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The effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on land-use changes: a study of Alberta, Canada

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Abstract

Various environmental and socioeconomic issues have been attributed to land-use changes, and therefore, the underlying mechanisms merit investigation and quantification. This study assesses a comprehensive series of land-use conversions that were implemented over a recent 12-year period in the province of Alberta, Canada, where rapid economic and population growth has occurred. Spatial autocorrelation models are applied to identify the comprehensive effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors in each conversion case. The empirical results show that the impacts of key environmental and socioeconomic factors varied in intensity depending on the type of land-use conversion involved. Overall, land suitability for agricultural uses, road density, elevation, and population growth were found to be significant predictors of land-use changes. High land suitability, low elevation, and moderate road density were associated with land conversion for agricultural purposes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank Ralph Wright in Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development for providing the historical weather data. The Alberta Land Institute (ALI) provides the financial support for this research.

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Correspondence to Xiaofeng Ruan.

Appendix

Appendix

(Table 10).

Table 10 The marginal effects on the cropland conversion in the SAC model
Table 11 The marginal effects on the pasture conversion in the SAC model
Table 12 The marginal effects on the natural land conversion in the SAC model
Table 13 The marginal effects on the developed area conversion in the SAC model

(Fig. 6).

Fig. 6
figure 6

Cropland hectares converted into pasture at the township level

Fig. 7
figure 7

Cropland hectares converted into natural land at the township level

Fig. 8
figure 8

Cropland hectares converted into developed land at the township level

Fig. 9
figure 9

Pasture hectares converted into cropland at the township level

Fig. 10
figure 10

Pasture hectares converted into natural land at the township level

Fig. 11
figure 11

Pasture hectares converted into developed land at the township level

Fig. 12
figure 12

Nature land hectares converted into cropland at the township level

Fig. 13
figure 13

Nature land hectares converted into pasture at the township level

Fig. 14
figure 14

Nature land hectares converted into developed land at the township level

Fig. 15
figure 15

Developed land hectares converted into cropland at the township level

Fig. 16
figure 16

Developed land hectares converted into pasture at the township level

Fig. 17
figure 17

Developed land hectares converted into natural land at the township level

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Ruan, X., Qiu, F. & Dyck, M. The effects of environmental and socioeconomic factors on land-use changes: a study of Alberta, Canada. Environ Monit Assess 188, 446 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-016-5450-9

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