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Maintaining a balance between urban land (UL) expansion and urban population (UP) growth is one of the goals of sustainable development, and maintaining this balance requires more theoretical exploration and regional experience. This paper re-evaluated the imbalances in growth between urban land and urban population (IGULUP) from the perspective of allometric growth and explored its influencing mechanism, taking urban agglomerations (UAs) in China as a case. This paper reveals that the growth rate of UL in China is slightly higher than that of the UP. However, the IGULUP vary according to development stages. UAs in the primary stage and the early growth stage face the dilemma where UL grows faster than the UP. Conversely, for UAs in the later growth stage and the mature stage, the growth rate of the UP is higher than that of UL. Finally, an increase in economic development level, population agglomeration, fiscal expenditure, and urban compactness can help mitigate the gap between UL and UP. In contrast, industrial structure, urbanization level, and foreign direct investment may hinder the improvement of IGULUP by accelerating the rate of land expansion. These findings may make theoretical contributions to the formulation of more targeted land use control policies and urban population growth strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban land development involves converting rural land into urban land suitable for various purposes such as residential, commercial, industrial, mixed-use development, and infrastructure services. The urban land development in Tanzanian cities faces numerous challenges rooted in colonial-era practices and the coexistence of customary and formal land ownership systems. This study thoroughly examines the limitations of conventional land development approaches and their impacts on spatial planning. This study compares traditional land acquisition and development with innovative, self-financing, cost-effective strategies. The study deployed a mixed methodology comprising questionnaire surveys and interviews to address specific objectives for improving urban land development practices. The findings highlight the potential of innovative strategies in catalysing urban development and spatial planning, offering a promising path forward. It emphasises the need to integrate diverse approaches to address infrastructure challenges, enhance spatial planning, and protect the interests of affected communities, thereby fostering a more sustainable and equitable urban landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific quantitative measurement of the coupling relationship between urban population (UP) and urban land (UL) is conducive to promoting intensive land use, coordinated human–land development, and new urbanization development. This research proposed an improved coupling model of polar coordinates to study the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics between UP and UL at the prefecture-level city scale in China from 2010 to 2020. The study results include the following: (1) The growth rate of UL in China's prefecture-level cities was higher than that of UP. The per capita urban land (PUL) was always within the ideal range, and the dynamic human–land coupling state remained reasonable. (2) The UP, UL, and dynamic human–land coupling rationality in China showed characteristics that were high in the east and low in the west. The PUL showed characteristics that were high in the northwest and low in the southeast. (3) This study divided China's prefecture-level cities into four regions according to the coupling characteristics and formulated regionally differentiated optimization strategies. In summary, this study carried out a more scientific and reasonable quantitative measurement of the coupling relationship between UP and UL in China, resulting in a more reliable and targeted formulation of optimization strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses how geographic information technologies (GIS) can be used to monitor and administer urban environments. In modern conditions, when cities face the challenges of rapid population growth, urbanization, climate change and environmental degradation, traditional methods of urban management become insufficiently effective. GIS technologies offer innovative solutions to collect, analyze and visualize spatial data to enable more informed decision making. The article includes a review of previous research in this area, including the work of Michael Goodchild, Rodrigo Garcia and Yang Li, who have made significant contributions to the theory and practice of GIS applications in urban management. The focus is on methods and algorithms used for data monitoring and analysis, such as data collection, data processing, analysis using clustering and spatial regression techniques, and data visualization using cartographic techniques and 3D models. The paper details the flowcharts of urban environment monitoring processes and algorithms used for data analysis. Examples of mathematical models and thematic maps used to present the results of the analysis are given. The conclusion offers perspectives on the further development of GIS and its integration with other advanced technologies, such as the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, to solve complex urban management problems. The purpose of this article is to substantiate the importance and effectiveness of using geoinformation technologies for monitoring and administration of urban environment, as well as to provide practical recommendations and examples of using GIS technologies in various aspects of urban management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The historical topographic map preserves rich geographic information and can provide direct assistance for the reconstruction of various geographic elements. Based on the historical data of cities throughout the Qing Dynasty, the land use scale data of cities across the country was obtained using GIS and urban perimeter conversion models. This study combines city information and city circumference records from the historical maps and archives of the late Qing Dynasty to quantitatively reconstruct the use patterns of ancient China’s urban land at a spatial resolution of 1° × 1°. Uncertainty analysis of the reconstruction results was conducted using modern remote sensing image data as the validation data set. The results showed the following. (1) During the late Qing Dynasty, the total area of urban land in the various provinces and regions was 1456.015 km2. The maximum value was 208.691 km2 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the minimum value was 1.713 km2 in Qinghai, and the average value was 56.001 km2. (2) The results of grid reconstruction show that among the 398 grids with urban land distribution, the maximum value is 64.099 km2/grid, the minimum value is 0.013 km2/grid, and the average value is 3.658 km2/grid. (3) Of all the grids with urban land, the urban land grid to the west of the Hu Line accounts for 12.5% and the east to 87.5%. (4) During the late Qing Dynasty, urban land use in China was primarily concentrated in agriculturally developed areas such as the North China Plain, the Central Plains, Jiangnan, and the Sichuan-Chongqing region. (6) The results of a kernel density estimation showed that there were obviously three core areas of urban land agglomeration in China during the late Qing Dynasty: the North China Plain-Central Plains, the Jiangsu-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Anhui area, and the Sichuan-Chongqing urban core area. This study provides basic data for urban land use during historical periods and provides a basis for the quantitative reconstruction of relevant urban land data for historical archives.

The historical topographic map preserves rich geographic information and can provide direct assistance for the reconstruction of various geographic elements. Based on the historical data of cities throughout the Qing Dynasty, the land use scale data of cities across the country was obtained using GIS and urban perimeter conversion models. This study combines city information and city circumference records from the historical maps and archives of the late Qing Dynasty to quantitatively reconstruct the use patterns of ancient China's urban land at a spatial resolution of 1° × 1°. Uncertainty analysis of the reconstruction results was conducted using modern remote sensing image data as the validation data set. The results showed the following. (1) During the late Qing Dynasty, the total area of urban land in the various provinces and regions was 1456.015 km2. The maximum value was 208.691 km2 in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the minimum value was 1.713 km2 in Qinghai, and the average value was 56.001 km2. (2) The results of grid reconstruction show that among the 398 grids with urban land distribution, the maximum value is 64.099 km2/grid, the minimum value is 0.013 km2/grid, and the average value is 3.658 km2/grid. (3) Of all the grids with urban land, the urban land grid to the west of the Hu Line accounts for 12.5% and the east to 87.5%. (4) During the late Qing Dynasty, urban land use in China was primarily concentrated in agriculturally developed areas such as the North China Plain, the Central Plains, Jiangnan, and the Sichuan-Chongqing region. (6) The results of a kernel density estimation showed that there were obviously three core areas of urban land agglomeration in China during the late Qing Dynasty: the North China Plain-Central Plains, the Jiangsu-Shanghai-Zhejiang-Anhui area, and the Sichuan-Chongqing urban core area. This study provides basic data for urban land use during historical periods and provides a basis for the quantitative reconstruction of relevant urban land data for historical archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background In 2016, Ethiopia's land governance assessment framework was developed by the World Bank with other bilateral partners. The main aim of developing this framework is to assess the land governance throughout the country. Goal and Objectives: This study aim to assess the current practice of urban land governance based on the framework in Addis Ababa and Adama Methodology: Data was collected by closed-ended questionnaires. The questioners were distributed to Urban Land Management and Development experts in the study areas. Results: The study found out that land rights recognition, dispute resolution, large-scale land transfer to private investors, valuing and taxing of land and registry and cadastre of public providing of land information panels were practicing strong. Rights for communal lands, as well as forest and rural lands usage regulations, planning, using, and development of urban land, policies and institutional arrangements, and public land management panels were practicing weak. The study concluded that out of nine panels 5 panels were practiced strong and 4 panels were practiced weak at the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticipated sea level rises from global climate change pose a significant flood risk to urban land. Evaluating urban land suitability under sea level rise scenarios is crucial for promoting sustainable development. Recent research has advanced the application of artificial intelligence and the integration of GIS with models, yet the impact of climate change on land suitability has often been overlooked. This study focuses on Xihu District in Hangzhou, utilizing the entropy weight and matter-element model to evaluate land suitability for urban development. The evaluation results were cross-verified with land use plans. A comprehensive analysis of potential flood risk to urban land in 2100 was conducted, considering varying degrees of sea level rise under Sustainable Development Scenario SSP1-2.6 and High-end Emission Scenario SSP5-8.5, as well as the scenario reflecting the most severe sea level rise during extreme climate events. The results indicate that more than half of the land in the study area is suitable for construction, aligning spatially with the current planned urban land. The analysis process of the matter-element model reflects the impact level of each indicator on urban land suitability, conveying information both spatially and numerically, thus enhancing accuracy. Scenario analysis reveals that approximately 10% to 20% of urban land in the study area could face flooding threats due to future sea level rises, primarily in the northern and southeastern regions. Recommendations for future land development and spatial planning strategies to address flood risk are discussed, aiming to alleviate the pressure on urban land in response to future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, urbanisation has rapidly developed in various locations. While the urban landscape has changed dramatically as a result of rapid urbanisation, academics have also noted an increase in congestion, pollution in metropolitan areas, a reduction in public services, and aging infrastructure. These indicate that land use change can have adverse impact on society and environment and therefore it puts enormous pressure on governments. To be sustainable, the resources that can be used for development must be identified, together with their restrictions, as well as the natural elements and constraints that must be maintained or sustained for the correct functioning of ecosystems. Therefore, accurate estimates of future urban expansion are essential for sustainable growth and the preservation of the environment. While the UN advice utilising the SDG indicator 11.3.1 “the ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate” to estimate and predict the sustainability of urbanisation, there are still insufficient accurate projections and useful evaluations available at the city level, particularly with regard to future urban expansion. The main obstacle to informing the realisation of urban sustainable development goals under the framework of SDGs has been the limited understanding of the dynamics of the urbanisation sustainability in the next decades. This article examines the land use changes for urban uses, and further applies different methods for the projection of residential and industrial/commercial land uses in the selected case study area i.e. NUTS3 (nomenclature of terrestrial units for statistics) regions of Turkey which demonstrate a city level analysis. Density measures, trend extrapolation and regression analysis are the subject statistical methods used for projecting the land use. The findings show that using the chosen methodologies to project past changes leads in significant uncertainty. Linear regression estimated the highest residential land use values for east, north and west; density measure estimated the highest values for north-west and south regions. Regarding the industrial/commercial land use demand, highest values were projected by linear regression method for east and north, by linear trend extrapolation method for north-west, south, and west regions. The results are significantly influenced by the variation in selected variables, and spatial organization of the study region. Therefore, validation analysis as a future research focus will be essential to select the most appropriate model that can be used to project the land use changes in Turkey. The results from the current analysis can be adopted by the government and local authorities for the land management and sustainable growth of urban land use in the Turkish regional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy mental contamination in urban land is a serious environmental issue for large cities. Visible and near-infrared spectroscopy has been rapidly developed as a new method for estimating copper (Cu) levels, which is one of the heavy metals. Spectral pretreatment is essential for reducing noise and enhancing analysis. In the traditional method, the entire spectrum is uniformly pretreated. However, in reality, the influence of pretreatment on the spectrum may vary depending on the wavelengths. Limited research has been conducted on breaking down the entire spectrum into distinct parts for individualized pretreatment, an innovative method called piecewise pretreatment. This study gathered 250 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) in Shenzhen City, southwest China, and obtained their vis-NIR spectra (350–2500 nm) in the laboratory. This study divided the spectrum into three parts, each processed by six commonly used spectral pretreatments. The number of pretreated parts varied from 1 to 3, resulting in 342 PLSR models being built. Compared to the traditional method, piecewise pretreatment showed an increase in mean residual predictive deviation (RPD) from 1.55 to 1.71 and an increase in the percentage of positive outcomes in ∆RPD from 33.33% to 55.56%. Thus, we concluded that piecewise pretreatment generally outperforms the traditional method. Furthermore, piecewise pretreatment aims to choose the most effective pretreatment method for each part to optimize the Cu estimation model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To learn the process of urban land evolution before and after an earthquake is vital to formulate the urban reconstruction control policies and recovery measures in the earthquake-stricken areas. However, spatiotemporal evolution and its driving factors of urban land in earthquake-prone areas remains limited due to the scarcity of ground observation data. This research, leveraging night-time light remote sensing imagery and land cover data, conducted a comprehensive analysis of the long-term evolution characteristics of urban land in earthquake-prone areas. It introduced methodologies for assessing the socio-economic impact and the primary natural environmental factors driving urban land evolution in these regions. To validate the proposed methods, the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake-affected area in China was selected as a representative study area. The results indicated that the average Digital Number (DN) values in socio-economically impacted areas showed a trend of rising, falling, and then rising again after the earthquake. DN values in three types of damaged areas including Type II,Type III, and Type IV exceeded pre-earthquake levels. The analysis of determinative factors influencing urban land evolution revealed that slope and elevation were key elements in controlling urban land expansion before the earthquake, whereas factors such as slope, elevation, lithology, and faults had a stronger influence on urban land expansion after the earthquake. It can be seen that, in view of the differences in the natural conditions of regions for post-disaster reconstruction, the local government need to actively adjust and adapt to urban spatial planning, so as to leverage the scale effect of large-scale inputs of funds, facilities, human resources and other factors after the disaster, thus enhancing resilience and recovery efficiency in response to disaster impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different types of urban construction land are different in terms of driving factors for their expansion. Most existing studies on driving forces for urban construction land expansion have considered the construction urban land as a whole and have not examined and compared the differentiated driving forces for different types of construction land expansion. This study explored the differentiated driving mechanisms for two types of urban construction land expansion by selecting key driving factors and using spatial econometric regression and geographical detector models. The results show that there are significant differences in the driving forces for expansion between the two types of urban construction land. The driving factors of urban land expansion do not necessarily affect industrial parks. And the factors acting on expansion of both types are different in influence degree. For urban expansion, economic density growth, the value-added growth of tertiary industries, and proximity to urban centers have a negative effect. However, urbanization levels and value-added growth of secondary industries have a positive effect. The explanatory power of these factors is arranged in the following descending order: value-added growth of tertiary industries, value-added change of secondary industries, urban population growth, economic density growth, and proximity to urban centers; road network density has no significant effect. For industrial parks expansion, the value-added growth of secondary industries and road network density has a positive effect, while economic density growth has a negative effect. The explanatory power is arranged in the following descending order: value-added growth of secondary industries, road network density, and economic density growth. The findings can help implement differentiated and refined urban land use management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Route Educational & Social Science Journal (Ress Journal) is the property of Ress Academy Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Maintaining a balance between urban land (UL) expansion and urban population (UP) growth is one of the goals of sustainable development, and maintaining this balance requires more theoretical exploration and regional experience. This paper re-evaluated the imbalances in growth between urban land and urban population (IGULUP) from the perspective of allometric growth and explored its influencing mechanism, taking urban agglomerations (UAs) in China as a case. This paper reveals that the growth rate of UL in China is slightly higher than that of the UP. However, the IGULUP vary according to development stages. UAs in the primary stage and the early growth stage face the dilemma where UL grows faster than the UP. Conversely, for UAs in the later growth stage and the mature stage, the growth rate of the UP is higher than that of UL. Finally, an increase in economic development level, population agglomeration, fiscal expenditure, and urban compactness can help mitigate the gap between UL and UP. In contrast, industrial structure, urbanization level, and foreign direct investment may hinder the improvement of IGULUP by accelerating the rate of land expansion. These findings may make theoretical contributions to the formulation of more targeted land use control policies and urban population growth strategies.

Bans on the cosmetic use of pesticides in urban green spaces (UGS) is part of the toolbox to reduce pesticide use. While most technical barriers have been lifted, the acceptability of the global changes induced by pesticide-free UGS management is questioned. Public administrators in charge of UGSs have their own preferences and poorly informed opinions on citizens' ones. A Discrete Choice Experiment approach was adopted to investigate the discrepancy between the preferences of French citizens and public administrators in charge of technical and budget decisions, in 2017, when the pesticide ban was enforced. Results indicate that the most important differences are in the willingness to improve the working conditions of the maintenance teams, the interest in more natural UGSs and the relevance of communication on the pesticide ban. By challenging some of the opinions of UGS administrators with regard to citizens' preferences, our results remove some of the barriers to a successful transition toward pesticide-free UGSs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bahir Dar, a city in Ethiopia, is grappling with the challenges of rapid urbanization, which has made affordable housing a critical issue for its growing population. This study specifically focuses on the urban land acquisition process for cooperative housing schemes, which serve as an essential component of Bahir Dar’s affordable housing program. This atudy aimed to examine the current practices, identify the challenges faced by housing cooperatives during land acquisition and construction, and propose strategies for improvement. The primary data for this research were collected through interviews with key informants from the Bahir Dar City administration’s land management, cooperative organizer office, housing development and management office, and housing cooperative committees. Additionally, three focus group discussion (FGD) sessions were conducted, involving 21 participants from cooperative members who had acquired residential land and from those who were waiting for allocation, including both female- and male-headed households. These discussions explored their views on the effectiveness of the cooperative housing scheme, the challenges encountered during cooperation and construction, and their recommendations for enhancement. Secondary data were also gathered through a comprehensive review of policies, regulations, research articles, reports, and relevant legal documents. The study revealed that, out of the 35,512 certified housing cooperative members since 2014, only 31,596 of them had received residential land plots. However, a relatively small fraction, i.e., less than 7,000 cooperative members, managed to partially or fully construct their homes. This indicates that the scheme has not fully achieved its intended goal and remains unaffordable for many members. The main challenges faced by cooperative members include lengthy delays in obtaining serviced land, high construction costs, and unrealistic building standards for cooperative housing units. In light of these findings, it is recommended that the Amhara National Regional State revise its housing cooperative policy to become affordable for cooperative housing members, particularly in terms of land acquisition costs and building standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Administrative Sciences / Yonetim Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart Universitesi, Terzioglu Kampusu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hacettepe University Journal of Economics & Administrative Sciences / Hacettepe Üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of Hacettepe University, Faculty of Economic & Administrative Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microplastics (MPs) pervade various ecosystems, including urban landscapes. The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of MPs in atmospheric deposition samples is related to land use. For this purpose, atmospheric deposition was collected from 15 to 25 March 2021 at seven research sites in the city of Pristina (Kosovo). Each research site was characterized by different land use. Collected atmospheric deposition samples were analyzed in the laboratory, and then the filtered samples were assessed using a light microscope. The type and size of microplastics in the samples were defined and statistically analyzed. The highest number of total MPs was noted on the highway, while the lowest one was near to the park. A positive relationship was observed between the number of total MPs and the proportion of areas classified as "roads and associated areas" in the land use of the analyzed research sites. Furthermore, a negative relationship was found between the number of total MPs and the proportion of areas classified as "green urban areas". Based on our preliminary research, it can be observed that the type of land use may have a key role in MPs' atmospheric deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific quantitative measurement of the coupling relationship between urban population (UP) and urban land (UL) is conducive to promoting intensive land use, coordinated human–land development, and new urbanization development. This research proposed an improved coupling model of polar coordinates to study the spatiotemporal coupling characteristics between UP and UL at the prefecture-level city scale in China from 2010 to 2020. The study results include the following: (1) The growth rate of UL in China’s prefecture-level cities was higher than that of UP. The per capita urban land (PUL) was always within the ideal range, and the dynamic human–land coupling state remained reasonable. (2) The UP, UL, and dynamic human–land coupling rationality in China showed characteristics that were high in the east and low in the west. The PUL showed characteristics that were high in the northwest and low in the southeast. (3) This study divided China’s prefecture-level cities into four regions according to the coupling characteristics and formulated regionally differentiated optimization strategies. In summary, this study carried out a more scientific and reasonable quantitative measurement of the coupling relationship between UP and UL in China, resulting in a more reliable and targeted formulation of optimization strategies.

Bahir Dar, a city in Ethiopia, is grappling with the challenges of rapid urbanization, which has made affordable housing a critical issue for its growing population. This study specifically focuses on the urban land acquisition process for cooperative housing schemes, which serve as an essential component of Bahir Dar’s affordable housing program. This atudy aimed to examine the current practices, identify the challenges faced by housing cooperatives during land acquisition and construction, and propose strategies for improvement. The primary data for this research were collected through interviews with key informants from the Bahir Dar City administration’s land management, cooperative organizer office, housing development and management office, and housing cooperative committees. Additionally, three focus group discussion (FGD) sessions were conducted, involving 21 participants from cooperative members who had acquired residential land and from those who were waiting for allocation, including both female- and male-headed households. These discussions explored their views on the effectiveness of the cooperative housing scheme, the challenges encountered during cooperation and construction, and their recommendations for enhancement. Secondary data were also gathered through a comprehensive review of policies, regulations, research articles, reports, and relevant legal documents. The study revealed that, out of the 35,512 certified housing cooperative members since 2014, only 31,596 of them had received residential land plots. However, a relatively small fraction, i.e., less than 7,000 cooperative members, managed to partially or fully construct their homes. This indicates that the scheme has not fully achieved its intended goal and remains unaffordable for many members. The main challenges faced by cooperative members include lengthy delays in obtaining serviced land, high construction costs, and unrealistic building standards for cooperative housing units. In light of these findings, it is recommended that the Amhara National Regional State revise its housing cooperative policy to become affordable for cooperative housing members, particularly in terms of land acquisition costs and building standards.

The challenges of historic building adaption for reuse are well documented and often refer to building fabric, listed status, historical significance, environmental sustainability, and structural layout as limitations to their successful re-development. However, few studies have explored how such issues manifest in the operational use of historic buildings developed for reuse, the significance on cities, and the long-term socioeconomic value. This study proposes a stewardship-based strategy to manage facilities to improve the socioeconomic value of historic buildings and support the socioeconomic demand in cities and territories. Within the context of a selected case study in the UK, a mixed-method approach was used to attain the data. Quantitative evidence, using a questionnaire survey with building users, and qualitative evidence, using semi-structured interviews with the facility management team, are presented. The results suggest that historic buildings are empowered by an organisational stewardship strategy, resulting in an acceptable operational compromise that involves an acceptance of building issues and their impact on the building users' experience, and this can support the more operational adaption of facilities by the facility management team. The research proposes a stewardship-based strategy to support an improved socioeconomic value by incorporating user perspectives while ensuring a less preservation-centred and a more flexible-oriented approach towards managing facilities in historic buildings. This study constructively forms a base for further research into facility management strategies in historic buildings and their impact on cities' needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy mental contamination in urban land is a serious environmental issue for large cities. Visible and near-infrared spectroscopy has been rapidly developed as a new method for estimating copper (Cu) levels, which is one of the heavy metals. Spectral pretreatment is essential for reducing noise and enhancing analysis. In the traditional method, the entire spectrum is uniformly pretreated. However, in reality, the influence of pretreatment on the spectrum may vary depending on the wavelengths. Limited research has been conducted on breaking down the entire spectrum into distinct parts for individualized pretreatment, an innovative method called piecewise pretreatment. This study gathered 250 topsoil samples (0–20 cm) in Shenzhen City, southwest China, and obtained their vis-NIR spectra (350–2500 nm) in the laboratory. This study divided the spectrum into three parts, each processed by six commonly used spectral pretreatments. The number of pretreated parts varied from 1 to 3, resulting in 342 PLSR models being built. Compared to the traditional method, piecewise pretreatment showed an increase in mean residual predictive deviation (RPD) from 1.55 to 1.71 and an increase in the percentage of positive outcomes in ∆RPD from 33.33% to 55.56%. Thus, we concluded that piecewise pretreatment generally outperforms the traditional method. Furthermore, piecewise pretreatment aims to choose the most effective pretreatment method for each part to optimize the Cu estimation model.

The purpose of the study was to assess the practices and challenges of urban land governance in the Tigrai Region. This study employed a concurrent nested design. Data were collected from 177 officeholders and customers through questionnaires. Besides, interviews were conducted with purposefully selected officeholders. The results of the data analysis were presented using mean, standard deviation, Pearson correlation, and logistic regression to see the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. The major findings showed that the elements of good urban governance (participation, responsiveness, accountability, transparency, equity, and efficiency and effectiveness) are not practiced appropriately. The major challenges in good urban land governance are lack of resources, commitment, human resources, clear rules and regulations, modern service delivery, materials, budget, and rent-seeking behavior. As a result, citizens are not satisfied with the urban land governance system and implementation process. Thus, the government should reconsider strengthening urban land institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] The aim of this study was to explore the direction and mechanism of impact of scientific and technological innovation on urban land use efficiency, and to examine the influence of the spatial spillover effect of scientific and technological innovation on urban land use efficiency by dividing the Wuhan metropolitan area into three zones. [Methods] Based on the concept of innovation-driven green development and the theory of development zones, this study explored the impact of scientific and technological innovation on urban land green use efficiency and its mechanism. In this study, the slacks-based measure (SBM) model, panel regression model, and mediation effect model were used to analyze the zonal differences of urban land green use efficiency in 48 districts and counties of the Wuhan metropolitan area from 2010 to 2020. [Results] (1) The green use efficiency of urban land in the Wuhan metropolitan area showed an increasing trend, and the average green use efficiency of urban land in the three zones showed the following characteristics: the core areas > areas close to the core > the periphery. (2) Through the agglomeration effect and the structural effect, scientific and technological innovation had a considerable impact on the urban land green use efficiency. (3) Urban heterogeneity affected the spatial spillover effect of scientific and technological innovation through the agglomeration and configuration of input factors. Finally, the mechanism of impact of scientific and technological innovation in the three major zones was different. In the core areas, scientific and technological innovation generated the agglomeration effect and structural effect to improve the green use efficiency of urban land. In the areas close to the core, scientific and technological innovation improved the green use efficiency of urban land only through the agglomeration effect. On the periphery, scientific and technological innovation inhibited the improvement of urban land green use efficiency. [Conclusion] Scientific and technological innovation can promote the green use efficiency of urban land in the Wuhan metropolitan area, but urban heterogeneity affected the spatial spillover effect of scientific and technological innovation and influenced the green use efficiency of urban land by affecting the concentration and allocation of factors.

Copyright of História Unisinos is the property of Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The land claims of urban-dwelling communities are inextricably intertwined with livelihood and dwelling issues. These are critical, multi-layered issues in cities of the global South, given the variety of ideas of ownership prevailing and the vast array of institutions with relevant roles. This field note discusses the situation of a fishing hamlet in coastal Chennai, India which is jeopardized by a judicial intervention ordaining the relocation of its fish vendors away from their current location to a designated market yet to be constructed, purportedly in the interest of beautification and to decongest the city's traffic. It provides context for this situation, describing the prior process of the hamlet being subsumed into expanding urban infrastructure and how this fragmentation challenges the community's socio-spatial life and practices. Through interviews and observation, the field note explores how this fishing community has preserved its sense of belonging and negotiated with the state to affirm its territorial claims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the role of slum redevelopment in the production of private property in land in a fast-growing city of southern India. Drawing on an in-depth case study in Bengaluru, we show that the tenurial rights of slum residents were eroded when the contested land on which they lived – which was layered with multiple rights and claims of various actors – was confirmed by the court as the sole property of an individual who claimed to be its owner. The transformation of the plot into private property and therefore into a fungible asset, free of encumbrances, allowed the landowner, the political entrepreneurs who spearheaded the redevelopment project, and various intermediaries to capture most of the rapidly escalating value of the land. The exchange of recognized land tenure rights for small flats carrying conditional titles further excluded slum residents from 'proper' urban citizenship based on property ownership and exacerbated the precarity of their lives in the city. In this case, in-situ (on the same site) slum redevelopment is shown to operate as a modality of enclosure in which the urban poor are displaced even while remaining in place – or a process of dispossession without displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context and background Land governance promotes efficient and effective land policy administration. In Ethiopia cities, as in many Sub-Saharan African cities, many land governance challenges such as informal construction of houses and land holding, lack of public awareness of land policy, and eviction of landowners from their tenure were characterized. Those problems are high, especially in Addis Ababa and Adama cities since those cities are the largest in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government is giving attention to minimizing those problems by adopting different proclamations, decrees, regulations, and standards. Goal and Objectives: Therefore, this study assessed the current practice of land governance in the urban development and management bureau in two Ethiopian cities, Addis Ababa and Adama, by using five good governance principles. Methodology: Data was gathered by administering questionnaires. The close-ended questionnaires were distributed to 305 landowners in the study area. Additional data were collected using interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews with urban land management and development office experts. Quantitative data were analysed using statistical software and qualitative data were interpreted. Results: The study found out that from the five principles of good governance public participation and equity of women were somehow practiced in land governance sectors during the land-delivering process. Land governance sectors were lack transparency and accountability, inefficient performance, and ineffective service. Landowners were confused to judge their satisfaction in land governance sectors service. The study concluded that different findings were made for each of the good governance principles. The findings of this study are utilized to ensure sustainable good land governance for any land governance sector by taking corrective measurements on weak performed principles of good governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In all, 13 stream water‐quality parameters, including specific conductance (SC), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), three nutrients, and six major ions were compared between the northern bedrock and southern coastal plain regions of New Jersey, USA and related to watershed‐disturbance gradients characterized by the percentage of urban land, impervious surface (IS), agriculture, and altered land (sum of urban land and agriculture) in the watersheds. SC, DO, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride concentrations were greater in the north. DOC was higher and pH was lower in the south. Nutrient, potassium, and sulfate concentrations did not differ between regions. Regional water‐quality differences are attributed to geologic setting and land use. Except for DO in southern streams, all water‐quality parameters were related to urban land, agriculture, or both. Significant correlations between urban land and IS and water‐quality variables were similar in both regions with differences in unitless correlation coefficients ranging from 0.00 to 0.06. Compared to urban land and agriculture, relationships between most water‐quality variables and altered land were stronger in the south. The extent of urban and agricultural lands in the watersheds did not differ by region. Altered land was correlated with urban land in both regions and with agriculture only in the south. Although focused on New Jersey, this study has broader implications for watershed planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in outdoor activities, but an increase in indoor ones. This change in the intensity of land use has caused changes in pollution patterns. Urban dust contaminated with heavy metals can be a risk to the human population. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the pollution caused by heavy metals in urban dust indoors and outdoors due to changes in land use during the pandemic. Sampling was carried out by the Gomez Palacio citizens. The total number of urban dust samples was 330, 50% indoor samples and 50% outdoor sample. The elements studied were Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Ti, Y, Zn, and Zr. The heavy metals were measured through a portable XRF; the contamination factor and the load pollution index were used to assess the pollution level. The human health risk was evaluated with the USEPA methodology. Cu, Pb, and Zn presented higher concentrations indoors than outdoors, probably due to domestic factors, such as the age of the houses and the paint on the walls. Zn presented the highest pollution level among all the metals, outdoors and indoors; spatially, the sites sampled in the northwest, close to agricultural areas, presented the highest Zn pollution. Pb had a moderate pollution level in most of the samples (60%), but some samples showed a high Pb pollution. The health risk was considered within the acceptable levels for Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn. However, Mn deserves attention because the average of the samples slightly exceeded the USEPA safety limits for children. Children are at higher risk compared to adults. Indoor environments need to be better analyzed because they were shown to represent a higher risk to the population than outdoor ones due to heavy metal pollution by Zn, Cu, and Pb. The pandemic impacted land use intensity; this study reports an apparent effect of the pandemic on the amount and type of heavy metals indoors and outdoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in aquatic ecosystems can reflect the impacts of human activities on the carbon-cycling process. However, direct evidence of the combined effect of land use and anthropogenic nutrients on CDOM characteristics in river ecosystems is limited. Herein, we collected water samples from 18 sites in the Nanchong section of Jialing River in December 2019 to elucidate how the land use and nutrients affect the source and composition of CDOM through parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis of excitation–emission matrices (EEMs). First, the absorption coefficient a254 (r2=0.29, p

This study examines the relationship between the dependent variable that is ‘feeling of tenure security’ of landholders in Bahir Dar city and the possible determinant factors (independent variables) such as ‘land use type of a parcel’, ‘building type constructed on a parcel’, ‘adequacy of legal provisions’, ‘institutional capacity’, ‘awareness of the landholder about the existing legal provisions of land tenure’, and ‘location of the parcel’ derived from different empirical evidences and practices. And the study also explores the perceptions of the landholders of Bahir Dar city about their land tenure security. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through desk review, observation, structured and semi-structured interview. Content analysis for reviewed books and articles was applied. Also, inferential statistics and descriptive analysis of data for all independent and dependent variables were used to analyse the quantitative data. Additionally, critical examination of respondents’ personal perceptions about tenure security on the area was used to analyse the qualitative data. The results showed that the aggregate contribution of those considered independent variables were 74.3% to the effect on feeling of tenure security. It is also revealed that there are five significant predictor variables for felling of tenure security in Bahir Dar city. But ‘building type’ is the most significant determinant of all variables. Contrary to the empirical evidence the results indicate that awareness of legal provision correlated negatively with security feeling. This study found that the feeling of tenure security for landholders in Bahir Dar city are not much affected by ‘land use type of a parcel’, ‘institutional capacity’, and ‘location of the parcel’. Rather other factors like noise, misbehaviour of neighbours, projected road upgrading, heavy traffic and accidents may push someone to feel insecure and leave the place.

This paper analyzes the interactions between land development policies in Cotonou (Benin) – in particular so-called subdivision and land consolidation operations – and the city’s significant exposure to environmental constraints, in particular flooding. It is based on fieldwork that covers several vulnerable city neighborhoods, and relies on qualitative interviews with a whole chain of actors involved at different levels, from the offices of surveyors and town planners to the various municipal and ministerial services dealing with land and land development policies. This work shows that these policies reinforce rather than reduce the vulnerability of the city and its inhabitants to environmental risks.

Local governments are expected to increase PAD to reduce dependence on financing from the center, so as to increase regional autonomy and discretion (local discretion). This study aims to determine the strategy for increasing revenue from the Land and Building Tax in Rural and Urban (PBB-P2) in West Kutai Regency, the factors that hinder the achievement of the strategy for increasing PBB-P2 revenues and the factors that can support the achievement of the strategy for increasing PBB-P2 revenues. at the Regional Revenue Service (Bapenda) of West Kutai Regency. This type of research is descriptive qualitative research. The type of data used in this study is primary data obtained from interviews with research informants and secondary data in the form of reports and official documents. The research instrument is the researcher himself who in its implementation uses tools in the form of interview guidelines and observation guidelines. The data collection technique used is in the form of interviews, observation and documentation, while the data analysis technique used is in the form of descriptive analysis, namely by interpreting the data, facts, and information obtained. The results showed that the strategy adopted by the Bapenda of West Kutai Regency in increasing PBB-P2 revenues included forming a tax collection officer in the sub-district, socializing SPPT to the community through banners, especially when it was nearing maturity, issuing a Tax Billing Letter (STP) and conducting doorsteps. door to door as well as holding PBB payment week. Factors that hinder the achievement of the strategy to increase PBB-P2 revenue in West Kutai Regency are, among others, due to technological factors, limited facilities and infrastructure, inadequate human resources, and budget constraints, while factors that can support include the commitment of resources. human resources, supportive political and social conditions and a sufficient number of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precise measurement of urban land (UL) is an essential tool for planning in a world of accelerating change and increasing risk, but analysis has traditionally faced methodological and conceptual challenges. This review traces the evolution of UL measurement in the United States (US) from early attempts at quantification through current innovative approaches that analyze the qualities of UL. Researchers now have tools better suited to multi-scalar and complex conceptualization of urban systems. Given this maturation, critical reflection on research design has become essential to UL research, in particular the alignment of measurement tools with desired outcomes and planning goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive urban land use has been proposed as a method to promote sustainable development in the context of rapid urban sprawl. However, a consensus has not been reached on whether this approach is beneficial for ecology and compatible with suitable living conditions. Exploring this issue in China will help promote high-quality development. Extant research has mainly explored the effects of intensive urban land use on quality of life, ecology, and urban-land-use scale separately, while a synthesized analysis in this regard is lacking. In the light of this, we establish an analysis framework by which to verify the effects of intensive urban land use on the three aspects, using data from China spanning 2005–2019, subjected to structural equation modeling. The results show that intensive urban land use has varying degrees of positive effects on quality of life, ecology, and urban-land-use scale. It had no strong effect on the three items initially, while quality of life was significantly optimized by 2010, and ecology was markedly improved from 2015. However, there was a trend toward shrinking living space and sprawling urban areas. The corresponding suggestions are formulated for policy makers to improve intensive urban-land-use policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Metropolitan Area of Mendoza (MMA), Argentina, has extended towards peripheral hillside areas without considering the environmental impact of this action. This growth has continued the urban model of flatland development, causing changes in the ecosystem and an increase in outdoor air temperature. This work proposes and evaluates urban schemes that incorporate design criteria with the objective of preserving environmental characteristics and mitigating the effect of urbanization on the microclimate. The proposed grid layouts, located in three predominant slopes, were linear organic and Cul-de-Sac. Methodologically, the microclimatic response of the proposed schemes was evaluated by applying ENVI-met software simulation. The results show that urban growth is possible when carefully considering environmental limitations which grant maximum air temperature reductions of up to 2 °C.

The research paper deals with theoretical and methodological approaches to rational urban land use. Basing on the international scientific research, the authors offer original interpretation of the term «postindustrial land». Taking into account a drastic rapid dynamics of urbanization in large urban agglomerations worldwide and de-industrialization as a trend of urban land-use exemplified by the city of Kyiv in Ukraine a mathematical model of setting the price of postindustrial land with aimed to prediction the efficiency of industrial land transformation was developed in this study.

In modern conditions of urban development, there is a need to improve the technology for determining the investment attractiveness of urban lands by developing a method and models for assessing its impact, which will be based on the construction of a two-level system of indicators, which will determine the integral investment criterion and develop guidelines for improving the investment attractiveness of urban lands. As a result of the research, the value of the integral indicator of urban land investment attractiveness was determined, which allowed to apply it in the system of normative monetary valuation of urban land and to develop methodological recommendations for improving the efficiency of its investment attractiveness assessment. A method for assessing the investment attractiveness of urban land, as the main element of technology, based on the determination of indicators for assessing the integral criterion for the development of guidelines for improving the urban land investment attractiveness is developed. By the value of the integral criterion, the integral indicators of the potential investment attractiveness of urban lands are determined, considering the changes in the normative monetary value of the lands of settlements and the level of investment attractiveness of the regional centers of Ukraine is determined.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a decrease in outdoor activities, but an increase in indoor ones. This change in the intensity of land use has caused changes in pollution patterns. Urban dust contaminated with heavy metals can be a risk to the human population. Therefore, the objective of this work was to evaluate the pollution caused by heavy metals in urban dust indoors and outdoors due to changes in land use during the pandemic. Sampling was carried out by the Gomez Palacio citizens. The total number of urban dust samples was 330, 50% indoor samples and 50% outdoor sample. The elements studied were Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr, Ti, Y, Zn, and Zr. The heavy metals were measured through a portable XRF; the contamination factor and the load pollution index were used to assess the pollution level. The human health risk was evaluated with the USEPA methodology. Cu, Pb, and Zn presented higher concentrations indoors than outdoors, probably due to domestic factors, such as the age of the houses and the paint on the walls. Zn presented the highest pollution level among all the metals, outdoors and indoors; spatially, the sites sampled in the northwest, close to agricultural areas, presented the highest Zn pollution. Pb had a moderate pollution level in most of the samples (60%), but some samples showed a high Pb pollution. The health risk was considered within the acceptable levels for Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn. However, Mn deserves attention because the average of the samples slightly exceeded the USEPA safety limits for children. Children are at higher risk compared to adults. Indoor environments need to be better analyzed because they were shown to represent a higher risk to the population than outdoor ones due to heavy metal pollution by Zn, Cu, and Pb. The pandemic impacted land use intensity; this study reports an apparent effect of the pandemic on the amount and type of heavy metals indoors and outdoors.

• Critical infrastructures are key sites of conflict over state legitimacy. • Expansion of infrastructures produces fresh forms of post conflict struggle. • Reported struggles are a tint of a greater ambition of legitimating a contested state. • How the government institutions behave shapes public attitude towards the state. This article explores how the control of critical infrastructures play an important role in legitimizing new political orders through a case study of Hargeisa Airport in Somaliland (Northern Somalia). I argue that the quest by new authorities for authority, legitimacy and independent statehood highlights state visibility and effectiveness as well as a contestation of state legitimacy at times mediated by non-state actors. For Hargeisa airport, conflicts between the state and local landowners resulted in a legitimacy struggle where the new government resorted to familiar practices of the ousted military regime, provoking criticism from sections of the public who regarded these practices as evidence of continuities with the deposed authoritarian regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapidly growing urban population in most African cities has highlighted the issue of access to urban land, particularly for housing. Access to urban land is ultimately embedded in the political question of who has a legitimate claim to the city. This article focuses on access to urban land and how this validates and invalidates people's claim to the city or town--urban citizenship. It uses the concept of a "claim" rather than a "right" to provide a broader angle from which to discuss urban citizenship and the issues around access to urban land. Drawing from a case study of two unplanned settlements in Lusaka, the article demonstrates that as the demand for urban land grows, low-income households' claim to the city is rendered precarious when business enterprises buy residential plots and convert them into commercial property. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews conducted in two unplanned settlements in Lusaka. The study contributes to the broader debates on urban citizenship and the New Urban Agenda articulated by Habitat III. It focuses primarily on how low-income urban residents construct, negotiate, and assert their claim to the city through their struggles for access to urban land. In the case of Lusaka City, this situation is compounded by a complete withdrawal of the state from providing access to land for low-income urban households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]