Comparing discriminant analysis, neural networks and logistic regression for predicting species distributions: a case study with a Himalayan river bird

We assessed the occurrence of a common river bird, the Plumbeous Redstart Rhyacornis fuliginosus, along 180 independent streams in the Indian and Nepali Himalaya. We then compared the performance of multiple discrimant analysis (MDA), logistic regression (LR) and artificial neural networks (ANN) in predicting this species’ presence or absence from 32 variables describing stream altitude, slope, habitat structure, chemistry and invertebrate abundance. Using the entire data (=training set) and a threshold for accepting presence in ANN and LR set to P≥0.5, ANN correctly classified marginally more cases (88%) than either LR (83%) or MDA (84%). Model performance was assessed from two methods of data partitioning. In a ‘leave-one-out’ approach, LR correctly predicted more cases (82%) than MDA (73%) or ANN (69%). However, in a holdout procedure, all the methods performed similarly (73–75%). All methods predicted true absence (i.e. specificity in holdout: 81–85%) better than true presence (i.e. sensitivity: 57–60%). These effects reflect species’ prevalence (=frequency of occurrence), but are seldom considered in distribution modelling. Despite occurring at only 36% of the sites, Plumbeous Redstarts are one of the most common Himalayan river birds, and problems will be greater with less common species. Both LR and ANN require an arbitrary threshold probability (often P=0.5) at which to accept species presence from model prediction. Simulations involving varied prevalence revealed that LR was particularly sensitive to threshold effects. ROC plots (received operating characteristic) were therefore used to compare model performance on test data at a range of thresholds; LR always outperformed ANN. This case study supports the need to test species’ distribution models with independent data, and to use a range of criteria in assessing model performance. ANN do not yet have major advantages over conventional multivariate methods for assessing bird distributions. LR and MDA were both more efficient in the use of computer time than ANN, and also more straightforward in providing testable hypotheses about environmental effects on occurrence. However, LR was apparently subject to chance significant effects from explanatory variables, emphasising the well-known risks of models based purely on correlative data.     

数据仓库在水环境质量评价系统中的应用前景

水环境质量评价工作涉及的数据量大,数据分散,评价标准多,分析模型多。现有的基于数据库系统的水环境质量评价系统面向的对象单一,分析功能弱。数据仓库系统可以把分散的数据经过抽取、转换,装载进中心数据仓库,建立多维数据模型,利用OLAP的分析功能完成各种水质评价工作,更好的辅助决策者决策。介绍了基于数据库的水环境质量评价系统的缺点,数据仓库的特点,初步设想了其在评价系统中的具体实现。     

Boosting large-scale river connectivity restoration by planning for the presence of unrecorded barriers

Conservation decisions are invariably made with incomplete data on species’ distributions, habitats, and threats, but frameworks for allocating conservation investments rarely account for missing data. We examined how explicit consideration of missing data can boost return on investment in ecosystem restoration, focusing on the challenge of restoring aquatic ecosystem connectivity by removing dams and road crossings from rivers. A novel way of integrating the presence of unmapped barriers into a barrier optimization model was developed and applied to the U.S. state of Maine to maximize expected habitat gain for migratory fish. Failing to account for unmapped barriers during prioritization led to nearly 50% lower habitat gain than was anticipated using a conventional barrier optimization approach. Explicitly acknowledging that data are incomplete during project selection, however, boosted expected habitat gains by 20–273% on average, depending on the true number of unmapped barriers. Importantly, these gains occurred without additional data. Simply acknowledging that some barriers were unmapped, regardless of their precise number and location, improved conservation outcomes. Given incomplete data on ecosystems worldwide, our results demonstrate the value of accounting for data shortcomings during project selection.     

电脑散热风扇灰尘中多溴二苯醚的污染特征和环境健康风险评价

不同模型对土壤污染物空间分布预测精度具有重要影响,针对现有方法不能较好模拟土壤污染物较强的空间变异特征以及缺乏对影响污染物空间分布的关键环境因子识别,本研究基于随机森林（RF）模型,通过融合多源环境要素,开展了某冶炼厂周边农田土壤砷含量空间分布预测研究,并与反距离加权（IDW）和逐步线性回归模型（STEPREG）相比较.结果表明,研究区农田土壤砷污染范围较广,污染严重区域主要分布在研究区南部,3种模型模拟的砷污染空间分布虽总体趋势相似,但局部区域差异明显,IDW和STEPREG模型不能很好地反映研究区土壤污染的强空间变异特征,RF模型模拟结果较好的表达局部高污染区域的细部变化.不同环境要素对农田土壤砷含量空间分布影响的重要性不同,研究区环境变量和地形变量是影响土壤砷含量空间分布的关键环境因子.交叉验证结果表明,RF模型相对IDW和STEPREG模型具有最小的均方根误差（RMSE）、平均绝对误差（MAE）、平均误差（ME）和最大的R²,RF模型的RMSE、MAE、ME较IDW模型分别降低了10.8%、5.5%和88.1%,较STEPREG模型分别降低了17.8%、18.4%和94.7%,表明采用RF模型对研究区农田土壤砷含量预测精度最高,取得了最优的预测效果.本研究结果能够为土壤重金属污染空间分布制图提供方法学参考.     

江苏省地震前兆信息数据库系统(JSEPIDS)简介

数据库技术是管理数据的一种最新方法,它研究如何组织和存储数据,如何高效地获取和处理数据。本文建立的江苏省地震前兆信息数据库系统是把作为地震预报的三大学科的观测数据集中起来,统一管理,该系统具有友好的用户界面,采用全中文交互式操作环境,易于扩充,为实现数据共享和台网数字化提供了前提条件。     

基于深度学习的大数据空气污染预报

为了更好地反映环境污染变化趋势,为环境管理决策提供及时、全面的环境质量信息,预防严重污染事件发生,开展城市空气质量预报研究是十分必要的.本文针对环境大数据时代下的城市空气质量预报,提出了一种基于深度学习的新方法.该方法通过模拟人类大脑的神经连接结构,将数据在原空间的特征表示转换到具有语义特征的新特征空间,自动地学习得到层次化的特征表示,从而提高预报性能.得益于这种方式,新方法与传统方法相比,不仅可以利用空气质量监测、气象监测及预报等环境大数据,充分考虑污染物的时空变化、空间分布,得到语义性的污染物变化规律,还可以基于其他空气污染预测方法的结果(如数值预报模式),自动分析其适用范围、优势劣势.因此,新方法通过模拟人脑思考过程实现更充分的大数据集成,一定程度上克服了现有方法的缺陷,应用上更加具有灵活性和可操作性.最后,通过实验证明新方法可以提高空气污染预报性能.     

基于数据物流服务思想的流域水环境监测数据交换与集成技术

提出了面向流域水生态监控预警的水环境信息完整性管理理念,分析了多源、多手段采集的流域水环境监测数据的交换与集成技术需求,重点针对中国环境监测部门流域监测断面管理存在的不足,提出了目录管理架构.基于数据物流服务思想,利用微软BizTalk平台和XML技术设计了支持多源水环境数据接人、可灵活配置并监控的水监测数据交换平台原...     

Near-term forecasts of stream temperature using deep learning and data assimilation in support of management decisions

Deep learning (DL) models are increasingly used to make accurate hindcasts of management-relevant variables, but they are less commonly used in forecasting applications. Data assimilation (DA) can be used for forecasts to leverage real-time observations, where the difference between model predictions and observations today is used to adjust the model to make better predictions tomorrow. In this use case, we developed a process-guided DL and DA approach to make 7-day probabilistic forecasts of daily maximum water temperature in the Delaware River Basin in support of water management decisions. Our modeling system produced forecasts of daily maximum water temperature with an average root mean squared error (RMSE) from 1.1 to 1.4°C for 1-day-ahead and 1.4 to 1.9°C for 7-day-ahead forecasts across all sites. The DA algorithm marginally improved forecast performance when compared with forecasts produced using the process-guided DL model alone (0%–14% lower RMSE with the DA algorithm). Across all sites and lead times, 65%–82% of observations were within 90% forecast confidence intervals, which allowed managers to anticipate probability of exceedances of ecologically relevant thresholds and aid in decisions about releasing reservoir water downstream. The flexibility of DL models shows promise for forecasting other important environmental variables and aid in decision-making.     

地理信息系统Metadata共享和安全

地理信息系统 (GIS)的核心是数据 ,数据的共享及其安全是GIS技术的关键 ,特别是GIS网络 ,而元数据 (Metadata)机制提供了有效的方法。笔者介绍了Metadata及其共享和安全的重要性 ,并对ArcSDE安全机制与Metadata共享及安全实施进行了分析 ,探讨基于GIS软件技术的Metadata共享和安全技术的可行性