Assessing the impacts of ecotourism activities on riparian health indicators along the Three Gorges Reservoir in China

Arif, Muhammad; Jie, Zheng; Behzad, Hamid M.; Changxiao, Li

doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111065

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…This alteration, contrary to the natural hydrological cycle, is global and associated with large reservoirs. The water level in this riparian zone fluctuates annually within the elevation range of 145 – 175 m, resulting in a 30 m inundation depth ( Arif et al., 2023 ). During the summer months, when the TGRR is exposed, surrounding vegetation is exposed to high temperatures for one to several weeks and is susceptible to frequent natural flooding, particularly in the area between elevations 140 – 160 m. Consequently, this zone exhibits consistent inundation intensity and frequency due to water level management patterns and the comparable impacts of natural flooding.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This setting serves as a distinctive natural laboratory for investigating inundation impacts on plant elemental stoichiometry. Riparian vegetation in TGRR plays a crucial role in sustaining river health, ecological balance, and overall sustainable development within the region and the Yangtze River Basin ( Arif et al., 2023 ). Given the sensitivity of riparian vegetation to hydrological changes, its response to alterations in water flow has garnered increasing global attention ( Lozanovska et al., 2020 ; Su et al., 2020 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Patterns and drivers of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry in a novel riparian ecosystem

Wang,

Arif,

Zheng

et al. 2024

Front. Plant Sci.

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Carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) stoichiometry serve as valuable indices for plant nutrient utilization and biogeochemical cycling within ecosystems. However, the allocation of these nutrients among different plant organs and the underlying drivers in dynamic riparian ecosystems remain inadequately understood. In this study, we gathered plant samples from diverse life forms (annuals and perennials) and organs (leaves, stems, and roots) in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region (TGRR) in China—a novel ecosystem subject to winter flooding. We used random forest analysis and structural equation modeling to find out how flooding, life forms, plant communities, and soil variables affect organs C, N, and P levels. Results showed that the mean concentrations of plant C, N, and P in the riparian zone of the TGRR were 386.65, 19.31, and 5.27 mg/g for leaves respectively, 404.02, 11.23, and 4.81 mg/g for stems respectively, and 388.22, 9.32, and 3.27 mg/g for roots respectively. The C:N, C:P and N:P ratios were 16.15, 191.7 and 5.56 for leaves respectively; 26.98, 273.72 and 4.6 for stems respectively; and 16.63, 223.06 and 4.77 for roots respectively. Riparian plants exhibited nitrogen limitation, with weak carbon sequestration, low nutrient utilization efficiency, and a high capacity for nutrient uptake. Plant C:N:P stoichiometry was significantly different across life forms and organs, with higher N and P concentrations in leaves than stems and roots, and higher in annuals than perennials. While flooding stress triggered distinct responses in the C, N, and P concentrations among annual and perennial plants, they maintained similar stoichiometric ratios along flooding gradients. Furthermore, our investigation identified soil properties and life forms as more influential factors than plant communities in shaping variations in C:N:P stoichiometry in organs. Flooding indirectly impacts plant C:N:P stoichiometry primarily through alterations in plant community composition and soil factors. This study underscores the potential for hydrologic changes to influence plant community composition and soil nutrient dynamics, and further alter plant ecological strategies and biogeochemical cycling in riparian ecosystems.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns and drivers of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry in a novel riparian ecosystem

Wang,

Arif,

Zheng

et al. 2024

Front. Plant Sci.

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“…Freshwater resources face tremendous pressure due to climate change, intensive land-use, and increased population density worldwide (Rodrigues et al, 2018;Martins et al, 2021;Zheng et al, 2023). The variation in available water supplies has increased the necessity of freshwater conservation, particularly in limited and unstable water supply situations (Belete et al, 2020;Suwal et al, 2020;Arif et al, 2023). In the midst of development changes on an international and even global scale, the morphological and hydrological characteristics of rivers have changed considerably (Biswas et al, 2019;Fernandes et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of changing riparian topography on the decline of ecological indicators along the drawdown zones of long rivers in China

Arif,

Petrosillo,

Changxiao

2024

Front. For. Glob. Change

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Riparian topographical features can drive a suite of ecological indicators (EIs) that shape the river ecosystem. The mechanisms that EIs reflect provide several ecosystem services. We know little about the responses of EIs (indicators of plant cover, regeneration, exotics, habitat, erosion, and stressors) to the changing stream-channel width, riparian width, and elevation of the lengthy drawdown zones (upstream, midstream, and downstream) of long rivers. We have discovered that changing topographical characteristics affect riparian buffer areas differently by using a rapid field-based method with 297 transects in inundated regions along the Yangtze River and other 36 linked tributaries in China. Changing stream-channel widths was most effective on downstream EIs and the least effective at midstream. The exotic parameters were the most affected (with a range of −0.36 < r < 0.401) by stream-channel widths, as determined using Pearson correlation (p < 0.05). In contrast, the changing riparian width had the uppermost impact on the upstream EIs and the lowermost impact downstream; riparian width had the most significant impact on habitat parameters (with r ≤ 0.787). The elevation followed the riparian width pattern and was negatively associated with habitat and exotics (r ≤ −0.645 and r ≤ −0.594) and positively correlated with regeneration (r ≤ 0.569). These results reaffirm the imperative need for studies on regionally dependent riparian areas maintained under the same management strategies regardless of their topographical features. Future policies should be formulated to enhance ecosystem service provision, promoting the sustainable use of extensive river ecosystems while considering EIs. Additionally, these future policies should acknowledge drawdown zone factors within the same river network. Furthermore, additional measures are imperative to conserve topographical features and prevent further destruction.

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“…Thus, direct impact entails a decrease in species diversity of flora and fauna of the territory, especially when the latter is included in the economic activity; the emergence of diseases by contamination of flora and fauna with wastes of recreational and economic life activity of people; disruption of the course of natural processes of development of flora and fauna of the territory subjected to recreation (disruption of regenerative succession, destruction of species habitats, noise pollution, etc.) (Hermes, 2018;Arif et al, 2023;Ozgeldinova et al, 2022;Keukenov et al, 2022). The presence of even one person does not pass without a trace for the environment.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the Impact of Recreational Activities on the Natural Environment of the Karkaraly State National Nature Park of the Republic of Kazakhstan

OSPAN,

ZHANGUZHINA,

AUYEZOVA

et al. 2024

GTG

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The article considers the results of assessment of recreational impact on the natural environment within Karkaraly SNNP (State National Nature Park). The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of recreational activities on the natural environment of Karkaraly SNNP using remote sensing data. The proposed methodology for assessing the impact of recreational activities on the natural environment using remote sensing data includes several steps from the selection of indicators for assessing recreational load to obtaining the integral value of recreational load on the natural environment. The most visited recreational sites were selected as objects of the study. The study showed that the natural environment near the sanatorium "Sosnovy Bor" in the area with high attendance of vacationers is in a relatively disturbed state. The key site has a dense network of paths, the stand of trees is weakly closed, groups of trees are limited by paths, roads and glades.

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Assessing the impacts of ecotourism activities on riparian health indicators along the Three Gorges Reservoir in China

Cited by 14 publications

References 53 publications

Patterns and drivers of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry in a novel riparian ecosystem

Patterns and drivers of plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus stoichiometry in a novel riparian ecosystem

Effects of changing riparian topography on the decline of ecological indicators along the drawdown zones of long rivers in China

Assessment of the Impact of Recreational Activities on the Natural Environment of the Karkaraly State National Nature Park of the Republic of Kazakhstan

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