Geography and Sustainability最新文献

Inappropriate management of municipal solid waste dumpsites is a major cause of groundwater contamination in developing countries, but the extent of the problem is not known. This study investigated groundwater quality in the vicinity of Olusosun dumpsite in Lagos, Nigeria, the most populous city in sub-Saharan Africa. During 2020, monthly groundwater samples were collected in 17 wells and boreholes used as drinking water sources, and analysed for 20 physico-chemical parameters. Differences between sites and seasons were statistically assessed, together with changes in water quality index (WQI). The results indicated that heavy metals (Pb²⁺, Ni⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Cr⁶⁺), cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺), total hardness and pH were the main parameters impairing water quality. Drinking water quality standards from both the World Health Organization and Nigeria government were exceeded more often in the wet season than in the dry season. Some groundwater properties were negatively correlated with distance to dumpsite (e.g., Fe²⁺, Pb²⁺, NO₃⁻). Significant differences between sites were identified, but with no clear spatial trend. WQI varied from excellent (6%–24% of the sites over the study period) to unsuitable for drinking water purposes (12%–18%), with good quality prevailing at most sites (35%–47%). Although groundwater quality declined at 24% of the sites over 2020, the results indicated improvements compared with previous decades. Remediation strategies must be implemented to safeguard public health and the sustainability of water resources.

It is never an easy task for China to feed 1.4 billion people with only 7% of the world’s arable land. With nearly 30% of the world’s nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied, China achieves high crop yields while facing N pollution resulting from excessive N input. Here, we calculate the farmland N budget on the national and regional scales. The N use efficiency (NUE) in China increased by 28.0% during 2005–2018. This improvement is due to the reduction in fertilization and the improvement of crop management. The fragmented farmland is changing to large-scale farmland with the increase in cultivated land area per rural population and the development of agricultural mechanization. This opportunity brings more possibilities for precision farmland management, thus further improving NUE. The goal of an NUE of 0.6 may be achieved in the 2040s based on the current development trend. This striking N use shift in China has important implications for other developing countries.

Management of forest lands considering multi-functional approaches is the basis to sustain or enhance the provision of specific benefits, while minimizing negative impacts to the environment. Defining a desired management itinerary to a forest depends on a variety of factors, including the forest type, its ecological characteristics, and the social and economic needs of local communities. A strategic assessment of the forest use suitability (FUS) (namely productive, protective, conservation-oriented, social and multi-functional) at regional level, based on the provision of forest ecosystem services and trade-offs between FUS alternatives, can be used to develop management strategies that are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the forest. The present study assesses the provision of multiple forest ecosystem services and employs a decision model to identify the FUS that supports the most present and productive ecosystem services in each stand in Catalonia. For this purpose, we apply the latest version of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support (EMDS) system, a spatially oriented decision support system that provides accurate results for multi-criteria management. We evaluate 32 metrics and 12 associated ecosystem services indicators to represent the spatial reality of the region. According to the results, the dominant primary use suitability is social, followed by protective and productive. Nevertheless, final assignment of uses is not straightforward and requires an exhaustive analysis of trade-offs between all alternative options, in many cases identifying flexible outcomes, and increasing the representativeness of multi-functional use. The assignment of forest use suitability aims to significantly improve the definition of the most adequate management strategy to be applied.

Urban-rural integration (URI) is a global challenge that is highly related to inequalities, poverty, economic growth, and other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Existing research has evaluated the extent of URI and explored its influencing factors, but urban-rural linkages are seldom incorporated in evaluation systems, and geographical factors are rarely recognized as the influencing factors. We construct a URI framework including regional economy, rural development, urban-rural linkage, and urban-rural gap. Based on a dataset consisting of 1,669 counties in China in 2020, we reveal the spatial pattern of URI and find a high correlation between the spatial pattern of URI and the relief degree of land surface (RDLS). Using structural equation modeling, we discover that topography has direct (−0.18, p < 0.001) and indirect (−0.17, p < 0.001) effects on URI. The indirect negative effects are mediated through the infrastructure, and the combination of localized advantages and modern technical conditions could mitigate the negative impact of topography. Finally, we identify 742 counties as lagging regions in URI, which can be clustered into eight types. Our findings could facilitate policy designing for those countries striving for integrated and sustainable development of urban and rural areas.

Concerns for biodiversity loss, wildlife conservation, and habitat destruction have dominated the policy agenda worldwide for decades. Unsustainable human-induced development and negative interaction between humans and wildlife have emerged as predominant issues globally. The present study deals with human and elephant conflicts (HEC) in the Polpitigama Divisional Secretariat, Sri Lanka, which is located in the Kahalla-Pallekele elephant corridor and connects Wilpattu and Kaudulla wildlife sanctuaries. The research objectives are identifying spatial patterns of elephant habitat suitability and probable risk zones for HEC. The elephant habitat suitability and HEC risk zones were identified on spatial and temporal scales using Geographic Information System integrating Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis. Different factors, including habitat suitability, distance to roads, distance to croplands, distance to forests and protected areas, settlements, and population density, were considered to determine HEC risk zones in the area. Topography, water, and vegetation criteria are considered when determining elephant habitat suitability. The results of the Analytic Hierarchy Process run the spatially explicit model. The results revealed that of the total area, 15.3% is very highly suitable for elephant habitats, while the least suitable areas contribute only 4%. About 33.8% of the area is moderately suitable for elephants. The risk map indicates that 23.7% of the total area is under very high risk for HEC, and the least risk areas only account for 5.4%. About 26.2% of the area falls under the moderate risk zone for HEC. Since the model considered three aspects of HEC, it will help policymakers in wildlife conservation to avoid and minimize the HEC.

Coastal zones, with their significant geodiversity, are vital areas for geotourism. Effective management is crucial to harness the geological interest of these sites as geotourism resources while ensuring their conservation. Manabí Province is one of the most representative regions along the Ecuadorian coast due to its beaches and coastal cliffs, offering a wealth of tourist attractions and cultural elements. This study aims to evaluate the geosite potential of six cliffs in Manabí Province through quantitative and qualitative analyses to propose geotourism promotion strategies. The methodology involves (i) inventory and characterisation of the cliffs, (ii) assessment of the sites by the Spanish Inventory of Places of Geological Interest method (IELIG), and (iii) qualitative evaluation through focus group discussions and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis. The results reveal that all six sites boast diverse geological assets, including geomorphological, stratigraphic, sedimentological, and tectonic elements. They are characterised by “high” scientific, didactic, and tourist interest, while also being susceptible to degradation due to natural and anthropic threats. The SWOT analysis demonstrates that the valuable geological and geomorphological heritage of potential geosites provides an opportunity to foster geotourism and boost the province’s economy, incorporating geoconservation and geoeducation strategies. This study proposes a georoute called “Ruta Acantilados del Sol”, a 245 km journey encompassing all six sites, incorporating diverse tourist and cultural activities. Our research lays the foundation for fostering geotourism along the Manabí coast and strengthening the connection between nature, heritage, and the welfare of residents within a global resilience plan.

Human activities have impacted 77% of the terrestrial ecosystems (excluding Antarctica), and the remaining areas are becoming increasingly endangered. Mapping spatiotemporal dynamics of Human Footprint has been used to evaluate the cumulative interference on terrestrial environments globally. However, fences and hydropower, two widespread and rapidly expanding infrastructures, have not been considered regarding Human Footprint, despite their complicated and extensive effects on ecosystem functioning and species survival. Previous work has proved that fences increase habitat fragmentation, disrupt migratory routes, inadvertently trap and kill wildlife, and hinder genetic exchange. Hydropower construction also caused habitat loss, fragmentation, and degradation. These impacts have received global concern, but fences around the world are difficult to be detected due to the limitations of current cartographic technologies. Furthermore, the effect of hydropower on the terrestrial environment has been underestimated, making the research on this topic at a global scale still in its infancy. Therefore, building an observation network of global fences and hydropower is a necessary step to move forward in the assessment of the impact of human activities on our planet, but also to better provide scientific support for policy-making regarding global biodiversity conservation, the identification of protected areas, and the prioritization of ecological restoration areas.

The village of Wengding, ancestral home of the Wa ethnic group, considered as China’s last primitive tribe, suffered near-complete extinction due to a fire incident in 2021. Historical records indicate that stilt-style buildings, also in Wengding, are highly susceptible to fire. Nevertheless, this has not hindered the long-term existence of these distinctive architectural forms. This study analyses the reasons for the sustained existence of the traditional building forms in Wengding, from the perspective of resilience. The findings indicate that the requirements of the traditional nomadic civilization for rapid construction of dwellings, the communal consciousness toward disaster resistance, and the implementation of spatially oriented fire protection measures collectively account for the swift recovery and reconstruction observed in Wengding village after the disaster. These aspects are tangible manifestations of the capacity of the village for resilience. Overall, resilience is essential for the sustainability of such traditional villages in the long term.

The 21st century has seen an acceleration of global change, including climate change, elevated carbon dioxide, nitrogen deposition, and land-use intensification, which poses a significant threat to ecosystem functioning. Nevertheless, studies on the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) have consistently demonstrated that biodiversity enhances ecosystem functioning and its stability, even in variable environmental conditions. These findings potentially indicate the critical role of biodiversity in promoting sustainable provisioning of ecosystem functioning under global change. Our paper provides a comprehensive review of current BEF research and the response of BEF to multiple global change factors. We demonstrate that (1) assessing the effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning requires consideration of multiple dimensions of diversity, such as diversity across multiple trophic levels (plants, animals, and microbes), multiple facets (taxonomy, functional traits, and phylogeny), and multiple spatial scales (local, regional, and landscape scales). (2) The interaction of multiple global change factors may lead to a greater reduction in biodiversity and ecosystem functioning than a single global change factor. (3) Multidimensional biodiversity regulates the response of ecosystem functioning to global change factors, indicating that high levels of multidimensional biodiversity can mitigate the negative impacts of global change on ecosystem functioning. Overall, we emphasize that recognizing the importance of multidimensional biodiversity is critical for sustaining ecosystem functioning. Therefore, prioritizing conservation efforts to maintain and enhance all dimensions of biodiversity is essential to address the challenges of future global change.

Sustainable food system development is the cornerstone of global human survival and development. This research briefly analyzes the challenges facing the current food system, summarizes the directions of food system transformation, expounds the role of geography in the transformation of food system, and discusses the future paths to promote the sustainable development of food system. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) The interaction of factors such as regional conflicts, climate change, slowdown in development, raging epidemics, and resource and environmental constraints pose multiple challenges to the global food system. 2) The food system should be high-quality, efficient, nutritious and healthy, green and low-carbon, inclusive and inclusive transformation. 3) Geography can provide solutions for the transformation of food systems. 4) The transformation paths of the food system includes: establishing a global food system with benefit sharing, cleaner production, and fair participation, improving the innovation capability of the food system, and establishing an effective organizational guarantee system.