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Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) involves intense, mixed development around transit nodes. This article investigates the extent to which TOD policies have become reality in Brisbane, a city of two million in eastern Australia, which has embraced TOD at a policy level. It also aims to present a straightforward method which cities in Australia and internationally can employ to measure the outcomes of their TOD policies. Through GIS analysis, the authors measure the level of concentration of population, dwellings, and jobs in rail-based TOD nodes—as opposed to areas that are unserved by the train network. The results do not support the notion that Brisbane is a transit-oriented city. Nonetheless, there is a moderate trend toward the concentration of people and dwellings in TOD areas. The planning sector could accelerate this trend through policy measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes changes in the pattern of land use in two riverine districts of Nakhon Phanom Province between 2006 and 2010. A great deal of land use change occurred in these five years. In Mueang District, about 12.1% of the area (9,477 ha) had a different use in 2010 from that in 2006. In That Phanom District the magnitude of change was even greater, with about 27.3% of the area (9,326 ha) changing use between 2006 and 2010. Much of the land use change in both districts resulted from the conversion of natural forests, orchards, and rice paddies into rubber plantations. At the same time, rapid urbanization led to the conversion of large areas of farmland into housing estates in the peri-urban zone around Nakhon Phanom City and, to a lesser extent, around That Phanom district town. Most of these land use changes are reducing overall agroecological diversity. Several factors have influenced these land use changes, including lack of secure land titles, urban growth, and changes in the costs and benefits of growing different crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to establish a Geographical Information System (GIS) based methodology to analyze the viability and optimal location of a new hypothetical wood-fired power plant in a specific region. The available woodfuel of Eucalyptus globulus suitable for energy use was calculated based on a WISDOM database (Woodfuel Integrated Supply/Demand Overview Mapping) which takes into account physical and legal accessibility of the resource. Available woodfuel is defined as the material remaining on the ground (crown and bark) after harvesting Eucalyptus stems, discounting the volume required to meet the current energy demand. Various spatial analyses were performed using ArcGIS 10.2.1, particularly the Network Analyst tool, to identify the optimized location of the new power plant. Then, considering the most common biomass harvesting system in a specified region, the costs and GHG emissions of the supply chain for this demand point were calculated. Total costs were calculated using machine productivity data and minimized distance calculation and GHG emissions by the amount of CO 2 e emitted, based on the Life Cycle Analysis methodology using productivity and fuel consumption data. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out to test the influence of moisture content and transport distances on the total cost and the GHG emissions. The results show that bundling was the highest cost (63.67% of total costs), followed by trucking (26.80%) and forwarding (9.53%). The GHG emissions for the whole system were 9.17 Kg CO 2 e/MWh, with the trucking being the greatest contributor, and bundling the second. The energy balance ratio (energy required as a percentage of energy produced by the system) was slightly over 2%, demonstrating high efficiency. The methodology presented here will help policy makers to evaluate possible locations for any future wood-fired power plants in terms of the lowest economic costs of supplying woodfuel and its environmental impact. This study extends on the scope of prior research, providing a realistic and detailed methodology for planning and logistics decision making in relation to the dynamization and sustainability of woodfuel for energy use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Polonorum. Formatio Circumiectus is the property of Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Rolniczego im. Hugona Kollataja w Krakowie 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 archaeological materials from Kůlna Cave have undergone various types of analyses as part of many different studies. Some of these have indicated the need to carry out a reconstruction of the spatial distribution of finds in order to focus on the ways in which the cave was divided. Having such knowledge, we could also explain more precisely the function of individual settlement horizons. The system of documentation, employed during the excavation of the cave, has made it difficult to analyse the spatial distributions using conventional methods. It is proposed using of GIS software spatial analysis simulations brought relevant and evident visualization. The results show that the utilisation of the cave changed with time. Along with simple structures attributed to the Taubachian, we also describe evidence of complex use of the interior of Kůlna Cave during the Micoquian phase of settlement (around 50 ka calBP). Results of spatial distribution analyses indicate that the same functional division of the cave was maintained over time (e.g. layer 7a or 6a) and it consequently assumes a transmission of social knowledge within the organisation of the Kůlna Cave space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on the potential applicability of attached sunspaces in Southern and Central Europe (winter season). Sunspace is a diffuse passive solution which reduces winter thermal losses and increases solar gains. This article analyses the geo-climatic applicability of this technology following a two-step study: 1) a climate based pre-evaluation of sunspace potential for 50 selected locations representing different climatic situations; 2) a calculation of sunspace potential in reducing energy consumption for heating using energy dynamic simulations on a sample building by comparing different technological choices. Step 1 examines heating demand (Heating Degree Days - HDD) and total solar radiation on a horizontal plane for each location. HDD was assumed as an indicator of the heating demand at different base temperatures (20 ± 2 °C), while total winter solar radiation is considered as a general indicator of the “virtual” heating potential of attached sunspaces. Both calculations are based on a typical meteorological year (TMY). Step 2 is based on energy dynamic simulations of a sample building in order to analyse heating energy reduction caused by an attached sunspace on a monthly basis. Different technological choices were taken into account for both sunspaces and building envelopes in order to identify the best local solutions for passive heating as regards energy consumption in a set of 50 selected locations. Considerations and potential maps are reported to help designers optimise the applicability of sunspaces according to local climatic conditions and building technologies. Finally, the summer performances and the potential cooling demand reduction by shading and natural ventilation of sunspaces are analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this article is to study the robustness of road networks to extreme flooding events that can negatively affect entire regional systems in a relatively unpredictable way. Here, we adopt a deterministic approach to simulate extreme flooding events in two cities, New York City and Chicago, by removing entire sections of road systems using U.S. FEMA floodplains. We then measure changes in the number of real trips that can be completed (using travel demand data), Geographical Information Systems properties, and network topological indicators. We notably measure and discuss how betweenness centrality is being redistributed after flooding. Broadly, robustness in spatial systems like road networks is dependent on many factors, including system size (number of nodes and links) and topological structure of the network. Expectedly, robustness also depends on geography, and cities that are naturally more at risk will tend to be less robust, and therefore the notion of robustness rapidly becomes sensitive to individual contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems biology is a new field of biology that has great implications for agriculture, medicine, and sustainability. In this article we explore the contributions of Chinese authors to systems biology through analysis of the metadata of more than 9000 articles on systems biology. Our big-data approach includes scientometric analysis, GIS analysis, co-word network analysis, and comparative analysis. By 2013 China has become second in the number of publications on systems biology. Similar to previous studies on Chinese science, we find an unequal distribution of research power in China, favoring big cities and coastal cities. Overall, 75% of the articles in systems biology were published by scholars from universities, 15% by scholars from the Chinese of Academy of Sciences institutions, and 9% from other institutions. Many Chinese scholars' research topics are similar to those in the US, Japan, and Germany, but one salient difference is that traditional Chinese medicine is an important topic among Chinese systems biologists. 25% of Chinese systems biologists cooperate with scientists abroad, suggesting that they take advantage of the opening-up policy. From the year 2011-2013, the average impact factor of the journals that Chinese scholars publish in is generally lower than that of their counterparts in the US, but the trend points to a gradual increase in impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of forest road networks is usually influenced by the traffic generated by wood transportation. In order to analyze the distribution and intensity of traffic generated by wood transportation in an Alpine region, the study considered a 21-year period with a total of 2 231 logging operations on a forest road network in a mountainous area. Most of the forest road network was affected by traffic load intensities generally of less than 500 t per year. The distribution of the traffic load over time and the characteristics of the road network inferred that the traffic load could assume different intensities and distributions over the years because of different locations and intensities of the logging operations. A GIS-based approach makes it possible to identify the forest road segments with high traffic loads in support of decisions on road network planning and management priorities.

Science and Technology Innovation Parks (STIPs) are critical urban and economic development drivers, particularly in regions experiencing rapid industrialization. This study investigates the spatio-temporal trends and relationships between the growth of STIPs and urban development indicators in China’s Yangtze Delta Region (YDR). Using a mixed-method approach that integrates regression analysis with geospatial techniques, the research analyzes key metrics such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), industrial structure, innovation capacity, population growth, and land utilization. The findings reveal a strong positive correlation, where an average 1% increase in STIPs contributes to a 0.7015% rise in GDP. Land use indicators, particularly built-up area expansion, exhibited a strong interdependence with STIP proliferation. These results underscore the strategic importance of STIPs in enhancing economic vitality and sustainable urban planning. The study offers valuable insights for policymakers and urban planners in the YDR and other rapidly urbanizing regions, emphasizing integrating technology-driven development into urban management strategies.

The Danube floodplain, the Calafat - Turnu Măgurele sector, through its main features (topographic and climatic characteristics, land use and soil type) and human activities, constitutes an area exposed to soil erosion. The main objective of the present research is to map soil erosion susceptibility using the GIS techniques for the computation and representation of areas, which are exposed to soil erosion correlated with the field data for the validation. Analyzing the entire model, the relatively simple methodology, the database consistence, the comparability of the results with the existent soil erosion values at national and local scale, we can say that the model was applied with success in the studied area (areas and classes of water erosion susceptibility: very low, low, moderate, high - Ciupercenii Noi, Desa, Măceşu de Jos, Grojdibodu, Orlea, very high - Rast, Negoi, Catane, Bistreţ, Goicea; areas and classes of wind erosion susceptibility: very low, low, moderate - Ciupercenii Noi, Dăbuleni, Ianca, high - Calafat, Poiana Mare, Desa, Goicea, Piscu Vechi, very high - Poiana Mare, Rast, Negoi, Bistreţ, Gighera, Orlea. The soil erosion susceptibility map can be useful for planning erosion control measures and for selecting suitable sites for runoff plot experiments.

Through the classification of current and historical aerial photosbetween 1973 and 2006, we analysed the evolution of size, shape and connectivity of 59 mountain meadows (maggenghi) of the Pejo district (Trentino, Northern Italy). The maggenghi are scattered patches within a forested matrix. We conducted the same analysis on an Austro-Hungarian cadastral map of 1859. The total surface covered by maggenghi was 137.4 ha in 1973, and decreased to 78.3 ha (57%) in 2006. The mean shape and connectivity index in 1973 are significantly lower than those of 2006. Within a 1-km radius around the studied patches, woodlands increased by 7% in the same time range. Among the 25 maggenghi present in 1958, 12 has been subdivided into 39 smaller fragments and 13 has been reduced in their size without any fragmentation. A general process of meadow patches evolution which included area and connectivity reduction and shape simplification has been noticed. This process is common to many other alpine landscapes. The study of these processes is fundamental for policies aimed to conservation of mountain meadows, as well as to identify the single patches deserving conservation for their current and historical landscape structure, as many studies report their significant effects on local floristic diversity.

The geoecological concept of the alluvial landscape describes the variability and consecutive character of alluvial ecotopes and biocenoses, which are interrelated in terms of their homeorhetic development, in their dynamic ecological stability. This article deals with application of this landscape concept in the frame of creation of nature reserve as core zone of the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area (Czech Republic). Complex protection of the whole floodplain ecosystem, which comprised all components of the fluvial succession series of alluvial habitats, was proposed on the basis of determination of geomorphological type of the river system. Analyses of the floodplain forest stands status within the study area were performed using methods that are normally used in the elaboration of management plans of protected areas within forest land on the basis of data from Forest Management Plan. The area of the proposed NNR was created by the overlay of the special map layers using method gap-analysis in the frame of GIS.

This arcticle deals with influence of the proposed Danube-Odra-Elbe (DOL) water canal on the floodplain forests in the Czech Republic. The project of the DOL water canal is evaluated with using GIS methods and reference assessment of environmental effects. Biogeographic differentiation of the landscape in a biogeocenological concept have been also utilized in this paper. The presented paper has shown the possibilities of use of the GIS analysis for the assessment of the assumed effect of the DOL project on the hydrological regime of floodplain forests. It has been proven that this method is much more efficient in objectivizing the presupposed influences of the DOL canal on the water regime of floodplain forests than the previous assessments. The method employed in this paper for the purposes of the preliminary percentage quantification of the extent of the hydrological in­fluen­ce on individual types of geobiocoenoses of floodplain forests is used generally for the purposes of the environmental assessment of effects on investment plans concerning the landscape (the so-called EIA). It is clear that the assessment of the influences of the DOL project on floodplain forest geobiocoenoses primarily concerns the response of vegetation to changes in the soil moisture regime, which can be compared to the amount of data material (for a summary see PRAX et al., 2008). Results indicate that the potential construction of the DOL canal would significantly, i.e. with an influence value exceeding 50 %, affect 634 km2 of the area of inundations in lowland floodplains in the Czech Republic. Results are discussed in the frame of knowledge about water regime of floodplain forests ecosystems.

In this study, we used the built-in model builder tool with other spatial, meteorological parameters as inputs in the GIS system to identify spatial distribution and concentrations of PM 2.5 pollutants for the Khulna Metropolitan area. Then, a spatial Inter distance weighting (IDW) method was applied to the monitored data to further validate the model. Measurements and predictions of mean PM 2.5 at the Shonadanga area surpassed other Khulna regions due to the influence of low NDVI (around 0.06), elevated LST (26.05 °C), and (near 6 °C) slope variations. Besides, PM 2.5 measurements show that living near roadways significantly increases the vulnerability to PM 2.5. Fulbarigate attain a maximum PM 2.5 hourly peak of 148 μg/m3 in the 2021 late winter (when trains move and car breaking coincides), attributed to the re-suspended road dust and diesel rail emissions. Our model predicted PM 2.5 against monitored values in spatial interpolation showing significantly higher deviations in the Shonadanga and Fulbarigate zones, with approximately 77% to 92%. Although strong associations were observed between satellite-derived zonal measurements and point sampled data (r s = 0.79), no statistically significant relation between these variables since (ƿ > 0.05), shows pollution sources are not similar, point sampled PM 2.5 data are not suitable for defining overall PM 2.5 zonal pollution level. • A new hybrid geospatial model for PM 2.5 distributions has been studied. • Model predicted near 91% to 31% less zonal value than ground point measurements. • Meteorological parameters, LST, and NDVI changes are crucial in PM 2.5 levels. • Results showed that the highest prevalence of PM 2.5 in Khulna is in winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology 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.)

Copyright of Archeologia dell'Architettura is the property of Edizioni all'Insegna del Giglio 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.)

Roadway safety is a major concern for the general public and understanding factors that affect wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) which is an important area in road ecology research. Even though many studies on landscape change have been conducted worldwide in the last 20 years, as well as present work focused on the effects of selected landscape structural characteristics on WVCs, an effort to examine the effects of historical changes in landscape structure on WVCs is missing. The main goal of this study is to analyse the role of the spatio-temporal changes in landscape structure between 1950 and 2012 for WVCs in the Czech Republic. Aerial photos from 1950 and 2012 were used to analyse changes in landscape structure based on the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS). The analyses were conducted in 52 hotspots (areas with the highest density of WVCs per square kilometre in the Czech Republic). The results showed that each hotspot has had a relatively high reconfiguration of the landscape structure, which has had a crucial influence on the given habitats. In some hotspots the level of unstable land cover patches between 1950 and 2012 was more than 80% of the total area and the average of the unstable patches for all 52 hotspots was 53.23%. The identification of transformation trajectories is also very important, i.e. on the one hand huge decreases of grassland, and on the other hand increasing successional areas, arable land, and built-up area, as well as areas of transport infrastructure. The landscape pattern was dramatically changed, too. A fine, heterogeneous mosaic of small patches (with many possibilities for migration pathways) was converted into large, homogeneous blocks. In some cases a highly complex structure was created, where two or more roads follow similar directions. All this activity has resulted in low landscape permeability and a higher risk of WVCs. A retrospective view on landscape can help to correct this state of affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest on landscape and landscape policy and planning, especially since the adoption of the European Landscape Convention in 2000. This latter defines landscape as “an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”. In the case of rural landscape, this means that an appropriate governance model should not only involve local stakeholders in a participative approach, but also take into account natural characteristics, cultural aspects of the past and present, and socio-economic aspects, since agriculture is the main driver of change for rural landscapes. Farm strategies are influenced by internal and by external factors, these latter being related to market conditions and to constraints and opportunities given by policies. Market globalization and Agricultural policies are consequently having a strong impact on landscape, that public institutions try to neutralise setting rules about landscape conservation. Thus, due to its specific features, landscape is impacted both by several sectorial and territorial policies which have none or very low coordination among them. Indeed, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has often shown a negative influence on landscape, also in the case of Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES) intended to promote landscape. In this framework, the aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive model for the governance of rural landscape and a first simplified application to a cultural landscape. This model is based on the integration of a geographical multi-criteria analysis, an advanced GIS-based geo-processing tools, and participatory techniques aiming to understand and foresee local stakeholders' behaviours through focus-groups and dedicated interviews. The identification of future landscape scenarios is based on the integration of past evolution (historical analysis), landscape sensitivity (territorial analysis) and farmers' adaptation to market and policy changes (farm analysis). A simplified version of the model was tailored and tested in the municipality of Castiglione d'Orcia of the Siena province in Tuscany, Italy, one of the UNESCO cultural landscapes, but is the Authors' opinion that its approach [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Village layout planning is a fundamental work in the construction of beautiful countryside, and also a global work involving vital interests of vast farmers. Taking Fengyang Town of Fenxi County, Jiangxi Province for example, this paper applied ArcGIS to analyze natural factors, social economy, and construction factors quantitatively by evaluating development and construction conditions of each village comprehensively from the perspective of urban-rural integration. Classifying the villages into 4 types, namely urban reform type, concentrated development type, controlled construction type and relocation type, this paper tried to guide the scattered rural settlements to the intensive development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 51,074 archaeological sites from the early Neolithic to the early Iron Age (c. 8000–500 BC), with a spatial extent covering most regions of China (c. 73–131°E and c. 20–53°N), were analysed over space and time in this study. Site maps of 25 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, published in the series ‘Atlas of Chinese Cultural Relics’, were used to extract, digitalise and correlate its archaeological data. The data were, in turn, entered into a database using a self-developed mapping software that makes the data, in a dynamic way, analysable as a contribution to various scientific questions, such as population growth and migrations, spread of agriculture and changes in subsistence strategies. The results clearly show asynchronous patterns of changes between the northern and southern parts of China (i.e. north and south of the Yangtze River, respectively) but also within these macro-regions. In the northern part of China (i.e. along the Yellow River and its tributaries and in the Xiliao River basin), the first noticeable increase in the concentration of Neolithic sites occurred between c. 5000 and 4000 BC; however, highest site concentrations were reached between c. 2000 and 500 BC. Our analysis shows a radical north-eastern shift of high site-density clusters (over 50 sites per 100 × 100 km grid cell) from the Wei and middle/lower Yellow Rivers to the Liao River system sometime between 2350 BC and 1750 BC. This shift is hypothetically discussed in the context of the incorporation of West Asian domesticated animals and plants into the existing northern Chinese agricultural system. In the southern part of China, archaeological sites do not show a noticeable increase in the absolute number of sites until after c. 1500 BC, reaching a maximum around 1000 BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to provide a geographical and multi-criteria vulnerability assessment method to quantify the impacts of extreme earthquakes on road networks. The method is applied to two US cities, Los Angeles and San Francisco, both of which are susceptible to severe seismic activities. Aided by the recent proliferation of data and the wide adoption of Geography Information Systems (GIS), we use a data-driven approach using USGS ShakeMaps to determine vulnerable locations in road networks. To simulate the extreme earthquake, we remove road sections within “very strong” intensities provided by USGS. Subsequently, we measure vulnerability as a percentage drop in four families of metrics: overall properties (length of remaining system); topological indicators (betweenness centrality); accessibility; and travel demand using Longitudinal Employment Household Dynamics (LEHD) data. The various metrics are then plotted on a Vulnerability Surface (VS), from which the area can be assimilated to an overall vulnerability indicator. This VS approach offers a simple and pertinent method to capture the impacts of extreme earthquake. It can also be useful to planners to assess the robustness of various alternative scenarios in their plans to ensure that cities located in seismic areas are better prepared to face severe earthquakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The planning process in a planning studio demonstrates a microcosm of diverse concepts of ideologies and identities seeking acknowledgment and spatial recognition. In the modern world of multiple and dynamic identities and ideologies, aspiring for the self-recognition of regions, towns, and communities, a place-based identity has become a core aspect that needs to be taken into planning consideration. The analytic planning method used is iterative of both top–down and bottom–up approaches, thereby creating multi-dimension and coherent planning alternatives where spatial solutions arise from communities along their changing processes. We present two spatial alternative plans that were developed in the studio course and are based on this line of thinking. Results were very dynamic aspiring complex plans, which are also highly applicable and flexible, thereby addressing a wide range of ideologies and identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greater Cairo Metropolitan Region (GCMR) in its seeking to sustainable development (SD) by the year of 2050 facing the serious challenge of around 65 percent of Cairenes live in unplanned settlements. In this respect, the authors examined the effect of urban characteristics of unplanned settlements on SD in the Egyptian context, focusing on the type of unplanned growth on agricultural land. The output of the analysis were fourfold. First of all, we provide a brief overview of previous research on the main types of unplanned settlements in GCMR and the sustainability definition according to the Egyptian context. Secondly, we had a discussion with the local government during our field survey in GCMR to determine the study samples, the main urban characteristics, and the sustainability evaluation criteria in the Egyptian context. Thirdly, through the comparative analysis and geographic information system (GIS), we examined how the character of urban development affected per capita four urban measures in a cross-section of two settlements, one represented the unplanned settlements and other as a comparative planned sample to determine the real gap. Finally, by using the evaluation matrix, the help and block items are estimated for each measure of urban characteristics, providing substantive evidence on how the four measures of urban characteristics have been affected by the urban sprawl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind power has seen a remarkable growth in China since the Renewable Energy Law came into force in the beginning of 2006. However, the contribution and the economic cost of wind power development to reduce carbon emission at the provincial level are still unclear. This research combined geographic information system analysis and levelized production cost calculation to provide provincial-level supply curve of carbon dioxide ( CO2) mitigation by wind power in China. The results showed that wind power could be a very competitive mitigation option in China, with a potential to contribute 500 million tons of CO2 emission mitigation at an average abatement cost of 75 RMB/t of CO2 mitigation. The emission abatement cost and the potential to reduce carbon emission in different provinces may be used for national planning as well as for the allocation of investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special approaches and algorithms for studying the response of zonal soils and the soil cover of the forest-steppe zone to climate fluctuations were developed on the basis of data of repeated soil surveys. They made it possible to analyze the particular transformations of the soil cover as indicators of short-term climate fluctuations in the southern forest-steppe of the Central Russian Upland. Vector soil maps and related databases on soil polygons were developed using GIS technologies. Changes in the climatic conditions between two rounds of large-scale soil surveys in 1971 and 1991 reflecting the so-called Brückner cycles were identified. A characteristic feature of climate change during that period was the rise in the mean annual air temperature by 0.2°C and an increase in the mean annual precipitation by 83 mm. In response to this change, the area of leached chernozems (Luvic Chernozems) on the interfluves somewhat increased, whereas the area of typical chernozems (Haplic Chernozems) decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being the sole emerging district town of Malda, English Bazar Municipality (area: 13.25 km2) is highly populated (total population=216,083), severely suffering from insufficient safe drinking water. It has attempted to supply purified safe drinking water through some water service centres (locally called Jaladhar) from where most of the people collect the necessary drinking water. There are 72 such service centres, spatially distributed in 29 wards of this municipality. Due to unequal population distribution and varying growth of population, it is essential to review whether the existing distribution is rational. Therefore, we attempted to find out some suitable sites, where additional water service centres are required, based on six demand parameters (population density, public service centre, existing water supply centres, location of bus stand, centroid of the ward/mouzas, land use as accessible point). From this purpose, both knowledge based and objective weighted composite index based spatial models have been prepared. Slightly different results have been yielded by the two models but the trends of site selection proved to be almost identical. About 4.29% out of total area, covering wards number 9, 15 and 19, have proved to be in high demand of high water service centres, mainly located in the core area of the municipality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Kutná Hora was a centre of medieval mining and remains an important contamination source in the present day. Surprisingly, very little attention has been paid to the associated contamination. Although some studies have been performed, the majority of information regarding contamination is only accessible in the archives and no overview has been published. The purpose of this study is to perform a meta-analysis of all accessible data and to shed light on this topic. Materials and methods: The data mainly come from analyses of HNO solutions of sediments. We used statistical analyses (exploratory data analysis, PCA). The results were visualised and evaluated in the GIS environment. Results and discussion: The complex of heavy metals As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, V, and Zn can be divided into three main groups of different interpretation: (1) uninfluenced by mining activities-Be, Co, Cr, Hg, and V; (2) smelting processes-Cu, Pb, and Zn; and (3) mining-As and Cd. These groups also show different spatial distribution patterns, absolute concentration values and binding with different environmental types-landscape features. Conclusions: The contamination of Kutná Hora can be characterised by element grouping and also by spatial diversification. This could be used in future research as a bearer of proxy information. Surprisingly, it also seems that the spatial range of contamination of sediments could be shorter than is generally presumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensification of natural hazards and the expansion of human impact are likely to threaten the cultural heritage of a region. The multidisciplinary approach identifies the flood susceptible areas, it relates them to the cultural heritage sites and it also provides the flood risks mitigation measures for these monuments. The Sucevita catchment is unique considering certain important landmarks of the national heritage and the UNESCO World heritage (monasteries). The flood risk maps are considered important tools to determine the vulnerability of the heritage monuments in developing the protection and the conservation strategies. The GIS technique and the comparative assessment of the risk factors allowed the identification of the heritage monuments that belong to the highest flood susceptibility area by applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This area corresponds to the localities that are situated near the main course of the Sucevita river. In order to preserve the cultural heritage, it is necessary to implement some strategies and activities of flood risk management through structural and non-structural measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioenergy plays an important role in mitigating dangerous climate change and will therefore most likely have to further expand substantially. With 50% of the global population living in urban areas, cities are transforming into hotspots for future sustainable energy systems in the context of a low-carbon society. Bioenergy feedstock from urban forests could contribute substantially to low-carbon energy supply, yet urban ecosystems also provide other services that have to be balanced against future energy needs. This study conducts a geo-spatial analysis of urban forests with respect to its potential of increasing feedstock production for urban bioenergy generation. At the same time, social and environmental constraints are considered and co-benefits discussed. In order to test the wider applicability of the methodology, the Vienna Woods Biosphere Reserve is chosen as a case study to determine the feedstock potential for local bioenergy provided to Viennese households. The theoretical biomass potential is modeled using biophysical growth and yield tables for individual tree species and then compared to the existing production area using GIS tools. Results show that the biomass use within the biosphere reserve can be increased by about 60% without violating any national or international law that protects multiple ecosystem services provided by the reserve, nor sustainability criteria of forest management. This indicates a high potential of peri-urban forest ecosystems to contribute to urban resilience – i.e. with respect to energy security and emissions reduction. The study concludes that urban forests require sensible management in order to minimize conflicts of multiple environmental, economic and social uses of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism in Spain has evolved from being a residual sector in the economy during the 1950s to become at present the main source of wealth in the country. The Spanish Law of Centres and National Tourist Interest Areas of 1963 created numerous new resorts on the coast whose life cycle is now over 50 years. On the Mediterranean coast, urban development and tourism model processes have been developed with major feedback to each other. In this context, it is particularly interesting to evaluate the results obtained since the decade of the 1960s in order to achieve sustainable tourism. This paper analyses a paradigmatic case study located on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. A diagnosis that explains the evolution of the life cycle tourist destination as a consumer product is carried out using geographic information system analysis of the urban plot. The mutation of the target customer, the real estate overcrowding, or the seasonality of demand will be the variables to be evaluated in order to assess the final return of the managed product. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]