| Session Description |
The effects of land use and land cover change (LULCC) have become a key issue for the scientific community concerned with global environmental change. Changes in land cover can influence climate and climate, in turn, can influence land use and land cover. These land cover changes affect weather and climate variability by altering biophysical, biogeochemical, and energy exchange processes at local, regional, and global scales. Recent studies show that climate change and human dominated land cover change are the main causes of loss of biodiversity. Human activities have significantly altered land use and land cover primarily by transforming natural ecosystems into agricultural areas over the past centuries. The most significant land use and land cover change (LULCC) has occurred in East and South Asia with increasingly accelerated urbanization and rapid growth of population. In the foreseeable future, the demand of land for socio-economic development will continually grow in the area. As an indicator to land resources, terrestrial habitats and environment, land cover is a key element in monitoring land status, studying environmental issuers and supporting decision-making by government. Against this background, the key points in this session deal with the process of land use and land cover change and their environmental impacts. The impacts of LULCC are not limited to those caused by atmospheric and climate changes but also to more subtle changes of vegetation and hydrology. Research that advances understanding the consequences of land use and land cover change should help to better inform policies directed at responding to an ever changing world. |
