IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i2p266-d198812.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Integrating Landscape Metrics and Hydrologic Modeling to Assess the Impact of Natural Disturbances on Ecohydrological Processes in the Chenyulan Watershed, Taiwan

Author

Listed:
  • Li-Chi Chiang

    (Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan)

  • Yi-Ting Chuang

    (Department of Civil and Disaster Prevention Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan)

  • Chin-Chuan Han

    (Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National United University, Miaoli City 36063, Taiwan)

Abstract

The Chenyulan watershed, located in the central mountain area of Taiwan, has been suffering from earthquakes, typhoons, and heavy rainfalls in recent decades. These sequential natural disturbances have a cumulative impact on the watershed, leading to more fragile and fragmented land cover and loss of capacity of soil water conservation. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and a landscape metrics tool (FRAGSTATS) were used to assess the direct impact (e.g., by annual rainfall) and indirect impact (e.g., by landscape configuration and composition) of natural disturbances on the ecohydrological processes of the Chenyulan watershed. Six SPOT satellite images from 2008 to 2013 were analyzed by using the nearest feature line embedding (NFLE) approach and reclassified into six land cover types: forest, cultivated land, grassland, river, landslide, and built-up. Forest was found to have the largest patch size, indicating that it is more resilient to disturbances, while agricultural land tended to expand from the river side toward the hill. Two land cover change scenarios were compared in the SWAT model. The results showed that there was no significant difference in simulated streamflow during 2004–2015 and sediment loading during 2004–2009; however, the model performed better for sediment loading during 2010–2015 with dynamic land cover change (coefficient of determination (R 2 ) = 0.66, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) = 0.62, percent bias (PBIAS) = 10.5%, root mean square error observation standard deviation ratio (RSR) = 0.62) than with constant land cover (R 2 = 0.61, NSE = 0.54, PBIAS = −17.3%, RSR = 0.68), indicating that long-term land cover change should be considered in hydrologic modeling. Changes in landslides during 2008–2013 were found to significantly affect ecohydrological processes, especially after 2011. In general, annual precipitation plays a dominant role, and landscape composition had by far the strongest influence on water yield and sediment yield compared to landscape configuration. The results can be useful for understanding the effects of land cover change on ecohydrological processes in the Chenyulan watershed and the potential impact of ecohydrological changes on the environment and public health.

Suggested Citation

  • Li-Chi Chiang & Yi-Ting Chuang & Chin-Chuan Han, 2019. "Integrating Landscape Metrics and Hydrologic Modeling to Assess the Impact of Natural Disturbances on Ecohydrological Processes in the Chenyulan Watershed, Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-21, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:2:p:266-:d:198812
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/2/266/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/2/266/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jinkang Du & Hanyi Rui & Tianhui Zuo & Qian Li & Dapeng Zheng & Ailing Chen & Youpeng Xu & C.-Y. Xu, 2013. "Hydrological Simulation by SWAT Model with Fixed and Varied Parameterization Approaches Under Land Use Change," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(8), pages 2823-2838, June.
    2. Park, Jong-Yoon & Ale, Srinivasulu & Teague, W. Richard, 2017. "Simulated water quality effects of alternate grazing management practices at the ranch and watershed scales," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 360(C), pages 1-13.
    3. P. E. Zope & T. I. Eldho & V. Jothiprakash, 2017. "Hydrological impacts of land use–land cover change and detention basins on urban flood hazard: a case study of Poisar River basin, Mumbai, India," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 87(3), pages 1267-1283, July.
    4. Boongaling, Cheamson Garret K. & Faustino-Eslava, Decibel V. & Lansigan, Felino P., 2018. "Modeling land use change impacts on hydrology and the use of landscape metrics as tools for watershed management: The case of an ungauged catchment in the Philippines," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 116-128.
    5. Bahman Amiri & Kaneyuki Nakane, 2009. "Modeling the Linkage Between River Water Quality and Landscape Metrics in the Chugoku District of Japan," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 23(5), pages 931-956, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Henrich Grežo & Matej Močko & Martin Izsóff & Gréta Vrbičanová & František Petrovič & Jozef Straňák & Zlatica Muchová & Martina Slámová & Branislav Olah & Ivo Machar, 2020. "Flood Risk Assessment for the Long-Term Strategic Planning Considering the Placement of Industrial Parks in Slovakia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-20, May.
    2. Hackbart, Vivian C.S. & de Lima, Guilherme T.N.P. & dos Santos, Rozely F., 2017. "Theory and practice of water ecosystem services valuation: Where are we going?," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 218-227.
    3. Daniele, Bertolozzi-Caredio & Barbara, Soriano & Isabel, Bardaji & Alberto, Garrido, 2022. "Analysis of perceived robustness, adaptability and transformability of Spanish extensive livestock farms under alternative challenging scenarios," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    4. Ethan Gordon & Federico Davila & Chris Riedy, 2022. "Transforming landscapes and mindscapes through regenerative agriculture," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 39(2), pages 809-826, June.
    5. Xin Huang & Lin Qiu, 2024. "Impacts of Climate Change and Land Use/Cover Change on Runoff in the Huangfuchuan River Basin," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-23, November.
    6. Azam Haidary & Bahman Amiri & Jan Adamowski & Nicola Fohrer & Kaneyuki Nakane, 2013. "Assessing the Impacts of Four Land Use Types on the Water Quality of Wetlands in Japan," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 2217-2229, May.
    7. Ian Avery Bick & Ronita Bardhan & Terry Beaubois, 2018. "Applying fuzzy logic to open data for sustainable development decision-making: a case study of the planned city Amaravati," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 91(3), pages 1317-1339, April.
    8. Yanbo Duan & Yu Gary Gao & Yusen Zhang & Huawei Li & Zhonghui Li & Ziying Zhou & Guohang Tian & Yakai Lei, 2022. "“The 20 July 2021 Major Flood Event” in Greater Zhengzhou, China: A Case Study of Flooding Severity and Landscape Characteristics," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, October.
    9. Francis Rathinam & Sayak Khatua & Zeba Siddiqui & Manya Malik & Pallavi Duggal & Samantha Watson & Xavier Vollenweider, 2021. "Using big data for evaluating development outcomes: A systematic map," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), September.
    10. Christian Mera-Parra & Fernando Oñate-Valdivieso & Priscilla Massa-Sánchez & Pablo Ochoa-Cueva, 2021. "Establishment of the Baseline for the IWRM in the Ecuadorian Andean Basins: Land Use Change, Water Recharge, Meteorological Forecast and Hydrological Modeling," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-18, May.
    11. Zhigao Wu & Kangning Xiong & Dayun Zhu & Jie Xiao, 2022. "Revelation of Coupled Ecosystem Quality and Landscape Patterns for Agroforestry Ecosystem Services Sustainability Improvement in the Karst Desertification Control," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-27, December.
    12. Iman Fatehi & Bahman Amiri & Afshin Alizadeh & Jan Adamowski, 2015. "Modeling the Relationship between Catchment Attributes and In-stream Water Quality," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 29(14), pages 5055-5072, November.
    13. Frederick Asare & Lobina G. Palamuleni & Tabukeli Ruhiiga, 2018. "Land Use Change Assessment and Water Quality of Ephemeral Ponds for Irrigation in the North West Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, June.
    14. Vahid Moosavi & Ayoob Karami & Negin Behnia & Ronny Berndtsson & Christian Massari, 2022. "Linking Hydro-Physical Variables and Landscape Metrics using Advanced Data Mining for Stream-Flow Prediction," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(11), pages 4255-4273, September.
    15. Yongfen Zhang & Nong Wang & Chongjun Tang & Shiqiang Zhang & Yuejun Song & Kaitao Liao & Xiaofei Nie, 2021. "A New Indicator to Better Represent the Impact of Landscape Pattern Change on Basin Soil Erosion and Sediment Yield in the Upper Reach of Ganjiang, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, September.
    16. Che, Yuyuan & Feng, Hongli & Hennessy, David, 2021. "Assessing Peer Effects and Subsidy Impacts in Technology Adoption: Application to Grazing Management Choices with Farm Survey Data," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315123, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    17. Navin Bhatta & Shakhawat H. Tanim & Pamela Murray-Tuite, 2024. "Dynamics of Link Importance through Normal Conditions, Flood Response, and Recovery," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-35, January.
    18. Bikram Manandhar & Shenghui Cui & Lihong Wang & Sabita Shrestha, 2023. "Urban Flood Hazard Assessment and Management Practices in South Asia: A Review," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-29, March.
    19. Masoomeh Yaghoobi & Alireza Vafaeenejad & Hamidreza Moradi & Hossein Hashemi, 2022. "Analysis of Landscape Composition and Configuration Based on LULC Change Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-18, October.
    20. Chong Wei & Zhiqiang Zhang & Zhiguo Wang & Lianhai Cao & Yichang Wei & Xiangning Zhang & Rongqin Zhao & Liangang Xiao & Qing Wu, 2022. "Response of Variation of Water and Sediment to Landscape Pattern in the Dapoling Watershed," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, January.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:2:p:266-:d:198812. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.