scholarly journals Decline and Passive Restoration of Forest Vegetation Around the Yeocheon Industrial Complex of Southern Korea

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 674
Author(s):  
Hansol Lee ◽  
Bong Soon Lim ◽  
Dong Uk Kim ◽  
A Reum Kim ◽  
Jae Won Seol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Landscape Change ◽  
Annual Ring ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Industrial Complex ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Passive Restoration ◽  
Pine Trees

This study was carried out to clarify the vegetation decline due to air pollutants emitted in the process of industrial activities and the passive restoration of the vegetation due to socioeconomic changes after economic growth. To achieve this goal, we investigated the spatial distribution of vegetation, differences in species composition and diversity among vegetation types different in damage degree, vegetation dynamics, the age structure and annual ring growth of two dominant plant species, and the landscape change that occurred in this area over the last 50 years. Plant communities tended to be spatially distributed in the order of grassland, shrubland (dominated by Styrax japonicus Siebold and Zucc. community), and forests (dominated by Pinus thunbergii Parl. and Pinus densiflora Siebold and Zucc. communities), with increasing distance from the pollution source. The result of stand ordination based on vegetation data reflected the trend of such a spatial distribution. Species richness evaluated based on the species rank dominance curve was the highest in shrubland and the lowest in grassland; species richness in forests was intermediate. The size class distribution of woody plant species in four plant communities composing three vegetation types showed the possibility of them being replaced by forest in the late successional stage. However, the density of successor trees was relatively low, whereas the density of shrubby plants, which are resilient to air pollution, was very high. The age class distribution of a dominant species forming shrubland and pine forest showed that most of them were recruited after industrialization in this area. The period when young individuals in both vegetation types were recruited corresponded to the period when the annual ring growth of the pine trees that survived air pollution was reduced. An analysis of the landscape change in this area indicated that coniferous forest and agricultural field decreased greatly, whereas industrial area, residential area, mixed forest, and broadleaved forest showed increasing trends since construction of the industrial complex. As a result, the decrease in coniferous forest is usually due to vegetation decline and partially to succession, as the pine trees dominating the forest are not only sensitive to air pollution but are also shade-intolerant. The increase in mixed and broadleaved forests reflects vegetation decline or succession. Vegetation decline progressed for about 30 years after the construction of the industrial complex; it has begun to be restored passively since then, although the change has been slow. These results are in line with the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis that environmental degradation increases in the early stages of economic growth to a certain point, and, after a turning point, economic development leads to environmental improvements—thus, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation.

Vicious Cycle of Economic Growth, Pm2.5 and COVID-19 Case of G7 Countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rıdvan Karacan
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Fine Particulate Matter ◽  
Panel Cointegration ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Causality Analysis ◽  
G7 Countries

<p>Today, production is carried out depending on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels pollute the air as they contain high levels of carbon. Many studies have been carried out on the economic costs of air pollution. However, in the present study, unlike the former ones, economic growth's relationship with the COVID-19 virus in addition to air pollution was examined. The COVID-19 virus, which was initially reported in Wuhan, China in December 2019 and affected the whole world, has caused many cases and deaths. Researchers have been going on studying how the virus is transmitted. Some of these studies suggest that the number of virus-related cases increases in regions with a high level of air pollution. Based on this fact, it is thought that air pollution will increase the number of COVID-19 cases in G7 Countries where industrial production is widespread. Therefore, the negative aspects of economic growth, which currently depends on fossil fuels, is tried to be revealed. The research was carried out for the period between 2000-2019. Panel cointegration test and panel causality analysis were used for the empirical analysis. Particulate matter known as PM2.5[1] was used as an indicator of air pollution. Consequently, a positive long-term relationship has been identified between PM2.5 and economic growth. This relationship also affects the number of COVID-19 cases.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>[1] "Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is an air pollutant that poses the greatest risk to health globally, affecting more people than any other pollutant (WHO, 2018). Chronic exposure to PM2.5 considerably increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases in particular (WHO, 2018). For these reasons, population exposure to (outdoor or ambient) PM2.5 has been identified as an OECD Green Growth headline indicator" (OECD.Stat).</p>

scholarly journals Decoupling Analysis between Economic Growth and Air Pollution in Key Regions of Air Pollution Control in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 6600
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Lipeng Hou ◽  
Lin Wang ◽  
Lina Tang
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Pollution Control ◽  
Environmental Policies ◽  
River Delta ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Air Pollution Control ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
No2 Pollution

The Chinese government has implemented a number of environmental policies to promote the continuous improvement of air quality while considering economic development. Scientific assessment of the impact of environmental policies on the relationship between air pollution and economic growth can provide a scientific basis for promoting the coordinated development of these two factors. This paper uses the Tapio decoupling theory to analyze the relationship between regional economic growth and air pollution in key regions of air pollution control in China—namely, the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region and surrounding areas (BTHS), the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and the Pearl River Delta (PRD)—based on data of GDP and the concentrations of SO2, PM10, and NO2 for 31 provinces in China from 2000 to 2019. The results show that the SO2, PM10, and NO2 pollution in the key regions show strong and weak decoupling. The findings additionally indicate that government policies have played a significant role in improving the decoupling between air pollution and economic development. The decoupling between economic growth and SO2 and PM10 pollution in the BTHS, YRD, and PRD is better than that in other regions, while the decoupling between economic growth and NO2 pollution has not improved significantly in these regions. To improve the relationship between economic growth and air pollution, we suggest that the governments of China and other developing countries should further optimize and adjust the structure of industry, energy, and transportation; apply more stringent targets and measures in areas of serious air pollution; and strengthen mobile vehicle pollution control.

Air pollution and economic growth under local government competition: Evidence from China, 2007–2016

2021 ◽  
pp. 130231
Author(s):  
Shurui Jiang ◽  
Xue Tan ◽  
Peiqi Hu ◽  
Yue Wang ◽  
Lei Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Local Government

scholarly journals A proposed procedure for the analysis of large phytosociological data sets in the classification of South African grasslands

Koedoe ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Bredenkamp ◽  
H. Bezuidenhout
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Second Step ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Related Plant ◽  
Single Cluster ◽  
Synoptic Table

A procedure for the effective classification of large phytosociological data sets, and the combination of many data sets from various parts of the South African grasslands is demonstrated. The procedure suggests a region by region or project by project treatment of the data. The analyses are performed step by step to effectively bring together all releves of similar or related plant communities. The first step involves a separate numerical classification of each subset (region), and subsequent refinement by Braun- Blanquet procedures. The resulting plant communities are summarised in a single synoptic table, by calculating a synoptic value for each species in each community. In the second step all communities in the synoptic table are classified by numerical analysis, to bring related communities from different regions or studies together in a single cluster. After refinement of these clusters by Braun-Blanquet procedures, broad vegetation types are identified. As a third step phytosociological tables are compiled for each iden- tified broad vegetation type, and a comprehensive abstract hierarchy constructed.

scholarly journals Flora y Vegetación de las zonas núcleo de la Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca, México

2017 ◽  
pp. 43
Author(s):  
Guadalupe Cornejo-Tenorio ◽  
Alejandro Casas ◽  
Berenice Farfán ◽  
José Luis Villaseñor ◽  
Guillermo Ibarra-Manríquez
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Monarch Butterfly ◽  
Oak Forests ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Voucher Specimens ◽  
One Year

A study of the flora and vegetation physiognomy was conducted at the core zones of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, in the states of México and Michoacán. Collection of plant specimens was carried out du ring one year of field work and this activity was supplemented by a review of voucher specimens previously collected in the area and deposited at the Mexican herbaria IEB, EBUM, and MEXU. A total of 423 vascular plant species including 32 infraespecific taxa and grouped in 86 families and 244 genera were identified, Families with the largest species richness were Asteraceae (103), Lamiaceae (21), Fabaceae (17), and Scrophulariaceae (17).The most speciose genera were Salvia (13), Stevia (8), and Ageratina (7). Mexican endemic species comprised 135 (31.9%) species, which included 13 infrae spec ific taxa; 40 of these species belong to Asteraceae. Herbs were represented by 326 species, followed by shrubs (5 1) and trees (33). The main vegetation types recognized were coniferous forest (including combinations of fir, pine, and oak forests), cloud forest, anthropogenic grass land, and Quercus forest.

scholarly journals Litter Ecohydrological Function Characteristics of Three Typical Plant Communities in The Core Area of Five-Hundred-Meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope from Guizhou, China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianli Zhang ◽  
Ting Zhang ◽  
Lihua Pu ◽  
Lingbin Yan ◽  
Guojun Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Absorption ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Coniferous Forest ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Litter Layer ◽  
Broad Leaved Forest ◽  
Maximum Water ◽  
And Storage ◽  
Water Holding ◽  
Leaved Forest

Abstract Taking the litter layer of three typical plant communities (broad-leaved forest, coniferous forest, and shrubs) as the research object, this study analyzed the hydrological function characteristics of the litter layers of different typical plant communities using the indoor immersion method in order to reveal the effects of the traits of the litter layer on the hydrological functions of typical plant communities in the core area. The results showed that: (1) the litter reserve change trend decreased in order as follows: broad-leaved forest (13.31 ± 1.54 t/hm2) > shrubs (12.62 ± 2.34 t/hm2) > coniferous forest (11.36 ± 1.43 t/hm2). The coniferous forest and shrub litter reserves increased significantly with the increase of decomposition degree (F = 19.36, P < 0.01; and F = 9.19, P < 0.01, respectively), while the broad-leaved forest litter reserves decreased first and then increased significantly with the increase of decomposition degree (F = 25.70, P < 0.01); (2) the litter natural moisture content change trends were as follows: shrubs (34.09 ± 4.31 t/hm2) > broad-leaved forest (31.32 ± 1.76 t/hm2) > coniferous forest (29.48 ± 7.02 t/hm2). The change trends of the maximum water-holding capacity, maximum interception amount, maximum interception rate, effective interception amount, and effective interception rate were in descending order as follows: broad-leaved forest > shrubs > coniferous forest. The maximum water-holding capacity, maximum interception amount, and effective interception amount of litter rose with the increase of decomposition degree. The broad-leaved forest community litter layer had the strongest rainfall interception function and the best hydrological service functions. The interception function was stronger with the increase of the decomposition degree of the litter layer; (3) the water-holding and water-releasing capacity variation of the litter layers manifested as reversed “J” features for the three typical plant communities. The water-holding capacity of different plant community litter layers (Qct) was significantly positively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was Qct = b + alnt, whereas the water-releasing capacity of different plant community litter layers (Qst) was significantly positively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was Qst = a t b; and (4) the water absorption and release rates of the litter layers had four periods. The water absorption rate (v) was significantly negatively correlated with time (t) (P < 0.01), and the equation was v = a t− b, while the water release rate was the same. The water absorption and release rates differed by one order of magnitude in the first 5 min, exhibiting the greatest regulation and storage function, while the rate differed by only 2.1–4.5 times during the last three periods. This shows that the litter layer has the strongest rainfall regulation and storage function for only a short period of time before declining.

scholarly journals The spatial-and-temporal differentiation of the soil temperature and its influence on vegetation in the exposure-related forest-steppe of Transbaikalia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.A. Anenkhonov ◽  
◽  
D.V. Sandanov ◽  
A.A. Zverev ◽  
A.Yu. Korolyuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Heat Supply ◽  
Spatial Differentiation ◽  
Forest Steppe ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Single Class ◽  
Temporal Differentiation ◽  
Key Sites

The long-term soil temperature monitoring in the area of more than 550 km in length within the region of Transbaikalia has been carried out. Sites for the monitoring were represented by the forest-steppe vegetation of different ecotopological and ecogeographical patterns. It was revealed that the dynamics of temperature regimens are highly synchronized reflecting the macroclimatic unity of the region. The sufficiently higher heat supply on the southerly exposed slopes comparing to northerly exposed ones was demonstrated. The distinctness between soil temperature regimens in different sites was revealed and attributed to the size of forested patches within the forest-steppe landscape, as well as discrepancies between eco-geographical features of sites along the sublatitudinal gradient. Differences between the vegetation types that occurred on the northern and southern slopes as well as between key sites scattered throughout the region were underlined. These differences are suggested to be connected with the spatial differentiation of the soil temperature. It was established that vegetation on the southern slopes is relatively more homogeneous being related to the single class Cleistogenetea squarrosae, while on the northern slopes plant communities related to three classes were developed, namely steppe class Cleistogenetea squarrosae, and two forest classes – Rhytidio-Laricetea and Vaccinio-Piceetea.

scholarly journals A phytosociological survey of aquatic vegetation in the main freshwater lakes of Greece

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 53-75
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Zervas ◽  
Ioannis Tsiripidis ◽  
Erwin Bergmeier ◽  
Vasiliki Tsiaoussi
Keyword(s):  
Plant Communities ◽  
Aquatic Plant ◽  
Aquatic Vegetation ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Hierarchical Cluster ◽  
Freshwater Lake ◽  
Vegetation Types ◽  
Freshwater Lakes ◽  
Lake Ecosystems ◽  
The Relationship

Aims: This study aims to contribute to the knowledge of European freshwater lake ecosystems with updated and new information on aquatic plant communities, by conducting national-scale phytosociological research of freshwater lake vegetation in Greece. Moreover, it investigates the relationship between aquatic plant communities and lake environmental parameters, including eutrophication levels and hydro-morphological conditions. Study area: Lakes in Greece, SE Europe. Methods: 5,690 phytosociological relevés of aquatic vegetation were sampled in 18 freshwater lake ecosystems during 2013–2016. The relevés were subjected to hierarchical cluster and indicator species analyses in order to identify associations and communities of aquatic vegetation, as well as to describe their syntaxonomy. Multiple regression analysis was applied to investigate the relationship between vegetation syntaxa and environmental parameters of lakes, i.e. physico-chemical parameters and water level fluctuation. Results: Ninety-nine plant taxa belonging to 30 different families were recorded. Forty-six vegetation types were identified and described by their ecological characteristics, diagnostic taxa and syntaxonomical status. Thirteen vegetation types, the largest number belonging to the vegetation class Charetea, are considered to be new records for Greece. The distribution of the vegetation types recorded in the 18 freshwater lakes was found to depend on environmental parameters and levels of eutrophication. Conclusions: An updated aquatic vegetation inventory was produced for Greek lakes, and primary results showed that the presence/absence of aquatic plant communities and the community composition in freshwater lakes can be utilized to assess the pressure of eutrophication on lake ecosystems. Taxonomic reference: Euro+Med (2006–). Abbreviations: MNT = Mean number of taxa; WFD = Water Framework Directive.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document