humans. Full article