Search Results (72)

In mining areas with high groundwater levels, intensive coal mining has led to the accumulation of substantial surface water and significant alterations in regional landscape patterns. Reconstructing the ecological security pattern (ESP) has emerged as a critical focus for ecological restoration in coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. This study employed the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model to predict the landscape evolution trend of the study area in 2032 under three scenarios, combining environmental characteristics and disturbance features of coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. In order to determine the differences in ecological network changes within the study area under various development scenarios, morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) and landscape connectivity analysis were employed to identify ecological source areas and establish ecological corridors using circuit theory. Based on the simulation results of the optimal development scenario, potential ecological pinch points and ecological barrier points were further identified. The findings indicate that: (1) land use changes predominantly occur in urban fringe areas and coal mining subsidence areas. In the land reclamation (LR) scenario, the reduction in cultivated land area is minimal, whereas in the economic development (ED) scenario, construction land exhibits a marked increasing trend. Under the natural development (ND) scenario, forest land and water expand most significantly, thereby maximizing ecological space. (2) Under the ND scenario, the number and distribution of ecological source areas and ecological corridors reach their peak, leading to an enhanced ecological network structure that positively contributes to corridor improvement. (3) By comparing the ESP in the ND scenario in 2032 with that in 2022, the number and area of ecological barrier points increase substantially while the number and area of ecological pinch points decrease. These areas should be prioritized for ecological protection and restoration. Based on the scenario simulation results, this study proposes a planning objective for a “one axis, four belts, and four zones” ESP, along with corresponding strategies for ecological protection and restoration. This research provides a crucial foundation for decision-making in enhancing territorial space planning in coal mining subsidence areas with high groundwater levels. Full article

The spatial genes of rural settlements show a lot of different traditional settlement traits, which makes them a great starting point for studying rural spatial morphology. However, qualitative and macro-regional statistical indicators are usually used to find and extract rural settlement spatial genes. Taking Yubei Village in the Nanxi River Basin as an example, this study combined remote sensing images, real-time drone mapping, GIS (geographic information system), and space syntax, extracted 12 key indicators from five dimensions (landform and water features (environment), boundary morphology, spatial structure, street scale, and building scale), and quantitatively “decoded” the spatial genes of the settlement. The results showed that (1) the settlement is a “three mountains and one water” pattern, with cultivated land accounting for 37.4% and forest land accounting for 34.3% of the area within the 500 m buffer zone, while the landscape spatial diversity index (LSDI) is 0.708. (2) The boundary morphology is compact and agglomerated, and locally complex but overall orderly, with an aspect ratio of 1.04, a comprehensive morphological index of 1.53, and a comprehensive fractal dimension of 1.31. (3) The settlement is a “clan core–radial lane” network: the global integration degree of the axis to the holy hall is the highest (0.707), and the local integration degree R3 peak of the six-room ancestral hall reaches 2.255. Most lane widths are concentrated between 1.2 and 2.8 m, and the eaves are mostly higher than 4 m, forming a typical “narrow lanes and high houses” water town streetscape. (4) The architectural style is a combination of black bricks and gray tiles, gable roofs and horsehead walls, and “I”-shaped planes (63.95%). This study ultimately constructed a settlement space gene map and digital library, providing a replicable quantitative process for the diagnosis of Jiangnan water town settlements and heritage protection planning. Full article

Climate change aggravates the frequency of extreme rainfall events, resulting in carbon (C) loss. For the special climate of the highlands, cultivating the land underneath orchards increases C reservation. Systematic research on the impact of extreme rainfall on soil organic carbon compositions and (dissolved organic carbon) DOC leaching is limited, especially regarding the response to different cropping patterns underneath orchards, requiring a deeper understanding. The results showed that the DOC-leaching fluxes for the cropping patterns under rainstorms and heavy rainstorms were in the order Dactylis glomerata L. monocropping (13.5, 4.4 kg/hm²) > Medicago sativa L. monocropping (11.2, 3.8 kg/hm²) ≥ D. glomerata. + M. sativa. (10.4, 3.6 kg/hm²). The DOC-leaching fluxes during heavy rainstorms were reduced with D + M, and the root morphology showed a significant correlation with DOC concentration. Compared to the D, SOC in layers 40–60 cm of the M and the D + M increased by 68.36% and 64.24%, respectively. TP and POC of the D + M increased with soil depth. Relationships between cropping pattern and rainfall intensity for particulate organic carbon (POC) and mineral-associated organic carbon (MOC) were observed. Heavy rainstorms reduced MOC, including the decomposition of substances related to the MOC, such as ROC and DOC, then POC in layers 40–60 cm increased; compared with 0–20 cm of D and M, the content of readily oxidizable carbon (ROC) in layers 40–60 cm reduced by 56.90~77.64%, and the POC increased by 38.38~87.00% in the D + M. Therefore, it was suggested that the decomposition of deeper MOC due to heavy rainstorms is the main source of soil POC and leaching DOC. This will provide a reference basis for research on assessing soil carbon-leaching fluxes and carbon stocks under extreme rainfall events. Full article

Forage scarcity, intensified by climate variability and edaphoclimatic limitations in the Brazilian semiarid region, challenges regional livestock production. In this context, forage palm is a strategic alternative due to its drought resistance and environmental adaptability. However, little is known about the spatial and temporal dynamics of its cultivation. This study aimed to characterize the spatio-temporal dynamics of forage palm cultivation in Capoeiras-PE between 2019 and 2022 using remote sensing data and multitemporal analysis of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), processed via Google Earth Engine. Experimental areas with Opuntia stricta (“Mexican Elephant Ear”) and Nopalea cochenillifera (“Miúda”) were monitored, with field validation and descriptive statistical analysis. NDVI values ranged from −0.27 to 0.93, influenced by rainfall, cultivar morphology, and seasonal conditions. The “Miúda” cultivar showed a lower coefficient of variation (CV%), indicating greater spectral stability, while “Orelha de Elefante Mexicana” was more sensitive to climate and management, showing a higher CV%. Land use and land cover (LULC) analysis indicated increased sparse vegetation and exposed soil, suggesting intensified anthropogenic activity in the Caatinga biome. Reclassified NDVI enabled spatial estimation of forage palm, despite sensor resolution and spectral similarity with other vegetation. The integrated use of satellite data, field validation, and geoprocessing tools proved effective for agricultural monitoring and territorial planning. Full article

Arundo donax L. (giant reed) is a perennial rhizomatous grass with high drought and salinity tolerance, making it a promising low-input bioenergy crop. However, the understanding of the combined effects of irrigation and nitrogen application in salinized soil on physiological adaptations and biomass allocation is still limited. In this study, we conducted a three-factor orthogonal pot experiment with four levels per factor in 2023 and 2024 as follows: salinity (S0: non-saline, S1: low salinity, S2: moderate salinity, S3: high salinity); irrigation amount (W0: 605, W1: 770, W2: 935, W3: 1100 mm); and nitrogen application (N0: 0, N1: 60, N2: 120, N3: 180 kg/ha). This resulted in 14 irrigation-nitrogen-salinity combined treatments. The results showed the following: (1) Irrigation, nitrogen and salinity significantly affected leaf dimensions, photosynthetic rate, plant height, biomass allocation and dry matter of the total plant (p < 0.05). (2) Significant coupling interactions were observed between salinity and irrigation, as well as between nitrogen and irrigation, affecting leaf morphology, plant height, leaf dry matter and total biomass accumulation; a coupling interaction of salinity and nitrogen was found to affect the leaf area, root, stem and leaf dry weight. (3) The S0N2W2 treatment produced the highest dry biomass, which was 2.2 times higher than for the S3N2W2 treatment. (4) Under moderate-salinity conditions (S2), biomass allocation favored stems and leaves, whereas under high-salinity conditions (S3) biomass allocation shifted towards leaves, followed by stems and roots. A combination of 935 mm irrigation amount and 120 kg/ha nitrogen (N2W2) under S1 and S2 is recommended to optimize biomass production. Our study provides practical irrigation and nitrogen management strategies to enhance A. donax cultivation on marginal saline lands, supporting climate-resilient bio-economy initiatives. Full article

The migration and driving factors of microplastics (MPs), as an emerging pollutant, have been reported in plateau lakes. However, whether MPs can accumulate to an extreme degree in the local aquatic organisms of plateau lakes remains unclear. Therefore, the present study mainly aims to investigate the MPs accumulated in tissues of grass carp as well as reveal their migration processes and driving factors in the Caohai watershed, a typical plateau lake in southwest China. Density flotation (saturated NaCl solution) and laser direct infrared imaging spectrometry were used to analyze the relative abundance and morphological characteristics of MPs, respectively. The results showed that the MPs’ abundance in soil, water, and sediments ranged from 1.20 × 10³ to 1.87 × 10⁴ n/kg, from 9 to 223 n/L, and from 5.00 × 10² to 1.02 × 10⁴ n/kg, respectively. The contents and composition of MPs in forestland soils were more plentiful in comparison with cultivated land soils and marshy grassland soils. Polyethylene (PE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), PA from caprolactam (PA6), and PA from hexamethylene diamine and adipic acid (PA66) were detected in grass carp, and PE was detected in all organs of grass carp. MP concentrations in the stomach, intestines, tissue, skin, and gills of grass carp ranged from 54.94 to 178.59 mg/kg. MP pollution probably mainly originated from anthropogenic factors (road traffic, farming activities, the habits of residents scattered around the study area, etc.) due to the Caohai watershed’s considerable proximity to Weining city. In addition, wind, land runoff, rivers, and atmospheric deposition in the locality directly and indirectly promoted MP migration. Our results suggested that although there is moderate MP pollution in soil, water, sediment, and grass carp in comparison with other areas, it is necessary to pay attention to PE and PVC migration via the various environmental media and the risks associated with consuming the local grass carp. The local government can make several policies to reuse and recycle agricultural film to alleviate local PE and PVC pollution. Full article

Terraced systems represent a valuable resource, increasing productive areas on steep slopes often unsuitable for cultivation. Over the years, these ecosystems have been recognised as having functions beyond agronomic value, such as hydrogeological, historical-cultural, economic, and biodiversity conservation. This research intends to contribute to mapping the terraced areas of the Tuscan Archipelago to estimate the areas falling within four of the seven islands of the Archipelago. In addition to a quantitative analysis, terraced systems were studied in terms of morphological and anthropic parameters, which may influence their functionality or cultivation abandonment. The analyses were conducted in a GIS environment, using the Tuscany Region Spatial Information Database and georeferenced orthophotos acquired from drone field surveys. Through the spatial analyses, it was possible to identify the distribution of the terraced system concerning parameters such as slope, altitude, aspect, distance from road networks and land fragmentation, providing a key to understanding how these parameters may influence the causes of conservation or abandonment of these fragile landscapes. Analyses of the terraced areas showed that the prevalent slopes are between 10 and 30% and that the altitude is variable depending on the island but predominantly between 0 and 200 m. Exposure was found to be the most heterogeneous parameter, and a strong relationship emerged between the functional abandonment of agricultural terraced areas and the distance from road networks. Furthermore, the land register analysis revealed a high degree of land fragmentation, which complicates the management and conservation of terraced systems. Full article

The construction of ecological networks and the optimization of ecological spatial layouts are essential for maintaining regional ecological security and promoting sustainable development, especially in high-population-density urban agglomerations. This study employs the Central Plains Urban Agglomeration (CPUA) as a case study to establish an ecological network through a quantitative assessments of land use/cover change (LUCC) and ecosystem service value (ESV), utilizing the morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) methods and tools such as Linkage Mapper to further optimize ecological spatial layouts. The findings reveal the following: (1) The land use structure within the CPUA experienced notable shifts. The magnitude of land use changes ranked as follows: construction land > cultivated land > grassland > waterbody > forest > bare land. (2) The southwestern mountainous and hilly regions, designated as high ESV areas, primarily rely on water conservation and soil retention functions. In contrast, the central and western regions, characterized by low ESVs, are dominated by construction land and cultivated land, and are significantly influenced by urbanization and agricultural activities. (3) An ecological network system was developed based on the region’s natural geographic features, incorporating 20 ecological sources covering approximately 21,434.70 km², and 36 ecological corridors with a combined length of around 2795.19 km. This network extends in a north–south direction through the central and western parts of the CPUA. (4) Considering the spatial changes in land use/cover and ESVs, an optimized ecological spatial layout of “five belts, six zones, multiple clusters, and corridors” was proposed, along with differentiated restoration strategies tailored to address specific ecological issues in different regions. This study aims to harmonize regional ecological protection with economic development, providing a scientific foundation and valuable reference for ecological conservation and sustainable spatial planning policies. Full article

The implementation of scientific cultivation practices on soda saline–alkali land plays a pivotal role in safeguarding food security and promoting sustainable agro-economic development at the regional scale. However, there exists a critical knowledge gap regarding the optimization of tillage strategies for rain-fed maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation across heterogeneous saline–alkali soil matrices. This study selected meadow alkaline soil, saline meadow soil, and mild saline–alkali soil under the typical micro-landscape morphological characteristics of soda saline–alkali soil in the Songnen Plain as experimental plots. Under three tillage methods, namely no tillage (NT), rotary tillage + no tillage (RT), and subsoiling + rotary tillage + no tillage (SRT), the effects of the tillage methods on the soil physical properties at the seedling stage, root development at the V6 stage, and yield at the R6 stage during the process of cultivating maize in different types of soils were analyzed. The research results showed that compared with NT and RT, the SRT treatment better improved the physical properties, such as penetration resistance and the bulk density in micro-spaces (0–40 cm), of different soil types. The SRT treatment had a positive impact on the root development of maize seedlings in saline meadow soil and meadow alkaline soil. In terms of yield, compared with the NT treatment, the SRT treatment in meadow alkaline soil and saline meadow soil had a positive effect on the plant height, root dry weight, 1000–grain weight, and grain yield of maize. The increases in maize grain yield were 27.94% and 13.24%, respectively. Compared with NT, the differences in the effects of the SRT and RT treatments on maize yield in mild saline-alkali soil were the smallest, being 6.98% and 4.77%, respectively. The relevant results provide guidance on tillage methods and a theoretical basis for improving the properties of different types of soda saline–alkali soils and increasing maize yield. Full article

The increasing demand for food and energy presents challenges for agricultural and energy sustainability, especially in regions with limited arable land. This study analyzed the productivity and morphological adaptations of Phaseolus vulgaris L. in agrivoltaic systems using monofacial, bifacial, and semi-transparent photovoltaic technologies under the high Andean climatic conditions of Chachapoyas, Amazonas, Peru. The evaluated varieties, Panamito and Chaucha, were cultivated with planting distances of 25 cm and 35 cm. The analyzed variables included plant height, number of trifoliate leaves, number of flowers, number and weight of pods, grain weight, and yield. The experiment was designed with plots under agrivoltaic systems and a conventional system as a control. Environmental parameters such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), irradiance, precipitation, leaf moisture, soil moisture, and ambient temperature were monitored. Results showed that the bifacial system with a planting density of 25 cm was the most efficient, recording a plant height of 139.38 cm, an average grain weight of 67.97 g, and a yield of 700.5 kg/ha, significantly surpassing the conventional system. These findings shows the potential of agrivoltaic systems to enhance agricultural production by efficiently utilizing solar radiation and land, providing an innovative solution for integrating agriculture and energy generation, as well as increasing productivity in scenarios with land-use competition and climatic challenges. Full article

Low-salinity conditions are generally used in land-based cultivation to promote the germination and growth of Zostera marina L. and to improve the restoration effect of seagrass beds. Different salinity conditions lead to morphological and physiological differences. To investigate the impacts of salinity and osmotic pressure on the germination and early development of Zostera marina seeds, this study utilized seawater with different salinity conditions and PEG-6000 solutions to simulate various non-ionic osmotic pressures and examine the germination, cotyledon growth, and leaf differentiation over 28 days, as well as determine the biochemical traits on days 1, 3, 5, and 7. The results show that the cumulative germination rate in LS-0 was 91.6%, but it was not significantly affected by the PEG solutions. The different salinities (5, 10, and 15) had no significant effect on the germination rate, which ranged from 76.4% to 78.8%: low salinity and low osmotic pressure stimulated the germination by accelerating the water uptake through increased osmotic pressure differences. The leaf differentiation was regulated by the osmotic pressure and salinity. In LS-10, the most used condition, the leaf differentiation rate was 35.2%, while PEG-10 displayed 6.4%. The total soluble sugar and soluble protein in the seeds decreased. Antioxidant enzyme activities were activated under low-salinity conditions, which supported germination within a tolerable oxidative stress range. Full article

To ensure the sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources, it is essential to quantify and map the characteristics of construction land and cultivated land and analyze the mechanisms by which construction land expansion affects cultivated land. However, few studies have been conducted focusing on this issue. This study integrated morphological spatial pattern analysis, spillover effect analysis, landscape pattern analysis, and a land use transition monitoring method to investigate the characteristics of construction land expansion and cultivated land fragmentation. Fuqing City of China was selected as the case study area for demonstration. The results demonstrated that the expansion of construction land resulted in fragmented patterns within the cultivated land landscape: (1) The large core area of cultivated land was subdivided into smaller core areas during 2000–2020, while the construction land exhibited a tendency towards aggregation and a spillover effect; (2) The expansion rate of the construction land in the study area accelerated, while the extent of the cultivated land decreased; (3) Cultivated land fragmentation intensified as landscape aggregation weakened, leading to an expansion in the agglomeration of construction land. The highlights of this study are: (1) examining the characteristics of construction land expansion and cultivated land fragmentation from morphological and geospatial perspectives; (2) categorizing the core areas of cultivated land based on their size to facilitate the analysis of factors contributing to cultivated land fragmentation. The findings in this study can be used to develop models to predict future patterns of cultivated and construction land to provide suggestions for landscape planning. Full article

The genus Ziziphus includes numerous species, both cultivated and wild, offering significant genetic variability and economic potential that are often overlooked. Due to their high variability and ecological plasticity, jujube species and genotypes can be utilized in marginal areas and on land where few plants could be efficiently exploited. This study investigated variations in morphological characteristics (qualitative and quantitative), bioactive content (e.g., DPPH radicals), and antioxidant capacity in fruits, leaves, and stones of cultivated Z. jujuba genotypes (‘Hu Ping Zao’ and ‘Jun Zao’) and wild genotypes (Z. acido-jujuba and ‘Jurilovca’), using different solvents (water, ethanol, and methanol). The mass and dimensions of the fruits as well as their parameters (fresh and dry weight, length, width, and pulp-to-stone ratio) and the antioxidant potential of different plant organ types (leaves, fruit pulps, and stones) were determined. The results showed that the cultivated genotypes produced larger and heavier fruits with a higher pulp percentage than the wild forms of the same species. However, the wild forms exhibited higher antioxidant capacities than the cultivated genotypes, depending on the type of plant organ analyzed and the solvent used for extraction. Full article

Terraces are an important form of surface modification, and their spatial distribution data are of utmost importance for ensuring food and water security. However, the extraction of terrace patches faces challenges due to the complexity of the terrain and limitations in remote sensing (RS) data. Therefore, there is an urgent need for advanced technology models that can accurately extract terraces. High-resolution RS data allows for detailed characterization of terraces by capturing more precise surface features. Moreover, leveraging deep learning (DL) models with local adaptive improvements can further enhance the accuracy of interpretation by exploring latent information. In this study, we employed five models: ResU-Net, U-Net++, RVTransUNet, XDeepLabV3+, and ResPSPNet as DL models to extract fine patch terraces from GF-2 images. We then integrated morphological, textural, and spectral features to optimize the extraction process by addressing issues related to low adhesion and edge segmentation performance. The model structure and loss function were adjusted accordingly to achieve high-quality terrace mapping results. Finally, we utilized multi-source RS data along with terrain elements for correction and optimization to generate a 1 m resolution terrace distribution map in the Zuli River Basin (TDZRB). Evaluation results after correction demonstrate that our approach achieved an OA, F1-Score, and MIoU of 96.67%, 93.94%, and 89.37%, respectively. The total area of terraces in the Zuli River Basin was calculated at 2557 ± 117.96 km² using EM with our model methodology; this accounts for approximately 41.74% ± 1.93% of the cultivated land area within the Zuli River Basin. Therefore, obtaining accurate information on patch terrace distribution serves as essential foundational data for terrace ecosystem research and government decision-making. Full article

Proximal sensing has become increasingly popular due to developments in soil observation technologies and the demands of timely information gathering through contemporary methods. By utilizing the morphological, physical, and chemical characteristics of representative pedogenetic profiles established in various soils of the Sohag governorate, Egypt, the current research addresses the characterization of surface reflectance spectra and links them with the corresponding soil classification. Three primary areas were identified: recently cultivated, old cultivated, and bare soils. For morphological analysis, a total of 25 soil profiles were chosen and made visible. In the dark room, an ASD Fieldspec portable spectroradiometer (350–2500 nm) was used to measure the spectrum. Based on how similar their surface spectra were, related soils were categorized. Ward’s method served as the basis for the grouping. Despite the fact that the VIS–NIR spectra of the surface soils from various land uses have a similar reflectance shape, it is still possible to compare the soil reflectance curves and the effects of the surface soils. As a result, three groups of soil curves representing various land uses were observed. Cluster analysis was performed on the reflectance data in four ranges (350–750, 751–1150, 1151–1850, and 1851–2500 nm). The groups derived from the soil surface ranges of 350–750 nm and 751–1150 nm were not the same as those derived from the ranges of 1151–1850 nm and 1851–2500 nm. The last two categories are strikingly comparable to various land uses with marginally similar features. Based on the ranges of 1151–1850 nm and 1851–2500 nm in surface spectral data, the dendrogram effectively separated and combined the profiles into two separate clusters. These clusters matched different land uses exactly. The results can be used to promote the widespread usage of in situ hyperspectral data sets for the investigation of various soil characteristics. Full article