Search Results (490)

This study investigates the concept of landscape services (LS), which integrate environmental and sociocultural dimensions of sustainable development. Recognizing landscapes as essential to daily life and well-being, the research aims to support sustainable spatial planning by analyzing both their potential and their actual use. The study has three main objectives: (1) to assess the potential of 16 selected landscape types to provide six key LS through expert evaluation; (2) to determine actual LS usage patterns among the local community (residents); and (3) to identify agreements and discrepancies between expert assessments and resident use. The services analyzed include providing space for daily activities; regulating spatial structure through diversity and compositional richness; enhancing physical and mental health; enabling passive and active recreation; supporting personal fulfillment; and fostering social interaction. Expert-based surveys and participatory mapping with residents were used to assess the provision and use of LS. The results indicate consistent evaluations for forest and historical urban landscapes (high potential and use) and mining and transportation landscapes (low potential and use). However, significant differences emerged for mountain LS, rated highly by experts but used minimally by residents. These insights highlight the importance of aligning expert planning with community needs to promote sustainable land use policies and reduce spatial conflicts. Full article

The transportation sector significantly contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and remains a key research focus on emission quantification and mitigation. Although numerous models exist for estimating vehicle-based emissions, most lack accuracy at regional scales, particularly in remote or underdeveloped areas, including backcountry national parks and mountainous regions lacking basic infrastructure. This study addresses that gap by developing and applying a terrain-adjusted, segment-based methodology to estimate GHG emissions from tourist vehicles in Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, one of Mongolia’s most remote protected areas. The proposed method uses Tier 1 IPCC emission factors but incorporates field-segmented route analysis, vehicle categorization, and terrain-based fuel adjustments to achieve a spatially disaggregated Tier 1 approach. Results show that carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions increased from 118.7 tons in 2018 to 2239 tons in 2024. Tourist vehicle entries increased from 712 in 2018 to 13,192 in 2024, with 99.1% of entries occurring between May and October. Over the same period, cumulative methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions were estimated at 300.9 kg and 45.75 kg, respectively. This modular approach is especially suitable for high-altitude, infrastructure-limited regions where real-time emissions monitoring is not feasible. By integrating localized travel patterns with global frameworks such as the IPCC 2006 Guidelines, this model enables more precise and context-sensitive GHG estimates from vehicles in national parks and similar environments. Full article

Urban systems are the spatial carriers of social and economic relations at the regional level, and their relational and structural resilience are key to regional coordination and sustainable development, attracting widespread attention from scholars. In order to analyze the internal relationships of urban agglomerations in underdeveloped mountainous regions and optimize their spatial resource allocation and resilience, this study takes the urban agglomeration of Qiandongnan in China as an example and researches their internal relationships, development potential, and influencing factors based on quantitative methods such as social network analysis. The results show that the urban cluster in Qiandongnan presents “large dispersion and small aggregation” distribution characteristics, with the karst landscape as the main influencing factor; the spatial network exhibits a scale-free morphology with an obvious core–periphery structure, demonstrating moderate stability but poor completeness, weak equilibrium, and low overall resilience; only 15.61% of nodes demonstrate high competitiveness; urban units with functional roles serve as critical network nodes; urban units’ development potential is divided into three tiers (with 47.31% being medium-high), although overall levels remain low; and the development potential, overall network, individual network, and network resilience of urban units are all positively correlated, with economic and transportation development conditions being the main influencing factors. Based on the abovementioned findings, this study proposes a “multi-level resilience promotion path for network structure optimization”, which provides a theoretical basis and optimization control methods for the reconstruction and synergistic development of urban agglomerations. It also serves as a reference for the development planning of urban systems in other underdeveloped mountainous regions. Full article

Under accelerating global warming, the northern slope of the Middle Kunlun Mountains in Xinjiang, China, has seen a marked rise in extreme rainfall, posing increasing challenges for flood risk management and water resources. To improve our predictive capabilities and deepen our understanding of the driving mechanisms, we combine the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis-5 (ERA5) reanalysis, regional observations, and high-resolution Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF) simulations to dissect the 14–17 June 2021, extreme rainfall event. A deep Siberia–Central Asia trough and nascent Central Asian vortex established a coupled upper- and low-level jet configuration that amplified large-scale ascent. Embedded shortwaves funnelled abundant moisture into the orographic basin, where strong low-level moisture convergence and vigorous warm-sector updrafts triggered and sustained deep convection. WRF reasonably replicated observed wind shear and radar echoes, revealing the descent of a mid-level jet into an ultra-low-level jet that provided a mesoscale engine for storm intensification. Momentum–budget diagnostics underscore the role of meridional momentum transport along sloping terrain in reinforcing low-level convergence and shear. Together, these synoptic-to-mesoscale interactions and moisture dynamics led to this landmark extreme-precipitation event. Full article

In Japan’s hilly and mountainous areas, which cover over 60% of the national land area, issues such as population outflow, aging, and regional decline are intensifying. This study explored sustainable decarbonization pathways by examining two representative regions (Maniwa City and Hidakagawa Town), while accounting for diverse regional characteristics. A bottom-up approach was adopted to calculate energy consumption and CO₂ emissions within residential and transportation sectors. Six future scenarios were developed to evaluate emission trends and countermeasure effectiveness in different regions. The key findings are as follows: (1) in the study areas, complex regional issues have resulted in relatively high current levels of CO₂ emissions in these sectors, and conditions may worsen without intervention; (2) if the current trends continue, per-capita CO₂ emissions in both regions are projected to decrease by only around 40% by 2050 compared to 2020 levels; (3) under enhanced countermeasure scenarios, CO₂ emissions could be reduced by >99%, indicating that regional decarbonization is achievable. This study provides reliable information for designing localized sustainability strategies in small-scale, under-researched areas, while highlighting the need for region-specific countermeasures. Furthermore, the findings contribute to the realization of multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly goals 7, 11, and 13. Full article

To address the limitations of conventional single-track rail systems in challenging hilly and mountainous terrains, which are ill-suited for transporting heavy agricultural machinery, there is a critical need to develop a specialized the double-track rail transportation system optimized for orchard equipment. Recognizing this requirement, our research team designed and implemented a double-track rail transportation system. In this innovative system, the rail functions as the pivotal component, with its structural properties significantly impacting the machine’s overall stability and operational performance. In this study, resistance strain gauges were employed to analyze the stress–strain distribution of the track under a full load of 750 kg, a critical factor in the system’s design. To further investigate the structural performance of the double-track rail, the impact hammer method was utilized in conjunction with triaxial acceleration sensors to conduct experimental modal analysis (EMA) under actual support conditions. By integrating the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA), the first 20 natural modes and their corresponding parameters were successfully identified with high precision. A comparative analysis between finite element simulation results and experimental measurements was performed, revealing the double-track rail’s inherent vibration characteristics under constrained modal conditions versus actual boundary constraints. These valuable findings serve as a theoretical foundation for the dynamic optimization of rail structures and the mitigation of resonance issues. The advancement of hilly and mountainous rail transportation systems holds significant promise for enhancing productivity and transportation efficiency in agricultural operations. Full article

Driven by the rapid expansion of e-commerce in China, there is a growing demand for high-efficiency, sustainability-oriented logistics solutions in rural regions, particularly for the time-sensitive distribution of perishable agricultural commodities. Traditional logistics systems face considerable challenges in these geographically complex regions due to limited infrastructure and extended travel distances. To address these issues, this study proposes an intelligent cooperative delivery system that integrates automated drones with conventional trucks, aiming to enhance both operational efficiency and environmental sustainability. A mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model is developed to account for the diverse terrain characteristics of rural China, including forest, lake, and mountain regions. To optimize distribution strategies, the model incorporates an improved Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm combined with a hybrid genetic simulated annealing algorithm. The performance of three transportation modes, namely truck-only, drone-only, and truck–drone integrated delivery, was evaluated and compared. Sustainability-related externalities, such as carbon emission costs and delivery delay penalties, are quantitatively integrated into the total transportation cost objective function. Simulation results indicate that the cooperative delivery model is especially effective in lake regions, significantly reducing overall costs while improving environmental performance and service quality. This research offers practical insights into the development of sustainable intelligent transportation systems tailored to the unique challenges of rural logistics. Full article

The lower Yarlung Zangbo River Basin’s Great Bend region, characterized by extreme topography and intense orographic precipitation processes, presents significant challenges for accurate precipitation estimation using reanalysis products. Therefore, this study evaluates four widely used products (ERA5-Land, MSWEP, CMA, and TPMFD) against station observations (2014–2022) in this critical area. Performance was rigorously assessed using correlation analysis, error metrics (RMSE, MAE, RBIAS), and spatial regression. The region exhibits strong seasonality, with 62.1% of annual rainfall occurring during the monsoon (June-October). Results indicate TPMFD performed best overall, capturing spatiotemporal patterns effectively (correlation coefficients 0.6–0.8, low RBIAS). Conversely, ERA5-Land significantly overestimated precipitation, particularly in rugged northeast areas, suggesting poor representation of orographic effects. MSWEP and CMA underestimated rainfall with variable temporal consistency. Topographic analysis confirmed slope, aspect, and longitude strongly control precipitation distribution, aligning with classical orographic mechanisms (e.g., windward enhancement, lee-side rain shadows) and monsoonal moisture transport. Spatial regression revealed terrain features explain 15.4% of flood-season variation. TPMFD most accurately captured these terrain-precipitation relationships. Consequently, findings underscore the necessity for terrain-sensitive calibration and data fusion strategies in mountainous regions to improve precipitation products and hydrological modeling under orographic influence. Full article

The pilot study is devoted to the assessment of both the accumulation and spatial distribution of microplastics in the snow cover of the Zhetysu region. The height of snow cover in the study area varied from 4.0 to 80.5 cm, with a volume of melt water ranging from 1.5 to 143 L. The analysis of 53 snow samples taken at different altitudes (from 350 to 1500 m above sea level) showed the presence of microplastics in 92.6% of samples in concentrations from 1 to 12 particles per square meter. In total, 170 microplastic particles were identified. The main polymers identified by Raman spectroscopy were polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS). These are typical components of plastic waste. The spatial distribution of microplastics showed elevated concentrations near settlements and roads. Notable contaminations were also recorded in remote mountainous areas, confirming the significant role of long-range atmospheric transport. Particles smaller than 0.5 mm dominated, having high aerodynamic mobility and capable of long-range atmospheric transport. Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of microplastics in snow cover have been realized for the first time both in Kazakhstan and in the Central Asian region, which contributes to the formation of primary ideas and future approaches about microplastic pollution in continental inland regions. The obtained results demonstrate the importance of atmospheric transport in the distribution of microplastics. They indicate the need for further monitoring and microplastic pollution analyses in Central Asia, taking into account its detection even in hard-to-reach and remote areas. Full article

Traditional villages are irreplaceable cultural heritages, embodying complex human–environment interactions. This study uses historical geography analysis, kernel density estimation, centroid migration modeling, and Geodetector techniques to analyze the 2000-year spatiotemporal evolution and formation mechanisms of 224 nationally designated traditional villages in China’s Qinling-Daba Mountains. The findings are as follows: (1) These villages significantly cluster on sunny slopes of hills and low mountains with moderate gradients. They are also closely located near waterways, ancient roads, and historic cities. (2) From the embryonic stage during the Qin and Han dynasties, through the diffusion and transformation phases in the Wei, Jin, Song, and Yuan dynasties, to the mature stage in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the spatial center of these villages shifted distinctly southwestward. This migration was accompanied by expansion along waterway transport corridors, an enlarged spatial scope, and a decrease in directional concentration. (3) The driving forces evolved from a strong coupling between natural conditions and infrastructure in the early stage to human-dominated adaptation in the later stage. Agricultural innovations, such as terraced fields, and sociopolitical factors, like migration policies, overcame environmental constraints through the synergistic effects of cultural and economic networks. Full article

Sediment fingerprinting was utilized to identify potential hotspots of soil erosion and sediment transport pathways in the Nile Nyabarongo Upper Catchment (NNYU) in Rwanda, where rivers and reservoirs are suffering from alarmingly high levels of sedimentation. Sediment fingerprinting is a practical approach used to identify erosional hotspots and sediment transport processes in highly mountainous regions undergoing swift land use transformation. This technique involves a statistical comparison of the elemental composition of suspended sediments in river water with the elemental composition of soils belonging to different geological formations present in the catchment, thereby determining the sources of the suspended sediment. Suspended sediments were sampled five times over dry and wet seasons in all major headwater tributaries, as well as the main river channel, and compared with soils from respective delineated watersheds. Elemental composition was obtained using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and elements were chosen that could reliably distinguish between the various geological types. The final results indicate different levels of sediment contribution from different geological types. A three-level intervention priority system was devised, with Level 1 indicating the areas with the most serious erosion. Potential sources were located on an administrative map, with the highest likely erosion over the study period (Level 1) occurring in Kabuga cell in the Mwogo sub-catchment, Nganzo and Nyamirama cells in the Nyagako sub-catchment and Kanyana cell in the NNYU downstream sub-catchment. This map enables the pinpointing of site visits in an extensive and rugged terrain to verify the areas and causes of erosion and the pathways of sediment transport. Sediment concentrations (mg L⁻¹) were the highest in the Secoko and Satinsyi tributaries. The composition of suspended sediment was seen to be temporally and spatially dynamic at each sampling point, suggesting the need for an adequate number of sampling locations to identify erosion hotspots in a large mountainous watershed. Apart from prioritizing rehabilitation locations, the detailed understanding of critical zone soil–land cover–climate processes is an important input for developing region-specific watershed management and policy guidelines. Full article

Simulating potential glacier collapses can provide crucial support for local disaster prevention and mitigation efforts. The Xiaomagou Glacier in the Amnye Machen Mountains, Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau, has experienced five collapses in the past two decades. Field investigation and remote sensing observations indicate that the topography and bedrock characteristics of the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier, which is 3.5 km south of the Xiaomagou Glacier, are similar to those of the Xiaomagou Glacier. More importantly, the mass movement of the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier since 2018 closely resembles that of the Xiaomagou Glacier exhibited before its previous collapses. Therefore, in the context of rising temperatures, it is possible that the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier will collapse in the near future. Based on remote sensing imagery and the glacier’s surface elevation changes, we reconstructed the 2004 collapse process of the Xiaomagou Glacier via numerical simulation. The key parameters of the mass flow model were optimized based on the actual deposition area of the 2004 collapse. The model with optimized parameters was then used to simulate the potential Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier collapse. Two collapse scenarios were set for the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier. In Scenario 1, the lower half of the tongue detaches; in Scenario 2, the whole tongue detaches. Simulation results show that, in Scenario 1, the maximum mass flow depth is 72 m, the maximum mass flow speed is 51.6 m/s, and the deposition area is 5.40 × 10⁶ km²; in Scenario 2, the maximum mass flow depth is 75 m, the maximum mass flow speed is 59.7 m/s, and the deposition area is 6.32 × 10⁶ km². In both scenarios, the deposition area is much larger than that of the Xiaomagou Glacier 2004 collapse, which had a deposition area of 2.21 × 10⁶ km². The simulation results suggest that the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier collapse could devastate the pastures and township roads lying in front of the glacier, seriously affecting local transportation and livestock farming; furthermore, it may deposit in the Qinglong River, forming a large, dammed lake. At present, the Qushi’an No. 22 Glacier remains in an unstable state. It is crucial to strengthen monitoring of its surface morphology, flow speed, and elevation. Full article

Visible light communication (VLC) is considered to be one of the key technologies for advancing the next-generation intelligent transportation systems (ITSs). However, in vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) VLC, the line-of-sight (LOS) link for communication is often obstructed by vehicle mobility. To address this issue and enhance system performance, a novel V2I–VLC system is proposed and analyzed in this study. The system targets mountain road traffic scenarios employing optical reflecting intelligent surfaces (RISs). To emphasize the practicality of the study, the effects of atmospheric turbulence (AT) and weather conditions are also considered in the channel modeling. Further, the closed-form expressions for average path loss, channel capacity, and outage probability are derived. Furthermore, a novel closed-form expression is also derived for the properties of RIS, which can be used to calculate the required number of RIS elements to achieve a target energy efficiency. In the performance analysis, the accuracy of the derived theoretical expression is validated by numerical simulation, and the effectiveness of the RIS-aided V2I–VLC system is evaluated. Moreover, with a reasonable number of required RIS elements, the system performance in terms of path loss is improved by more than 23.5% on average over the existing studies. Full article

Complex mountainous environments pose significant challenges for dynamic path planning and obstacle avoidance of transport vehicles. In response, this paper presents an innovative path planning approach that combines an enhanced A* algorithm with the artificial potential field (APF) method. Firstly, the heuristic function of the A* algorithm was improved, and path inflection points were optimized to enhance global path-planning efficiency and smoothness. Secondly, a target distance factor was introduced to modify the APF algorithm’s repulsive field function, solving the traditional APF’s target-unreachable problem. The integrated algorithm uses the A*-optimized inflection points as sub-target points for the APF, meeting real-time obstacle avoidance requirements in dynamic environments and conducting secondary path planning to avoid local minima. Impressively, static environment simulations demonstrated the integrated algorithm’s outstanding path-planning capabilities in complex terrains. Moreover, dynamic obstacle avoidance experiments revealed its remarkable ability to not only detect and evade dynamic obstacles but also maintain a safe distance from static ones. The findings highlight that this method significantly boosts path-planning efficiency while ensuring safety and global optimality in dynamic settings. This breakthrough offers crucial theoretical support for enhancing the navigation of mountain transport vehicles in complex, real-world scenarios, potentially improving their operation. Full article

This study develops a numerical model to simulate groundwater flow and contaminant transport in a “typical hydrogeological environment” of northern New Jersey, addressing freshwater decline. Focusing on the Lower Passaic water management area (WMA), we model chloride transport in a fractured-rock aquifer, where fracture networks control hydraulic conductivity and porosity. The urbanized setting—encompassing Montclair State University (MSU) and municipal wells—features heterogeneous groundwater systems and critical water resources, providing an ideal case study for worst-case contaminant transport scenarios. Using MODFLOW and MODPATH, we simulated flow and tracked particles over 20 years. Results show that chloride from MSU reached the Third River in 4 years and the Passaic River in 10 years in low-porosity fractures (0.2), with longer times (8 and 20 years) in high-porosity zones (0.4). The First Watchung Mountains were identified as the primary recharge area. Chloride was retained in immobile pores but transported rapidly through fractures, with local flow systems (MSU to Third River) faster than regional systems (MSU to Passaic River). These findings confirm chloride in groundwater, which may originate from road salt application, can reach discharge points in 4–20 years, emphasizing the need for recharge-area monitoring, salt-reduction policies, and site-specific assessments to protect fractured-rock aquifers. Full article