International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Research

22 pages, 26353 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Spatial Delineation Method of Urban-Rural Fringe Combining POI and Nighttime Light Data—Taking Wuhan City as an Example

by Jing Yu, Yingying Meng, Size Zhou, Huaiwen Zeng, Ming Li, Zhaoxia Chen and Yan Nie

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4395; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054395 - 1 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2247

Abstract

The boundary delineation of the urban-rural fringe (URF) is the basic work of fine planning and governance of cities, which plays a positive role in promoting the process of global sustainable development and urban and rural integration. In the past, the delineation of [...] Read more.

The boundary delineation of the urban-rural fringe (URF) is the basic work of fine planning and governance of cities, which plays a positive role in promoting the process of global sustainable development and urban and rural integration. In the past, the delineation of URF had shortcomings such as a single selected data source, difficulty in obtaining data, and low spatial and temporal resolution. This study combines Point of Interest (POI) and Nighttime Light (NTL) data, proposes a new spatial recognition method of URF according to the characteristics of urban and rural spatial structure, and conducts empirical analysis with Wuhan as the research object, combining the information entropy of land use structure, NDVI, and population density data to verify and compare the delineation results and field verification was conducted for typical areas. The results show that (1) the fusion of POI and NTL can maximize the use of the characteristics of the differences in facility types, light intensity, and resolution between POI and NTL, compared with the urban-rural fringe boundary identified by POI, NTL or population density data alone, and it is more accurate and time-sensitive; (2) NPP and POI (fusion data of Suomi NPP-VIIRS and POI) can quantitatively identify potential central area and multi-layer structure of the city. It fluctuates between 0.2 and 0.6 in the urban core area of Wuhan and between 0.1 and 0.3 in the new town clusters, while in the URF and rural areas drops sharply to below 0.1; (3) the urban-rural fringe area of Wuhan covers a total area of 1482.35 km², accounting for 17.30% of the total area of the city. Its land use types are mainly construction land, water area, and cultivated land, accounting for 40.75%, 30.03%, and 14.60% of the URF, respectively. Its NDVI and population density are at a medium level, with values of 1.630 and 2556.28 persons/km^2, respectively; (4) the double mutation law of NPP and POI in urban and rural space confirms that the URF exists objectively as a regional entity generated in the process of urban expansion, provides empirical support for the theory of urban and rural ternary structure, and has a positive reference value for the allocation of global infrastructure, industrial division, ecological function division, and other researches. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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19 pages, 8395 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Zoning of Carbon Dioxide Emissions at the Intra-City Level: A Case Study of Nanjing, China

by Yuan Yuan, Ping Xu and Hui Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4023; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054023 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1574

Abstract

With ever-increasing urbanization and industrialization in developing countries, the challenge posed by carbon dioxide emissions (CDEs) has become a hot topic of concern in the realm of sustainable development from a socioeconomic perspective. However, previous studies have only been conducted at macro and [...] Read more.

With ever-increasing urbanization and industrialization in developing countries, the challenge posed by carbon dioxide emissions (CDEs) has become a hot topic of concern in the realm of sustainable development from a socioeconomic perspective. However, previous studies have only been conducted at macro and meso scales, including at the global, country, and urban levels, and few researchers have delved into the territorial space of urban areas due to a lack of high-precision data. To address this deficiency, we established a theoretical framework to explore the spatial zoning of CDEs based on the newly emerging China high-resolution emission gridded data (CHRED). This study’s innovativeness lies in its provision of a step-by-step process for spatial matching of CDEs based on CHRED in the framework and the construction of square layers to reveal spatial heterogeneity of CDEs at the intra-city level. Taking Nanjing City as the case study area, our findings indicated that CDEs intensity (CDEI) shows an inverted “U-shaped” trend that first increased and then decreased, and finally stabilized from the center to the periphery of the city. With further urbanization and industrialization, the energy consumption sector was found to be the largest contributor to CDEs in Nanjing, and the expanding carbon source zonings will therefore shrink the existing carbon sink zonings. Collectively, these results can provide a scientific reference point to realize China’s “dual carbon” target from the perspective of spatial layout optimization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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22 pages, 374 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does the Digital Economy Promote the Reduction of Urban Carbon Emission Intensity?

by Shouwu Jing, Feijie Wu, Enyi Shi, Xinhui Wu and Minzhe Du

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3680; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043680 - 19 Feb 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2357

Abstract

The impact of the digital economy is increasing, and its environmental effect has attracted more and more attention. The digital economy promotes the improvement of production efficiency and the government’s environmental governance capacity, and contributes to the reduction of urban carbon emission intensity. [...] Read more.

The impact of the digital economy is increasing, and its environmental effect has attracted more and more attention. The digital economy promotes the improvement of production efficiency and the government’s environmental governance capacity, and contributes to the reduction of urban carbon emission intensity. In order to study the impact of digital economy development on urban carbon emission intensity, this paper analyzes the theoretical basis of the digital economy on the reduction of carbon emission intensity, and then, based on the panel data of cities from 2011 to 2019, uses the two-way fixed effect model for empirical testing. The regression results show that the development of the digital economy has promoted the reduction of carbon emission intensity of cities, promoted the green transformation and upgrading of cities, and lays a foundation for China to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutralization through the improvement of human capital investment and green innovation level. The basic conclusion is robust by changing core explanatory variables, changing samples, replacing regression methods, and shrinking and truncating tests. The impact of the digital economy on urban carbon emission intensity varies with the location, grade and size of the city. Specifically, the development of the digital economy in cities in the eastern and central regions, cities at or above the sub provincial level, large cities and non-resource-based cities has promoted the reduction of urban carbon emission intensity. In terms of resource-based cities, the development of the digital economy in renewable resource-based cities and resource-based cities dominated by iron ore and oil mining has promoted the decline in urban carbon emission reduction intensity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

25 pages, 5504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

HyFormer: Hybrid Transformer and CNN for Pixel-Level Multispectral Image Land Cover Classification

by Chuan Yan, Xiangsuo Fan, Jinlong Fan, Ling Yu, Nayi Wang, Lin Chen and Xuyang Li

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(4), 3059; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20043059 - 9 Feb 2023

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3129

Abstract

To effectively solve the problems that most convolutional neural networks cannot be applied to the pixelwise input in remote sensing (RS) classification and cannot adequately represent the spectral sequence information, we propose a new multispectral RS image classification framework called HyFormer based on [...] Read more.

To effectively solve the problems that most convolutional neural networks cannot be applied to the pixelwise input in remote sensing (RS) classification and cannot adequately represent the spectral sequence information, we propose a new multispectral RS image classification framework called HyFormer based on Transformer. First, a network framework combining a fully connected layer (FC) and convolutional neural network (CNN) is designed, and the 1D pixelwise spectral sequences obtained from the fully connected layers are reshaped into a 3D spectral feature matrix for the input of CNN, which enhances the dimensionality of the features through FC as well as increasing the feature expressiveness, and can solve the problem that 2D CNN cannot achieve pixel-level classification. Secondly, the features of the three levels of CNN are extracted and combined with the linearly transformed spectral information to enhance the information expression capability, and also used as the input of the transformer encoder to improve the features of CNN using the powerful global modelling capability of the Transformer, and finally the skip connection of the adjacent encoders to enhance the fusion between different levels of information. The pixel classification results are obtained by MLP Head. In this paper, we mainly focus on the feature distribution in the eastern part of Changxing County and the central part of Nanxun District, Zhejiang Province, and conduct experiments based on Sentinel-2 multispectral RS images. The experimental results show that the overall accuracy of HyFormer for the study area classification in Changxing County is 95.37% and that of Transformer (ViT) is 94.15%. The experimental results show that the overall accuracy of HyFormer for the study area classification in Nanxun District is 95.4% and that of Transformer (ViT) is 94.69%, and the performance of HyFormer on the Sentinel-2 dataset is better than that of the Transformer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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15 pages, 13567 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Eichmann Lake Wetland in Aksu River Basin and Its Response to Ecological Water Supply

by Yan Nie, Chen Yin, Pu Wang, Xingying He, Junjun Cao and Jing Yu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010351 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1536

Abstract

Timely understanding and quantitative analysis of the changing trend in natural ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas and their response to the ecological water supply process are of great significance for maintaining the health of oasis ecosystems. Taking the Eichmann Lake wetland of [...] Read more.

Timely understanding and quantitative analysis of the changing trend in natural ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas and their response to the ecological water supply process are of great significance for maintaining the health of oasis ecosystems. Taking the Eichmann Lake wetland of the Aksu River Basin in Xinjiang as the research area, the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics of the lake and the response of ecological water in recent years were studied based on remote sensing images and monitoring data. The results show that: (1) The water surface area of Eichmann Lake is shrinking, from 61.57 km² in 1996 to 27.76 km² in 2020. The changes in water surface area have experienced three stages: rapid decline, slow decline, and slow recovery. After the ecological water supply, the water surface area has obvious seasonal changes with hysteresis; (2) In areas with a low average water level, the ecological water supply has a significant impact on the groundwater level. The higher the water supply is, the higher the groundwater level will be. There is a significant lag effect between the change in the groundwater level and the response of the ecological water supply, which is 1–2 months; (3) The response characteristics of different natural vegetation to the ecological water supply were different in interannual, seasonal, and spatial contexts. The response of Populus euphratica to the ecological water supply is obvious, and its growth is the best within the range of 100–500 m from the water supply outlet. This research can provide the basis for the rational allocation of the Aksu River Basin’s water resources, and also act as a valuable reference for the restoration and reconstruction of surrounding vegetation in the Aksu River irrigation area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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22 pages, 111762 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Vitality of Public Space and the Effects of Environmental Factors in Chinese Suburban Rural Communities Based on Tourists and Residents

by Jie Zheng, Junjun He and Hongya Tang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(1), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20010263 - 24 Dec 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3175

Abstract

The vitality of public space in rural communities is an important symbol of rural revitalization, especially in suburban rural communities. Previous studies focused on rural industries and ignored the effects of the spatial environment on different groups of people. Hence, this study takes [...] Read more.

The vitality of public space in rural communities is an important symbol of rural revitalization, especially in suburban rural communities. Previous studies focused on rural industries and ignored the effects of the spatial environment on different groups of people. Hence, this study takes the public space of suburban rural communities as an example and uses Global Positioning System (GPS) and cognitive mapping data to establish a new vibrancy assessment system for tourists and residents, respectively. The effects of the public space environment and space vitality in suburban rural communities are revealed through ordinary least squares (OLS) and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models. The results suggested that: (I) There were pronounced seasonal changes and spatial distribution differences in the space vitality of tourists, while residents were concentrated in fixed public spaces. (II) For tourists, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by seven factors, including accessibility, seats, green looking ratio, recreational facilities, water area, plant species richness, and plant color composition. Green looking ratio and water area had a negative impact. For residents, the public space vitality in rural communities was affected by five factors, including shelter facilities, seats, accessibility, space type, fitness facilities. Only fitness facilities had a negative effect. Our research proposed a feasible and effective method to assess the vitality of rural public space in rural communities, and the finding from this study provides significant implications for the development and planning of suburban rural communities oriented by vitality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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20 pages, 5068 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influencing Factors and Risk Assessment of Precipitation-Induced Flooding in Zhengzhou, China, Based on Random Forest and XGBoost Algorithms

by Xun Liu, Peng Zhou, Yichen Lin, Siwei Sun, Hailu Zhang, Wanqing Xu and Sangdi Yang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(24), 16544; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192416544 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2101

Abstract

Due to extreme weather phenomena, precipitation-induced flooding has become a frequent, widespread, and destructive natural disaster. Risk assessments of flooding have thus become a popular area of research. In this study, we studied the severe precipitation-induced flooding that occurred in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, [...] Read more.

Due to extreme weather phenomena, precipitation-induced flooding has become a frequent, widespread, and destructive natural disaster. Risk assessments of flooding have thus become a popular area of research. In this study, we studied the severe precipitation-induced flooding that occurred in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, in July 2021. We identified 16 basic indicators, and the random forest algorithm was used to determine the contribution of each indicator to the Zhengzhou flood. We then optimised the selected indicators and introduced the XGBoost algorithm to construct a risk index assessment model of precipitation-induced flooding. Our results identified four primary indicators for precipitation-induced flooding in the study area: total rainfall for three consecutive days, extreme daily rainfall, vegetation cover, and the river system. The Zhengzhou storm and flood risk evaluation model was constructed from 12 indicators: elevation, slope, water system index, extreme daily rainfall, total rainfall for three consecutive days, night-time light brightness, land-use type, proportion of arable land area, gross regional product, proportion of elderly population, vegetation cover, and medical rescue capacity. After streamlining the bottom four indicators in terms of contribution rate, it had the best performance, with an accuracy rate reaching 91.3%. Very high-risk and high-risk areas accounted for 11.46% and 27.50% of the total area of Zhengzhou, respectively, and their distribution was more significantly influenced by the extent of heavy rainfall, direction of river systems, and land types; the medium-risk area was the largest, accounting for 33.96% of the total area; the second-lowest-risk and low-risk areas together accounted for 27.09%. The areas with the highest risk of heavy rainfall and flooding in Zhengzhou were in the Erqi, Guanchenghui, Jinshui, Zhongyuan, and Huizi Districts and the western part of Xinmi City; these areas should be given priority attention during disaster monitoring and early warning and risk prevention and control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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27 pages, 4527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Differentiation of the Coupling and Coordination of Production-Living-Ecology Functions in Hubei Province Based on the Global Entropy Value Method

by Yujie Liu, Jie Xu, Yong Zhou, Amat Muhtar and Li Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16062; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316062 - 30 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1760

Abstract

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have brought about regional prosperity and pressure on the ecological environment, and the disorder of development has led to competition among the production-living-ecology functions. How to build livable cities, optimize the spatial layout of land, and promote the coordinated [...] Read more.

Rapid urbanization and industrialization have brought about regional prosperity and pressure on the ecological environment, and the disorder of development has led to competition among the production-living-ecology functions. How to build livable cities, optimize the spatial layout of land, and promote the coordinated development of the production-living-ecology functions in various regions has become an important issue in the sustainable development and utilization of land space. In order to study the spatiotemporal conflict and coordination of the production-living-ecology functions with respect to the dramatic developments associated with the 21st century, this study took Hubei Province, which is the top-ranking economic region in China in recent years, as the study area and adopted the global entropy value method, triangle model, and coupled evaluation model to delineate an index system to measure the degree of conflict and coordination of the production-living-ecology functions in Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020, and also delineate zoning management based on statistical yearbook data. The results showed the following: (1) With respect to the time scale, the indices of the production-living-ecology functions in Hubei Province increased year by year, and the degree of coordination also increased yearly, from the stage of disorder with certain conflict to the stage of coordination with a high level of coupling. (2) On the spatial scale, the development of production-living-ecology functions in Hubei Province was unbalanced, which may be related to the overall development strategy of “two circles and one belt” in Hubei Province, with the eastern part of the province having a higher degree of coordination of the production-living-ecology functions and the western part having a lower degree of coordination. (3) Among the production-living-ecology functions, the ecological function of Hubei Province as a whole exhibited minimal change and maintained stable development, while the living and production functions underwent considerable development, indicating that Hubei Province has protected the orderly development of the ecological environment in the process of urbanization and new industrialization. (4) According to the development and coordination of the production-living-ecology functions in each region of Hubei Province, four development management zones were created: high-quality development zone, secondary development zone, balanced development zone, and development potential zone. Finally, policy suggestions are given for each zone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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34 pages, 26872 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics of Cultivated Land Multifunction and Its Trade-Off/Synergy Relationship in the Two Lake Plains

by Xigui Li, Pengnan Xiao, Yong Zhou, Jie Xu and Qing Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(22), 15040; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215040 - 15 Nov 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1968

Abstract

The material foundation of sustainable agricultural development is cultivated land resources, and their sustainable use is critical to fostering agricultural sustainability and guaranteeing national food security. In this paper, the multifunctional evaluation framework of the cultivated land system based on the “GESEL” model [...] Read more.

The material foundation of sustainable agricultural development is cultivated land resources, and their sustainable use is critical to fostering agricultural sustainability and guaranteeing national food security. In this paper, the multifunctional evaluation framework of the cultivated land system based on the “GESEL” model at the grid scale (5 km × 5 km) is constructed to explore the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of a multifunctional cultivated land system in two lake plains and the trade-off and synergy between the functions. The five functions are all unstable in time scales, and their spatial distribution characteristics are also different. The trade-off and synergy between the multiple functions of the cultivated land system in the two lake plains from 2000 to 2019 showed significant spatial heterogeneity. Most of the functions were mainly collaborative, and a few were trade-offs. The two lake plains can be divided into four multi-functional cultivated land zones: a grain production leading zone, a distinctive agricultural planting zone, a high-efficiency agricultural development zone, and an ecological agricultural construction zone. This research puts forward some countermeasures and suggestions to promote the sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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18 pages, 4484 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Urbanization on Ecosystem Services Balance in the Han River Ecological Economic Belt, China: A Multi-Scale Perspective

by Weisong Li, Wanxu Chen, Jiaojiao Bian, Jun Xian and Li Zhan

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14304; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114304 - 1 Nov 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2085

Abstract

Urbanization intensification seriously interferes with the supply capacity and demand level of ecosystem services (ESs); therefore, it affects the balance state of ESs. Coordination of urbanization development and ecosystem protection in the ecological economic belt is vital for ecological protection and high-quality development [...] Read more.

Urbanization intensification seriously interferes with the supply capacity and demand level of ecosystem services (ESs); therefore, it affects the balance state of ESs. Coordination of urbanization development and ecosystem protection in the ecological economic belt is vital for ecological protection and high-quality development of the ecological economic belt. However, previous studies lacked multi-scale analysis of the impact of urbanization elements on the ESs balance index (ESBI) in the ecological economic belt. In this study, a geographically weighted regression model was employed to measure the spatial non-stationary patterns associated with the impact of urbanization elements on the ESBI at 5 km and 10 km in the Han River Ecological Economic Belt (HREEB) in China based on land use data. The main findings were shown as follows. The supply capacity and demand level of ESs in the HREEB increased from 2000 to 2020 simultaneously, while the ESBI showed a decreasing trend. In mountainous areas, the ESBIs were evidently higher than those in the plain areas. During the study period, the urbanization level in the HREEB improved evidently, and the urbanization levels of the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang River were relatively high. Significant spatial dependence between urbanization elements and the ESBI was identified. Urbanization had significant positive and negative impacts on ESBI, and there were significant differences among different scales. The findings of this study can act as a decision-making reference for ecological protection and high-quality development of the HREEB and can also provide a perspective for exploring the impact of urbanization on the ESBI of the ecological economic belt in other similar regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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17 pages, 3534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Social Inequality, Air Pollution, Rural–Urban Divides, and Insufficient Green Space on Residents’ Health in China: Insight from Chinese General Social Survey Data Analysis

by Peng Zhou, Siwei Sun, Tao Chen, Yue Pan, Wanqing Xu and Hailu Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(21), 14225; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114225 - 31 Oct 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3195

Abstract

Attention to physical and mental health is becoming more intensive. In China, factors and mechanisms are now a focus of research. We used dynamic air quality monitoring data and the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to assess the spatial differences and the coupling [...] Read more.

Attention to physical and mental health is becoming more intensive. In China, factors and mechanisms are now a focus of research. We used dynamic air quality monitoring data and the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) to assess the spatial differences and the coupling between subjective and objective air pollution. In addition, a logistic model was used to explore the impact mechanisms of social inequality, air pollution, food safety, and lack of green space on health. The results show that (1) the impact of subjective and objective air pollution on the health level of the population is significant; (2) income inequality, air pollution, food pollution, and travel behavior significantly affect the residents’ health; and (3) environmental health has a significant differentiation mechanism between urban and rural areas. The negative health effects of air pollution and insufficient green space are more significant in cities; food pollution is more likely in rural areas. In terms of socioeconomic inequality, gender, family size, travel, and physical exercise had no significant effect on rural health. Health improvement was higher in the low-income group than in the high-income group. The adverse effect of travel behavior on environmental pollution is conducive to improving health. Therefore, social equality, strictly controlled environmental pollution, exercise, and travel can help narrow the gap between rich and poor, promote urban–rural health equity, and improve human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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25 pages, 6033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation and Prediction of Ecological Sustainability in the Upper Reaches of the Yellow River Based on Improved Three-Dimensional Ecological Footprint Model

by Jing Guo

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13550; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013550 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

Ecological footprint is an important method for regional sustainable assessment. Scientific assessment of the ecological sustainability of the upper reaches of the Yellow River is of great significance to the realization of a win–win situation for the ecological environment protection and economic development [...] Read more.

Ecological footprint is an important method for regional sustainable assessment. Scientific assessment of the ecological sustainability of the upper reaches of the Yellow River is of great significance to the realization of a win–win situation for the ecological environment protection and economic development of the entire Yellow River basin. Based on the improved three-dimensional ecological footprint model, this paper measures and spatially portrays the ecological footprint per capita depth (EF_depth), ecological footprint per capita size (EF_size), and ecological footprint per capita 3D (per capita EF_3D) of the upper Yellow River region from 2011 to 2020. Then, the ecological footprint diversity index (EFDI), integrated land stress index (I_{comprehensive}), ecological stress index (ETI), and ecological coordination coefficient (ECC) are used to evaluate its ecological safety and sustainability. The results of the study indicate that: (1) From 2011 to 2020, the three-dimensional ecological footprint of all provinces and regions in the upper reaches of the Yellow River was in a fluctuating upward trend as a whole, and NMG had the highest growth, from 2.6256 hm²/person to 3.3163 hm²/person, with an average annual growth rate of 2.36%. (2) In the past 10 years, the ETI index of the upper reaches of the Yellow River increased from 2.13 in 2011 to 3.28 in 2020, which is a serious insecurity. The EFDI index fluctuates slightly, but increases year by year. (3) The capital flow occupancy rate of the upper reaches of the Yellow River has been above 86.67%, and fluctuated during the study period, reaching a peak of 88.61% in 2020. (4) In the four periods, the number of land comprehensive pressure states and ecological security pressure states of the provinces and regions in the upper reaches of the Yellow River show a distribution pattern that the northeast region is better than the southwest region. This study is expected to provide scientific reference for land use in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, building the ecological security barrier of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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15 pages, 372 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Associations between Greenspaces and Individual Health: A Longitudinal Study in China

by Liping Liao and Minzhe Du

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013353 - 16 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1885

Abstract

Using a longitudinal survey in China, this study identifies the effect of greenspaces on individual health in the aspects of self-rated health, mental health, feeling physical discomfort, and being hospitalized. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is used to measure the greenery cover [...] Read more.

Using a longitudinal survey in China, this study identifies the effect of greenspaces on individual health in the aspects of self-rated health, mental health, feeling physical discomfort, and being hospitalized. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is used to measure the greenery cover of each city, and findings show that higher NDVI leads to the improvement of personal self-rated health status, and it also decreases the probability of being hospitalized, having symptoms of physical discomfort, and being lost in bad mood. The positive health effect of NDVI in the city is much more significant and larger for the middle-aged, the elderly, and the low-educated. The evidence of the three possible channels through which the NDVI of each city shows a positive correlation with individual physical and mental health is found. The increased NDVI in the city encourages residents to foster healthier habits (e.g., decreasing smoking or drinking, increasing sleeping hours), improves air quality and reduces air pollution in each city, and promotes the social cohesion of people, and so the health status of residents is enhanced. This study implies that increasing greenspaces in the city is an effective strategy to improve social welfare and residents’ health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

18 pages, 6572 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cloud Screening Method in Complex Background Areas Containing Snow and Ice Based on Landsat 9 Images

by Tingting Wu, Qing Liu and Ying Jing

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(20), 13267; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192013267 - 14 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1534

Abstract

The first step in the application of Landsat 9 imagery is cloud screening, and the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) has made cloud screening an important part of the World Climate Research Program. The accurate identification of clouds in remote sensing satellite [...] Read more.

The first step in the application of Landsat 9 imagery is cloud screening, and the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) has made cloud screening an important part of the World Climate Research Program. The accurate identification of clouds in remote sensing satellite images containing snow and ice on the subsurface has been a challenging task in the cloud screening process. It is imperative to fully exploit the characteristic heterogeneous information of the cloud and snow subsurface, to solve the problem of cloud–snow confusion in the snow and ice environment, and to carry out research on cloud screening technology without interference from the snow and ice subsurface. In view of this, this paper will systematically carry out research on cloud screening methods in snow and ice environments. In this paper, we propose the building of a cloud screening algorithm that takes into account the difficulty of the fact that snow and ice on the subsurface can easily interfere with cloud recognition, and the influence of an empirical threshold or statistical threshold that makes its application less effective, and then establish a dynamic threshold cloud screening algorithm that is suitable for snow and ice environments. The research results will provide new ideas and perspectives to solve the problem of surface-type interference that most of the existing cloud screening algorithms contend with. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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22 pages, 2761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Differentiation and Influencing Factors in the Ecological Well-Being Performance of Urban Agglomerations in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River: A Hierarchical Perspective

by Yuanyuan Zhu, Rui Zhang and Jiaxing Cui

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12867; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912867 - 8 Oct 2022

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2105

Abstract

Improving the ecological well-being performance (EWP) of natural resources and environmental consumption in relation to human well-being, within the ecological boundary, is necessary for sustainable development. This study used the Super-SBM model to measure the urban EWP of urban agglomeration in the middle [...] Read more.

Improving the ecological well-being performance (EWP) of natural resources and environmental consumption in relation to human well-being, within the ecological boundary, is necessary for sustainable development. This study used the Super-SBM model to measure the urban EWP of urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (MRYRUA) in 2020. The spatial differentiation characteristics of EWP in the MRYRUA were identified. The heterogeneity in the direction and size of the influencing factors of EWP at different urban hierarchy (UH) levels was empirically tested by establishing a threshold model. The results are as follows: (1) In 2020, the EWP of the study area showed a trend of high levels in the southwest and low levels in the northeast. The EWP presented a multi-center “core–periphery” distribution, and the characteristic of “central collapse” was evident. The UH level of the middle and lower hierarchy-level cities was inconsistent with its EWP. (2) A non-single linear relationship was found between the influencing factors of the EWP of the MRYRUA and the EWP. The impacts of technological progress, industrial structure, environmental regulation, and population density on the EWP of the MRYRUA all showed threshold characteristics. (3) Heterogeneity and stages were both observed for the influencing factors of EWP under different UH levels. The effect of technological progress on EWP presented the characteristics of bidirectional and two-stage developments, and environmental regulation presented the features of a significant positive three-stage development. Both industrial structure and population density presented two-stage aspects, but the former acted in a negative direction, while the latter served in a positive order. This study provides a theoretical basis for the government to formulate differentiated regional policies and promote the coordinated improvement of EWP among cities at all hierarchy levels in the urban agglomeration. This study is of great significance to the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. Its results can provide a reference for other urban agglomerations, metropolitan areas, and city clusters worldwide to coordinate economic development, ecological protection, and to improve people’s well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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18 pages, 3463 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Variation in Actual Evapotranspiration and the Influencing Factors in Ningxia from 2001 to 2020

by Huihui Liu, Dongdong Song, Jinling Kong, Zengguang Mu, Qiutong Zhang and Xixuan Wang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 12693; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191912693 - 4 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 1587

Abstract

Surface evapotranspiration (ET) is an important part of the hydrological cycle. Based on the MOD16 ET product and the data collected by meteorological stations, this study investigated, for the first time, the characteristics, variation trend and influencing factors of actual ET in Ningxia [...] Read more.

Surface evapotranspiration (ET) is an important part of the hydrological cycle. Based on the MOD16 ET product and the data collected by meteorological stations, this study investigated, for the first time, the characteristics, variation trend and influencing factors of actual ET in Ningxia from 2001 to 2020 along temporal and spatial scales using the Theil–Sen median trend analysis, Mann–Kendall test and Hurst index, and predicted the future trend of ET. The results revealed a strong correlation between the MOD16 ET product and ET data collected at meteorological stations (r = 0.837, R² = 0.701). Over the past 20 years, the annual ET in Ningxia showed an overall increasing trend, and the proportion of the increasing area was 96.58%. Quarterly ET varied over time, with the highest value in the third quarter and the lowest value in the second quarter. Annual ET showed a positive correlation with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), surface temperature and precipitation but no correlation with relative humidity. Additionally, the Hurst index revealed areas showing a persistent increase in ET, accounting for 84.91% of the total area, indicating that the future trend of ET in Ningxia is consistent with the past trend. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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24 pages, 1749 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Endogenous Development Models and Paths Selection of Rural Revitalization from the Perspective of Ecological Environment Advantages: A Case Study of Nanshi Village, China

by Xinwei Guo, Bin Yu, Meiyan Yan, Hui Guo, Junhu Ren, Hanxia Zhang and Zonggang Zhang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(19), 11979; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911979 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2525

Abstract

This article aims to discuss how to give full play to the comparative advantages of the rural ecological environment and realize the endogenous development of rural society and economy in China. First, based on the ecological economy theory of “lucid waters and lush [...] Read more.

This article aims to discuss how to give full play to the comparative advantages of the rural ecological environment and realize the endogenous development of rural society and economy in China. First, based on the ecological economy theory of “lucid waters and lush mountains are golden and silver mountains” (the “two mountains” theory), we integrated the theories and methods of ecology, economics, and geography disciplines to examine the transformation of “ecological advantages” into “economic development” from a comprehensive perspective. Second, based on the matching relationship between the division of major function zones and the classification of ecological services, we creatively constructed a theoretical framework for the endogenous development of rural areas. Third, accounting indicators and methods for rural ecological products’ biophysical quantity and monetary value are established. Finally, we conducted an empirical study of Nanshi Village in central China as a case. The results showed that: The benefits provided by ecosystems to the development of human society would be underestimated if it is measured only by the provisioning services; the per capita Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP) of the case area was three times the per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents in the same period. Taking advantage of the rural ecological environment to promote the actual transformation of the potential value of ecological products is the feasible path for rural revitalization. One of the implications of this study is that it links the rural ecological and environmental advantages with social and economic development from the perspective of ecological economics and provides decision-making support for this case and other similar rural ecological industry revitalization practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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14 pages, 5421 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building a New Framework for Evaluating the Livability of Living Space on the Basis of the Daily Activities of Rural Residents: A Case Study of Jianghan Plain

by Xiaoyue Li, Bin Yu, Jiaxing Cui and Yuanyuan Zhu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(17), 10615; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710615 - 25 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1838

Abstract

The evaluation of the livability of rural living spaces is an important aspect of rural sustainable development, which is related to the well-being of rural residents. This study proposes a new evaluation framework for assessing the livability pattern of rural living spaces from [...] Read more.

The evaluation of the livability of rural living spaces is an important aspect of rural sustainable development, which is related to the well-being of rural residents. This study proposes a new evaluation framework for assessing the livability pattern of rural living spaces from the major components of the daily activities of rural residents. It fully considers whether the living space within a certain geographical area can meet the needs of rural residents in terms of residence, employment, consumption, leisure, and other types of daily activities. This study also establishes a comprehensive index system that includes 36 indicators and develops a comprehensive assessment method for evaluating the livability pattern of rural living spaces. Moreover, this research conducts a case study on the spatial pattern of rural living spaces in China’s Jianghan Plain in 2018. We determine that the livability of rural living spaces in Jianghan Plain exhibits an evident “grade difference” characteristic. The overall livability level is not high. Seven problem counties from three categories are delineated on the basis of the score status. The new framework and conclusions of this study are conducive to the future targeted construction of livable rural living spaces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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32 pages, 10253 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Characteristics, Decoupling Effect and Driving Factors of Carbon Emission from Cultivated Land Utilization in Hubei Province

by Pengnan Xiao, Yuan Zhang, Peng Qian, Mengyao Lu, Zupeng Yu, Jie Xu, Chong Zhao and Huilin Qian

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(15), 9326; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159326 - 30 Jul 2022

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2575

Abstract

The carbon emission level and spatiotemporal characteristics in Hubei Province were estimated and studied using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) carbon emission coefficient technique based on county data from Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020. The relationship between carbon emissions from [...] Read more.

The carbon emission level and spatiotemporal characteristics in Hubei Province were estimated and studied using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) carbon emission coefficient technique based on county data from Hubei Province from 2000 to 2020. The relationship between carbon emissions from cultivated land utilization and agricultural economic growth was examined using the Tapio decoupling index, and the factors influencing carbon emissions in Hubei Province were further examined using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI model). The results demonstrate that: (1) Spatiotemporal variations in carbon emissions are evident. In terms of time, the volume of carbon emissions in Hubei Province is still substantial, and the transition to low-carbon land use is quite gradual. Geographically, the high-value region of the middle east coexists with the low-value zone of the west, with apparent regional contrasts. (2) The decoupling between carbon emissions and agricultural economic growth is becoming more and more obvious in Hubei Province. The number of counties and cities in a negative decoupling state has significantly decreased, and the majority of counties are now in a strong decoupling condition. (3) Agricultural production efficiency is the most significant driving factor for restricting carbon emission, according to the decomposition results of carbon emission driving factors based on the LMDI model. In addition, the results of sample decomposition based on topographic characteristics indicate that agricultural production efficiency is primarily responsible for the suppression of carbon emissions in flat regions. The increase in carbon emissions in hilly regions is primarily influenced by agricultural productivity. The increase in carbon emissions in mountainous regions is mostly influenced by agricultural labor intensity. This study′s finding has enlightening implications for the high-quality growth of agriculture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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27 pages, 5575 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Conflict Identification and Zoning Optimization of “Production-Living-Ecological” Space

by Pengnan Xiao, Jie Xu and Chong Zhao

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7990; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137990 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 3054

Abstract

With the acceleration of economic and social development and the increasing competition between multi-functional spaces, the coordination and stability of land space have been seriously affected. In order to simulate the conflict pattern of “production, living ecological” space and analyze its evolution characteristics, [...] Read more.

With the acceleration of economic and social development and the increasing competition between multi-functional spaces, the coordination and stability of land space have been seriously affected. In order to simulate the conflict pattern of “production, living ecological” space and analyze its evolution characteristics, taking Qianjiang City as the research area and based on the current data of land use, the FLUS (Future Land Use Simulation) model and spatial conflict measurement model are used to calculate the change trend of “production, living ecological” spatial conflict in Qianjiang City in the past and in the future. The research results are of great significance for the scientific use of land space and the optimization of regional development patterns. The results show that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the level of spatial conflict in Qianjiang City showed an upward trend, the proportion of medium and above conflict units gradually increased, and the conflict level in the study area gradually became dominated by strong conflict. (2) Due to the process of urbanization and the continuous growth of population and GDP (Gross Domestic Product), the construction land in Qianjiang City shows a rapid increase trend under three scenarios, and the cultivated land area shows a downward trend. (3) In 2035, under the three scenarios, the spatial conflict in Qianjiang City will be strengthened, mainly at the level of medium and above. (4) According to the change degree of conflict transformation, 15 change types are divided into five functional zones: ecological protection zone, ecological conservation zone, modern agriculture zone, urban–rural development coordination zone and urban optimization zone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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23 pages, 2297 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Use Transition and Eco-Environmental Effects in Karst Mountain Area Based on Production-Living-Ecological Space: A Case Study of Longlin Multinational Autonomous County, Southwest China

by Min Wang, Kongtao Qin, Yanhong Jia, Xiaohan Yuan and Shuqi Yang

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(13), 7587; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137587 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2398

Abstract

The linkage mechanisms and optimization strategies between land use transition and eco-environmental effects that occur in the production-living-ecological space of karst mountain areas remain under-explored in the current literature. Based on county data collected in Longlin Multinational Autonomous County of Guangxi, which is [...] Read more.

The linkage mechanisms and optimization strategies between land use transition and eco-environmental effects that occur in the production-living-ecological space of karst mountain areas remain under-explored in the current literature. Based on county data collected in Longlin Multinational Autonomous County of Guangxi, which is located in the rocky desertification area of Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guizhou, this study contributes a county-level analysis on land use transition and eco-environmental effects by addressing two research questions: (1) Which factors of land use transition are related to the eco-environmental effects of production-living-ecological space? (2) What are the key land allocation mechanisms behind the interventions of local rocky desertification regulation policies? We conducted two sets of analyses to answer these two questions: quantitative analyses of the spatial and temporal evolution between land use transition, rocky desertification, and its eco-environmental effects, and qualitative analyses of policy interventions on production-living-ecological land development and rocky desertification management. The findings show that the occurrence of rocky desertification accompanied by unreasonable land use structure transition and its important factor is caused by ecological land being restricted by production-living land. Specifically, urbanization strategies coordinating ecological and socio-economic effects is significant to karst mountain areas. Moreover, the orderly increase of woodland slows down rocky desertification. Policies of “returning farmland to forest” and “afforestation of wasteland” have significantly reduced rocky desertification that can be applied to other geographical situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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20 pages, 7888 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Differentiation and Balance Pattern of Ecosystem Service Supply and Demand in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

by Chong Zhao, Pengnan Xiao, Peng Qian, Jie Xu, Lin Yang and Yixiao Wu

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(12), 7223; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127223 - 13 Jun 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 2638

Abstract

Analyzing the supply and demand of ecosystem services and the regional balance pattern is an important basis for improving the ecological management level. Taking the Yangtze River economic belt as the study area, the spatiotemporal characteristics and balance pattern of ecosystem service supply [...] Read more.

Analyzing the supply and demand of ecosystem services and the regional balance pattern is an important basis for improving the ecological management level. Taking the Yangtze River economic belt as the study area, the spatiotemporal characteristics and balance pattern of ecosystem service supply and demand are quantitatively revealed based on equivalent factors, supply and demand balance modeling and quantile regression. The results show that: (1) the ecosystem services value in the research area experienced a change process of “increase–decrease–increase” from 2000 to 2020. The ecological service value of cultivated land and grassland presented a continuous decline, with decreases of 20.446 billion and 4.53 billion yuan, respectively, in the past 20 years, with reduction rates of −4.82% and −3.98%, respectively. (2) The demand for ecosystem services showed an unbalanced and phased growth trend. The total demand for ecosystem services showed heterogeneity and agglomeration effects in space. High demand and higher demand areas are mainly distributed in the regions with relatively developed population and economy, including Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, “Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan” urban agglomeration, Poyang Lake Plain, Jianghan Plain and Chengdu Plain. (3) The overall pattern of the supply–demand balance of ecosystem services has changed little; however, there have also been significant changes in certain areas in individual years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spatio-Temporal Monitoring of Urban–Rural Land Use and Ecological Environment)

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