Search Results (60)

As urban architecture continues to emphasize integration with natural environments, the concept of waterfront buildings and blue–green spaces has been widely applied in the site selection of large urban structures. While existing research has extensively explored architectural types such as waterfront landscapes and sports venues, systematic studies on waterfront concert halls, as an important category of cultural architecture, remain limited. Specifically, the interaction mechanisms between such halls and their aquatic environments, as well as their impact on users’ psychological satisfaction, have not been thoroughly investigated. This study takes waterfront concert halls as representative cultural buildings and examines 1267 users from 12 typical waterfront concert halls across eight cities in China. A theoretical model was constructed with water visibility, water accessibility, water interactivity, and water integration as independent variables, biophilia and a sense of nature’s presence as parallel mediators, and user satisfaction as the dependent variable. Data were analyzed using covariance based structural equation modeling CB-SEM. The findings reveal that (1) water visibility, water accessibility, and water integration positively influence user satisfaction; (2) biophilia mediates the relationship between water visibility, water accessibility, water interactivity, water integration, and user satisfaction; (3) a sense of nature’s presence also mediates the relationship between these water-related variables and user satisfaction. This study empirically demonstrates the dual pathway psychological mechanism through which water elements influence user satisfaction, providing a new perspective for the design of waterfront cultural architecture. The research suggests that architects can enhance users’ biophilic instincts and sense of nature’s presence through specific design strategies, such as strengthening water visibility, optimizing waterfront circulation, and enriching water interaction experiences. These findings offer theoretical support for shifting contemporary architectural practice from physical space creation to environmental well-being promotion, while also establishing a practical foundation for developing human-centered evaluation systems for built environments. Full article

Urban ecosystems are increasingly shaped by multiple environmental stressors, which may threaten both biodiversity and human well-being. We summarised the current knowledge on the ecological and social consequences of seven major urban pressures: air pollution, freshwater degradation, biological invasions, noise pollution, habitat fragmentation, soil pollution and climate crisis. Air and soil pollution, largely driven by traffic and industrial activities, compromises vegetation functions, reduces ecosystem services, and affects human health. Urban freshwater systems face contamination from stormwater runoff, wastewater, and microplastics, leading to biodiversity loss, altered ecosystem processes, and reduced water availability. Biological invasions, facilitated by human activities and habitat disturbances, reshape ecological communities, outcompete native species, and impose socio-economic costs, while management requires integrated monitoring and citizen engagement. Noise pollution disrupts animal communication, alters species distributions, and poses significant risks to human physical and mental health. Simultaneously, habitat fragmentation and loss reduce ecological connectivity, impair pollination and dispersal processes, and heighten extinction risks for both plants and animals. Collectively, these stressors interact synergistically, amplifying ecological degradation and exacerbating health and social inequalities in urban populations. The cumulative impacts highlight the need for systemic and adaptive approaches to urban planning that integrate biodiversity conservation, public health, and social equity. Nature-based solutions, ecological restoration, technological innovation, and participatory governance emerge as promising strategies to enhance urban resilience. Furthermore, fostering citizen science initiatives can strengthen monitoring capacity and create community ownership of sustainable urban environments. Addressing the combined pressures of urban environmental stressors is thus pivotal for building cities that are ecologically robust, socially inclusive, and capable of coping with the challenges of the climate crisis and global urbanization. Full article

Intensive human interference has severely disrupted the natural and ecological environments of coastal areas, threatening ecosystem services (ESs). Meanwhile, the relationships between ESs exhibit certain variations across different spatial scales. Therefore, identifying the scale effects of interrelationships among ESs and their underlying driving mechanisms will better support scientific decision-making for the hierarchical and sustainable management of coastal ecosystems. Therefore, employing the Integrated Valuation of ESs and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model combined with GIS spatial visualization techniques, this investigation systematically examined the spatiotemporal distribution of four ESs across three scales (grid, county, and city) during 2000–2020. Complementary statistical approaches (Spearman’s correlation analysis and bivariate Moran’s I) were integrated to systematically quantify evolving ES trade-off/synergy patterns and reveal their spatial self-correlation characteristics. The geographical detector model (GeoDetector) was used to identify the main driving factors affecting ESs at different scales, and combined with bivariate Moran’s I to further visualize the spatial differentiation patterns of these key drivers. The results indicated that: (1) ESs (except for Water yield) generally increased from coastal regions to inland areas, and their spatial distribution tended to become more clustered as the scale increased. (2) Relationships between ESs became stronger at larger scales across all three study levels. These ESs connections showed stronger links at the middle scale (county). (3) Natural factors had the greatest impact on ESs than anthropogenic factors, with both demonstrating increased explanatory power as the scale enlarges. The interactions between factors of the same type generally yield stronger explanatory power than any single factor alone. (4) The spatial aggregation patterns of ESs with different driving factors varied significantly, while the spatial aggregation patterns of ESs with the same driving factor were highly similar across different spatial scales. These findings confirm that natural and social factors exhibit scale dependency and spatial heterogeneity, emphasizing the need for policies to be tailored to specific scales and adapted to local conditions. It provides a basis for future research on multi-scale and region-specific precision regulation of ecosystems. Full article

Accurate identification of groundwater pollution sources is crucial for the socio-economic development of a region. In highly urbanized areas, where human activities have a pronounced impact on groundwater, however, the hydrochemical evolution patterns and sources of pollutants remain unclear. Taking Shenzhen, a highly urbanized city in China, as a case study, this research employed a combination of multivariate statistical techniques and the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model to elucidate the hydrochemical evolution and quantitatively parse the pollution sources of groundwater in such regions. The results revealed that the pH of groundwater in the study area ranged from 4.24 to 7.31, indicating weak acidity to neutrality. The exceedance rates for pH, NH₄⁺, COD, Mn, and Fe were as high as 67.1%, 44.3%, 44.3%, 34.3%, and 31.4%, respectively. The Water Quality Index assessment revealed that 32.9% of the groundwater samples were classified as poor, highlighting the significant impact of human activities. Land-use types significantly affected groundwater quality, with urban areas exhibiting higher concentrations of the COD, NO₃⁻, Mn, and Fe compared to agricultural and forested areas. The predominant hydrochemical type of groundwater in the study area was HCO₃·Cl—Ca·Na, with rock weathering (primarily silicate weathering) being the dominant process controlling groundwater chemistry. The PMF model identified three major pollution sources in the highly urbanized region: domestic and industrial wastewater, enhanced water-rock interactions leading to the release of hydrochemical components, and agricultural fertilizers, contributing 43.9%, 37.0%, and 19.1% to groundwater pollution, respectively. Geostatistical spatial interpolation techniques demonstrated that in urban areas, groundwater quality was primarily controlled by the discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater, while in agricultural areas, excessive fertilizer application was the main driver of groundwater degradation. These findings provide a scientific basis for groundwater pollution prevention and sustainable utilization in highly urbanized regions. Full article

Urban expansion alters environmental conditions, influencing tree physiology and performance. Urban trees provide cooling, sequester carbon, support biodiversity, filter contaminants, and enhance human health. This study examines how two common urban trees—Norway Maple (Acer platanoides L.) and Little-leaved Linden (Tilia cordata Mill.)—respond to urban site conditions by assessing leaf morphology, stomatal, and gas exchange traits across street and urban park sites in Chicago, IL. Street trees exhibited structural trait adjustments, including smaller leaf area, reduced specific leaf area, and increased stomatal density, potentially reflecting acclimation to more compact and impervious conditions. Norway Maple showed stable photosynthetic assimilation (A), stomatal conductance (g_s), and transpiration (E) across sites, alongside higher intrinsic water-use efficiency (_iWUE), indicating a conservative water-use strategy. In contrast, Little-leaved Linden maintained A and g_s but showed elevated E and _iWUE at street sites, suggesting adaptive shifts in water-use dynamics under street microenvironments. These findings highlight how species-specific physiological strategies and local site conditions interact to shape tree function in cities and underscore the importance of incorporating functional traits into urban forestry planning to improve ecosystem services and climate resilience. Full article

Groundwater is a vital water source for human survival and regulates the hydrological cycle within the uppermost strata. Through the processes of recharge and discharge, as well as solute exchange, it interacts with surface water systems in Zhengzhou, e.g., the Yellow River and the Jialu River. Therefore, systematically assessing its hydrochemical characteristics, driving factors, and health risks is crucial for ensuring the safety of public drinking water and regional development. This study focuses on shallow (45~55 m), medium-deep (80~350 m), deep (350~800 m), and ultra-deep (800~1200 m) groundwater in Zhengzhou City. A descriptive statistical analysis was employed to identify the primary chemical constituents of groundwater at various depths within the study area. Piper diagrams and the Shukarev classification method were employed to determine the hydrochemical types of the groundwater. Additionally, Gibbs diagrams, correlation coefficient methods, ion ratio coefficient methods and chlorine–alkali indices were employed to investigate the formation mechanisms of the chemical components of the groundwater, and the health risks in the study area were evaluated. Results: Ca²⁺ dominates the shallow/medium-deep groundwater, Na⁺ dominates the deep/ultra-deep groundwater; HCO₃⁻ (70~82%) is the dominant anion. Water chemistry shifts from HCO₃-Ca to HCO₃-Na with depth. Solubilisation, cation exchange, counter-cation exchange, and mixed processes primarily govern the formation of the groundwater’s chemical composition in the study area. Nitrate health risk assessments indicate significant differences in non-carcinogenic risks across four population groups (infants, children, young adults, and adults). Medium-depth groundwater poses a potential risk to all groups, while shallow and deep groundwater threaten only infants. Ultra-deep groundwater carries the lowest risk. Full article

The trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services can provide clues for understanding the mechanisms of regional ecological evolution. Previous studies have mainly concentrated on administrative divisions to characterize ecosystem services trade-offs and synergies within specific regions. However, ambiguity persists regarding the spatial diversity and scale dependency of regional ecosystem services, along with the degree to which human activity and climatic variation influence the relationships of multiscale ecosystem services. This study focuses on the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China. Based on grid, county-level, and city-level scales, it analyzes five ecosystem services, namely habitat quality, carbon storage, food production, soil conservation, and water yield, from 2000 to 2020. By using correlation analysis and spatial autocorrelation methods, this study explores the intensity of the trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services and their spatial patterns. Then, combined with the Optimal Parameters-based Geographical Detector, it identifies the dominant driving factors, quantifies their degree of contribution, and reveals the multiscale differentiation of ecosystem service relationships and their causes. The results show that the five ecosystem services all exhibit significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. At the grid scale, there is a trade-off relationship between food production and the other four services, while a strong synergistic effect exists among the remaining four services. At the county scale, the synergistic association between habitat quality and carbon storage is the most significant, with the highest contributions from the average annual precipitation and average annual temperature (q-values 0.893 and 0.782, respectively). At the prefecture-level city scale, the intensity of the ecosystem services trade-offs and synergies shows an increasing trend, and the impact of interactions between socio-ecological elements is significantly higher than that at the grid and county scales. This research provides an evidence-based foundation for decision makers to devise suitable strategies that support the coordinated advancement of ecology and the economy across various spatial scales. It is crucial for promoting precise ecosystem regulation and the sustainability of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration in China. Full article

The stability of ecosystems in coastal plain cities is fragile, and the interaction between humans and the land is complex, making the region’s natural water cycle capabilities more vulnerable to destruction. Quantitatively assessing the water conservation services in coastal areas and revealing its spatial characteristics and driving factors play a crucial role in the construction of regional ecological barriers and the assurance of ecological security. In this study, based on the water balance model, the spatial dynamics of water in the ecosystems of Yancheng from 2019 to 2021 were assessed in two dimensions: ecosystem and administrative subdivision. The response of the influencing factors to the water conservation was examined using a geographical detection. The results show the following: (1) Yancheng’s water conservation services increased (2019–2021), averaging 1.188 × 10⁹ m³/a. Spatially, it was higher in southeastern/northern sectors and lower in western/central regions, with wetlands and croplands contributing 93.76% collectively while others each accounted for <1%. (2) NDVI was the strongest driver of spatial heterogeneity (q = 0.736), followed by per capita water use, population density (q = 0.642), and DEM (q = 0.638); GDP per capita and annual precipitation exerted the weakest influences. (3) Factor interactions exceeded individual factors in explanatory power, dominated by population density synergies with per capita water use and NDVI, which most strongly controlled spatial patterns. (4) Optimization thresholds were identified: peak water conservation occurred at DEM 5.34–5.47 m and NDVI 0.37–0.42. This study provides a new perspective on water conservation in coastal areas, supplying serves as a reference for crafting specific water preservation strategies in the coming years. Full article

In recent years, China’s rapid economic growth and urbanization have heightened the conflict between economic development and resource sustainability, leading to severe urban water challenges, including scarcity and environmental degradation. This study proposes a quantitative model that integrates the “Human-Water-City” (HWC) feedback mechanisms to assess and measure urban comprehensive water resources and environmental carrying capacity (CWRECC), aimed at addressing urban water sustainability challenges. The CWRECC integrates water quantity and quality dimensions following the principles of the “Cannikin Law”—selecting the lower envelope between water resources and water environment carrying capacities, which emphasizes the importance of weaknesses in enhancing the overall system. The maximum sustainable population and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) under the CWRECC constraints can be obtained using this quantitative method. A case study was conducted in Wuhan City. The results show that Wuhan has abundant water resources. From 2013 to 2020, if only considering the water quantity aspect, the water resources carrying capacity could support a population ranging from 22.63 to 61.17 million and a GDP between 1946.6 and 7988.9 billion yuan, maintaining a sustainable state throughout the period. However, when considering both water quantity and quality, the CWRECC revealed an overloaded state in 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019, primarily attributable to significant water environmental issues. In 2013, 2014, 2018, and 2019, the quantified CWRECC could sustain populations of 9.88 million, 10.01 million, 10.33 million, and 10.57 million people, and support a GDP of 849.5 billion, 976.5 billion, 1402.9 billion, and 1538.9 billion yuan, respectively. Both the population and GDP capacities fell short of the actual recorded values for those years. The findings demonstrate that Wuhan needs to make greater efforts in water environmental protection to sustain the harmonious development within the HWC. This empirical study highlights the model’s potential to provide a scientific foundation for urban water resources management and environmental protection strategies. Full article

This study aims to investigate the processes associated with mass movements and their relationship with the behavior of the Amazon River delta-estuary (ADE) wetlands. The methodological approach involves using water spectral indices and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to diagnose areas of soil water saturation and characterize regions affected by mass movements in Amazonian cities. It also involves identifying areas of critical saturation content and consequent mass movements. Analysis of risk and land use data revealed that the affected areas coincide with zones of high susceptibility to mass movements induced by water. The results showed the following: the accumulated annual precipitation ranged from 70.07 ± 55.35 mm·month⁻¹ to 413.34 ± 127.51 mm·month⁻¹; the response similarity across different sensors obtained an accuracy greater than 90% for NDWI, MNDWI, and AWEI for the same targets; and a landfill layer with a thickness variation between 1 and 2 m defined the mass movement concentration in Abaetetuba city. The interaction between infiltration, water saturation, and human-induced land alteration suggests that these areas act as wetlands with unstable dynamics. The analysis methodology developed for this study aimed to address this scenario by systematically mapping areas with mass movement potential and high-water saturation. Due to the absence of geological and geotechnical data, remote sensing was employed as an alternative, and in situ ground-penetrating radar (GPR) evaluation was suggested as a means of investigating the causes of a previously observed movement. Full article

In the face of increasingly complex urban challenges, a critical question arises: can urban ecosystems maintain resilience, vitality, and sustainability when confronted with external threats and pressures? Taking Kunming—a plateau-mountainous city in China—as a case study, this research constructs an urban ecosystem resilience (UER) assessment model based on the DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts, and Responses) framework. A total of 25 indicators were selected via questionnaire surveys, covering five dimensions: driving forces such as natural population growth, annual GDP growth, urbanization level, urban population density, and resident consumption price growth; pressures including per capita farmland, per capita urban construction land, land reclamation and cultivation rate, proportion of natural disaster-stricken areas, and unit GDP energy consumption; states measured by Evenness Index (EI), Shannon Diversity Index (SHDI), Aggregation Index (AI), Interspersion and Juxtaposition Index (IJI), Landscape Shape Index (LSI), and Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI); impacts involving per capita GDP, economic density, per capita disposable income growth, per capita green space area, and per capita water resources; and responses including proportion of natural reserve areas, proportion of environmental protection investment to GDP, overall utilization of industrial solid waste, and afforestation area. Based on remote sensing and other data, indicator values were calculated for 2006, 2011, and 2016. The entire-array polygon indicator method was used to visualize indicator interactions and derive composite resilience index values, all of which remained below 0.25—indicating a persistent low-resilience state, marked by sustained economic growth, frequent natural disasters, and declining ecological self-recovery capacity. Forecasting results suggest that, under current development trajectories, Kunming’s UER will remain low over the next decade. This study is the first to integrate the DPSIR framework, entire-array polygon indicator method, and Grey System Forecasting Model into the evaluation and prediction of urban ecosystem resilience in plateau-mountainous cities. The findings highlight the ecosystem’s inherent capacities for self-organization, adaptation, learning, and innovation and reveal its nested, multi-scalar resilience structure. The DPSIR-based framework not only reflects the complex human–nature interactions in urban systems but also identifies key drivers and enables the prediction of future resilience patterns—providing valuable insights for sustainable urban development. Full article

Uncovering the characteristics of groundwater pollution and its driving mechanisms are crucial for maintaining its ecological functions. This study focuses on hydrochemical changes and their driving factors in groundwater from different aquifers in industrial zones, taking Zibo City, Shandong Province, China, as the research area. During the dry and flood seasons of 2022, samples of phreatic water in pore media (17 sites) and karst confined water (23 sites) were collected and monitored. Piper trilinear diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, ion ratio diagrams, and a principal component analysis (PCA) were used for in-depth analyses. Pore phreatic water had higher excess rates of Na⁺, Cl⁻, and NO₃⁻ than karst confined water, which indicated a greater degree of human impact compared with karst confined water. The main hydrochemical type was HCO₃·SO₄-Ca, but in the dry season, pore phreatic water shifted to HCO₃·SO₄·Cl-Ca. The ion ratios and PCA indicated that the groundwater quality was mainly controlled by water–rock interactions and industrial activities. In the flood season, pore phreatic water was influenced by evaporite dissolution, industrial activities, and domestic sewage, while in the dry season, it was affected by halite and carbonate weathering dissolution and domestic sewage. Karst confined water was controlled by water–rock interactions and industrial activities in both seasons. The findings reveal that the key drivers of groundwater quality displayed significant differences depending on the aquifer type and seasonal variations. As such, customized approaches are essential to efficiently address and counteract the decline in groundwater quality. Full article

Cultural Heritage Sites (CHS) serve as tangible evidence of regional human–environment interactions and spatial representation of historical memory. The research developed a Xinjiang CHS database and integrated geographic information technology and historical geography research methods to examine the spatio-temporal distribution evolution characteristics and geographic influencing factors in the arid region. It utilized the nearest neighbor index, kernel density estimation, the center of gravity model, and standard deviation ellipse to explore the spatio-temporal evolution law. Furthermore, it employed spatial overlay and qualitative text to analyze the geographical influence mechanism of the CHS. The results showed the following: (1) The CHS spatial distribution showed a pattern of “multicore agglomeration-linear extension”, concentrated in 13 key cities and four major areas that extended along the Silk Road routes. (2) The CHS diachronic development fluctuated in a pattern of “three peaks and three valleys”. The spatial center of gravity has shifted from southern Xinjiang to northern Xinjiang, manifesting a concentrated-diffused characteristic along the northeast–southwest axis. (3) The spatial selection followed the rules of “preferring lower terrain” and “proximity to water”. The elevation distribution of CHS has shifted from mid-high elevations to low elevations. The proportion of CHS on low-slope terrain increased from 78.6% in the Pre–Qin period to 93.02% in Modern History. 93.02% of CHS in Modern History were distributed within the 10 km buffer zone of rivers. (4) Climate aridity and human activities formed a dynamic influence mechanism; natural factors constructed the base pattern of CHS distribution, and human activities drove the dynamic adjustment. The findings revealed the historical trajectory and driving logic of the evolution of CHS in Xinjiang and provided a scientific basis for cultural heritage protection and ecological governance. This study had limitations in terms of the limited research scope and the lack of comprehensive quantitative analysis of influencing factors. Full article

An evaluation of regional landscape ecological risk (LER) in Harbin, a key center city in Northeast China, is crucial for the long-term sustainability of its ecological and economic development. This study aims to (1) assess the spatiotemporal patterns of LER in Harbin from 2000 to 2020, (2) identify the key natural and human driving factors influencing LER, and (3) project future landscape ecological risk trends under multiple land use scenarios. To achieve these objectives, land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020 were analyzed using landscape pattern indices to characterize ecological risk patterns. GeoDetector was applied to quantify the spatial differentiation and factor contributions to LER. Furthermore, the PLUS model was employed to simulate land use change and assess future LER patterns under three scenario settings. Moran’s I was used to evaluate spatial autocorrelation. The results indicate the following: (1) Between 2000 and 2020, cultivated land and woodland were the two most prevalent land types in Harbin, with the majority of land use shifts occurring between these two groupings. The main changes to the landscape were a continuous increase in development land and a steady decrease in unused area. (2) The overall LER in Harbin has been trending downward over the last 20 years, primarily falling within the medium-risk range. Marked spatial heterogeneity in LER was observed, displaying a distribution pattern of “high in the west and north, low in the east and south”. The majority of the riskiest regions were concentrated around bodies of water. (3) The Moran’s I indices for LER in Harbin were 0.798, 0.828, and 0.852, respectively, indicating significant spatial autocorrelation. The local clustering patterns were mainly defined by “High–High” and “Low–Low” agglomeration patterns. (4) Among natural factors, DEM exhibited the greatest explanatory strength for LER in Harbin, and the interaction between DEM and annual precipitation was recognized as the dominant force driving spatial disparities in LER. (5) Among the three projected scenarios for 2030, the ecological priority scenario showed a slower rate of decrease in ecological land, suggesting that this scenario is an effective approach for improving landscape ecological conditions. The findings offer a theoretical foundation and scientific guidance for LER management in Harbin and similar regions. Full article

The rapid pace of urbanization has led to excessive resource consumption and worsening environmental pollution, particularly in resource-based cities, where prolonged exploitation of mineral resources has resulted in dual challenges of ecological degradation and economic imbalance. Using Fushun, a resource-exhausted city still struggling with its transformation, as a case study, this research develops a progressive analytical framework that integrates the InVEST model, optimal parameter geographic detector, and multi-scale geographically weighted regression. This framework, comprising a sequence of analytical steps—single-factor analysis, interaction-factor analysis, global regression analysis, and geographically weighted regression analysis—enables a comprehensive exploration of the driving mechanisms behind ES changes in Fushun from 2000 to 2020. The results indicate the following: (1) Significant changes in ecosystem services were observed, with water yield and soil conservation showing a fluctuating upward trend, while carbon storage and habitat quality experienced slight declines. (2) Over time, the dominant drivers transitioned from primarily socio-economic factors to a synergistic influence of natural and human activities. GDP and land use intensity increasingly contributed to explaining ecosystem services through their interaction effects. (3) At the street scale, driving mechanisms exhibited spatial heterogeneity. For instance, the negative effects of built-up land and cultivated land were more pronounced in urban–rural transition zones, while elevation and NDVI had a more positive impact in ecological source areas. This framework provides systematic and targeted recommendations that offer data-driven insights to guide policies prioritizing regional ecological sustainability. Furthermore, it provides practical reference points for improving the ecological quality of other coal resource-exhausted cities undergoing incomplete transformations. Full article