Browsing by Author "Zhang, Zimo"

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    Exploring social-ecological impacts on trade-offs and synergies among ecosystem services
    (Elsevier, 2022-04-12) Wang, Xiaoyu; Peng, Jian; Luo, Yuhang; Qiu, Sijing; Dong, Jianquan; Zhang, Zimo; Vercruysse, Kim; Grabowski, Robert C.; Meersmans, Jeroen
    An in-depth understanding of the complex patterns of ecosystem services (ESs) interactions (i.e., synergies or trade-offs) based on social-ecological conditions is an important prerequisite for achieving sustainable and multifunctional landscapes. This study aimed to explore how ESs interactions are influenced by social-ecological factors. Taking the Sutlej-Beas River Basin as a case study area, where the linkages between ESs interactions and social-ecological processes are poorly understood, ESs interactions were identified through principal component analysis and correlated with a range of social-ecological factors, which were explored spatially based on ES bundles. The results revealed two dominant types of ESs interactions, namely multifunctionality-related synergies and grain production-related trade-offs. Population, nighttime light, precipitation, temperature, and soil clay content were all positively correlated with the two ESs interactions. Contrarily, elevation and soil sand content were negatively correlated with the two ESs interactions. Four main ES bundles were identified, which spatially describe the presence of ESs synergies and/or trade-offs in relation to social-ecological factors. This study provides a feasible way to explore the spatial differentiation and influencing factors impacting the interactions between ESs, which can provide a basis for an integrated watershed-based management of ESs.
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    Place-based interpretation of the sustainable development goals for the land-river interface
    (Springer, 2022-06-27) Vercruysse, Kim; Grabowski, Robert C.; Holman, Ian P.; Azhoni, Adani; Bala, Brij; Meersmans, Jeroen; Peng, Jian; Shankar, Vijay; Mukate, Shrikant; Poddar, Arunava; Wang, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Zimo
    The land–river interface (LRI) is important for sustainable development. The environmental processes that define the LRI support the natural capital and ecosystem services that are linked directly to multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, existing approaches to scale up or down SDG targets and link them to natural capital are insufficient for the two-way human–environment interactions that exist in the LRI. Therefore, this study proposes a place-based approach to interpret the SDG framework to support sustainable land/water management, by (i) identifying key priorities for sustainable development through a normative content analysis of the SDG targets, and (ii) illustrating these priorities and associated challenges within the LRI, based on a literature review and case-studies on human–environment interactions. The content analysis identifies three overarching sustainable development priorities: (i) ensuring improved access to resources and services provided by the LRI, (ii) strengthening the resilience of the LRI to deal with social and natural shocks, and (iii) increasing resource efficiency. The review of the current state of LRIs across the world confirms that these are indeed priority areas for sustainable development. Yet, the challenges of attaining the sustainable development priorities in the LRI are also illustrated with three examples of development-related processes. Urbanisation, dam construction, and aggregate mining occur within specific zones of the LRI (land, land–river, river, respectively), but their impacts can compromise sustainable development across the entire LRI and beyond. The existence of these unintended impacts highlights the need to consider the geomorphic, hydrological, and ecological processes within the LRI and how they interact with human activity. Identifying the place-based priorities and challenges for sustainable development will help achieve the SDGs without compromising the functions and services of the LRI.