scholarly journals Two Thousand Years of Land-Use and Vegetation Evolution in the Andean Highlands of Northern Chile Inferred from Pollen and Charcoal Analyses

Quaternary ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Domic ◽  
José Capriles ◽  
Katerine Escobar-Torrez ◽  
Calogero Santoro ◽  
Antonio Maldonado
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Northern Chile ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Climatic Drivers ◽  
Land Use And Management ◽  
Andean Highlands ◽  
The Last Two Millennia

The European conquest of the New World produced major socio-environmental reorganization in the Americas, but for many specific regions and ecosystems, we still do not understand how these changes occurred within a broader temporal framework. In this paper, we reconstruct the long-term environmental and vegetation changes experienced by high-altitude wetlands of the southcentral Andes over the last two millennia. Pollen and charcoal analyses of a 5.5-m-long core recovered from the semi-arid puna of northern Chile indicate that while climatic drivers influenced vegetation turnaround, human land use and management strategies significantly affected long-term changes. Our results indicate that the puna vegetation mostly dominated by grasslands and some peatland taxa stabilized during the late Holocene, xerophytic shrubs expanded during extremely dry events, and peatland vegetation persisted in relation to landscape-scale management strategies by Andean pastoralist societies. Environmental changes produced during the post-conquest period included the introduction of exotic taxa, such as clovers, associated with the translocation of exotic herding animals (sheep, cattle, and donkeys) and a deterioration in the management of highland wetlands.

scholarly journals Human Land-Use Practices Lead to Global Long-Term Increases in Photosynthetic Capacity

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 5717-5731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Mueller ◽  
Gunnar Dressler ◽  
Compton Tucker ◽  
Jorge Pinzon ◽  
Peter Leimgruber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Photosynthetic Capacity ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Land Use Practices

scholarly journals Evaluation of Land-Use Changes Impact on Watershed Health Using Probabilistic Approaches

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 2348
Author(s):  
Jiwan Lee ◽  
Jeehun Chung ◽  
Soyoung Woo ◽  
Yonggwan Lee ◽  
Chunggil Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Reference Value ◽  
Multivariate Normal ◽  
Health Index ◽  
Watershed Health ◽  
Water Assessment

This study evaluated watershed health (WH) change using reference values for environmental changes at various times. Land use in 1985 was defined as the reference value under the most natural conditions, and the WH for the years 1995 to 2019 was calculated in comparison to 1985. The proposed method was used to assess the WH of 78 standard subbasins in South Korea’s Geum River Basin (GRB), where complex land-use change has occurred since 1995. For evaluating hydrology and water quality (WQ) health index, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and four land-use maps (1985, 1995, 2008, and 2019) were used to simulate the hydrology and WQ. A multivariate normal distribution (MND) from poor (0) to good (1) was used to assess WH based on SWAT modeling results. Based on the reference value, the WQ health from 1995 to 2019 changed to within 0.1, while the range of changes in the hydrology index was analyzed over 0.18. As a result of WH changes from 1985 to 2019, hydrological health deteriorated in high-density urbanized subbasins, while WQ health deteriorated in upland-cultivation-increased subbasins. This study provides useful information for recognizing potential WH issues related to long-term environmental changes.

scholarly journals Proposed approaches to systematic planning of research and monitoring to support a South African inland fisheries policy

Water SA ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (3 July) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Hugo ◽  
OLF Weyl
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
South African ◽  
Catch Per Unit Effort ◽  
Inland Fisheries ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Unit Effort ◽  
Fisheries Policy ◽  
Systematic Planning

A South African inland fisheries policy will depend on a reliable long-term supply of social-ecological data covering freshwater fisheries at a broad geographic scale. Approaches to systematic planning of research and monitoring are demonstrated herein, based on a fishery-independent gillnet dataset covering 44 dams, and geographic information system maps of monthly and annual climate variables, human land use, and road access in a 5 km zone around 442 dams. Generalised linear mixed models were used to determine the covariates of gillnet catch per unit effort. Such covariates are required for a model-based process to select a subset of state-owned dams for a long-term fishery survey programme. The models indicated a monthly climate influence on catch per unit effort and climatic drivers of fish species distributions. However, unexplained variation is overwhelming and precludes a model-based survey design process. Non-hierarchical clustering of 442 dams was then done based on annual climate and human land use variables around dams. The resulting clusters of dams with shared climate and land use characteristics indicates the types of dams that should be selected for monitoring to represent the full range of climate and land use characteristics. Surrounding land use could indicate the socioeconomic characteristics of fisheries, for example, dams that may support subsistence-based communities that require increased research effort. Finally, although primary catchments could be useful for organising national-scale management, land use cover in the 5 km zone around dams varied widely within the respective primary catchments. Beyond these proposed approaches to plan research, this study also reveals various data deficiencies and recommends additional future studies on other possible methods for systematic research planning.

scholarly journals Stable Isotopic Evidence for Nutrient Rejuvenation and Long-Term Resilience on Tikopia Island (Southeast Solomon Islands)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8567
Author(s):  
Jillian A. Swift ◽  
Patrick V. Kirch ◽  
Jana Ilgner ◽  
Samantha Brown ◽  
Mary Lucas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Solomon Islands ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Nutrient Status ◽  
Nitrogen Isotope ◽  
External Support ◽  
Deep Time ◽  
Human Land Use

Tikopia Island, a small and relatively isolated Polynesian Outlier in the Southeast Solomon Islands, supports a remarkably dense human population with minimal external support. Examining long-term trends in human land use on Tikopia through archaeological datasets spanning nearly 3000 years presents an opportunity to investigate pathways to long-term sustainability in a tropical island setting. Here, we trace nutrient dynamics across Tikopia’s three pre-European contact phases (Kiki, Sinapupu, Tuakamali) via stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of commensal Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) and domestic pig (Sus scrofa) bone and tooth dentine collagen. Our results show a decline in δ15N values from the Kiki (c. 800 BC-AD 100) to Sinapupu (c. AD 100–1200) phases, consistent with long-term commensal isotope trends observed on other Polynesian islands. However, increased δ15N coupled with lower δ13C values in the Tuakamali Phase (c. AD 1200–1800) point to a later nutrient rejuvenation, likely tied to dramatic transformations in agriculture and land use at the Sinapupu-Tuakamali transition. This study offers new, quantifiable evidence for deep-time land and resource management decisions on Tikopia and subsequent impacts on island nutrient status and long-term sustainability.

scholarly journals Anthropogenic impact on biogenic Si pools in temperate soils

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 4391-4419 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Clymans ◽  
E. Struyf ◽  
G. Govers ◽  
F. Vandevenne ◽  
D. J. Conley
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Disturbed Land ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Human land use changes directly affect silica (Si) mobilisation and Si storage in terrestrial ecosystems and influence Si export from the continents, although the magnitudes of the impact are unknown. Yet biogenic silica (BSi) in soils is an understudied aspect. We have quantified and compared total biogenic (PSia) and easily soluble (PSie) Si pools at four sites along a gradient of disturbance in southern Sweden. An estimate of the magnitude of change in temperate continental BSi pools due to human disturbance is provided. Land use clearly affects BSi pools and their distribution. Total PSia and PSie for a continuous forested site at Siggaboda Nature Reserve (66 900 ± 22 800 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 952 ± 16 kg SiO2 ha−1) are significantly higher than disturbed land use types from the Råshult Culture Reserve including arable land (28 800 ± 7200 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 239 ± 91 kg SiO2 ha−1), pasture sites (27 300 ± 5980 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 370 ± 129 kg SiO2 ha−1) and grazed forest (23 600 ± 6370 kg SiO2 ha−1 and 346 ± 123 kg SiO2 ha−1). Vertical PSia and PSie profiles show significant (p<0.05) variation among the sites. These differences in size and distribution are interpreted as the long-term effect of reduced BSi replenishment and increased mobilisation of the PSia in disturbed soils. In temperate regions, total PSia showed a 10 % decline since agricultural development (3000BCE). Recent agricultural expansion (after 1700CE) has resulted in an average export of 1.1 ± 0.8 Tmol Si yr−1, leading to an annual contribution of ca. 20 % to the global land-ocean Si flux carried by rivers. Human activities clearly exert a long-term influence on Si cycling in soils and contribute significantly to the land-ocean Si flux.

scholarly journals The connection between long-term and short-term risk management strategies: examples from land-use planning and emergency management in four European case studies

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 3137-3182
Author(s):  
K. Prenger-Berninghoff ◽  
V. J. Cortes ◽  
T. Sprague ◽  
Z. C. Aye ◽  
S. Greiving ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Weak Link ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Risk Management Strategies

Abstract. The need for continuous adaptation to complex and unforeseen events requires enhancing the links between planning and preparedness phases to reduce future risks in the most efficient way. In this context, the legal-administrative and cultural context has to be taken into account. This is why four case study areas of the CHANGES1 project (Nehoiu Valley in Romania, Ubaye Valley in France, Val Canale in Italy, and Wieprzówka catchment in Poland) serve as examples to highlight currently implemented risk management strategies for land-use planning and emergency preparedness. The strategies described in this paper were identified by means of exploratory and informal interviews in each study site. Results reveal that a dearth or, in very few cases, a weak link exists between spatial planners and emergency managers. Management strategies could benefit from formally intensifying coordination and cooperation between emergency services and spatial planning authorities. Moreover, limited financial funds urge for a more efficient use of resources and better coordination towards long-term activities. The research indicates potential benefits to establishing or, in some cases, strengthening this link and provides suggestions for further development in the form of information and decision support systems as a key connection point. Aside from the existent information systems for emergency management, it was found that a common platform, which integrates involvement of these and other relevant actors could enhance this connection and address expressed stakeholder needs. 1 Marie Curie ITN CHANGES – Changing Hydro-meteorological Risks as Analyzed by a New Generation of European Scientists.

scholarly journals The connection between long-term and short-term risk management strategies for flood and landslide hazards: examples from land-use planning and emergency management in four European case studies

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3261-3278 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Prenger-Berninghoff ◽  
V. J. Cortes ◽  
T. Sprague ◽  
Z. C. Aye ◽  
S. Greiving ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Spatial Planning ◽  
Weak Link ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Landslide Hazards ◽  
Risk Management Strategies

Abstract. Adaptation to complex and unforeseen events requires enhancing the links between planning and preparedness phases to reduce future risks in the most efficient way. In this context, the legal–administrative and cultural context has to be taken into account. This is why four case study areas of the CHANGES1 project (Nehoiu Valley in Romania, Ubaye Valley in France, Val Canale in Italy, and Wieprzówka catchment in Poland) serve as examples to highlight currently implemented risk management strategies for land-use planning and emergency preparedness. The focus is particularly on flood and landslide hazards. The strategies described in this paper were identified by means of exploratory and informal interviews in each study site. Results reveal that a dearth or, in very few cases, a weak link exists between spatial planners and emergency managers. Management strategies could benefit from formally intensifying coordination and cooperation between emergency services and spatial planning authorities. Moreover, limited financial funds urge for a more efficient use of resources and better coordination towards long-term activities. The research indicates potential benefits to establishing or, in some cases, strengthening this link through contextual changes, e.g., in organizational or administrative structures, that facilitate proper interaction between risk management and spatial planning. It also provides suggestions for further development in the form of information and decision support systems as a key connection point. 1 Marie Curie ITN CHANGES – Changing Hydro-meteorological Risks as Analyzed by a New Generation of European Scientists

Impacts of Climate Change on Coastal Communities

2022 ◽  
pp. 1659-1671
Author(s):  
Isahaque Ali ◽  
Rameeja Shaik ◽  
Maruthi A. Y. ◽  
Azlinda Azman ◽  
Paramjit Singh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Coastal Management ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
National Development ◽  
Climate Change Impacts ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Development Plans

Earth and coastal ecosystems are not static, and they usually respond to environmental changes, mostly anthropogenic and climatic. Here, the authors described natural values, coastal landforms, and types of infrastructure that are most likely to be affected by climate change (CC) and provide information for assessing inundation, erosion, and recession risks for a chosen location. In this chapter, the authors focused on the land uses, the vulnerability of coastal infrastructure, and argued for effective linkages between CC issues and development planning. They also recommended the incorporation of CC impact and risk assessment into long-term national development strategies. Policies will be presented to implement these recommendations for adaptation to climate variability and global CC. The authors provide general recommendations and identify challenges for the incorporation of climate change impacts and risk assessment into long-term land-use national development plans and strategies. Overall, this chapter provides an overview of the implications for CC to coastal management.

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