The contrasting east–west pattern of vegetation restoration under the large‐scale ecological restoration programmes in southwest China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiwei Zhao ◽  
Ruidong Wu ◽  
Jinming Hu ◽  
Feiling Yang ◽  
Junjun Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Southwest China ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
East West

scholarly journals Effect of Ecological Construction Engineering on Vegetation Restoration: A Case Study of the Loess Plateau

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1407
Author(s):  
Lina Xiu ◽  
Xiaojun Yao ◽  
Mengdie Chen ◽  
Changzhen Yan
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Structural Changes ◽  
Ecological Engineering ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Forest Protection ◽  
Ecological Construction

Since the 1980s, with rapid economic development and increased attention given to ecological protection, China has launched a series of ecological-restoration programs to restore the local environment through afforestation and natural forest protection. The evaluation of vegetation restoration is an important part of evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration. The Loess Plateau is an area where ecological problems are concentrated, and it is a key area of ecological construction in China. This paper takes the Loess Plateau as the research area, using remote sensing and geographic information technology combined with ecosystem structural changes and an improved residual model to study vegetation restoration. The following main conclusions were drawn: (1) From 1990 to 2000, the farmland area increased by 3084.81 km2, resulting in the encroachment of a large area of grassland and shrubland. (2) With the implementation of ecological engineering, the area of returning farmland to forest and grassland reached 18,001.88 km2; in this period, the NDVI of vegetation increased rapidly, and the area that increased comprised 91.90% of the total area, of which the area of significant increase reached 65.78%. The quality of vegetation was restored to a great extent, and ecological engineering played a major role in this stage. (3) Under the background of large-scale implementation of ecological restoration, the urban area of the Loess Plateau continues to expand.

scholarly journals Effects of Vegetation Restoration On Soil Carbon Dynamics In Karst And Non-Karst Regions: A Synthesis of Multi-Source Data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaocong Zhu ◽  
Mingguo Ma ◽  
Ryunosuke Tateno ◽  
Xinhua He ◽  
Weiyu Shi (S85)
Keyword(s):  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Southwest China ◽  
C Sequestration ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
Dominant Factor ◽  
Rocky Desertification ◽  
Soil C ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Soil C Sequestration

Abstract Backgrounds A large-scale ecological restoration project has been initiated since 1990s in southwest China, which is one of the largest areas of rocky desertification globally. However, the different influences and potential mechanisms of vegetation restoration on soil carbon(C) sequestration in karst and non-karst regions are still unclear. Methods Based on field investigation and multi-source data synthesis, the mechanisms of soil C sequestration were investigated to determine the most important variables affecting the rate of soil C change (Rs) in southwest China. Results Our results show significant differences in soil C sequestration between karst and non-karst regions with faster and longer C sequestration in karst regions, where Rs was approximately 31 % higher than in non-karst soils. And temperatures could be the primary factor inhibiting soil C sequestration without precipitation. The total effect of nitrogen (N) on Rs was positive in both karst and non-karst regions. Conclusions Phosphorus was the dominant factor limiting the use of N in karst regions and then resulting in limitation of C sequestration. The results indicated that soil C storage could be led to intensify uneven increases due to combination of karst environment and climate change in southwest China in future.

scholarly journals Effects of Vegetation Restoration on Soil Erosion on the Loess Plateau: A Case Study in the Ansai Watershed

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6266
Author(s):  
Hui Wei ◽  
Wenwu Zhao ◽  
Han Wang
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Erosion Environment

Large-scale vegetation restoration greatly changed the soil erosion environment in the Loess Plateau since the implementation of the “Grain for Green Project” (GGP) in 1999. Evaluating the effects of vegetation restoration on soil erosion is significant to local soil and water conservation and vegetation construction. Taking the Ansai Watershed as the case area, this study calculated the soil erosion modulus from 2000 to 2015 under the initial and current scenarios of vegetation restoration, using the Chinese Soil Loess Equation (CSLE), based on rainfall and soil data, remote sensing images and socio-economic data. The effect of vegetation restoration on soil erosion was evaluated by comparing the average annual soil erosion modulus under two scenarios among 16 years. The results showed: (1) vegetation restoration significantly changed the local land use, characterized by the conversion of farmland to grassland, arboreal land, and shrub land. From 2000 to 2015, the area of arboreal land, shrub land, and grassland increased from 19.46 km2, 19.43 km2, and 719.49 km2 to 99.26 km2, 75.97 km2, and 1084.24 km2; while the farmland area decreased from 547.90 km2 to 34.35 km2; (2) the average annual soil erosion modulus from 2000 to 2015 under the initial and current scenarios of vegetation restoration was 114.44 t/(hm²·a) and 78.42 t/(hm²·a), respectively, with an average annual reduction of 4.81 × 106 t of soil erosion amount thanks to the vegetation restoration; (3) the dominant soil erosion intensity changed from “severe and light erosion” to “moderate and light erosion”, vegetation restoration greatly improved the soil erosion environment in the study area; (4) areas with increased erosion and decreased erosion were alternately distributed, accounting for 48% and 52% of the total land area, and mainly distributed in the northwest and southeast of the watershed, respectively. Irrational land use changes in local areas (such as the conversion of farmland and grassland into construction land, etc.) and the ineffective implementation of vegetation restoration are the main reasons leading to the existence of areas with increased erosion.

scholarly journals Sustainable large‐scale production of European flat oyster ( Ostrea edulis ) seed for ecological restoration and aquaculture: a review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bérenger Colsoul ◽  
Pierre Boudry ◽  
María Luz Pérez‐Parallé ◽  
Ana Bratoš Cetinić ◽  
Tristan Hugh‐Jones ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Scale Production ◽  
Ostrea Edulis ◽  
Large Scale Production ◽  
Flat Oyster

scholarly journals Construction of a Landscape Ecological Network for a Large-Scale Energy and Chemical Industrial Base: A Case Study of Ningdong, China

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
Haochen Yu ◽  
Jiu Huang ◽  
Chuning Ji ◽  
Zi’ao Li
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Ecological Environment ◽  
Ecological Network ◽  
High Importance ◽  
Fractional Coverage ◽  
Industrial Base ◽  
Ecological Corridors ◽  
Vegetation Fractional Coverage

A large-scale energy and chemical industry base is an important step in the promotion of the integrated and coordinated development of coal and its downstream coal-based industry. A number of large-scale energy and chemical industrial bases have been built in the Yellow River Basin that rely on its rich coal resources. However, the ecological environment is fragile in this region. Once the eco-environment is destroyed, the wildlife would lose its habitat. Therefore, this area has attracted wide attention regarding the development of the coal-based industry while also protecting the ecological environment. An ecological network could improve landscape connectivity and provide ideas for ecological restoration. This study took the Ningdong Energy and Chemical Industrial Base as a case study. Morphological spatial pattern analysis was applied to extract core patches. The connectivity of the core patches was evaluated, and then the ecological source patches were recognized. The minimum cumulative resistance model, hydrologic analysis and circuit theory were used to simulate the ecological network. Then, ecological corridors and ecological nodes were classified. The results were as follows: (1) The vegetation fractional coverage has recently been significantly improved. The area of core patches was 22,433.30 ha. In addition, 18 patches were extracted as source patches, with a total area of 9455.88 ha; (2) Fifty-eight potential ecological corridors were simulated. In addition, it was difficult to form a natural ecological corridor because of the area’s great resistance. Moreover, the connectivity was poor between the east and west; (3) A total of 52 potential ecological nodes were simulated and classified. The high-importance nodes were concentrated in the western grassland and Gobi Desert. This analysis indicated that restoration would be conducive to the ecological landscape in this area. Furthermore, five nodes with high importance but low vegetation fractional coverage should be given priority in later construction. In summary, optimizing the ecological network to achieve ecological restoration was suggested in the study area. The severe eco-environmental challenges urgently need more appropriate policy guidance in the large energy and chemical bases. Thus, the ecological restoration and ecological network construction should be combined, the effectiveness of ecological restoration could be effectively achieved, and the cost could also be reduced.

scholarly journals Regional effects of vegetation restoration on water yield across the Loess Plateau, China

2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 2617-2628 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. M. Feng ◽  
G. Sun ◽  
B. J. Fu ◽  
C. H. Su ◽  
Y. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Land Cover Change ◽  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Climatic Variability ◽  
Vegetation Restoration ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Regional Effects ◽  
Annual Water

Abstract. The general relationships between vegetation and water yield under different climatic regimes are well established at a small watershed scale in the past century. However, applications of these basic theories to evaluate the regional effects of land cover change on water resources remain challenging due to the complex interactions of vegetation and climatic variability and hydrologic processes at the large scale. The objective of this study was to explore ways to examine the spatial and temporal effects of a large ecological restoration project on water yield across the Loess Plateau region in northern China. We estimated annual water yield as the difference between precipitation input and modelled actual evapotranspiration (ET) output. We constructed a monthly ET model using published ET data derived from eddy flux measurements and watershed streamflow data. We validated the ET models at a watershed and regional levels. The model was then applied to examine regional water yield under land cover change and climatic variability during the implementation of the Grain-for-Green (GFG) project during 1999–2007. We found that water yield in 38% of the Loess Plateau area might have decreased (1–48 mm per year) as a result of land cover change alone. However, combined with climatic variability, 37% of the study area might have seen a decrease in water yield with a range of 1–54 mm per year, and 35% of the study area might have seen an increase with a range of 1–10 mm per year. Across the study region, climate variability masked or strengthened the water yield response to vegetation restoration. The absolute annual water yield change due to vegetation restoration varied with precipitation regimes with the highest in wet years, but the relative water yield changes were most pronounced in dry years. We concluded that the effects of land cover change associated with ecological restoration varied greatly over time and space and were strongly influenced by climatic variability in the arid region. The current regional vegetation restoration projects have variable effects on local water resources across the region. Land management planning must consider the influences of spatial climate variability and long-term climate change on water yield to be more effective for achieving environmental sustainability.

Late-summer carbon fluxes from Canadian forests and peatlands along an east–west continental transect

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 783-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carole Coursolle ◽  
Hank A Margolis ◽  
Alan G Barr ◽  
T Andrew Black ◽  
Brian D Amiro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Ecosystem Respiration ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Ecosystem Productivity ◽  
Diurnal Courses ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Young Forest ◽  
C Cycle ◽  
Use Efficiency ◽  
East West

Net ecosystem productivity (NEP) during August 2003 was measured by using eddy covariance above 17 forest and 3 peatland sites along an east–west continental-scale transect in Canada. Measured sites included recently disturbed stands, young forest stands, intermediate-aged conifer stands, mature deciduous stands, mature conifer stands, fens, and an open shrub bog. Diurnal courses of NEP showed strong coherence within the different ecosystem categories. Recently disturbed sites showed the weakest diurnal cycle; and intermediate-aged conifers, the strongest. The western treed fen had a more pronounced diurnal pattern than the eastern shrub bog or the Saskatchewan patterned fen. All but three sites were clearly afternoon C sinks. Ecosystem respiration was highest for the young fire sites. The intermediate-aged conifer sites had the highest maximum NEP (NEPmax) and gross ecosystem productivity (GEPmax), attaining rates that would be consistent with the presence of a strong terrestrial C sink in regions where these types of forest are common. These results support the idea that large-scale C cycle modeling activities would benefit from information on the age-class distribution and disturbance types within larger grid cells. Light use efficiency followed a pattern similar to that of NEPmax and GEPmax. Four of the five recently disturbed sites and all three of the peatland sites had low water use efficiencies.

Satellite-based large-scale vegetation dynamics in ecological restoration programmes of Northern China

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 2296-2312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhitao Wu ◽  
Lu Yu ◽  
Xiaoyu Zhang ◽  
Ziqiang Du ◽  
Hong Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Restoration ◽  
Vegetation Dynamics ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Northern China
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