Evaluating the role of livelihood assets in suitable livelihood strategies: Protocol for anti-poverty policy in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau,China

Although numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between livelihood assets and strategies, only a few quantitative studies exist on the topic for anti-poverty policies with regard to the Tibetan Plateau. This study investigated 357 households in the upper reaches of the Dadu River watershed in the Eastern Tibetan Plateau, China, using the participatory rural appraisal method. Then, applying a multinomial logistic regression model, we quantitatively analyzed the relationship between livelihood assets and livelihood strategies, the findings of which have implications for local agricultural policy interventions. The preliminary results indicate that of the four classifications of livelihood strategies used in this study, the main livelihood strategy is that of the non-farming-dependent household type (i.e., Type III in our study) that combines agricultural and non-farm activities or practices self-employment for wages. There are significant differences in the livelihood assets owned by households with different livelihood strategies. Human, natural, and financial assets have significant influences on livelihood strategies, and the choice of livelihood strategy varies by livelihood assets. Further, with improvements in household labor capacity and cash income per capita, the livelihood strategies of non-agricultural and non-farming households may shift away from agriculture, while an increase in farmland cultivated per capita, cash income per capita, and household labor capacity may encourage households to adopt agriculture-dependent livelihood strategies. These findings contribute to research on livelihood and related development strategies and anti-poverty policies in not only the Eastern Tibetan Plateau but also other regions with similar livelihood strategies.     

Vulnerability assessment of wetland landscape ecosystem services using driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) model

Wetlands exist in complex ecological conditions that are changeable in time and space in terms of function and structural diversity. In recent decades, wetlands have been exposed to a wide range of threats. Assessment of these threats is essential to develop an understanding of the state of a wetland ecosystem and to develop a suitable management strategy. This paper discusses wetland vulnerability in terms of analysis of human and environmental systems from application of the driver-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework. This assessment presented a systematic methodology for assessment of wetland vulnerability in a social-ecological approach applying broad-scale ecosystem services and vulnerability functions. The method combined the hydro-geomorphic approach with estimations of vulnerability indicators and DPSIR analysis. The aim of this paper was to assess vulnerability of wetland ecosystem services and to characterize the threat indicators according to importance, severity, and probability of occurrence. Quantitative and qualitative methods were applied to characterize values for these three indicators. The Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method was used to prioritize threats and impacts of the wetland on the basis of experts’ opinions. The proposed methodology was applied to the Choghakhor international wetland landscape in south-western Iran. Vulnerability assessment revealed that water requirement of the lowland and the water transfer system were the most important factors threatening the wetland. Agricultural activities, settlements and urban areas, drought, tourism, population growth, and mining activities in the upland were the next most important priorities, in that order. Hydrological balance was determined as the most vulnerable function and was considered as the most important function in the Choghakhor wetland. The DPSIR model was used to determine a management strategy to reduce vulnerability of ecosystem services in response to drivers, pressures, states and impacts indicated by modelling.     

Drivers of land use efficiency and trade embodied biomass use of Finland 2000–2010

Globally human pressure on the biosphere is increasing, in spite of increases in land use efficiency. The pressure consists of land use and potential degradation. Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) is emerging as an indicator, which combines the dual aspects of biomass use and land degradation. Recently HANPP has been used to map the increasing dependence of European countries on biomass imports and the conflicting processes of increased yields and increased consumption. However large overview studies could be complemented with indepth analysis into the causes of changes in individual countries and economic sectors. This allows the analysis of the macroeconomic drivers of change and the responses in sectors to these drivers. In this study we decomposed the HANPP of Finland including imports for the years 2000–2010 using IPAT and applied input-output analysis to look at sectoral land use efficiency in that time period. Finland is a country with intensive biomass trade, and with a very high per capita HANPP. During the study period the sum of domestic and embodied in imports HANPP of the Finnish economy decreased from 76 Mt C/a to 62 Mt C/a (−1% annually on average), while the HANPP related to imports increased from 12 Mt C/a to 14 Mt C/a. The overall trend was that of declining exports and increasing domestic consumption. Of the economic sectors wood harvesting and processing dominated HANPP results, followed by residential construction, animal production and energy supply. In terms of HANPP, most of these decreased, but housing and energy production increased considerably from 2002 to 2010. At the macroeconomic level domestic biomass use per unit of value added decreased (−2.2%/a) as did the amount of HANPP per unit of biomass (−1.1%/a) reflecting increased economic efficiency in land use. In contrast, GDP/capita (+1.3%/a), population (+0.4%) and the share of outsourced HANPP (+0.6%) resulted in increased consumption-based HANPP (from 21 Mt C in 2002 to 27 Mt C in 2010). Our results underline the importance of including international trade and consumption in interpreting overall change in regional HANPP.     

增温与降水变化对青藏高原高寒草甸土壤nirS反硝化菌群落丰度和群落结构的影响

全球变化已成为国际研究热点。青藏高原属典型生态脆弱带,该地区升温幅度更加明显,已导致大量冰川融化和明显降水变化,进而使该地区水循环和土壤水分发生巨大变化。温度和降水的变化可能会引起土壤微生物丰度和群落结构的改变,进而影响生物地球化学循环。但青藏高原地区土壤微生物群落结构和功能对全球变化响应的研究较少。研究了模拟增温和降水变化对青藏高原高寒草甸土壤nirS反硝化菌群落丰度和群落结构的影响。研究表明,增温1、2、4℃对nirS基因丰度影响不显著;增加降水100%时,增温4℃处理显著增加nirS基因丰度(P0.05)。在未升温与升温2℃背景下增加和减少降水对nirS基因丰度的影响不显著。增温和增减降水均显著影响nirS反硝化菌群落结构,且两个因子具有一定的交互作用。CCA结果显示,增温和降水的共同解释变量中,增温对nirS反硝化菌群落结构变化的影响达极显著(P0.01),解释了其中的54.2%,降水变化解释了45.5%(P0.05)。     

Changes in landscape pattern of alpine wetlands on the Zoige Plateau in the past four decades

Based on RS, GIS and Apack software, the indices of landscape pattern such as landscape area index, landscape diversity index and landscape fragmentation index were chosen in order to describe changes in the spatial pattern of alpine wetland landscape on the Zoige Plateau during 1966–2000. Results showed that alpine wetland landscape was characteristic of marsh wetlands, which had the biggest patch number and the largest area. The alpine wetland landscape had higher spatial heterogeneity. The largest area appeared in Zoige County with the highest wetland ratio; comparatively, Aba County and Luqu County had much lower wetland ratio. The total area of alpine wetland landscape decreased rapidly during 1966–1986, but it began to increase after 1986. The wetland landscape area shrank by 59857.83 hm² during 1966–2000. The alpine wetland landscape showed the characteristics of concentrated distribution in the past four decades, with higher convergence and dominance indices. The centroid of wetland landscape moved 12.54 km in the northwest direction firstly, 11.33 km in the southeast direction, and then 1.1 km in the north direction.     

Economic values and dominant providers of key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing,China

This study estimates the economic values of and the dominant contributors to five key ecosystem services of wetlands in Beijing, by using the wetland inventory data in 2014 and economic valuation methods. Results indicate that the 51,434 ha of wetlands in Beijing annually provide 2.07 billion m³ of flood regulation, 944.01 million m³ of water provision, 42,154 tons of chemical oxygen demand (COD) purification, 3.03 PJ of heat absorption, and 9587 ha of habitat. Their economic values are estimated to be 15.89 billion RMB, 1.19 billion RMB, 169 million RMB, 421 million RMB, and 1.08 billion RMB in 2014 (RMB: Chinese currency, US$1 = RMB 6.14), respectively. The total values of five key wetland ecosystem services reach 18.76 billion RMB. In addition, the reservoir and river wetlands in Miyun, Yanqing, Fangshan, Huairou, and Mentougou Districts contribute 78% of key ecosystem services, whereas the urban wetlands in Xicheng, Dongcheng, Haidian, Chaoyang, and Tongzhou Districts more conveniently serve densely local people, hence they should be given particular attentions. In this paper, we develop the valuation methods of wetland ecosystem services, and recommend diversified strategies, regulations, and programs to protect the remaining wetlands in Beijing. This work can also provide a reference for the valuating of wetland ecosystem services for other urban-rural areas.