Land Consolidation Design Based on an Evaluation of Ecological Sensitivity

Abstract

Land consolidation engineering inevitably interferes with terrestrial ecosystems, leading to natural capital loss. Therefore, conducting an ecological sensitivity evaluation of a project area before consolidation engineering is very important for reducing unnecessary human interference. Conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and the biodiversity therein to the greatest possible extent is urgently needed. This research analyzes the interference by human activities caused by land consolidation engineering in terrestrial ecosystems. GIS technology, ecological values, landscape pattern indexes, and an ecological risk evaluation were used to construct an ecological sensitivity evaluation index. The coefficient of variation method and a comprehensive sensitivity rating evaluation were used to calculate the weights and results. The project area was divided into sensitivity zones according to the results, and the results and suggestions are as follows: In the highly eco-sensitive zone, where bare rocks, gravel, and grass-covered areas compose the main landscape type, vegetation should be restored, and forests should be planted. In the medium eco-sensitivity zone, where irrigated paddy fields and arid land compose the main landscape type, land parcels should be merged, and agricultural infrastructure should be constructed or improved. In the low eco-sensitivity zone, where forests compose the main landscape type, roads should be closed, natural habitat should be restored, and buffer zones should be created. This study provides suggestions for future land management decisions.

Assessing the Effectiveness for Achieving Policy Objectives of Land Consolidation in China: Evidence from Project Practices in Jiangsu Province from 2001 to 2017

“…However, those actions were not enough to stop the decline of arable land. Only in 2015 did the farmland area decrease 3.0 × 10 5 ha [6] due to construction, disasters, the adjustment of agricultural structure, and the withdrawal from cultivated land for ecological purposes [7]. In addition, the household contract responsibility system based on family units, which was applied in China in 1980s, aggravated land fragmentation and negatively impacted the conditions required for the implementation of modern agriculture and large scale management [8].…”

Assessing the Performance of Land Consolidation Projects in Different Modes: A Case Study in Jianghan Plain of Hubei Province, China

“…Land consolidation has been implemented in China since the mid-1990s with the purpose of increasing available cultivated land, reducing fragmentation, and promoting agricultural production capacity [11][12][13][14][15]. After more than 20 years of development, China's land consolidation has entered the stage of comprehensive consolidation with mountains, rivers, forests, fields, lakes, and grasses [16,17].…”

A Hesitant Probabilistic Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Group Decision-Making Framework for Urban Land Consolidation in China

“…In the process of ULC, site selection is generally a primary consideration. Land quality (i.e., soil quality and its adaptability), economic benefits (i.e., the expected economic benefits brought by ULC), infrastructure (e.g., transportation and water conservancy facilities), and societal and ecological benefits (e.g., job creation and biodiversity) constitute the essential elements of site selection [16][17][18][19][20]. However, many selection criteria such as social benefits are difficult to quantify or obtained values may be uncertain.…”