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It is crucial to conduct the land use/cover research to obtain the global change information. Urban area is one of the most sensitive areas in land use/cover change. Therefore land use/cover change in urban areas is very important in global change. It is vital to incorporate the information of urban land use/cover change into the process of decision-making about urban area development. In this paper, a new urban change detection approach, urban dynamic monitoring based on objects, is introduced. This approach includes four steps: 1) producing multi-scale objects from multi-temporal remotely sensed images with spectrum, texture and context information; 2) extracting possible changed objects adopting object-oriented classification; 3) obtaining shared objects as the basic units for urban change detection; 4) determining the threshold to segment the changed objects from the possible changed objects using Otsu method. In this paper, the object-based approach was applied to detecting the urban expansion in Haidian District, Beijing, China with two Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data in 1997 and 2004. The results indicated that the overall accuracy was about 84.83%, and Kappa about 0.785. Compared with other conventional approaches, the object-based approach was advantageous in reducing the error accumulation of image classification of each datum and in independence to the radiometric correction and image registration accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carrying capacity is one of important studies on coordinating development of population, resources, and environment. At present, the researches on it mainly concentrate on the carrying capacity for population and economy, such as the water resources carrying capacity, the land resources carrying capacity, the environment carrying capacity, etc. Based on the related theories and methods, this paper creatively proposed the concept and meaning of carrying capacity of marine region, and formed the appraisal system. According to the developing situation of marine economy of Liaoning Province in recent years, and by employing the method of the state space, this paper also measured the carrying capacity and carrying state of marine region and discussed the sustainable problems of marine economy of Liaoning. The research results show that the carrying state of marine region of Liaoning is in the state of overloading at present, but taking a favorable turn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dome A, the highest dome of East Antarctic Ice Sheet, is being an area focused by international Antarctic community after Chinese Antarctic Expedition finally reached there in 2005, and with the ongoing International Polar Year (IPY) during August 2007. In this paper two data processing methods are used together to generate two 100-m cell size digital elevation models (DEMs) of the Dome A region (Dome A-DEM) by using Cokriging method to interpolate the ICESat GLAS data, with Ihde-DEM as a constraint. It provides fundamental data to glaciological and geophysical investigation in this area. The Dome A-DEM was applied to determining the ice-sheet surface elevations and coordinates of the south and north summits, defining boundaries of basins and ice flowlines, deducing subglacial topography, and mapping surface slope and aspect in Dome A region. The DEM shows there are two (north and south) summits in Dome A region. The coordinate and the surface elevation of the highest point (the north summit) are 80°21′29.86″S, 77°21′50.29″E and 4092.71±1.43m, respectively. The ice thickness and sub-ice bedrock elevation at north summit are 2420m and 1672m, respectively. Dome A region contains four drainage basins that meet together near the south summit. Ice flowlines, slope and aspect in detail are also derived using the DEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological protection of the watersheds in China is being confronted with a lot of problems such as soil and water erosion, water pollution at present. Therefore watershed eco-compensation is becoming a question of common interest. Based on the analyses of the major problems and their origins in the watershed protection in China, the paper discusses the concerned policies including relative rules and laws, financial policies and water right transaction policies. Simultaneously the paper reviews the practices carried out in China, including the ecological construction project in the western China, the trans-provincial eco-compensation practice and the small watershed eco-compensation practice. According to the present situation of eco-compensation practices and the future policy requirement, this paper finally puts forward four key problems to be solved in the watershed eco-compensation of China in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper researches the ecological sustainability of Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, China, using the ecological footprint model. According to the study we find that Zhangjiakou City was in the situation of ecological deficit from 1990 to 2000 and the deficit had the enlarging tendency. In 1990 the per capita ecological footprint was 0.964 and the per capita ecological capacity was 0.518, thus it can be calculated that the per capita ecological deficit was −0.446. However in 2000, the per capita ecological footprint increased to 1.068, at the same time the per capita ecological capacity decreased to 0.471, then the per capita ecological deficit in 2000 was −0.597. Furthermore, this paper studies the ecological sustainability of the city from the changes of the ecological footprint of per 10,000 yuan GDP and the productivity of ecological system. Finally the authors point out the shortage of the model and the way to improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at providing a scientific basis for unifying the normal reference value standards of red blood cell count of Chinese presenile men. The paper, using microscopical counting method, studies the relationship between the normal reference values of 38,061 samples of red blood cell count of presenile men and eight geographical factors in 297 units in China. It is found that the correlation of geographical factors and the normal reference value of red blood cell count of presenile men is quite significant ( F=303.00, P=0.000). By using the method of stepwise regression analysis, one regression equation is inferred. It is concluded that if geographical data are obtained in a certain area, the normal reference value of red blood cell count of presenile men in this area can be reckoned by using the regression analysis. Furthermore, according to the geographical factors, China can be divided into eight regions: Northeast China Region, North China Region, Shanxi-Shaanxi-Inner Mongolia Region, Middle and Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River Region, Southeast China Region, Northwest China Region, Southwest China Region and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the over use of available water resources, it has become very important to define appropriate strategies for planning and management of irrigated farmland. In this paper, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region was chosen as the case study area for its special political and economic status and its severe water problem. To achieve effective planning, the information about crop water requirements, irrigation withdrawals, soil types and climatic conditions were obtained in the study area. In the meantime, a GIS method was adopted, which extends the capabilities of the crop models to a regional level. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to estimate the spatial distribution of the evapotranspiration of spring maize; 2) to estimate climatic water deficit; 3) to estimate the yield reduction of spring maize under different rainfed and irrigated conditions. Based on the water deficit analysis, recommended supplemental irrigation schedule was developed using CropWat model. Compared to the rainfed control, the two or three times of supplemental water irrigated to spring maize at the right time reduced the loss of yield, under different scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers in several disciplines and fields agree that the image establishing has both perceptual and affective evaluations. The paper comparatively analyzes the image of landscapes in ancient water towns held by 1619 tourists after the investigations of Zhouzhuang and Tongli of Jiangsu Province. Based on the elements of the image of urban landscapes, the perceptual/cognitive image of tourist landscapes in water towns is developed including path, node, landmark, important courtyard, district and edge. Particularly the important courtyard plays the great role on the perceptive image of tourists, however, the perceptual/cognitive images of the district and the edge are obviously weak. Meanwhile, the finding showed that the affective images of tourist landscapes in Zhouzhuang differ with those of Tongli by the method of paired comparison. The main reason is that the affective images are influenced by the impressive scenery spots. Furthermore, the commercialization of streets and pollution of rivers are easy to be functioned negatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast China, as the most important production base of agriculture, forestry, and livestock-breeding as well as the old industrial base in the whole country, has been playing a key role in the construction and development of China’s economy. However, after the policy of reform and open-up was taken in China, the economic development speed and efficiency of this area have turned to be evidently lower than those of coastal area and the national average level as well, which is so-called ‘Northeast Phenomenon’ and ‘Neo-Northeast Phenomenon’. In terms of those phenomena, this paper firstly reviews the spatial and temporal features of the regional evolution of this area so as to unveil the profound forming causes of ‘Northeast Phenomena’ and ‘Neo-Northeast Phenomena’. And then the paper makes a further exploration into the status quo of this region and its forming causes by analyzing its economy gross, industrial structure, product structure, regional eco-categories, etc. At the end of the paper, the authors put forward the basic coordinated development strategies for Northeast China, namely we can revitalize this area by means of adjustment of economic structure, regional coordination, planning urban and rural areas as a whole, institutional innovation, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perturbed boundary undercurrent is an exceptional event in the tropical atmosphere and ocean. It is a complicated nonlinear system. Its appearance badly affects not only natural conditions such as climate and environment, but also global economic development and human living, and brings about many calamities. Thus there is very attractive study on its rules in the international academic circles. Many scholars made more studies on its local and whole behaviors using different methods, such as self-anamnestic principle, Fokker-Plank Equation method, higher order singular pedigree and predictable study, rapid change on boundary, indeterminate adaptive control, multi-cogradient method and so on. Nonlinear perturbed theory and approximate method are very attractive studies in the international academic circles. Many scholars considered a class of nonlinear problems for the ordinary differential equation, the reaction diffusion equations, the boundary value of elliptic equation, the initial boundary value of hyperbolic equation, the shock layer solution of nonlinear equation and so on. In this paper, a class of perturbed mechanism for the western boundary undercurrents in the equator Pacific is considered. Under suitable conditions, using a homotopic mapping theory and method, we obtain a simple and rapid arbitrary order approximate solution for the corresponding nonlinear system. For example, a special case shows that using the homotopic mapping method, there is a high accuracy for the computed value. It is also provided from the results that the solution for homotopic mapping solving method can be used for analyzing operator for perturbed mechanism of western boundary undercurrents in the equator Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population growth and demand for high living standard not only increase food demand but also cause more loss of the limited cultivated land resources. Cultivated land loss caused by disasters and the implementation of the “Conversion of Cropland to Forest or Grassland” project make this situation even worse in China. Thus, there is a problem to be solved imminently that to what extent the cultivated land can guarantee food security of China. Based on time-series data on food production and cultivated land area from 1989 to 2003 and other research results, this paper constructs quality index of cultivated land according to different land quality. Regression models are adopted to predicate changes of main factors from 2004 to 2030, which have great effect on cultivated land area or grain productivity, and verify accuracy with coefficient of determination ( R 2). Nine results were got according to three scenarios of decreasing rate of population growth rate and three cases of urban and rural built-up area per capita. There results show that China’s food supply can only be maintained at a low to middle level of 370–410kg per capita, that is, China has enough land productivity to meet primary demand of food independently. However, it cannot reach the safe target of 500kg per capita if there is no breakthrough in breeding or no remarkable improvement of irrigation works, when the grain self-sufficiency maintains no less than 80%. To breed productive crops and to improve land productivity by meliorating low quality cultivated land are appropriate measures to shrink the gap between food demand and supply. The results may offer helpful information for the formulation of policies on population growth, land use, protection of cultivated land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological footprint (EF) has attracted much attention internationally as a potential indicator for sustainable development. In China, EF has also gained recognition in related fields and disciplines. Moreover, some scholars in these fields have proposed alternative methods to calculate EF and have made some progress. This paper, therefore, begins with the introduction and development of EF in China. However, the established methods of EF calculation hold some limitations, such as indicator variance and result abnormality. In order to resolve those problems, the authors make a further modification considering the demand of EF as a comprehensive indicator: 1) More accurate analysis has been done to divide EF into several parts: imported EF, exported EF, and producible EF, which is the solution to the problem of abnormality in original EF results and can explain abnormal phenomena reasonably. 2) Considering the actual situation of Shanghai, amended equivalence factor is brought forward and a matrix is formed with equivalence factors. The measure can reduce the deviation between the fact and the results. 3) The calculation compares local yield with global average yield to analyze the effects of yields. And based on local yields in different years, the results are more accurate. Finally, the calculation method is applied to calculating EF of Shanghai from 1980 to 2003, and the subsequent detailed analysis is presented. Available data and results suggest a statistically significant correlation coefficient between EF and GDP, population density and urbanization level. Through analyzing the process of calculating EF and its results, it can be seen that EF, as a macro-indicator, can not exactly indicate whether development within a region can meet the requests of sustainable development, which can be explained by the fact that the result of EF is impacted greatly by subjective factors including national policy, available technology, population, etc. Nevertheless, EF can demonstrate, at least to some degree, the regional status in terms of resources and energy consumption, as well as developmental potential. The calculation of EF, therefore, deserves further research to achieve more far-reaching significance in application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual Reality provides a new approach for geographical research. In this paper, a framework of the Virtual Huanghe (Yellow) River System was first presented from the view of technology, which included five main modules—data sources, 3D simulation terrain database, 3D simulation model database, 3D simulation implementation and application system. Then the key technologies of constructing Virtual Huanghe River System were discussed in detail: 1) OpenGL technology, the 3D graphics developing instrument, was employed in Virtual Huanghe River System to realize the function of dynamic real-time navigation. 2) MO and OpenGL technologies were used to make the mutual response between 3D scene and 2D electronic map available, which made use of the advantages of both 3D scene and 2D electronic map, with the macroscopic view, integrality and conciseness of 2D electronic map combined with the locality, reality and visualization of 3D scene. At the same time the disadvantages of abstract and ambiguity of 2D electronic map and the direction losing of virtual navigation in 3D scene were overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character of population distribution is one of the focuses studied by urban geography. Using the fifth national census data as basic data and using areal interpolation method, this paper analyzes character of urban population distribution of Shenyang City, Northeast China, in terms of three aspects of statistical character, spatial auto-correlation and spatial structure. Furthermore, this research analyzes the factors affecting the population distribution of the city. The main conclusions include: 1) There is an obvious structure character of population distribution in the grid with a grain of 300m, which is appropriate scale when researching population distribution in Shenyang City. 2) Urban population distribution has the character of assembling while population density distribution takes on variability in Shenyang City. 3) Population density distribution shows spatial auto-correlation within 7.36km. Spatial heterogeneity of population density is low. 4) Urban center, population distribution barycenter and population density maximum points separate each other. Population density distribution has multi-cores character. 5) Layout of governments, primary schools, middle schools, colleges, hospitals and marketplaces affects population distribution directly. With the increase of distance to these factors, population density decreases as logarithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the construction of spatial data infrastructure, automated topographic map generalization becomes an indispensable component in the community of cartography and geographic information science. This paper describes a topographic map generalization system recently developed by the authors. The system has the following characteristics: 1) taking advantage of three levels of automation, i.e. fully automated generalization, batch generalization, and interactive generalization, to undertake two types of processes, i.e. intelligent inference process and repetitive operation process in generalization; 2) making use of two kinds of sources for generalizing rule library, i.e. written specifications and cartographers’ experiences, to define a six-element structure to describe the rules; 3) employing a hierarchical structure for map databases, logically and physically; 4) employing a grid indexing technique and undo/redo operation to improve database retrieval and object generalization efficiency. Two examples of topographic map generalization are given to demonstrate the system. It reveals that the system works well. In fact, this system has been used for a number of projects and it has been found that a great improvement in efficiency compared with traditional map generalization process can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a spatial statistics method based on the calculation of spatial autocorrelation as a possible approach for modeling and quantifying the distribution of urban land price in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province. GIS and spatial statistics provide a useful way for describing the distribution of urban land price both spatially and temporally, and have proved to be useful for understanding land price distribution pattern better. In this paper, we apply the statistical analysis method to 8379 urban land price samples collected from Changzhou Land Market, and it is turned out that the proposed approach can effectively identify the spatial clusters and local point patterns in dataset and forms a general method for conceptualizing the land price structure. The results show that land price structure in Changzhou City is very complex and that even where there is a high spatial autocorrelation, the land price is still relatively heterogeneous. Furthermore, lands for different uses have different degrees of spatial autocorrelation. Spatial autocorrelation of commercial lands is more intense than that of residential and industrial lands in regional central district. This means that treating land price as integration of homogeneous units can limit analysis of pattern, over-simplifying the structure of land price, but the methods, just as the autocorrelation approaches, are useful tools for quantifying the variables of land price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly discusses the feasibility to establish economic policy systems for control and management of agricultural nonpoint source pollution in China. The current situation of serious agricultural nonpoint source pollution in China is described firstly. Based on the environmental policy and economics theories, the system of economic policies for control and management of agricultural nonpoint source pollution is designed in this paper. This system includes the policy objective, the designing principle and the methods. The key issues include pollution charge, inputs tax for restriction, subsides for induction and incentive, effluent trading for least cost reduction. The emphases are optimized on inputs tax and agricultural chemical tax permit under complete information, as well as sub-optimized inputs tax under incomplete information, subsides for farm due to positive and negative externality. The functions and suitability of the policies are also analyzed in the paper. According to the field experiment results and other relating economic data in watershed of the Chaohe River, Beijing, some economic approaches to reducing agricultural nonpoint source pollution are proposed. The main idea is to encourage and support the farmers to improve their farming way, and to implement the policy of castigating charge simultaneously. The feasibility of the policies are analyzed with consideration of economy, technology and institution. It is concluded that the economic policies are necessary and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological demonstration area (EDA) is an authorized nomination, which should be assessed from several aspects, including ecological, social, environmental, economic ones and so on. It is difficult to advance an exact developing level index of EDA due to its indieator system’s complexity and disequilibrium. In this paper, a framework of indicators was set to evaluate, monitor and examine the comprehensive level of ecological demonstration area (EDA). Fuzzy logic method was used to develop the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model (FCEM), which could quantitatively reveal the developing degree of EDA. Huiji District of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, one of the 9th group of national EDAs, was taken as a study case. The framework of FCEM for the integrated system included six subsystems, which were social, economic, ecological, rural, urban and accessorial description ones. The research would be valuable in the comprehensive quantitative evaluation of EDA and would work as a guide in the construction practices of Huiji ecological demonstration area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disaster weather forecasting is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, the trajectories of Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCSs) were automatically tracked over the Chinese Tibetan Plateau using Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (GMS) brightness temperature (Tbb) from June to August 1998, and the MCSs are classified according to their movement direction. Based on these, spatial data mining methods are used to study the relationships between MCSs trajectories and their environmental physical field values. Results indicate that at 400hPa level, the trajectories of MCSs moving across the 105°E boundary are less influenced by water vapor flux divergence, vertical wind velocity, relative humidity and K index. In addition, if the gravity central longitude locations of MCSs are between 104°E and 105°E, then geopotential height and wind divergence are two main factors in movement causation. On the other hand, at 500hPa level, the trajectories of MCSs in a north-east direction are mainly influenced by K index and water vapor flux divergence when their central locations are less than 104°E. However, the MCSs moving in an east and south-east direction are influenced by a few correlation factors at this level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By means of ISM (Interpretative Structural Modeling) and SD (System Dynamics) methods, this paper made a system dynamics model of urbanization and eco-environment coupling in Jiangsu Province according to the implication and PSR (Pressure State Response) framework of urbanization and eco-environment coupling. Moreover, five typical scenarios during 2000–2015 have been simulated and analyzed based on the time serial statistical data during 1990–2003 in Jiangsu, which indicates: firstly, there are significant differences between the results and the scenarios, and the five coupling models all have comparative advantages and drawbacks; secondly, in terms of the characteristics and regional development disparities of Jiangsu and the general rule of world urbanization process, this paper reveals that only when either population urbanization model or social urbanization model to be correspondingly adopted, the sustainable development among population, economy, urbanization and eco-environment can be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric physics is a very complicated natural phenomenon and needs to simplify its basic models for the sea-air oscillator. And it is solved by using the approximate method. The variational iteration method is a simple and valid method. In this paper the coupled system for a sea-air oscillator model of interdecadal climate fluctuations is considered. Firstly, through introducing a set of functions, and computing the variations, the Lagrange multipliers are obtained. And then, the generalized expressions of variational iteration are constructed. Finally, through selecting appropriate initial iteration from the iteration expressions, the approximations of solution for the sea-air oscillator model are solved successively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological security is a vital problem that people all over the world today have to face and solve, and the situation of ecological security is getting more and more severe and has begun to impede heavily the sustainable development of social economy. Ecological environment pre-warning has become a hotspot for the modern environment science. This paper introduces the theories of ecological security pre-warning and tries to constitute a pre-warning model of ecological security. In terms of pressure-state-response model, the pre-warning guide line of ecological security is constructed while the pre-warning degree judging model of ecological security is established based on fuzzy optimization. As a case, the model is used to assess the present condition pre-warning of the ecological security of Anhui Province. The result is in correspondence with the real condition: the ecological security situations of 8 cities are dangerous and 9 cities are secure. The result shows that this model is scientific and effective for regional ecological security pre-warning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second-tier extended metropolises in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Delta, including Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou near Shanghai, are becoming the most active and new innovative industrial agglomerating areas. Manufacturing industries in these second-tier cities have been in rapid growth due to increasing foreign investment. Nevertheless, the economic prospect of these cities is still constrained by a lack of local R&D capacity and production services, which are mainly dependent upon Shanghai. This paper analyses the impact of globalization on the new economic sectors in these cities, the change of industrial structure, the limitation of urban development and the problem of sustainability. Then, the paper analyses the conditions for the high-tech industry and production services in these areas. Also, it applies the industrial organization theory to these cities and examines how these cities can cooperate with each other in terms of horizontal linkages. Finally, the paper gives the future growth prospects in high-tech industry and production services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently domestic researches on urban imago space concentrate in a few cities that lie in the advanced region, such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, etc., but in so far as those cities that lie in the northwest inland region, the research of this aspect is still few. In order to supplement a special example to the urban imago space theory and to validate former theory, this article studied the Lanzhou urban imago space. During the course of researching, authors adopted some investigating methods, such as visiting on the spot, photograph identification method and sketch map identification method etc. Using investigated data, this paper made an elementary research on urban imago space of Lanzhou, which is a typical valley city in the western China. The result of study indicated that the urban imago space of Lanzhou takes Xiguan Cross as its center (Lanzhou involves four districts of Chengguan, Qilihe, Anning and Xigu). In the process of recognition of urban imago space, the Huanghe (Yellow) River and mountains beside the city are the dominant factors and the main nodes of cognition. So the urban imago space of Lanzhou is quite different from that of plain cities. Interviewee did well in the spatial structure map, which was made up of mountainous land, river and main trunk roads, the group structure took profound impression on people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new concept of community-based ecotourism (CBET) that originated in foreign countries. Then it analyzes the significance of CBET development in nature reserve (NR). The authors think that community participation is the evitable choice of nature reserve’s conservation and development. CBET, as the self-improved model of ecotourism, can promote tourism community sustainable development. Based on the stakeholder analysis of CBET in NRs, this paper addresses the reality, especially the problem of CBET development in NRs of China. In order to develop CBET in NRs of China, this paper takes some suggestions to promote the community participation: 1)gradual political empowerment, 2) deep level economic incentive, 3) widespread educational support, 4) impartial distribution of community benefits, and 5) stakeholders cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper puts forward an effective, specific algorithm for edge detection. Based on multi-structure elements of gray mathematics morphology, in the light of difference between noise and edge shape of RS images, the paper establishes multi-structure elements to detect edge by utilizing the grey form transformation principle. Compared with some classical edge detection operators, such as Sobel Edge Detection Operator, LOG Edge Detection Operator, and Canny Edge Detection Operator, the experiment indicates that this new algorithm possesses very good edge detection ability, which can detect edges more effectively, but its noise-resisting ability is relatively low. Because of the bigger noise of remote sensing image, the authors probe into putting forward other edge detection method based on combination of wavelet directivity checkout technology and small-scale Mathematical Morphology finally. So, position at the edge can be accurately located, the noise can be inhibited to a certain extent and the effect of edge detection is obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing technique, replacing conventional sonar bathymetry technique, has become an effective complementary method of mapping submarine terrain where special conditions make the sonar technique difficult to be carried out. At the same time, as one kind of data set, multispectral remote sensing data has the disadvantage of being influenced by the variable bottom types in shallow seawater, when it is applied in bathymetry. This paper puts forward a new method to extract water depth information from multispectral data, considering the bottom classification and the true water depth accuracy. That is the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique based on the bottom classification. By the least square regression with significance, the experiment near Qingdao City has obtained more satisfactory bathymetry accuracy than that of the traditional single-band method, with the mean absolute error about 2.57m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the dynamic process of regional disparity of economic development in China in the past 50 years from a new insight by using the rescaled range statistic (R/S) analysis and wavelet analysis of the Theil index sequence with different time scales. The main conclusions are: 1) The regional disparity of economic development in China, including the inter-provincial disparity, inter-regional disparity and intra-regional disparity, has existed for many years. Theil index by the comparative price has revealed the true trend for comparative disparity of regional economic development from 1952 to 2000. 2) Decomposition of Theil index indicates that the dynamic trend of comparative inter-provincial disparity in the coastal region is in line with dynamic trend of inter-provincial disparity in the whole China. 3) The R/S analysis results tell us that during 1966–1978, the Hurst exponent H=0.504≈0.5, which indicates that in that period the evolution of comparative inter-provincial disparity of economic development showed a random characteristic, and in the other periods, i.e. 1952–1965, 1979–1990 and 1991–2000, the Hurst exponent H>0.5, which indicates that in those periods the evolution of the comparative inter-provincial disparity of economic development in China had a long-enduring characteristic. 4) By using wavelet analysis at different time scale, we arrived at a conclusion that the evolutionary process of the disparity of economic development of China is not a simple inverted U shape but a compound of several U shapes. The result tells us that the evolutionary plot of inter-provincial disparity in China follows the inverted U on the whole at the higher scale, 24 (16 years). That is to say, the disparity tends to rise in the first stage of economic development, and fall slowly over the peak in the second stage of economic development. However, if we shorten the time scale to 23 (8 years), then a link of several U shapes will appear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the research works on landscape at fine scales using high-resolution images are uncommon. This research is based on the analysis of the combination of remote sensing data (IKONOS imagery acquired in 2002 and historical aerial photo taken in 1942). In the paper, the ecotopes in Qiujiadou and Xishao villages in Yixing City of Jiangsu Province in 1942 and 2002 were compared and landscape changes as well as the causes of the considerable changes were analyzed. It was found that the ecotope changes were at greater level in some aspects such as water surface and perennial vegetation coverage etc. This study at fine scale is globally significant for the rural areas, especially for the subsistence agricultural land, which occupies larger percentage in the earth. And it analyzes the structure of landscape based on a new landscape classification system—stratifications method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the considerable literatures defined what Ecotourism is or should be, it is experiencing various practices with different features. Now the term "Ecotourism" is almost applied to all tourism activities which are based on nature. Faced to the flooding of those unqualified Ecotourism, it is of great necessity to put forward professional claim. The present writer holds that the key to the realization of rigorous Ecotourism chiefly lies in the relationships among the different interest groups involved in it. So the focus of this paper is just on giving a special analysis to the interest relations between those stakeholders which include local government, tour-operators, local residents and eco-tourists, and thus helping to find out what wrong is in those unqualified Ecotourism and the roots of those problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of the paper is to introduce the concept of the Global TransPark (GTP). It is a critical time to develop air logistics infrastructure in the New Economy. The paper also presents a brief review of the air cargo industry in the Asian-Pacific region and China, in particular China’s development in the industry as its economy has grown rapidly and globalized in the past two decades. The paper argues that China needs to develop a GTP to support its future growth, and explains why the Pearl River Delta-Hong Kong-Macao city-region or Extended Metropolitan Region (EMR) is the best location. Finally, it proposes that Zhuhai Airport, one of the five airports in the EMR, is the best site for the GTP. New policies from Chinese government as well as close cooperation between local governments of Guangdong and the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao will be needed to make the establishment of the GTP possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new method is developed to make a dynamic layout adjustment and navigation for enterprise Geographic Information System(GIS) based on object mark recognition. The extraction of object mark images is based on some morphological structural patterns, which are described by morphological structural points, contour property, and other geometrical data in a binary image of enterprise geographic information map. Some pre-processing methods, contour smooth following, linearization and extraction patterns of structural points, are introduced. If any special object is selected to make a decision in a GIS map, the all information around it will be obtained. That is, we need to investigate similar object enterprises around selected region to analyse whether it is necessary for establishing the object enterprise at that place. To further navigate GIS map, we need to move from one region to another. Each time a region is formed and displayed based on the user’s focus. If a focus point of a map is selected, in terms of extracted object mark image, a dynamic layout and navigation diagram is constructed. When the user changes the focus (i. e. click a node in the navigation mode), a new sub-diagram is formed by dropping old nodes and adding new nodes. The prototype system provides effective interfaces that support GIS image navigation, detailed local image/map viewing, and enterprise information browsing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an analysis of the characteristics of the Forest Resources Management Information System of each development phase, and consideration of the technical trend in Geographic Information System (GIS) in the Internet Age, this paper explores the importance and the feasibility of setting up Forest Resources Management Information System based on the WEBGIS. At the same time, based on the experience of our study, the paper explores the function, structure and method of developing the Forest Resources Management Information System based on WEBGIS. With the technology of WEBGIS, the Forest Resources Management Information System with data from Huoditang Farm was set up, which makes a great impact on forest resources management. So setting up the Forest Resources Management Information System based on WEBGIS is a trend of forest resources management. In the course of setting up this system, we must pay attention to following questions: 1) unify data standard and information encoding; 2) change mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban heat environmental quality (UHEQ) is affected by the interacting of weather condition and underlying surface framework of urban area. In the last two decades, many researchers from domestic and overseas have studied many problems at the aspect of urban heat environment such as urban heat islands, urban air temperature and their relation with urban land cover, city population, air pollution etc. In the recent years, Hangzhou, acting as a center city of Zhejiang Province in China, its urbanization quantum and quantity have both changed greatly, in particular, representing as business affairs building, resident real property and all kinds of specialty market having arisen in built-up zone. Based on Landsat TM images data in 1991 and 1999, urban underlying surface temperature value and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI) were calculated using image interpreting and supervised classification technique by remote sensing software ERDAS image 8.4. The relation model between urban underlying surface temperature (UUST) and urban air temperature was setup according to the certain correlation pattern. Reference to the relational standard of assessing human comfort and other meteorology data of Hangzhou City in summer, the spatial distribution characteristic and the spatial variation degree of human comfort of heat environmental quality are estimated and mapped on a middle scale, that is, in six districts of Hangzhou City. Then the paper reveals the main characteristics of spatial variation from 1991 to 1999. Lastly, the change mechanism is analyzed and discussed from the viewpoint of city planning, construction and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now GIS is turning into a good tool in handling geographical, economical, and population data, so we can obtain more and more information from these data. On the other hand, in some cases, for a calamity, such as hurricane, earthquake, flood, drought etc., or a decision-making, such as setting up a broadcasting transmitter, building a chemical plant etc., we have to evaluate the total population in the region influenced by a calamity or a project. In this paper, a method is put forward to evaluate the population in such special region. Through exploring the correlation of geographical parameters and the distribution of people in the same region by means of quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis, unit population database (1km × 1km) is established. In this way, estimating the number of people in a special region is capable by adding up the population in every grid involved in this region boundary. The geographical parameters are obtained from topographic database and DEM database on the scale of 1:250 000. The fundamental geographical parameter database covering county administrative boundaries and 1km × 1km grid is set up and the population database at county level is set up as well. Both geographical parameter database and unit population database are able to offer sufficient conditions for quantitative analysis. They will have important role in the research fields of data mining (DM), Decision-making Support Systems (DSS), and regional sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GIS technology has been mostly concerned with handling physical data and modeling physical environment. However, the requirements of GIS for handling socio-economic information in many cases are different from those concerning phenomena in the physical environment. Analysis of capital flow among regions requires the transitions both from economic values to physical landscape and from physical surface to economic explanation. Rapid growth of Chinese economy comes mainly from investment. There are two main ways for obtaining high growth of investment. One is government expenditure which usually invests in regional facility and amenity block, which is regarded as stimulus for attracting investment. The other is the creation of investing center and corresponding capital source areas, both of which need the central city with the highest growth rate of investment among regions. This paper presents the cluster areas of both government revenue and total investment, the potential situation of capital flow between central city Shanghai and its neighbor provinces by using “Classification” and “Interpolation” functions of Arc View GIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a GIS-based spatial analysis method that combines qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis to characterize land-use patterns and predict the trend of future land-use changes in Haizhu District of Guangzhou City, China. Spatial technique is introduced to manage land-use data and derive information of land-use changes. Through the case study for the selected area, it is demonstrated that the method and technique introduced in the paper can be effectively utilized for the analysis of urban land-use changes. Based upon this analysis, the paper also provides discussions and recommendation on urban land-use planning, urban planning and land management. Both land-use maps of Haizhu District of Guangzhou in 1995 and 1997 and the remote sensing images of 1999 are utilized in the current research. It is convenient to get various statistic data and to combine attribute data with spatial data so as to analyze land-use changes in a geographic context, which is especially suitable for the need of urban construction department, urban management department and urban planning department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use change is an important aspect of global environment change. It is, in a sense, the direct result of human activities influencing our physical environment. Supported by the dynamic serving system of national resources, including both the environment database and GIS technology, this paper analyzed the land-use change in northeastern China in the past ten years (1990–2000). It divides northeastern China into five land-use zones based on the dynamic degree (DD) of land-use: woodland/grassland — arable land conversion zone, dry land — paddy field conversion zone, urban expansion zone, interlocked zone of farming and pasturing, and reclamation and abandoned zone. In the past ten years, land-use change of northeastern China can be generalized as follows: increase of cropland area was obvious, paddy field and dry land increased by 74.9 and 276.0 thousand ha respectively; urban area expanded rapidly, area of town and rural residence increased by 76.8 thousand ha; area of forest and grassland decreased sharply with the amount of 1399.0 and 1521.3 thousand ha respectively; area of water body and unused land increased by 148.4 and 513.9 thousand ha respectively. Besides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial patterns of land use, this paper also discusses the driving forces in each land-use dynamic zones. The study shows that some key biophysical factors affect conspicuously the conversion of different land-use types. In this paper, the relationships between land-use conversion and DEM, accumulated temperature (⩾10°C) and precipitation were analysed and represented. We conclude that the land-use changes in northeast China resulted from the change of macro social and economic factors and local physical elements. Rapid population growth and management changes, in some sense, can explain the shaping of woodland/grassland — cropland conversion zone. The conversion from dry land to paddy field in the dry land — paddy field conversion zone, apart from the physical elements change promoting the expansion of paddy field, results from two reasons: one is that the implementation of market-economy in China has given farmers the right to decide what they plant and how they plant their crops, the other factor is originated partially from the change of dietary habit with the social and economic development. The conversion from paddy field to dry land is caused prmarily by the shortfall of irrigation water, which in turn is caused by poor water allocation management by local governments. The shaping of the reclamation and abandoned zone is partially due to the lack of environment protection consciousness among pioneer settlers. The reason for the conversion from grassland to cropland is the relatively higher profits of farming than that of pasturing in the interlocked zone of farming and pasturing. In northeastern China, the rapid expansion of built-up areas results from two factors: the first is its small number of towns; the second comes from the huge potential for expansion of existing towns and cities. It is noticeable that urban expansion in the northeastern China is characterized by gentle topographic relief and low population density. Physiognomy, transportation and economy exert great influences on the urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the angle of ecology, urban agglomeration presents relevant types of landscape structure, which include Patch, Corridor and Matrix. There are different landscape features and different problems in different development phases. This paper has put forward five basic conditions for security pattern of landscape ecology of urban agglomeration, described quantitatively the features for landscape ecology in Wuxi, and analyzed ecological background of spatial expansion and spatial organization of urban development in Wuxi. From the angle of ecological land use and non-ecological land use, the paper has analyzed the features of land use and ecological distribution of land in the urban area. The spatial model of cities and towns in Wuxi is composed of one metropolis, two urban zones and three development axes. This thesis has planned preliminarily ecological protection network at four levels in the urban region according to four layers. At last, combining landscape ecology with urban space, a tentative security pattern of landscape ecology has been planned in Wuxi, namely Source-Buffer Zone and Metropolis, Radiating Routes and Expansion Direction of City, Strategic Point and Interaction between Cities and Towns, Inter-Source Linkage-Corridor of a Stable Landscape Structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is a country in the period of economy takeoff. We cannot use the common method to forecast its future economy level. This paper establishes an economic level forecast model of the countries whose economy is in the take off because of the stimulation of model country. The enlightenment of the model is from physics. If there are two substances, A and B, and a medium between them, according to physics, when substance A is hotter than B, B’s temperature will inevitably rise and close to that of A. Thus, this system tends to be a state of balance. Three factors affect heat conduction between substance A and B. They are the difference of temperature between two substances, the conductivity of medium and the characteristics of themselves. The model is testified thrugh two examples. And then we forecast the economic development level of China in long term. This paper raises a model to solve the problem of research approaches. However, since there are some limitations on data source, problems will appear. For example, in certain years, our forecast results do not suit the real situation. But in the long term, the tendency is accurate. Then this model can be amended in accordance with different situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote Sensing image fusion is an effective way to use the large volume of data from multi-source images. This paper introduces a new method of remote sensing image fusion based on support vector machine (SVM), using high spatial resolution data SPIN-2 and multi-spectral remote sensing data SPOT-4. Firstly, the new method is established by building a model of remote sensing image fusion based on SVM. Then by using SPIN-2 data and SPOT-4 data, image classification fusion is tested. Finally, an evaluation of the fusion result is made in two ways. 1) From subjectivity assessment, the spatial resolution of the fused image is improved compared to the SPOT-4. And it is clearly that the texture of the fused image is distinctive. 2) From quantitative analysis, the effect of classification fusion is better. As a whole, the result shows that the accuracy of image fusion based on SVM is high and the SVM algorithm can be recommended for application in remote sensing image fusion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land-use change is an important part of global change research (IGBP, 1990–1992). But the majority of researches focus on the natural driving force of land use change. In this paper, the authors studied the relationship between socio-economic driving factors and land-use change with time series in Hainan Island. Based on the study for the evolution of administrative system and policies in Hainan Island and the comprehensive analysis on the social economy data and changes of social policies, the socio-economic policies, human activities and land use of Hainan can be divided into three periods with different characters: period from 1950 to 1978 characterized by the planning economic system, period from 1978 to 1988 characterized by the transfer of economic system and adoption of open policy, new stage from 1988 to 1998 with high growing speed. On the other hand the authors describe the character of the periods and land-use change process affected by socio-economic factors. This paper provides an important method for evaluating the development and changes of Hainan social economy during the 50 years from 1950 to 1999 and forecasting the development of Hainan social economy in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, spatial correlation of crop yield in the middle and west of Jilin Province is analyzed by using the method of geostatistics semivariogram, taking the NDVI of NOAA/AVHRR spectrum data as the regionalized variable, aiming to provide theory and practical basis for field sampling of crop yield estimation using remote sensing. The ratio of nugget variance and sill of semivariograms are 21.1% and 9.7% in the west and middle regions in Jilin Province respectively. This shows that the crop yields are spatially correlated. The degree and range of correlation are far different in the different situations. In the west test region, the range is 49.9km and the sill is 0.00019. In the middle test region, the range is 16.5km and the sill is 0.00453. The dissimilarity in the western test region is larger than that in the middle one. The range in which the correlation existed of the former is far larger than the later. Different characteristics of spatial correlation of crop yield are decided by the environmental factors. Samples for crop yield estimation should be extracted according to the characteristic of spatial distribution of crop yield to promote the efficiency of sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northeast Asia with China, Japan and South Korea as the main components has drawn more and more attention worldwide. Many scholars have researched on the prospect of some alternatives of regional economic integration in Northeast Asia and/or Yellow Sea Rim as its core area. In this paper the authors start with an introduction of the major arguments embracing Yellow Sea Rim regionalism, and attempt to identify the dynamics challenging the proposed approaches of sub-regionalism of Northeast Asia. The paper firstly gives a brief review on the update development of bilateral economic exchanges, mainly Sino-Japanese and Sino-South Korean trades and direct investments with related contemporary issues. When the changing pattern of economic interactions is analyzed, special concerns are given to the possibility to realize the supposed potential of regional economic cooperation mainly based on economic complementarity among the related regions of China, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. The authors then made their major efforts on putting forward possible approaches of multilateral cooperation of three countries in the near future, that is, deepened cooperation in selected sectors of industry and transportation and coordinated development among major cities. The authors stress that the development of sub-regional sectoral cooperation and the formation of interactive network of city-regions via social and economic interactions at local level are significant to the future regional integrated development in Northeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“West Jilin Province” in this paper means Zhenlai, Baicheng, Taonan, Da’an, Tongyu, Fuyu, Songyuan, Qian’an, Changling, also includes Gongzhuling, Shuangliao, Lishu, Siping and Nong’an which have been suffered from desertification. In west Jilin Province there are three sand zones passing through, they are Xiang(Xianghai)-Wu(Ulan Tug) sand zone, Hai-Feng sand zone, and Tao’er River right bank sand zone. The desertification area of west Jilin Province is 819 100 ha, making up 12.5% of the total land area. Among desertification types, in Jilin Province light desertification is the major, then is medium dersertification, hevey desertification is the least. According to the comparison of the interpretation results of the Landsat images of the 1980s and the 1990s by remote sensing and GIS techniques, it can be seen that the desertification area in west Jilin Province basically didn’t change on the whole, only increased 6130 ha, making up 0.8% of the desertification area, change scale is less than 1%. Evidently, desertification is controlled mostly, but some areas are continuing deterioration. The desertification process of China can be divided into three types according to origin nature, they are sandy steppe desertification, fixed sand area(sand land) activation and dunes transfer invasion. Reasons of desertification of West Jilin Province are analyzed, they include natural factors(such as material source factors, chimate factors) and artificial factors(such as destroying grass to reclaim, steppe decreasing greatly, illegally feeling shelter forest stands, constructing reservoir to influence eco-environment etc.). Some suggestions are put forward as follows: establishing the social project for ecological reconstruction of degenerated land; intensifying planning and management of land use, reverting farmland into forestland or pasture in a planned way. The key desertification control is to depend mainly on policy and management, then control techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the provincial units evaluation, this paper makes an assessment for sustainable developing capability of the integrated agricultural regionalization in China. At first, an index system of agricultural sustainable development in China is built up, which includes 5 supporting subsystems of agricultural resources, agricultural development, environment and ecosystem, rural society, sciences-education and management. We selected 95 factors on provincial level as basic indexes. Second, a relative assets/debt assessing method is used to gain relative net assets values (relative superiority) of every provincial unit, which are as supporting data for assessment. We also overlaid the Administrative Divisions Map of China and the Map of Integrated Agricultural Regionalization of China by Geography Information System (GIS) to gain the area units of assessment. Third, according to the relative coherence principle of regionalization, we transform administration units to natural units through homogenizing all provincial relative net assets values in every agricultural assessing unit. After making order and grade, we complete the sustainable developing capability assessment to integrated agricultural regionalization in China. The assessing outcome shows that the total sustainable agricultural developing capability of China is not high. Only about 1/3 in number or in area has reached the level of agricultural sustainable development. The relative net assets values exists a reducing trend from East China to West China. It needs a long period and great efforts to realize sustainable agricultural development over all China. Finally, there is a discussion to the study method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper generalizes the makeup and forming dynamic mechanism of natural disaster systems, principles and methods of comprehensive division of natural disasters, as well as structure, function and up-build routes of map and file information visualization system (MFIVS). Taking the Changjiang (Yangtze) Valley as an example, on the basis of revealing up the integrated mechanism on the formations of its natural disasters and its distributing law, thereafter, the paper relies on the MFIVS technique, adopts two top-down and bottom-up approaches to study a comprehensive division of natural disasters. It is relatively objective and precise that the required division results include three natural disaster sections and nine natural disaster sub-sections, which can not only provide a scientific basis for utilizing natural resources and controlling natural disaster and environmental degradation, but also be illuminated to a concise, practical and effective technique on comprehensive division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands are ecosystems with many functions. But the general public and government lack a comprehensive understanding of the importance of wetland benefits, thus making blindly exploitation, wetland resources decreasing and losing biodiversity. So wetlands in China, as in most countries, have suffered heavily from the pressure of development and have confronted with the threats of loss. The paper takes Sanjiang Plain marshes, lakes in the middle reaches of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River, coastal wetlands and mangroves as cases to study wetland loss in China, and puts forward main existing reasons of wetland loss, such as blindly reclamation and exploitation of wetland resources, over-exploitation of bio-resources in wetland, etc. More recently, there has been a growing recognition of the benefits of wetlands and a wide range of legal and regulatory initiatives have been undertaken which are designed to improve wetland management and conservation. On the basis of the above analysis, the paper brings forward some suggestions on wetland conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classifying the types and measuring sustainable development are important contents of theoretical studies on sustainable development. Scientifically reflecting the characteristics of sustainable development and favorably classifying the types of sustainable development are the basis and objective of measuring sustainable development. By using the methods of coordinatively analyzing man-land relationship and economic analysis, especially by combining with constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function, this paper advances average sustainable gross domestic production (ASGDP), inquires into the mutually coordinative and interdependent relationship between humane capital and natural capital in the process of sustainable development. It also sets up an index system of measuring sustainable development and a type system of sustainable development. then according to this index system, if firstly classifies the sustainable development, moderate sustainable development, and strong sustainable development, and it also discuss them theoretical significance. Secondly, it probes into the minimum cost, structure optimization and sustainable development. At last, it discuss the type classification of sustainable development on development sequence, and points out theoretically the amount of transitions among 8 basic regional sustainable development types is 56. in the process of productive expansion this transition type embodies the input increase of humane capital is greatly larger than that of natural capital. On the contrary, economized humane capital transition is a result of progressively decreasing marginal rate of technical substitution of humane capital to natural capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the initial period of industrialization a great deal of land is needed for Chinese industry development as well as land resource per person of China is much lower than the average value in the world, thus it is necessary to save land in Chinese urban construction. This paper mainly discussed the features of urban land use in economic developed coastal cities: one is that the index of urban land per person in middle-small cities was higher than in large cities; another is that urban land has not been used highly and strongly; the third is that the industrial land occupied an irrationally large percentage of whole urban land; the final is that rural enterprises took up a quantity of land. Thereafter, this paper put forward five land-saving measures: first, to adopt the idea of saving land; next, to adjust the land-use structure when redeveloping the old city and alternate some land use when adjusting the industry structure of the city; the third, to develop the system of payment for using land and the management of urban planning; finally to enhance the effective regional plan and the urban landuse plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]