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Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 9610

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kaifeng Duan

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Guest Editor

School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
Interests: urban development and management; urban-rural integration; sustainable development; rural revitalization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Lei Chen

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Guest Editor

Department of Land Resources Management, College of Management, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, China
Interests: land economy and policy; territorial space governance

Dr. Jiajia Li

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Guest Editor

Hospitality Management School, Shanghai Business School, Shanghai 201400, China
Interests: urban development and management; sustainable development; ecological and green cities

Dr. Jianing Zhou

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Guest Editor

College of Business, Southwest University, Chongqing 402460, China
Interests: urban–rural integration; sustainable development; land economy and policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Land is a part of the natural ecosystem. Changes in land use and land cover can affect the geobiochemical cycle by altering ecosystem structure and function, thus, affecting ecosystem services and ecological environment quality, which has long been a frequently researched topic of interest in academic circles. Of course, the research around this topic is mainly focused on the field of natural science.

On the other hand, in the field of social science, land also plays an important role. As is known to all, land acts as the spatial carrier of urban–rural regional systems and one of the main production factors. Urban and rural social and economic development always take land as the "intersection point", to interact and shape the relationship between each other. As a driving factor of social and economic development, changes in land use and land cover can affect various aspects of regional social and economic development, such as the distribution of labor factors, capital factors and information technology, and, thus, affect the state of urban–rural regional sustainable development.

Therefore, research around the impact of changes in land use and land cover on regional sustainable development and regional-factor distribution is of great importance. In this Special Issue, we invite conceptual, empirical, review or exploratory papers, which contribute to our understanding of the relationships between land use/cover and regional sustainable development. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

Impacts of land use and land cover on regional planning;
Land use/cover and urban–rural integration development;
Land use/cover and regional sustainable environment;
Land use/cover and regional-factor distribution.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Kind regards,

Dr. Kaifeng Duan
Dr. Jiajia Li
Dr. Jianing Zhou
Dr. Lei Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

land use
land cover
urban–rural integration development
sustainable development
factor distribution

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

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31 pages, 17212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring Spatial-Temporal Coupling and Its Driving Factors of Green and Low-Carbon Urban Land Use Efficiency and High-Quality Economic Development in China

by Lina Peng, Juan Liang, Kexin Wang, Wenqian Xiao, Jian Zou, Yuxuan Hong and Rui Ding

Sustainability 2024, 16(8), 3455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16083455 - 20 Apr 2024

Viewed by 332

Abstract

Green and low-carbon use of urban land (GLUUL) and high-quality economic development (HED) are two closely linked and mutually reinforcing systems, and their coordinated development is of great theoretical and practical significance to the realization of green and sustainable urban development. Based on theoretical analysis, this paper used data from 2005 to 2020 to measure GLUUL efficiency and HED level and their coupling coordination degree (CCD) successively of 282 cities in China, and then analyzed in-depth the main factors affecting CCD and its spatial–temporal heterogeneity using the GTWR model. This study found that (1) GLUUL efficiency and HED levels are increasing with different trends, and the development is unbalanced. High-value cities in the two systems show a staggered distribution pattern. (2) The CCD of the two was dominated by primary and intermediate coordination types, and the overall became increasingly coordinated, with the “intermediate coordination—advanced development” type having the highest representation. (3) There is a gradual convergence of CCD spatial differences, showing an overall spatial distribution pattern that is “high in the northwest and southeast, low in the central area”. (4) The influence degree and direction of different factors on CCD are distinguishing. The positive impact of industrial structure upgrading (Isu) is obviously greater than other factors, which has the strongest effect on the industrial corridor along the Yangtze River and the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. The findings can offer insightful recommendations for promoting sustainable development in China and similar developing countries and regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 39433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Variation and Prediction Analysis of Land Use/Land Cover and Ecosystem Service Changes in Gannan, China

by Xin Luo, Yongzhong Luo, Fangjun Le, Yishan Zhang, Han Zhang and Jiaqi Zhai

Sustainability 2024, 16(4), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16041551 - 12 Feb 2024

Viewed by 667

Abstract

For the preservation of ecosystems, including the enhancement of ecological strategies, examining the temporal and geographical variance in ecosystem services (ESs) and land use/land cover change (LUCC) is crucial. Gannan is situated on the upper Yellow River, which is a notable water conservation region with excellent ecological quality, but in the background of the local traditional production mode and rapid economic development, natural disasters, grassland degradation, and other ecological problems occur frequently. The integrated valuing of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) model and the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model are combined in this work to assess the spatiotemporal variance in ESs in Gannan. We set up three scenarios in modeling future land use—ecological protection (EP), natural development (ND), and economic development (ED) in 2050—and analyzed and evaluated the drivers of the variation in ESs. In order to reveal the LUCC in Gannan between 1990 and 2020, we predicted the LUCC and ESs spatial distribution characteristics in 2050, explored the correlation between its driving factors, and comprehensively analyzed and propose optimization measures and protection strategies. Through several simulation experiments, the findings indicate the following: (1) the largest percentage of land expansion for construction in Gannan between 1990 and 2020 is 74.53%, and the most noticeable percentage of shrinkage in the sand area is 20.67%; (2) from 1990 to 2020, Gannan’s water yield, carbon storage, soil retention, and habitat quality all changed, by 60 × 10⁸ m³, 0.04 × 10⁸ t, −10.66 × 10⁸ t, and −0.02, respectively; (3) ESs are influenced by a variety of natural and societal variables: the southern and southwestern regions of Gannan are home to the majority of ESs hot spot areas, while the northern region is home to the majority of cold spot areas. This study contributes to the analysis of the developmental traits of Gannan ecosystems and can serve as a model for the preservation of terrestrial ecosystems with comparable environmental traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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23 pages, 19877 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Landscape Evolution and Its Driving Forces in the Rapidly Urbanized Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, a Case Study in Zhuhai City, South China

by Miaomiao Liu, Guishan Chen, Guanhua Li, Yingyu Huang, Kaiwei Luo and Changfa Zhan

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13045; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713045 - 30 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1245

Abstract

Over the past four decades, urban expansions driven by rapid economic development and climate change have exerted profound impacts on land-use dynamics in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. However, our understanding of the interplay of different urban landscape patterns in this rapid urbanization zone remains limited. This study examines remote sensing data from 1999, 2009, and 2019 to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of the urbanization impact on landscape patterns, as well as driving forces, in Zhuhai City, in the western part of the Great Bay. The findings reveal that land-use changes in Zhuhai City are primarily characterized by the conversion of cultivated land and water areas into construction land and forest land, particularly in the western part of the city. These changes may result from rapid urbanization, leading to increased fragmentation and spatial aggregation of landscape patterns. Landscape pattern changes in Zhuhai City were related to both socio-economic development and natural environment change. The urbanization has promoted the agricultural transformation with a loss of cultivated land and water areas. Additionally, this study suggests that the coordination of land use along with the protection and construction of the ecological environment is urgently needed to achieve sustainable development in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 2976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of the Kinship Networks on Farmers’ Willingness to Revitalize Idle Houses

by Yao Luo, Yumei Li, Chen Li and Qun Wu

Sustainability 2023, 15(13), 10285; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310285 - 29 Jun 2023

Viewed by 779

Abstract

China is vigorously promoting the strategy of rural revitalization, encouraging farmers to revitalize their idle houses and developing rural tourism. In rural China, kinship networks are essential in farmers’ willingness and decision–making tools. It is significant to explore the influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses. This study constructs a research framework of “kinship networks–revitalization willingness–revitalization action”. It describes farmers’ kinship networks from five aspects: kinship networks structure, kinship networks relationship, kinship networks cognition, kinship networks members’ sense of belonging, and their social participation enthusiasm. Taking Bishan Village, a typical rural tourism–type ancient village, as an example, this study surveyed 197 farmers to demonstrate the influence of kinship networks on farmers willingness to revitalize idle houses. This paper uses a multiple regression model to empirically study the influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses. The results show that: (1) In addition to the kinship networks structure having no significant positive impact on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses, kinship networks relationship, kinship networks cognition, kinship networks members’ sense of belonging, and kinship networks members’ social participation enthusiasm all have positive effects on farmers’ willingness. (2) Considering the critical influence of kinship networks on farmers’ willingness to revitalize idle houses, the government should use the structure of kinship networks to formulate relevant policies to guide farmers to increase their willingness to revitalize their idle houses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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20 pages, 5418 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal and Spatial Differences in CO₂ Equivalent Emissions and Carbon Compensation Caused by Land Use Changes and Industrial Development in Hunan Province

by Huangling Gu, Yan Liu, Hao Xia, Zilong Li, Liyuan Huang and Yanjia Zeng

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107832 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1298

Abstract

The differences in CO₂ equivalent emissions and carbon compensation due to land use changes can provide a basis for formulating low-carbon development policies in various regions according to net CO₂ emissions. Based on the land use and energy consumption data of Hunan Province from 2000 to 2020, the calculation model is constructed to calculate the CO₂ equivalent emissions and carbon compensation values for different cities in different periods. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, there was a significant growth trend in the area of built-up land in Hunan Province, mainly from the forest and cropland, while the area of forest is relatively stable. (2) The net CO₂ equivalent emissions from land use changes in Hunan Province shows a trend of increasing first and then decreasing with an initially fast and then slowed growth rate. Built-up land is the main carbon source, and its CO₂ equivalent emissions increased by 26.78 million tons, while the forest is the main carbon sink, and its carbon absorption decreased by 4.11 × 10⁴ tons. (3) The carbon sink areas are mainly located in Zhangjiajie and Xiangxi in western Hunan, and the CO₂ equivalent emission intensity of other carbon source areas is gradually increasing from eastern Hunan to southern Hunan. (4) The carbon compensation value is very similar to the spatial distribution of CO₂ equivalent emissions in different cities. The high carbon compensation areas are mainly Yueyang, Loudi, and Xiangtan due to their backward energy structure, un-upgraded industrial structure, and large net CO₂ equivalent emissions, while the high carbon compensation areas are mainly Changsha, due to its high economic development level, great technological progress, and small net CO₂ equivalent emissions. To achieve regional coordination and low-carbon development, it is necessary to continually improve the carbon compensation mechanism and to build on carbon compensation to promote regional low-carbon coordinated development from a low-carbon level. Meanwhile, the government should rank and direct the transformation and development of different types of cities, to build a low-carbon land development model and achieve the goal of developing carbon neutrality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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21 pages, 4705 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Affecting of Nature and Human Activities on the Trend of Vegetation Health Indices in Dak Nong Province, Vietnam

by Nguyen Van Hiep, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, Luong Van Viet, Huynh Cong Luc and Le Huy Ba

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 5695; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075695 - 24 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1136

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of natural and human conditions on vegetation covers using VCI and TCI indices (the satellite-based Vegetation Health Indices (VHIs)) in Dak Nong province. Factors affecting the VHIs included in the analysis involve land use, soil, population, topography, distance to roads and surface water. The data analysis period is the dry season from 2000 to 2020. The trend of the VHIs’ change in this study is analyzed using Sen’s method with monitoring data from Modis. The effects of factors affecting the VHIs are based on logistic regression and discriminant analysis. The analysis results show that the VHIs are clear and show both increasing and decreasing trends. Based on logistic regression analysis, the influence of land use types on the trend of the VHIs in the direction of increasing from negative to positive will be from PdF, UnL, AnC, SpF, PtF, PeA and then to PdR. Corresponding to the soil will be from ACa, FRp, FRx, FRr, ACh, LVx, FLg and then to LVg. Based on the discriminant analysis method, it was found that there are only four primary factors affecting the trend of the VHIs in order of decreasing level of closure: population density, land use, soil and population growth rate and to the road. These results show that in places where labour resources are available, plants are interested in investment due to high profits, nutrient-rich soil and convenience for plant care; the VHIs tend to increase and vice versa. Compared with VCI, the trend of TCI tends to be sloping negative and more pessimistic. Through the coefficients of the logistic regression equation and the difference function, the TCI is more sensitive than the VCI when the independent variables change, especially for changes in population density and land use. Thus, TCI can be considered the preferred option for assessing vegetation health trends in the context of climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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16 pages, 1424 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Estimation of Urban Land Use Efficiency and Sustainability Analysis in China

by Huifang Cheng, Ting Yu, Hao Zhang, Kaifeng Duan and Jianing Zhu

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13843; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113843 - 25 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 977

Abstract

With rapid urbanization in China, land use efficiency (LUE) and related sustainability should be reasonably evaluated and improved. Studies have rarely investigated urban LUE and lack an analysis from the sustainability perspective. Long-term analysis can help identify the weaknesses in LUE and obtain a more stable evaluation. Hence, in this paper we develop a dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to assess urban LUE considering the time dimension. Differing from studies on traditional static DEA models, this study connects the observed periods by creating a common objective function. In addition, a method for estimating the sustainability of urban LUE is proposed under the DEA framework. The proposed method was applied to 34 major Chinese cities over a 3-year period, from 2015 to 2017. The results reveal that urban LUE still has potential for improvement in most cities. There was a distinct difference in efficiency among eastern, central, and western cities during the observed period. The average efficiency was higher in eastern cities than in central and western cities. The potential to optimize the land area and GDP should be realized with more efforts by most cities to strengthen LUE. Additionally, most inefficient cities have weak performance regarding the sustainability of LUE. The proposed approach enriches the sustainable measurement of LUE. Some management implications are provided to improve urban LUE. The empirical findings provide important support for sustainable land use in practice, and the proposed model is an important empirical extension of the DEA method in the land management field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 895 KiB

Open AccessReview

How Does Agricultural Trade Liberalization Have Environmental Impacts? Evidence from a Literature Review

by Panxian Wang, Zimeng Ren and Guanghua Qiao

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9379; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129379 - 10 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1867

Abstract

The liberalization of world trade has led to a significant increase in agricultural trade, which has brought to light various environmental externalities, including climate change, deforestation, and water pollution. While economic studies tend to overlook the environmental effects of agricultural trade liberalization, recent research has shown a growing interest in related aspects. As such, it is crucial to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the environmental impacts of agricultural trade liberalization. This study aims to address this issue by conducting a systematic review of the relevant literature from the past two decades. Research has revealed that agricultural trade liberalization has both positive and negative impacts on the environment. The various mechanisms through which these effects are observed include scale, structural, transport, and technology effects. Most studies have concluded that agricultural trade liberalization has a significantly negative impact on the environment. To address this issue, four potential solutions have been proposed, including factor allocation, policy adjustment, technological innovation, and improvements to compensation mechanisms. Future research should aim to develop a comprehensive model that can effectively examine the environmental impacts of agricultural trade policy distortions and the criteria used to select environmental measures. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between agricultural trade policies and their environmental consequences. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development)

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