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It is the goal of this article to define and implement the strategic policies to avoid negative environmental impact by planning, implementing, monitoring, and controlling activities based on the environmental management. The forthcoming work does not involve experimental and characterization studies, and it does not even involve laboratory experiments. Environmental risks have been mitigated by a number of laws and regulations, including those that recognize, evaluate, and enforce environmental hazards. A sustainable policy is an innovative way of establishing policies and plans which are sustainable for the environment. This study provided metrics and indicators for measuring the environmental performance. As a result, the key priorities will be protecting the environment, growing the economy, and utilizing resources in the most effective manner without compromising the needs of the future. To ensure sustainable development, the environment and society will be managed to achieve their well-being because of implementing strategies. This report explores some of the practices and principles of sustainability that businesses, organizations, and individuals can employ to improve their sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses GIS to assess the extent of deforestation, forest degradation, and carbon stock in East Java, Indonesia. The dataset for this study required preprocessing and proper GIS analysis tools to track and quantify land cover changes, specifically deforestation and forest degradation from 1990 to 2022. The results show that East Java has experienced significant deforestation and forest degradation, with a total deforested area of approximately 180,000 hectares and a degraded forest area of around 270,000 hectares. Among the subregions, Malang had the highest deforestation rate, with a total area of 42,605 hectares, while Banyuwangi had the highest forest degradation, with around 64,782 hectares affected. Primary mangrove forest in East Java has decreased from approximately 15,000 hectares in 1990 to around 9,000 hectares in 2022. Furthermore, the study estimated the carbon stock changes over the study period. The total carbon stock in 1990 was around 196 million tonnes, but by 2022 it had decreased to approximately 156 million tonnes. The difference in carbon stock between 1990 and 2022 is approximately 40 million tonnes of carbon. Analyzing carbon stock with remote sensing and GIS will give faster results than the manual approach. These findings highlight the urgent need for effective forest management and conservation measures in East Java to mitigate further environmental degradation and carbon emissions. Integrating GIS-based forest monitoring techniques provides a valuable tool for assessing land cover changes and their impact on carbon stock, enabling informed decision-making for sustainable land use planning and conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is the goal of this article to define and implement the strategic policies to avoid negative environmental impact by planning, implementing, monitoring, and controlling activities based on the environmental management. The forthcoming work does not involve experimental and characterization studies, and it does not even involve laboratory experiments. Environmental risks have been mitigated by a number of laws and regulations, including those that recognize, evaluate, and enforce environmental hazards. A sustainable policy is an innovative way of establishing policies and plans which are sustainable for the environment. This study provided metrics and indicators for measuring the environmental performance. As a result, the key priorities will be protecting the environment, growing the economy, and utilizing resources in the most effective manner without compromising the needs of the future. To ensure sustainable development, the environment and society will be managed to achieve their well-being because of implementing strategies. This report explores some of the practices and principles of sustainability that businesses, organizations, and individuals can employ to improve their sustainability.

Aim of the study: The purpose of the study is a consideration of theoretical and methodological issues of sustainable land use in Ukraine, taking into account the consequences of the war. The legal definition of sustainable land use is currently not well-grounded and balanced. In Ukraine today, the paradigm of sustainable (balanced) land use is still being formed, and the Land Policy Strategy for the management of land resources and land use should be based on it. The reasonable inclusion of institutionalization among the components of sustainable land use under the conditions of agreement on the conceptual basis of sustainable (balanced) land use consists in revealing the essence of the research component of the institutionalization of balanced land use, as a new paradigm for the use of land resources, taking into account the consequences of the war in Ukraine. Material and methods: The method of analysis is used to determine the possibilities of a more rapid development of the socially oriented market economy after the war. In our opinion, this can happen thanks to the deepening of the theoretical, methodological and methodical foundations of the rational use of land resources (the synthesis method), and optimization of the economic, social and ecological components of land use on the basis of their expansion at the expense of the institutionalization component (deduction method), which in turn will contribute to increasing the socio-economic efficiency of the use and reproduction of the productive potential of Ukraine’s lands in the post-war period (system approach). The theoretical basis consists of the scientific works of domestic and foreign scientists in the field of economics of nature use, land use and environmental protection; legislative and regulatory acts; methodological and instructional materials; and statistical and analytical data of ministries and departments of Ukraine – public organizations responsible for the use of land resources and socio-economic development regions of Ukraine. Monographic analysis – used for the study and generalization of existing scientific approaches to the problem of land use; to determine the essence of the complex concept of “sustainable land management” and its economic, social, and ecological components, and to justify management components of the institutionalization of balanced land use, based on the realities of today’s Ukraine, taking into account the possibilities of more rapid development of the social-oriented market economy after the war. The method of synthesis – applied due to its complex deepening of theoretical, methodological and methodical foundations of rational use of land resources, and optimization of economic, social and ecological components of land use on the basis of their expansion due to the components of institutionalization. It is substantiated that the methodology of institutionalization of sustainable land use with intensive exploitation of land (land resources) consists of the following: maintaining the necessary level of biotic regulation of land resources and the environment; and hierarchy of levels of management of sustainable land use, in particular: conceptual, ideological, political and economic. Structural and logical method – used to build a graphic-logistic model of the main components of land use as a social-ecological-economic system, as well as to find effective and rational ways to overcome the consequences of the war in Ukraine. The system approach is used not from the point of view of its structure, interrelationships and relations between individual components of sustainable land use, but from the aspect of systemic, economic and other land use, which was formed in the state under the influence of regulatory and legislative factors, with the aim of obtaining the highest effect from land use resource for compliance with the requirements for its reproduction and protection, which in turn will contribute to increasing the socio-economic efficiency of the use and reproduction of the productive potential of the lands of Ukraine in the post-war period. The land use system reveals an interconnected set of objects and subjects that function as a single whole in the natural environment, operating with information that is a product that comes from the environment, or a pragmatic part of structural information accumulated by the system itself. The research methodology is based on the following main principles: general dialectical principle of general connection and interaction; the principle of causality, which is connected with the principles of general connection and development; and principles of systematicity in cognition. Results and conclusions: At the current stage of development in Ukraine, the process of decentralization and territorial reorganization continues on the basis of sustainable territorial development. The implementation of such a concept aims at a radical change in the fundamental principles of social development management and is a prerequisite for solving various kinds of problems. The strategy and tactics of further institutional transformations in the field of land use, in our opinion, should consist in a gradual transition to such a type of land use organization that would ensure the creation of conditions for the rational and effective use of regional land potential, and economic and social stability of agricultural production. The essence of the research component of the institutionalization of balanced land use is presented. In particular, the transition to sustainable land use involves the formation of new reproductive relationships focused on meeting the ecological and resource needs of society. As a result, there is a natural need to build a corresponding subsystem of the national economy – sustainable (balanced) land use. It was determined that sustainable (balanced) land use should be understood as a system of organizing the use and protection of land and other natural resources and biodiversity and corresponding land relations corresponding to the relations of social development, in which the optimal ratio is achieved between social, ecological and economic factors of land use development, normalization of the qualitative state of land and other natural resources based on the introduction of an institutional component. A paradigm of views on sustainable land use is formulated, taking into account the consequences of the war in Ukraine.

The study intended to draw attention to the distinctive aspects of Ukraine's agricultural decarbonisation process to carry out the sustainable development plan. The research methodology included statistical observation, analytical and structural grouping, and forecasting. The study established key areas for future development, assessed the extent to which sustainable agricultural production technologies are implemented in Ukraine, and identified reserves. Decarbonisation, which involves a progressive change in the agricultural sector, was discussed in the strategic progress towards a sustainable climate. The significant level of degradation of agricultural areas and the widespread spread of the “organic food” trend were identified as tangential stimulating factors. The expediency of decarbonisation of agricultural technologies in terms of participation in global climate dynamics was substantiated. The main relevant challenges and risks were highlighted, and the level of development of the industrial regulatory framework was studied. An analysis was conducted on the characteristics of the agricultural production management system. The most effective means of putting strategies into practice to encourage investment in the agriculture industry were determined. The study demonstrated how farmers can be effectively motivated financially and organisationally to adopt technologies that emit few or no greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, monitor and manage the load on agricultural landscapes, create a targeted land bank, and guarantee quality standards and safety regulations. The vectorial of improving the algorithms for transforming farming systems towards decarbonisation within the strategy of dynamic development from traditional to sustainable agricultural production is determined. The study established that an effective process of decarbonisation of agricultural production technologies is seen as the basis for intensifying the competitiveness of agricultural production. The study demonstrated how Ukraine's agriculture sector has developed in the modern era should be embodied in the technical re-equipment of production processes and fundamental changes in technological methods and approaches to minimise carbon emissions

A comprehensive approach to ecological functional zoning in the Shenzhen region of China is presented in this study. Through the integration of advanced geospatial analysis tools, multiple data sources, and sophisticated statistical techniques, different ecological functions have been identified and categorized based on a comprehensive set of indicators and spatial analysis techniques. The three-level zoning framework established in this study offers policymakers, urban planners, and environmental managers a nuanced understanding of the region's environmental characteristics, and highlights areas of ecological significance that warrant special attention and protection. It has been demonstrated that the data-driven approach to ecological functional zoning is effective in delineating distinct ecological zones within the study area. This study's findings carry significant implications for future land use planning, conservation efforts, and sustainable development practices in the Shenzhen region. In essence, this study contributes to the broader discourse on ecological planning and environmental management by providing a systematic and data-driven approach to delineating ecological functional zones in urbanizing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural resource management (NRM) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems, which are essential for human health and well-being. This systematic review examines the impact of various NRM practices on water quality and their subsequent effects on public health. Specifically, it focuses on interventions such as watershed management, pollution control, land use management, water treatment, and ecosystem restoration. We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented by gray literature from Google Scholar, WHO reports, and government and NGO publications, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024. A total of 42 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing diverse geographical regions with significant representation from developing countries. The findings indicate that effective NRM practices, particularly those aimed at reducing pollutants, managing watersheds, and promoting sustainable land use, significantly improve water quality by lowering levels of chemical contaminants, microbial pathogens, and physical pollutants. Improved water quality directly correlates with reduced incidences of waterborne diseases, chronic health conditions from long-term chemical exposure, and acute health effects from immediate pollutant exposure. The review underscores the need for tailored NRM strategies that consider local environmental and socio-economic contexts. It also highlights the importance of community involvement, regulatory frameworks, and continuous monitoring to enhance the effectiveness of NRM interventions. Despite the positive impacts, barriers such as limited financial resources, technical expertise, and community engagement pose challenges to the implementation of these practices. In conclusion, the systematic review demonstrates that comprehensive and context-specific NRM practices are crucial for improving water quality and public health outcomes. Policymakers and practitioners are encouraged to adopt integrated water resource management approaches, prioritize sustainable practices, and engage local communities to achieve long-term health and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion, as a type of land degradation, affects various human economic interests. It is shown that the most promising areas of erosion studies where economic methods can be applied are assessment of actual damage from soil erosion, determination of the amount of probable damage from erosion processes in soils, and economic analysis in the development of sustainable land use systems for areas with soils subject to erosion. The group of methods for determining economic damage, including those which take into account ecosystem services that soils "lose" as a result of erosion processes, is characterized by the greatest development. Methods for assessing the risk of soil erosion have a significant development potential, since an extensive database of predictive models and equations (USLE, RUSLE, RUSLE-2, WEPP, EUROSE, CREAMS, EPIC, VNIIZiZPE, etc.) has been created, which make it possible to assess indicators of soil erosion in the future. Sustainable land use systems are developed using the neoclassical capital theory, which requires that the fertility of soil and net social benefits from nonmarket goods and services from agricultural lands should be maintained over time. Thus, it is possible to create compensatory taxation mechanisms for areas with the manifestation of soil erosion processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) are widely used in pesticide manufacturing industries. Due to their high volatility and toxicity, BTEX compounds often leak during production, storage, and transportation, posing significant threats to human health and the environment. In this study, soil and groundwater samples at a chemical pesticide industrial site in southern China were collected and analyzed. Soil concentrations ranged from 0.05–142 mg/kg for benzene, 0.05–315 mg/kg for toluene, 0.05–889 mg/kg for ethylbenzene, 0.05–2800 mg/kg for m-&p-xylene, and 0.05–668 mg/kg for o-xylene. Groundwater concentrations were 0.7–340,000 μg/L for benzene, 0.9–4070 μg/L for toluene, 0.5–1900 μg/L for ethylbenzene, 1.6–6000 μg/L for m-&p-xylene, and 0.6–1500 μg/L for o-xylene. While the average concentrations were relatively low, there were numerous locations where BTEX levels significantly exceeded national soil and groundwater standards. Despite the minimal health risks from soil BTEX pollution, utilizing groundwater for drinking or bathing could result in unacceptable cancer and non-cancer risks. These findings underscore the urgent need for remediation efforts, particularly concerning benzene contamination in groundwater, to ensure the sustainable utilization of the industrial site in question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With a predominantly humid tropical climate and a large area for expanding agricultural activities, Angola has in principle favorable conditions for bioenergy production. The focus of this study was to evaluate the availability of suitable land for producing sugarcane. This crop is highly efficient in converting solar energy into biomass for energy purposes in Angola. To this end, this paper outlines a method for data collection, processing, and analysis divided into three sections. The first section uses the GAEZ (Global Agroecological Zones) database and QGIS (Quantum GIS) software (version 3.22.5) to assess land availability for sugarcane cultivation in Angola, classifying the regions' suitability into four levels. The second section supplements this with data from the FAOSTAT database, systematically excluding areas with restrictions, such as protected zones, land already used for other crops, and regions unsuitable for sugarcane. Finally, the third section employs an agricultural yield model to estimate the potential yield of sugarcane based on climatic parameters and the amount of bioenergy (ethanol and bioelectricity) able to be produced in the available land. Under these criteria, this study identified the existence of 6.3 Mha in lands of good agricultural suitability, with water resources, corresponding to 5% of the Angolan territory, distributed in seven provinces of the country, especially in the provinces of Cuando Cubango and Cunene, where 85% of the very suitable land under irrigation is located. Adopting a model of agricultural productivity, assuming irrigation and adequate agricultural practices, such area could produce approximately 956 million tons of sugarcane annually, which is significantly higher than the current production in this country. This amount of feedstock processed using current technology could potentially produce 81.3 GL of ethanol and 176.9 TWh of electricity with low GHG emissions per year, which is able to mitigate, as a whole, circa 60.3 MtCO2-eq/year by displacing gasoline in light vehicles and diesel and natural gas consumed in power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the development and application of a prototype decision support system (DSS) for tree selection specifically for Punjab, India, a region facing challenges of low forest cover and an increasing demand for sustainable land use practices. The DSS developed using the R Shiny framework integrates ecological, social, and agro-commercial criteria to facilitate scientific knowledge decision making in tree plantation. The modules in this DSS include a tree selection tool based on comprehensive species attributes, a GIS-based tree suitability map module utilizing an Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP), and a silviculture practice information module sourced from authoritative databases. Combining sophisticated statistical and spatial analysis, such as NMDS and AHP-GIS, this DSS mitigates data redundancy in SDM while incorporating extensive bibliographic research in dataset processing. The study highlights the necessity of fundamental niche-based suitability in comparison to realized niche suitability. It emphasizes on the importance of addressing ecosystem services, agro-commercial aspects, and enhancing silvicultural knowledge. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of local stakeholder engagement in tree selection, particularly involving farmers and other growers, to ensure community involvement and support. The DSS supports agroforestry initiatives and finds applications in urban tree management and governmental programs, emphasizing the use of scientific literature at each step, in contrast to relying solely on local knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study intended to draw attention to the distinctive aspects of Ukraine's agricultural decarbonisation process to carry out the sustainable development plan. The research methodology included statistical observation, analytical and structural grouping, and forecasting. The study established key areas for future development, assessed the extent to which sustainable agricultural production technologies are implemented in Ukraine, and identified reserves. Decarbonisation, which involves a progressive change in the agricultural sector, was discussed in the strategic progress towards a sustainable climate. The significant level of degradation of agricultural areas and the widespread spread of the "organic food" trend were identified as tangential stimulating factors. The expediency of decarbonisation of agricultural technologies in terms of participation in global climate dynamics was substantiated. The main relevant challenges and risks were highlighted, and the level of development of the industrial regulatory framework was studied. An analysis was conducted on the characteristics of the agricultural production management system. The most effective means of putting strategies into practice to encourage investment in the agriculture industry were determined. The study demonstrated how farmers can be effectively motivated financially and organisationally to adopt technologies that emit few or no greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, monitor and manage the load on agricultural landscapes, create a targeted land bank, and guarantee quality standards and safety regulations. The vectorial of improving the algorithms for transforming farming systems towards decarbonisation within the strategy of dynamic development from traditional to sustainable agricultural production is determined. The study established that an effective process of decarbonisation of agricultural production technologies is seen as the basis for intensifying the competitiveness of agricultural production. The study demonstrated how Ukraine's agriculture sector has developed in the modern era should be embodied in the technical re-equipment of production processes and fundamental changes in technological methods and approaches to minimise carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between farm size expansion and efficiency is a key topic in agricultural economics, especially for achieving sustainable land use and food security. While existing literature focuses on land productivity, technical efficiency, and total factor productivity, the link between farm size and cost efficiency remains less explored. Cost efficiency is a critical indicator of production effectiveness and directly impacts agricultural sustainability and food security. This paper analyzes how farm size expansion affects the cost efficiency of Chinese rapeseed production, with a particular emphasis on sustainable agricultural production and food security. Our findings indicate an average cost efficiency of 0.740 for rapeseed in China, suggesting potential for improvement. We observe an inverted U-shaped relationship between farm size and rapeseed cost efficiency, with variations based on regional and topographic conditions. Optimal rapeseed farm size is between 10 and 30 mu in eastern and central China, and smaller than 10 mu in western China. Interestingly, in central China and plains regions, larger farm sizes have a less negative impact on cost efficiency. Finally, increasing plot size positively moderates the relationship between farm size and rapeseed cost efficiency, suggesting benefits from expanding both plot and farm sizes simultaneously. These findings provide empirical evidence to inform policy decisions related to sustainable land use, cost-efficient agriculture, and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soils provide habitat, regulation and utilization functions. Therefore, Germany aims to reduce soil sealing to 30 ha day - 1 by 2030 and to eliminate it by 2050. About 55 ha day - 1 of soil are damaged (average 2018–2021), but detailed information on its soil quality is lacking. This study proposes a new approach using geo-information and remote sensing data to assess agricultural soil loss in Lower Saxony and Brandenburg. Soil quality is assessed based on erosion resistance, runoff regulation, filter functions, yield potential and the Müncheberg Soil Quality Rating from 2006 to 2015. Data from the German Soil Map at a scale of 1:200,000 (BÜK 200), climate, topography, CORINE Land Cover (CLC) and Imperviousness Layer (IMCC), both provided by the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS), are used to generate information on soil functions, potentials and agricultural soil loss due to sealing. For the first time, soil losses under arable land are assessed spatially, quantitatively and qualitatively. An estimate of the qualitative loss of agricultural soil in Germany between 2006 and 2015 is obtained by intersecting the soil evaluation results with the quantitative soil loss according to IMCC. Between 2006 and 2015, about 73,300 ha of land were sealed in Germany, affecting about 37,000 ha of agricultural soils. This corresponds to a sealing rate of 11 ha per day for Germany. In Lower Saxony and Brandenburg, agricultural soils were sealed at a rate of 1.9 ha day - 1 and 0.8 ha day - 1 respectively, removing these soils from primary land use. In Lower Saxony, 75% of soils with moderate or better biotic yield potential have been removed from primary land use, while in Brandenburg this figure is as high as 88%. Implementing this approach can help decision-makers reassess sealed land and support Germany’s sustainable development strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest-savanna transition zones of West Africa are uniquely characterized by forest groves, forest patches, or forest islands, the importance of which for sustainable resource management and their potential for carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling is often underrated. Our study conducted a comparative analysis of the soil organic carbon and nutrient characteristics of the Anogeissus groves in the old Opara forest reserve and their adjoining arable lands. We established 30 sampling frames of 100 m × 100 m plots with 15 frames per land use type. For each sampling frame, six observation points were randomly selected, and composite soil samples were collected at soil depths of 0–20 cm and 20–50 cm per observation point. Our results showed Anogeissus groves and their adjoining arable lands to exist on similar landscapes while the groves have enriched soil morphological characteristics (e.g., soil color), higher soil organic carbon (SOC), and better nutrient characteristics. There were strong positive relationships between SOC, effective cation exchange capacity, total nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and calcium, zinc, electrical conductivity, and copper. The significant soil organic matter accumulation in the groves accounts for the overall improved soil characteristics over the adjoining arable lands. Preserving the groves and similar African ecosystems may be important in climate regulation, resources and biodiversity conservation, and ethnopharmacology for rural communities. Thus, a question arises: should more land be set aside for ecological conservation or for agricultural productivity? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewetting drained agricultural peatlands aids in restoring their original ecosystem functions, including carbon storage and sustaining unique biodiversity. 30–60 cm of topsoil removal (TSR) before rewetting for Sphagnum establishment is a common practice to reduce nutrient concentrations and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase water conductivity. However, the topsoil is carbon-dense and preservation in situ would be favorable from a climate-mitigation perspective. The effect of reduced TSR on Sphagnum establishment and nutrient dynamics on degraded and rewetted raised bogs remains to be elucidated. We conducted a two-year field experiment under Sphagnum paludiculture management with three TSR depths: no-removal (TSR0), 5–10 cm (TSR5), and 30 cm (TSR30) removal. We tested the effects of TSR on Sphagnum establishment and performance, nutrient dynamics, and hotspot methane emissions. After two years, TSR5 produced similar Sphagnum biomass as TSR30, while vascular plant biomass was highest in TSR0. All capitula nitrogen (N > 12 mg/g) indicated N-saturation. Phosphorus (P) was not limiting (N/P < 30), but a potential potassium (K) limitation was observed in year one (N/K > 3). In TSR0, ammonium concentrations were > 150 µmol/l in year one, but decreased by 80% in year two. P-concentrations remained high (c. 100 µmol/l) at TSR0 and TSR5, and remained low at TSR30. TSR30 and TSR5 reduced hotspot methane emissions relative to TSR0. We conclude that all TSR practices have their own advantages and disadvantages with respect to Sphagnum growth, nutrient availability and vegetation development. While TSR5 may be the most suitable for paludiculture, its applicability for restoration purposes remains to be elucidated. Setting prioritized targets when selecting the optimal TSR with peatland rewetting is pivotal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain societies are strongly linked to natural resources and their rational management. The growing population has led to the management of mountain areas according to emerging human needs. The study was conducted in the Urej River catchment (The Fann Mountains, Tajikistan). This paper aims to present changes in land use in 1988–2023 resulting from environmental conditions and land reform. Pasturelands predominate in the study area (93.8%), while built-up with kitchen garden and irrigated areas cover 1.8% and 4.0% of the area, respectively. Kitchen gardens and irrigated areas provide food for the residents. Significant land-use changes were observed along the Uroz River, where the irrigation system was developed in areas that have not yet been used for plant cultivation. This is typical of many areas in Tajikistan, where it is impossible to obtain crops without irrigation due to climatic conditions. Until 1988, the study area was not as intensively cultivated as it is today. Under the ongoing lease system based on the Dehkan Farm Act, grazing land is still owned by the state, but inhabitants have access to it. The leased land does little to improve the economic situation of households but contributes to preventing ecosystem degradation on the slopes caused by humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The escalating salinization of cultivated soil poses a significant threat to the ecological environment. It is imperative to establish a monitoring system and mitigate the spread of salinization in arid and coastal areas through remote sensing, incorporating high-precision cross-regional models for soil salt content inversion. This study focuses on typical saline-alkali soils in arid and coastal regions of China. Using Sentinel 2 data (including 6 bands and 27 spectral indices), along with soil texture, moisture content, temperature, precipitation, and digital elevation model (DEM) data to establish an arid-coastal salinity inversion model. Variable selection methods such as pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), variable importance in projection (VIP), gray relational analysis (GRA), and gradient boosting machine (GBM) were used, while using 9 models including adaptive boosting (Adaboost), extremely randomized trees (ERT), and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). The best model was further elucidated using the Shapley additive explanations method. Results indicate that the common sensitive characteristic variables of arid-coastal areas were spectral indices and soil properties in PCC, the spectral variable bands and indices in VIP, and all variables in GRA and GBM. The best inversion model GBM-ERT (R2 = 0.91, RMSE = 1.06) in arid areas exhibited higher accuracy than the best inversion model GBM-Adaboost (R2 = 0.77, RMSE = 1.74) in coastal areas. The arid-coastal inversion model PCC-LightGBM demonstrated the best inversion performance (R2 = 0.64, RMSE = 2.29) and simulation performance in arid (R2 = 0.67) and coastal areas (R2 = 0.63). Dead fuel index (DFI) had the most significant impact on model prediction (0.89) and the second ratio index (RI2) contributed the highest relative importance (18 %) to the model. Our analysis indicates that the arid-coastal model of PCC-LightGBM established using common characteristic variables, can effectively monitor large-scale soil salinity.

Currently, the problems of sustainable and rational land use are becoming relevant in most countries of the world. Ukraine is no exception. And these issues have become extremely urgent as a result of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. In view of this, the purpose of the article is to study and summarize the international experience in the development of the system of sustainable and rational land use; identification of modern problems of land use in the conditions of the legal regime of martial law in Ukraine and ways to solve them. To achieve this purpose, the following general scientific methods were used: analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, component analysis, comparison, analogy, classification, statistical analysis, expert survey, bibliometric analysis, trend analysis (using the Google Trends), structural and logical generalization. A bibliometric and trend analysis of the relationship between the terms «sustainable land use» and «rational land use» is carried out. On the basis of the study and generalization of international experience, specific features and differences in the development of the system of sustainable land use in some countries of the world have been identified. A statistical analysis of indicators of land use development in Ukraine in the pre-wartime period is carried out. The problems, threats and risks of land use associated with hostilities on the territory of Ukraine are identified. The experience of implementing national land restoration policies by countries affected by hostilities is analyzed. It is determined that the current economic conditions in Ukraine require the creation of appropriate institutional conditions and the improvement of mechanisms for ensuring sustainable land use, taking into account the specifics of wartime. As a result of the study, it is proved that in order to ensure sustainable and rational land use in Ukraine, taking into account the best world practices that are used in most countries of the world, it is necessary to develop a set of provisions and recommendations of a theoretical, methodological and practical nature.

Cover crops are intermediary crops planted in between two main cash crops. They play a role in limiting nitrate leaching into groundwater. Currently, there is no database pertaining to cover crops despite their importance. The development period of cover crops is characterized by a dense cloud cover in Europe, which obstructs land surface monitoring using optical remote sensing. This study proposes a cover crops mapping method based on synthetic aperture radar remote sensing data from the Sentinel-1 (S1) constellation, which is unaffected by weather conditions. Our method is based on the dynamics of the S1 backscattering coefficient at the plot level. Using a decision tree, we mapped cover crops. In the decision tree algorithm, filters were added to eliminate other crops that temporally intersect with the cover crop, namely wheat and rapeseed. The proposed decision tree proved effective in detecting existing cover crop plots, as shown by the classification Recall values ranging between 83.5% and 95.0% and the high precision values ranging between 81.5% and 89.2%. Comparison with the Random Forest classifier showed that our proposed method yielded better and more consistent results. The main limitations in the classification approach were weak cover crops and residual vegetation. The results show that the developed approach, based on the S1 time series, is capable of remotely monitoring cover crops, giving managers and decision makers the ability to follow farmers’ work and ascertain if they are applying the recommended agricultural practices that promote sustainable land use and limit the contamination of groundwater.

Comprehensive land consolidation (CLC) is a strategy to promote the intensive, efficient, and sustainable use of land, and is of great significance in repairing degraded land in oases, reversing the decline of the countryside, and activating multiple values of land use. However, how to scientifically assess and zoning management of CLC in dryland oases remains an open question. In this study, a comprehensive analytical framework was established to assess the characteristics of land‐use transformation and the potential for CLC using remotely sensed and geospatial data and spatial analysis methods, a multi‐objective territorial differentiation model, and collaborative path for CLC in oasis villages was proposed. The following key results were obtained. (1) From 2009 to 2018, urban and rural settlements in the hinterland of the Weiku Oasis expanded by 40 km2, and shrub forests and grasslands in the oasis‐desert transition zone shrank substantially by 21.13 km2. The newly cultivated farmland in the oasis‐desert transition zone only offset 62.9% of the occupied farmland in the hinterland of the oasis. (2) The pattern of comprehensive rural land consolidation potential in the Weiku Oasis was consistent with territorial differentiation, with a gradient decrease from the hinterland of the oasis to the desert. The average potential for Comprehensive land consolidation (PCLC) index was 0.31. (3) Three consolidation priorities and six consolidation types were identified for the proposal of 14 combined modes of CLC. Territorial differentiation with respect to the combined modes was discussed. Overall, this study provides useful insights for promoting efficient and sustainable utilization of oasis land resources and implementing zoning management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of land use sustainability (LUS) coupling socioeconomic and ecological systems has drawn the interest of researchers and decision-makers concerned with sustainable development. Exploring the relationships between land use systems can offer a coordinated route for localized and effective land governance strategies. We proposed a new theoretical framework for LUS considering coordinated development between socioeconomy and ecology. We applied it further to the Xiongan New Area, typical of a new region with government-led construction in eastern China, to explore in depth the coupling and coordination relationship among land use systems and their driving factors. Results revealed that: (1) ecological sustainability grew while socioeconomic sustainability declined in most areas of Xiongan New Area during 2010–2020 at the township level, (2) relationships among land use systems in 2010–2020 showed a trend of coordinated development, but generally, their coordination was still only at a primary and moderate level, with a shift from prominent ecological lag to prominent socioeconomic lag, (3) economic factors are critical to the coordinated development of land use systems, while the influence of ecological factors is also increasing, and (4) four development types were identified for the towns: coupling and developed, coupling and undeveloped, tradeoff and developed, and tradeoff and undeveloped. Policymakers can better appreciate the importance of government interventions in future land use planning in terms of sustainable development with the help of land use zoning optimization and sustainable land governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive approach to ecological functional zoning in the Shenzhen region of China is presented in this study. Through the integration of advanced geospatial analysis tools, multiple data sources, and sophisticated statistical techniques, different ecological functions have been identified and categorized based on a comprehensive set of indicators and spatial analysis techniques. The three-level zoning framework established in this study offers policymakers, urban planners, and environmental managers a nuanced understanding of the region’s environmental characteristics, and highlights areas of ecological significance that warrant special attention and protection. It has been demonstrated that the data-driven approach to ecological functional zoning is effective in delineating distinct ecological zones within the study area. This study’s findings carry significant implications for future land use planning, conservation efforts, and sustainable development practices in the Shenzhen region. In essence, this study contributes to the broader discourse on ecological planning and environmental management by providing a systematic and data-driven approach to delineating ecological functional zones in urbanizing regions.

Natural resource management (NRM) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems, which are essential for human health and well-being. This systematic review examines the impact of various NRM practices on water quality and their subsequent effects on public health. Specifically, it focuses on interventions such as watershed management, pollution control, land use management, water treatment, and ecosystem restoration. We conducted a comprehensive search across PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, supplemented by gray literature from Google Scholar, WHO reports, and government and NGO publications, covering studies published between 2014 and 2024. A total of 42 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing diverse geographical regions with significant representation from developing countries. The findings indicate that effective NRM practices, particularly those aimed at reducing pollutants, managing watersheds, and promoting sustainable land use, significantly improve water quality by lowering levels of chemical contaminants, microbial pathogens, and physical pollutants. Improved water quality directly correlates with reduced incidences of waterborne diseases, chronic health conditions from long-term chemical exposure, and acute health effects from immediate pollutant exposure. The review underscores the need for tailored NRM strategies that consider local environmental and socio-economic contexts. It also highlights the importance of community involvement, regulatory frameworks, and continuous monitoring to enhance the effectiveness of NRM interventions. Despite the positive impacts, barriers such as limited financial resources, technical expertise, and community engagement pose challenges to the implementation of these practices. In conclusion, the systematic review demonstrates that comprehensive and context-specific NRM practices are crucial for improving water quality and public health outcomes. Policymakers and practitioners are encouraged to adopt integrated water resource management approaches, prioritize sustainable practices, and engage local communities to achieve long-term health and environmental benefits.

With a predominantly humid tropical climate and a large area for expanding agricultural activities, Angola has in principle favorable conditions for bioenergy production. The focus of this study was to evaluate the availability of suitable land for producing sugarcane. This crop is highly efficient in converting solar energy into biomass for energy purposes in Angola. To this end, this paper outlines a method for data collection, processing, and analysis divided into three sections. The first section uses the GAEZ (Global Agroecological Zones) database and QGIS (Quantum GIS) software (version 3.22.5) to assess land availability for sugarcane cultivation in Angola, classifying the regions’ suitability into four levels. The second section supplements this with data from the FAOSTAT database, systematically excluding areas with restrictions, such as protected zones, land already used for other crops, and regions unsuitable for sugarcane. Finally, the third section employs an agricultural yield model to estimate the potential yield of sugarcane based on climatic parameters and the amount of bioenergy (ethanol and bioelectricity) able to be produced in the available land. Under these criteria, this study identified the existence of 6.3 Mha in lands of good agricultural suitability, with water resources, corresponding to 5% of the Angolan territory, distributed in seven provinces of the country, especially in the provinces of Cuando Cubango and Cunene, where 85% of the very suitable land under irrigation is located. Adopting a model of agricultural productivity, assuming irrigation and adequate agricultural practices, such area could produce approximately 956 million tons of sugarcane annually, which is significantly higher than the current production in this country. This amount of feedstock processed using current technology could potentially produce 81.3 GL of ethanol and 176.9 TWh of electricity with low GHG emissions per year, which is able to mitigate, as a whole, circa 60.3 MtCO2-eq/year by displacing gasoline in light vehicles and diesel and natural gas consumed in power generation.

The Department of Soil Erosion and Conservation has developed the following main scientific areas: "Assessment of Erosion Processes in Soils of Various Bioclimatic Zones," "Study of Fundamentals of Sustainable Land Use," and "Ecological and Economic Assessment of Soil and Land Degradation." It is proposed to develop both the existing areas of scientific research with a certain correction of their names and problems ("Analysis and Modeling of Erosion Processes in Soils, Taking into Account Soil Erosion under Climate Change Conditions," "Development of the Concept of Sustainable Land Use in the Context of Food Security," and "Ecology, Economics, and Sociodemographic Features of Land Use under Conditions of Climate Change and Soil Degradation") and new areas that have some research history at the department "Development of Principles of Soil Protection" and "Development of Methodological Foundations of Land Reclamation." The necessity of creating a holistic concept of soil protection is considered in particular detail. This concept should include the formulation of legal (legislative and regulatory–methodological) principles of soil protection, as well as the development of assessment criteria under which soils should be protected and the development of soil protection systems (primarily systems protecting from erosion processes) under different bioclimatic and administrative-territorial conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As populations and economies have grown rapidly, questions of land development and use have intensified. It has become a major global concern to achieve sustainable land use practices. This study reveals evolution of the spatiotemporal pattern of land development intensity of counties in Shandong Province by introducing a land development intensity measurement model combined with three-dimensional trend surface and spatial autocorrelation analyses. Geodetector and geographically weighted regression models were employed to demonstrate the interplay and spatiotemporal heterogeneity between development intensity and drivers. The empirical results show that the value of land development intensity of counties in Shandong Province shows a general growth trend, with the number of counties with higher values gradually increasing and the number of counties with lower values gradually decreasing. We also found that the spatial heterogeneity of land development intensity across counties in Shandong Province is significant, and the spatial distribution pattern is basically consistent with the "one group, two centers and three circles" strategy proposed by the Shandong Provincial Government. There is also a positive spatial correlation and clustering effect of land development intensity of counties in Shandong Province. High (low) value clusters are concentrated in core hot (cold) counties, driving some of the surrounding counties towards radial development. The alteration in the intensity of county land development is a complex occurrence that is shaped by numerous factors. Among these, GDP per capita and population density have the primary influence on land development of counties in Shandong Province. To achieve coordinated regional social, economic, and environmental benefits, land development within the county should adhere to the principle of adapting to local conditions and implement differentiated development strategies according to different development intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient use and sustainability of agricultural lands depend heavily on the characteristics of soil resources in a given area, as different soil properties can significantly impact crop growth and yield. Therefore, land suitability studies play a crucial role in determining the appropriate crops for a given area and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices. This study, conducted in Tusba District-Van, Turkey, represents a significant advancement in land suitability studies for wheat-barley cultivation. Using geographic information systems, the analytical hierarchical process method, and the standard scoring function, lands were determined based on the examined criteria for the suitability of wheat-barley cultivation. One of this study's main findings is identifying critical factors that influence the suitability of land for wheat-barley cultivation. These factors include slope, organic matter content, available water capacity, soil depth, cation exchange capacity, pH level, and clay content. It is important to note that slope is the most influential factor, followed by organic matter content and available water capacity. A Soil Quality Index map was produced, and the suitability of wheat-barley production in the studied area was demonstrated. More than 28% of the study area was very suitable for wheat-barley production (S2), and more than was 39% moderately suitable (S3). A positive regression (R2 D 0:67) was found between soil quality index values and crop yield. The relationship between soil quality index values and crop yield is above acceptable limits. Land suitability assessment can minimize labor and cost losses in the planning and implementation of sustainable ecological and economic agriculture. Furthermore, land suitability classes play an active role in the selection of the product pattern of the area by presenting a spatial decision support system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain societies are strongly linked to natural resources and their rational management. The growing population has led to the management of mountain areas according to emerging human needs. The study was conducted in the Urej River catchment (The Fann Mountains, Tajikistan). This paper aims to present changes in land use in 1988–2023 resulting from environmental conditions and land reform. Pasturelands predominate in the study area (93.8%), while built-up with kitchen garden and irrigated areas cover 1.8% and 4.0% of the area, respectively. Kitchen gardens and irrigated areas provide food for the residents. Significant land-use changes were observed along the Uroz River, where the irrigation system was developed in areas that have not yet been used for plant cultivation. This is typical of many areas in Tajikistan, where it is impossible to obtain crops without irrigation due to climatic conditions. Until 1988, the study area was not as intensively cultivated as it is today. Under the ongoing lease system based on the Dehkan Farm Act, grazing land is still owned by the state, but inhabitants have access to it. The leased land does little to improve the economic situation of households but contributes to preventing ecosystem degradation on the slopes caused by humans.

The efficient use and sustainability of agricultural lands depend heavily on the characteristics of soil resources in a given area, as different soil properties can significantly impact crop growth and yield. Therefore, land suitability studies play a crucial role in determining the appropriate crops for a given area and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices. This study, conducted in Tusba District-Van, Turkey, represents a significant advancement in land suitability studies for wheat-barley cultivation. Using geographic information systems, the analytical hierarchical process method, and the standard scoring function, lands were determined based on the examined criteria for the suitability of wheat-barley cultivation. One of this study’s main findings is identifying critical factors that influence the suitability of land for wheat-barley cultivation. These factors include slope, organic matter content, available water capacity, soil depth, cation exchange capacity, pH level, and clay content. It is important to note that slope is the most influential factor, followed by organic matter content and available water capacity. A Soil Quality Index map was produced, and the suitability of wheat-barley production in the studied area was demonstrated. More than 28% of the study area was very suitable for wheat-barley production (S2), and more than was 39% moderately suitable (S3). A positive regression (R2 = 0.67) was found between soil quality index values and crop yield. The relationship between soil quality index values and crop yield is above acceptable limits. Land suitability assessment can minimize labor and cost losses in the planning and implementation of sustainable ecological and economic agriculture. Furthermore, land suitability classes play an active role in the selection of the product pattern of the area by presenting a spatial decision support system.

Peatland degradation through drainage and peat extraction have detrimental environmental and societal consequences. Rewetting is an option to restore lost ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage, biodiversity and nutrient sequestration. Peat mosses (Sphagnum) are the most important peat‐forming species in bogs. Most Sphagnum species occur in nutrient‐poor habitats; however, high growth rates have been reported in artificial nutrient‐rich conditions with optimal water supply.Here, we demonstrate the differences in nutrient dynamics of 12 Sphagnum species during their establishment in a 1‐year field experiment at a Sphagnum paludiculture area in Germany. The 12 species are categorized into three groups (slower‐, medium‐ and fast‐growing). Establishment of peat mosses is facilitated by constant supply of nutrient‐rich, low pH, and low alkalinity surface water.Our study shows that slower‐growing species (S. papillosum, S. magellancium, S. fuscum, S. rubellum, S. austinii; often forming hummocks) displayed signs of nutrient imbalance. These species accumulated higher amounts of N, P, K and Ca in their capitula, and had an elevated stem N:K quotient (>3). Additionally, this group sequestered less C and K per m2 than the fast and medium‐growing species (S. denticulatum, S. fallax, S. riparium, S. fimbriatum, S. squarrosum, S. palustre, S. centrale). Lower lawn thickness may have amplified negative effects of flooding in the slower‐growing species.We conclude that nutrient dynamics and carbon/nutrient sequestration rates are species‐specific. For bog restoration, generating ecosystem services or choosing suitable donor material for Sphagnum paludiculture, it is crucial to consider their compatibility with prevailing environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science-policy interactions can both facilitate and hamper professional normative judgement, i.e. a value judgement about the desirability of a certain situation. Anthropogenic land subsidence, contributing to relative sea-level rise in the economically important Western peatland areas in the Netherlands is a case in point. The implementation of mitigation, adaptation and compensation measures is lagging, partly due to science-policy interaction problems potentially leading to conflicts between stakeholders, including agrarians, climate scientists and inhabitants. We find that professional normative judgement is enhanced when researchers and societal stakeholders reflect more critically on their role and engage in more inclusive science-policy interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the valuation of forest resources, the alternative use of the land is one of the central themes. In most cases it is made without taking into account the uncertainty and the possible flexibility of the alternative use. Within these alternatives, the strategy of shifting to a more profitable and sustainable crop is a well-studied topic in forest research. Although the transformation opportunity could add great value to the project, the valuation of this flexibility is obviated by traditional discounted cashflow criteria (NPV). The application of real options theory (ROT) makes it possible to assess this flexibility based on the uncertainty that the transformation entails. However, the hypotheses that are made about the future evolution of the underlying asset, in this case the value of the new crop, may condition the precision of the result. Usually some researchers model these conversions under the hypothesis of geometric Brownian motion (GBM), hypotheses that are not plausible when the new crop has a strong seasonal component. In this work, an adapted model framework is proposed to evaluate forest transformation opportunity into another crop when land use has both high agronomic potential and high seasonal component, a context in which classic real options framework is not applicable. As a work based on a theoretical model, after methodological motivation, the strawberry crop is chosen as alternative due to its seasonal component. Using private data for this crop, we model through the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, with mean-reversion (MR) to a seasonal component, and then we use of Longstaff and Schwartz's algorithm to calculate the option value. The results show that when considering flexibility in option valuation it leads to an increase on the return of more than 4%. Furthermore, robustness analysis evidence shows that option value is very sensitive to seasonal component, reinforcing previous evidence that suggests that the MR process offers a more accurate and appropriate valuation over the traditional GBM in the arena of agronomic potential valuation. Specifically, the result of valuing this transformation through the MR process is between 1.5 and 1.7 times the value of the NPV, which results in approximately a 13% annual return. If GBM had been used, the valuation would have been a 72% annual return, an unrealistic result in this context, due to the non-consideration of the seasonal mean-reverting prices process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Indigenous Peoples in Canada have survived hundreds of years of colonization and systematic exploitation, including actions carried out in the pursuit of energy resources and infrastructure development in traditional Indigenous territories. Research has been a tool in this exploitation through its legacy of research ‘on’ rather than ‘with’ Indigenous Peoples. As societies grapple with reconciliation, including how to build partnerships for sustainable land and energy development, engineering and technical research must use respectful approaches that centre on Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Main text This preliminary review aims to be a step to address the lack of literature on respectful research with Indigenous Peoples within the context of engineering, energy, and infrastructure. To this end, we: (a) summarize three key frameworks that have been used in technical research projects for carrying out research respectfully, as defined by Indigenous and Indigenist ways of knowing and doing (Research is Ceremony, Two-Eyed Seeing, and doing research in a “Good Way”) and derive from them overarching principles; (b) identify a sample of 13 engineering, energy and infrastructure research projects that report using an Indigenous-centred approach. These relate to five technical areas, whose relevance to Indigenous communities was verified through community partners: water, energy, housing, telecommunications, and food systems; (c) assess the extent to which these 13 projects applied the principles of respectful research when working with Indigenous communities. Among the 13 projects identified, it is evident that some researchers in the fields of engineering, energy, and infrastructure are struggling and striving to engage respectfully with Indigenous communities. However, few include full details of their relationships and interactions with Indigenous communities in their published work. Conclusions These findings suggest a lack of details on respectful collaboration with Indigenous communities in technical literature. Gaps include a scarcity of evidence that Indigenous communities were involved in high-level decision-making or provided post-project feedback. Further work is needed to embed respectful research principles into the training, processes, and institutions of technical fields. This is essential to ensure ethical partnerships between technical researchers and Indigenous communities.

This work presents a review of the actual monograph “Financial support for the formation of sustainable competitiveness of land use of agricultural enterprises” prepared by Professor, DrS, PhD Anatolii Kucher. The main provisions of the fundamental monograph and its contribution to the development of the modern system of scientific knowledge on the theory, methodology and practice of financial support for the sustainable competitiveness of land use of agricultural enterprises are presented.

Analysis of land use sustainability (LUS) coupling socioeconomic and ecological systems has drawn the interest of researchers and decision-makers concerned with sustainable development. Exploring the relationships between land use systems can offer a coordinated route for localized and effective land governance strategies. We proposed a new theoretical framework for LUS considering coordinated development between socioeconomy and ecology. We applied it further to the Xiongan New Area, typical of a new region with government-led construction in eastern China, to explore in depth the coupling and coordination relationship among land use systems and their driving factors. Results revealed that: (1) ecological sustainability grew while socioeconomic sustainability declined in most areas of Xiongan New Area during 2010–2020 at the township level, (2) relationships among land use systems in 2010–2020 showed a trend of coordinated development, but generally, their coordination was still only at a primary and moderate level, with a shift from prominent ecological lag to prominent socioeconomic lag, (3) economic factors are critical to the coordinated development of land use systems, while the influence of ecological factors is also increasing, and (4) four development types were identified for the towns: coupling and developed, coupling and undeveloped, tradeoff and developed, and tradeoff and undeveloped. Policymakers can better appreciate the importance of government interventions in future land use planning in terms of sustainable development with the help of land use zoning optimization and sustainable land governance.

The article proposes that the most important measure to ensure the efficiency of sustainable land use of the land resource management mechanism in the management system of agrarian enterprises is to determine the transition to the principles of adaptive landscape farming, which is a system of forming land relations that provide for the rationalization and harmonization of the interaction of natural components of the landscape and the activities of agrarian enterprises in the conditions of modern agri-industrial production. It is emphasized that in connection with this, the methodology for the formation of land relations should integrate natural and landscape criteria, consisting in the adaptation of agricultural activity to the natural conditions of the territory involved in agrarian production, and the ecological-economic aspects, the contentual essence of which is the timely implementation preventive measures that restore soil and resource potential and improve the quality of agrarian ecosystems. The transformation of land relations according to the principles of adaptive landscape organization of territories means, first of all, the optimal ratio of agricultural lands. The ecological and economic purpose of agrilandscapes is to constantly increase the share of areas that stabilize the natural environment, or, in other words, forest plantations, pastures, hay-fields, while simultaneously reducing the share of ecologically degraded arable land. The efficiency of the land resource management process in the management system of agrarian enterprises depends on the mutual compliance of the internal and external conditions of the functioning of agri-industrial production. The external conditions of operation should include the factors that determine the process of formation of land resources (climate, relief, soil and plant cover, regulatory and legal support for land use, tax policy, etc.). The internal conditions of the operation of the land use mechanism include the management system of an agrarian enterprise, organizational form of enterprises, methods of technological influence, machines and mechanisms, management process, etc.

This study presents the results of an experimental work carried out on tomato seedlings of the same varietal type, grown under a Mediterranean climate and irrigated with ozonised water at different ozonisation durations that vary from zero to 30 seconds. In order to assess the impact of aqueous ozone on the agronomic performances and the physicochemical characteristics of fruits. The tomatoes responded differently between themselves and the control batch. The results obtained showed precocity of germination, an increase in growth, development, and vigour in the experimental plants compared to the controls. The yield is proportional to the increase in the ozonisation time of irrigation water. During the reproductive phase of the plants, no negative effects were observed. The physicochemical characteristics of fruits could be evaluated; they are distinguished from higher sugar contents in the experimental tomatoes compared to controls, no great difference for the other criteria analysed, the latter were generally in accordance with the standardized values of the literature as well as with the applicable national regulations. Ozonisation of irrigation water is an effective and promising alternative method, which improves germination time and increases fruit yield without negatively affecting their marketability.

For a long time, rural economic development has put economic benefits in the first place, ignoring the impact of unreasonable land use on local land resources and ecological environment, which is not conducive to the long-term high-quality development of local economy and sustainable land use. There is an urgent need to study the relationship between sustainable land use and rural economic development in order to achieve the coordinated development of the two. By using the methods of literature research and field investigation, this paper studies Meining Village, Tiandong County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The study found that farmers tend to plant pure eucalyptus forest, single land use structure, short-term rotation planting model and traditional afforestation and land preparation technology are not conducive to sustainable land use in forest areas, and affected by economic and educational factors, farmers' livelihood is relatively simple, so the development of rural economy will be restricted. In view of the above problems, this paper puts forward the following solutions; changing the land use model of Meining Village to promote sustainable land use; introducing advanced science and technology and diversified livelihood ways to promote the sustainable development of rural economy; building a virtuous circle of sustainable land use and rural economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Indigenous Peoples in Canada have survived hundreds of years of colonization and systematic exploitation, including actions carried out in the pursuit of energy resources and infrastructure development in traditional Indigenous territories. Research has been a tool in this exploitation through its legacy of research 'on' rather than 'with' Indigenous Peoples. As societies grapple with reconciliation, including how to build partnerships for sustainable land and energy development, engineering and technical research must use respectful approaches that centre on Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Main text: This preliminary review aims to be a step to address the lack of literature on respectful research with Indigenous Peoples within the context of engineering, energy, and infrastructure. To this end, we: (a) summarize three key frameworks that have been used in technical research projects for carrying out research respectfully, as defined by Indigenous and Indigenist ways of knowing and doing (Research is Ceremony, Two-Eyed Seeing, and doing research in a "Good Way") and derive from them overarching principles; (b) identify a sample of 13 engineering, energy and infrastructure research projects that report using an Indigenous-centred approach. These relate to five technical areas, whose relevance to Indigenous communities was verified through community partners: water, energy, housing, telecommunications, and food systems; (c) assess the extent to which these 13 projects applied the principles of respectful research when working with Indigenous communities. Among the 13 projects identified, it is evident that some researchers in the fields of engineering, energy, and infrastructure are struggling and striving to engage respectfully with Indigenous communities. However, few include full details of their relationships and interactions with Indigenous communities in their published work. Conclusions: These findings suggest a lack of details on respectful collaboration with Indigenous communities in technical literature. Gaps include a scarcity of evidence that Indigenous communities were involved in high-level decision-making or provided post-project feedback. Further work is needed to embed respectful research principles into the training, processes, and institutions of technical fields. This is essential to ensure ethical partnerships between technical researchers and Indigenous communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary object of this study is to survey the spatial heterogeneity of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area, The introduction of GIS technology into the evaluation index system under the traditional concept of circular economy, combined with the "double carbon target" and the methods of entropy weight analysis and superposition analysis led to the establishment of the evaluation index system for sustainable land use in the GIS model. The evaluation's findings indicate that: (1) Spatially, the horizontal gravity center of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area changed dimensionally from 2010 to 2021, and the spatial gravity center shifted from north to south. (2) In terms of time characteristics, sustainable land use showed a steady upward trend in the 11 years from 2010 to 2021. (3) There were regional differences and uneven development levels in the comprehensive evaluation of sustainable land use in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. It shows that there are great differences in the degree of social and economic development among federation-level cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. From the current research on the sustainable use of land resources, the evaluation of sustainable use of land based on the concept of a circular economy is less favorable. Thus far, there has been no case study on land sustainability in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area based on carbon cycles. In this study, the results are systematically sorted out, and the influencing factors are analyzed in depth to provide theoretical guidance on the sustainable and circular development of society, culture, and economy in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the land use changes induced by various economic activities in agricultural ecosystems have affected many aspects of human life. This is the reason why land use change is considered as one of the agriculture-related environmental impacts in a sustainability assessment of food and bio-based products. At the same time, the methodology applied for the quantification of land use change effects is still under intensive research, stimulating scientific discussions. The overall objective of this paper is to fill the gap in knowledge of responsible and sustainable land use management. Specifically, the research provides a comprehensive set of land use change indicators in the context of land use change and land use efficiency. The indicators can be measured based on publicly available databases with the applicability to agricultural sustainability assessment of land use change on a local, regional and global scale. The high share of artificial land and dominant agricultural use of land with low land use intensity were noted in Belgium, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Slovenia, Cyprus, Croatia, Finland, Germany, and United Kingdom. However, land use efficiency was also low. In turn, heterogeneous land cover (but less artificial areas than in other EU countries) and heterogeneous land uses with diverse land use intensity were noted in Austria, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, and Sweden. The challenge in future research could be aggregation of different indicators in assessing the similarity of land use between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive cropland expansion for an increasing population has driven soil degradation worldwide. Modeling how agroecosystems respond to variations in soil attributes, relief and crop management dynamics can guide soil conservation. This research presents a new approach to evaluate soil loss by water erosion in cropland using the RUSLE model and Synthetic Soil Image (spectroscopy technique), which uses time series remotely sensed environmental, agricultural and anthropic variables, in the southeast region of São Paulo State, Brazil. The availability of the open-access satellite images of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Landsat satellite images provided ten years of rainfall data and 35 years of exposed soil surface. The bare soil surface and agricultural land use were extracted, and the multi-temporal rainfall erosivity was assessed. We predict soil maps' attributes (texture and organic matter) through innovative soil spectroscopy techniques to assess the soil erodibility and soil loss tolerance. The erosivity, erodibility, and topography obtained by the Earth observations were adopted to estimate soil erosion in four scenarios of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) residue coverage (0%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) in five years of the sugarcane cycle: the first year of sugarcane harvest and four subsequent harvesting years from 2013 to 2017. Soil loss tolerance means 4.3 Mg ha−1 exceeds the minimum rate in 40% of the region, resulting in a total soil loss of ~6 million Mg yr−1 under total coverage management (7 Mg ha−1). Our findings suggest that sugarcane straw production has not been sufficient to protect the soil loss against water erosion. Thus, straw removal is unfeasible unless alternative conservation practices are adopted, such as minimum soil tillage, contour lines, terracing and other techniques that favor increases in organic matter content and soil flocculating cations. This research also identifies a spatiotemporal erosion-prone area that requests an immediately sustainable land development guide to restore and rehabilitate the vulnerable ecosystem service. The high-resolution spatially distribution method provided can identify soil degradation-prone areas and the cropland expansion frequency. This information may guide farms and the policymakers for a better request of conservation practices according to site-specific management variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term agroforestry yard is used to name the area around the residence composed of the consortium between agricultural plants, trees, and animals. The present study aimed to characterize rural agroforestry yards in the municipality of Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. A semi-structured questionnaire was applied in 27 households to obtain the characterization of the family and the yards. We observed that the families are mostly composed of adults (52%) and the individuals have, predominantly, elementary education (62.9%). The yards management is generally carried out by the whole family, however young people have little interest in the activities developed; the floristic composition presents mostly fruit (66%) and exotic (57%) species and poultry is the main source of animal protein (84%). Few families sell the products (22.2%), probably due to the age of the yards, since most are in formation (48%), and to the low diversity of species. Therefore, it is recommended the enrichment of the yards with different agricultural and forestry species. The agroforestry yards can be used in the semiarid region as an alternative to traditional production systems, considering the climatic characteristics of the region and with a view to sustainable agricultural and forestry production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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