Calibrating a Basin‐Scale Groundwater Model to Remotely Sensed Estimates of Groundwater Evapotranspiration

Remotely sensed vegetation indices correspond to canopy vigor and cover and have been successfully used to estimate groundwater evapotranspiration (ET_g) over large spatial and temporal scales. However, these data do not provide information on depth to groundwater (dtgw) necessary for groundwater models (GWM) to calculate ET_g. An iterative approach is provided that calibrates GWM to ET_g derived from Landsat estimates of the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI). The approach is applied to different vegetation groups in Mason Valley, Nevada over an 11‐year time span. An uncertainty analysis is done to estimate the resulting mean and 90% confidence intervals in ET_g to dtgw relationships to quantify errors associated with plant physiologic complexity, species variability, and parameter smoothing to the 100 m GWM‐grid, temporal variability in soil moisture and nonuniqueness in the solution. Additionally, a first‐order second moment analysis shows ET_g to dtgw relationships are almost exclusively sensitive to estimated land surface, or maximum, ET_g despite relatively large uncertainty in extinction depths and hydraulic conductivity. The EVI method of estimating ET_g appears to bias ET_g during years with exceptionally wet spring/summer conditions. Excluding these years improves model performance significantly but highlights the need to develop a methodology that accounts not only on quantity but timing of annual precipitation on phreatophyte greenness.     

Environmental Equity and the Role of Public Policy: Experiences in the Rijnmond Region

This Φ Ψ study of environmental equity uses secondary quantitative data to analyze socioeconomic disparities in environmental conditions in the Rijnmond region of the Netherlands. The disparities of selected environmental indicators—exposure to traffic noise (road, rail, and air), NO₂, external safety risks, and the availability of public green space—are analyzed both separately and in combination. Not only exposures to environmental burdens (“bads”) were investigated, but also access to environmental benefits (“goods”). Additionally, we held interviews and reviewed documents to grasp the mechanisms underlying the environmental equity situation, with an emphasis on the role of public policy. Environmental equity is not a priority in public policy for the greater Rotterdam region known as the Rijnmond region, yet environmental standards have been established to provide a minimum environmental quality to all local residents. In general, environmental quality has improved in this region, and the accumulation of negative environmental outcomes (“bads”) has been limited. However, environmental standards for road traffic noise and NO₂ are being exceeded, probably because of the pressure on space and the traffic intensity. We found an association of environmental “bads” with income for rail traffic noise and availability of public green space. In the absence of regulation, positive environmental outcomes (“goods”) are mainly left up to market forces. Consequently, higher-income groups generally have more access to environmental “goods” than lower-income groups.     

BASE FLOW RECESSION RATES,LOW FLOWS,AND HYDROLOGIC FEATURES OF SMALL WATERSHEDS IN PENNSYLVANIA,USA1

This paper examines the relationships between measurable watershed hydrologic features, base flow recession rates, and the Q_7,10 low flow statistic (the annual minimum seven‐day average streamflow occurring once every 10 years on average). Base flow recession constants were determined by analyzing hydrograph recession data from 24 small (>130 km²), unregulated watersheds across five major physiographic provinces of Pennsylvania, providing a highly variable dataset. Geomorphic, hydrogeologic, and land use parameters were determined for each watershed. The base flow recession constant was found to be most strongly correlated to drainage density, geologic index, and ruggedness number (watershed slope); however, these three parameters are intercorrelated. Multiple regression models were developed for predicting the recession rate, and it was found that only two parameters, drainage density and hydrologic soil group, were required to obtain good estimates of the recession constant. Equations were also developed to relate the recession rates to Q_7,10 per unit area, and to the Q_7,10/Q₅₀ ratio. Using these equations, estimates of base flow recession rates, Q_7,10, and streamflow reduction under drought conditions can be made for small, ungaged basins across a wide range of physiography.     

Causes of decreased reference evapotranspiration and pan evaporation in the Jinghe River catchment, northern China

This study focused on the changes of reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) and pan evaporation (ET_pan) to study the impacts of climate change on the hydrological cycle in the Jinghe River catchment. Based on the Penman–Monteith equation, the ET₀ was calculated. The temporal trend and spatial distribution of ET₀ and E_pan measured with a 20-cm pan were examined at the 14 stations during 1957–2005. The effects of meteorological factors on the variation of ET₀ were determined by analyzing the trends in themselves with comparison between original climate and detrended climate scenarios and then their sensitivity to ET₀. Both the ET₀ and E_pan showed remarkable decreasing trends from 1957 to 2005 and their decreasing rate was 40.9 and 17.7 mm per 10 years, respectively. Trend analysis of meteorological factors exhibited that the reduction in ET₀ and ET_pan was principally caused by both significant decreases in wind speed and sunshine hours. Furthermore, the decreasing trend of ET₀ was mainly dominated by the significant decrease in wind speed with high sensitivity, to a less extent, by the decrease in net radiation. Although relative humidity is one of the most sensitive variables, its effect on ET₀ was negligible because of its temporal constancy. The contribution of wind speed reduction to decreased ET₀ has increased from 50 to 76.1%, but net radiation, by contrast, decreased from 50 to 23.9%.     

Contact angle measurements of CO2–water–quartz/calcite systems in the perspective of carbon sequestration

This work presents contact angle measurements for CO₂–water–quartz/calcite systems at general sequestration pressure and temperature conditions (200–3000 psig and 77–122 °F). The effect of drop volume, repeated exposure of the substrates to dense water saturated CO₂, pressure and temperature on the contact angles is examined. In the 1st measurement cycle, the contact angles for the quartz substrate varied from 46 to 48° and 47 to 46° for gaseous (water saturated) CO₂ and liquid (water saturated) CO₂ respectively, at 77 °F. For calcite substrate, these values varied from 45 to 48° and 42 to 40°, respectively. Remarkably, this work highlights a characteristic permanent shift in the contact angle data with repeated exposure to dense, water saturated, CO₂. The contact angle data trends after repeated exposure to the dense, water saturated CO₂ varied from 89 to 91° and 85 to 80° for the quartz substrate for gaseous (water saturated) CO₂ and liquid (water saturated) CO₂ respectively, at 77 °F. For calcite substrates, these values varied from 60 to 59° and 54 to 48°, respectively. This important observation has serious implications towards the design and safety issues, as a permanent positive contact angle shift indicates lower CO₂ retention capabilities of sequestration sites due to a reduction in the capillary pressure. It is further confirmed that the permanent shift in the contact angle is due to surface phenomena. With an increase in temperature (from 77 to 122 °F), the contact angle shift is reduced from about 45° to about 20° for quartz substrates. Other observations in the contact angle data with respect to pressure are in good agreement with the trends reported in the literature.     

Hydrologic Controls on Nitrogen and Phosphorous Dynamics in Relict Oxbow Wetlands Adjacent to an Urban Restored Stream

Although wetlands are known to be sinks for nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), their function in urban watersheds remains unclear. We analyzed water and nitrate (NO₃^?) and phosphate (PO₄^3?) dynamics during precipitation events in two oxbow wetlands that were created during geomorphic stream restoration in Baltimore County, Maryland that varied in the nature and extent of connectivity to the adjacent stream. Oxbow 1 (Ox1) received 1.6‐4.2% and Oxbow 2 (Ox2) received 4.2‐7.4% of cumulative streamflow during storm events from subsurface seepage (Ox1) and surface flow (Ox2). The retention time of incoming stormwater ranged from 0.2 to 6.7 days in Ox1 and 1.8 to 4.3 days in Ox2. Retention rates in the wetlands ranged from 0.25 to 2.74 g N/m²/day in Ox1 and 0.29 to 1.94 g N/m²/day in Ox2. Percent retention of the NO₃^?‐N load that entered the wetlands during the storm events ranged from 64 to 87% and 23 to 26%, in Ox1 and Ox2, respectively. During all four storm events, Ox1 and Ox2 were a small net source of dissolved PO₄^3? to the adjacent stream (i.e., more P exited than entered the wetland), releasing P at a rate of 0.23‐20.83 mg P/m²/day and 3.43‐24.84 mg P/m²/day, respectively. N and P removal efficiency of the oxbows were regulated by hydrologic connectivity, hydraulic loading, and retention time. Incidental oxbow wetlands have potential to receive urban stream and storm flow and to be significant N sinks, but they may be sources of P in urban watersheds.     

Model prediction on the rise of pCO2 in uniform flows by leakage of CO2 purposefully stored under the seabed

A numerical study was conducted to predict pCO₂ change in the ocean on a continental shelf by the leakage of CO₂, which is originally stored in the aquifer under the seabed, in the case that a large fault connects the CO₂ reservoir and the seabed by an earthquake or other diastrophism. The leakage rate was set to be 6.025 × 10⁻⁴ kg/m²/sec from 2 m × 100 m fault band, which corresponds to 3800 t-CO₂/year, referring to the monitored seepage rate from an existing EOR field. The target space in this study was limited to the ocean above the seabed, the depth of which was 200 or 500 m. The computational domain was idealistically rectangular with the seabed fault-band perpendicular to the uniform flow. The CO₂ takes a form of bubbles or droplets, depending on the depth of water, and their behaviour and dissolution were numerically simulated during their rise in seawater flow. The advection–diffusion of dissolved CO₂ was also simulated. As a result, it was suggested that the leaked CO₂ droplets/bubbles all dissolve in the seawater before spouting up to the atmosphere, and that the increase in pCO₂ in the seawater was smaller than 500 μ atm.     

Effects of Land Use and Climate Change on Stream Temperature I: Daily Flow and Stream Temperature Projections

Freshwater mussels (order Unionida) are a highly imperiled group of organisms that are at risk from rising stream temperatures (T). There is a need to understand the potential effects of land use (LU) and climate change (CC) on stream T and have a measure of uncertainty. We used available downscaled climate projections and LU change simulations to simulate the potential effects on average daily stream T from 2020 to 2060. Monte Carlo simulations were run, and a novel technique to analyze results was used to assess changes in hydrologic and stream T response. Simulations of daily mean T were used as input to our stochastic hourly T model. CC effects were on average two orders of magnitude greater than LU impacts on mean daily stream T. LU change affected stream T primarily in headwater streams, on average up to 2.1°C over short durations, and projected CC affected stream T, on average 2.1‐3.3°C by 2060. Daily mean flow and T ratios from Monte Carlo simulations indicated greater variance in the response of streamflow (up to 55%) to LU change than in the response of stream T (up to 9%), and greater variance in headwater stream segments compared to higher order stream segments for both streamflow and T response. Simulations indicated that combined effects of climate and LU change were not additive, suggesting a complex interaction and that forecasting long‐term stream T response requires simulating CC and LU change simultaneously.     

Soil-erosion and runoff prevention by plant covers in a mountainous area (se spain): Implications for sustainable agriculture

In the Mediterranean region the intensities and amounts of soil loss and runoff on sloping land are governed by rainfall pattern and vegetation cover. Over a two-year period (1998–1999), six wild species of aromatic and mellipherous plants (Thymus serpylloides subsp. Gadorensis, Thymus baeticus Boiss, Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl., Santolina rosmarinifolia L., Lavandula stoechas L. and Genista umbellata Poiret) were selected for erosion plots to determine their effectiveness in reducing water erosion on hillslopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain (SE Spain). The erosion plots (including a bare-soil plot as control), located at 1,345 m in altitude, were 2 m² (2 m × 1 m) in area and had 13% incline. The lowest runoff and soil erosion rates, ranging from 9 to 26 mm yr⁻¹ and from 0.01 to 0.31 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively, over the entire study period, were measured under the Thymus serpylloides. Lavandula stoechas L. registered the highest rates among the plant covers tested, runoff ranging from 77 to 127 mm yr⁻¹ and erosion from 1.67 to 3.50 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. In the bare-soil plot, runoff ranged from 154 to 210 mm yr⁻¹ and erosion from 4.45 to 7.82 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. According to the results, the lowest-growing plant covers (Thymus serpylloides and Salvia lavandulifolia Vahl.) discouraged the soil erosion and runoff more effectively than did the taller and open medium-sized shrubs (Santolina rosmarinifolia L., Genista umbellata Poiret, Thymus baeticus Boiss and Lavandula stoechas L.). Monitoring allowed more direct linkage to be made between plant covers and the prevention of erosion, with implications for sustainable mountain agriculture and environmental protection.     

Effect of Agave attenuata extracts on detoxification enzymes of Biomphlaria alexandrina

The toxicity and rising costs of synthetic molluscicides have led to interest in compounds derived from locally growing plants that can be used as molluscicides. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of extracts of some Egyptian plants having lethal effect on snails of medical importance (Biomphlaria alexandrina) as well as on antioxidant and glutathione detoxification enzymes. Ethanolic extracts of locally growing plants Agave attenuata, Agave sislana, Phytolaca dodecandra and Euphorbia spllendens were applied as a contact poison to B. alexandrina, the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. The LC₅₀ of A. attenuata, A. sislana, P. dodecandra and E. spllendens are 82, 101, 98 and 98 mg/L, respectively. Glutathione and the enzymes involved in protection of the snail from reactive oxygen species namely, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, gamma glutamyl transferase increased in the survival snails exposed to high concentrations of A. attenuata. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase indirectly affecting glutathione reductase and the oxidation, reduction of glutathione significantly decreased in snails exposed to A. attenuata extracts. Superoxide dismutase level tend to decrease in snails exposed to A. attenuata of action. In conclusion A. attenuata is preferable when compared with synthetic molluscicides. The enzymes involved directly or indirectly in protection mechanism of the snail against A. attenuata are mainly responsible for snails survival.     

Determination of dissolved oxygen limitation in aerobic biofilm reactors

The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) strongly influences the performance of aerobic biofilm reactors because organic oxidation is limited by the availability of oxygen. However, it is not necessary to maintain a high DO level in the reactors in order to overcome this limitation. Excessive aeration wastes energy. Therefore, the determination of the onset of DO limitation against organic substrate removal in aerobic biofilm reactors is important for their effective operation. This study is aimed at developing an expression to determine the onset of DO limitation and hence to control the aeration system. The expression developed is as follows: , where S_b and C_b are the bulk concentrations of organic substrate and DO, respectively; D_ws and D_wc are the diffusion coefficients of organic substrate and oxygen in the reactors respectively; and R_b is an overall ratio of oxygen consumption to organic substrate removal in the reactors. The latter is the key parameter in the equation, and is determined by the characteristics of the substrate, biofilm, and reactor. In order to measure the value of R_b, the authors have developed a micro-biofilm reactor. The value of R_b was determined to be 0.13 (mg O₂ mg⁻¹ COD_cr) for glucose removal with this reactor. The equation has, subsequently, been verified with data from batch and continuous experiments.     

Germinable Soil Seed Banks and the Restoration Potential of Abandoned Cropland on the Chinese Hilly-Gullied Loess Plateau

Poor vegetation cover is generally considered to be a major factor causing soil erosion on the Loess Plateau in China. It has been argued that tree planting restoration is ineffective, and natural re-vegetation is an alternative ecological solution for restoring abandoned cropland and controlling soil erosion. The aims of this study were to investigate the characteristics of soil seed banks and to assess the natural restoration potential of abandoned cropland in the hilly-gullied Loess Plateau. The soil seed bank was identified by the germination method with the soil samples, which were collected at four sampling times (April, August, and October 2005 and August 2006) from 12 plots abandoned 3–30 years prior to sampling. The seed bank densities of all of the samples in the 0–10 cm soil layer varied from 1,067 ± 225 to 14,967 ± 1,606 seeds m⁻². Fifty-one species (24 annual and 27 perennial species) belonging to 18 families were identified, and 39% of these species belonged to the families Compositae and Gramineae. The pioneer species Artemisia scoparia dominated the seed bank, with an average seed density of 3,722 seeds m⁻², and accounted for 74.4% of the seeds in the bank. The local dominant species (such as Lespedeza davurica, Artemisia gmelinii, Bothriochloa ischaemun and Stipa bungeana) of the later succession stages also existed at densities varying from 17 to 1, 383 seeds m⁻². The combination of soil seed bank characteristics, reproductive traits of the species, the specific landscape conditions indicates that the potential to restoring the abandoned croplands in the hilly-gullied Loess Plateau via natural re-vegetation could be substantial.     

Benefits-based analysis of visitor use of Sorak-san National Park in Korea

Benefits-based management seeks to provide recreation benefits for recreation participants by managing the physical environments in which recreation occurs. This study investigates the relationship between benefits desired by visitors and the physical, social, and managerial characteristics of settings that facilitate realization of recreation benefits. Data such as perceived benefits from recreation experiences, setting attributes that significantly influenced perceived benefits, and sociodemographic variables were collected from 376 visitors to Sorak-san National Park in the eastern part of the Korean peninsula. Cluster analysis was used to group visitors' desired benefits into 12 domains: relationship with nature/scenery, escaping pressure, learning about nature, family togetherness, introspection, exploration, autonomy/achievement, being with friends, leading others, skills/learning, risk taking, and meeting/observing new people. Multiple regression was used to link benefit domains with the characteristics of settings. The social attribute of recreation settings was linked to eight of the ten benefit domains. There were two statistically strong multiple regression correlations: (1) between domain of “relationship with nature /scenery” and the attributes “forest/water,”“attractive nature,” and “facility/maintenance” and (2) between the domain of “escaping pressure” and the attributes “attractive nature” and “social.” The results of this study are useful to managers in their efforts to provide recreation opportunities for visitors to achieve beneficial outcomes.     

Making Capacity Building Meaningful: A Framework for Strategic Action

This paper aims to give practical meaning to ‘capacity building’ through (a) identifying a suite of practical measures, such as mentoring or best practice guidelines, that have been shown to or are considered to build human, social, institutional, and economic capital; (b) placing these measures within a broader systems framework; and (c) exploring stakeholder feedback on specific measures to inform framework implementation. The 29 measures described provide actors, whether government or nongovernment, with a suite of practical investment choices for building capacity. These measures are then clustered into eight groups according to their primary purpose and placed within a systems framework. The framework provides a tool for actors with responsibilities for or an interest in capacity building to inform more holistic and strategic targeting of effort and investment. Stakeholder feedback gathered through surveys and workshops is subsequently reported to further inform implementation of specific measures within the framework’s eight groupings. The framework presented may be built upon through the identification and inclusion of further capacity building measures. The research is conducted within the context of decentralized governance arrangements for natural resource management (NRM), with specific focus on Australia’s recently formalized 56 NRM regions and their community-based governing boards as an informative arena of learning. Application of the framework is explored in the Australian setting through the identification and comparison of measures supported and most preferred by four major stakeholder groups, namely board members, regional NRM organization staff, policy/research interests, and Indigenous interests. The research also examines stakeholder perceptions of capacity issues, and whether these issues are likely to be addressed through implementing their preferred measures.

Water resource management in Japan: Forest management or dam reservoirs?

Researchers and journalists in Japan recently proposed forest management as an alternative to dam reservoir development for water resource management. To examine the validity of the proposal, we compared the potential low-flow increase due to forest clearcutting with the increase due to dam reservoir development. Here, we focused on forest clearcutting as an end member among various types of forest management. We first analyzed runoff data for five catchments and found a positive correlation between annual precipitation and the low-flow increase due to deforestation. We then examined the increase in low-flow rates due to dam reservoir development (dQ_d) using inflow and outflow data for 45 dam reservoirs across Japan. Using the relationship between annual precipitation and the low-flow increase due to deforestation, we estimated the potential increase in the low-flow rate for each dam reservoir watershed if forests in the watershed were clearcut (dQ_f). Only 6 of the 45 samples satisfied dQ_f > dQ_d, indicating that the potential increase in the low-flow rate due to forest clearcutting was less than the increase due to dam reservoir development in most cases. Twenty-five of the 45 samples satisfied dQ_f < 0.2 dQ_d, indicating the potential increase in the low-flow rate due to forest clearcutting was less than 20% of the increase due to dam reservoir development in more than half the cases. Therefore, forest management is far less effective for water resource management than dam reservoir development is in Japan.     

Using Mediterranean shrubs for the phytoremediation of a soil impacted by pyritic wastes in Southern Spain: a field experiment

Re-vegetation is the main aim of ecological restoration projects, and in Mediterranean environments native plants are desirable to achieve successful restoration. In 1998, the burst of a tailings dam flooded the Guadiamar river valley downstream from Aznalcóllar (Southern Spain) with sludges that contained elevated concentrations of metals and metalloids, polluting soils and waters. A phytoremediation experiment to assess the potential use of native shrub species for the restoration of soils affected by the spillage was performed from 2005 to 2007, with soils divided into two groups: pH < 5 and pH > 5. Four native shrubs (Myrtus communis, Retama sphaerocarpa, Rosmarinus officinalis and Tamarix gallica) were planted and left to grow without intervention. Trace element concentrations in soils and plants, their extractability in soils, transfer factors and plant survival were used to identify the most-interesting species for phytoremediation. Total As was higher in soils with pH < 5. Ammonium sulphate-extractable zinc, copper, cadmium and aluminium concentrations were higher in very-acid soils, but arsenic was extracted more efficiently when soil pH was >5. Unlike As, which was either fixed by Fe oxides or retained as sulphide, the extractable metals showed significant relationships with the corresponding total soil metal concentration and inverse relationships with soil pH. T. gallica, R. officinalis and R. sphaerocarpa survived better in soils with pH > 5, while M. communis had better survival at pH < 5. R. sphaerocarpa showed the highest survival (30%) in all soils. Trace element transfer from soil to harvestable parts was low for all species and elements, and some species may have been able to decrease trace element availability in the soil. Our results suggest that R. sphaerocarpa is an adequate plant species for phytostabilising these soils, although more research is needed to address the self-sustainability of this remediation technique and the associated environmental changes.     

Valuing Recreational Benefits of Coral Reefs: The Case of Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve, Kenya

A contingent valuation study was conducted with adult Kenyan citizens and foreign tourists to estimate the value of recreational benefits arising from coral reefs at Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve (MMNPR), and to assess the implications for local reef management. Citizen and foreign visitors to MMNPR were willing to pay an extra $2.2 (median = $2.2 (median = 1.6) and $8 (median = $8 (median = 6.7) per visit respectively, in addition to current park entrance fees, to support reef quality improvements. By aggregating visitors’ willingness to pay bids over the number of visitors to MMNPR in 2006–2007 the value of benefits was estimated at 346,733, which was more than twice the total annual operational expenditure of346,733, which was more than twice the total annual operational expenditure of 152,383 for MMNPR. The findings indicate that annual revenues from citizen and foreign visitors may be increased by 60% to 261,932 through the implementation of proposed higher park fees of261,932 through the implementation of proposed higher park fees of 3.10 for citizens and $15 for foreign visitors. However, any fee increase would serve to intensify concerns among citizens that only relatively affluent Kenyans can afford to visit MMNPR. Park managers need to demonstrate that the extra revenue would be used to fund the proposed conservation activities. This valuation study demonstrates that visitors are prepared to pay higher user fees for access to the marine protected area revealing considerable untapped resource to finance reef quality improvements.     

Adaptation in situ or retreat? A multivariate approach to explore the factors that guide the peoples' preference against the impacts of sea level rise in coastal Bangladesh

This paper is aimed to identify the factors that influence peoples' preference for adaptation against the impacts of sea level rise (SLR). A total of 285 respondents from three coastal villages in Bangladesh are randomly interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. First, employing the principal component analysis various factors that influence adaptation preferences of people are identified. These factors are related to “demographic and social aspects”, “wealth and economic standing”, “past coping and adaptive behaviour”, “climate knowledge and information” and “spatial aspect” of life. What is common in these factors is their ability to influence peoples' vulnerability. Finally, the binomial logistic regression model is employed to compute the explanatory power of these factors to predict the respondents' preference for adaptation in situ over retreat or vice versa. Model findings are robust for two scenarios of SLR, i.e. 2050–2075 (LR χ ²?=?133.65, pseudo-R ²?=?0.53, p?<?0.001) and 2080–2100 (LR χ ²?=?282.61, pseudo-R ²?=?0.85, p?<?0.001). Therefore, it is concluded that to avoid relocation of substantial number of people initiative for encouraging adaptation in situ must be taken along side establishment of safe shelter, community radio service and campaign for raising climate awareness.     

A GIS-Based Multicriteria Evaluation for Aiding Risk Management <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus pinaster</Emphasis> Ait. Forests: A Case Study in Corsican Island,Western Mediterranean Region

Forest management can benefit from decision support tools, including GIS-based multicriteria decision-aiding approach. In the Mediterranean region, Pinus pinaster forests play a very important role in biodiversity conservation and offer many socioeconomic benefits. However, the conservation of this species is affected by the increase in forest fires and the expansion of Matsucoccus feytaudi. This paper proposes a methodology based on commonly available data for assessing the values and risks of P. pinaster forests and to generating maps to aid in decisions pertaining to fire and phytosanitary risk management. The criteria for assessing the values (land cover type, legislative tools for biodiversity conservation, environmental tourist sites and access routes, and timber yield) and the risks (fire and phytosanitation) of P. pinaster forests were obtained directly or by considering specific indicators, and they were subsequently aggregated by means of GIS-based multicriteria analysis. This approach was tested on the island of Corsica (France), and maps to aid in decisions pertaining to fire risk and phytosanitary risk (M. feytaudi) were obtained for P. pinaster forest management. Study results are used by the technical offices of the local administration—Corsican Agricultural and Rural Development Agency (ODARC)—for planning the conservation of P. pinaster forests with regard to fire prevention and safety and phytosanitary risks. The decision maker took part in the evaluation criteria study (weight, normalization, and classification of the values). Most suitable locations are given to target the public intervention. The methodology presented in this paper could be applied to other species and in other Mediterranean regions.     

Performance improvement of airfoils for wind blade with the groove

This study was a basic one to explore how much the aerodynamic characteristics of wind blade improve. The extent of improvement according to the shapes of groove placed on the surface of airfoil (NACA0015) was analyzed through computational analysis. A commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code, the ANSYS Fluent 13, was used in this study. In this study, regarding with the positions and shapes of groove, the end of groove was placed at a certain distance (length, l) from both the front and back of separation starting point, the depth and the width were designated as h and d respectively. Analysis was conducted at the 7° angle of attack under the following conditions; the thickness (δ) of boundary layer to the depth (h) of groove ratio (h/δ) 0.6–1.0, the depth (h) of groove to the width (d) of groove ratio (h/d) 0.1–1.4, and the length (l) between the end of groove and separation point to the thickness (δ) of boundary layer ratio (l/δ) ?0.5–0.5. Among these conditions, the best improvement of lift to drag ratio, standing at 15.3%, was under h/δ = 1.0, h/d = 0.12, and l/δ = –0.5 (7° AOA, Re = 360k). In addition, throughout the range of angle of attack, 2–14°, lift to drag ratio improved by 0.8%, 5.1%, 3.2%, and 1.8% each when Reynolds numbers were 280k, 360k, 450k, and 530k. It is also confirmed that the shape of groove contributed to recovering velocity around airfoil wall and the lift to drag ratio improvements by groove were maintained at the given range of Reynolds number and around the angle of attack, 7°.