Predicting land cover using GIS, Bayesian and evolutionary algorithm methods

Modelling land cover change from existing land cover maps is a vital requirement for anyone wishing to understand how the landscape may change in the future. In order to test any land cover change model, existing data must be used. However, often it is not known which data should be applied to the problem, or whether relationships exist within and between complex datasets. Here we have developed and tested a model that applied evolutionary processes to Bayesian networks. The model was developed and tested on a dataset containing land cover information and environmental data, in order to show that decisions about which datasets should be used could be made automatically. Bayesian networks are amenable to evolutionary methods as they can be easily described using a binary string to which crossover and mutation operations can be applied. The method, developed to allow comparison with standard Bayesian network development software, was proved capable of carrying out a rapid and effective search of the space of possible networks in order to find an optimal or near-optimal solution for the selection of datasets that have causal links with one another. Comparison of land cover mapping in the North-East of Scotland was made with a commercial Bayesian software package, with the evolutionary method being shown to provide greater flexibility in its ability to adapt to incorporate/utilise available evidence/knowledge and develop effective and accurate network structures, at the cost of requiring additional computer programming skills. The dataset used to develop the models included GIS-based data taken from the Land Cover for Scotland 1988 (LCS88), Land Capability for Forestry (LCF), Land Capability for Agriculture (LCA), the soil map of Scotland and additional climatic variables.     

The relationships between air pollutants, meteorological parameters and concentration of airborne fungal spores

Fungal spores are an important component of bioaerosol and also considered to act as indicator of the level of atmospheric bio-pollution. Therefore, better understanding of these phenomena demands a detailed survey of airborne particles.The objective of this study was to examine the dependence of two the most important allergenic taxa of airborne fungi - Alternaria and Cladosporium - on meteorological parameters and air pollutant concentrations during three consecutive years (2006-2008). This study is also an attempt to create artificial neural network (ANN) forecasting models useful in the prediction of aeroallergen abundance.There were statistically significant relationships between spore concentration and environmental parameters as well as pollutants, confirmed by the Spearman’s correlation rank analysis and high performance of the ANN models obtained. The concentrations of Cladosporium and Alternaria spores can be predicted with quite good accuracy from meteorological conditions and air pollution recorded three days earlier.     

Probability of intellectual disability is associated with soil concentrations of arsenic and lead

Background

The association between metals in water and soil and adverse child neurologic outcomes has focused on the singular effect of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As). This study describes the complex association between soil concentrations of As combined with Pb and the probability of intellectual disability (ID) in children.

Methods

We used a retrospective cohort design with 3988 mother child pairs who were insured by Medicaid and lived during pregnancy and early childhood in South Carolina between 1/1/97 and 12/31/02. The children were followed until 6/1/08, using computerized service files, to identify the diagnosis of ID in medical records and verified by either school placement or disability service records. The soil was sampled using a uniform grid and analyzed for eight metals. The metal concentrations were interpolated using Bayesian Kriging to estimate concentration at individual residences.

Results

The probability of ID increased for increasing concentrations of As and Pb in the soil. The Odds Ratio for ID, for one unit change in As was 1.130 (95% confidence interval 1.048-1.218) for Pb was 1.002 (95% confidence interval 1.000-1.004). We identified effect modification for the infants based on their birth weight for gestational age status and only infants who were normal size for their gestational age had increased probability of ID based on the As and Pb soil concentrations (OR for As at normal weight for gestational age = 1.151 (95% CI: 1.061-1.249) and OR for Pb at normal for gestational age = 1.002 (95% CI: 1.002-1.004)). For normal weight for gestational age children when As = 22 mg kg⁻¹ and Pb = 200 mg kg⁻¹ the risk for ID was 11% and when As = 22 mg kg⁻¹and Pb = 400 mg kg⁻¹ the probability of ID was 65%.

Conclusion

The probability of ID is significantly associated with the interaction between Pb and As for normal weight for gestational age infants.     

路面径流水环境下交通承载力分析

为了对路面径流水容许污染总量控制下的交通承载力问题进行探讨,利用神经网络具有的非线性映射能力和遗传算法具有的全局随机搜索能力,结合公路路面径流水质检测数据,提出了一种基于遗传神经网络进行公路交通环境承载力反计算的分析方法,应用该方法可根据路面径流水质污染数据反演出路段交通量大小,并可据此进行交通量与路而径流水质污染的关...     

太湖流域上游平原河网污染物综合衰减系数的测定

改善太湖水质需要削减上游河流进入太湖的污染物总量.为了探求太湖流域上游平原河网的自净能力,开展原位实验测定了枯水期高锰酸盐指数、氨氮(NH_4~+-N)、总氮(TN)和总磷(TP)的综合衰减系数,根据河道的水力特征对综合衰减系数进行了修正,并利用一维稳态水质模型对修正前后综合衰减系数的可靠性进行了验证.结果表明,高锰酸盐指数、NH_4~+-N、TN和TP的综合衰减系数分别为:0.0296~0.4106、0.0224~0.3564、0.0137~0.3046和0.0555~0.5725 d~(-1).可靠性验证表明高锰酸盐指数、NH_4~+-N、TN和TP综合衰减系数修正前的平均相对误差分别为8.39%、14.40%、11.43%和19.22%,修正后的平均相对误差分别为10.65%、14.34%、11.37%和19.24%.修正前后高锰酸盐指数、NH_4~+-N、TN和TP的平均相对误差均小于20%且变化不显著,表明综合衰减系数的测定结果能够为太湖流域上游平原河网的污染物总量控制管理提供科学参数;也表明枯水期的水力条件对综合衰减系数的影响较小.     

基于贝叶斯网络的航空器看错落错跑道事件研究

目前,航空器看错、落错跑道事件在国际上是一个相当突出的安全问题,这个问题在我国近年也突显出来。导致航空器看错落错跑道的原因十分复杂,且此类事件及易引发严重的后果,造成人、财、物等多方面的损失,本文特对此类问题开展了一系列的研究。为了预防航空器看错、落错跑道事故的发生,查找诱发该类事故的因素,针对航空器看错、落错跑道事故的形成特点,笔者运用贝叶斯网络探讨其各影响因素间的关系和相互作用,该网络强大的逻辑推理能力,克服了不完备样本空间带来的不足,揭示了人、机、环境与管理因素相互作用的内在规律。为改善机场安全管理的科学性、可靠性,进一步降低事故率,提供了可靠的技术支持。     

Improving inverse model fitting in trees—Anisotropy,multiplicative effects,and Bayes estimation

Model fitting for individual-based effects in forests has some problems. Because samples measuring the separate influence of each individual are rarely available, the measured value in the sample represents the influence of all surrounding individual trees. Therefore, it is helpful to build inverse models that use the spatial pattern of the variable as well as that of the source trees. For example, since seed dispersal is influenced by wind effects, a model is discussed describing anisotropic effects to ensure an unbiased estimate of the total fruit number. Further, we present a model describing the absorption of radiation by trees. In this case a multiplicative combination of individual effects yields the total effect. Our approach uses logarithmic transformations of the original data to model multiplicative combinations as sum of transformed single effects. For fitting model parameters we propose an approach based on Bayesian statistics, to ensure ecologically interpretable parameters.     

矿井通风网络数据可靠性检验

进行矿井通风阻力测定时,由于受环境的温度、湿度、压力传递存在时间差以及测点处标高不准确等因素的影响,根据实测数据,计算所得矿井巷道基础数据存在一定的误差,常用的测量数据检验方法只能对若干条通路进行闭合回路检验,而不能对全矿井通风网络基础参数进行可靠性检验。本文中所介绍的检验方法将风网基础数据输入通风网络解算软件,以实测风量和经过计算所得巷道风阻为基准,实测风量为目标条件,进行计算机通风网络模拟,对全矿井巷道风阻进行连续的优化调整,使通风网络模拟结果与实际测定各巷道风量基本符合,从而实现全矿井风网基础数据的可靠性检验。该方法在某矿进行了实际应用,实践证明此方法科学、准确的获得了全矿巷道风阻参数,为矿井的通风改造奠定了技术基础。     

Neural network forecasting of air pollutants hourly concentrations using optimised temporal averages of meteorological variables and pollutant concentrations

The new method for the forecasting hourly concentrations of air pollutants is presented in the paper. The method was developed for a site in urban residential area in city of Zagreb, Croatia, for four air pollutants (NO₂, O₃, CO and PM₁₀). Meteorological variables and concentrations of the respective pollutant were taken as predictors. A novel approach, based on families of univariate regression models, was employed in selecting the averaging intervals for input variables. For each variable and each averaging period between 1 and 97 h, a separate model was built. By inspecting values of the coefficient of correlation between measured and modelled concentrations, optimal averaging periods for each variable were selected. A new dataset for building the forecasting model was then calculated as temporal moving averages (running means) of former variables. A multi-layer perceptron type of neural networks is used as the forecasting model. Index of agreement, calculated for the entire dataset including the data for model building, ranged from 0.91 to 0.97 for the respective pollutants. As suggested by the analysis of the relative importance of the input variables, different agreements for different pollutants are likely due to different sources and production mechanisms of investigated pollutants. A comparison of the new method with more traditional method, which takes hourly averages of the forecast hour as input variables, showed similar or better performance. The model was developed for the purpose of public-health-oriented air quality forecasting, aiming to use a numerical weather forecast model for the prediction of the part of input data yet unknown at the forecasting time. It is to expect that longer term averages used as inputs in the proposed method will contribute to smaller input errors and the greater accuracy of the model.     

基于BN的FTA在通用航空风险评价中的应用

针对事故树分析法(FTA)在风险评价中的局限性,采用以事故树为基础建立的贝叶斯网络(BN)风险模型,对通用航空中的两机空中相撞事故进行分析和推理,对事故模型进行改进和修正时,注重基事件的多态性和事件间的逻辑合理性。根据贝叶斯推理得出的数据,找到了事故的主要致因。结果表明,基于BN的FTA既能向前预测顶事件的发生概率,又能向后诊断基本事件的后验概率,可以更好地对通用航空风险进行评价。