To investigate the influence of human activities on limnological characteristics of Lake Victoria, we analyzed inorganic nutrient concentrations, phytoplankton diversity and biomass at three locations with different land use patterns: Mwanza (urban/industrial), Magu (agricultural) and Kayenze (sparsely populated). Mwanza had significantly higher ammonia concentration compared to Kayenze and Magu. At the shoreline stations, significantly higher nitrate concentration was observed at Mwanza compared to Kayenze and Magu.

Many tropical landscapes are today characterized by small forest patches embedded in an agricultural mosaic matrix. In such highly fragmented landscapes, agroforests have already been recognized as refuges for biodiversity but few studies have investigated the potential of non-forested land-use types to contribute to overall biodiversity of functionally important taxa in the tropics.

Land use/land cover monitoring and mapping is crucial to efficient management of the land and its resources. Since the late 1980s increased attention has been paid to the use of coarse resolution optical data. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has features, which make it particularly suitable to earth characterization purposes. MODIS has 10 products dedicated mainly to land cover characterization and provides three kinds of data: angular, spectral and temporal. MODIS data also includes information about the data quality through the ‘Quality Assessment’ product.

CONTEXT: Century-long interaction between societies and their environment has shaped the cultural landscapes across Europe. Specific farming systems have persisted for long periods, and their abandonment has led to far-reaching and rapid changes in patterns of land use and land cover. OBJECTIVE: Taking the example of the municipality of Limpach, located in the Swiss lowlands, we studied the dynamics of cultural landscape and related driving forces in a long-term perspective.

In course of the research there was studied the theoretical bases of organizational and economic mechanism of land use regulation, which include the notions, principles, requirements, factors and criteria. The conceptual scheme and the model of functioning of the organizational-economic mechanism were developed. Study was realized in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus.

In course of the research there was studied the system of measures of liberalization of conditions for business activity actualization in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus. The liberalization management of conditions of realization of economic activities (which include the use, estimation of conditions and protection of land resources of Belarus) is expedient to consider in two directions which are inseparably interlinked.

Communal land use system has existed in pastoral Afar (as in many other pastoral areas) since time of immemorial accommodating the interests of different user groups. This form of land use system, which has adapted to the harsh environment in which herders raise their livestock, enables efficient utilization of scattered pastoral resources since it accommodates constant mobility of livestock. In contrast to the mobile way of life, which characterizes pastoralism, farming as a sedentary activity is only marginally present in the lowlands of the Afar region.

Land use and land cover change (LUCC) have a significant influence on regional ecosystems and on the carbon cycle. The Sanjiang Plain is one of the largest grain production bases in China, and has experienced rapid land cover change, making it a critical area in which to assess the environmental impact of LUCC and propose strategies for minimizing its impact on net primary productivity (NPP). In this study, land cover was estimated from remote sensing images to quantify LUCC on the Sanjiang Plain from 2000 to 2010.

The spatial and temporal dynamics of tropical forest functioning are poorly understood, partly attributed to a weak seasonality and high tree species diversity at the landscape scale. Recent neotropical rainforest studies with local tower flux measurements have revealed strong seasonal carbon fluxes that follow the availability of sunlight in intact forests, while in areas of forest disturbance, carbon fluxes more closely tracked seasonal water availability.