Assessment of Landscape Ecological Health: A Case
Study of a Mining City in a Semi-Arid Steppe

The ecological status of the semi-arid steppes in China is fragile. Under the long-term and high-intensity development of mining, the ecological integrity and biodiversity of steppe landscapes have been destroyed, causing soil pollution, grassland degradation, landscape function defect, and so on. Previous studies have mainly focused on ecosystem health assessment in mining areas. Landscape ecological health (LEH) pays more attention to the interactions between different ecosystems. Therefore, the ecological assessment of mining cities is more suitable on a landscape scale. Meanwhile, the existing LEH assessment index systems are not applicable in ecologically fragile areas with sparse population, underdeveloped economy, and in relatively small research areas. The purpose of this study was to construct a LEH assessment index system and evaluate the LEH of a mining city located in a semi-arid steppe. Xilinhot is a typical semi-arid steppe mining city in China. The contradictions between the human, land and ecological environment are serious. A new model Condition, Vigor, Organization, Resilience, and Ecosystem (CVORE) model was constructed that integrated five subsystems (services) from the perspectives of ecology, landscape ecology, mining science, and geography. This study used the CVORE model to systematically evaluate the LEH in Xilinhot city in terms of five LEH levels, including very healthy, healthy, sub-healthy, unhealthy and morbid landscape. Research results show that the areas of the very healthy, healthy, sub-healthy, unhealthy and morbid landscapes are 13.23, 736.35, 184.5, 66.76 and 20.63 km2, respectively. The healthy landscapes area accounts for 72.08% and most grasslands are healthy. The sub-healthy landscapes are mainly located around areas with higher disturbances due to human activities. The morbid or unhealthy landscapes are concentrated in the mining areas. The proposed CVORE model can enrich the foundations for the quantitative assessment of Landscape Ecological Health of Mining Cities in Semi-arid Steppe (LEHMCSS). This study provided a new LEH assessment approach (CVORE model), which can support landscape ecological restoration, ecological environmental protection and urban planning of the semi-arid steppe mining cities.

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Landscape ecological network construction controlling surface coal mining effect on landscape ecology: A case study of a mining city in semi-arid steppe

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.108403 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 133 ◽

pp. 108403

Author(s):

Zhenhua Wu ◽

Shaogang Lei ◽

Qingwu Yan ◽

Zhengfu Bian ◽

Qingqing Lu

Keyword(s):

Landscape Ecology ◽

Coal Mining ◽

Ecological Network ◽

Network Construction ◽

Surface Coal Mining ◽

Mining City ◽

Arid Steppe ◽

Landscape Ecological ◽

Semi Arid

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Application of Health Assessment Index for assessing the ecological health of River Mahanadi

Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India ◽

10.47780/jifsi.52.2.2020.109938 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 150

Author(s):

Sanjay Bhowmick ◽

Sajina A. M. ◽

Srikanta Samanta ◽

Samir Kumar Paul ◽

Deepa Sudheesan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Assessment ◽

Ecological Health ◽

Assessment Index

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Ecological status of Hout River Dam, Limpopo province, South Africa, using fish condition and health assessment index protocols: a preliminary investigation

African Journal of Aquatic Science ◽

10.2989/16085914.2013.848181 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 39 (1) ◽

pp. 35-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

JR Sara ◽

WJ Smit ◽

LJC Erasmus ◽

TP Ramalepe ◽

ME Mogashoa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Preliminary Investigation ◽

Health Assessment ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Limpopo Province ◽

Assessment Index ◽

Fish Condition

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Study on the Construction of Landscape Ecological Classification System for Large-Scale Coal-Power Base in Semi-Arid Steppe Region

10.20944/preprints201804.0296.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Zhenhua Wu ◽

Shaogang Lei ◽

Zhengfu Bian

Keyword(s):

Landscape Ecology ◽

Large Scale ◽

Ecological Classification ◽

Steppe Region ◽

Power Base ◽

Arid Steppe ◽

Coal Power ◽

And Function ◽

Landscape Ecological ◽

Semi Arid

The ecological background condition of the semi-arid steppe region (SASR) is extremely fragile. It is recognized that the development of coal and electricity power is a kind of strong human interference behavior for regional landscape ecology. Landscape ecological classification (LEC) is the premise of landscape ecology research of the mining area. The current research on the SASR and grassland LEC of coal-power base is relatively less, but still remains uncertainty concerning how to stratify and classify urban mining landscapes into units of ecological significance at spatial scales appropriate for management. This study is based on hierarchy theory, scale theory, landscape process, the patch-corridor-matrix model, the network, the theory of multiple planning integration and the principle of remote sensing. According to the comprehensive principle, principles of the combining of structure and function, principle of the combining human-ominated and natural landscape, principle of emphasis, and principle of combining qualitative analysis with quantitative research of LEC in large-scale coal-power base(LSCPB). On the basis of occurrence method land classification, fully consider the ecological attributes of the land, integration pattern, processes and function theory of the landscape ecology, the LEC system of the LSCPB in the SASR has been constructed by using top-down decomposition classification method. Empirical research of the Victory and Mindong No.1 mining areas of Shenhua Group shows that the classification system constructed in this paper can meet the requirements of LEC and fully reflect the status of landscape ecology of LSCPB in SASR. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the landscape ecology of LSCPB, while also supporting a theoretical reference for the LEC research.

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Impacts of Large-Scale Open-Pit Coal Base on the Landscape Ecological Health of Semi-Arid Grasslands

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs11151820 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (15) ◽

pp. 1820 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Zhenhua Wu ◽

Shaogang Lei ◽

Qingqing Lu ◽

Zhengfu Bian

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Landscape Planning ◽

Open Pit ◽

Ecological Health ◽

Gradual Decline ◽

Temporal And Spatial ◽

Arid Grasslands ◽

Landscape Ecological ◽

The Impact ◽

Semi Arid

Coal is an important energy resource in the world, especially in China. Extensive coal exploitation seriously damaged the grassland and its fragile ecosystem. However, temporal and spatial impact laws of open-pit coal exploitation on Landscape Ecological Health (LEH) of semi-arid grasslands are still not clear. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to study impact of Large-scale Open-pit Coal Base (LOCB) on the LEH of semi-arid grasslands from the perspectives of temporal and spatial. Taking Shengli LOCB of Xilinguole grassland in Inner Mongolia as an example, we demonstrate a conceptual model of LOCB impact on LEH of semi-arid grasslands, and establish a research system called landscape Index-pattern Evolution-Driving force-Spatial statistics (IEDS). A complete process integrated from investigation, monitoring, and evaluation to the analysis of impact laws was developed. Result indicated that coal mining causes gradual increase of landscape patches, landscape fragmentation, gradual decline of landscape connectivity, complexity and irregularity of landscape shape, enhancement of landscape heterogeneity and complexity, gradual decline of landscape stability, gradual decrease of grassland landscape and annual increase of unhealthy grassland landscape. The LEH of grassland basically belongs to the state of slight deterioration. In the past 15 years, the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of LEH in the study area are similar. This study provides scientific reference for ecological disturbance research, environmental protection, landscape planning, restoration and renovation of ecological environment in mining areas. At the same time, future research should integrate geological, hydrological, soil, vegetation, microorganisms, animals, climate, and other perspectives to study the impact of mining on landscape ecology deeply.

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Citizen Science for Bio-indication: Development of a Community-Based Index of Ecosystem Integrity for Assessing the Status of Afrotropical Riverine Ecosystems

Frontiers in Water ◽

10.3389/frwa.2020.609215 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Author(s):

Christopher Mulanda Aura ◽

Chrisphine S. Nyamweya ◽

Horace Owiti ◽

Cyprian Odoli ◽

Safina Musa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Aquatic Ecosystems ◽

Lake Victoria ◽

Ecological Integrity ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Ecological Health ◽

Lake Victoria Basin ◽

Riverine Ecosystems ◽

Broad View

The use of socioeconomic and cultural parameters in the assessment and biomonitoring of ecological health of aquatic ecosystems is still in its nascent stages. Yet, degradation of aquatic ecosystems has elicited concerns because of its bearing on social and economic development of communities consisting of marginalized and vulnerable groups, as well as the expenses and technical knowhow involved in biomonitoring approaches. In this study we developed a Citizen-based Index of Ecological Integrity (CIEI) for assessing and monitoring the ecological status of vulnerable African riverine ecosystems in Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya. The hypothesis is that the citizen-led socioeconomic and cultural metrics provides a more cost-effective broad view of ecosystems than other biomonitoring methods in the assessment of water resources in the developing countries. Selected rivers in the southern part of Lake Victoria (Rivers Kuja and Sondu-Mirui) recorded the highest CIEI than their northern counterparts (Rivers Yala and Nzoia) that had moderate to poor ecosystem integrities. The study demonstrates the usefulness of this approach to elucidate the source of impairment, the extent of impacts and provide a justifiable rationale to advice policy makers on developing guidelines for conservation and management of aquatic ecosystems. We recommend for adoption and promotion of the CIEI perspective in areas where such approaches appear defensible for the assessment of catchment-wide practices in areas with robust indigenous knowledge to provide a broad-view of the ecological health of the aquatic ecosystem.

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Spatial distribution of the impact of surface mining on the landscape ecological health of semi-arid grasslands

Ecological Indicators ◽

10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105996 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 111 ◽

pp. 105996 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Zhenhua Wu ◽

Shaogang Lei ◽

Qingqing Lu ◽

Zhengfu Bian ◽

Sijie Ge

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Surface Mining ◽

Ecological Health ◽

Arid Grasslands ◽

Landscape Ecological ◽

The Impact ◽

Semi Arid

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Remote Sensing Monitoring of Soil Salinization Based on SI-Brightness Feature Space and Drivers Analysis: A Case Study of Surface Mining Areas in Semi-arid Steppe

IEEE Access ◽

10.1109/access.2021.3101873 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

Zhenhua Wu ◽

Qingwu Yan ◽

Shutao Zhang ◽

Shaogang Lei ◽

Qingqing Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

Surface Mining ◽

Feature Space ◽

Soil Salinization ◽

Remote Sensing Monitoring ◽

Mining Areas ◽

Arid Steppe ◽

Semi Arid

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Effects of defoliation timing on plant nutrient resorption and hay production in a semi-arid steppe

Journal of Plant Ecology ◽

10.1093/jpe/rtaa076 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Tongrui Zhang ◽

Frank Yonghong Li ◽

Hao Wang ◽

Lin Wu ◽

Chunjun Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Cycling ◽

Nutrient Resorption ◽

Plant Production ◽

Conservation Strategy ◽

Plant Nutrient ◽

Resorption Efficiency ◽

Nutrient Return ◽

Peak Biomass ◽

Arid Steppe ◽

Semi Arid

Abstract Aims Nutrient resorption is a key plant nutrient conservation strategy, and its response to environmental and management changes is linked to nutrient cycling and production of ecosystems. Defoliation is a major pathway of mowing affecting plant nutrient resorption and production in grasslands, while the effect of defoliation timing has not been unexplored. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of defoliation timing on plant nutrient resorption and production in a steppe ecosystem. Methods We conducted a field experiment in a semi-arid steppe of Inner Mongolia including four treatments: early defoliation, peak defoliation, late defoliation and non-defoliation. We measured plant nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) resorption at species and community levels, and quantified plant N and P fluxes in resorption, litter return and hay output. Plant production in the mowing system was assessed by hay production and quality. Important Findings Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant community N and P resorption proficiency (RP); and late defoliation reduced N resorption efficiency (RE) but not P resorption efficiency. Peak and late defoliation, but not early defoliation, reduced plant nutrient resorption flux and litter nutrient return flux. Defoliation timing did not alter root nutrient accumulation as nutrient uptake from soil likely compensated the deficit of nutrient resorption. Peak defoliation had the highest hay production and quality, while early defoliation had the lowest. Our results provide new insights into the nutrient cycling in mowing grassland, and imply that the mowing timing can be used as a tool to mediate the balance between conservation and production of steppes, and the early mowing before plant peak biomass period is recommended for conservation of the steppes while keeping sustainable pastoral production.

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