This article introduces an innovative approach using marker-controlled watershed segmentation (WS) in the Vegetation–Impervious Surface–Soil (V–I–S) feature space for urban land-use and land-cover (LULC) classification. The complement (e.g., the inverse) of the V–I–S feature space image shows depressions, which can be treated as topographic watersheds and they correspond to LULC classes. WS partitions the complement of V–I–S feature space image into LULC regions based on user-specified initial markers.

To evolve a proper management scenario for groundwater utilization, identification of groundwater potential zones is an important step. In the present study, an attempt has been made to identify possible groundwater potential zones both in terms of quantity and quality. A methodology is proposed for identification of groundwater potential index (GWPI) and a new water quality index (WQI) based on analytic hierarchy process. The proposed methodology has been applied to the shallow alluvial aquifer of central Ganga basin, Kanpur (India).

Spatial regression, incorporating spatial error or lag dependency, was performed to interpret determinants of hazardous chemicals at full sub-basin scale and at 500m riparian buffer scale in Qiantang River, eastern coastal China. Monitoring data from 41 monitoring stations were collected between 1996 and 2003 and pretreated for 7 variables—petroleum, hexavalent chromium, total cadmium, total lead, total mercury, total cyanide, and volatile phenol. Results showed that primary predictors and the predictive ability of spatial regression differed with variables and scales.

The vicious poverty–environmental spiral commonly exists due to the interconnectedness of the socioeconomic aspects of farmers and land degradation. The socioeconomic situation of farmers affects their capabilities to implement environmentally viable soil and water conservation measures. These situations include farm practices and attitudes toward rational use of resources. An observational study was conducted to have an insight of the perception of farmers about the danger of gully erosion and their willingness to adopt new improved soil and water conservation measures.

As a signatory to the Convention on Biological Diversity and to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, New Zealand has international responsibilities to protect and restore wetland ecosystems. The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy also reflects New Zealand's commitment to help stem the loss of biodiversity worldwide, including wetlands. Wetland loss in New Zealand has been more significant than in most parts of the world, and ecosystems in fertile lowlands have been most severely impacted by agricultural development.

The land use changes of İzmir Çeşme Coasts are determined by using remote sensing techniques in the period of 38 years. Temporal and spatial changes of land use are analyzed based on 3 land use maps which show 8 land use categories using the topographical maps and aerial photos in 1957-1976-1995. The dominancy of land use categories are calculated depending on grid map (1km x 1km). Each period of grid maps and land use maps are analyzed by spatial intersection method in GIS.

Channel changes are the consequence of changes in sediment yield from the slopes and in the connectivity between slopes and channels because of distinct land use and climate impacts. In this study, we investigated the characteristics and evolution of a short reach in the headwater of the Ijuez River, central–southern Pyrenees. Assessment of a series of sedimentary and geomorphic structures confirmed major changes to the valley bottom, mainly related to changes in the intensity of human activity.

Construction associated to land development, such as roads and railroads, promote severe land degradation. Cutslope sediment yield is one of the major pollutants on waters close to the road and railroad network. To estimate road impact, soil erosion (E), sediment yield (SY) and morphological evolution of a railroad cut in Palencia (Spain), were studied using erosion nails, during the periods 1998–1999, 1999–2000 and 2000–2010. Data from two sample plots were analyzed by an ANOVA for repeated measures.

This paper focuses on irrigation schemes under rotational water supply in arid and semiarid regions. It presents a methodology for developing plans for optimum allocation of land area and water, considering performance measures such as productivity, equity and adequacy. These irrigation schemes are characterized by limited water supply and heterogeneity in soils, crops, climate and water distribution network, etc.

Understanding the process of agricultural land expansion and its impact on soil properties is crucial for land management and environmental health. A desert–oasis ecotone is typically located between an oasis at the lower reach of inland rivers and neighboring desert in arid regions, and acts as an interactive zone between irrigated farmland and the natural desert ecosystem. The arid region of northwest China has experienced dramatic land exploitation since the 1960s and soil salinization has been a serious environmental problem ever since.