Urban growth is a key indicator of economic development.At the same time,haphazard urban growth creates serious socioeconomic,environmental and urban land management problems.In this context,understanding the process ...Urban growth is a key indicator of economic development.At the same time,haphazard urban growth creates serious socioeconomic,environmental and urban land management problems.In this context,understanding the process of urban landscape change is important for guiding the sustainable growth of urban areas.This study analyzes the urban land changes during 1990–2018 in two metropolitan cities of Gandaki basin:Pokhara and Bharatpur.Landsat satellite images were analyzed using supervised classification methods.The results revealed that the built-up area has increased significantly by 300%in Pokhara and by nearly 500%in the Bharatpur during the past 28 years.Population growth,migration from surrounding areas due to urban facilities and the easy lifestyle in cities were found to be major determinants of urban growth within the study area.In addition,the changing urban definition and expansion of municipal boundaries are key factors for rapid urban growth.Both cities are likely to grow in the future as they are both located in areas that encompass the high levels of commercial activity and modern service facilities.The haphazard urban growth should be minimized through planning and policies for sustainable urban development.展开更多
Gandaki River Basin(GRB) is part of the central Himalayan region, which provides habitat for numerous wild species. However, due to changes in climate and land cover, the habitats of many protected species are at risk...Gandaki River Basin(GRB) is part of the central Himalayan region, which provides habitat for numerous wild species. However, due to changes in climate and land cover, the habitats of many protected species are at risk. Based on the maximum entropy(MaxEnt) model, coupled with bioclimatic layers, land cover and DEM data, the impacts of environmental factors on habitat suitability of Himalayan Monal(Lophophorus impejanus), a national bird of Nepal, was quantified. This study further assessed the present and future habitat and distribution of the Himalayan Monal in the context of climate and land cover changes. The results of this study show that the highly suitable habitat of Himalayan Monal presently occupies around 749 km^2 within the northern, eastern and western parts, particularly protected areas such as Langtang National Park, Manaslu Conservation Area and Annapurna Conservation Area, while it is likely to decrease to 561 km^2 by 2050, primarily in the northern and northwestern parts(i.e., Chhyo, Tatopani, Humde and Chame). These expected changes indicate increasing risk for Himalayan Monal due to a decline in its suitable habitat area.展开更多
Gandaki River Basin(GRB)is an important part of the central Himalayan region,which provides habitat for numerous wild species.However,climatic changes are making the habitat in this basin more vulnerable.This paper ai...Gandaki River Basin(GRB)is an important part of the central Himalayan region,which provides habitat for numerous wild species.However,climatic changes are making the habitat in this basin more vulnerable.This paper aims to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the spatial distributions of habitat changes for two vulnerable species,Himalayan black bear(Ursus thibetanus laniger)and common leopard(Panthera pardus fusca),using the maximum entropy(Max Ent)species distribution model.Species occurrence locations were used along with several bioclimatic and topographic variables(elevation,slope and aspect)to fit the model and predict the potential distributions(current and future)of the species.The results show that the highly suitable area of Himalayan black bear within the GRB currently encompasses around 1642 km^(2)(5.01%area of the basin),which is predicted to increase by 51 km^(2) in the future(2050).Similarly,the habitat of common leopard is estimated as 3999 km^(2)(12.19%of the GRB area),which is likely to increase to 4806 km^(2) in 2050.Spatially,the habitat of Himalayan black bear is predicted to increase in the eastern part(Baseri,Tatopani and north from Bhainse)and to decrease in the eastern(Somdang,Chhekampar),western(Burtibang and Bobang)and northern(Sangboche,Manang,Chhekampar)parts of the study area.Similarly,the habitat of common leopard is projected to decrease particularly in the eastern,western and southern parts of the basin,although it is estimated to be extended in the southeastern(Bhainse),western(Harichaur and northern Sandhikhark)and north-western(Sangboche)parts of the basin.To determine the habitat impact,the environmental variables such as elevation,Bio 15(precipitation seasonality)and Bio 16(precipitation of wettest quarter)highly contribute to habitat change of Himalayan black bear;while Bio 13(precipitation of wettest month)and Bio 15 are the main contributors for common leopard.Overall,this study predicted that the suitable habitat areas of both species are likely to be impacted by climate change at different altitudes in the future,and these are the areas that need more attention in order to protect these species.展开更多
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761144081)The Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(2019QZKK2203)+1 种基金The International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(131C11KYSB20160061)The Chinese Academy of Sciences-The World Academy of Sciences(CAS-TWAS)President’s Fellowship Program for Ph D Study
文摘Urban growth is a key indicator of economic development.At the same time,haphazard urban growth creates serious socioeconomic,environmental and urban land management problems.In this context,understanding the process of urban landscape change is important for guiding the sustainable growth of urban areas.This study analyzes the urban land changes during 1990–2018 in two metropolitan cities of Gandaki basin:Pokhara and Bharatpur.Landsat satellite images were analyzed using supervised classification methods.The results revealed that the built-up area has increased significantly by 300%in Pokhara and by nearly 500%in the Bharatpur during the past 28 years.Population growth,migration from surrounding areas due to urban facilities and the easy lifestyle in cities were found to be major determinants of urban growth within the study area.In addition,the changing urban definition and expansion of municipal boundaries are key factors for rapid urban growth.Both cities are likely to grow in the future as they are both located in areas that encompass the high levels of commercial activity and modern service facilities.The haphazard urban growth should be minimized through planning and policies for sustainable urban development.
基金Chinese Academy of Sciences-The World Academy of Sciences(CAS-TWAS)President's Fellowship Program for PhD Study。
文摘Gandaki River Basin(GRB) is part of the central Himalayan region, which provides habitat for numerous wild species. However, due to changes in climate and land cover, the habitats of many protected species are at risk. Based on the maximum entropy(MaxEnt) model, coupled with bioclimatic layers, land cover and DEM data, the impacts of environmental factors on habitat suitability of Himalayan Monal(Lophophorus impejanus), a national bird of Nepal, was quantified. This study further assessed the present and future habitat and distribution of the Himalayan Monal in the context of climate and land cover changes. The results of this study show that the highly suitable habitat of Himalayan Monal presently occupies around 749 km^2 within the northern, eastern and western parts, particularly protected areas such as Langtang National Park, Manaslu Conservation Area and Annapurna Conservation Area, while it is likely to decrease to 561 km^2 by 2050, primarily in the northern and northwestern parts(i.e., Chhyo, Tatopani, Humde and Chame). These expected changes indicate increasing risk for Himalayan Monal due to a decline in its suitable habitat area.
基金The Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research(2019QZKK0603)The Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(XDA20040201)The National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761144081)。
文摘Gandaki River Basin(GRB)is an important part of the central Himalayan region,which provides habitat for numerous wild species.However,climatic changes are making the habitat in this basin more vulnerable.This paper aims to assess the potential impacts of climate change on the spatial distributions of habitat changes for two vulnerable species,Himalayan black bear(Ursus thibetanus laniger)and common leopard(Panthera pardus fusca),using the maximum entropy(Max Ent)species distribution model.Species occurrence locations were used along with several bioclimatic and topographic variables(elevation,slope and aspect)to fit the model and predict the potential distributions(current and future)of the species.The results show that the highly suitable area of Himalayan black bear within the GRB currently encompasses around 1642 km^(2)(5.01%area of the basin),which is predicted to increase by 51 km^(2) in the future(2050).Similarly,the habitat of common leopard is estimated as 3999 km^(2)(12.19%of the GRB area),which is likely to increase to 4806 km^(2) in 2050.Spatially,the habitat of Himalayan black bear is predicted to increase in the eastern part(Baseri,Tatopani and north from Bhainse)and to decrease in the eastern(Somdang,Chhekampar),western(Burtibang and Bobang)and northern(Sangboche,Manang,Chhekampar)parts of the study area.Similarly,the habitat of common leopard is projected to decrease particularly in the eastern,western and southern parts of the basin,although it is estimated to be extended in the southeastern(Bhainse),western(Harichaur and northern Sandhikhark)and north-western(Sangboche)parts of the basin.To determine the habitat impact,the environmental variables such as elevation,Bio 15(precipitation seasonality)and Bio 16(precipitation of wettest quarter)highly contribute to habitat change of Himalayan black bear;while Bio 13(precipitation of wettest month)and Bio 15 are the main contributors for common leopard.Overall,this study predicted that the suitable habitat areas of both species are likely to be impacted by climate change at different altitudes in the future,and these are the areas that need more attention in order to protect these species.
