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River water quality is influenced by natural processes and human activities. Multi-scale landscape patterns can affect river water quality by altering the generation and transport processes of pollutants at different spatial scales. Taking Taizi River Basin in Northeast China as an example, we analyzed the relationship between landscape patterns and non-point source pollution in rivers based on water quality monitoring data and land use data by using correlation analysis and redundancy analysis methods. We aimed to determine the key spatial scales for the responses of landscape patterns to non-point source pollution and identify the key landscape indices influencing river non- point source pollution. The results showed that water quality of Taizi River Basin had seasonal differences, with better water quality during the flood season than non-flood season. Spatially, total nitrogen ( TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were higher at the confluence points of tributaries and downstream areas. The impact of landscape patterns on non-point source pollution was stronger during the non-flood season than the flood season, while the influence on TN was stronger than on TP. At the spatial scale of within 500 m buffer zone during the flood season and at the sub- watershed scale during the non-flood season, landscape patterns showed the highest explanatory power for the variations of TN and TP. At the type level, built-up land, cropland, and bare land were positively correlated with TN and TP, while forest was negatively correlated with TN and TP, which were the key types influencing non-point source pollution. At the landscape level, patch density, percentage of like adjacencies, and contagion index were key indicators affecting watershed water quality. Lower patch density was associated with better connectivity and aggregation of " sink" landscapes, leading to better purification effects on TN, but more pronounced retention effects on TP. Conversely, higher landscape diversity and denser pattern of multiple types would cause the deterioration of water quality. Our results suggested that rational allocation of landscape types within the watershed and riparian buffer zones, appropriately enriching landscape diversity, and optimizing landscape aggregation and connectivity would be effective measures for improving water quality and achieving sustainable ecological management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the background of frequent flood disasters and stock planning challenges, clarifying the relationship and mechanism of urban green space landscape patterns and flood retention efficiency at multiple spatial scales has become a critical scientific issue in realizing the maximum flood retention efficiency of limited urban green spaces and improving the capabilities of urban flood control. We reviewed and summarized the factors, mechanisms, and scale differences in the influence of green space landscape patterns on flood retention efficacy at the urban and block scales. Based on the causes for differences in conclusions and research deficiencies, we suggested that future studies should focus on watershed-scale research and expand the investigation into three-dimensional green space landscape patterns. Additionally, attention should be paid to urban and suburban areas separately, and a set of research indices with indicative significance for the flooding process should be established for different flood sensitive areas and block structures. These measures will help quantitatively reveal how green space landscape patterns of urban and block scales affect flooding process, providing theoretical guidance for urban planning and establishing urban flood safety patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific assessment of landscape ecological risk in ecologically fragile areas of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is of great significance to regional ecological regulation and construction of the Yangtze River ecological security barrier. With the dry-hot valley area of Jinsha River in Yunnan Province as the research area, we constructed a landscape ecological risk evaluation model, and analyzed the spatial and temporal variations of regional landscape ecological risk. The results showed that the average values of landscape ecological risk index (LER) in the study area were 0.414, 0.398, and 0.462 in 2000, 2010 and 2020, respectively. The LER value of the whole region had reached a higher risk level by 2020. In 2000 and 2010, the landscape ecological risk zones of each level were staggered, and the high-risk zones showed a centralized distribution in 2020. During the two decades, the average LER of each section in the study area was around 0.42, which was close to the high risk level, indicating high landscape ecological risk level. The area of middle and low risk zones had decreased, while the area of high risk zone had significantly increased. The area of high risk zone in the western and middle sections was much higher than that in the eastern section. The area with significant changes of landscape ecological risk accounted for about 55% of the total study area, with obvious spatial agglomeration characteristics of significant increase and decrease of risk. The competition between government-led ecological management policies and measures and market-led land use activities was the main cause of landscape ecological risk variations in this region. In the future, the driving mechanism of climate change coupled with human activities on global and local landscape ecological risk changes in the study area should be uncovered to effectively cope with regional ecological risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Landscape architecture design based on the needs of soil and water ecological governance is an important content of urban ecological environment construction, but there are few relevant studies. In this paper, the idea of landscape aesthetics is used to guide the construction of soil and water ecology, and the scientific planning of landscape architecture is completed while meeting the needs of soil and water ecology management. The spatial pattern planning results of landscape planning land showed that the percentage of patch area was farmland patch > grassland patch > woodland patch > artificial patch > wetland patch. The number of artificial patch is the largest type of patch in landscape planning land patch, which can play the role of stepping stone. Moreover, the patch type density was as follows: artificial patch > grassland patch > woodland patch > farmland patch > wetland patch. There is positive and negative correlation between patch density and average patch area. It further reflects that the larger the patch density is, the smaller the average patch area is and the higher the degree of fragmentation is under the premise that the total patch area remains unchanged. In addition, the order of fractal dimension is: farmland patch > wetland patch > artificial patch > grassland patch > woodland patch. The fractal dimension of farmland patch is the largest, and the degree of fractal dimension of woodland patch is the lowest, which reflects that the forest patch will be seriously disturbed in the process of human activities. After the construction of landscape pattern, Shannon diversity index (SHDI), Shannon evenness index (SHEI) and landscape richness density (PRD) of ecological pattern in the landscape architecture planning area were significantly improved compared with those before, indicating that the functions of various landscape types were enhanced. This paper can provide theoretical guidance for the continuous maintenance, planning and development of landscape architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Assesses ecological resilience pertaining to vulnerability, sensitivity & self-organization. • Adopts the structure-function perspective in landscape ecology. • Carried out the assessment framework at high spatial resolution over time. • Suggests differentiated measures for resilient city planning. Ecological resilience assessment has become a key link in urban sustainable governance. This study introduces a new evaluation framework to inform policy-making and practical applications. Based on the structural and functional dimensions of landscape patterns, it integrates the vulnerability, sensitivity and self-organization of resilience to point to desirable directions of ecological resilience. A composite ecological resilience index is compiled based on six indices of landscape diversity, landscape disturbance, source-sink patch distance, habitat quality, minimum cumulative resistance, and landscape restoration. The framework is particularly applicable to cities located in ecologically sensitive areas. Hence, Nanchang City, China was selected as a case study. Using 1km2 hexagonal grids, the framework is applied to map spatiotemporal changes and to analyze various natural and anthropogenic driving forces of ecological resilience in Nanchang from 2000 to 2020. Research findings confirm the feasibility and value of the urban ecological resilience analysis framework. They also highlight the advantages of the framework in revealing spatially dynamic processes and ecological resilience contributing factors, making it a valuable and practical tool for sustainable urban planning and refined management decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban wetland parks are essential for protecting ecosystems and alleviating urban heat island effects. Owing to the impact of urban sprawl and human activities, habitats in wetland parks have become increasingly fragmented, evoking an urgent need to accurately monitor and analyze such changes. In this study, a transfer learning-based ResNet-18 method was proposed to classify the landscape patterns of urban wetland parks by integrating the advantages of remote sensing technologies, i.e., long-time series of Gaofen-2 and high-accuracy data of unmanned aerial vehicle remote sensing. The proposed method solves the dual problems of low precision and sparse sample data in landscape pattern classification. By employing the proposed method, we realized long-time-series, high-accuracy analysis of landscape pattern changes in a national wetland park. Our results showed that the overall accuracy was 90.69–97.96 % and Kappa coefficient was stable between 0.865 and 0.968, fully verifying the effectiveness and reliability of our method. We revealed a shrinking trend in the area of water bodies along with an expanding trend in the area of other land types. Thus, our findings reflect the significant impact of urban sprawl on the landscape patterns of wetland parks. • High-precision classification of landscape pattern using multispectral remote sensing. • Propose an accurate classification method based on Transfer Learning and ResNet-18. • Urban sprawl has led to significant changes in landscape patterns in wetland parks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spatial-temporal evolution of PM 2.5 and ozone pollution was investigated in typical arid zone. • The annual mean PM 2.5 showed a significant decrease, and ozone showed a significant decrease from 2000 to 2022. • The random forest model can fully integrate the important information between PM 2.5 and ozone and the land use-landscape pattern in typical arid zone. • Barren has the highest contribution to PM 2.5 concentrations, while impervious and cropland contribute most significantly in ozone. Land use – landscape pattern act as pollutant sources carries for PM 2.5 and ozone, understanding the relationship between them is valuable for the management of atmospheric environment. In this investigation, we examined the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of PM 2.5 and ozone in Xinjiang during 2000 ∼ 2022. Meanwhile, we employed the random forest model under optimal model selection to explore the response of the land use - landscape pattern to the pollutants. The conclusions suggested: (1) PM 2.5 in 94.82% of the area showed a significant decrease, with high levels concentrated in the Tarim Basin, Turpan-Hami Basin. Ozone demonstrated a remarkable upward trend in 99.30% of the region, showing high levels in the Tarim Basin and the northern Xinjiang. (2) Upon comparison with the univariate and stepwise linear regression models, random forest model holds significant practical value in quantifying the impact of pollutants on land use-landscapes. (3) In the land use – landscape pattern, the complexity and aggregation of cropland and water, the degree of connectivity in barren and impervious, the diversity and complexity of forest, and the degree of aggregation of grasslands all strongly impact PM 2.5. For ozone concentrations, the index characterizing the degree of patchy aggregation is overwhelmingly dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise is one of the inevitable environmental problems caused by the increasing population all over the world. There are various sources of noise that have physiological and psychological effects on people. One of these is traffic noise, which is especially effective in residential areas. This study aims to investigate the effect of different vegetation types on noise reduction in a highway model with heavy traffic. Six locations with dense planting along the highway in terms of plant groups and species density were selected, and the correlation of species density with noise analysis values was examined. For each location point, 2 points were assigned on the line, in front of and behind the vegetation, and measurements were made at 12 stations in total. Measurements were taken by performing fieldwork 5 times in different seasons and months and expressed as Leq differences. Since the vegetation types at the measurement points were not ordered, the species density analysis was determined in percentage (%) within the square areas of 100×100 meters in the existing field conditions. Mapping was completed using GIS to visualize the spatial spread of the noise measurement results, and zoning was done with interpolation to determine the noise contours and noise effect. According to all the findings obtained in this study, the leafy shrub or the tree group were found more effective in noise absorption than the coniferous species. Numerical calculations on maps suggest that plant community size and diversity can have a positive impact on noise reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Since the introduction of pine wilt disease (PWD) into Chongqing, China, it has been continuously spreading, posing a significant threat to the local forest ecosystem dominated by pine forests. Utilizing data spanning the last two decades on the PWD epidemic subcompartment and host coniferous forest in Chongqing, this study employs a geographic detector model to scrutinize the impact of forest landscape patterns on PWD dissemination at the county, township, and 1 km grid scales. The findings reveal three distinct stages of the PWD epidemic in Chongqing from 2001 to 2020: diffusion, stabilization, and outbreak. The western and central regions of Chongqing experienced severe impacts, while the southern part exhibited relatively milder effects. Across the three spatial scales, various landscape pattern indices exhibit robust and consistent impacts on PWD occurrence. Notably, patch area emerges as the most influential factor, with an explanatory power reaching 0.228. Additionally, landscape shape index, number of patches, patch density, river and road exert substantial influence on PWD incidence. Conversely, the impact of edge density, landscape dominance, landscape separation, and landscape fragmentation on PWD occurrence is comparatively weak. Moreover, the interaction of different landscape pattern factors nonlinearly enhances the explanatory power of PWD occurrence. Among these interactions, the synergy between patch area and landscape dominance proves to have the highest explanatory power for the spatial differentiation of PWD at 0.718. This study explores the relationship between the invasion and spread of PWD and landscape patterns, offering useful insights for the prevention and early warning of PWD. Additionally, this research provides valuable reference points for promoting the healthy and sustainable development of forest resources in China. • Three stages and distribution of pine wilt disease spread in Chongqing, China. • Patch area explains pine wilt disease occurrence with a power of 0.228. • Rivers and roads significantly impact pine wilt disease occurrence. • Interaction of landscape factors boosts pine wilt disease explanatory power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the acceleration of urbanization and industrialization, the land-use mode in mountainous areas has changed significantly, causing serious ecological destruction. Therefore, improving the efficiency of land-resource use in mountainous areas and enhancing ecological protection are important issues. This study focuses on typical mountainous areas in Guizhou Province to explore their significance not only for ecological restoration but also for sustainable socioeconomic development. In this study, we integrated the framework of the interaction between land-use transitions and landscape patterns and employed Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and a spatial bivariate model to reveal the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of landscape patterns and land-use transitions. The results showed that for 1990–2020, the cultivated, forest, and grassland areas decreased by −1353.66, −749.98 and − 541.72 km2 respectively, whereas the water area, urban, and other construction land increased by 799.69, 542.62, and 1230.90 km2, respectively. Moreover, the cultivated land areas converted into urban and other construction land were 358.03 and 661.77 km2 respectively, and the grassland areas converted into forest and other construction land were 3550.08 and 277.32 km2, respectively. Different land-use transitions presented rapid expansion and contraction characteristics, resulting in an increase in overall patch fragmentation, a decrease in uniformity, and an increase in irregular patches, which enhanced the spatial heterogeneity of diversity and complexity. Finally, the land-use transition effects on landscape patterns were primarily elevation, slope, and primary road facility factors. In-depth research on land-use transitional evolution and its impact on landscape patterns has important theoretical and practical value for formulating land-management policies and promoting sustainable development in mountainous areas. • This paper explores the relationship between land use and landscape pattern evolution based on natural and socioeconomic framework. • The process of land use transition has obvious influence on landscape pattern evolution. • Land use transition resulted in significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity of landscape pattern. • Land use management provides insights into landscape planning and ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the impact factors associated with biodiversity and the relationship between them has always been a concerned issue in recent years. However, the previous research mostly focus on theoretical layer. Accordingly, the relationship between landscape pattern and biodiversity is to be analyzed in this research. The landscape pattern determines the function and ecological process of the landscape, and affects the species flow, information flow and energy flow in the landscape. Land use patterns has inevitably left an impact on the landscape pattern. Landscape pattern determines the function and ecological process of landscape and thus plays a significant role in biodiversity. East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve is taken as the research object of the paper, and the remote sensing image data of three different time periods are collected, including 2000, 2010 and 2020. With an interpretation of the vegetation landscape pattern changes inside the protected area to collect and analyze the vegetation coverage. By comparing landscape patterns and the dynamic changes of land use in different periods of time, the correlation between landscape pattern characteristics and regional biodiversity is to be analyzed. Research shows: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the vegetation coverage of East Dongting Lake increased, but the landscape shape, scale, diversity and uniformity index decreased to varying degrees. (2) At the class level of landscape type, the relationship between landscape index and biodiversity is different. A complex relationship between farmland landscape and biodiversity. There is a significant positive correlation between the index of grassland landscape type and the index of regional biodiversity. (3) The correlation analysis results at the landscape level show that the landscape characteristic index is positively correlated with the regional biodiversity index. The grassland landscape in the area is the main habitat of biological species. At the same time, as the main grain producing area, the impact of farmland landscape cannot be ignored. This study has certain theoretical guiding significance for the protection and management of biodiversity in the region in terms of maintaining landscape pattern in particular the grassland landscape area and increasing vegetation coverage in the process of land use. [Display omitted] • Land use change trend shows the increase of woodland and decrease of unused land. (81 characters). • High vegetation coverage area of East Dongting Lake increased 15.13 km2 in 2000–2020. (85 characters). • Grassland landscape index has positive correlation with regional biodiversity index. (84 characters). • Landscape shape index is strongly positive correlated with Gleason index, R is 0.607. (85 characters). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to provide a scientific basis for the effective protection of landscape resources by analysing landscape pattern dynamic change. Based on Landsat remote sensing image sources from three periods in the Dongting Lake area, combined with natural and human influences, the landscape patterns in the Dongting Lake area were analysed. In the past 28 years, the area and quantity of landscape patches in the study area changed significantly: the area ratio of paddy fields, dry land, woodland, open woodland, grassland and water area decreased, while the area ratio of shrubbery, other woodland, construction land and other land increased. Landscape fragmentation and heterogeneity in the study area were high, and landscape patterns had a trend of decentralized development. In addition to the construction land, the shape of patches of other land types did not change significantly and showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing. The landscape pattern structure in the study area had a trend of fragmentation, which indicates ecological vulnerability, but the plaque shape was simple and normal, and ecological recoverability was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of our research was to reconstruct changes in land use and landscape patterns along the Lower Drava from Tótújfalu to Drávaszabolcs from the mid-19th century to the present. Based on the information, collected proposals are made to achieve optimal land utilization. Thereby sustainable agriculture can be introduced to the area with improved ecosystem services and extensive nature conservation. The study utilized GIS analyses, the combination of thematic layers of land use digitized from archived military surveys and topographic maps, and a supervised classification of satellite images to generate the proportions of land use classes and values of landscape metrics. Major transformations of land utilization were detected: by the 1940s human impact had intensified and natural habitats had shrunk, but subsequently the ratio of forests increased and the previous land use patterns began to take shape again. The reason for this development was that since 1920 the Drava had been functioning as a border river and arable cultivation began to be excluded from the active floodplain. At the same time, the gradual reduction of wetland and grassland areas led to lower biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the Quaniuzhuang River basin located at Hani Rice Terrace core region as study area, we analyzed the isotopic composition and the effects of 12 surface water sampling sites for the forest landscape type and terrace landscape type from May 2015 to April 2016. The results showed that: 1) For the variation of isotope composition, both the average value and the variation range of δ18O in surface water under forest patches were smaller than that under terrace patches. 2) The overall elevation effect of the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes in surface water was obvious, except that in August and March, which could be expressed as the linear regression equation 8δ18O = -0.012H+13.84 (r = -0.83, n=12). 3) The altitude gradient of δ18O in surface water was -1.2‰ · (100 m)-1, which was not the true altitude gradient affected by precipitation but by landscape gradient of δ18O in surface water between forest patches and terrace patches. 4) Under the "Forest-Terrace" landscape pattern, the δ18O differences in surface water between forest patches and terrace patches enhanced the elevation effect. Therefore, when landscape heterogeneity was strong, isotopic effect was strengthened, even with opposite isotope effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public green space is an important part of urban ecological environment and belongs to the basic guarantee of ecological security. Therefore, this paper studies the optimization analysis of environmental factors of public green space landscape pattern based on information interaction to improve the ecological environment. The paper uses the information interaction between 3S technology and Fragstats software, input the relevant information of public green space collected by 3S technology into Fragstats software, calculate the landscape pattern index and analyze the environmental factors of landscape pattern. The empirical results show that: by analyzing the landscape pattern index in the area, it can be seen that public green space has the problems of high fragmentation, poor protection ability of species, no superior green space type and poor landscape ecological continuity. To solve these problems, the relevant optimization countermeasures are to reasonably expand the original green space, connect the medium and small patches in the public green space, and reduce the fragmentation of the green space; At the same time, it is advised to reduce the complexity of the shape of public green space and improve the ability of species protection, to expand the area of park in public green space and establish municipal park green space to highlight its advantages, to build a green corridor, reasonably connect the whole public green space and improve the ecological continuity of the landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The ecological environment in bay regions is relatively fragile, and the bay regions of Southeast Asia are typical areas of global population growth. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct comparative research on ecological risk assessment in such areas. Five major bays in the Philippines were selected to study the changes in landscape patterns and conduct ecological risk assessments. Land cover information for the five bays in 1990 and 2020 was extracted, and landscape pattern indices were analyzed. Then, the temporal and spatial variations in landscape ecological risk in each bay and the differences from 1990 to 2020 were assessed. The results showed that forestland and farmland are usually associated with stabilization and aggregation, and construction land is expanding, accompanied by the reduction and fragmentation of grasslands and wetlands. There were many medium- and high-risk areas in the Lingayen Gulf, Manila Bay and Bay of San Miguel, which mainly showed changes in wetland, grassland and bare land. The stability of the ecosystem in Macajalar Bay and Davao Gulf is due to the landscape type being mainly forestland. The largest changes across the bays were in grasslands and wetlands, both of which showed varying degrees of elevated fragmentation and separation. Therefore, the development of these bay regions should focus on ecological land such as wetlands and grasslands and treat bare land as the main type of land use while guiding construction land to expand inland and reducing ecological risks along the coast of the bay. This study provides a scientific basis to support the optimization of bay landscape patterns and improve ecologically sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water bodies and green infrastructure are vital in regulating regional climate, and enhancing their cooling effect is a significant strategy for mitigating urban heat islands (UHIs). In this study, the Xiangjiang River (XJR), Liuyang River (LYR), and Weishui River (WSR) in Changsha were selected to investigate the cooling effects of land cover and landscape patterns surrounding the rivers. The results showed that the cooling effect of the LYR was the greatest, and the XJR contributed the most to UHI mitigation. In 2018, the cooling intensities of the LYR, XJR, and WSR were 8.01 °C, 7.35 °C, and 2.79 °C, respectively. The land cover landscape contribution indices of the XJR, LYR, and WSR were −1.484, −0.896, and −0.626, respectively. The contribution of fine-textured vegetation (FV) around the XJR to alleviating the UHI effect was the greatest (−0.76), and the cooling effect within a range of 200 m was optimal. The largest patch indices of FV, impervious surface (IS), and bare land (BL) exhibited strong correlations with river cooling intensity, with coefficients of 0.828, −0.523, and −0.585, respectively. Rivers notably affect extensive-interconnected IS and BL cooling but minimally impact single-aggregated FV. Our findings offer insights for optimizing the urban blue–green space distribution to alleviate UHIs. • The effect of rivers on IS with greater dominance and complexity is more significant. • The river concealed the cooling effect of the FV around the river to some extent. • FV layout within 200 m from the river for a better synergistic cooling effect. • The RCE varied in different land cover and landscape patterns around rivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During past decades, much progress has been made to elucidate the relationship between the quantity of urban green space and crimes, but less is known about how their spatial distribution is associated with crimes. Therefore, this study aims to understand how the composition and configuration of urban green space are related to crimes in metropolitan cities in the United States. Our study performed landscape analysis using 756 census tracts for violent crimes and non-violent crimes in Chicago from 2017 to 2021 while controlling socioeconomic status. Spatial lag models showed that tree canopies were negatively associated with crime rates, while grass areas were positively associated with crime rates. In terms of the spatial distribution, there were more crime incidents in irregularly shaped green spaces compared to reguraraly shaped green spaces. On the contrary, disconnected tree canopies were more likely to have lower crime rates. Aggregated (i.e., a single large) also tended to have less crime rates. The results of our study provide some evidence of the role of the spatial distribution of urban green space on crimes and shed light on the ways to reduce crimes through effective urban green space planning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While landscape ecological risk assessment (LERA) has the potential to positively impact environmental concerns by informing land use policies, a holistic perspective has yet to be adopted in previous investigations of LERA in relation to land use change. To address this gap, our study introduces a novel research framework that applies landscape ecology principles and methodologies, utilizing the concept of 'landscape' as a bridge connecting ecological risk and land use change. Building on relevant literature, we propose three hypotheses regarding the systemic nature of ecological risks. We then elucidate the principles, logic, and methods of LERA and employ high-precision land-use data and landscape pattern metrics to evaluate ecological risks resulting from land-use changes in Xiapu County between 2009 and 2013. Our ecological risk and land use overlay analysis validates three assumptions regarding the systematic character of ecological risks: (1) ecological risks in a local area are influenced by more than just land use changes within its spatial boundaries, (2) similar land use shifts can have varying impacts on ecological risk over time, and (3) ecological risk change cannot be solely attributed to the change in land use type. Finally, based on our enhanced understanding of ecological risks, we propose policy recommendations for land use planning and development at both global and local spatial scales. Our study provides a comprehensive understanding of ecological risks and their relationships with land use change, offering valuable insights for policymakers and researchers. • Investigations of ecological risk in relation to land use change from a systemic perspective. • Three hypotheses regarding the systemic nature of ecological risks are validated. • Ecological risks in a local area are influenced by more than just land use changes within its spatial boundaries. • Similar land use shifts can have varying impacts on ecological risk over time. • Ecological risk change cannot be solely attributed to the change in land use type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The urban eco-environment is greatly affected by the ecosystem and landscape pattern of the wetlands nearby. Based on geological information system (GIS), this paper explores the landscape, plant distribution and animal distribution in a constructed wetland of the Yellow River Basin through field survey, identifies the landscape pattern of the ecosystem in the study area through correlation analysis, and thoroughly evaluates the health of the wetland ecosystem based on statistical results. The main conclusions are as follows: First, the water body has the greatest impact on landscape integrity of the constructed wetland, followed by the woodland. The two factors, together with other landscape types, form the overall landscape of the study area. Second, the landscape of the ecosystem in the study area features good continuity, as evidenced by the low degree of fragmentation. Third, the study area enjoys a normal ecological resilience, but has an average ecological value. The research findings lay the theoretical basis for restoring the ecosystem of constructed wetlands, as well as designing, optimizing and evaluating landscape patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Urban green space provides a variety of benefits, and the green view index (GVI) is regarded as an effective indicator to evaluate the quality of green spaces from a human perspective. To investigate the drivers of the spatial differentiation in GVI in urban areas, the GVI was calculated based on Baidu street view images and semantic segmentation in Futian District, Shenzhen, and its spatial variation characteristics were explored. The dominant influencing factors of GVI were analyzed and screened by applying the Pearson correlation coefficient and optimal parameters-based geographical detector (OPGD). The results showed that the overall GVI was high in the study area, with an average value of approximately 28%. The scale effect of GVI was not obvious, but the spatial heterogeneity was distinct, and the hot spots and cold spots of GVI had an evident clustered distribution. The spatial variation of GVI was influenced by the vegetation cover, landscape pattern, built environment and socioeconomic factors. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was the most dominant factor affecting the spatial differentiation of GVI, followed by land cover, fractal dimension index, patch area, building density and proximity. Furthermore, the interaction of the influencing factors had a higher degree of explanation than a single factor. In highly urbanized areas, exploring the factors affecting the spatial differentiation of GVI can provide a basis for optimizing the layout and structure of green spaces, contributing to a better perception and quality of urban greening. • The spatial heterogeneity of the GVI was distinct in the study area. • The land cover and landscape pattern features were key influencing factors. • There were enhanced interactions between the influencing factors. • Improving GVI by optimizing the layout of green spaces could be a good way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Land suitability evaluation assessed the suitability of land for urban development. • Intensive development of 3 urban growth boundary scenarios were simulated for 2040. • Landscape pattern of three urban growth scenarios were generated. • Intensive scenario is an ideal development mode. In designing national parks, it is important to balance land use with ecological protection and local socio-economic development. In the past decades, the national park has undergone landscape fragmentation and degradation of ecological functions due to climate change and land use change, especially in national parks with urban areas. Therefore, ecological environmental protection projects should include the assessment of land use when planning urban area development in the national park region. Consequently, we used the Land Suitability Evaluation (LSE) method, with 13 indicators for natural, social and ecological variables, to assess the suitability of the newly created national park for urban land use on the Tibetan Plateau. Combining results of the suitability assessment and the Cellular Automata (CA) method, three urban intensification scenarios were simulated for 2040: (1) unplanned, (2) intensified, and (3) strictly regulated urban growth boundaries (UGBs). The impact of land use on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was analyzed by remote sensing and GIS tools, and the landscape patterns of the three urban growth scenarios were calculated. Close to 87 % of the area was basically suitable, nearly 13 % was unsuitable, and only 0.06 % (43.4 km2–also included in the basically suitable) was suitable for urban land use. In 2040, the built-up areas are predicted to be 3.38, 2.71 and 2.32 times greater than in 2020 under the unplanned (without considering ecological restrictions), the intensive development (emphasizing the driving force of transportation and tourism on the expansion of built-up areas) and the strict control (maximizing ecological restrictions) scenarios, respectively. An ideal development model was used to balance ecological protection and population growth and economic development. The NDVI analysis revealed that the impact of land use on vegetation cover in the intensive development scenario was ranked as winter pastures > tourist development zones > summer pastures. It is concluded that the intensification scenario, with transport and tourism as the main spatial drivers, is the most desirable for the future coordination of ecological conservation and socio-economic development in the national park. This scenario may alleviate the current environmental pressure of livestock grazing on winter pastures in the national park on the Tibetan Plateau. However, realizing this model requires appropriate engineering design for town development. Future research should assess the impacts of urban growth on the ecological environment, with the aim to achieve sustainable urban development tailored to the various geographic regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial pattern of built-up areas can exert an important influence on surface urban heat islands (SUHIs). While previous studies relied heavily on landscape indicators to characterize land use spatial pattern, such quantitative indicators cannot correspond to distinct spatial positions. By comparison, morphological spatial pattern analysis is an appealing alternative for measuring land use pattern as it can spatially visualize various land use elements from the perspective of mathematical morphology. Therefore, this research moves a step forward in understanding the spatio-temporal connection between the morphological characteristic of built-up areas and SUHI intensity. Taking a largely-urbanized city as an example, we first analyzed the SUHI intensity and morphological characteristic of built-up areas according to multi-temporal remote sensing data. Second, we used the Pearson correlation test and random forest regression to explore the linear and non-linear connections between SUHI intensity and various influence factors, respectively. Compared with landscape pattern, land use morphological characteristic plays a more important role in urban thermal environments. Both the correlation test and random forest regression suggested that the proportion of "core" was a dominant influence factor of the SUHI. The SUHI intensity in the study area was positively connected to the proportions of core, edge, and bridge of built-up areas, but negatively connected to the proportion of islet. Our results can help urban planners emphasize the influence of morphological characteristic in an earlier phase of thermal environment design. This assessment workflow can also be reused for various climatic factors in other cities because of its flexibility. • Connection between morphological pattern of built-up areas and SUHI is explored. • SUHI risk can be better interpreted when morphological factors were considered. • Core, edge, bridge, and islet of built-up areas played huge roles in SUHI effect. • A group of low-density islets will be more desirable than a few compact core areas. • An appropriate arrangement of key morphological factors can help reduce SUHI effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban biodiversity homogenization and native species habitat loss are becoming increasingly severe. The overuse of lawn grasses and cultivars in green spaces is one of the most important drivers. Scholars have asserted that spontaneous vegetation provides various ecological benefits and should be widely incorporated in planting design. Factors influencing spontaneous plant diversity have mainly been studied in specific habitats or at the city scale, and findings surrounding the attributes of urban parks that support the diversity of spontaneous plants are lacking. This study aimed to provide a perspective on conserving spontaneous plants through inferring the urban park attributes associated with plant diversity. Twenty-two urban park samples in Beijing were examined to identify the correlation between various park variables and spontaneous vegetation. This study recorded 199 spontaneous plant species, with large historic parks containing the most number of species. Park size was a remarkable predictive variable for the diversity of spontaneous plants. Species richness and diversity in large parks were significantly higher than in small parks; not only in total richness due to the species–area relationship but also in richness and diversity at the community level independent of plot number. Microhabitat heterogeneity and the percentage of green area had the strongest positive association with the richness of spontaneous plants. In contrast, the maintenance intensity, perimeter–area ratio, and fragmentation of green area, deciduous forest, and open lawn patches had negative associations with spontaneous plant richness. Redundancy analysis demonstrated that park area, maintenance intensity, microhabitat heterogeneity, and deciduous forest patches were the most remarkable variables predicting species composition. The correlations of variables related to water and open lawn patches with spontaneous plant diversity were more evident in summer. The predicted variables were also more significantly correlated with the diversity of exotic species in summer than in spring. Perennial herbs were more sensitive to the evaluated park attributes. This study elucidates how spontaneous plants are associated with the attributes of urban parks in Beijing, with critical implications for other large cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Land use changes and landscape patterns were defined along the China-Laos Railway (CLR). • Nearly 8% and 38% of forest loss were converted into cropland and construction land. • The fragmentation in land patches with increasing distance along the CLR since 2017. • Land use and landscape changes in the Laotian side exceeded Chinese in construction. • Land use and landscape changes in Chinese side exceeded its counterpart after fully opened. Regional integration initiatives have triggered impacts on land use changes (LUC) and landscape patterns through geo-economic cooperation like cross-border infrastructure, which are often presented, but comprehensive studies on the extent and degree remains insufficient. The China-Laos Railway (CLR), a cross-border transportation corridor connecting Kunming in China with the Laotian capital, Vientiane, which was launched in December 2016 and operation started in December 2021, has recently witnessed rapid and notable changes in landscape and land use. This case study provides a distinctive opportunity to evaluate the relative significance of political and socioeconomic factors on LUC and landscape patterns. In this study, we integrate 10-m land-use data products (2017–2022) provided by Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI) with geospatial analysis to quantify and compare the impacts of cross-border transportation corridors on LUC within a 10 km buffer area along the CLR. The results showed that since 2017, about 3 % deforestation caused by the expansion of cropland (8 %) and construction land (38 %) along the CLR. The comprehensive dynamic degree along the CLR displays two peaks, appearing within the 2–4 km and 8–10 km buffer zones. Interestingly, the fragmentation of land patches within the buffer zone decreases as the distance from the CLR increases. Moreover, the construction of the CLR has a greater impact on the Laotian side, while its completion and operation triggered more significant changes on the Chinese side. The study quantitatively assesses the extent, type, and intensity of the impacts of cross-border transportation corridors on LUC and landscape patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel framework combines a heatscape index and an urban CA model to predict LST. • A heatscape index shows the relationship between LST and urban land patterns. • The patch CA model enables scenario simulations for future urban landscapes. • The framework helps grasp the impacts of urban growth on LST. Effectively predicting and mitigating urban heat island (UHI) through regulation of urban landscape patterns remains a global challenge. This paper introduces a new framework for predicting land surface temperatures (LST). We introduce a heatscape index (SCSS) to establish a relationship between landscape patterns and LST within spatial grids. Furthermore, the framework employs an urban CA model, equipped with a sophisticated patch generation engine, to forecast urban landscapes under multiple scenarios. LST under these scenarios is then calculated based on the established regression relationship. Application of the framework in Wuhan yields valuable insights: (1) The regression coefficient (R2 = 0.85) between SCSS and LST indicates that changes in SCSS can well explain the spatial heterogeneity in LST, especially in areas with evident UHI effects. (2) The simulated and retrieved LST for 2015 shows high spatial consistency, achieving an R2 value of 0.81, indicating the model's credibility. (3) Scenario simulations demonstrate that rapid and compact urban land expansion would exacerbate the UHI effect, leading to extreme high-temperature areas expanding towards suburban regions and significant temperature increases in urban fringe areas. The proposed framework provides powerful tools for policymakers and urban planners to mitigate the UHI effect and enhance urban sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand landscape pattern dynamics in a rapidly urbanizing area, this paper analyzes land use patterns and land cover data of Zhengzhou, Henan, China, using data from three Landsat TM images taken in 1988, 2001, and 2014. By combining gradient analysis and landscape pattern analysis, and by using multiple landscape on both class and landscape scales, we quantified the spatial dynamics of the landscape patterns of the study area. Our results revealed dynamic changes in the landscape patterns of the Zhengzhou area. We found that the urban landscape had expanded, and unused land had decreased from 1988 to 2014. Indexes of patch density, spread and landscape diversity showed regularity in the gradient belt near the administrative center, and their peak values expanded over time. We also found that gradient changes of urban outskirts areas in 2014 were significantly different from those in 1988 and 2001, indicating that the urban construction has resulted in considerable ecological disturb. Finally, we discuss the impact of urbanization processes on the urban core and suburban areas at different time points. We hope that these results may be beneficial for the regional land use policy-making and sustainable development planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Investigating the spatial variation of PM 2.5 in a compact urban scenario. • Mobile monitoring method was adopted to achieve a better spatial understanding. • An application of LCZ scheme and WUDAPT level 0 product in urban air quality study. • Land use/landscape pattern metrics were adopted as the predictors. • Land use/landscape patterns are influential to the spatial variation of PM 2.5. Particulate matter that <2.5 µm in aerodynamic diameter (PM 2.5) has been recognized as one of the principal pollutants that degrades air quality and increases health burdens. In this study, we employ the MLR and GWR modelling method to obtain estimation models for PM 2.5 with a set of land use/landscape metrics as predictor variables. The study focused on investigating the influence of urban land use and landscape pattern on PM 2.5 spatial variation, specifically, on identification of influential landscape classes/types that regulate PM 2.5 concentration levels. The spatial PM 2.5 concentration in the compact urban scenario of Hong Kong was sampled by conducting a series of mobile monitoring campaigns. The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) Scheme and World Urban Database and Portal Tools (WUDAPT) level 0 database were adopted as the basis of the calculation of land use/landscape metrics. These metrics were then adopted as the predictors to explain the spatial variations in PM 2.5. 62% of the variance in PM 2.5 can be explained by the resultant GWR model using only five land use/landscape classes, and without using any traffic-related variables or data from emission inventory. The findings can inform the urban planning strategies for mitigating air pollution and also indicate the usefulness of LCZ and WUDAPT in estimating the spatial variation of urban air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The article researched urban landscape and ecological disturbance in China's fastest urbanization area. • The article uses the interference index to assess the impact of urbanization on the ecological landscape pattern. • The research conclusions have important guiding significance for the sustainable development of the study area. The urban agglomeration of the Yangtze River Delta is one of the fastest expansions of urban regions in China. In this study, the variation of urban construction land and landscape patterns were studied based on the remote sensing image classification data of 2005, 2010, and 2015. The results show that: 1) In the region, the change rate of urban construction land in 2010–2015 is significantly higher than that of 2005–2010.; 2) The rapid expansion of urban landscape leads to the reduction of farmland, while the total area of ecological space such as that of forest and waters is almost unchanged.; 3) The farmland fragmentation is enhanced and the corresponding shape is more complicated, but the shape of urban landscape is more continuous and regular during the urban expansion process.; and 4) The interference of human activities to ecological space is increasing. Therefore, the conclusion of this study provides the basic data for the spatial planning and ecological environment protection of urban agglomeration in Yangtze River Delta. Not only that, but it also promotes the sustainable development of ecological resources in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, as well as makes social and economic contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

• Landscape dynamics of family owned forests can affect national ecological outcomes. • Fragmentation rates are higher in anthropogenic interface zones. • ~Half of the total family forest area occurs in an anthropogenic interface zone. • Regional differences indicate family forest leverage on national ecological outcomes. The capacity of family owned forests to sustain ecological goods and services depends on the landscape context within which that forest occurs. For example, the expansion of a nearby urban area results in the loss of adjacent forest, which threatens the ability of the family forest to sustain interior forest habitat. Our objective was to assess the status and change of the landscape context of family forests across the conterminous United States, as measured by interior forest status and anthropogenic (urban and agricultural) interface zones. We combined circa 2005 forest inventory data with land cover maps from 2001 and 2011 to evaluate changes in the vicinity of 132,497 inventory locations. We compared family forests to nonfamily private and public forests, and evaluated regional conservation opportunities for family forests. Between 2001 and 2011, 1.5% of family forest area experienced a change of anthropogenic interface zone, and 46% was in an interface zone by 2011. During that same time, there was a net decrease of 9.7% of family owned interior forest area, such that 27% of family forest was interior forest by 2011. The rates of forest fragmentation and occurrence in anthropogenic interface zones were higher for family and nonfamily private forests than for public forest, yet family forests contained 31% of the extant interior forest area. The geography of landscape patterns suggested where aggregate actions by family forest owners may have relatively large regional effects upon extant interior forest conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influences of three subsets of environmental factors (i.e. soil physicochemical properties including pH, organic matters and soil texture, landscape patterns, and parent materials) on the spatial variations and sources of soil trace metal contamination across an urban-rural environmental gradient in Guangzhou City, southern China. We collected 318 surface soil samples from forests, orchards, farmlands, and urban lawns using a random tessellation design for selecting sample sites. The geo-accumulation indices showed that 18%–88% of soil samples were contaminated: moderate to high contamination with Cd and Hg, low to moderate contamination with Cu, Pb, Zn and Ni, and low contamination with As and Cr. However, less than 13% of soil samples were considered to have exceeded the national standards causing environmental and human health concerns. The mean geo-accumulation indices increased in the order of forest, paddy field/orchard, vegetable, road/residential, and park/residential areas for As, Cd, Ni, Pb, Zn, closely following a land disturbance gradient. Spearman Correlation and Cluster Analyses showed that Pb-Cu-Zn had traffic-related origins, Cd-Hg were mainly influenced by fertilization or industrial emissions, and As-Cr-Ni had geogenic origins for agricultural soils. In contrast, the Ni, Hg and Cd contamination sources for urban soils included both anthropogenic and geogenic origins. The Stepwise Regression and Partial Redundancy Analyses showed that three subsets of environmental factors explained 43%–87% of variations of soil contamination for both agricultural and urban soils. We concluded that soil contamination was mainly controlled by soil physiochemical properties followed by landscape patterns. Soil absorption of aerial loads of trace metal pollutants dominated the soil contamination processes. Our findings implied that improving soil physiochemical properties and landscape designs can strengthen environmental buffering and carrying capacity, thus alleviating soil contamination and reducing non-point-source pollution in the study region. Image 1 • 17.9%–87.7% of soil samples were contaminated with trace metals. • Less than 13% of soils causing threats to environmental and human health. • Trace metals were prone to accumulate in areas with high anthropogenic disturbances. • Soil contaminants were grouped into Cu-Pb-Zn, As-Ni, Cd-Hg, and Cr by origins. • Soils with higher pH and organic matters, and heavier texture are more polluted. Soil physiochemical properties and landscape patterns control soil contamination at the urban-rural interfaces in a populated region, south China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of artistic ecological landscape pattern is an effective way to construct the landscape ecological network, which can significantly improve the landscape ecological security. The theory of morphological regionalization has wide applicability in the study of urban morphology, especially in describing the morphological structure of artistic ecological landscape. Therefore, an optimization method of artistic ecological landscape pattern based on morphological regionalization is proposed. Based on the analysis of the concepts related to urban morphological regionalization and artistic ecological landscape pattern, the component structure of artistic ecological landscape with the best overall connectivity is obtained by combining granularity backstepping method and principal component analysis. The optimization of artistic ecological landscape pattern is completed, which provides a better support for planning proposal for the layout of artistic ecological landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Land cover change (LCC) and ecosystem service values (ESV) showed significant variations during 2003–2010 (slow) and 2010–2017 (rapid). Urban expansion and farmland decline were the most notable. • Landscape level fragmentation increased continuously and patches dominance decreased. • PLS regression model showed high variation of ESV in response to land cover change • Implementation of general development plan and completion of cross straight bridge from the island to the mainland China (2010) accelerated socioeconomic development, LCC and decline of ecosystem service values. • The major drivers are accelerated economic development, weak enforcement of land management regulations mainly due to priority of local government for short term economic gain, and absence of specific land management legislations for islands and coastal areas. Abstract Pingtan Island has undergone changes in socio-economic and policy environment with significant effect on land cover change (LCC) and ecosystem service values (ESV). The most notable changes in both land cover and ESV were linked to Pingtan Comprehensive Experimental Zone (PCEZ) plan, economic development plan with the aim of making Pingtan an international tourism island and free trade zone. However, evaluation of LCC and its impact on ESV is not yet attempted in the area. Using multispectral Landsat images, value transfer method and socioeconomic data, this study aims to quantify and track LCC, landscape pattern and ESV (2003–2017). The results showed that farmland, forest land and urban land covered >74% of the total area in the years considered. The class-to-class transition was also substantial among them. During the period 2003–2010, LCC was slow with stable areas of 73.52%. In the second period (2010–2017), it showed remarkable differences with the highest change in water bodies (9.76% less than its initial proportion), urban land (9.47% higher), farmland (8.67% less) and the stable areas reduced to 63.87%. Regardless of class-level variations, landscape fragmentation generally increased but shape irregularity among patches decreased during the study period. The total ESV was 32 million US$ in 2003. It changed slowly in the first period (1.61%/year) and rapidly in the second period (–2.869%/year) that caused the overall net loss of 4.35 million US$ (13.594%). Partial least square regression model also showed the highest variance of ESV (85%) due to the variance of LCC (92%), whereas it exhibited less variance owing to the variance of landscape pattern. Following PCEZ plan, the policy reforms accelerated construction land and economic development that negatively affected ecosystem services. Our results could help understand the relationship between LCC and ESV along with socioeconomic and policy factors to make sustainable land management interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The effects of urbanization on plant diversity have been increasingly investigated around the world, but our knowledge of the performances of urbanized landscape is still inadequate for suitable urban landscape planning and management. We asked: 1) what are the effects of urbanized landscape pattern on indigenous plant diversity, and 2) do these effects exhibit scale dependence? A total of 105 plots, distributed throughout the study area were chosen. Each plot was 10 m × 10 m. Alpha-diversity, and beta-diversity of species taxonomic composition across plots was calculated. Four groups of landscape metrics (complexity, fragmentation, diversity, and urbanization intensity) were measured for each plot. Ten scales, ranging from 100 m to 1000 m and with increasing steps of 100 m, were used as spatial scales. Pearson's correlation analyses were used to detect relationships between the indigenous plant diversity along the urbanization gradient and the ten landscape metrics. Shannon's Diversity Index (SDI), Shannon's Evenness Index (SEI), Edge Density (ED), and Landscape Shape Index (LSI) were highly and positively correlated with alpha and beta plant diversity, whereas Largest Patch Index (LPI) were negatively correlated with plant diversity. Such correlations became stronger at higher spatial scales, and the highest at 600–700 m. The intensity of urbanization increased the values of ED and LPI in urbanized landscape and negatively influenced plant diversity. The correlations were influenced by the spatial extent. The study offers some guidelines on landscape pattern, including patch size, shape, and its configuration, in managing urban areas optimally to support plant diversity and wildlife. Landscape unit with diverse land uses with a radius of 600–700 m for Beijing, and other specific radius for other cities in the world are proposed as the most suitable landscape pattern for preserving indigenous plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Paddy field failed to achieve quantitative balance and dry land was the main farmland compensated by woodland and grassland. • Landscape fragmentation and heterogeneity of farmland have been intensified. • Integrated institution involved RCBF could be established and farmers engaged in compensatory farmland should be encouraged. • Concrete technical specifications should be developed for land exploitation, reclamation and consolidation. • Problems and causes of farmland's spatial distribution and landscape pattern changes under RCBF were quantitatively verify. Abstract This study analyzed the amount, heterogeneity, and pattern of farmland subject to the requisition–compensation balance of farmland (RCBF) policy from 2011 to 2015 in China's economic development frontier area of Guangdong Province. The study used vector data for land-use and land-cover change and farmland quality from the Department of Land Resources of Guangdong Province and socio-economic statistical data from the statistical yearbook. To determine practical and potential problems during the implementation of RCBF, we calculated the differences between the area of compensatory farmland and requisitioned farmland according to different farmland types and quality grades at both the provincial and sub-regional scale. A series of pattern metrics reflecting land fragmentation and aggregation were identified at the class and landscape levels. The results revealed the presence of "superior occupation and inferior compensation" and "paddy field occupation and dry land compensation." The landscape pattern experienced different degrees of influence after farmland requisition and compensation. The tendency was for a large area of woodland and grassland adjacent to each other to be exploited, leading to a series of ecological and environmental problems. Due to considerations of economic benefit and cost, much of the compensatory farmland provided following land exploitation has been inefficient, unreasonable, and unstable. Although some complementary policies have been proposed, such as "linking the increase in urban construction land with a decrease in rural construction land," primary problems of RCBF are still difficult to be solved. We suggest that specific technical specifications for land exploitation, land reclamation, and land consolidation should be formed based on regional characteristics. Local government should improve the existing relevant support policies and continue to strengthen land reclamation and land consolidation in the future, with full consideration of the need for ecological environmental protection and improvement of the farmland landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vegetation landscape of rural wetland ecosystem has the ecological functions of energy supply, environmental indication and soil improvement. A series of landscape type changes and ecosystem health problems brought about by urbanization deserve our attention and research. In this paper, the adjacency characteristics of vegetation landscape in rural wetland ecosystem are deeply analyzed. The measurement methods of the relative coverage and the relative density were used to calculate the relative abundance, the relative height, and the relative coverage of vegetation landscape. The vegetation landscape type and its characteristics were analyzed by landscape pattern calculation software. On this basis, the relationship of composition characteristics and spatial allocation of vegetation landscape structure was obtained by vegetation landscape pattern index analysis method. The vegetation landscape adjacency characteristics analysis method was used according to four indexes of the adjacent length, the percentage of adjacent length, the number of adjacent edges, and the ratio of the number of adjacent edges to the patch number. The adjacent characteristics of vegetation landscape and wetland and development and construction land in rural wetland ecosystem are analyzed. The vegetation landscape coercion degree function is constructed by wetland ecological security analysis method. According to the coercion degree of landscape and the risk degree of ecological security, the ecological security status of wetland ecosystem was analyzed. The results show that the vegetation landscape shrub and wetland in the experimental rural wetland ecosystem had the most obvious adjacency relationship, while the grassland and wetlands had no obvious adjacency relationship. The adjacent relationship between grassland and land for development and construction, the proportion of affected area, and the coercion degree are relatively large. Local garden is greatly affected by the wetland. The adjacent relationship between water area and wetland is mainly reflected in farmland canals and dams, while the adjacent relationship between cultivated lands is not obvious. The comprehensive coercion degree of ecological land of rural wetland by cultivated land is far less than that of development and construction land. It can be seen that human economic construction activities and urbanization process are the greatest potential risks affecting the security of rural ecological land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landscape pattern emerges from the intricate interplay among natural, biological, and social elements, profoundly influencing the quality of the regional ecological environment. By comparing the spatial and temporal driving mechanisms of landscape pattern changes on ecological environment quality across various cities, we can gain valuable insights into charting sustainable development paths for cities in the future. The results show that: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the mean RSEI values for Kunming and Nanjing exhibited a certain degree of increase, suggesting an improvement in ecological quality over time. Conversely, Guangzhou displayed relatively high and stable ecological quality throughout the studied period. (2) The CA-Markov results reveal minimal variations in the ecological quality of Kunming by 2035. Conversely, Nanjing experiences a decline in ecological quality, while Guangzhou demonstrates commendable achievements in ecological development, with an area accounting for moderate or higher ecological grades reaching 71.13%. (3) During the 30 years, the polarization of the three cities intensified and gradually formed a polycentric and clustered urban form. Among them, Nanjing and Guangzhou showed a fragmented landscape pattern, while the landscape diversity of Kunming is decreasing. (4) In terms of landscape pattern changes, Nanjing and Guangzhou showed a fragmented landscape pattern and increased landscape heterogeneity, but the degree of fragmentation and the rate of urban expansion in Guangzhou have been mitigated. In contrast, the spatial distribution of landscape patches in Kunming is becoming more clustered and the landscape diversity is decreasing. (5) The results of MGWR show that improving the landscape diversity, landscape patch aggregation and connectivity is beneficial to improving ecological quality. Overall, this study provides valuable insights and serves as a relevant reference for optimizing urban spatial structure in China and other developing countries' cities, aiming to foster sustainable and ecologically conscious urban development. • Explored the effects of urban landscape pattern changes on ecological quality. • Three megacities are gradually taking on a polycentric and clustered urban form. • The action mechanism of cropland on ecological quality varies in different cities. • Improving SHDI and AI contributes to urban ecological quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 167 studies on UGS configuration and cooling effect using LMs were reviewed. • Diverging suggestions on UGS configuration at patch and class level exist. • Contextual and methodological factors cannot help interpret the diverging suggestions. • Few specific planning and design implications on UGS configuration were given. • Future directions for better implications to UGS planning and design are discussed. Urban green spaces (UGS) are effective mitigations to excessive urban heat. Landscape metrics (LMs) have been widely used to assess how UGS configuration, i.e., edge and area, shape complexity, and aggregation, may facilitate better cooling. However, application of configurational LMs has produced diverging suggestions for planning and design practice, which cannot provide urban and landscape designers with holistic insights for future sustainable development. Thus, we conducted a systematic review to (1) summarize the contextual and methodological factors in pertinent studies, and (2) synthesize extractable results and implications, and see if the contextual and methodological factors may help to interpret the diversity in planning and design implications. A total of 167 studies were identified, covering 90 cities in 27 countries belonging to 16 Köppen climate zones. Evolving statistical methods have been applied, including spatial, non-spatial, and non-parametric machine-learning analyses. Synthesis of correlation coefficients reveals that patch-level metric SHAPE, and class-level metrics LPI, AI and COHESION yielded generally consistent trends across studies. No consensus was obtained based on patch-level metrics, while class-level analyses suggest aggregated, patchy, larger, and complex-shaped UGS facilitate better cooling. Contextual and methodological factors cannot help interpret the diverging suggestions. Few specific planning and design implications on UGS configuration were given. Future studies are suggested to specify either a land-use or land-cover perspective to align with practical scales in planning and design practice, and to formulate specific implications beyond binary suggestions by echoing the heterogeneity of thermal environment and UGS pattern under precise planning and design contexts with practical illustration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]