Land use/land cover change (LUCC) research is of great significance to land conservation and regi... more Land use/land cover change (LUCC) research is of great significance to land conservation and regional sustainable development. At present, there is a lack of research on the long-term timing of the change process and mechanisms of LUCC that accords with the national level in Laos. Based on the Global Land-Cover product with the Fine Classification System at 30 m (GLC_FCS30) data set as well as economic and social statistical data, the authors analyzed the spatiotemporal regularity and driving mechanism of LUCC in Laos from 2000 to 2020 by using dynamic degree, flow direction analysis, principal component analysis, correlation analysis and other methods. The results show that: (1) Laos is rich in natural ecological resources. In 2020, the forest and shrubland areas accounted for 53.3% and 32.4% of the land area, respectively; (2) from 2000 to 2020, the rate of LUCC across the country continued to rise, and the integrated dynamic degree of LUCC was 14.4%. The change in impervious surf...
Several studies have shown that smallholder farmers produce most of the food in low-income and de... more Several studies have shown that smallholder farmers produce most of the food in low-income and developing countries and form the backbone of the country’s food supply. This study examines the extent these smallholder farmers in Nigeria can put the country on the path to self-sufficiency and ensure satiety for household food consumption through their local production. The study also examines food production and their resulting yield based on crop production and harvested area, as well as the percentage of crops produced for food or other purposes. The results show that production of rice, sorghum, soybean, cassava, and yam is low; and their corresponding yields are declining, with the exception of maize, although the harvested area increased from 2015 to 2018. As it is, the findings are a clear indication of inadequate per capita food supply due to low food production, especially for cereals. The study suggests closing the yield gap specifically for cereals, limiting post-harvest los...
Ecosystem service research is essential to identify the contribution of the ecosystem to human we... more Ecosystem service research is essential to identify the contribution of the ecosystem to human welfare. As an important ecological barrier zone, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) supports the use of a crucial wind erosion prevention service (WEPS) to improve the ecological environment quality. This study simulated the spatiotemporal patterns of the WEPS based on the Revised Wind Erosion Equation (RWEQ) and its driving factors. From 2000 to 2015, the total WEPS provided in the QTP ranged from 1.75 × 109 kg to 2.52 × 109 kg, showing an increasing and then decreasing trend. The average WEPS service per unit area was between 0.72 kg m−2 and 1.06 kg m−2. The high-value areas were concentrated in the northwest and north of the QTP, and the total WEPS in different areas varied significantly from year to year. The average retention rate of the WEPS in the QTP was estimated to be 57.24–62.10%, and high-value areas were mainly located in the southeast of the QTP. The total monetary value of the...
This study is an overview of the effectiveness and institutional challenges of China's Sloping La... more This study is an overview of the effectiveness and institutional challenges of China's Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP). The SLCP is the Chinese government's largest Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) program and one of the largest PES programs in the world. From an institutional perspective, the SLCP is particularly interesting because it represents a hybrid governance type that includes both voluntary and hierarchical (top-down) elements rather than traditional command-and-control approach. Our analysis is based on a literature review that encompasses 164 international scientific articles. To identify institutional challenges, we linked the results regarding the effectiveness of the program to its institutional aspects. Our SLCP case study highlights the dependence of the effectiveness of a governmental PES program on the specific regulatory institutional setting and the particular actors involved. Our results show that some institutional challenges undermine the anticipated advantages of PES (local participation) and eventually reshape the program outcomes through implementation process, particularly in cases of hybrid governance structures in which institutional requirements are as important as the design of the specific financial incentives. The collaboration between relevant government actors at different hierarchical levels, and specifically the motivations and interests of the government actors
Following the implementation of the Green for Grain Project in 2000 in Guyuan, China, the decreas... more Following the implementation of the Green for Grain Project in 2000 in Guyuan, China, the decrease in cultivated land and subsequent increase in forest and grassland pose substantial challenges for the supply of biological products. Whether the current biologically productive land-use patterns in Guyuan satisfy the biological product requirements for local people is an urgent problem. In this study, the ecological footprints of biological resource consumption in Guyuan were calculated and analyzed based on the 'City Hectare' Ecological Footprint (EF) Method. The EFs of different types of biological resource products consumed from different types of biologically productive land were then analyzed. In addition, the EFs of various biological resource products before and after the implementation of the Green for Grain Project (1998 and 2012) were assessed. The actual EF and bio-capacity (BC) were compared, and differences in the EF and BC for different types of biologically productive lands before and after the project were analyzed. The results showed that the EF of Guyuan's biological resource products was 0.65866 ha/cap, with an EF outflow and EF inflow of 0.2280 ha/cap and 0.0951 ha/cap, respectively. The per capita EF of Guyuan significantly decreased after the project, as did the ecological deficit. Whereas the cultivated land showed a deficit, grasslands were characterized by ecological surplus. The total EF of living resource consumption in Guyuan was 810,941 ha,
Our Practice of Clinical Teaching to In-service Key General Practitioners in Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic of a General Hospital
Northwest Medical Education, 2012
Psychiatrics training of key general practitioners can promote secondary prevention of mental dis... more Psychiatrics training of key general practitioners can promote secondary prevention of mental disorders,save health care resources and social costs,and improve patients' quality of life.In our clinical teaching practice,we have improved the quality of key general practitioners training by emphasizing entrance education,holding mental health lectures,analyzing outpatient and inpatient cases,cultivating evidence-based medicine and scientific thinking,enhancing people-oriented care,and assessing with role plays.
Multifunctional Land-Use Systems for Managing the Nexus of Environmental Resources, 2017
Based on the review and analysis of the main land-use policy in China, this chapter focuses on ma... more Based on the review and analysis of the main land-use policy in China, this chapter focuses on major land-use protection policies and programmes implemented by local governments in the Loess Plateau region. The cultivated land, forests and grasslands are three main types of land use in the research area. Four major land-use protection policies have been implemented in the region in recent decades, which include the cultivated land protection policy, Three North Forest Protection Project, Grain for Green Project and Returning Grazing Land to Grassland Project. Based on existing data and information, we discuss the background, development process, main measures and strategies, implementation scope, outcomes and weaknesses of the major land management policies and programmes on the Loess Plateau. Some achievements have been reached after implementing these policies, including ecological, economic and social benefits. In addition, we also identified some major problems in the implementation of the land management policies/programmes (i.e. inflexible subsidy standard, uniform implementation method, resettlement of eco-migrants and illegal grazing) in order to provide a theoretical and scientific basis for a further improvement of land-use protection policies towards a more sustainable use of natural resources.
Abstract: The global ecosystem is changing due to human and natural causes, and only the human as... more Abstract: The global ecosystem is changing due to human and natural causes, and only the human aspects of this interaction are within our control. This paper provides a critical analysis of the interactions between humans and the ecosystem in terms of the human consumption of ecosystem services to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. It starts by reviewing human consumption of ecosystem services, and then develops a conceptual framework that links ecosystem services with consumption of these services and ecosystem management to construct a general functional model of the factors that affect the consumption of ecosystem services. A case study is introduced to show how the model can be used to provide specific assessments of patterns of direct human consumption of ecosystem services in China's Jinghe watershed.
Many fillers have been used in the fibre cement industry for years. Different fillers show differ... more Many fillers have been used in the fibre cement industry for years. Different fillers show different effects during use. Some of them provide the benefit of additional strength, such as pozzolanic additives like Microsilica, fly ash and rice-husk-ash. Some of them enhance other properties, such as the silicone-based product providing better water-resistance. Some of them are just used as a process aid, such as the flocculant, which adjusts the slurry property for better pick up during the Hatschek process. Some of them are only used as inert filler for cost saving. In this paper, the effect of fillers on fibre cement is evaluated. The working mechanism of pozzolanic fillers is discussed.
Abstract: The degradation of grass—dominated ecosystems and grassland abandonment have become wid... more Abstract: The degradation of grass—dominated ecosystems and grassland abandonment have become widely spread phenomena across the world. Payments for environmental services (PES) are seen as an innovative approach to stop these trends by making payments to land users in return for adopting practices that secure ecosystem conservation and restoration. Designing efficient PES requires that possible challenges are effectively managed, such as the lack in linearity and immediacy of environmental effects, unexpected monitoring and enforcement costs and possible socio—economic objectives (adequate compensation, equity). The aim of this article is to compare government—financed PES for grassland ecosystem services in two contrasting regions (Xilingol League, China and Brandenburg, Germany) in order to facilitate knowledge exchange on PES design and implementation and the transfer of best practices. Our particular interest is in how different PES mechanisms work, which actors are involved an...
Non-asbestos fibre cement products have been developing for years in developed countries. However... more Non-asbestos fibre cement products have been developing for years in developed countries. However asbestos cement product is still allowed to be used in China, India, Sri Lanka and some developing countries, even though there is no doubt that asbestos products will be gone sooner or later because of its harmful effect on human health. In this paper, non-asbestos air-cured technology is discussed. One ongoing Chinese project is introduced as well. Besides the bending strength and other primary physical properties, the accelerated carbonation shrinkage and heat-rain resistance properties are also evaluated in this study. As a common additive in air-cured fibre cement recipes, the benefit and effect of Microsilica and its mechanism are discussed in this paper.
Abstract: This paper presents cognitive awareness levels of ecosystem services and their consumpt... more Abstract: This paper presents cognitive awareness levels of ecosystem services and their consumption by farmers in Guyuan City, which lies in the Jinghe watershed. Household Surveys and Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA) were used to determine differences in farmers cognitive awareness levels. The household survey results showed that farmers have a cognitive awareness of 11 ecosystem services: food supply, air purification, environmental purification, soil and water conservation, clean water supply, natural disaster minimization, increasing income, fuel wood supply, aesthetic recreation, fodder supply and sand stabilization. The job-related requirements of a farmers' daily life, their direct consumption of ecosystem services and the importance of ecosystem services to them all influence their cognitive awareness of ecosystem services. Through group interviews the PRA method can provide the opportunity for information exchange and discussion. The process can help farmers to gai...
This article provides insight into land use dynamics and policy implications from local perspecti... more This article provides insight into land use dynamics and policy implications from local perspectives in the Jinghe watershed of northwestern China. Spatial and temporal data were used to analyze the land use changes. A survey was conducted to investigate farmers' perceptions and the factors causing these changes. A transition matrix and weighted index were used to make quantitative comparisons between land uses and farmers' perceptions from 1980 to 2003. The results show that land use changes occurred predominantly in forests and grasslands. Land use continues to shift between agricultural land, grasslands, and forests. Governmental policies, market demand, personal willingness, and a desire to conserve land resources are the primary driving forces behind changes in land use. From this research we conclude that a comprehensive resource conservation strategy should build resource conservation into policy making, institutional reforms, local participation, indigenous technolog...
The effect of using microsilica in air-cured fibre cement products has been investigated widely b... more The effect of using microsilica in air-cured fibre cement products has been investigated widely by many groups, and its benefit has been recognized by the industry. In other types of fibre cement product produced by autoclave technology, the use of microsilica has also been developing as producers move to non-asbestos products. Today, quartz sand is the traditional source of SiO2 in autoclave recipes, so microsilica is not automatically used. However, microsilica is being used by a growing number of producers, to improve strength and durability. Microsilica is also being used in autoclaved products as a process aid and to reduce delamination in autoclaved sheets. The typical dosage of microsilica in autoclaved products to achieve significant benefit is in the range of 3% -10% of the total recipe. This paper examines the application of microsilica in autoclaved non-asbestos flat sheets. Microsilica was tested at 3%, 5%, 7% and 10% dosage in recipes and bending strength and other phys...
Food consumption acts as an intermediary between ecosystems and human systems in grassland areas.... more Food consumption acts as an intermediary between ecosystems and human systems in grassland areas. In this study, we generated a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) to obtain a semi-quantitative assessment of impact factors on food consumption in the Xilin Gol Grassland, China, from the perception of local rural households. Based on it, the food consumption impact factors networks of households in Xilin Gol Grassland were created. Results showed that household recognition of food consumption impact factors differed among grassland transects in both amount and category, and the results of principal component analysis (PCA) ascertain such differences and transitions. Livestock breeding, income, local economic development, consumption habit, age, food price, and cost were the most important impact factors mentioned by both farmers and herdsmen. From south to north in the grassland transects, households' cognition of ecological and economic factors increased, and the cognition of personal and ...
Soil erosion and restoration affect the structure and function of ecosystems and society, and hav... more Soil erosion and restoration affect the structure and function of ecosystems and society, and have attracted worldwide attention. Changes in runoff and sediment transport after restoration practices in China’s Loess Plateau have been widely studied and many valuable results have been reported. However, this research was mainly conducted in large watersheds, and quantified the effects of restoration practices through the restoration period. In this study, we compared two adjacent watersheds (one restored and the other natural) in a hill and gully region of China’s Loess Plateau to reveal the impacts of restoration practices. We collected annual rainfall, runoff, and sediment transport data from 1988 to 2018, then investigated temporal variation of runoff and sediment transport to examine their relationships with rainfall. We also calculated the retention rate of soil and water under the restoration practices. The restored watershed showed a significantly decreased sediment modulus (t...
BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access t... more BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.
The excessive influence of human activity has highlighted the dilemma between maintaining a stabl... more The excessive influence of human activity has highlighted the dilemma between maintaining a stable ecosystem while satisfying consumer demands for food. Kazakhstan has ecological problems caused by the conflict between humans and the land, grasslands and raising livestock. Therefore, this study of the food consumption modes in Kazakhstan aims to improve the sustainability of food consumption while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. Based on the data of food consumption in Kazakhstan in 2012 and 2016, and through the delineation of consumption modes and the analysis of their changes, this study found three very different food consumption modes in Kazakhstan-one dominated by milk and cereals; one by milk, cereals and meat; and one by milk, cereals, meat, vegetables and fruit. These three modes were distributed separately in the northern, central and southern regions of Kazakhstan, respectively. It is worth noting that food consumption in Kazakhstan is developing into a pattern of milk, cereals and meat. Confronted with the different food consumption modes and their tendencies toward variations, the basic theories of food production need to be revised, and the exchange of information and cooperation between the different regions of Kazakhstan and relevant interests abroad should be encouraged in order to increase the well-being of local consumers.
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