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Municipal sewage treatment plants yield lots of sewage sludge, which has complex composition, and improper disposal may cause environmental pollution problem. Therefore, proper sludge treatment is important to solve this problem. Traditional sludge disposal methods such as incineration and landfill have the drawbacks of high energy consumption and soil pollution problem. Anaerobic carbon fixation is a new sludge disposal method, which has good application prospect. This study adopted anaerobic carbon fixation to treat dreed sludge. The thermogravimetric analysis was carried out to assess the effects of process parameters (carbonization temperature and time) on the degree of anaerobic carbon fixation of dreed sludge. The influence of process parameters on the physicochemical properties, nutrient indicators, heavy metal content and seed germination index of sludge were investigated. Taking seed germination index as evaluation indicator, the optimum conditions were determined by extreme difference analyses of orthogonal tests. The results indicated that high carbonization temperature and long carbonization time were crucial to ensure that anaerobic carbon fixation of sludge fully competed. Process parameters had significant effects on the properties of sludge. Various performance indicators of sludge treated by anaerobic carbon fixation could meet the standard of municipal sewage treatment plant sludge disposal for landscaping purpose (GB/T 23486--2009), so the treated sludge could be used as landscaping substrate. The optimum carbonization temperature and time were determined as 600 °C and 1.5 h, respectively. In this condition, sludge anaerobic carbon fixation fully competed and the content of toxic and harmful substances such as soluble salts and water-soluble heavy metals in treated sludge were low, which was conductive to seed germination. Seed germination index reached 138. 79%, far higher than the national production quality standard (70%). As a result, anaerobic carbon fixation treatment and effective process parameters adjustment open up new possibility for sludge resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stability of property rights is a key factor in incentivizing farmers to engage in land use and protection activities, which, in turn, serve to mitigate or prevent the degradation of land resources and enhance the effectiveness of agricultural management practices. This research uses Scientometric analysis according to PRISMA guidelines to thoroughly examine academic landscape related to the stability of farmland property rights and its impact on farmers' land utilization and protection behaviors. By examining 4165 publications from 2014 to 2023 in Web of Science and Scopus databases, the study conducts a comprehensive analysis. Theoretical frameworks elucidate three primary avenues through which property rights influence farmers' behavior: the assurance effect, collateral effect, and realizable effect. Through document co‐citation analysis 11 distinct thematic clusters were revealed, highlighting the prominence of land tenure security (Cluster #0). Notably, Ma X's publication experienced a significant 4‐year surge, indicating its key influence. Author co‐citation analysis outlined author clusters, emphasizing the increasing relevance of authors like Cotula L, Angelsen A, and De Schuttero during specific periods. Journal co‐citation analysis revealed cohesive journal clusters such as Development and Change and Journal of Peasant Studies, showcasing thematic boundaries within clusters. Keywords co‐citation analysis (CO‐DESC) identified thematic clusters around "China," "agricultural land," and "land use," with keywords like "land degradation" exhibiting substantial bursts. This systematic analysis highlights influential publications, authors, journals, and thematic clusters, emphasizing the structured landscape within farmland property rights research and revealing critical aspects impacting farmers' behavior and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The evolution characteristics and correlation degree of landscape pattern and carbon source/carbon sink in Karamay city were studied in order to provide reference for regional low-carbon development and adjustment of land use and optimization of land man- agement. (Method) Based on the remote sensing image data of Karamay city from 1995 to 2021, the paper uses Frastate4. 2 software to calculate the landscape pattern index, uses the carbon emission coefficient method to estimate the carbon source/carbon sink of land use, and uses the grey correlation model to measure the correlation between the two. [Result] (i) From 1995 to 2021, the landscape fragmentation of Kara- may city showed an upward trend, the largest patch type decreased continuously, the patch distance was dispersed, the landscape distribution was complicated, the segmentation degree was gradually serious, the landscape diversity changed from single to complex, and the landscape types tended to be diversified. (ii) From 1995 to 2021, the carbon source/carbon sink of Karamay city showed an upward trend. Because the amount of carbon source was significantly greater than the amount of carbon sink, Karamay city was finally the carbon source area and the net carbon emissions increased year by year. (iii) The increase of carbon emissions in Karamay city was closely related to the gradual seriousness of landscape segmentation in the study area, the complexity of landscape distribution, the dispersion of patch distance in the landscape and the continuous decrease of the largest patch area. [Conclusion] The landscape pattern of landscape level and patch type level in Karamay city is closely related to carbon emissions, and each landscape pattern index is the main factor affecting the change of carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative analysis of the evolution of regional ecosystem service value(ESV)and spatial differentiation factors, and study on the characteristics of development of eco-economic harmony and consistency are helpful to promote the improvement of ecological functions of urban agglomerations and metropolitan areas. Taking Fuzhou metropolitan area as an example, based on remote sensing image data of 2001, 2010 and 2020, combined with GIS spatial visualization analysis, the optimized ESV assessment model, gravity center model, coefficient of variation, harmony index and consistency index, were adopted to measure the evolution of ESV of Fuzhou metropolitan area; secondly, its spatio-temporal harmony evolution characteristics with economic development were analyzed; finally, some suggestions on the eco-economy harmony development strategy of Fuzhou metropolitan area were provided. The results show that ① the whole ESV of Fuzhou metropolitan area decreases first and then increases from 2001 to 2020; thereinto, Fuzhou and Putian first decrease and then increase, while 4 counties of Ningde and 3 counties of Nanping continue to increase; ② the proportion of primary industry, annual average temperature and vegetation coverage rate have higher explanatory power for the spatial differentiation of ESV; limited by the original natural conditions, the spatial differentiation of ESV in Fuzhou metropolitan area is easily expanded by human interference; ③ the ecosystem service center of gravity of Fuzhou, Putian and 4 counties of Ningde has a trend of constantly moving away from the economic center of gravity, and the two are gradually separated; ④ there is no obvious conflict in the harmonious development of eco-economy in Fuzhou metropolitan area, but there are a large number of regions where the growth rate of ESV lags behind the GDP growth rate, and the economic development is under increasing ecological pressure. In the past 20 years, Fuzhou metropolitan area has formed a pattern of coexistence of economic agglomeration in Fuzhou, Putian and Ningde urban areas, and ecological agglomeration in 6 counties, the middle of Fuzhou metropolitan area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron-manganese industrial wastes are used to improve the humification degree of sludge composting and realize the synergetic treatment and resource utilization. After iron-manganese smelting residuals or iron-manganese tailings were added to sludge compost mixture, the process and characteristics of sludge humification were studied by composting experiments for 15 days. Adding iron-manganese slags increased the heating rate of the sludge pile, and the period of thermophilic composting (≥50 °C) reached 96 h. After 15 days, the ratio of HA/FA was not less than 1.0, and the seed germination index GI were more than 100%. Except for As, the contents of other metals such as Cr and Ni were lower than the limits of the Grade A stipulated by the Agricultural Sludge Pollutant Control Standard (GB 4284-2018), and then the obtained compost products were suitable for garden, pasture, and cultivated land where crops are not planted. The highest activities of polyphenol oxidase and dehydrogenase in the compost products with the addition of iron-manganese smelting slags were 2.2 µmol/(h • g) and 13.5 mg/(d • g), respectively, and water-soluble organic carbon increased significantly. Iron-manganese smelting slags was more conducive to the conversion of soluble organic carbon into macromolecular substances such as humic acid, and it improved compost stability and maturity while retaining carbon and nitrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The limited space on land increases the importance of spatial planning that is transparent, accountable, and effective, which involves multi-stakeholders in its conception. Such planning is intended to create a spatial arrangement that supports security, productivity, and sustainability. In an attempt to secure food supply in the future, the government of Indonesia initiated a Food Estate program in 2020. This study analyzes land use and land utilization in regions planned for a food estate project in Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan, and evaluates their suitability with the designated spatial planning. The method used land surveying and spatial analysis to answer the research objective. The result explained that 85,492.58 Ha (49.20%) of land use is suitable for spatial planning. The area of 88,786.43 Ha (51.09%) of land utilization is suitable for its spatial planning. The survey was carried out at the early stage of spatial planning implementation throughout spatial development is ongoing. Development results that are in accordance with the spatial planning have not yet been seen, this happens because the determination of the spatial planning and the spatial suitability analysis are too close together. The food estate program has not been included in the Kapuas Regency spatial planning. The results of the research concluded that there was a large mismatch gap, it was necessary to revise the spatial planning by including the food estate program in the regional spatial planning.

Engineered biomaterials play a crucial role in the construction industry. The study and development of engineered biomaterials with high-strength are necessary to fulfill the construction requirements for medium and high-rise buildings and long-span bridges. Further promoting the localization of high-strength engineered biomaterials is crucial in terms of reducing CO2 emissions, effectively utilizing land resources, and taking into account the unique structure of forest resources in China. The goal of this modification is to satisfy the rising demand for eco-friendly living spaces.

This study aims to determine the legal basis of the land acquisition process and mechanism, as well as to find out the obstacles that occur in the mechanism of land acquisition for the public interest. In practice, that the need for land will in turn have an impact on various land use issues, land affairs are not only related to socio-economic aspects, but are also related to juridical issues. Because in an effort to use land, it is necessary to provide a guarantee of legal certainty. This research is important in order to be able to overcome the problems regarding land acquisition for public interest in Indonesia. This research method is normative juridical. The results of the study concluded that in carrying out land acquisition referring to Law no. 2 of 2012 concerning Land Procurement for Development in the Public Interest which consists of the planning, preparation, implementation and delivery of results. In addition, the details of the implementation and process are regulated in Presidential Regulation no. 148 of 2015 which updated Presidential Regulation No. 71 of 2012 concerning the Implementation of Land Procurement for Development in the Public Interest.

Copyright of Arid Zone Research / Ganhanqu Yanjiu is the property of Arid Zone Research Editorial Office 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.)

Dynamic monitoring and prediction of ecosystem service value (ESV) under land utilization change is of great significance to maintaining regional ecological security. In order to enrich the study of ESV changes in plateau region by using the improved equivalent factor method of unit area value, the western Sichuan Plateau was taken as the research object. In this paper, given the land use data of the western Sichuan Plateau in 2000, 2010 and 2020, efforts have been made to construct the suitability image collection of the study area and to amend the CA-Markov model as to predict the land use pattern in 2030. In addition, the improved ESV evaluation model was constructed to study the spatial and temporal dynamic variation features of ESV. The results showed that: Woodland and grassland are the main types of land utilization in the study area. There are frequent interchanges between various land utilization types. The overall reduction of ESV, decrease of 3.4917 × 109 yuan/a, mainly due to the conversion of woodland to other land types. The high-value areas of ESV in the study area are closely tied to rivers. Two areas with high ESV value were formed in the study area. The findings of the study enriched the research system of land use and ecosystem service value in the plateau region, provided basic data for the construction of regional ecological security pattern, and enhanced regional sustainable development.

With the rapid development of UAV remote sensing, satellite remote sensing and computer vision, the semantic segmentation of remote sensing images has also developed rapidly and is widely used in research on land utilization classification, ecology, urban planning and other problems. Large differences in spatial and temporal scales, different image resolutions, insufficient model robustness to the data domain, and blurred object boundaries are the main problems for existing semantic segmentation models based on deep learning. This paper studies the problem of blurred target boundaries after semantic segmentation and propose a boundary enhancement loss function that highlights the importance of target edges. Compared to other models used in investigating higher boundary accuracy, the proposed model can be trained without boundary-labelled data, and no additional inference time is consumed. This loss function is applied to some other deep learning networks as a plug-and-play module on two different datasets and show that the IoU has an improvement of 2–5% with better clear boundary and continuity, which is more prominent on buildings and roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic monitoring and prediction of ecosystem service value (ESV) under land utilization change is of great significance to maintaining regional ecological security. In order to enrich the study of ESV changes in plateau region by using the improved equivalent factor method of unit area value, the western Sichuan Plateau was taken as the research object. In this paper, given the land use data of the western Sichuan Plateau in 2000, 2010 and 2020, efforts have been made to construct the suitability image collection of the study area and to amend the CA-Markov model as to predict the land use pattern in 2030. In addition, the improved ESV evaluation model was constructed to study the spatial and temporal dynamic variation features of ESV. The results showed that: Woodland and grassland are the main types of land utilization in the study area. There are frequent interchanges between various land utilization types. The overall reduction of ESV, decrease of 3.4917 × 109 yuan/a, mainly due to the conversion of woodland to other land types. The high-value areas of ESV in the study area are closely tied to rivers. Two areas with high ESV value were formed in the study area. The findings of the study enriched the research system of land use and ecosystem service value in the plateau region, provided basic data for the construction of regional ecological security pattern, and enhanced regional sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental Science & Technology (10036504) is the property of Editorial Board of Environmental Science & Technology 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 problem of grassland degradation induced by livestock production at the expense of local grasses has become a serious ecological problem worldwide. To maintain livestock production and sustainable grassland development, the extent and intensity of grassland utilization needs to be better understood. In this study, a model was developed to monitor the intensity of grazing in a typical grazing area (Tibet Selinco basin) of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Combining the number of livestock at the township scale with their matching livestock habitat area and location, the biomass consumed by livestock was assigned to a productivity supply map (NPP) using a mathematical iterative algorithm from the perspective of different foraging habits of different livestock. The objective was to accurately measure the overall grazing pressure on the pasture as well as to estimate livestock pasture utilization. The model confirmed distinct spatial differences in the intensity of grassland utilization in the Tibet Selinco basin, in which the overall intensity was significantly low except in the southwestern region. The overall grazing area was found to be 150,000 km2, of which moderate grazing area occupied 130,000 km2 and overgrazing area occupied 20,000 km2, accounting for 87% and 13% of the total grazing area, respectively. The proposed model can quantify human activities spatially and provide a reliable and accurate scientific basis for livestock production development and ecological environment management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of decreasing urban development space in China, urban regeneration has gradually changed from incremental renewal to stock renewal. Looking back on the past development process of urban renewal, we can find that “Transit-oriented Development” (TOD) plays an essential role in modern urban renewal. Therefore, in this study, we explain the concept and principles of TOD and discuss the logic of TOD and urban renewal. In addition, we summarize the basic features of urban renewal strategy based on the TOD concept through the analysis of TOD cases to provide some ideas for future urban renewal work.

Land-use change plays an important role in ecological change; knowing the trends in land-use change can quickly help identify problems in regional ecosystems. In 2000 to 2020, the development of a global economy caused increasing extreme weather events worldwide and lead to exacerbating changes in types of land-use. The Yellow River source area is an important water source and a central part of ecological protection efforts in China. The fragile ecosystems make the area sensitive to environmental changes. Therefore, in protecting the ecological security of the basin, simulating changes in the ecosystem service value under different scenarios is a meaningful procedure. A patch-generating land use simulation model was used to simulate different land use scenarios in 2030, including an ecological protection scenario, a production priority scenario, a carbon neutral scenario and a natural development scenario. The analysis shows that significant progress has been made in water conservation but grassland conservation faces enormous challenges. The rate of development, occupation of farmland and land dedicated to construction has increased. Unused land increased dramatically from 2010–2020 and has not been mitigated by existing policies. Based on the unit area value equivalent coefficients, the ecosystem service value rankings for the seven land use types were as follows: Grassland > Wetland > Water Area > Forest > Farmland > Unused Land > Construction Land; the four types of ecosystem service value are ranked as follows: regulating services > supporting services > supply services > cultural services; the four scenarios of ecosystem service value are ranked as follows: ecological protection scenario > production priority scenario > carbon neutral scenario > natural development scenario. The ecosystem service value of the Yellow River source area would increase by CNY 1.641 billion in 2030 with ecological protection goals and decrease by CNY 1.421 billion with the current of development. This study provides valuable insights and implications for land use, ecological protection and sustainable development by shedding light on watershed change issues and assessing and predicting the ecological status of the Yellow River source area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evapotranspiration in the hydrologic cycle realizes the energy and water transport in the atmosphere. Evapotranspiration differences concerning land-use types provide data for studying the evapotranspiration of river basins. To investigate the evapotranspiration in the reservoir under artificial regulation, we selected the river basin in the Sanmenxia Reservoir as the study area. Data sources are two-period Landsat8 OIL_TIRS remote sensing images during the growing season of wetland plants. Based on meteorological data in this river basin, we investigated the evapotranspiration differences of different land-use types using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land model. The FAO Penman–Monteith formula verified the remote sensing inversion results. Analysis shows that significant differences were manifested between wetland and non-wetland landscapes in evapotranspiration among different land-use types. Non-wetland landscapes accounted for about 97.23% of the river basin's total area, but their daily average evapotranspiration was only 7.26 mm/d. Those of wetland landscapes were 2.77% and 12.17 mm/d. In this river basin, the differences between the wetland and non-wetland landscapes in evapotranspiration are mainly associated with plant diversity, vegetation coverage and surface temperature (beyond other driving factors like meteorological and hydrological solar radiation factors). HIGHLIGHTS Evapotranspiration data of different land types that support study on the hydrological cycle process in the watershed.; SEBAL model based on satellite remote sensing data and geographic information system technology.; The model simulation results have been verified by the Penman–Monteith formula.;

• Evaluate causal effect of government debt reduction on entrepreneurship. • Leverage a revised budget law reform in china as quasi-natural experiment. • Identify optimized land utilization and enhanced access to start-up loans as crucial mechanisms driving new firm creation. • Observe sector-specific effects on lowering entry barriers particularly in unregulated and downstream industries. • Delve into the quantity and quality of entrepreneurship to reveal a more vibrant and resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem. This study evaluates the causal effect of government debt on entrepreneurship. Exploiting New Budget Law reform in China that regulates the scale of local government debt, we find that government debt reduction bolsters entrepreneurial ventures by optimizing land utilization and enhancing access to start-up loans. Consistently, the entrepreneurial effect is more pronounced in unregulated industries and downstream sectors. Furthermore, we demonstrate that government debt reduction also contributes to entrepreneurship quality. It induces smaller entrants with higher survival rates post-reform, resulting in more incumbent enterprises exiting. Our results underscore the benefits of encouraging government debt governance experimentation in lowering entry barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Rural Water & Hydropower is the property of China Rural Water & Hydropower Editorial Office 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 interaction of the human population with nature can cause environmental damage such as the degradation of the watershed carrying capacity. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between population dynamic and the upstream environment alongside Garang River using four villages including Munding, Lerep, Kalirejo, and Pakintelan. Data were collected from several stakeholders including selected heads of households supported by key informants such as community leaders and the river care communities using field observation, a household survey through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The households used as samples were selected through proportional random sampling and the data retrieved were analyzed through a descriptive quantitative method which involved the cross-tabulation of household data on economic activities and environmental management practices. It was discovered that 1) the population of the Garang River's upstream was very dynamic with growth rates varying from 1.05% to 3.93%, 2) the main livelihood of the population and dominant land use was the agricultural sector, 3) the community realized that the harmonic relationship with the environment was a critical condition to support farming activities and fulfil daily necessities, and 4) the society kept maintaining the river through different activities such as "bersih sungai" or river cleaning and "sedekah bumi" or thank-giving to the environment. Moreover, the harmonic relationship between the people and the river environment is in form of several activities. These included waste management, cleaning rivers, maintaining clean waterways, actions to create a clean and healthy environment, and joining the efforts to care for the environment. The harmony was observed to have been realized through the integration of diversity, interdependence, unity, and the value of providing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic disasters in Guangzhou during the Ming and Qing dynasties included frost, flood, drought, hail, hurricane and so on, which had its own characteristics due to the regional uniqueness. From the dialectic perspective, climatic disasters exerted tremendous effects, both positive and negative, on land utilization. In response to disasters, people adjusted the original land use structure based on favorable local conditions, forming new methods of land utilization. In conclusion, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, climate disasters promoted the variation of land utilization in Guangzhou. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uneven green space distribution may lead to environmental injustice. This study includes three Chinese towns to explore quantitative method of uniform distribution of urban green space in combination with Gini Coefficient theory. Three quantitative indices have been used to analyze green space planning distribution pattern. The indices reveal horizontal and vertical distribution patterns of green space in these three towns. Distribution pattern of green space composite structure of Hezhuang town is very uneven, distribution pattern of the green space composite structure of Xuedian town is reasonably even, and distribution pattern of the green space composite structure of Lihe town is absolutely even. Based on a contrastive analysis, four conclusions and one recommendation have been drawn. This paper improves the understanding of factors influencing the distribution patterns of town green spaces by providing a basis for judgment of urban environmental equity and a reference for more equitable green space planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerated urbanization has given rise to sharp environmental changes in urban underlying surfaces, thus changing the regional thermal environment and endangering the ecosystem balance. The thermal environment is complex, and the influence laws of land utilization differences and changes in the thermal environment in different seasons and under different daytime and nighttime conditions are unclear. In this regard, effective measures should be implemented to reduce the regional thermal environmental effect and determine the influence laws of land utilization differences and changes in the regional thermal environment. Zhongyuan urban agglomeration was applied as the study area. Two-year MODIS eight-day synthesized surface temperature product and land utilization monitoring data were obtained by remote sensing and used to analyze the influencing characteristics of different cities and land utilization types on the thermal environment of urban agglomeration from the angles of interannual differences and seasonal differences. During 2010-2018, the area changes in different land utilization types in the study area are significant with decreasing farmland area and increasing forest land and construction land. The farmland and forest land have the most significant influences on the regional thermal environment, where the farmland exerts a warming effect on the regional thermal environment and the forest land exerts a cooling effect. In different seasons and under different daytime and nighttime conditions, the construction land shows a strong warming effect on the regional thermal environment. The contribution indices of Changzhi city and Jincheng city to the thermal environment of the urban agglomeration are negative, so they exert the cooling effect. The warming or cooling role played by Handan city, Liaocheng city, and Xingtai city in the thermal environment is transited under different daytime and nighttime conditions, namely, they exert the warming effect in the daytime and the cooling effect in the nighttime. The seasonal differences in the contributions of different cities to the regional thermal environment are the most apparent in summer and winter. The contribution indices are generally high in summer and winter and low in spring and autumn. Conclusions have theoretical significance for scientifically regulating the regional thermal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loading containers into a vessel can be delayed because of inefficient processes in the container yard. These container yard inefficient processes can be caused by inappropriate stacking position and inefficient crane operation. Inappropriate containers stacking positions may need some preparatory jobs of rearranging containers ahead of loading time to reduce delays in the process. The method will allow preparatory jobs to be scheduled together with main jobs to optimize use of the idle time of ASCs. This research aims to find a better scheduling strategy of twin ASCs as well as improving land utilization in a vertical-layout container yard to minimize delays in containers loading process. The uncertainty of truck arrival is accomodated by implementing iterative rescheduling in look-ahead planning horizon. The algorithm finds the optimal position of the container in the yard by implementing scoring function for each available slot. Finally, some numerical experiments are conducted to prove the performance of the algorithm.

Copyright of Mountain Research (10082786) is the property of Mountain Research Editorial Office 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 West Coast New Area of Qingdao has witnessed a fast-developing economy and accelerated urbanization since its establishment as a national new area, which also leads to the rapid change of land utilization status. In such a context, ways of quickly monitoring land utilization changes and leveraging land resources more efficiently and intensively are practical problem that requires urgent settlement. Focusing on Landsat8 OLI images in 2013, 2017 and 2021 of the West Coast New Area of Qingdao, data of land utilization changes in three periods were first extracted using ENVI5.3 software. And then, land utilization was dynamically monitored with the post classification comparison method. Finally, the driving force was quantitatively analyzed from the perspectives of socio-economic development, population change, and policy in combination with document literature collected, which can provide data supports for land planning of the West Coast New Area of Qingdao with suggestions proposed.

The farmland area on the Loess Plateau has decreased because of the Grain for Green Programme and other soil conservation measures. The Gullies Reclamation for Farmland Project has been implemented to increase the farmland areas. Many farmlands have been created, but their suitability for Note for his deletion: because of duplication crop production and sustainable management practices is unknown. Topsoil was sampled from 119 sites to evaluate the soil fertility parameters (e.g., SOM, nitrogen, phosphorus, clay). We found that (a) overall fertility was lower than the soil fertility III level criterion of Shaanxi Province except for the potassium due to the loess parent materials where nutrients were at low levels except for potassium and was extremely unfavorable for crop growth; (b) the distribution of soil fertility properties and quality were variable on the Yan'an regions and especially lowest in the northern areas because of slightly precipitation and vegetation coverage, as well as lack of SOM, nitrogen and phosphorus; (c) cultivation was the better choice for soil fertility restoration at short‐term in view of the higher enzyme activities and the contents of SOM, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The minimum data set for this type of soil quality analysis was determined to be SOM, CEC, NaHCO3‐P, Clay, DTPA‐Fe, DTPA‐Zn, and S‐UE. We recommend to planting of Medicago sativa and other legume crops in the uncultivated newly created farmland rather than letting it recover naturally. It is necessary to apply organic fertilizers, chemical fertilizer, and micro‐elements simultaneously and not rely solely on chemical fertilizers in the utilization of newly created farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of temperature and bulking agents, namely sawdust (SD), wheat bran (WB), and wheat straw (WS), on bio-drying of high-solid anaerobically digested sludge (ADS) was evaluated. A mixture of dewatered ADS with municipal sludge compost product (CP) and different bulking agents was loaded into a 180-L pilot-scale reactor. Intermittent aeration of 12 L min−1 with 20 min run/40 min stop was adopted during the whole bio-drying process. After 18 to 21 days of bio-drying, volatile solids (VS) in the trials with SD, WB, and WS degraded at a rate of 86.6, 284.3, and 344.2 g kg−1 initial VS, respectively. The matrix with easier biodegradable WB and WS achieved faster and higher water removal at a rate of 692.7 to 764.2 g kg−1 initial water, and a higher temperature cumulation of 373 to 427 °C·d. Approximately 70% of the bio-generated heat consumed for water evaporation. In the trials with WB and WS, the matrix moisture content decreased to below 39%, and the weight declined by above 48%. Water removal and VS degradation contributed to 85.2 ± 3.4% and 14.8 ± 3.4% of the total weight loss, respectively. The residual WB in bio-dried products (BP) caused low germination index (GI), indicating possible phytotoxic effects in soils. WS was determined to be the best agent with significantly higher GI and lower cost compared to WB, implying promising land utilization potential of BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the formation and migration of high-arsenic groundwater, the influences of geochemical characteristics of sediments, and land utilization must be further studied. To better understand these dynamics, 76 groundwater samples from different scales of the landscape (alluvial–proluvial plain, downstream flood irrigation zone and downstream drip irrigation zone) were collected and tested to analyze the contents of their major and trace components. Forty-two sediment samples from two boreholes were collected and different variables such as particle size distribution, chemical composition, and concentrations of weakly (S1) and strongly (S2) bound As were tested for physiochemical index analysis. Results showed that high-As groundwater (As concentration >10 μg/L) was mainly distributed at depths of 20–36 m; the groundwater in the alluvial–proluvial plain had a generally low As concentration with an average concentration of 9.6 μg/L; and the groundwater in the flood irrigation zone and that in the drip irrigation zone had relatively high As concentrations with average concentrations of 36.0 and 151.45 μg/L, respectively. In the sediments, As content was positively correlated with Fe and Mn content, and its distribution was controlled by hydrodynamic conditions and lithology, with clay having a relatively high As content. The competitive adsorption by PO4 3– promoted the release of As in the sediments. As concentration in groundwater in the drip irrigation zone (known for growing cotton using drip irrigation, which demands high-phosphate fertilizer) was higher than that in the groundwater in flood irrigation zone (known for vegetable agriculture using flood irrigation, which demands high-potash fertilizer), suggesting that land use patterns have a significant influence on the distribution and migration of As. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kurseong hill subdivision of the Darjeeling district, West Bengal, is associated with complex geomorphic set-up stemmed from form–process interaction on varied slope, relief, elevation, aspects, ridge–valley orientation, density and frequency of drainage, dissection, ruggedness and topographic wetness over different stratigraphy of geological rocks having different hardness. This complexity provides ample scope to evaluate the terrain and categorize the terrain into different sensitivity zones according to land utilization point of view so that different terrain segments can be classified into different grades and therefore can be rationally utilized and managed for sustainable use. Therefore, the present paper takes an attempt to evaluate the terrain sensitivity of the Kurseong hill subdivision based on multi-criteria analysis method to identify different grades of terrain according to their ability to hold and sustain the pressure of land utilization for settlements, agriculture and other land uses. Terrain sensitivity evaluation of the Kurseong hill subdivision has been done on the basis of the study of hard rock geology, some selected geomorphometric parameters derived from 3-arc-second SRTM digital elevation data as well as SOI toposheets having RF of 1:50,000 and the existing land use factors after necessary ground truthing on some selected sites. The procedure adopted for multi-criteria analysis is 1 km2 grid-based rating value assignment algorithm of the selected parameters and determination of different classes of sensitive terrain and their gradation according to the capacity of the terrain to withstand present pressure of land utilization. Some measures for rational land utilization and management have also been proposed for optimal land use planning for the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land is the basic, fixed and limited resource in nature. Land plays the key role in the determination of man's economic activities as well as social, cultural and political progress. All agricultural, animal and forestry productions depend on the quality and productivity of the land. The entire terrestrial eco-system which comprises of soil, water, air, plant and mineral are survived on the land resource. It meets the demand of food, energy and other needs of livelihood. Land use refers the sectoral utilization of a unit of available land in a given time. The proper utilization of the land enables economic development in a region. However, land use changes are increasingly recognized as major factors of global environmental change. The land utilization needs to have general frame work of strategic and effective management and analysis of their characteristics and also used for development planning in the study area. The total area of Ghazipur District (U.P.) is 330085 hectare in (2005), out of which forest area covered (1.29%), barren cultivable waste land (1.15%), present fallow land (4.67%), other fallow land (1.03%), barren uncultivable land (0.92%), land put to nonagricultural use (13.28%), pastures land (0.24%), area under bush, forest and garden (1.00%) and net area sown (76.42%). However some categories value are up and down which stand in (2015) 330461 hectare, in which forest area reported about (0.04%), barren cultivable waste land (0.93%), present fallow land (4.06%), other fallow land (1.06%), barren uncultivable land(0.89%), land put to non-agricultural use (14.72%), pastures (0.19%) area under bush, forest and garden (1.02%) and net area sown (77.08%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The FLUS model was used to predict land use. • Discussed the changes of land use and carbon sink in the past two decades. • Evaluated the spatial carbon sink capacity and analyzed the regional differences. • Evaluated the regional differences in carbon sink in Sanmenxia. Regional carbon sink fluctuations are largely influenced by land use. To enhance regional carbon sink and inform sustainable land management practices, it is critical to elucidate the influence of land use changes on carbon sink dynamics. Employing historical data on carbon sink in Sanmenxia region, this study analyzed alterations in land use and carbon sink between 2000 and 2020. The Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model was used to predict the impacts of land use type changes on regional carbon sink under three development scenarios (urban priority, cultivated land priority, and ecological priority).The result shows that:(1) From 2000 to 2020, cultivated land (with an increase of 3.26%) and construction land (with an increase of 22.85%) showed the most significant changes, with the main source of increase being grassland, while other land types showed little change. The southern part of the study area was mainly forest land and grassland, with higher carbon sink value than the northern part. (2) The simulation study of the three scenarios found that the development scenarios of ecological priority and cultivated land priority would be conducive to improving regional carbon sink value by 2040. Specifically, regional cropland, forest, and grassland were preserved due to the ecological red line and the restriction of basic farmland. This would increase the carbon sink value of the study area by 145 thousand tons and 171 thousand tons, respectively, compared with 2020. (3) The prediction results of the three development scenarios all showed that the carbon sink of the study area would decline first and then increase from 2020 to 2040. The carbon sink of the urban priority scenario would reach the lowest value in 2030, and the other development scenarios would reach the lowest value around 2028, and then increase significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land carrying capacity is important to be considered in spatial planning. This study was aimed to evaluate the land carrying capacity of the spatial planning of Blitar Regency using land capability evaluation. Evaluation was done by assesing the conformity between the actual land utilization and land allocation of the Official spatial planning of Blitar Regency toward the land capability. The class of land capability was evaluated for each land unit, which was combined from landforms and soil survey from the previuos research. The actual land use analysis was done by updating land use maps that have been provided by the SPOT-6 images acquired in 2015. The result showed that land capablity in Blitar Regency was consist of class II, III, IV, VI, VII and class VIII. The area with land capablity class of II to IV which supported agricultural cultivation were only 39.0% of total area, meanwhile 61.0% of total area should not be used for agricultural cultivation (class VI to VIII). The actual land carrying capacity based on the conformity between the actual land use and land capability were only 69.662 ha (43,8%), while the land carrying capacity of planning aspect based on the conformity between the official spatial planning and land capability was reached 79.498 ha (50,0%).

The objective of this study was to investigate the physical characteristics of watershed, water storage capacity, and dynamic modeling development for generating the water storage capacity necessary to dilute waste water from land utilization in the Upper Tha Chin Watershed (UTCW) within three scenarios: existing land use condition, expected land use change in the year 2020, and regulating water storage to dilute Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was applied in order to estimate the amount of the streamflow, suspended sediment, soil loss, and BOD based on the observed land use and water release data from the reservoir, from January, 2013 to December, 2014 as presented in Scenario 1. The reliability of the model was calibrated with the observed data by adjusting the coefficient of the key parameters through SWAT calibration uncertainty procedures (SWAT-CUP) and validating the observed data from seven hydrologic stations. The goodness of the calibration results was assessed based on the coefficient of determination (R2), Nash-sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE), and mean squared error (MSE); along with simulating the impact of land utilization in the year 2020, and the drainage simulation of the Krasiao reservoir on BOD. The results obtained from the SWAT model found that the UTCW area was 5,253.96 km2 with a stream length of 1,906 km, 14 sub-watersheds and 286 hydrological response units (HRUs). The application of the SWAT model in Scenario 1 indicated that the streamflow was 374.74 million cubic meter (MCM), suspended sediment was 1,854,720 tons/year, soil loss was 91.35 tons/ha/year, and BOD was 2.70 mg/L. The simulation of Scenario 2, forecasting the expected land use change in year 2020, showed that the amount of the streamflow decreased to 65.09 MCM, suspended sediment increased to 5,065,446 tons/year, soil loss increased to 240.96 tons/ha/year, and BOD was 2.70 mg/L; when compared with Scenario 1. The simulation of Scenario 3, regulating water storage for diluting waste water, found that BOD during the dry season of December, January, February, and March was 3.08, 3.24, 1.52, and 2.70 mg/L, respectively; and a decrease to 1.50 mg/L with an increased drainage of the Krasiao reservoir. This study shows that the SWAT model successfully stimulated and assessed the effects of land use activities on streamflow, sediment, and BOD; including the successful drainage of the Krasiao reservoir in both watershed and sub-watershed areas.