Multifactor-based environmental risk assessment for sustainable land-use planning in Shenzhen, China

Classifying environmental significance levels of production-oriented operational activities with F-ARAS and F-MOORA methods

In most decision analysis approaches, application results are obtained in the form of a ranking or selection set. However, classification is needed for analysis of results. In this study, "environmental significance levels and range values" were created for the ranking results obtained using fuzzy Multi Criteria Decision Making approaches. Environmental significance levels have been established for 26 operational activities for which environmental impacts have been determined. Operational activities were analyzed using the Fuzzy-Additive Ratio Assessment (F-ARAS), Fuzzy-Multi Objective Optimization by Ratio Analysis (F-MOORA) Ratio, and F-MOORA Reference Point methods with six evaluation criteria, including the total impact score criteria. The results obtained were analyzed with "environmental significance levels and range values," which can also be named as environmental risk classes created for the first time in this study depending on the changes in standard deviation. According to the comparison results, when F-ARAS and F-MOORA Ratio methods were evaluated together, 19 activities were in the same class (73%). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:763-774. © 2022 SETAC.

Landscape Aesthetic Value of Waterfront Green Space Based on Space-Psychology-Behavior Dimension: A Case Study along Qiantang River (Hangzhou Section)

As an important part of urban green infrastructure, the landscape effect of the urban waterfront green space varies, and sometimes, the green space with an excellent landscape aesthetic value fails to serve the needs of most citizens. This seriously affects the construction of a green ecological civilization and the implementation of the concept of "common prosperity" in China. Based on multi-source data, this study took the Qiantang River Basin as an example, selected 12 representative waterfront green spaces along the river as the research objects, and used qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to determine the landscape aesthetic value of the research area from the different dimensions of space, psychology, and physiology. We examined the relationship between each dimension so as to objectively and comprehensively reflect the landscape value characteristics of the waterfront green space in the study area and provide a reasonable theoretical framework and practical development path for future urban waterfront green space landscape design. We obtained the following results: (1) The results of the spatial dimension research indicated that the spatial value index of the waterfront green space in the study area was three-dimensional space > vertical space > horizontal space, and the overall spatial value was low; Qianjiang Ecological Park obtained the highest value (0.5473), and Urban Balcony Park obtained the lowest value (0.4619). (2) The results of the psychological dimension indicated that people's perceptions of the waterfront green space in the study area were relatively weak, mainly focusing on visual perception, but the waterfront green space with a relative emotional value greater than one accounted for 75%, and the overall recognition of the landscape was high. (3) The results of the behavioral dimension showed that the overall heat of the waterfront green space in the study area was insufficient (1.3719-7.1583), which was mainly concentrated in low-heat levels, and the population density was unevenly distributed (0.0014-0.0663), which was mainly concentrated in the medium-density level. The main purpose of users was to visit, and they stayed an average of 1.5 h. (4) The results of the coupling coordination analysis of the spatial-psychological-behavioral dimensions showed that the landscape value of the waterfront green space in the study area presented a form of 'high coupling degree and low coordination degree'.

Using multiple isotopes to identify sources and transport of nitrate in urban residential stormwater runoff

Increased nitrogen (N) from urban stormwater runoff aggravates the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems as urbanisation develops. The sources and transport of nitrate (NO₃^-) in urban stormwater runoff were investigated by analysing different forms of N, water isotopes (δD-H₂O and δ¹⁸O-H₂O), and NO₃^- isotopes (δ¹⁵N-NO₃^- and δ¹⁸O-NO₃^-) in urban stormwater runoff in a residential area in Hangzhou, China. The results showed that the concentrations of total N and nitrate N in road runoff were higher than those in roof runoff. Moreover, high concentrations of dissolved organic N and particulate N led to high total nitrogen (TN) concentrations in road runoff (mean: 3.76 mg/L). The high δ¹⁸O-NO₃^- values (mean: + 60 ± 13.1‰) indicated that atmospheric deposition was the predominant NO₃^- source in roof runoff, as confirmed by the Bayesian isotope mixing model (SIAR model), contributing 84-98% to NO₃^-. Atmospheric deposition (34-92%) and chemical fertilisers (6.2-54%) were the main NO₃^- sources for the road runoff. The proportional contributions from soil and organic N were small in the road runoff and roof runoff. For the initial period, the NO₃^- contributions from atmospheric deposition and chemical fertilisers were higher and lower, respectively, than those in the middle and late periods in road runoff during storm events 3 and 4, while an opposite trend of road runoff in storm event 7 highlighted the influence of short antecedent dry weather period. Reducing impervious areas and more effective management of fertiliser application in urban green land areas were essential to minimize the presence of N in urban aquatic ecosystems.

Environment diagnosis for land-use planning based on a tectonic and multidimensional methodology

In this research, emphasis is placed on the information and diagnostic phase of the physical environment for land-use planning (LUP). Our work is mainly focused on a land-planning case study of a tectonic depression, the Tulum Valley, which extends into the Pampean flat-slab segment. We propose the use of tectonic structures to define Environment Units (EUs) as necessary boundaries for the LUP. For this purpose, we have studied tectonic structures using geophysical methods and, subsequently, subjected multiple dimensions of the physical environment in the territory to an exhaustive analysis. Moreover, we have examined the influence of structural geology on water, soils, processes, materials and forms in the landscape. The study revealed the close and significant relationship between the different elements of the physical environment observable on the surface (shape, distribution, appearance, degree of development) and the tectonic structures, which supported the use of this criterion to define EUs. In order to test it, we applied the same methodology in another area of South America, the city of Bucaramanga, where it was possible to define EUs based on tectonics and to also establish comparisons. The methodology proposed for the diagnostic phase based mainly on the tectonic factor represents a challenge as regards its application in other active tectonic zones. Some limitations could arise such as fragmented environmental information from different institutions or the small to non-existent number of tectonic studies available. As a strong point, we find that the method allows achieving a comprehensive study of the environmental setting and thus to propose activities and land uses in each EU according to the real reception capacity of the land. This exhaustive analysis of the physical environment will also help decision-makers to understand and manage the socio-natural risks of the territory where communities develop.

Sustainable Risk Assessment of Resource Industry at Provincial Level in China

The development of China’s resource industry is facing great pressures from industrial structure adjustment and environmental restraints, and the sustainable risk of the provincial resource industry is different. Considering the development of the resource industry and environmental pressure, this article selects the panel data of 31 provinces from 2015 to 2019 to construct an index evaluation system with six dimensions: influence, induction, supply and demand safety, regional pollution emission, environment quality, and pollution control. The results showed that Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shanghai had the highest sustainable risk in the resource industry, while Heilongjiang, Jilin, Tianjin, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Qinghai had the lowest sustainable risk. The resource industry model of all the provinces is divided into sustainable, industrial, ecological, and unsustainable. Finally, this article puts forward reasonable suggestions for the four scenarios and argues that the balanced development of the resource industry sector and environmental protection is conducive to reducing the sustainable risks of the resource industry.

Land suitability assessment for supporting transport planning based on carrying capacity and construction demand

With the rapid global urbanization, the unlimited increasing transportation infrastructure has met the needs of urban expansion, but it has caused a series of ecological problems lacking consideration of ecological conservation. The land suitability assessment for supporting transport planning based on carrying capacity and demand for construction is an effective way to promote urban socioeconomic development and ecological conservation. Therefore, we constructed a logical framework of resources and environment supporting, traffic construction demand driving, and ecological protection red line and basic farmland constraining, and applied the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), GIS, three-dimensional magic cube method, and gravity model to evaluate the suitability of expressway development in Sichuan Province, China. The results showed that the spatial difference in the carrying capacity of resources and environment and the demand for expressway construction was relatively high in Sichuan, and those in eastern cities were even higher. The land suitability for supporting transport planning was relatively high, and the suitable areas with a grade from 8 to 10, accounted for 20.77% of the total study area, which could almost meet the demand for transportation infrastructure construction. The land suitability performed a circle structure with Chengdu as the core and gradually decreasing to the periphery. Overall, this study adds new insights to transport planning reform in other similar regions around the world and can provide important references for regional development planning and environmental protection.

Assessing ecological risks caused by human activities in rapid urbanization coastal areas: Towards an integrated approach to determining key areas of terrestrial-oceanic ecosystems preservation and restoration

Rapid urbanization and industrialization in the coastal zone have caused increasingly serious impacts on coastal ecosystems. It is necessary to assess the ecological risk caused by human activities to determine key areas of terrestrial-oceanic ecosystems preservation and restoration to ensure sustainable ecological management in the coastal zone. Key areas of ecosystem preservation and restoration were studied through the assessment of the impacts of ecological pressure sources related to human activities from the perspective of terrestrial-oceanic ecosystems, using the habitat risk assessment (HRA) and habitat quality (HQ) models in the Chinese coastal zone. The results showed that the impact of human activities on the terrestrial ecosystems in the South of China was significantly lower than that in the North. An improvement rate of habitat quality was noticed only in the south and central coastal areas when further away from industrial land. Agricultural production, urban expansion, and industrial pollution had major negative impacts on the habitat quality of terrestrial ecosystems in the Chinese coastal zone, and also threatened the health of marine ecosystems. The ecological risks caused by human activities in the offshore areas of northern Shandong and eastern Jiangsu were relatively low. Mineral development in the north, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus emissions from agricultural production in the south, and port operations were important drivers of increased ecological risks in offshore areas. There were regional spatial differences in the key ecosystem preservation and restoration areas. The provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, Hebei, Liaoning, and Guangdong are key areas for strengthening the preservation and restoration of terrestrial-oceanic ecosystems. This study provides a reference for large-scale territorial spatial planning and ecosystems conservation.

Synthetic vulnerability assessment to inform climate-change adaptation along an urbanized coast of Shenzhen, China

Coastal zones are increasingly threatened by stressors from both climate change and human activities. Vulnerability assessment is central to the implementation of interventions for adapting climate change. However, synthetic vulnerability based on an integrative analysis of ecosystem service and socioeconomic characteristics in urban coastal zones with tightly coupled human-nature interactions is not fully understood. Based on the Coastal Vulnerability model of the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs) tool, a holistic framework for assessing coastal vulnerability to multiple hazards (sea level rise, waves and storm surge) was developed by integrating ecological, physical and socioeconomic factors into a single spatial representation and applied to the coast of Shenzhen, China. Based on the levels of biophysical exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity of coastal communities, a three-dimensional decision matrix was proposed for planning location-specific interventions. Results show that approximately 15% of the coastline were categorized as having high vulnerability. Spatial vulnerability heterogeneity was found within and across the coastal districts, with Yantian grouped into the most vulnerable district. The biophysical exposure has greater influences on the overall vulnerability than either sensitivity or adaptive capacity. This study highlights the significance of complex interactions between natural ecosystems and socioeconomic conditions in driving vulnerability and suggests that combined natural-based defenses and socioeconomic factors contribute to lower vulnerability. The results can help decision-makers prioritize coastal zones for interventions and identifying adaptive strategies that target drivers of vulnerability.

Effect of Urban Stormwater Road Runoff of Different Land Use Types on an Urban River in Shenzhen, China

Urban storm runoff is a major source of pollutants in receiving water bodies. To assess the impact of urban stormwater runoff on an urban river, the runoff process of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium (NH4), and total phosphorus (TP) were investigated on road surfaces classified as arterial road (AR), residential area (RA), and industrial area (IA) in the Pingshan River (PSR) watershed in Shenzhen, China. Event mean concentration (EMC) was calculated to analyze the water quality of road runoff, and the dimensionless M(V) cumulative curves were used to estimate the course of decreasing concentration of runoff pollutants during each rainfall event. Multicriteria decision making methods (PROMETHEE-GAIA) were used to identify the linkage between runoff pollutants, land use types, and rainfall intensity. The EMCs of COD and TP in runoff exceeded the class IV level of the water quality standard for surface water (China). RA was a major potential source for NH4, COD, and TP in the river. Controlling the first flush is critical to decrease the effect of road runoff on receiving water bodies, as most runoff pollutants in AR, RA, and IA had a first flush effect during heavy rainfall. The specific management measure for runoff pollution varied with land use type. Reducing road TSS concentrations was effective for controlling runoff pollution in AR and RA because NH4, TP, and COD attached to particulate matter. In IA, the collection and reuse of stormwater in the initial rainfall period were effective for reducing the effect of soluble pollutants in runoff on receiving water bodies. This study provides new information for managing urban road stormwater runoff in different land use types.

Evaluating the Thermal Performance of Wet Swales Housing Ground Source Heat Pump Elements through Laboratory Modelling

Land-use change due to rapid urbanization poses a threat to urban environments, which are in need of multifunctional green solutions to face complex future socio-ecological and climate scenarios. Urban regeneration strategies, bringing green infrastructure, are currently using sustainable urban drainage systems to exploit the provision of ecosystem services and their wider benefits. The link between food, energy and water depicts a technological knowledge gap, represented by previous attempts to investigate the combination between ground source heat pump and permeable pavement systems. This research aims to transfer these concepts into greener sustainable urban drainage systems like wet swales. A 1:2 scaled laboratory models were built and analysed under a range of ground source heat pump temperatures (20–50 °C). Behavioral models of vertical and inlet/outlet temperature difference within the system were developed, achieving high R2, representing the first attempt to describe the thermal performance of wet swales in literature when designed alongside ground source heat pump elements. Statistical analyses showed the impact of ambient temperature and the heating source at different scales in all layers, as well as, the resilience to heating processes, recovering their initial thermal state within 16 h after the heating stage.

Spatio-Temporal Patterns of Land Use and Cover Change from 1990 to 2010: A Case Study of Jiangsu Province, China

Land use and cover change (LUCC) is one of the most significant parts of global environmental changes, which reflects the interaction between human society and natural resources. In China, the urbanization process is experiencing a rapid sprawl since the reform and open program in 1978, and there has been a serious change in situation in the human–land relationship. In this paper, taking Jiangsu province located in the eastern coastal developed region as an example, the historic evolution process of the land use situation from 1990 to 2010 was explored. Landsat images from three periods were analyzed, using the land use transition matrix model, the land use dynamic degree model, and the land use degree model to evaluate the LUCC of Jiangsu during two research periods from 1990 to 2000 and from 2000 to 2010. Additionally, logistic regression models and some quantitative analysis were applied to identify the major potential driving factors behind the LUCC during the research period based on different dimensions. The results showed the following: (1) the most obvious change was the continuous increase of built-up area and the decrease of arable land, which reflected the deterioration of the ecological environment and the accelerate of the urbanization trend. (2) The land use change dynamic degree from 2000 to 2010 was much greater than that from 1990 to 2000. (3) Socio-economic elements and human activities were the major driving forces of LUCC in Jiangsu province. Amongst these forces, the driving factors of the population change, GDP, per capita household income, and per capita housing area have an obvious effect on the arable land loss and the built-up area expansion.