Coordinated State Analysis and Differential Regulation of Territorial Spatial Functions in Underdeveloped Regions: A Case Study of Gansu Province, China

The coordinated development of territorial spatial functions is the main manifestation of the sustainable utilization of territorial resources. Identifying spatial functions and their coordinated relationship has become an important guarantee for regional coordinated development, and is of great significance to the construction of a sustainable land development and protection pattern. This study constructs a classification and function scoring system for Production-Living-Ecological Spaces (PLES) by using land-use data from Gansu Province in 2000 and 2020, and revises the spatial functions of the land to supplement the deficiencies of existing related researches by combining socio-economic data (GDP, population density) and ecosystem service value data. In the aforementioned works, the Mechanical Equilibrium Model in physics is referenced to explore the coordinated state among territorial spatial functions. The results show that the high-value areas of production function are mainly distributed in the eastern and central areas of the Loess Plateau, with a strip-like distribution in the Hexi Corridor. The high-value areas of living function are consistent with that in the center of the city. The distribution of high-value areas of ecological function is in line with the topographic distribution pattern of mountainous areas in Gansu Province. The distribution pattern of the coordinated state of land space function in Gansu Province is relatively stable from 2000 to 2020. Simultaneously, the functional dominant area and the promotion area are identified according to the deviation of the coordinated degree of production-living-ecological function. After clarifying the functional characteristics of each county, the author proposes a differentiated regulation strategy of territorial spatial function.

Analysis of the Structure and Ecological Function of an Extreme Landscape in a Tropical Region of West Java, Indonesia

An extreme landscape is a spatially heterogeneous area with unusual topography that is prone to natural disasters but still exhibits interrelated structures and functions. One of the important functions of an extreme landscape is its ecological function. This study aimed to determine the structure and reveal the ecological functions of an extreme landscape in a tropical region of West Java, with special reference to Rongga Sub-district. The method used was a combination of remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems, which were required to process, analyze, and interpret Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS data. The landscape structure was quantified by landscape metrics, after which an analysis of ecological functions was carried out based on the constituent elements of the landscape. The results showed that the landscape structure of Rongga Sub-district consists of various elements of agroforestry land, open fields, settlements, shrubs, plantations, and rainfed and irrigated rice fields. Additionally, secondary forest land acted as a landscape matrix where rivers crossed as natural corridors. The amount of each element varied; agroforestry land had the highest value, indicating that this element showed a high degree of human intervention. Each patch was adjacent to other patch types, and the landscape diversity was quite high. The extreme topography of Rongga Sub-district supports the landscape connectivity and consequently the presence of wild animals in this area. Therefore, Rongga Sub-district has an essential ecological function as a refuge for protected animals living in non-conservation areas.

Fungivory: a new and complex ecological function of Doru luteipes (Scudder) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)

We report the discovery that the earwig predator Doru luteipes (Scudder, 1876) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) feed on Puccinia polysora Underw uredospore, the causal agent of Southern Rust of Corn (SRC), which is a primary disease affecting the maize crop in Brazil. We performed experiments in laboratory and greenhouse to test the effect of D. luteipes (1st/2nd and 3rd/4th instars, and adults) fungivory on the P. polysora uredospore concentration. All trials showed a significant reduction of the initial concentration of uredospore. There was a reduction in uredospore concentration with increase in number of D. luteipes feeding on them. We also tested the uredospore consumption by quantifying its percentage in the feces of D. luteipes. Nymphs of the 2nd, 4th instar and adults fed 88%, 85%, and 83.8% of the uredospore, respectively. For nymphs of the 3rd instar, the percentage of uredospore consumption (75.6%) was statistically significant compared with the other groups. In greenhouse experiment, at twenty-eight days after plant inoculation with 9.9 x 104 uredospores, the percentage of uredospore consumption was 81.7%. Our results confirmed the fungivory of D. luteipes on P. polysora uredospore. This is the first report of D. luteipes fungivory, which may play an important role in the biological control of P. polysora in corn.

Analyzing the Value and Evolution of Land Use Functions from “Demand–Function–Value” Perspective: A Framework and Case Study from Zhangjiakou City, China

Understanding land use functions (LUFs) value is critical for implementing sustainable land resources management and optimizing territorial space in China. However, existing research insufficiently portrays the contributions of land use to economic activity and people’s well-being. To address this crucial absence, this paper attempts to clarify the connotation of LUFs’ value and the logic of LUFs’ optimization under the national territorial space planning system by applying the “demand–function–value” integrated framework. Based on this framework and taking Zhangjiakou City as a case study, we classified LUFs into economic, social, and ecological functions. Then, we assessed the monetary value of LUFs at the grid level using spatialization and environmental economics methods. Besides, we analyzed the evolutionary characteristics of LUFs and their diversity and dominance. The results showed that the total value of economic, social, and ecological LUFs increased continuously between 1990 and 2015. Spatially, the ecological function showed an opposite pattern to that of social and economic functions. Additionally, the dominant role shifted from ecological function to social function, and the dominant functional combination changed from ELP-ENS-ST to SP-ENS-ELT over this period. Lastly, this paper proposes that policymakers identify and optimize ecological–production–living space through LUFs’ value assessment and coordination. The results provide a new methodological insight into the assessment and coordination of LUFs and adaptive land use management.

Hydrology-Shaped Plant Communities: Diversity and Ecological Function

Water is not only the essence of life and medium of organisms but also the environmental factor that shapes biocenoses, including plant communities [...]