The Impact of Urbanization on Ecosystem Health in Typical Karst Areas: A Case Study of Liupanshui City, China

Abstract

The karst region of Southwest China is one of the largest continuous karst areas in the world, and the ecosystem in the karst region is extremely fragile. The city of Liupanshui, a typical karst area in southwestern China, has provided the main energy and raw materials during China’s rapid urbanization in the past few decades. With the continuous deterioration of the environment in Liupanshui and from the viewpoint of sustainable development strategies, research on ecosystem health (ESH) and the assessments of correlations between urbanization and ESH plays an important role in regional sustainable eco-environmental development. Therefore, the impact of urbanization on the ecosystem health of the study area was discussed in this study using a series of remote sensing images and socio-economic data from 1990 to 2015. Studies showed that Liupanshui is undergoing rapid urbanization, and the growth of urbanized land reached a peak between 2010 and 2015. From 1990 to 2015, the level of ESH in Liupanshui trended downward and then increased. During 2000 to 2010, due to the policy of returning farmland to grassland and forestland, the substantial increase in woodland and grassland and the management policy of mining areas have caused a turn in ESH. Although the value of ecosystem health in 2010–2015 increased, the process of urbanization is rapid, so we should pay more attention to the trend in future ecosystem health changes. The findings revealed that urbanization significantly negatively affects the ecosystem health of Liupanshui, and mining has the greatest impact. Therefore, in future urban development, strengthening the management of resource extraction and the supervision of environmental protection, continuing to return farmland to grassland and forestry, and controlling rocky desertification can improve the health of the urban ecosystem in the study area.

Optimization of Rocky Desertification Classification Model Based on Vegetation Type and Seasonal Characteristic

“…It is a process of land degradation under the background of fragile karst geology and a humid or semihumid climate in tropical and subtropical regions [2,3] and is a special type of land desertification. Under the joint actions of the natural environment and human activities [4][5][6][7][8], soil and water losses occur, land productivity decreases, and soil erosion is severe, resulting in large exposed areas of basement rock, showing landscape characteristics similar to desertification [5][6][7].…”

“…Karst rocky desertification is the primary ecological and environmental problem in the karst mountainous area of Southwest China, which restricts the sustainable development of the social economy. It is one of the main causes of poverty in Southwest China and seriously threatens the living environment of local residents [4,12]. Guizhou is located in the southwest continuous karst concentration area and is becoming a main karst research area in China.…”

Spatiotemporal Evolution Analysis and Future Scenario Prediction of Rocky Desertification in a Subtropical Karst Region

“…It comprises a dynamic land degradation process. Guizhou Province in China is one of the most typical subtropical karst landform areas in the world [4,5]. Its special karst rocky desertification is an important factor affecting the local ecological environment and sustainable development [6][7][8].…”

Co-Creation Hub Is the First Step for the Successful Creation of a Unified Urban Ecosystem-Kaunas City Example

“…The urbanisation drift is accelerating across the world, bringing a grand and new challenge with it, as rapid urbanisation transforms the social, political and economic face of the world [ 6 , 7 , 8 ]. In addition, the growing concentration of cities, together with the population and the growth of new large cities, causes environmental and ecological changes [ 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ] which directly affect the living environment, and public health [ 13 ]. Despite the fact that urban living offers a lot of economic, social, technological, and educational opportunities [ 14 ], it is associated with higher levels of air pollution, toxins, traffic noise, temperature changes, and poorer water and food quality, which is affecting the well-being and quality of life of citizens [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”