Trade-offs between land use intensity and avian biodiversity in the dry Chaco of Argentina: A tale of two gradients

Land use/cover change (LUCC) has an important impact on the terrestrial carbon cycle. The spatial distribution of regional carbon reserves can provide the scientific basis for the management of ecosystem carbon storage and the formulation of ecological and environmental policies. This paper proposes a method combining the CA-based FLUS model and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model to assess the temporal and spatial changes in ecosystem carbon storage due to land-use changes over 1990–2015 in the Qinghai Lake Basin (QLB). Furthermore, future ecosystem carbon storage is simulated and evaluated over 2020–2030 under three scenarios of natural growth (NG), cropland protection (CP), and ecological protection (EP). The long-term spatial variations in carbon storage in the QLB are discussed. The results show that: (1) Carbon storage in the QLB decreased at first (1990–2000) and increased later (2000–2010), with total carbon storage increasing by 1.60 Tg C (Teragram: a unit of mass equal to 1012 g). From 2010 to 2015, carbon storage displayed a downward trend, with a sharp decrease in wetlands and croplands as the main cause; (2) Under the NG scenario, carbon reserves decrease by 0.69 Tg C over 2020–2030. These reserves increase significantly by 6.77 Tg C and 7.54 Tg C under the CP and EP scenarios, respectively, thus promoting the benign development of the regional ecological environment. This study improves our understanding on the impact of land-use change on carbon storage for the QLB in the northeastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP).

Download Full-text

Enriching plant diversity in grasslands by large-scale experimental sward disturbance and seed addition along gradients of land-use intensity

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rtw062 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. rtw062 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Valentin H. Klaus ◽

Deborah Schäfer ◽

Till Kleinebecker ◽

Markus Fischer ◽

Daniel Prati ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Plant Diversity ◽

Large Scale ◽

Land Use Intensity ◽

Seed Addition

Download Full-text

Variation in regrowth ability in relation to land-use intensity in three common grassland herbs

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rtab001 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Kirschbaum ◽

Oliver Bossdorf ◽

J F Scheepens

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Temporal Variation ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Common Garden ◽

Grassland Management ◽

Land Use Intensity ◽

Evolutionary Changes ◽

Biomass Removal ◽

Reproductive Biomass

Abstract Aims Plant populations in managed grasslands are subject to strong selection exerted by grazing, mowing and fertilization. Many previous studies showed that this can cause evolutionary changes in mean trait values, but little is known about the evolution of phenotypic plasticity in response to land use. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between phenotypic plasticity – specifically, regrowth ability after biomass removal – and the intensity of grassland management and levels of temporal variation therein. Methods We conducted an outdoor common garden experiment to test if plants from more intensively mown and grazed sites showed an increased ability to regrow after biomass removal. We used three common plant species from temperate European grasslands, with seed material from 58 – 68 populations along gradients of land-use intensity, ranging from extensive (only light grazing) to very intensive management (up to four cuts per year). Important findings In two out of three species, we found significant population differentiation in regrowth ability after clipping. While variation in regrowth ability was unrelated to the mean land-use intensity of populations of origin, we found a relationship with its temporal variation in P. lanceolata, where plants experiencing less variable environmental conditions over the last 11 years showed stronger regrowth in reproductive biomass after clipping. Therefore, while mean grazing and mowing intensity may not select for regrowth ability, the temporal stability of the environmental heterogeneity created by land use may have caused its evolution in some species.

Download Full-text

Toward Inclusive Landscape Governance in Contested Landscapes: Exploring the Contribution of Participatory Tools in the Upper Suriname River Basin

Environmental Management ◽

10.1007/s00267-021-01504-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Best ◽

Kimberley Fung-Loy ◽

Nafiesa Ilahibaks ◽

Sara O. I. Ramirez-Gomez ◽

Erika N. Speelman

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

River Basin ◽

Scenario Planning ◽

Community Members ◽

Trade Off ◽

3 Dimensional ◽

Landscape Governance ◽

Information Tools ◽

Tribal Communities ◽

Trade Offs

AbstractNowadays, tropical forest landscapes are commonly characterized by a multitude of interacting institutions and actors with competing land-use interests. In these settings, indigenous and tribal communities are often marginalized in landscape-level decision making. Inclusive landscape governance inherently integrates diverse knowledge systems, including those of indigenous and tribal communities. Increasingly, geo-information tools are recognized as appropriate tools to integrate diverse interests and legitimize the voices, values, and knowledge of indigenous and tribal communities in landscape governance. In this paper, we present the contribution of the integrated application of three participatory geo-information tools to inclusive landscape governance in the Upper Suriname River Basin in Suriname: (i) Participatory 3-Dimensional Modelling, (ii) the Trade-off! game, and (iii) participatory scenario planning. The participatory 3-dimensional modelling enabled easy participation of community members, documentation of traditional, tacit knowledge and social learning. The Trade-off! game stimulated capacity building and understanding of land-use trade-offs. The participatory scenario planning exercise helped landscape actors to reflect on their own and others’ desired futures while building consensus. Our results emphasize the importance of systematically considering tool attributes and key factors, such as facilitation, for participatory geo-information tools to be optimally used and fit with local contexts. The results also show how combining the tools helped to build momentum and led to diverse yet complementary insights, thereby demonstrating the benefits of integrating multiple tools to address inclusive landscape governance issues.

Download Full-text

Afforestation of Degraded Croplands as a Water-Saving Option in Irrigated Region of the Aral Sea Basin

Water ◽

10.3390/w13101433 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 1433

Author(s):

Navneet Kumar ◽

Asia Khamzina ◽

Patrick Knöfel ◽

John P. A. Lamers ◽

Bernhard Tischbein

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Water Balance ◽

Water Supply ◽

Water Availability ◽

Irrigation Water ◽

Water Saving ◽

Aral Sea ◽

Water Balance Components ◽

Study Region ◽

Trade Offs

Climate change is likely to decrease surface water availability in Central Asia, thereby necessitating land use adaptations in irrigated regions. The introduction of trees to marginally productive croplands with shallow groundwater was suggested for irrigation water-saving and improving the land’s productivity. Considering the possible trade-offs with water availability in large-scale afforestation, our study predicted the impacts on water balance components in the lower reaches of the Amudarya River to facilitate afforestation planning using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The land-use scenarios used for modeling analysis considered the afforestation of 62% and 100% of marginally productive croplands under average and low irrigation water supply identified from historical land-use maps. The results indicate a dramatic decrease in the examined water balance components in all afforestation scenarios based largely on the reduced irrigation demand of trees compared to the main crops. Specifically, replacing current crops (mostly cotton) with trees on all marginal land (approximately 663 km2) in the study region with an average water availability would save 1037 mln m3 of gross irrigation input within the study region and lower the annual drainage discharge by 504 mln m3. These effects have a considerable potential to support irrigation water management and enhance drainage functions in adapting to future water supply limitations.

Download Full-text

Land-use intensity determines grassland Orthoptera assemblage composition across a moisture gradient

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2021.107424 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 315 ◽

pp. 107424

Author(s):

Florian Fumy ◽

Steffen Kämpfer ◽

Thomas Fartmann

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Moisture Gradient ◽

Land Use Intensity ◽

Assemblage Composition

Download Full-text

Assessing Matching Characteristics and Spatial Differences between Supply and Demand of Ecosystem Services: A Case Study in Hangzhou, China

Land ◽

10.3390/land10060582 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (6) ◽

pp. 582

Author(s):

Peng Tian ◽

Jialin Li ◽

Luodan Cao ◽

Ruiliang Pu ◽

Hongbo Gong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Urban Area ◽

Food Supply ◽

Soil Conservation ◽

Supply And Demand ◽

Water Yield ◽

Western Region ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Carbon Retention

Ecosystem services (ESs) is a term used to describe the foundations of the well-being of human society, and several relevant studies have been carried out in this area. However, given the fact that the complex trade-offs/synergy relationships of ESs are a challenging area, studies on matching mechanisms for ES supply and demand are still rare. In this study, using the InVEST model, ArcGIS, and other professional tools, we first mapped and quantitatively evaluated the supply and demand of five ES types (water yield, soil conservation, carbon retention, food supply, and leisure and entertainment) in Hangzhou, China, based on land use, meteorology, soil, and socio-economic data. Then, we analyzed the matching characteristics between the supply and demand of these ESs and analyzed the complex trade-offs and synergy between the supply and demand of ESs and factors affecting ESs. The results of this analysis indicate that although the ES supply and demand of carbon retention tended to be out of balance (supply was less than demand), the supply and demand of the other four ES types (i.e., water yield, soil conservation, food supply, and leisure and entertainment) were in balance (supply exceeded demand). Finally, the spatial heterogeneity of the supply and demand of ESs in Hangzhou was significant, especially in urban areas in the northeast and mountainous areas in the southwest. The supply of ESs was based on trade-offs, whereas the demand of ESs was based on synergy. Our results further show that the supply and demand of ESs in the urban area in Hangzhou were out of balance, whereas the supply and demand of ESs in the western region were coordinated. Therefore, the linkage of ES flows between this urban area and the western region should be strengthened. This innovative study could provide useful information for regional land use planning and environmental protection.

Download Full-text

Effects of habitat structure and land-use intensity on the genetic structure of the grasshopper species Chorthippus parallelus

Royal Society Open Science ◽

10.1098/rsos.140133 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 140133 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kerstin R. Wiesner ◽

Jan Christian Habel ◽

Martin M. Gossner ◽

Hugh D. Loxdale ◽

Günter Köhler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Land Use ◽

Genetic Structure ◽

Sampling Site ◽

Land Use Intensity ◽

Habitat Size ◽

Grasshopper Species ◽

Chorthippus Parallelus ◽

Landscape Characteristics ◽

Local Populations

Land-use intensity (LUI) is assumed to impact the genetic structure of organisms. While effects of landscape structure on the genetics of local populations have frequently been analysed, potential effects of variation in LUI on the genetic diversity of local populations have mostly been neglected. In this study, we used six polymorphic microsatellites to analyse the genetic effects of variation in land use in the highly abundant grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus . We sampled a total of 610 individuals at 22 heterogeneous grassland sites in the Hainich-Dün region of Central Germany. For each of these grassland sites we assessed habitat size, LUI (combined index of mowing, grazing and fertilization), and the proportion of grassland adjoining the sampling site and the landscape heterogeneity (the latter two factors within a 500 m buffer zone surrounding each focal site). We found only marginal genetic differentiation among all local populations and no correlation between geographical and genetic distance. Habitat size, LUI and landscape characteristics had only weak effects on most of the parameters of genetic diversity of C. parallelus ; only expected heterozygosity and the grasshopper abundances were affected by interacting effects of LUI, habitat size and landscape characteristics. The lack of any strong relationships between LUI, abundance and the genetic structure might be due to large local populations of the species in the landscape, counteracting local differentiation and potential genetic drift effects.

Download Full-text