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China has experienced dramatic economic growth and social development, especially in the period between 1978 and 2008. The biodiversity and the socioeconomic sustainability in China were under threat, and the loss of wetlands was a significant aspect of ecological deterioration in the country at that time. However, the driving factors for the loss of wetlands are not well understood, probably due to a lack of accurate country-scale data. This study analyzes the changes in China's wetland area between 1978 and 2008 (1978, 1990, 2000, and 2008) and the interchange between different wetland types from 1990 to 2000. We select 29 socioeconomic parameters (per capita GDP, primary industry added value, secondary industry ratio, total population, arable land, pesticide use, aquatic products, railway mileage, domestic wastewater, urban sewage treatment capacity, etc.) and three meteorological parameters (annual temperature, annual precipitation, and annual sunshine) to analyze the driving forces of changes in wetlands. The factor analysis based on these parameters shows that two factors can explain 65.8% of the total variation from the data, while eight parameters can explain 59.7%. Furthermore, multiple linear regression analysis reveals that five factors are of great significance in explaining wetland change in China, which are annual temperature (p < 0.001), inland waterway mileage (p < 0.001), urban land acquisition (p = 0.01), secondary industry ratio (p = 0.014), and railway mileage (p = 0.02). In conclusion, climate change (especially temperature) and inland waterway mileage are the primary factors for changes in the wetlands in China, and other socioeconomic indicators, especially from industrial and construction factors, also play an important role in changes in wetlands during China's rapid economic development. In order to enhance wetland conservation efforts in China, we recommend prioritizing efforts to mitigate climate change on wetlands, promoting sustainable development policies, restoring and creating wetlands in urban areas, and utilizing advanced technologies to obtain accurate data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land tenure insecurity is one of the worldwide problems that often leads to soil degradation. We tested whether owner-operators maintain a higher level of soil quality and biochemical activity than tenant-operators and how this effect is modified by the agricultural system (organic vs. conventional) in arable fields. We selected 45 plots with cambisol soil based on a factorial design of owner-operator vs. tenant-operator and organic vs. conventional management. On all tested plots, the crop was wheat in shortly after harvest. We measured total carbon in soil and a set of 8 soil enzymes: acid phosphatase, β-glucosidase, α-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-xylosidase, chitinase, glucuronidase and arylsulfatase. These enzymes participate in the main geochemical nutrient cycles in soils. Differences in the activity of 4 out of these 8 enzymes and differences in the weighted means of the total enzyme activity show a joint effect and indicated higher biochemical activity of the soil under conventional farming in plots farmed by owners. However, when organic farming was practiced, no obvious differences in enzymatic activity were found between soils farmed by owners or by tenants. The total carbon showed a similar pattern, although not significant. Generally, we conclude that farmer’s motivation for making investments in soil health is driven by tenure security, especially in cases where the farm economy depends on profit from crop yields. However, the positive features of tenure security can also be ensured by effective agroecological standards, strict rules, higher levels of subsidies and other incentives that are typically provided for organic farming. We propose that changes in agricultural policies may not only stop land degradation in various parts of the world but also support ecosystem restoration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land consolidation (LC) is a widespread form of rural planning and is often presented as an important tool for mitigating land degradation. We therefore decided to make a systematic review of the effects of LC projects implemented under different natural and socio-economic conditions. Our results show that there is a major dichotomy in the understanding of LC. Studies from some parts of the world, e.g., Africa and South-east Asia, mostly report on LC projects aimed principally at creating larger fields to facilitate management. Studies from other regions, notably from Europe and China, describe LC as a complex form of planning that includes various types of land management measures. The effects of LC projects on land degradation are strongly linked to the type of project. Within the sample of reviewed studies, the effect of LC projects on land degradation was ambivalent, and projects not including land management measures even tended to contribute to land degradation. Conversely, in studies where LC projects involved specific land management measures, LC had a positive effect on most land degradation types. The results of our study indicate that LC projects can help significantly to mitigate land degradation. • This study examines the effects of land consolidation (LC) on land degradation. • One of the most negative effects of LC is increased water erosion. • Intensification of agricultural practices after LC has led to reduced organic matter. • Projects that included land levelling tended to mitigate the loss of vegetation cover and the loss of vegetation diversity. • There is a need for research on the effect of LC on land degradation types related to soil chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is expected to adversely affect agricultural production, particularly in Iran where the agricultural sector forms the backbone of the economy. This is true for the agriculture sector of the southwest region of Iran which is largely rain-fed and dominated by smallholder farmers with minimal livelihood alternatives. Although several studies have been conducted on climate change, little has been done on the adaptive capacity of farmers within farming systems, especially in Iran. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the adaptive capacity of four common farming systems (i.e., family farming system, cooperative farming system, commercialized farming system, and agro-enterprise farming system) in Fars province, southwestern Iran. A seven-step approach was used to normalize, weigh, and aggregate 102 individual indicators within a composite adaptive capacity index that is dimensionless, ranging from 0 to 1, and 1 is the optimal value. The required data were collected using a cross-sectional survey from 1472 farmers within the four mentioned farming systems. The results showed that the highest value was recorded by agro-enterprise for knowledge, perception and awareness, transport and physical accessibility, and institution and economic resources. Agro-enterprise scored higher in terms of awareness and action, which shows that these farming systems have a higher capacity for adaptation to the threat posed by climate diversity. Farmers in this farming system benefit from high formal education, high perceptions about the threat and risk of climate change, the occurrence of climatic events, causes for the change in climatic parameters, and awareness of climate change impacts. This paper recommends resilience-building interventions in the study area, which target individuals with low adaptive capacities, especially farmers. The results can also assist agricultural policymakers to recognize which components and determinants of adaptive capacity should be prioritized to mitigate the threat of climate change to farming systems. [Display omitted] • This study aimed to investigate the adaptive capacity of common agricultural systems • Climate change has a negative impact on Iran's agricultural production systems • The results showed that farmers at agro-enterprises have a well awareness of climate change adaptation • It is essential to obtain information about potential, effective, and cost-effective adaptation options [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural calamities such as drought, famine, and climate change have collided to create a humanitarian crisis. For the Horn of Africa (HoA), famine is among the factors that have caused the worst historical damages to the individual countries. Man-made calamities such as decentralized agricultural, pastoral activities and forest clearing are also root causes for the damage. Institutional arrangements (IAs) on land tenure systems and agricultural land conversion (ALC) as a part of this problem will be analyzed in this paper. Poor IAs on land are considered the main cause of insecure land tenure which diminishes the productivity of agriculture in this region, and this, specifically in times of drought, exacerbates famine. Accordingly, the paper explores the idea that to what extent poor IAs on land tenure systems can explain the famine in the HoA. IAs on land comprise two main functions: land quality management and regulation and standard-setting for land utilization. The types of IAs for land often differ. The "optimal" arrangement depends on political, economic, social, climatic, geographical, and technical factors that together form a complex system of IAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important dimensions of cooperative systems, which have existed in Iran since 1974, is cooperative rural production enterprises. In this study, the performance of rural production cooperatives in Iran is examined in relation to the social capital components of the members. This study's statistical population consisted of 16,870 members from 41 cooperatives. 217 samples of cooperative members and 98 samples of the cooperative's management and board of directors were selected using the Cochran formula, and questionnaires were filled out for each group. The results showed that from the viewpoint of the members of rural cooperatives, the most important factor in improving the performance of cooperatives was the use of effective extension training (model-extension sites). The results also showed that members' satisfaction and training members of cooperatives can play an important role in improving the performance of cooperatives. The results of this research, while emphasizing the role of education (especially extension activities), can help rural development planners in improving the performance of rural cooperatives in their regions. [Display omitted] • The study identified the impacts of social capitals on the performance of rural production cooperatives. • The most important factor in improving the performance was the use the extension trainings. • Members' satisfaction and training play an important role in improving the performance. • The level of education in production cooperatives has a direct relationship with trust and satisfaction. • Cooperatives do not perform well in the fields of sales, marketing and insurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran is currently suffering from a severe water shortage. Frequent droughts, along with over-abstraction of surface and groundwater, have pushed the country's water situation to crisis levels. To deal with this issue, changing the cultivation pattern has been suggested. The planners stated that other environmental objectives would be achieved by implementing changes to the cultivation pattern along with reducing water consumption. Concerning this issue, the present study aimed to identify the optimal water-saving cultivation pattern in the field cropping's subsector in Qazvin province. This province is particularly important in the production of field cropping, which has caused the groundwater level to drop. Therefore, 246 farmers were selected using a simple two-stage random sampling method, and the information was collected in 2019. According to the experts' ideas, a 15% increase in gross profit, a 10% decrease in agricultural water consumption, job stability, and a 15% decrease in chemical fertilizers and pesticides were considered the optimal goals. The findings showed that through the optimal allocation of the inputs to Low Water-Demand (LWD) and High Water-Demand (HWD) crops, the farmers could not only save water and different types of fertilizers and pesticides but also achieve their objectives in terms of their desired profit. Therefore, designing a system of allocation and distribution, establishing a standardization system, and monitoring and controlling farmers' behavior concerning the use of inputs can achieve the goal concerning farmers' income and goals for protecting water resources and the environment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although perceptions of landscape aesthetics are currently attracting great research interest, some aspects of the topic have remained almost unexamined. This review highlights some less studied areas that are of particular importance for landscape management, with special focus on rapidly growing exurban areas. While the visual quality of the environment is undoubtedly one of the drivers that has been spurring the exurban development of rural settlements, much remains unknown about the perception of the visual quality of these settlements. Another pressing issue is the need to determine general principles of consensus formation concerning visual landscape preferences. This study concludes that in order to preserve the rural character of exurban landscapes, there is an urgent need to identify the aesthetic values that define the character of rural settlements and their importance to the stakeholder groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversion of farmland to non-farm uses significantly influences the spatial variability of farmland prices. We tested 12 factors of land prices that experienced real estate brokers indicated to be the most important determinants for the conversion of farmland to non-agricultural use. Five factors can be described as landscape, four as geographic, and three as climatic explanatory variables influencing farmland prices. Our results indicate that the two most powerful factors in explaining the sales price per square metre were proximity to a river and proximity to a lake. In both cases, the price of land diminished significantly with the increasing distance from the edge of water bodies, so the prices in their immediate vicinity are 3.5 to 3.7 times higher than the prices of similar lands more than 5 km from the edge of a water body. The other significant factors were population size of the nearest municipality and percentage representation of forest. The fact that the two most powerful factors indicate the distance to a river, brook, lake or pond shows how important are these freshwater features as determinants of farmland prices in a landlocked country such as the Czech Republic, where this study was performed. The consequences of this finding for water resources planning and management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-management requires two or more organizations that collectively manage natural capital. This study aimed to explore the function of social capital in the cycle of establishing co-management in southeastern Iranian rural communities (who participated in the Rehabilitation of Forest Landscapes and Degraded Land (RFLDL) project). Since measuring social capital is important and difficult, and one of the most promising and accurate methods for evaluating this capital is Social Network Analysis (SNA), it has been used as a research method in this research. The results showed an increase in the observed network characteristics of the RFLDL data, which indicates the positive effect of the social mobilization in RFLDL on bonding social capital. In addition, it suggested that the assessment of the success of community based natural resource governance solely based on a relational perspective of social capital is too narrow. Especially, traditional forms of community organization are not taken into account explicitly. Therefore, more research needs to be undertaken on how to incorporate differences in cultural organizations, traditional knowledge, and practices into the perspective of community empowerment. • The main aim was to investigate and analyze the role of intra-group social capital through social network analysis (SNA). • SNA contributed to assessing the changes in reciprocity and transitivity scores in terms of trust and collaboration network. • Results show that there is a high correlation between trust and participation of people in social network. • Stronger trusted relations between the committees promoted sustainable rural growth and collaboration. • Achieving to a lower natural resource demand than population growth can relieve pressure on these resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]