Impacts of urbanization and landscape pattern on habitat quality using OLS and GWR models in Hangzhou, China

Anthropogenic contaminants in water can impose risks to reproductive health. Most of these compounds are known to be endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). EDCs can impact the endocrine system and subsequently impair the development and fertility of non-human animals and humans. The source of chemical contamination in water is diverse, originating from byproducts formed during water disinfection processes, release from industry and livestock activity, or therapeutic drugs released into sewage. This review discusses the occurrence of EDCs in water such as disinfection byproducts, fluorinated compounds, bisphenol A, phthalates, pesticides, and estrogens, and it outlines their adverse reproductive effects in non-human animals and humans.

Endocrine Disruptors in Water and Their Effects on the Reproductive System.

Comparison of the SWAT and InVEST models to determine hydrological ecosystem service spatial patterns, priorities and trade-offs in a complex basin

The contribution of biodiversity to the global economy, human survival, and welfare has been increasing significantly, but the anthropogenic pressure as a threat to the pristine habitat has followed. This study aims to identify habitat suitability, analyze the change in habitat quality from 1988 to 2018, and to investigate the correlation between impact factors and habitat quality. The InVEST habitat quality model was used to analyze the spatiotemporal change in habitat quality in individual land-use types in the Winike watershed. Remote sensing data were used to analyze the land use/land cover changes. Nine threat sources, their maximum distance of impact, mode of decay, and sensitivity to threats were also estimated for each land-use cover type. The analysis illustrates that habitat degradation in the watershed was continuously increasing over the last three decades (1988 to 2018). Each threat impact factor and habitat sensitivity have increased for the last 30 years. The most contributing factor of habitat degradation was the 25.41% agricultural expansion in 2018. Population density, land-use intensity, elevation, and slope were significantly correlated with the distribution of habitat quality. Habitat quality degradation in the watershed during the past three decades suggested that the conservation strategies applied in the watershed ecosystem were not effective. Therefore, this study helps decision makers, particularly regarding the lack of data on biodiversity. It further looks into the conflict between economic development and conservation of biodiversity.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/12/7/1103/pdf

The InVEST Habitat Quality Model Associated with Land Use/Cover Changes: A Qualitative Case Study of the Winike Watershed in the Omo-Gibe Basin, Southwest Ethiopia

Identifying the impacts of natural and human factors on ecosystem service in the Yangtze and Yellow River Basins

Monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics of habitat quality in Nansihu Lake basin, eastern China, from 1980 to 2015

Spatio-temporal quantification of patterns, trade-offs and synergies among multiple hydrological ecosystem services in different topographic basins

The intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture has led to widespread nonpoint source pollution in surface waterbodies. In this work, the occurrence and distribution of nonpoint source metals (Cu and Zn) and herbicides (metribuzin; atrazine; and its degradates, including desethyl atrazine (DEA), desisoproylatrazine (DIA), and deethyldeisopropylatrazine (DEDIA)) in the surface water of the Baima River, which is located in a region noted for its intense agricultural activities, were investigated during a high water period in August and a low water period in October. The results showed that the heavy metals and herbicides investigated were detected frequently in the surface water of the river during the two periods. The average concentrations of Cu during the high water period and low water period were 9.3 (0–20.7) and 8.7 (0–15.55) μg/L, and the average concentrations of Zn during the two periods were 11.4 (6.65–22.15) and 10.6 (7.55–15.15) μg/L, respectively. The concentrations of atrazine were higher than those of metribuzin, which ranged from 0.07 to 1.12 μg/L during the high water period and 0.01–0.74 μg/L during the low water period. The total concentrations of atrazine and its transformation products in 60.00% of the samples during the high water period exceeded the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 3 μg/L for the drinking water criteria in the USA, and 33.33% of the samples exceeded the MCL during the low water period. The spatial and temporal distributions of nonpoint source pollutants along the Baima River were influenced by land use and hydrogeomorphic settings. The ecotoxicological risk assessment indicated that atrazine and DIA have moderate risks to aquatic environment in Baima River.

Spatiotemporal distributions of Cu, Zn, metribuzin, atrazine, and their transformation products in the surface water of a small plain stream in eastern China

The provision capacity of ecosystem services is affected by land-use/land-cover (LULC) change and biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. Studies related to ecosystem service values (ESVs) and their impact factors can provide a good reference for natural capital management. In this paper, the temporal and spatial dynamics of LULC and ESVs in the Nansihu Lake basin, China, since the reform and opening of China were analyzed by a combined method of spatial analysis and correlation analysis, and the factors that influence ESV changes were discussed. The results indicated that the main LULC changes were the enormous loss of cultivated land and rapid urban land expansion since the policy of reformation and opening in 1978. The ESVs in the basin decreased by 1.64% (1.70 × 108 US$) from 1975 to 2015, and the main impact factors of this temporal change in ESVs were the changes in waterbodies and cultivated land. Spatial patterns of ESVs were significantly influenced by socio-economic factors in the basin, such as population density and intensity of land use. This research provides alternatives and robust information for policy-making processes for the Nansihu Lake basin, and similar work can be conducted in other parts of the country.

Spatio-temporal variation of land use and ecosystem service values and their impact factors in an urbanized agricultural basin since the reform and opening of China.

Landscape pattern and its vulnerability have direct impacts on ecological environment in the basin. In order to protect the ecological security in Nansihu Lake basin, we analyzed the changes of landscape pattern based on seven sets of land use data (1980-2015), with landscape adaptability index (LAI) and landscape sensitivity index (LSI) being used to build the landscape vulnerability index (LVI). The spatial distribution and changes of LVI were analyzed. Results showed that the percentage of arable land areas decreased by 4.6% and construction land areas increased by 39.7% from 1980 to 2015. Other land use types showed fluctuating changes. The areas of forest land, grassland, and unused land decreased while water area increased. The arable land was the dominant land use type from 1980 to 2015 in this area. The degree of fragmentation of arable land and water area in the basin increased, whereas other land use types decreased. The fragmentation of whole basin decreased, but connectivity among landscape types enhanced. The irregularity and complexity of landscape pattern decreased, but diversity and evenness of landscape pattern displayed an increasing trend. With respect to LVI in different periods, the eastern part of the basin was higher than the western part, while the northern part was higher than the southern part. The spatial distribution of LVI was related to topography, layout of landscape types and change of land use. The LVI of Nansihu Lake basin showed a decline trend during 1980-2015. In the eastern part of the basin, higher level of LVI gradually dispersed and was replaced by lower level. In the northwest, the recovery of LVI was obvious. In the south and southwest parts, LVI was consistently low.

Fei Liu

Papers

Monitoring spatio-temporal dynamics of habitat quality in Nansihu Lake basin, eastern China, from 1980 to 2015

Spatio-temporal quantification of patterns, trade-offs and synergies among multiple hydrological ecosystem services in different topographic basins

Spatiotemporal distributions of Cu, Zn, metribuzin, atrazine, and their transformation products in the surface water of a small plain stream in eastern China

Spatio-temporal variation of land use and ecosystem service values and their impact factors in an urbanized agricultural basin since the reform and opening of China.

[Landscape pattern and its vulnerability of Nansihu Lake basin during 1980-2015.]