Water management in Saudi Arabia: a case study of Makkah Al Mukarramah region

Environment, Development and Sustainability - In the hydrologic design of water management infrastructures, rainfall characteristics are often used and the available historical rainfall events in...     

Spatial and temporal rainfall variability and its controlling factors under an arid climate condition: case of Gabes Catchment,Southern Tunisia

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Precipitation is the principal component of the hydrologic cycle. This study examines the spatial and temporal rainfall variability in Gabes Catchment...     

GIS技术在三峡库区滑坡灾害研究中的应用

对三峡库区选定的研究区域,建立地质、地形等滑坡因子空间数据库和滑坡空间分布数据库（比例尺均为1：10 000）,利用GIS技术对滑坡和各影响因子相关性进行了统计分析。计算得出滑坡发生的主要影响因子类属：Q\-4、J\-1x, J\-1z、S岩性岩组;90 m以下、90~135 m和135~175 m三个高程带;15~20m局部高差;10°~15°、15°~20°和20°~25°坡度;北向、南向和西北向方向和 1～1曲率范围。研究的结果是进行滑坡易发性评价的基础,可以帮助指导库区滑坡灾害管理、土地利用等。     

Association between esophageal cancer and drought in China by using Geographic Information System

The objective of this ecological study was to discover associations between selected climate variables and esophageal cancer (EC) mortality in China using a Geographic Information System (GIS). A digital distribution map of EC mortality in China was established in GIS, which was based on one-tenth of nationwide population cause-of-death surveys conducted in mainland China in 1990-1992. Selected climate variables such as 30-year annual average precipitation and evaporation data of the sample areas were extracted from the environmental databases by zonal statistics finished in Spatial Analyst module of ArcInfo 9.0. Drought Indexes were calculated by using the precipitation and evaporation data and a digital distribution map of them was created to compare with the distribution of EC mortality. Correlation and regression analyses were applied to evaluate associations between the EC mortality rates defined at the sample areas and selected climate variables from the raster datasets. The results of the digital GIS maps of EC mortality and Drought Index show that the high EC mortality mostly occurred in areas with high Drought Index. Correlation and regression analyses also show weak negative correlation between precipitation and EC mortality (p<0.001), and weak positive correlation between Drought Index and EC mortality (p<0.001). This study presented a unique model for the link of cancer and climate using a GIS. The study suggests that drought plays a role in the occurrence and development of EC in China, however, other environmental, biological and genetic factors should not be ignored. There is need for further studies using multiple factors and more accurate and detailed environmental and health data.     

流域土地利用变化的长周期水文效应及管理策略

长周期水文效应作为不同强度暴雨事件的综合反映，对流域规划和管理决策非常重要。以太湖地区蠡河流域为研究区，通过解译1984年、1995年和2000年3个时段TM/ETM获得土地利用分布地图，分析其土地利用变化的模式，并基于研究区30年的降水序列，应用长周期水文分析模型L-THIA（Long-Term Hydrologic Impact Assessment），计算3个时段土地利用特征对暴雨地表径流的影响，分析不同土地利用类型水文效应的敏感性，在此基础上总结了减少流域水文效应的土地利用管理策略。分析结果显示，该区土地利用有明显变化，主要表现为水田、旱田向建筑用地的转化，从1984年到2002年，城镇及居民地扩展占流域总面积的4.199 4 ％，地表径流量增加了6.170 ％，不同土地利用方式的水文效应有较大差别，林地、湖滩湿地的敏感性最大，其次是水田和旱田。     

基于GIS的土地适宜性评价决策支持系统--以南京市江宁区淳化镇为例

传统的基于GIS建立的土地适宜性评价系统缺乏对空间问题决策的支持能力,而GIS与DSS技术集成建立土地适宜性评价决策系统一方面可以实现对空间数据的管理和分析,另一方面可以利用模型进行辅助决策,有利于解决与空间有关的决策问题。以MapInfo Professional 6.0为基础平台,以Visual 〖XC夏敏字1.TIF,JZ〗6.0为开发工具,建立了一个土地适宜性评价决策支持系统,该系统包括数据库系统、模型库系统、知识库系统以及人机接口4个部分,具有数据输入输出、图属互查、数据空间分析和辅助决策等功能。系统成功应用于南京市江宁区淳化镇农地适宜性评价实践中,应用结果表明系统能为决策者提供多种决策方案,同时又集成了GIS的数据管理和空间分析功能,满足土地适宜性评价的要求,有推广使用的价值。     

1960~2010年长江流域极端降水的时空演变及未来趋势

本文采用长江流域内分布较均匀、无缺测站点的1960~2010年逐日降水资料,借助趋势和突变分析、R/S分析和水文频率分析等方法,研究该流域极端降水的时空演变特征和未来趋势。结果表明：（1）长江流域区域平均气候平均降水量（PAV）、简单日降水强度（PINT）、强降水贡献率（PQ95）、强降水阈值（PF95）、最大1日-10日降水量（PX1D-PX10D）基本均呈上升趋势,中下游各极端降水指数均大于上游,同时,中下游的各指数年际变化比上游更剧烈。（2）PAV与PF95的空间分布类似,但前者在流域中部地区下降、两侧上升,而后者为中部上升、两侧下降;PINT与PQ95的空间分布相似,均为大部分地区呈上升趋势,仅西北部下降。PX1D-PX10D总体上以上升为主,但随着持续时间的增长,下降的区域有明显的扩大,而上升的区域有明显的缩小。（3）未来长江流域极端降水将以现有趋势继续发展,并将以上升趋势为主,流域洪涝灾害风险加大。（4）遂宁站PX1D、安化站PX10D极端降水的频率分析表明,直接采用整体数据计算设计降水量会使结果偏于不安全,对于较长重现期的设计降水表现更显著,因此对于极端降水量发生显著变化的情况需要深入研究,探讨更好的设计降水估计方法。     

基于SCS-CN与MUSLE模型的三峡库区小流域侵蚀产沙模拟

传统土壤侵蚀模型模拟次降雨产沙时难以确定泥沙输移系数,分布式的侵蚀产沙模型对数据量需求量大。选择三峡库区宋家沟小流域为研究对象,基于2013年的降雨、植被盖度、地形、土壤等数据,利用SCS-CN和MUSLE模型耦合模拟流域的场降雨的产沙量。结果表明:该模型的模拟值的精确度在可接受范围内,整个流域2013年的泥沙流失量是3 923t,全年中5场较大的降雨贡献了泥沙流失量的80%以上;不同土地利用类型的泥沙输出量差异很大,耕地(面积44.63%)贡献了81.54%的泥沙,有林地(面积47.61%)贡献了17.63%的泥沙;坡度在0~8度的区域贡献的产沙量仅为1.75%,大于25度的区域占流域面积的比例是39.21%,产沙量占55.77%;泥沙模拟值相比实测值偏大,其原因可能是流域中分布的池塘改变了径流过程,发挥拦截泥沙功能。     

一个新的分布式水文模型在鄱阳湖赣江流域的验证

考虑同类模型在模拟大尺度流域时存在的一些弱点,开发了基于单元网格,并且结构较为简单、参数数量较少的分布式水文模型WATLAC。为了验证该模型在大尺度流域长时间序列的模拟效果,选取鄱阳湖流域的最大子流域--赣江流域（817万km2）为验证区域。流域的空间非均匀性由单元网格离散并模拟。根据下垫面数据精度,选取4 km×4 km的离散网格尺寸,并应用ArcGIS等软件建立流域网格信息,生成模型输入数据。采用1960~1989年外洲站和峡江站的实测资料对模型进行了验证。率定期（1960~1969年）两水文站日、月和年径流确定性系数在081~093,Ens系数在079~099,年径流统计量相对误差均低于8%;校核期（1970~1989年）两水文站日、月和年径流确定性系数在076~092,Ens系数在075~091,年径流统计量相对误差均低于2%。结果显示,模拟的径流量与实测值吻合良好,模型在赣江流域得到了很好的验证。模型对赣江流域具有较强的适用性,在流域水资源管理中具有较好的应用前景。     

The seasonal distribution of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorous in the lagoon of Venice: a numerical analysis

This paper investigates the seasonal evolution of the spatial distributions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus, in relation to the estimation of the N and P loads, which were obtained in the framework of the DRAIN project. Such investigation is carried out by using a 3D reaction-diffusion model which has been calibrated against salinity data and then used for obtaining the most likely scenario of the spatial and seasonal distribution of DIN and DIP. The consequences of different management policies are also discussed, in relation to the current Italian legislation, which sets quality standards for both DIN and DIP in the lagoon of Venice.     

南京市秦淮区昼夜人口空间分布估算与分析

人口时空分布研究对于城市规划管理、土地利用布局优化以及生态资源环境评价具有重要的现实意义。以南京市秦淮区为研究区,选择Google Earth平台提供的2014年空间分辨率为0.27 m的高分辨率遥感影像,结合统计资料和实地调查,根据人们日常活动的时空位移规律,获取“人口-昼夜-土地利用”匹配关系,借助地理信息系统建模和空间分析技术,实现100 m格网单元尺度下的昼夜人口空间分布定量模拟,并从街道和建筑斑块尺度对人口空间化结果进行验证,进而分析昼夜人口空间分布格局。结果表明：(1）利用高分辨率遥感影像目视解译和街景地图等多源数据,可有效克服城市复杂下垫面的土地利用类型和建筑物图斑数据较难获取的困难,提高城市人口估算的空间分辨率;(2）利用土地利用类型和建筑物空间属性信息,能够合理地估算建筑物尺度上的昼夜人口空间分布;（3)由于中心城区建筑物功能布局以及城乡发展差异等诸多因素影响,城市中心城区昼夜人口的空间结构存在显著差异,白天人口分布范围较为广泛且部分区域具有显著的集聚特征,而夜晚人口的高值分布则相对分散,高值集聚区向城区周边推移。 关键词： 昼夜人口;时空分布;遥感;地理信息分析;南京市;秦淮区     

Changes in mineral soil organic carbon stocks in the croplands of European Russia and the Ukraine, 1990–2070; comparison of three models and implications for climate mitigation

Three soil carbon models (RothC, CANDY and the Model of Humus Balance) were used to estimate the impacts of climate change on agricultural mineral soil carbon stocks in European Russia and the Ukraine using detailed spatial data on land-use, future land-use, cropping patterns, agricultural management, climate and soil type. Scenarios of climate were derived from the Hadley Centre climate Version 3 (HadCM3) model; future yields were determined using the Soil–Climate–Yield model, and land use was determined from regional agricultural and economic data and a model of agricultural economics. The models suggest that optimal management, which entails the replacement of row crops with other crops, and the use of extra years of grass in the rotation could reduce Soil organic carbon (SOC) loss in the croplands of European Russia and the Ukraine by 30–44% compared to the business-as-usual management. The environmentally sustainable management scenario (SUS), though applied for a limited area within the total region, suggests that much of this optimisation could be realised without damaging profitability for farmers.     

Forest dynamics in Mississippi, USA: a hybrid statistical and geospatial analysis

Understanding forest changes and its trajectory is important to develop policy options and future scenarios for climate analysis. This research is conducted to gain insights on secondary forests change using Mississippi, USA, as a case study. We investigate the spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of secondary forests at high resolution and examine the forces driving their changes. An extensive literature review is conducted to refine the conceptual framework of forest changes and identify the underlying key factors. Forest changes are quantified at high spatial (30-m) and temporal (biennial) resolutions, using time series remotely sensed data between 1984 and 2007. A number of geospatial and socioeconomic data were compiled to analyze the spatial variations of forest disturbances and their linkages to various socioeconomic, political, and biogeophysical factors. The results show that the secondary forests are highly dynamic and variable. Disturbances and regeneration occur continuously everywhere in a systematic and coordinated fashion. This pattern prevents an extensive disturbance and increases total forest cover. Market conditions (i.e., timber price) are the key predictor of the level and overall trend of forest disturbances. However, spatial patterns of forest dynamics cannot be explained by location-specific biophysical, socioeconomic, and policy factors identified in the literature. They can best be described by the ecological characteristics of the forests (i.e., the forest type and age distribution), which have a clear economic linkage. The research shows that regenerated forests frequently experience loss and gain of their extent, and their ecological characteristics change drastically on a short-term basis. These results point out challenges and opportunities in forest management and policy with regard to reforestation.     

基于地块尺度的耕地非农化驱动力空间异质性研究——以武汉市为例

土地用途管制和基本农田保护制度下,耕地非农化概率值和其驱动力的空间作用强度分布在土地资源配置和耕地保护方面有积极的指示性。基于武汉市2000~2011年耕地非农化地块的微观数据,通过比较分析Logistic回归模型和地理加权Logistic回归模型参数估计结果,验证了耕地非农化驱动力的空间异质性,并对异质性的空间分布规律和政策涵义做出总结分析。研究表明:1耕地间的空间依赖效应和建设用地对耕地的空间溢出效应在耕地非农化过程中具有显著影响力,且耕地非农化驱动力存在显著的空间异质性;2地理加权Logistic回归模型由于考虑到数据的空间非平稳状态所以比Logistic回归模型有更好的拟合效果;3耕地非农化驱动力的异质性在空间上呈现出一定规律,这些受到产业布局、经济和城市发展特点等的影响,根据不同驱动力空间异质性产生的原因进行差异化土地管理可以解决耕地保护和建设用地供给间的矛盾。研究结果能从地块尺度上反映出耕地非农化驱动因素的空间异质性,实现了驱动因素作用强度空间分布的可视化,并能为国土资源差异化管理提供理论和实践参考。     

Cypress dome characteristics within one county of the Southern United States: a case study of changes

Cypress domes are non-transient, disconnected, depressional wetland areas scattered about the southern United States. Baldcypress (Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich.), swamp tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora) and other trees species typically occupy these sites. Even though these areas are relatively fixed on the landscape, given land use changes over the last 60–70 years, the spatial character of the resource may have undergone some change as well. A small case study of one Georgia county suggests that there was net decrease in cypress dome land area from 1940 to 2007. The case study also suggests that there was a significant change in the land class(es) adjacent to or containing cypress domes. In addition, the physical shape of cypress domes seems to have changed, perhaps due to mechanical treatment of the land during commercial forestry operations. While the shape of cypress domes that were adjacent to mature forests in 1940 was not significantly different than the shape of the same cypress domes that were adjacent to mature forests in 2007, the shape of cypress domes adjacent to agricultural land and pasture/forest land uses in 1940 was significantly different in shape than their 2007 counterparts. Thus, the value of this study is in suggesting that the physical shape of cypress domes that were once adjacent to agricultural or pasture/forest lands seems to have changed, perhaps due to mechanical treatment of the land during the transition from agricultural practices to commercial forestry operations. The study also highlights the need for assessing the hydrologic changes in wetland function due to changes in cypress dome shape, and due to mechanical operations used along the edges of cypress domes to effectively adjust their shape. Research along these lines can lead to a better understanding of the spatial character of the cypress resource in areas that were once used for agricultural or pasture/forest purposes and may lead to more effective management strategies for protecting its role in society.     

Coastal marine eutrophication assessment: a review on data analysis

A wide variety of data analysis techniques have been applied for quantitative assessment of coastal marine eutrophication. Indicators for assessing eutrophication and frequency distributions have been used to develop scales for characterizing oligotrophy and eutrophication. Numerical classification has also contributed to the assessment of eutrophic trends by grouping sampling sites of similar trophic conditions. Applications of eutrophication assessment based on Principal Component Analysis and Multidimensional Scaling have also been carried out. In addition, the rapid development of Geographical Information Systems has provided the framework for applications of spatial methods and mapping techniques on eutrophication studies. Satellite data have also contributed to eutrophication assessment especially at large scale. Multiple criteria analysis methods can integrate eutrophication variables together with socio-economic parameters providing a holistic approach particularly useful to policy makers. As the current concept of eutrophication problems is to be examined as part of a coastal management approach, more complex quantitative procedures are needed to provide a platform useful for implementation of environmental policy. The present work reviews methods of data analysis used for the assessment of coastal marine eutrophication. The difficulties in applying these methods on data collected from the marine environment are discussed as well as the future perspectives of spatial and multiple criteria choice methods.     

Monitoring a Recent Delta Formation in a Tropical Coastal Wetland Using Remote Sensing and GIS. Case Study: Guapo River Delta, Laguna de Tacarigua, Venezuela

The integrated use of remotely sensed data and GIS to monitor a rapid recent delta formation was undertaken in the Tacarigua Lagoon, a mangrove coastal protected wetland in the north-central coast of Venezuela. Recently, the resource value of coastal wetlands such as coastal lagoons and deltas, has brought about a need to protect and conserve these ecosystems. To that end, valuable resources such as these should be continuously monitored so that temporal changes in their environment can be analysed. The importance of determining the cause, extent, and spatial distribution of these changes can then be used in different aspects of environmental studies, land suitability analyses and for wise resource management. Aerospace data interpretation and a field survey were utilised to study the formation of the Guapo River delta within the Tacarigua Lagoon and to map the expansion that this depositional environment has undergone. A historical set of aerial photographs and a radar image, together with a GIS, were used to assess the growth of the delta from the beginning of its formation up to the present time.     

丹江口水库对汉江中下游影响的生态学分析

基于黄家港水文站1954～2000年的日径流量资料,以1967年为节点,将47年水文序列划分为节点前的“近自然状态河流”和节点后的“人工干扰状态河流”两种水文情势。采用Richter提出的变动范围法,基于包含32个水文参数的水文改变指标体系,定量评估了黄家港水文站1967年前后水文情势的变化。根据分析,把1967年之前的各个水文参数的第1至第3四分位数间的数值范围设为管理目标。进一步分析了丹江口水库的修建对汉江中下游生态水文的影响。结果表明,1967年以后,丹江口水库的修建对汉江中下游水文情势的影响较为显著：极大地改变了径流的年内分配,使流量过程均化,使极值流量出现日期提前、历时缩短等等。在此基础上,结合汉江中下游河道生态系统的特点,以鱼类为指示生物,初步探讨了上述水文情势的变化对汉江中下游鱼类的生长、繁殖和越冬等带来的影响,并对如何降低不利影响提出了相应的改进措施.     

Impacts of climate change on lakes and reservoirs dynamics and restoration policies

Meteorological-driven processes exert large and diverse impacts on lakes and their water quality; these impacts can be hydrologic, thermal, hydraulic, chemical, biochemical, or ecological. The impact of climate change on Lake Tahoe (California–Nevada) was investigated here as a case study of climate change effects on the physical processes occurring within lakes. The already published trends of meteorological variables were used to assess the effects of global warming on Lake Tahoe dynamics. Records from the period 1969–2002 show that Lake Tahoe has became warmer and more stable. A series of simulation years into the future (i.e., 2000–2040) was established using flows, loads, and meteorology data sets for the period 1994–2004. Results of 40-year simulations show that the lake continues to become warmer and more stable, and mixing is reduced. Possible changes in water quality because of global warming are discussed through inference, although these are not specifically simulated. Many existing problems may be exacerbated due to climate change, yet extreme uncertainty depends on the rate and magnitude of climate change. Therefore, shifts in water quality and quantity due to climate change should be integrated into contemporary planning and management in an adaptive manner, and the research and development of impact assessment methodology should focus on approaches that can handle extreme uncertainty. The general alternatives for lake management due to climate change are discussed. Depending on the specific case, further intensive research is suggested to restore lake water quality.     

Cross-scale and multi-level mismatch problems in marine natural resources management: case studies in the Penghu Archipelago,Taiwan

Humans utilize natural resources for their livelihood and form institutions that are meant to manage the resources. However, many institutions tend to mismanage the natural resources and fail to solve the natural resources crisis because mismatches occur between the institutions and the systems to be governed. Although mismatch problems on temporal, spatial and functional scales are recognized in many natural resources management cases, a need remains to understand how mismatch problems emerge in complex humans in nature systems. This study used social–ecological system (SES) as a framework for conducting a cross-scale assessment of multi-level linked systems for better understanding of mismatch problems. Both bottom-up and top-down institutions regulating the utilization of marine natural resources were examined to unveil the cause of temporal, spatial and functional mismatch problems in Penghu Archipelago, a regional SES in Taiwan. Results of the assessment indicated that the single-level design of conventional institutions in marine natural resources management was a primary cause of mismatch problems. Thus, for better governance, adaptive and cooperative management systems of the marine natural resources in Penghu Archipelago, a more integrated institutional design is recommended.