Landscape spatial dynamics over 38 years under natural and anthropogenic pressures in Mount Lebanon

Jomaa, Ihab; Auda, Yves; Saleh, Bernadette Abi; Hamzé, Mouïn; Safi, Samir

doi:10.1016/j.landurbplan.2008.04.007

Cited by 82 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Especially in peri-urban areas, land-use changes were promoted by multiple factors revealing controversial aspects at the base of socioeconomic processes [1][2][3][4] and leading to new hybrid landscapes, altering the traditional relationship between urban and rural areas [5]. After World War increasingly diversified landscape in accessible areas with intermediate population density and close to the sea coast.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rural Districts between Urbanization and Land Abandonment: Undermining Long-Term Changes in Mediterranean Landscapes

Zambon

Ferrara

Salvia³

et al. 2018

Sustainability

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Abstract:The present study investigates changes in the rural landscapes of a Mediterranean country (Greece) over a long time period encompassing economic expansions and recessions. Using a spatial distribution of 5 basic agricultural land-use classes (arable land, garden crop, vineyards, tree crop and fallow land) derived from official statistics at 6 years (1970, 1979, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2015), a quantitative analysis based on correlation and multivariate techniques was carried out to identify recent changes in the Greek agricultural landscape at prefectural level during different economic waves. Empirical results evidenced both intuitive and counter-intuitive landscape transformations, including: (i) a progressive, spatially-homogeneous reduction of cropland; (ii) a (more or less) rapid decrease in the surface of high-input crops, including arable land, horticulture and vineyards; (iii) a parallel increase in the surface of tree crops, especially olive; (iv) a spatially-heterogeneous decrease of fallow land concentrated in metropolitan and tourism districts, especially in the last decade; and, finally, (v) increasingly diversified landscapes in rural, accessible areas close to the sea coast. Based on a correlation analysis with background socioeconomic indicators, our findings reflect the multiple impacts of urbanization and land abandonment on the composition and diversity of rural landscapes. Changes in agricultural land-use were moulded by multiple drivers depending on latent transformations in rural systems and inherent conflicts with expanding urban regions. Together with market conditions and the Common Agricultural Policy subsidy regime, social contexts and the economic cycle are important when identifying long-term changes in agricultural landscapes, especially in transitional socio-ecological systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rural Districts between Urbanization and Land Abandonment: Undermining Long-Term Changes in Mediterranean Landscapes

Zambon

Ferrara

Salvia³

et al. 2018

Sustainability

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“…With the acceleration of urbanization that has occurred during the past century, the increasing demand for built-up area has led to increasingly serious conflicts between various types of land use, and continuous replacement of agricultural land and biodiversity hotspots with built-up land in rapid urbanizing areas, such as China, India and pan-tropical Africa (Wang et al, 2004;Seto et al, 2012). This has led to a decline of the ecosystem services provided by open space inside municipal boundaries (Bohnet and Pert, 2010;Güneralp and Seto, 2008;Huang et al, 2009;Jomaa et al, 2008;Li et al, 2010;Pauleit et al, 2005;Su et al, 2010;Sundell-Turner and Rodewald, 2008). It is important that we protect urban open space, such as parks, forest, farmland, and wetlands.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing the changes in land use and ecosystem services in Changzhou municipality, Peoples’ Republic of China, 1991–2006

Song

et al. 2014

Ecological Indicators

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a b s t r a c tMuch of the world is experiencing fast urbanization. Many peri-urban open spaces, such as parks, forest, farmland, and wetlands, have been built over, which has resulted in a steep decline of ecosystem services at the municipal and regional levels. Using remote sensing, geography information system (GIS) technology and economic evaluation method for ecosystem services, the evolution of landscape spatial structure in 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 of Changzhou City, People's Republic of China, was obtained and the change of ecosystem services resulted from land use change was evaluated. Study results show a continuing expansion of urbanized areas and reduction in ecosystem services. Before 2001, farmland was the main type of land use, accounting for more than 53.3% of the total area within the broadlydrawn municipal boundaries. In 2006, farmland and built-up areas were the main land-use types. The built-up area increased by 122% from 1991 to 2006. From 1991 to 2001, the proportion of ecological land (farmland, forests, grasslands, and water-covered areas) within Changzhou's municipal boundaries decreased 24.1%. Based on the observed changes, the economic value of ecosystem services provided by Changzhou's ecological land decreased by 19.3% from 1991 to 2006 and the annual decrease ratio was approximately 1.3%. Conversion of farmland to other uses was responsible for the largest reduction in the value of ecosystem services, equal to 239.8 million RMB (equivalent to USD 37.8 million). Our research results were already adopted locally by Changzhou Municipal Bureau of Urban Planning and applied for Changzhou Mater Urban Planning. The current study can contribute not only to improvements in the Changzhou environment, but to the study of and improvements to other rapidly-urbanizing cities, as the rapid growth of urban areas is one of the most pronounced environmental trends of recent times.

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“…Furthermore, several researchers have noted that a subtle process of simplification and deterioration of the rural landscape is presently occurring throughout southern Europe. As this process of LCCs is characterized by the diffusion of low-density dispersed settlements, it appears to be hardly reversible, difficult to quantify, and quite impossible to contain (Jomaa, Auda, Abi Saleh, Hamzé, & Safi, 2008;Kucukmehmetoglu & Geymen, 2009;Marull, Pino, Tello, & Cordobilla, 2009;Polyzos, Christopoulou, Minetos, & Leal Filho, 2008;Soliman, 2004; but see also Gill et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low-density settlements and land use changes in a Mediterranean urban region

Salvati

Munafò

Morelli

et al. 2012

Landscape and Urban Planning

137

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Landscape spatial dynamics over 38 years under natural and anthropogenic pressures in Mount Lebanon

Cited by 82 publications

References 27 publications

Rural Districts between Urbanization and Land Abandonment: Undermining Long-Term Changes in Mediterranean Landscapes

Rural Districts between Urbanization and Land Abandonment: Undermining Long-Term Changes in Mediterranean Landscapes

Assessing the changes in land use and ecosystem services in Changzhou municipality, Peoples’ Republic of China, 1991–2006

Low-density settlements and land use changes in a Mediterranean urban region

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