Search

Copyright of Journal of Central European Agriculture is the property of Journal of Central European Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present the first extensive high-resolution glacial geomorphic map west of the Andean Cordillera in southernmost Chile (52.8–53.1°S, 73.0–73.9°W). The map extends over 1565 km² and is based on high-resolution satellite images and aerial photographs. At selected locations, the remotely mapped geomorphology was corroborated by field observations. The study area is dominated by glacial erosional landforms (77%) over depositional landforms (23%), with published submarine depositional landforms having been included (e.g. moraines). Glacial drift, kettle kame topography and lateral and frontal moraines form the primary depositional landforms and sediment associations. Glacial cirques, wide U-shaped valleys, whalebacks, roches moutonnées and scoured bedrock characterize most of the mapped area. The spatial distribution of whalebacks and roches moutonnées in the study area indicates a lack of lithological control on their formation and a warm-based, dynamic ice velocity and thickness regime during Patagonian Ice Sheet cover and retreat during the last glacial cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sustainable urban planning, finding an optimal location for land use is critical to managing the distribution of land. Therefore, finding a location requires detailed information to conduct a correct evaluation of factors influencing the choice. The purpose of this paper is to find an appropriate site for a police station based on GIS in Alaziziyah Municipality, Jeddah. A novel method is proposed by combing service area analysis and multi-criteria analysis to reduce the emergency response time. The evaluation was conducted based on travel time from the two available police stations in the study area. The ten critical zones were generated by using network analysis with each zone representing one-minute travel time coverage. The critical zones were ranking, and weightage was applied as being crime risk-prone considering the distance from facilities and the travel time. The facilities were categorised into three groups, namely education, health, and tourism services. A suitability map was created to determine the priorities of alternative locations and the highly suitable area was overlaid with aerial photograph to determine land availability. The facility location-allocation was used to select the best location for setting up a police station. This approach revealed optimal solutions for government or planners as they seek to make the right decision for site selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic information systems (GIS) are an effective tool for storing, managing and displaying spatial data. The application of GIS in water resources management is constantly increasing. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to study the morphological anthropogenic changes occurring in the surface water body BG2PR210R1005 (Devnya River after the village of Chernevo to the inflow in Provadiyska River). For this purpose, GIS was created, which includes aerial photographs (taken in 1942 and 1957), analog topographic maps 1: 5000 (1966 and 1987) and orthophoto maps (2006, 2011 and 2014), digital elevation model (DEM). As a result of the performed spatial analysis of the indicated sources, the anthropogenic factors and the morphological changes caused by them on the Devnya River after the village of Chernevo have been determined. In the course of the research it was proved that the river Hamam Dere (considered to be the beginning of the river Devnya) has no connection with the river Devnya. In addition, the Hamam Dere River is defined as a Heavily Modified Surface Water Body (HMSWB) only within the boundaries of a spring (Myziiska cheshma) to the Kairyaka area. The obtained results are important for the responsible institutions (Basin Directorate of the Black Sea Water Management Region) and the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archival aerial photographs are among the most common, voluminous, and frequently used collections in map and geography libraries because of the unique and important spatial information that they contain. They are, however, an underutilized resource because they are challenging to work with and due to misconceptions about their quality. Therefore, developing efficient workflows to convert archival aerial photographs into research-quality digital spatial data is an important next step in making them accessible to a broad range of potential users. The present study tested three software to georeference, orthorectify, and mosaic 15 digitized archival photographs. Using positional accuracy and aesthetics of output mosaics as measures of software performance, all three completed the task impressively well. Output image spatial resolution and positional accuracy were found to be comparable to common public-domain contemporary aerial photography datasets like those produced by the National Agricultural Imagery Program. We also assessed software ease of use by geospatial professionals who were not trained photogrammetrists and found all three to be accessible with care and training resources. The software tools to efficiently convert archival aerial photographs into research-quality digital spatial data have finally matured to the point where collection managers can reasonably consider collection scale conversion projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Prokopos Lagoon is part of the Kotychi Strofilias National Wetlands Park, which is supervised by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change of Greece. The lagoon is situated at the northwestern coast of the Peloponnese and is protected by the Ramsar Convention. It is an important ecosystem with ecological services providing habitats for many plants and animals and essential goods and services for humans as well. No previous relevant studies for the wider wetland area are available, and given that lagoons are important ecosystems, their diachronic evolution should be under constant monitoring. Using remote sensing techniques in Geographic Information System (GIS) environment, alterations in critical parameters could be measured and applied for the protection of the area. The present study examines the spatiotemporal changes of the water extent of the Prokopos Lagoon, estimating landscape metrics and several morphometric parameters and indices related to the geomorphological features of the lagoon for the 1945–2021 period. Moreover, the adjacent shoreline was studied for each past decade evolution from 1945 to present, and it is discussed to whether there is a relationship between shoreline changes and the lagoon. High resolution satellite images and air photos at scale 1:30,000 were used to digitize the shorelines and the polygons of the lagoon's surface. Linear Regression Rates (LRR), Net Shoreline Movement (NSM), End Point Rate (EPR) and Shoreline Change Envelope (SCE) provided by the Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) were used to determine the changes. Finally, future shoreline positions for 2021 and 2031 are estimated, while based on statistic models, we found that in the coastal area, the erosion–accretion cycle is predicted to be completed in 2031, after almost 86 years since 1945. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the importance of remote sensing and GIS techniques applied on aerial photographs for forests spatio-temporal dynamics analysis. An assessment of the changes in the distribution and extension of Kiadi cork oak forest was carried out using historical imagery, covering a period of 35 years. The results indicate that, roadways and building surfaces in Kiadi forest have increased by 9.71 and 3.86% respectively, while the surface initially covered by vegetation decreased by 13.57%, as a result of anthropogenic disturbance. Digital processing of historical aerial photographs proved to be a powerful tool for quantitative analysis of forest dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfire is an understudied threat to biodiversity in many tropical landscapes, including island nations of the Pacific, such as The Republic of Palau—a global biodiversity hotspot with ridge-to-reef resources. Fires are known to occur on Palau's main island of Babeldaob, where they can result in increased erosion rates and sediment delivery to near-shore areas with impacts to streams and coral reefs. Fire-adapted native plant species are found in savanna habitats, but fires often extend into adjacent forest areas where they kill overstory trees. To assess this serious biodiversity and human health threat, we mapped wildland fires on Babeldaob Island using ground-based surveys and aerial photographs between 2012 and 2015, and satellite imagery between 2012 and 2021. Data on causal factors, vegetation type, and the presence of invasive species were collected between 2012 and 2015, with hunting, arson, and agricultural clearing being the principal causes of ignitions. Wildfires occurred in all months and in all 10 states of Babeldaob, and both numbers of wildfires and total burned area were substantially greater during dry seasons, with the highest totals occurring in the one El Niño drought year in our record. Overall, wildfires appear to have a minor impact on forest vegetation because they are largely confined to savanna systems, but rainfall on burned savanna is a major cause of erosion and the sedimentation of streams and near-shore habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

River deltas are strongly affected by demographic growth and by the intensification of land use. The migration of deltaic coastlines is often rapid, threatening urban settlements, coastal farming, and coastal biotopes. Some deltas benefit from centuries of monitoring, such that the evolution of their coastline is well documented. For most deltas, however, such long records do not exist. The study of their geomorphological evolution can benefit from overlapping maps drafted over time, combined with aerial photographs and satellite images, to track the evolution of fluvial and coastal landforms. Both fluvial and coastal landforms are sensitive to variations in water and sediment supply, such that covariations in the evolution of these landforms, or the lack thereof, provide clues on the contribution of water and sediment supply to delta evolution. We document the evolution of river channels and coastlines in the delta of the Aceh River in northwest Sumatra, by overlying maps, ortho‐rectified aerial photographs, and satellite images covering the past 130 years. We assess the accuracy of the overlays, and then use multivariate statistics to analyze the co‐evolution of fluvial and coastal landforms. We propose that a progressive decrease in sediment supply spurred river channel lengthening and narrowing, landward migration of the shoreline, and narrowing of beach ridges. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami generated an instantaneous retreat of the coastline that amounts to ∼53% of the coastal retreat from 1884 to 2019 ce. Post‐tsunami evolution is marked by an irreversible acceleration of previous trends. Beach ridges located up‐drift of rivers and tidal channel mouths are more sensitive to long‐term landward retreat and tsunamigenic erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article overviews the prairie and tree planting tool or PT2 (1.0), an online GIS-based decision support tool for landowners interested in exploring opportunities to plant prairie or trees in and around their farm fields for conservation or production purposes. PT2 1.0 can be found online at: https://pt2.nrem.iastate.edu/. With the PT2 (1.0) users locate farm fields of interest in an online aerial photograph and mapping geographic information system (GIS). Users explore areas they are considering for prairie or tree cover by examining different data layers: soil maps, 2-foot contour topography maps, LiDAR hillshade maps, and a map of current land values based on estimated land rent. Users then utilize scaled dimensional drawing tools to measure and delineate areas of interest for planting trees and or prairie. Once an area is delineated, users select from drop-down menus prairie seed mixes or woody species that are suitable for the soils present, and users can select basic long-term management options. PT2 (1.0) estimates total annualized costs for tree or prairie establishment, long-term management, and opportunity costs (based on area weighted expected soil rent), and factors in the potential benefit of utilizing government cost-share programming, e.g., Environmental Quality Incentive Program or the Conservation Reserve Program. Key data layers are currently functional in Iowa, likewise the financial data underlying the cost analysis are specific to Iowa. PT2 (1.0) is, however, open source and open code and guidance is provided regarding how to access and adapt the data for use in other states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslide susceptibility mapping is a necessary tool in order to manage the landslides hazard and improve the risk mitigation. In this research, we validate and compare the landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) produced by applying four geographic information system (GIS)-based statistical approaches including frequency ratio (FR), statistical index (SI), weights of evidence (WoE), and logistic regression (LR) for the urban area of Azazga. For this purpose, firstly, a landslide inventory map was prepared from aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite imagery interpretation, and detailed fieldwork. Seventy percent of the mapped landslides were selected for landslide susceptibility modeling, and the remaining (30%) were used for model validation. Secondly, ten landslide factors including the slope, aspect, altitude, land use, lithology, precipitation, distance to drainage, distance to faults, distance to lineaments, and distance to roads have been derived from high-resolution Alsat 2A satellite images, aerial photographs, geological map, DEM, and rainfall database. Thirdly, we established LSMs by evaluating the relationships between the detected landslide locations and the ten landslides factors using FR, SI, LR, and WoE models in GIS. Finally, the obtained LSMs of the four models have been validated using the receiver operating characteristics curves (ROCs). The validation process indicated that the FR method provided more accurate prediction (78.4%) in generating LSMs than the SI (78.1%),WoE (73.5%), and LR (72.1%) models. The results revealed also that all the used statistical models provided good accuracy in landslide susceptibility mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studia Archaeologica Brunensia is the property of Masaryk University, Faculty of Arts and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The primary objective is to propose and verify an ensemble approach based on fuzzy system and bivariate statistics for landslide susceptibility assessment (LSA) at Azarshahr Chay Basin (Iran). In this regard, various integrations of fuzzy membership value (FMV), frequency ratio (FR), and information value (IV) with index of entropy (IOE) were investigated. Aerial photograph interpretations and substantial field checking were used to identify the landslide locations. Out of 75 identified landslides, 52 (≈70%) locations were utilized for the training of the models, whereas the remaining 23 (≈30%) cases were employed for the validation of the models. Fourteen landslide conditioning factors including altitude, slope aspect, slope degree, lithology, distance to fault, curvature, land use, distance to river, topographic position index (TPI), topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), distance to road, and rainfall were prepared and utilized during the analysis. The FMV _ IOE , FR _ IOE , and IV _ IOE models were designed utilizing the dataset for training. Finally, to validate as well as to compare the model's predictive abilities, the statistical measures of receiver operating characteristic (ROC), including sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity, were employed. The accuracy of 92.7, 92.5, and 91.8% of the models such as FMV _ IOE , FR _ IOE , and IV _ IOE ensembles, respectively, was by the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values developed from the ROC curve. For the validation dataset, the FMV _ IOE model had the maximum sensitivity, accuracy, and specificity values of 95.7, 91.3, and 87.0%, respectively. Thus, the ensemble of FMV_IOE was introduced as a promising and premier approach that could be used for LSA in the study area. Also, IOE results indicated that altitude, lithology, and slope degree were main drivers of landslide occurrence. The results of the present research can be employed as a platform for appropriate basined management practices in order to plan the highly susceptible zones to landslide and hence minimize the expected losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a case study of the remains of Kharaib al‐Dasht (Kuwait), a Late Islamic fishing village. Collaboration between archaeologists from Kuwait and Poland of the Kuwaiti–Polish Archaeological Mission led to a long‐term research project of this archaeological site. In this contribution we are presenting the results of a geographic information system (GIS)‐structured survey. Different archaeological and geographical methods used in this work, including orthorectification and georeferencing of historical aerial photographs, enabled us to conduct a more in‐depth analysis. The multi‐layer GIS study resulted in a comprehensive recognition of the archaeological landscape of the site, and also helped us to determine the sources of changes and possible threats to the heritage of Failaka Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al Malweah for Archaeological & Historical Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Muñoz-Reinoso, J.C.; Villafuerte Jordán, R; Tejada-Tejada, M., 2020. Analysis of spatio-temporal changes in the vegetation cover of the coastal landscape of Doñana. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 113-117. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The analysis of changes is an important component in the understanding of the ecology of complex landscapes. The aim of this work was to study the long-term changes in the vegetation of the sands of Doñana since 1970 until present, in order to know their causes and processes. Repeated detailed photointerpretation of historical aerial images (1970, 1984, 2002, 2016) was used to map the most extended vegetation types in the Doñana sands. All the series were referenced, photointerpreted and normalized, and then processed to describe the changes produced in landcover/use. Observed vegetation changes in the protected area responded to changes in regional landscape management, as well as to local interactions in plant communities, and management. Thus, groundwater abstraction for cropping and urban supply benefited the most xerophytic plant communities, while the building of a tourist site and of a spit in the Tinto-Odiel estuary seems to be responsible for the stabilization of the mobile dunes. The expansion of Phoenicean junipers shows a successional process while the encroachment of stone pines responds to an invasion process triggered by forestry works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic development of digital technology allows for fast processing of geospatial information for military and civilian applications. Updating geospatial information is an important source of development for today's economy, based on the freedom of access to databases, and obtaining data using images in different ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum is a comprehensive solution for spatial analysis. Dissemination of research on image acquisition and image processing allows placing sensors at different heights above the Earth's surface [Dąbrowski et al. 2010]. Technological progress allows greater flexibility in the implementation of commissions that enable, over time, obtaining data in an increasingly economical way. An example of technological optimization is the UAV - the unmanned aerial vehicle - technique, which makes it possible to compete with traditional imaging tasks using aerial photographs [Bareth et al. 2015]. Remote sensing applications are becoming more and more common. This is due to the increase in the capacity of photosensitive matrices, which translates into an increase in image resolution. Due to the tendency towards improvement, better image quality, and increasingly sophisticated algorithms for multispectral image analysis, remote sensing applications will constitute an increasing range of services. The factor favouring the satellite technique is the occurrence of continuous shooting in a short time interval, which affects the popularization of this technique due to the gathering and updating of the collection. By using various techniques, a quantitative and qualitative analysis will be made, coupled with an assessment of the accuracy of the location of objects, costs and efficiency for each method. Remote sensing is based on the classification of objects. Classes represent the respective values from the intervals, in which different wavelengths interact with the object through reflection, absorption or transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the absence of relevant historical documents, stone-walled structures (SWS) are all the information we have about how precolonial societies were organised in what is now the southern Johannesburg region. Unfortunately, these SWS are threatened by rapid urbanisation and development. This research aims to estimate how many Iron Age SWS have been lost to urban development in southern Johannesburg during the last 80 years by using remote sensing techniques and GIS; and after that, how effective mitigation attempts have been in the area. Sadr (2017) estimated that for every 200 hectares of development, one SWS would be destroyed by development in southern Gauteng. The results from this study suggest a rate four times higher than that suggested by Sadr (2017). Aerial photographs and Google Earth images were analysed using ArcGIS 10.3 SAHRIS, and the University of theWitwatersrand archaeology archive was also consulted. The results indicate a decline in the number of Iron Age structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Palestinian landscape has always been subjected to dynamic processes of change. This article examines the landscape change in Ramallah city during the last 20 years by analysing two aerial photographs from two periods—1994 and 2014—to create land cover maps which illustrate the change in different landscape classes in the city. The article aims to quantify the landscape change in the specified periods using GIS and FRAGSTATS analysis, and to identify and explain spatial patterns of the landscape, taking into consideration the political, social, and economic circumstances. The results reveal a considerable change and fragmentation. The main change is an increase in the built-up area at the expense of a decrease in the permanent trees and scrub areas. This change, due to the occupation policies, is a reflection of many indicators, including population growth, migration, and an economic boom in the construction sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The assessment of multidecadal scale change in a polythermal glacial landsystem in the high Arctic is facilitated by a quantitative approach that utilises time series of aerial photographs, satellite images, digital elevation models, and field geomorphological mapping. The resulting spatiotemporal analysis illustrates a transition from glacial to proglacial/paraglacial conditions indicating that (1) the areal coverage of ice between the maximum LIA extent and 2013 decreased from 29.35 to 16.07 km2, which is a reduction in the glacierized area in the catchment from 62% to 34%; (2) the ice volume loss in the proglacial area amounted to 214.9 (±3%) million m3, which was attributed mostly to ablation of the glacier snout but to a lesser extent the degradation of ice-cored landforms; (3) the transition from areas formerly covered by glacier ice to ice-cored moraines, glacifluvial deposits, and other landforms was the most intense in the period 1990–2013; (4) two end member scenarios (polythermal glacial landsystem domains) evolve during glacier recession, each one dictated by the volume of debris in englacial and supraglacial positions, and include (a) subglacial surfaces (limited englacial and supraglacial debris) related to temperate basal ice and (b) ice-cored lateral moraines and moraine-mound complexes (significant supraglacial debris accumulations) related to marginal cold-based ice. An additional assemblage of geometric ridge networks (discrete or linear englacial and supraglacial debris concentrations) relates to crevasse and hydrofracture infill branching out from an esker complex and is indicative of either surging or later rapid release of pressurised meltwater from temperate to cold-based parts of the former glacier snout. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Multidecadal changes in the high Arctic polythermal landsystem have been quantified. • The glacierized area in the catchment decreased from 62% to 34% (LIA-2013). • Two end member scenarios (related to former thermal regime) evolve during recession. • Azonal domains include geometric ridge networks and glacifluvial outwash plains. • We proposed four stages model of paraglacial development of Hørbyebreen foreland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Runoff erosion is an important theme in hydrological investigations. Models assessing soil erosion are based on various algorithms that determine the relief coefficient using rasterized digital elevation models (DEMs). For evaluation of soil loss, the most-used model worldwide is the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation), where the most essential part is the LS parameter, which is, in turn, generated from two parameters: L (slope length coefficient) and S (slope inclination). The most significant limitation of LS is the difficulty in obtaining the data needed to generate detailed DEMs. We investigated three popular data generation methods: aerial photographs (AP), aerial laser scanning (ALS), and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) by assessing the quality and effect of DEMs generated from each method over an area of 40 m × 200 m in Silesia, Poland. Additionally, the relationship between particular LSUSLE parameter components was carried out based on its final distribution. Our results show that resolution strongly influences DEMs and the LSUSLE parameters. We found a strong relationship between the degree of height data resolution and the accuracy level of the calculated parameters. Based on our investigations we confirmed the highest influence on the LSUSLE came from the S parameter. Additionally, we concluded that in examinations over large areas, terrestrial laser scanners are not ideal; the benefits of their additional accuracy are outweighed by the additional time and labor consumption; in addition, terrestrial-based scans are sometimes not possible due to ground obstacles the limited scope of most lasers. Aerial photographs or point clouds generated by aerial laser scanners are sufficient for most purposes connected with surface flow, and further developments can be based on the use of these techniques for obtaining ground information for modeling erosion processes.

This paper tracks the evolution of the area covered by the dehesa in Sierra Morena from the mid 20th century to the present day, in an attempt to identify those areas in which traditional land uses still hold sway and others in which new land uses are appearing in relation to emerging business activities. These new uses have brought about an important transformation in the landscape of the dehesa, which in some areas is being replaced by other more profitable forms of land use, in particular with olive groves. In many areas where the dehesa still exists, livestock farming has been replaced by hunting, which has led to internal changes in the structure of the dehesa with an increase in scrubland. Another emerging land use is tourism-related activities, which many farmers now use to complement their income from livestock and which help preserve the traditional landscape of the dehesa.

Copyright of Dissertations of Cultural Landscape Commission / Prace Komisji Krajobrazu Kulturowego is the property of Polish Geographical Society (Cultural Landscape Commission) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

There are many activities and uses in the coastal environment, which has historically attracted the humans. This attraction has led to many anthropic actions that have generated imbalances, more important as the human pressure increases. This research focuses on the effects of these pressures along of 11 km of the coastline of Guardamar del Segura, a high-value environmental area where is the Segura River mouth and one of the last dune systems of the southeast of Spain. The historic evolution of the shoreline position has been analysed using 60 years of aerial images from 1950s to 2014, the seabed depth changes, the maritime climate, the distribution of the sediment grain size and the anthropic actions such as urban development or the channelling of the river. All data were integrated and processed using a Geographic Information System (GIS). The results show that the lack of sediment supply by Segura River and the cut-off in the longshore transport due to the breakwaters and others anthropic actions has led into an increase in the beaches erosion rates, with a loss of > 3.2 million m 3 of sand in the last 58 years (≈ 55,200 m 3 /year). The conclusions of this research could be useful to the coastal managers at the moment of making the decisions of action and/or conservation on a coastal system to achieve positive results in the medium and long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to produce landslide susceptibility maps using statistical index (SI), certainty factors (CF), weights of evidence (WoE) and evidential belief function (EBF) models for the Long County, China. Firstly, a landslide inventory map, including a total of 171 landslides, was compiled on the basis of earlier reports, interpretation of aerial photographs and supported by extensive field surveys. Thereafter, all landslides were randomly separated into two data sets: 70% landslides (120 points) were selected for establishing the model and the remaining landslides (51 points) were used for validation purposes. Eleven landslide conditioning factors, such as slope aspect, slope angle, plan curvature, profile curvature, altitude, distance to faults, distance to roads, distance to rivers, lithology, NDVI and land use, were considered for landslide susceptibility mapping in this study. Then, the SI, CF, WoE and EBF models were used to produce the landslide susceptibility maps for the study area. Finally, the four models were validated using area under the curve (AUC) method. According to the validation results, the EBF model (AUC = 78.93%) has a higher prediction accuracy than the SI model (AUC = 77.72%), the WoE model (AUC = 77.62%) and the CF model (AUC = 77.72%). Similarly, the validation results also indicate that the EBF model has the highest training accuracy of 80.25%, followed by SI (79.80%), WoE (79.71%) and CF (79.67%) models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the overall performance of three methods, frequency ratio (FR), certainty factor (CF) and index of entropy (IOE), for rainfall-induced landslide susceptibility mapping at the Chongren area (China) using geographic information system and remote sensing. First, a landslide inventory map for the study area was constructed from field surveys and interpretations of aerial photographs. Second, 15 landslide-related factors such as elevation, slope, aspect, plan curvature, profile curvature, stream power index, sediment transport index, topographic wetness index, distance to faults, distance to rivers, distance to roads, landuse, NDVI, lithology and rainfall were prepared for the landslide susceptibility modelling. Using these data, three landslide susceptibility models were constructed using FR, CF and IOE. Finally, these models were validated and compared using known landslide locations and the receiver operating characteristics curve. The result shows that all the models perform well on both the training and validation data. The area under the curve showed that the goodness-of-fit with the training data is 79.12, 80.34 and 80.42% for FR, CF and IOE whereas the prediction power is 80.14, 81.58 and 81.73%, for FR, CF and IOE, respectively. The result of this study may be useful for local government management and land use planning. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

From 1997 until 2014 we carried out a GIS-based systematic mapping of mosquito breeding sites on a 2,690 km2 area in the important touristic regions of Hungary. During the process of data collection of the mosquito fauna, 42,547 adults of 26 species and 34,409 larvae of 28 species were collected. The ecological characteristics of the breeding sites were recorded by means of 4,543 samples. We have specified 13,808 breeding sites playing important role in mosquito harm for the human population with an overall area of 7,967 hectares in topologically correct digital maps. We have established that approximately 1% of the administrative area of mosquito affected lands and 10% of wetlands can be considered as target areas for biological control taking human viewpoints into account. According to the results of our research, the most environment-friendly (affecting about 10% of the wetland areas routinely treated), economical and effective mosquito control can be carried out by BTI treatments based on GIS mappings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution presents the method of evaluation of rural landscape development in Hustopeče microregion by means of the analysis of landscape structure. Based on the computation of the values of landscape ecological indexes, development and typical and specific features in selected time horizons are interpreted. The time of the stable cadastre mapping (1825) was chosen as the initial period, other periods were the actual situation at present (2006) and the time between these two periods (the sixties of the 20th century). It is an agricultural landscape in southern Moravia used for intensive farming. Analysis results illustrate long-term continuing landscape utilization for agricultural production. All evaluative indexes indicate reduction of number of patches and edge effect, enlarging of patch area and, consequently, increasing of geometrical extent and coarse-grained landscape pattern.

Worldwide landslide occurrences imply the need for intelligence tools to identify the most susceptible areas toward adopting efficient mitigation strategies and reaction plans. In this study, we developed three spatially explicit ensemble predictive models for the prediction of landslide susceptibility in the Muong Nhe district of the Dien Bien Province, Vietnam. The Multiclass Alternating Decision Trees (MADT) method was used as the base classifier with the Dagging, MultiboostAB, and Random Subspace (RSS) as the ensemble learners. The location of past landslides was identified through field surveys and the interpretation of Google Earth images, aerial photographs, and historical archives of the Muong Nhe district. The landslide locations were liked to twelve landslide conditioning factors (slope, aspect, elevation, curvature, topographic wetness index (TWI), stream power index (SPI), geology, flow accumulation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and distance to rivers, roads, and faults) to investigate the spatial patterns of landslide susceptibility across the study area. The results showed that the RSS-MADT model achieved the highest performance in terms of predicting future landslides (AUC = 0.878), followed by DG-MADT (AUC = 0.857), MAB-MADT (AUC = 0.854), and the single MADT model (AUC = 0.828), respectively. Approximately 13% and 10% of the Muong Nhe district were identified as having moderate and severe (high/very high) susceptibility to landslide occurrences. These areas that extend along the rivers, primarily in the central parts of the Muong Nhe district, should be treated with the highest priority to mitigate the negative impacts of future landslides. • Developing three ensemble models for landslide susceptibility mapping. • Performance test of Dagging, MultiboostAB, and Random Subspace ensemble techniques. • Highest reliability of mapping coupling Alternating Decision Trees with Random Subspace. • Landslide prevention activities primarily needed on 13% of the land area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in mangrove coverage in Culebra Bay, North Pacific of Costa Rica (1945-2010). Despite the economic and environmental services that mangroves provide, they continue to be threatened by overexploitation, pollution, and land use change. Costa Rica has mangrove areas on the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and cover has been declining since the 1980s. However, data on mangrove coverage are not continually updated and are often based on inaccurate estimates. It is therefore necessary to assess the current extension and variation of the mangrove cover in recent years, to determine changes. The mangrove cover was analyzed in two mangrove forests located in Bahía Culebra, North Pacific: Iguanita and Playa Panamá. For this, aerial photographs and satellite imagery were used to study changes for a 65 year period (1945-2010). Spatio-temporal changes were found in mangrove coverage, adjacent forests and areas without vegetation. Lower mangrove cover occurred during the 1970s (28.4 ha in Iguanita and 4.8 ha in Playa Panamá); but increased in recent years (38.9 ha in Iguanita and 12.0 ha in Panamá). Changes in forest cover by the Iguanita and Playa Panama mangroves were related to the history of land use around Bahía Culebra. Before 1980, there was extensive and intensive cattle ranching, increasing the deforestation rate; after that year, these practices were abandoned and secondary forest coverage increased until 2000. To ensure the adequate protection of mangroves, it is not only important to protect mangrove forests, but it is also necessary to establish buffer zones on their surroundings, to mitigate and/or reduce possible impacts. Rev. Biol. Trop. 64 (3): 955-964. Epub 2016 September 01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sketch mapping has been an important data collection technique for geographers since the 1960s. Structured sketch mapping requires participants to draw spatial data onto a base map containing cartographic information, in order to assist with spatial referencing. A concern that base map characteristics may influence sketch map content has been raised repeatedly in the research literature. However little scholarly attention has been paid to systematically testing the effect of base maps. This paper aims to test the effects of base map size and imagery on structured sketch maps of avoidance behaviour in university students. Using an experimental design, 272 sketch maps were compared for differences in: sketch map style; the location of collective avoidance hotspots; the extent of the reported area avoided; the number of reported areas avoided; the intensity of avoidance; and the tortuosity of sketch map features. No significant differences were found between base maps in sketch map style or the size, intensity or number of areas avoided. Provision of larger base maps caused respondents to draw more detailed sketch maps. Collective avoidance hotspots shifted location slightly between base maps, probably due to difficulties interpreting aerial photographs. Sketch map content appears to be remarkably robust to changes in base map. Base maps appear to assist respondents with spatial referencing rather than cueing respondents to report specific features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the application of information value (InV) and logistic regression (LR) models for producing landslide susceptibility maps (LSMs) of the Zigui--Badong area near the Three Gorges Reservoir in China. This area is subject to anthropogenic influences because the reservoir's water level cyclically fluctuates between 145 and 175 m. In addition, the area suffers from extreme rainfall events due to the local climate and has experienced significant and widespread landslide events in recent years. In this study, a landslide inventory map was initially constructed using field surveys, aerial photographs, and a literature search of historical landslide records. Eight causative factors, including lithology, bedding structure, slope, aspect, elevation, profile curvature, plane curvature, and fractional vegetation cover, were then considered in the generation of LSMs by using the InV and LR models. Finally, the prediction performances of these maps were assessed through receiver operating characteristics (ROC) that utilized both success-rate and prediction-rate curves. The validation results showed that the area under the ROC curve for the InV model was 0.859 for the success-rate curve and 0.865 for prediction-rate curve; these results indicate the InV model surpassed the LR model (0.742 for success-rate curve and 0.740 for prediction-rate curve). Overall, the two models provided nearly similar results. The results of this study show that landslide susceptibility mapping in the Zigui--Badong area is viable with both approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides can be constructed using several methods, which are often subject to obvious differences due to lack of commonly accepted criteria or principles. To solve this problem, the author describes the principles for preparing inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides, focusing on varied methods and their criteria. The principles include the following key points: all landslides should be mapped as long as they can be recognized from images; both the boundary and source area position of landslides should be mapped; spatial distribution pattern of earthquake-triggered landslides should be continuous; complex landslides should be divided into distinct groups; three types of errors such as precision of the location and boundary of landslides, false positive errors, and false negative errors of earthquake-triggered landslide inventories should be controlled and reduced; and inventories of co-seismic landslides should be constructed by the visual interpretation method rather than automatic extraction of satellite images or/and aerial photographs. In addition, selection of remote sensing images and creation of landslides attribute database are also discussed in this paper. Then the author applies these principles to produce inventory maps of four events: the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan, China M w 7.9, 14 April 2010 Yushu, China M w 6.9, 12 January 2010 Haiti M w 7.0, and 2007 Aysén Fjord, Chile M w 6.2. The results show obvious differences in comparison with previous studies by other researchers, which again attest to the necessity of establishment of unified principles for preparation of inventory maps of earthquake-triggered landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper tracks the evolution of the area covered by the dehesa in Sierra Morena from the mid 20th century to the present day, in an attempt to identify those areas in which traditional land uses still hold sway and others in which new land uses are appearing in relation to emerging business activities. These new uses have brought about an important transformation in the landscape of the dehesa, which in some areas is being replaced by other more profitable forms of land use, in particular with olive groves. In many areas where the dehesa still exists, livestock farming has been replaced by hunting, which has led to internal changes in the structure of the dehesa with an increase in scrubland. Another emerging land use is tourism-related activities, which many farmers now use to complement their income from livestock and which help preserve the traditional landscape of the dehesa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SfM-MVS (Structure from Motion and Multiple-View Stereophotogrammetry) is part of a series of technological progresses brought to the field of earth-sciences during the last decade or so, which has allowed geoscientists to collect unprecedented precise and extensive DSMs (Digital Surface Model) for virtually no cost, rivaling LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology. Previous work on SfM-MVS in geosciences has been solely exploring data acquired for the purpose of SfM-MVS, but no research has been done in the exploration of photographic archives for geomorphological purposes. Therefore, the present publications aims to present the usage of SfM-MVS applied to historical aerial photographs in Japan, in order to (1) demonstrate the potentials to extract topographical and vegetation data and (2) to present the potential for chronological analysis of landscape evolution. SfM-MVS was implemented on black-and-white and colour aerial photographs of 1966, 1976, 1996, 2006 and 2013, using the commercial software Photoscanpro®. Firstly, the photographs were masked, tied to GPS points; secondly the positions of the cameras and the 3D pointcloud were calculated; and thirdly the 3D surface was created. Data were then exported in the GIS software ArcGIS for analysis. Results also proved satisfactory for the reconstruction of 3D past-geomorphological landscapes in coastal areas, riverine areas, and in hilly and volcanic areas. They also prove that the height of trees and large vegetation features can also be calculated from aerial photographs alone. Diachronic analysis of the evolution in 3D landforms presented more difficulties, because the resolution of the early photographs was lower than the recent ones. Volume and surface calculations should therefore be conducted carefully. Although the method holds merit and great promise in the exploration of active landscapes that have widely changed during the 20th century; the authors have also reflected on the issues linked to large datasets, mostly because the processing of these large datasets is still in need of improvement. Moreover there is no proof that an ever increasing resolution brings any major advance to the geomorphological paradigms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conversion of the Zeekoe Valley Archaeological Project survey data to a GIS format allows rapid and accurate analysis of this large hunter-gatherer database. During the 16-month survey 13,866 prehistoric Stone Age sites were recorded and plotted on aerial photographs. These site locations and archaeological data can now be analysed in a manner never possible before the conversion. The distribution and abundance of sites spanning over ~700,000 years of occupation demonstrates how human hunting and gathering societies organized themselves spatially on an African landscape. These results show how these different groups positioned themselves in different locations especially in relation to water sources in the semi-desert Karoo. These distributions show flexible patterns of spatial organization through the prehistoric past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In November 2004, the Alžbeta windstorm hit the mountainous areas of northern and central Slovakia. The most affected area was Tatra National Park, where downslope wind damaged 12,000 ha of forest, mostly Norway spruce ( Picea abies [L.] Karst.). In the areas with the highest level of nature conservation, about 165,000 m3 of damaged wood was left uncleared. These uncleared sites triggered a serious bark beetle outbreak, where Ips typographus (L.) was among the dominant species. The aim of our work was to quantify and map forest damage resulting from this windstorm and subsequent insect outbreak in Tatra National Park. The objective of this article is also to present simple geographic information system (GIS) techniques available to forest managers for the detection and mapping of bark beetle infestations. The infested areas were studied using GIS and a series of color-infrared aerial photographs taken in 2005-2009. More than 50% of all damage was recorded within 300 m, and more than 75% within 500 m, of uncleared windthrow sites. Based on our findings, we propose reinforcing post-disaster monitoring with an emphasis on (1) data acquisition and processing and (2) management of I. typographus outbreaks. For instance, we recommend using 300-m phytosanitary buffer zones in mountain spruce forests to prevent substantial beetle invasion from uncleared windthrow into adjacent stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent and complete French glacier inventory was previously the Vivian database, dating from the end of the 1960s but incorporated in the World Glacier Inventory database at the end of the 1990s. Because of the important changes in glacier extent over recent decades an update of the inventory of glaciers of the French Alps was made in a digital vector format (with the associated database) for several dates covering the last 40 years. Such a multitemporal glacier inventory matches a key demand of the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers and the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space initiative (GLIMS). Topographical maps, aerial photographs and satellite images were used to map the extent of glaciers using both manual and automatic methods; and the database was generated considering the design of the GLIMS database. Glaciers in the French Alps covered 369 km² in 1967/71, 340 km² in 1985/86, 300 km² in 2003, and 275 km² in 2006/09. This represents a decrease in surface area of about 25% over the entire study period. Acceleration in glacier shrinkage during the study period was revealed, probably linked to the increase in average air temperature in the 20th century, which has been particularly pronounced since the 1970s. The behaviour of glaciers of the French Alps is in agreement with that of glaciers observed by other studies across the European Alps. We also report the distribution of the morpho-topographic variables (aspect, elevation, etc.) of glaciers of the French Alps for the period 2006/09, and analyse changes of these variables in the last four decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Conservation decisions often rely on defining a reference status for habitats and species to enable targets to be set and progress measured. Long-lasting and continual anthropogenic impacts on habitats and species make the setting of undisturbed reference values such as diversity, distribution, population size or other ecological characteristics, difficult. In turn this hampers assessment of ecological status. Within the Wadden Sea, intertidal blue mussel beds are important biogenic structures which can be clearly defined from the surrounding flats. As mussel beds are highly productive habitats, they are considered as biological quality indicators for coastal waters. Nonetheless the reference status provokes controversy in discussions between policymakers, stakeholders and researchers. In order to build on existing knowledge of intertidal blue mussel beds in the North Frisian Wadden Sea, we analysed aerial photographs from the 1930s, 1958, 1989, 1998 and 2010. We supplemented this remote sensing data with annual monitoring data from 1999 to 2009 obtained from analysis of aerial photographs and field surveys. Results show a generally high persistency of blue mussel beds likely over eight decades, although sites were probably not permanent throughout the time period and their areal extent had changed. Mussel beds occur mainly on the east side of the islands which provide shelter against storms from the west. Studies of aerial photographs for the 1930s and 1958 demonstrate the importance of historical data to an assessment of the current status of the beds. In particular they help assess the distribution and extent of mussel beds over time. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present paper is presenting how we can use a drone capability of tacking pictures in order to update the different information about a school farm, in order to create simulated scenarios of improving the specific activity. All data will be gathered and processed in GIS software, in the end, resulting different possible changes regarding the technical buildings, access network, irrigation schemes, crops planning and so on. Old data is represented by classic topographic survey and maps realized more than 10 years ago. The new data will be the images taken with a drone, GPS measurements, and terrestrial laser scanning and photos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geomorphological changes experienced by the middle and lower Calore River (Southern Italy) between 1957 and 1998 were investigated. Data derived from field surveys and interpretation of topographic maps and aerial photos were introduced into a geographic information system (GIS) and processed. The results showed that the Calore River underwent a mean narrowing of 66 %, with a peak of 86 %. The channel length increased by approximately 75 m and the sinuosity from 1.311 to 1.314. The extension of fluvial bars reduced by more than 83 %, while their number increased from 151 to 381. Field evidence of riverbed lowering, such as river terraces formed in the considered time span and exhumation of foundations of bridges and flood-walls, were also constantly detected. Due to these channel adjustments, the Calore River morphology changed from transitional to single-thread. These results were coherent with those reported in the pre-existing literature about channel adjustments experienced by many rivers during the twentieth century. They all were explainable with a reduction of the bedload transport; this latter, in turn, is completely in accordance with the environmental changes that affected the Calore River system in the considered period (i.e., damming and/or channelization of the main tributaries, reduction of liquid discharge due to water withdrawals and sediment mining from the riverbed). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed geomorphological map is presented for a portion of a poorly investigated mountainous region of the Dry Frontal Andes and Western Pre-Andes of San Juan province around 30°S latitude. This map shows the presence and extension of landforms and geomorphic processes in an area of 2175.9 km2and is the result of detailed aerial photograph and remotely sensed data interpretation, including digital elevation models, supported by field survey. The landforms have been distinguished according to morphogenetic criteria, into: (i) glacial landforms; (ii) periglacial landforms; (iii) mass movement landforms; (iv) fluvial landforms: (v) polygenic landforms and (vi) neotectonic landforms. The objective of this map is to provide information on the landforms present in the selected area, allowing it to be used as a baseline for the study of landscape evolution or support guidelines for territorial management and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Evidential belief function (EBF) model was applied and validated for analysis of landslide susceptibility in the Pyungchang area of Korea using geographic information system. Areas of landslide occurrence in the study area were determined from the interpretation of aerial photographs and subsequent field surveys. Landslide locations were randomly allocated for landslide susceptibility map generation (70%) and validation (30%) purposes. Maps relevant to landslide occurrence (topography, geology, soil, and forest cover) were assembled in a spatial database, from which 17 landslide-related factors were extracted. The relationships between the observed landslide locations and these factors were identified and quantified using the EBF model. Three relationships were calculated: disbelief (Dis), uncertainty (Unc), and belief (Bel). The quantified relationships between each factor and landslide locations of each factor with known landslides were then used as factor ratings in an overlay analysis to create landslide susceptibility indices and maps. The most representative of the resulting susceptibility maps (the Bel map) was validated using the landslide data reserved for validation. The landslide susceptibility map demonstrates 85.96% accuracy. Thus, the EBF model was found to be effective in terms of prediction accuracy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examines the relations between the local variations in vegetation and topography using logistic regression (LR) and GIS in a snowy basin in the Ohu Mountains of northeastern Japan. The spatial distribution of seven vegetation classes interpreted from aerial photographs-(a) large-sparse crown beech forest, (b) middle-dense crown beech forest, (c) dwarf beech scrub, (d) dwarf bamboo thicket, (e) Japanese white pine forest, (f) snow-avalanche scrub or meadow, and (g) riparian forest-was analyzed with terrain parameters derived from a 10 m digital elevation model (10 m DEM) and parameters of landslide distribution and surface geology. While large-sparse crown beech forests dominate the slopes, smaller crown beech forests or scrubs are often found on the west-facing (i.e., windward side) upper parts of slopes and crests. On the contrary, snow-avalanche scrubs or meadows are found on the leeward side of steep slopes and concave plan curvatures. Dwarf bamboo thickets are often found on east-facing (i.e., leeward side) gently sloping crests, where the snow remains until summer. Japanese white pine forests respond positively to sharp ridges, whereas riparian forests show a positive response to the gently sloping lower parts of slopes and bottomlands at low elevation. The heterogeneous vegetation distribution in the basin indicates differences in site conditions (e.g., soil-water conditions), and the existence of various disturbance regimes induced by the strong winter monsoon with heavy snowfall, snow movements (e.g., avalanches), and temporal differences in snowmelt on different topographies. The estimated vegetation maps could be used for forest management and restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Historical transformations of the saltmarshes in the six sub-basins of the Marano and Grado Lagoon were analyzed using aerial photographs (1954, 1990, 2006), and the support of historical maps and topographic surveys. Analysis of the 2006 set of aerial photographs enabled the definition of the present extent and distribution of the saltmarshes inside the lagoon (760 ha), with a total reduction in saltmarsh area of 16% (144 ha) compared to 1954. Direct human actions played a significant role in the budget, since total loss due to land reclamation and dredging during this period amounted to 126 ha. After excluding the total loss due to direct human interventions, different erosional and depositional marsh types were recognized and associated with different forcing factors, based on morphological and geographical evidence. Over the 52-year period marshes were lost due to: (a) drowning – the combined effects of eustatism, regional subsidence and autocompaction (102 ha); (b) edge-retreat by wind wave attack (34 ha); (c) erosion by vessel-generated waves (37 ha); and (d) coastal dynamics and inlet migration (5.7 ha). Conversely, marshes gained in area due to: (a) fluvial input (63 ha); (b) tidal input (27 ha); (c) paralagoonal deposition (45 ha); (d) the re-opening of abandoned fish farms (18 ha); and (e) the dumping of dredged material (8 ha). Our analysis demonstrates that local and short-term forcing factors can obliterate or compensate the long-term ones, especially the relative sea-level rise. A test of the integrated sediment budget carried out on one third of the total lagoon, through a bathymetric comparison between datasets from 1964 to 2009, pointed out that conservation or slight expansion of the marshes inside these basins were linked to an overall positive sediment budget of 61,000 m3/y. Nevertheless, significant morphological changes occurred in the submerged basin, which is affected by sustained deposition along the inner margins due to sediment supplies, by an overall erosion of tidal and sub-tidal flats far from the tributaries, and by an important infilling of the channels. The analyzed data, along with information available for the Venice Lagoon, highlights how the fate of open-water lagoons is to flatten whilst submerging because of the strong influence of wind waves, which tend to transform the lagoon into a marine embayment. This transgressive condition reduces, if not negates, the compensative effect of the sedimentation rate on wind-wave-induced shear stress excess, since supplies seem to contribute primarily to the morphological accommodation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]