Search Results (27)

Non-urbanized areas (NUAs), including residual urban green areas, urban parks, agricultural, natural and semi-natural areas, are a fundamental part of the green infrastructure. They are essential in sustaining life and future development, providing a series of ecosystem services (ESs) vital to human society. However, the rapid expansion of urban areas has led to a significant reduction in green spaces. Land-take, reducing available land resources, impacts ecosystem functionality, making it crucial to preserve high-quality territories and the relative ESs provided. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate the reduction in ESs due to the land-take having occurred in the last 20 years in the Province of Monza–Brianza, the Italian province with the highest land-take. To achieve this goal, authors used the official data of land use/cover of the Lombardy Region, with three time thresholds (T0: 1999–2003, T1: 2012–2013, T2: 2021) and applied a methodology for ESs assessment originally developed for the municipal level, adapting it to the provincial scale. The study analyzes trends in land-take and land-use changes and assesses how these changes have led to variations in ES provision. The approach involves calculating multiple indices reflecting different ESs provided by NUAs: provisioning ESs coming from agriculture, regulating ESs provided by natural resources, cultural ESs provided by landscape. Findings reveal that urban expansion has decreased provisioning ESs coming from agriculture, while ESs provided by landscape and natural resources have remained stable or improved, respectively. The natural quality index has improved due to conservation policies, despite the high land-take recorded. Anyway, although regional policies have mitigated some negative effects, the overall reduction in green spaces remains a critical issue. Full article

The use of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model driven by China Meteorological Assimilation Driving Datasets (CMADS) for runoff simulation research is of great significance for regional flood prevention and control. Therefore, from the perspective of production-living-ecological space, this article combined multi-source data such as DEM, soil texture and land use type, in order to construct scenarios of territorial spatial change (TSC) across distinct periods. Based on the CMADS-L40 data and the SWAT model, it simulated the runoff dynamics in the Xitiaoxi River Basin, and analyzed the hydrological response characteristics under different TSCs. The results showed that The SWAT model, driven by CMADS-L40 data, demonstrated robust performance in monthly runoff simulation. The coefficient of determination (R²), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE), and the absolute value of percentage bias (|PBIAS|) during the calibration and validation period all met the accuracy requirements of the model, which validated the applicability of CMADS-L40 data and the SWAT model for runoff simulation at the watershed scale. Changes in territorial spatial patterns are closely correlated with runoff variation. Changes in agricultural production space and forest ecological space show statistically significant negative correlation with runoff change, while industrial production space change exhibits a significant positive correlation with runoff change. The expansion of production space, particularly industrial production space, leads to increased runoff, whereas the enlargement of agricultural production space and forest ecological space can reduce runoff. This article contributes to highlighting the role of land use policy in hydrological regulation, providing a scientific basis for optimizing territorial spatial planning to mitigate flood risks and protect water resources. Full article

The Eastern Huang–Huai region of China is a representative mining area with a high groundwater level. High-intensity underground mining activities have not only induced land cover and land use changes (LUCC) but also significantly changed the watershed hydrological behavior. This study integrated the land use prediction model PLUS and the hydrological simulation model MIKE 21. Taking the Bahe River Watershed in Huaibei City, China, as an example, it simulated the hydrological response trends of the watershed in 2037 under different land use scenarios. The results demonstrate the following: (1) The land use predictions for each scenario exhibit significant variation. In the maximum subsidence scenario, the expansion of water areas is most pronounced. In the planning scenario, the increase in construction land is notable. Across all scenarios, the area of cultivated land decreases. (2) In the maximum subsidence scenario, the area of high-intensity waterlogging is the greatest, accounting for 31.35% of the total area of the watershed; in the planning scenario, the proportion of high-intensity waterlogged is the least, at 19.10%. (3) In the maximum subsidence scenario, owing to the water storage effect of the subsidence depression, the flood peak is conspicuously delayed and attains the maximum value of 192.3 m³/s. In the planning scenario, the land reclamation rate and ecological restoration rate of subsidence area are the highest, while the regional water storage capacity is the lowest. As a result, the total cumulative runoff is the greatest, and the peak flood value is reduced. The influence of different degrees of subsidence on the watershed hydrological behavior varies, and the coal mining subsidence area has the potential to regulate and store runoff and perform hydrological regulation. The results reveal the mechanism through which different land use scenarios influence hydrological processes, which provides a scientific basis for the territorial space planning and sustainable development of coal mining subsidence areas. Full article

This study analyses how the intensive use of short-term rentals (STRs) in the tourism sector contributes to the transformation and touristification of rural areas in mature tourist destinations, using the island of Mallorca, Spain, as a case study. Based on growth machine theory, the analysis innovatively examines the factors driving the expansion of STRs in rural spaces, with a focus on economic, social, and territorial dynamics. The research hypothesis is that the proliferation of STRs acts as a key element in rural touristification. Using a combination of spatial and temporal indicators, the study identifies patterns of intensification and dispersion of STRs in rural areas, offering a comparison with other Mediterranean destinations, particularly in Spain. The results show that STRs have generated significant spatial impacts, leading to the displacement of agricultural land use and increasing tensions within local communities, mainly due to rising housing prices. The study highlights the need to implement spatial planning policies that restrain the uncontrolled expansion of STRs, ensure sustainable tourism planning, and promote housing policies that protect residents from the negative effects of touristification. Various scenarios for the evolution of STRs are proposed depending on their regulation. Full article

Territorial space (TS) is multifunctional, and exploring the relationships between functions and their influencing factors is key to achieving sustainable development of territorial space. However, existing research mostly focuses on the exploration of administrative units, while the exploration of grid units needs to be improved. This paper takes the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone (BGEZ) in Guangxi as the research object, evaluates the “Production–Living–Ecological” Functions (PLEFs) of territorial space using the land category scoring method and summarizes the evolution characteristics of its spatial pattern. It analyzes the dominant and combined functions of territorial space using the revealed comparative advantage index, explores the relationships between various functions by introducing a coupling coordination degree model, and comprehensively uses Geodetector and Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression (GTWR) models to analyze the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of influencing factors on the coupling coordination degree of functions. The results indicate that at the grid scale (1) regional territorial space is dominated by ecological space, followed by production space, with living space accounting for the smallest proportion. Production space and ecological space has decreased, while living space has increased, with production and ecological spaces mostly flowing into living space. (2) The spatial distribution of production and ecological functions is relatively homogeneous, while the spatial differentiation of living functions is most significant. The grid can be divided into three function-dominant types and six function-combination types. (3) Living function is primarily disordered with production and ecological functions, while production–ecological function is mainly coordinated. (4) Policy regulation is a key factor affecting the degree of functional coordination, and the degree and scope of influence of each factor show significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity. This study reveals the functional relationships and the mechanisms of temporal and spatial evolution of TS at the grid scale, providing a scientific basis for the efficient and sustainable use of TS. Full article

Imported, non-native honey bees and bumble bees threaten native pollinators by spreading pathogens (disease and parasites) and outcompeting native pollinators for nectar and pollen. We reviewed Canadian federal, provincial/territorial, and municipal legislation to find governance requirements that potentially reduce these threats. We classified the requirements as follows: tracking the number and location of honey bee hives (registry); controlling the spread of pathogens (registry with inspections, quarantines, and cleaning regimes); controlling the competition with native pollinators (limiting shared use of space); and making regulations applicable to all domesticated bees in addition to honey bees. Policies and regulations to control the competition from honey bees are generally lacking. So, we propose the concept of “foraging leases” to manage the location and duration of honey bee apiaries on public lands. Based on the identified requirements, we recommend amendments to the legislation in Yukon Territory, a jurisdiction that still has healthy native pollinator communities that pollinate various human food and medicine crops. Recommendations include tracking hives and their pathogen status with beekeeping regulations enabled by the Animal Health Act, controlling the use of imported bumble bees with changes to the Animal Protection and Control Act and/or the Wildlife Act, and restricting use of public lands for apiaries with the Public Lands Act. Full article

The conflict between socio-economic development and ecological protection is prominent, as the practice framework for territorial spatial planning and the rational layout and function coordination of production–life–ecological (PLE) spaces are crucial for achieving regional sustainable development. However, the dynamic evolution of PLE structure and function, as well as the driving mechanisms for the sustainable development of PLE, are still understudied. Therefore, this study takes the Ji-shaped bend Energy-Rich Area (ERA) of the Yellow River basin as a case study, classifies the PLE spaces based on land use data, and develops a PLE function indicator system consistent with the regional characteristics of an ERA. This paper characterizes PLE from both structure and function perspectives and explores the coupling and coordinated degree (CCD) among PLE functions and their driving factors. The results show the following: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the area of living space increased by 35.86%, while areas of production and ecological space decreased by 2.10% and 0.08%, respectively. (2) The PLE function increased, with the production function performing better in the typical ERA and the ecological function performing well in the atypical ERA. (3) From 2000 to 2020, the CCD of the PLE function increased by 24.85%, with atypical ERA demonstrating a higher CCD than typical ERA. (4) Factors in production function had the most significant impact on the CCD of PLE function, followed by living drivers. These results provide valuable insights and guidance for regulating PLE and promoting sustainable development. Full article

The regulation of land use within territorial spaces has, to some extent, inhibited the free flow of land resources, giving rise to the dilemma of substantial losses and profits within and outside regulated areas. Investigating how to allocate “windfall profits” to compensate the regions that suffer windfall losses is of great importance for addressing regional development imbalances. This study, based on the perspective of restricted land development rights, employed an improved Cobb–Douglas (C-D) production function to analyze the differences in land input contributions between the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. It quantified the extent of restricted land development rights, assessed their value using the opportunity cost method, and applied an economic adjustment coefficient to revise the regional fiscal transfer amounts. The results indicate the following: (1) The contribution of land factors to economic output is more significant in the non-agricultural sector than in the agricultural sector. (2) There are substantial differences in the quantities of restricted land development rights and their unit values across provinces and cities. Anhui Province has the largest restricted area, at approximately 71,945.52 hectares, while Guizhou Province has the smallest, at about 6452.62 hectares. Shanghai has the highest unit value, at around CNY 13.77 million per hectare, whereas Yunnan Province has the lowest, at approximately CNY 1.4748 million per hectare. (3) The total fiscal transfer amount for the provinces in the Yangtze River Economic Belt is about CNY 23.4 billion. Anhui Province receives the most compensation, at approximately CNY 8.5 billion, while Jiangsu Province has the highest expenditure, at about CNY 19.8 billion. Currently, the state should establish a comprehensive regional fiscal transfer compensation mechanism that takes into account the fiscal payment capacities of “windfall profit regions” and the incentive effects on “windfall loss regions” when determining fiscal transfer amounts. This approach aims to alleviate potential fiscal payment resistance in “windfall profit regions” and enhance proactive protection efforts in “windfall loss regions”, thereby achieving the coordinated development of economic growth, ecological improvement, and food security. Full article

Intensifying anthropogenic disturbances have caused water pollution in China in recent decades. China has a vast territory with diverse climate conditions, land use types, and human activities, leading to significant water quality variability. However, few studies have investigated nationwide spatiotemporal patterns of key water quality parameters. In this study, we analyze monthly water quality observations from 3647 gauge stations to understand how water quality changes over time and space in China. We group the stations by water resource regions and adopt Python and SPSS to analyze the spatiotemporal variability and intercorrelations of eight water quality parameters. Results indicate that the concentrations of biochemical oxygen demand of 5 days (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), dissolved oxygen (DO), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) show similar spatial patterns, with higher concentrations in the northern parts than the southern regions of China. The concentrations of COD and TP are higher in the rainy season than in the dry season, while DO, NH3-N, and TN show the opposite seasonal patterns. Strong positive correlations were found between BOD and COD, NH3-N and TP. The annual cumulative distribution figures demonstrate that all parameters showed slightly lower concentrations in 2022 and 2023 than in 2021, except for DO and TN. The TN/TP ratios across different water resource regions in China are significantly higher than 16, indicating that phosphorus is the limiting factor of eutrophication. This investigation provides a comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal variability of water quality parameters across China. The results of this study are highly valuable for investigating mechanisms regulating water quality across large spatial scales, thus providing valuable implications for improving water quality and mitigating water pollution. Full article

The functional structure of territorial space is an important factor for analyzing the interaction between humans and nature. However, the classification of remote sensing images struggles to distinguish between multiple functions provided by the same land use type. Therefore, we propose a framework to combine multi-source data for the recognition of dominant functions at the block level. Taking the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) as a case study, its block-level ‘production–living–ecology’ functions were interpreted. The whole GBA was first divided into different blocks and its total, average, and proportional functional intensities were then calculated. Each block was labeled as a functional type considering the attributes of human activity and social information. The results show that the combination of land use/cover data, point of interest identification, and open street maps can efficiently separate the multiple and mixed functions of the same land use types. There is a great difference in the dominant functions of the cities in the GBA, and the spatial heterogeneity of their mixed functions is closely related to the development of their land resources and socio-economy. This provides a new perspective for recognizing the spatial structure of territorial space and can give important data for regulating and optimizing landscape patterns during sustainable development. Full article

The carbon storage of terrestrial ecosystems plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change, and the transformation of territorial space has a significant impact on the carbon cycle of a country’s terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, evaluating the impact of space transformation on carbon storage is essential for enhancing regional carbon storage potential and reducing carbon emissions. We use the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model to analyze the dynamic changes in territorial spatial transformation and carbon storage from 2000 to 2020 in Suqian, as well as their relationship. On this basis, the optimization strategy and specific path for improving territorial space carbon storage capacity were determined. The results show the following: that (1) from 2000 to 2020, territorial spatial transformation in Suqian was dramatic, with the most significant changes occurring between 2005 and 2010. The scale of mutual transformation between agricultural production space and urban–rural construction space was the largest. (2) Carbon storage gradually decreased in Suqian City, with a total reduction of 1.23 × 10⁶ tons over 20 years and an annual decrease of 1.46%. The carbon density of forested space was significantly higher than that of other spaces. The conversion of agricultural production space and forestland space to urban–rural construction space was the main factor driving a decrease in carbon storage. (3) Territorial spatial transformation is a spatial manifestation of the evolution of human–land relationships. Regulating the function, scale, structure and layout of territorial space as a whole and implementing differentiated management of specific space will be beneficial to optimize carbon storage in Suqian. Full article

Today’s global challenges are increasingly complex, and forecast scenarios show a general increase in risks that could compromise human permanence in some areas of the planet. In this context, cities have a key role, both because they concentrate an increasing number of inhabitants and because they will be among the first areas to feel these effects. As pointed out by the IPCC, addressing these challenges requires a redefinition of the organization of urban spaces by assigning, more or less explicitly, a key role to spatial planning. Urban and territorial planning may be the main tool in the regulation of transformation processes. Planning has a crucial role, especially if territorial transformations are no longer mainly linked to expansive logics. In this case, it is possible to orient urban choices and policies towards a sustainable use of resources, including land resources that continue to be overexploited. Starting from these assumptions, the present work intends to analyze the relationship between the LST (Land Surface Temperature) extracted from the data provided by MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) and the level of soil sealing within the municipality of Ferrara in northern Italy. The reference period is between 2015 and 2021. The objective is dual. The first is investigating how the environmental matrix can influence the temperature values detected; the second is investigating how the implementation of transformative forecasts provided by the urban planning tool in force, could influence the thermal comfort of the study area. Full article

Territory space is an ecological resource carrier and place for human development. Human activities and ecological systems are the basis of ecological product supply. Promoting territories’ spatial protection and governance by improving the supply of ecological products is very important. In this study, we established an ecological product supply capacity evaluation index system involving three types of ecological products, i.e., ecological environmental products, ecological material products, and ecological cultural products. For the case of the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, we comprehensively used principal component analysis, the equivalent factor method, and the entropy method to evaluate the supply capacity of ecological products from 2011 to 2021. Then, we analyzed the spatio-temporal pattern, combining the natural breakpoint and quantile classification methods, and analyzed the obstacle factors using the obstacle degree model of ecological supply. The results show that the supply capacity of different ecological products in each city are closely related to their ecological resource endowment. The supply capacity of ecological products exhibited an upward trend, with the highest ecological environmental product supply being relatively smaller than the ecological material product supply, while the largest growth rate was for ecological cultural product supply. The supply capacity of different ecological products varied across cities over time and displayed noticeable spatial differentiation. The main obstacle factors included eco-land, eco-tourism, eco-leisure, park green space, and fishery products, although there were variations among cities. Finally, based on the level, spatial-temporal pattern, and obstacle factors of ecological product supply, we proposed strategies for territory spatial protection and governance from the perspectives of the integrated protection of elements, structural regulation, and systematic governance. The results reflected the ecological functional heterogeneity of the territory space, which can provide spatial planning guidance for sustainable development. Full article

The conservation of environmental resources is aimed at ensuring the continuity of ecosystem services for future generations and maintaining ecosystem integrity. Given the extensive reliance of agriculture on the environment, it is crucial to identify factors that impact the quality of ecosystem services (ESs), which can be regulated at large and heterogeneous national or European scales. This research, conducted within the Polish use case of the AGRICORE project, aims to demonstrate the feasibility of establishing indicators depicted in three ES categories, which can be shaped under the actions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The study was conducted based on national sources, mostly the database of the Central Statistical Office. The analyses of regression showed a significant impact of selected agricultural productivity factors on the key performance indicators (KPIs) assessing the level of selected ESs. The yield of cereal grains, which quantitatively expresses the potential of current crop production, depended to the greatest extent (r = 0.81) on a comprehensive indicator of the agricultural production space suitability, as well as on the rise of the level of nitrogen fertilization (r = 0.68), and also on the reduced share of permanent grassland in the agricultural area (r = −0.53). It was proved that in territorial units, in which the level of nitrogen fertilization per 1 ha was greater, the share of soils with favorable pH > 5.5 was also greater. The gross nitrogen balance had a positive and significant correlation with the level of investment subsidies (r = 0.86), the share of agricultural land in the total area (r = 0.67), and the level of nitrogen fertilization (r = 0.66). Notably, there were positive correlations between the level of environmental subsidies and the increase in forestation (r = 0.68) and also between air quality and the share of cereals in the sowing structure (r = 0.86). Additionally, the impact of agricultural productivity factors on cultural eco-services was found, e.g., the share of ecological land had a positive impact on the number of natural monuments, the area of nature reserves, the number of agritourists, and agritourism nights, while the share of cereals in the sowing structure negatively correlated with the most of analyzed cultural indicators. These results are useful for the development of a module for the ABM model that employs the desired environmental parameters to provide different assessments of the impact of selected agricultural productivity factors and ecosystem services on the economic farm status. Full article

Spatial planning is a public policy arrangement for land use allocation and spatial structure regulation. As a method used by the public sector to influence the spatial distribution of future activities, spatial planning has become an important method and basis for the Chinese government to perform its duties. In the process of its long-term development, China has formed a unique spatial planning system. Based on the perspective of evolution and comparison, this paper systematically reviews the evolution of China’s spatial planning system from “multi-plan division” to “multi-plan integration” under the inheritance of departments. The findings are as follows. ① China’s spatial planning has long presented a pattern of separate management by multiple departments, such as development and reform, construction, land, and environmental protection. The emergence and development of various types of planning is a necessary spatial governance tool for specific national conditions and major issues of land space development and protection in China. ② In the evolution process of more than half a century, the planning of various departments has gradually established, inherited, and continuously changed their own planning systems and control content; thus, China’s spatial planning has undergone a process of “planning absence–planning division–planning integration”. ③ The brand-new territorial spatial plan inherits the “three types” of control space, including land utilization master planning, urban and rural master planning, and ecological environment planning, and forms a set of binding index systems, which have become the decision-making basis for the current territorial space resource allocation. ④ In the future, China’s spatial planning system should be further optimized and improved in aspects such as the coordination mechanism of “soft” and “hard” spatial planning, the spatial resource allocation system that places equal emphasis on legality and efficiency, and the spatial layout system from “major function-oriented zoning” to “space use zoning”. Insight into the evolution of China’s spatial planning system can provide historical and logical support for the improvement of China’s spatial governance thinking and the continuous improvement of the efficiency of land space resource allocation in the future and provide a certain reference value for the comparative study of the planning systems of different countries in the world. Full article