Landscape metrics are used in landscape ecology to quantify landscape characteristics related to structure, function and change by quantifying the structure and distributional pattern of landscape elements such as plants, animals and other physical landscape features. To date, there has been little published research on landscape metrics that include social perceptions of landscape. In this paper, we introduce the concept of social landscape metrics that quantify human perceptions of place resulting from the use of public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS).

Crop raiding by African elephants threatens human livelihoods and elephants, yet studies of long-term changes in crop raiding and effects on attitudes are lacking. The scope of perceived crop damage in three communities and local attitudes toward elephants and protected areas were surveyed in the Bénoué Wildlife Conservation Area, Cameroon in 2010. Temporal changes in attitudes and perceived crop damage were estimated using previous work. The percent of households reporting elephant crop raiding increased since 1997 (58% vs. 40%).

Intra-aggregate pores play an important role in controlling soil processes on a micro-scale. Differences in parent materials, pedogenic processes, land use, and management practices can have a substantial effect on their characteristics. The goal of this study is to examine intra-aggregate pore characteristics using X-ray computed microtomography (μCT) images in soils of two contrasting parent materials and of contrasting land use and management.

The Fossa Bradanica in Basilicata (S Italy) is affected by almost 15% permanent Pleistocene and Holocene gullies. In the past decades climate versus land use management have dramatically increase both the soil loss rate and the muddy-flooding frequency. In this paper the impact of global change on soil production rates and erosion/deposition dynamics at medium-time scale (1949–2000) for two permanent gullies (Fosso Lavandaio and Fosso San Teodoro) has been studied.

Projects aiming at reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) still account for a small share of the voluntary carbon market. Indeed, although carbon buyers claimed REDD credits to be the most desirable ones, and despite the steps forward for a REDD+ approval under the UNFCCC, REDD+ project development appears problematic. Good governance is often a prerequisite for the development of a REDD+ project.

Landslide susceptibility mapping is essential for land use planning and decision-making especially in the mountainous areas. The main objective of this study is to produce landslide susceptibility maps at Safarood basin, Iran using two statistical models such as an index of entropy and conditional probability and to compare the obtained results. At the first stage, landslide locations were identified in the study area by interpretation of aerial photographs and from field investigations.

In the conditions of the Republic of Belarus there were presented theoretical statements and methodical approaches to the improvement of the use of lands and organization of the territory of agricultural organizations in conditions of ecologization of land use. There were formulated the notion and tasks of improvement of the use of lands of agricultural organizations.

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is a globally important crop and is unusual because it both requires and acidifies the soil in which it grows. In spite of the low pH, high nitrate () accumulates in tea soils, resulting in a great potential for diffuse pollution. Nitrification in tea soils remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate net and gross nitrification in three tea soils with varying productivity, their adjacent forest and vegetable soils. The results showed that neither net nor gross nitrification rates were significantly related to soil pH.

An effective response to future risk within socio-ecosystems will require the retention of local diversity, not just in more vulnerable communities on the margins but also in regions vital to industrialised countries. A case study is presented that examines agroecosystem vulnerability to climate change within an Australian multifunctional rural landscape adjacent to the city of Adelaide.

The landscape of many historic cities and the character of their shallow subsurface environments are defined by a legacy of interaction between anthropogenic and geological processes. Anthropogenic deposits and excavations result from processes ranging from archaeological activities to modern urban development. Hence, in heritage cities, any geological investigation should acknowledge the role of past and ongoing human activities, while any archaeological investigation should be conducted with geological processes in mind.

In order to identify the areas in the Xilingele grassland which are sensitive to wind erosion, a computational fluid dynamics model (CFD-WEM) was used to simulate the wind fields over a region of 37km2 which contains different topography and land use types. Previous studies revealed the important influences of topography and land use on wind erosion in the Xilingele grassland. Topography influences wind fields at large scale, and land use influences wind fields near the ground.

To improve communication between reindeer-herders and other land users, we developed and implemented a system to produce reindeer husbandry plans together with Sami reindeer-herding communities. A central component of our communications strategy was the introduction and use of a participatory GIS (pGIS). We evaluated the potential and limitations of pGIS as a tool for collaborative learning.