Assessing the environmental impacts of high-altitude agriculture in Taiwan: A Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework and spatial emergy synthesis

摘要: Abstract Limited land resources in Taiwan have resulted the conversion of many agricultural production areas to residential and commercial through urbanization. In addition, order produce more crops with a higher market value, traditional cultivation been transformed high market-value areas. These transformations system led an increase practices high-altitude Taiwan, resulting serious environmental impacts. This study integrates emergy evaluation GIS (Geographic Information System) investigate impacts from changing Taiwan. The Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework is used for interpreting problem agriculture spatial synthesis this reveals following: (1) total decreased by 72,930 ha 1995 2006. However, (over 500 meters) increased significantly, about 9665 ha; (2) ecosystem services (calculated combining food provision regulation services) 6.97E+20 sej (solar joule) 2006; (3) results sustainability index (SESI) indicate that increases producing function are outweighed losses regulatory (3.83 times) areas; (4) there negative relationship between altitude development social adaptive capacity provided government (defined Social Response Ratio, SRR); (5) approach effectively identifies distribution vulnerable via GIS, provides information required appropriate allocation protection different