Search Results (4,626)

Drastic cropland expansion and its internal structural changes have had an obvious impact on agricultural landscapes and ecosystem services. However, a prolonged investigation of this effect is still lacking in China’s grain-producing bases, such as Sanjiang Plain. To address this issue, half a century of study on the ‘land trajectory migration–landscape evolution–ecological effect,’ covering the period 1970–2020, was elucidated using the synergistic methodology of spatial analysis technology, the reclamation rate algorithm, the landscape indicator, and the newly established ecosystem service improvement model. Satellite observation results indicate that the cropland area exhibited a substantial expansion trend from 23,672.69 km² to 42,856.17 km² from 1970 to 2020, representing a net change of +19,183.48 km² and a huge growth rate of 81.04%, which led to an obvious improvement in the level of agricultural cultivation. Concurrently, the internal structure of the cropland underwent dramatic restructuring, with rice fields increasing from 6.46% to 53.54%, while upland fields decreased from 93.54% to 46.46%. In different regions, spatially heterogeneous improvements of 2.64–52.47% in agricultural cultivation levels across all cities were observed. From 1970 to 2020, the tracked cropland center of gravity trajectories exhibited a distinct biphasic pattern, initially shifting westward and then followed by a southward transition, accumulating a displacement of 19.39 km². As for the evolved agricultural landscapes, their integrity has improved (SHDI = −0.08%), accompanied by increased connectivity (CON = +8.82%) and patch edge integrity (LSI = −15.71%) but also by reduced fragmentation (PD = −48.14%). Another important discovery was that the evaluated ecosystem services continuously decreased from 2337.84 × 10⁸ CNY in 1970 to 1654.01 × 10⁸ CNY in 2020, a net loss of −683.84 × 10⁸ CNY and a huge loss rate of 33.65%, accompanied by a center–periphery gradient pattern whereby degradation propagated from the low-value central croplands to the high-value surrounding natural covers. These discoveries will play a significant role in guiding farmland structure reformation, landscape optimization, and ecosystem service improvement. Full article

Under the dual pressures of global climate change and accelerating urbanization, landscape design has been tasked with the critical mission of enhancing urban environmental resilience and ecological livability. However, conventional design practices often struggle to efficiently integrate complex sustainability norms with aesthetic creativity, leading to a disconnect between form and function. To address this issue, this study proposes and validates an AI-enabled sustainability decision-support framework. The framework is based on a “Generative-Critical” multi-agent workflow that enables “Self-Correcting” iterative optimization of design schemes through a built-in expert knowledge base and a quantitative scorecard. The framework’s effectiveness was validated through a cultural park case study and a blind evaluation by 10 experts. It guided a design from an initial concept with only aesthetic forms and lacking effective stormwater management, to an ecologically integrated scheme that strategically incorporated bioretention ponds at key nodes and converted hard plazas into permeable pavements. This transformation significantly elevated the scheme’s sustainability score from 59.3 to 88.0 (p < 0.001), while the framework itself achieved a high system usability scale (SUS) score of 85.5. These results confirm that the proposed “Generative-Critical” mechanism can effectively guide AIGC to adhere to ecological-technical norms and constraints while pursuing aesthetic innovation, thereby achieving a scientific integration of aesthetic form and ecological function at the early conceptual design stage. This study offers a scalable methodology for AI-assisted sustainable design and provides a novel intelligent tool for creating resilient urban landscapes that possess both environmental performance and aesthetic value. Full article

The architecture of spas and recreational complexes is increasingly being analyzed not only through the prism of its formal diversity but also through its functional, technical, and esthetic responses to evolving societal expectations. This article descriptively examines the context of evolving user needs and select examples representing new architectural forms integrated into the landscape, responding to the growing demand for beauty (understood subjectively), experiences, and emotional value in 21st-century tourism and recreation. The most diverse and characteristic examples were selected and described in order to maintain a broad context of analysis and illustrate contemporary changes as faithfully as possible. The descriptive approach enables a systematic and comprehensive representation of phenomena, identifying recurring patterns, spatial trends, and contextual relationships. Rather than being limited to numerical data, it provides a structured analytical framework that supports the objective documentation of architectural and urban processes. The aim of this study is to systematize selected design trends that reflect contemporary cultural aspirations and environmental concerns, and to illustrate the evolving relationship between architecture, nature, and users. The results indicate a consistent shift toward landscape-integrated, experiential, and esthetically driven architectural solutions, demonstrating that contemporary tourism facilities increasingly prioritize atmosphere, immersion in nature, and sensory engagement over traditional utilitarian design. This study concludes that beauty, understood as subjective esthetic experience, has become a key determinant in shaping new architectural forms, reinforcing the role of architecture as both a cultural expression and a tool for enhancing well-being in tourism and leisure environments. Full article

Recognizing the evolution of landscape patterns in the Chishui River source region is essential for protecting ecosystems and sustainable growth in the Yangtze River Basin and other similar areas. However, knowledge of landscape pattern evolution within the primary channel zone remains insufficient. To address this gap, the current study used 2000–2020 land-use, geography, and socio-economic data, integrating landscape pattern indices, land-use transfer matrices, dynamic degree, the GeoDetector model, and the PLUS model. Results revealed that forest and cropland remained the prevailing land-use types throughout 2000–2020, comprising over 85% of the landscape. Grassland had the highest dynamic degree (1.58%), and landscape evolution during the study period was characterized by increased fragmentation, enhanced diversity, and stable dominance of major forms of land use. Anthropogenic influence on different landscape types followed the order: construction land > cropland > grassland > forest > water bodies. Land-use change in this region is a complex process governed by the interrelationships among various factors. Scenario-based predictions demonstrate pronounced variability in various land types. These findings provided a more comprehensive understanding of landscape patterns in karst river source regions, provided evidence-based support for regional planning, and offered guidance for ecological management of similar global river sources. Full article

The rapid economic and urban development in the Yellow River Delta Efficient Ecological Economic Zone (YRDEEZ) has intensified land use changes and aggravated ecological patch fragmentation. Constructing ecological networks (ENs) can reconnect fragmented patches and enhance ecosystem services. This study simulated land use patterns for 2040 under three scenarios: Natural Development (NDS), Ecological Protection (EPS), and Urban Development (UDS). Results indicated a consistent decline in agricultural land and an expansion of urban land across all scenarios, with the most pronounced urban growth under UDS (6.79%) and the largest ecological land area under EPS (5178.96 km²). Since 2000, the number of EN sources and corridors had decreased, with sources mainly concentrated along coastal areas. The source and corridor under UDS exhibited the highest area ratio (20.08%), while NDS showed the lowest (18.72%), with UDS demonstrating the strongest resilience. Through community detection, the UDS EN was divided into five ecological clusters, encompassing 127 intra-cluster corridors (2285.95 km) and 34 inter-cluster corridors (1171.32 km), among which the cluster near the Yellow River estuary was determined to be the most critical (Level 1). These findings will provide valuable insights for managing landscape fragmentation and biological habitat protection in YRDEEZ. Meanwhile, the multi-scenario simulations of ENs could play an important role in constructing ecological security patterns and protecting ecosystems. Full article

Ecological continuity cannot be limited to spatial surfaces and corridors without consideration of the day–night cycle. This integration is achieved through the implementation of dark infrastructure, a field that remains comparatively understudied. The present article proposes a methodological approach for implementing dark infrastructure within an urban forest near Liège (Belgium), where the ecological network has recently been characterised, but nocturnal landscape-specificities are not included. Several sources of information were combined, including satellite imagery, a point-light map and the existing ecological network. The research seeks to illustrate conflicts between ecological requirements and human activities, with particular emphasis on public, and private lighting. In the discussion, the paper identifies methodological limitations, characterises the nature of light pollution, and lists planning issues for the cohabitation of human activities and nocturnal species’ habitats. Full article

This paper explores the intersection of digital technologies, sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity conservation within the framework of the European Green Deal. The study investigates how intelligent agricultural practices—enabled by digital tools such as sensors, AI, and IoT—can enhance soil health and conserve agrobiodiversity. A systematic literature review was conducted to map out current research trajectories, identify the taxonomic focus areas in biodiversity monitoring, and assess the integration of digital tools. Results show a significant upward trend in publications linking digitalization and sustainability in agriculture. Findings highlight that pollinators and soil biota dominate monitoring focus, while technologies like remote sensing and AI show increasing adoption. The study concludes that intelligent agriculture offers a path toward ecological and economic resilience in rural landscapes, aligning with the EU’s green transition agenda. Full article

The rapid shrinkage of the climate-regulating cryosphere, driven by global warming and anthropogenic activities, underscores the urgency of understanding its impact on regional ecological vulnerability. This study develops a Sensitivity–Resilience–Pressure (SRP) model-based framework comprising 21 natural and socio-economic indicators, employs spatial autocorrelation and center of gravity migration to characterize spatiotemporal patterns in the Qilian Mountains region, and integrates Random Forests (RF) with Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) to identify key drivers. Results reveal a downward trend in the Ecological Vulnerability Index (EVI) from 2000 to 2020, with areas of very heavy vulnerability declining from 21.05% to 14.73%, indicating gradual ecological recovery. The study area exhibits moderate vulnerability, with the western region dominated by heavy and very heavy vulnerability, whereas the eastern region is characterized by potential and light vulnerability, indicating a high-west, low-east spatial pattern. A significant positive spatial autocorrelation is observed, revealing that areas with high vulnerability are highly clustered and primarily overlap with regions of high elevation and sparse vegetation. The RF–SHAP analysis demonstrates that natural factors dominate the EVI, with fractional vegetation cover, biological abundance, glacial meltwater volume, annual precipitation, and the landscape diversity index emerging as the main drivers, and the EVI changing sequentially as each indicator approaches its threshold: 0.16, 56.57, 2.23 mm, 400.73 mm, and 0.39. In conclusion, although ecological vulnerability in the Qilian Mountains has declined, future management strategies should leverage these threshold effects to implement precise, indicator-based monitoring and regulation. Full article

The Potocki family of the Pilawa coat of arms was among the most powerful noble lineages of the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and its history is closely intertwined with that of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine. In the late seventeenth century, Feliks Kazimierz Potocki (1630–1702) founded the town of Krystynopol (now Chervonohrad), named in honor of his wife, Krystyna Lubomirska. The residence, passed down through successive generations of the Potocki family, was transformed in the mid-eighteenth century into an impressive Baroque palace-and-garden complex designed by Pierre Ricaudde Tirregaille, becoming a model example of the magnate cultural landscape on the border of present-day Poland and Ukraine. In the centuries that followed, the estate changed owners multiple times, suffered devastation during the world wars, and in the Soviet period housed the Museum of Atheism. Today, the partially restored palace accommodates a small regional museum. Although in the eighteenth century the palace was surrounded by an extensive Italian-French style garden with water canals, ponds, and fountains, the area has since been built over with public-utility buildings. This study presents a concept for the development of the surviving elements of the historical palace park. The project is based on historical analyses, field research, site inspections, interviews with museum staff and town residents, as well as a detailed dendrological inventory including an assessment of tree health. The study area covers 4.71 ha, and the current tree stand is composed mainly of Salix alba, Populus nigra, Populus alba, Betula pendula, Quercus robur, Fraxinus excelsior, Ulmus laevis, Acer negundo, and Acer pseudoplatanus. Archival sources allowed for the reconstruction of the original layout of the palace-park complex. The aim of the project is therefore to introduce new representative, educational, recreational, social, ecological, and touristic functions to the currently neglected area while respecting its historical heritage. Full article

Urban expansion and its driving factors are frequently analyzed within administrative regions to inform regional urban planning, yet such analyses often fall short at the natural basin scale (referring to the spatial extent defined by hydrological drainage boundaries) due to the scarcity of statistical data. Geographic and socio-economic spatial data can offer more detailed information across various research scales compared to traditional data (such as administrative statistical data, survey-based data, etc.), providing a potential solution to this limitation. Thus, this study took the Indus Basin as an example to reveal its urban expansion patterns and driving mechanism based on natural–economic–social time-series (2000–2020) spatial data, landscape expansion index, and geographical detector model (GDM). Future urban expansion distribution under different scenarios was also projected using Cellular Automata and Markov model (CA-Markov). The results indicated the following: (1) The Indus River Basin experienced rapid urban expansion during 2000–2020 dominated by edge-expansion, with urban expansion intensity showing a continuous increase. (2) Between 2000 and 2010 as well as 2010 and 2020, the dominant factor influencing urban expansion shifted from altitude to population (Pop), while the strongest interacting factors shifted from fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) and altitude to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Pop. (3) Future urban expansion probably occupies substantial mountainous area under the normal scenario, while the expansion region shifts towards the central plains to protect more ecological zones under a sustainable development scenario. Findings in this study would deepen the understanding of urban expansion characteristics of the Indus Basin and benefit its future urban planning. Full article

Against the backdrop of rapid urbanization and land development, the degradation of regional ecosystem services and the intensification of ecological risks have become prominent challenges. This study takes the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt—a region characterized by the triple pressures of “large-scale engineering disturbance, karst ecological vulnerability, and port economic agglomeration”—as a case study. Based on remote sensing image data from 2000 to 2020, a landscape ecological risk index was constructed, and regional landscape ecological risk levels were assessed using ArcGIS spatial analysis tools. On this basis, ecological sources were identified by combining the InVEST model with morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA),and an ecological resistance surface was constructed by integrating factors such as land use type, elevation, slope, distance to roads, distance to water bodies, and NDVI. Furthermore, the circuit theory method was applied to identify ecological corridors, ecological pinch points, and barrier points, ultimately constructing the ecological security pattern of the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt. The main findings are as follows: (1) Ecological risks were primarily at low to medium levels, with high-risk areas concentrated in the southern coastal region. Over the past two decades, an overall optimization trend was observed, shifting from high risk to lower risk levels. (2) A total of 15 ecological sources (total area 1313.71 km²), 31 ecological corridors (total length 1632.42 km), 39 ecological pinch points, and 15 ecological barrier points were identified, clarifying the key spatial components of the ecological network. (3) Based on spatial analysis results, a zoning governance plan encompassing “ecological protected areas, improvement areas, restoration areas, and critical areas” along with targeted strategies was proposed, providing a scientific basis for ecological risk management and pattern optimization in the Pinglu Canal Economic Belt. Full article

Horse flies (Tabanidae) negatively affect livestock by reducing productivity, compromising animal welfare, and serving as mechanical vectors of pathogens. However, the spatial processes shaping their community organization in southern Brazil’s Coastal Plain of Rio Grande do Sul (CPRS) remain poorly understood. To address this, we conducted standardized Malaise-trap surveys and combined them with historical–contemporary comparisons to examine distance–decay patterns in community composition. We evaluated both abundance-based (Bray–Curtis) and presence–absence (Jaccard) dissimilarities using candidate models. Across sites, Tabanus triangulum emerged as the dominant species. Dissimilarity in community structure increased monotonically with geographic distance, with no evidence of abrupt thresholds. The square-root model provided the best fit for abundance-based data, whereas a linear model best described presence–absence patterns, reflecting dispersal limitation and environmental filtering across a heterogeneous coastal landscape. Sites within riparian forests and conservation units displayed higher diversity, emphasizing the ecological role of protected habitats and the importance of maintaining connected corridors. Collectively, these findings establish a process-based framework for surveillance and landscape management strategies to mitigate vector, host contact. Future directions include integrating remote sensing and host distribution, applying predictive validation across temporal scales. Full article

Forests are important biodiversity reservoirs and require sustainable management to prevent deforestation and forest degradation. Forest landscape restoration (FLR) has been proposed as a sustainable initiative aimed at restoring ecosystem functions and improving the well-being of surrounding populations. In 2005, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) initiated a project to protect 200 ha of savanna in Manzonzi landscape, Democratic Republic of Congo, on the outskirts of the Luki Biosphere Reserve. The biodiversity changes related to this ecological restoration project remain unpublished. To address this knowledge gap, floristic inventories of the protected Manzonzi landscape were carried out over a 12-year period and we assessed how changes in the floral composition of this landscape evolved and affected the provision of ecosystem services (ES). We found that protection of the savanna by banning recurring bush fires and fencing off the area promoted the richness and abundance of forest species, such as Xylopia aethiopica (Dunal) A. Rich, Albizia adianthifolia (Schumach.) W. Wight. These forest taxa replaced grassland species, such as Hymenocardia acida Tul. and Maprounea africana Müll. Arg., and served to benefit the local population, who use these forest taxa as food, fuelwood, and medicines. This study revealed that protected savanna improved woody biomass, plant diversity (richness/abundance), and carbon storage, significantly boosting essential ES for communities; yet these positive trends reversed when active monitoring ceased. Protecting savannas improves the environment and benefits communities, but stopping protection efforts can undo these gains, emphasizing the need for ongoing conservation. Full article

Land use/cover change (LUCC) is a dominant driver of ecosystem service dynamics in arid inland basins. Focusing on the Yarkant River Basin (YRB), Xinjiang, we coupled the PLUS land-use simulation with the InVEST Habitat Quality Model to project 2040 land-use patterns under four policy scenarios—Natural Development (ND), Arable Protection (AP), Ecological Protection (EP), and Economic Development (ED)—and to quantify their impact on habitat quality. Model validation against the 2020 map indicated strong agreement (Kappa = 0.792; FOM = 0.342), supporting scenario inference. From 1990 to 2023, arable land expanded by 58.17% and construction land by 121.64%, while forest land declined by 37.45%; these shifts corresponded to a basin-wide decline and increasing spatial heterogeneity of habitat quality. Scenario comparisons showed the EP pathway performed best, with 32.11% of the basin classified as very high-quality habitat and only 8.36% as very low-quality. In contrast, under ED, the combined share of very low + low quality reached 11.17%, alongside greater fragmentation. Spatially, high-quality habitat concentrates in forest and grassland zones of the middle–upper basin, whereas low-quality areas cluster along the oasis–desert transition and urban peripheries. Expansion of arable and construction land emerges as the primary driver of degradation. These results underscore the need to prioritize ecological-protection strategies especially improving habitat quality in oasis regions and strengthening landscape connectivity to support spatial planning and ecological security in dryland inland river basins. Full article

Marine fog is a key non-rainfall water source that sustains microbial activity and transports dissolved nutrients inland, influencing early soil development in hyperarid ecosystems. However, the mechanisms through which sustained fog inputs drive soil surface modification and biocrust formation remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the effects of long-term fog augmentation on soil surface development, biocrust dynamics, and associated microbial communities in the Atacama Desert. We implemented a four-year fog addition field experiment with three sampling times (T0, T24, T48) to assess changes in soil physicochemical properties, biocrust composition, and the integrated multi-diversity of archaea, bacteria, fungi and protist. Sustained fog input transformed bare soils into biological soil crusts, particularly lichen- and moss-dominated stages. This transition was accompanied by increases in soil nitrogen, variations in organic matter accumulation, a shift from alkaline to near-neutral pH, and improvements in soil stability and water retention. Multi-diversity increased over time and was positively associated with ecosystem variables linked to water availability, structural stabilization, and decomposition. These functions, integrated into an ecosystem multifunctionality index, also increased under prolonged fog input, revealing a positive relationship between multifunctionality and multi-diversity. Overall, the results demonstrate that sustained fog input strongly enhances early soil surface development and biocrust establishment, highlighting the ecological importance of marine fog in shaping biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in hyperarid landscapes. Full article