PhD defence: Yang Xu

Yang Xu defends her thesis,

Earth Observation of Anthropogenic Influence on Wetland Environments: Insights into Water Color and Dike-Pond Systems

Supervisors:
Professor Rasmus Fensholt, IGN
Associate Professor Fabian C. Gieseke, DIKU
Associate Professor Lian Feng, SUSTech, CH

Assessment Committee:
Professor Mengqiu Wang, SRSIE Wuhan University, CH
Professor Tiit Kutser, University of Tartu, EE
Associate Professor Martin Rudbeck Jepsen (chair), IGN

Summary (shortened):
the thesis leveraged earth observation methods to comprehensively map global wetland reclamations and reclaimed aquaculture ponds at the global scale while assessing their contributions to food production and eco-environmental impacts. It began by offering a holistic evaluation of the influence of reclaimed aquaculture zones on water quality in a reclamation hotspot in China, and further quantified the broader impacts of wetland reclamations and reclaimed aquaculture zones on climate change and natural ecosystems on a global scale. The datasets and frameworks generated in this thesis have significant potential to serve as a foundational resource for designing, monitoring, and evaluating future sustainable development policies. The three studies collectively underscore the importance of conducting more detailed investigations into global reclamations and their environmental impacts, calling for future trade-off efforts between human needs and eco-environmental conservation.

A digital version of the PhD thesis can be obtained from the PhD secretary at phd@ign.ku.dk