Forest Dynamics in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu,India

The primary deciduous forests in the Eastern Ghats (EG) of Tamil Nadu (TN) India have undergone many changes owing to various need-based forest managements, such as timber extraction for industry, railway sleepers, charcoal, and forest clearance for hydroelectric projects and agriculture, during preindependence and postindependence periods (i.e., from 1800 to 1980). The enactment of a forest conservation act during the 1980s changed the perception of forest managers from utilization to conservation. This study was taken up to assess the forests dynamics in the EG of TN spatially between 1990 and 2003 and nonspatially between 1900 and the 1980s. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and Indian Remote Sensing satellite (IRS) 1D Linear Imaging and Self Scanning (LISS III) data were used to assess forests during 1990 and 2003, respectively. Field floristic survey and secondary data (such as published literature, floras, books, and forest working plans) were used to assess the forest dynamics in terms of forest type and species composition among the preindependence period, the postindependence period, and the present (i.e., before and after 1980). The satellite data analysis revealed a considerable amount of changes in all forest types during the 13 years. The comparison of species composition and forest types between the past and present revealed that need-based forest management along with anthropogenic activity have altered the primary deciduous forest in to secondary and postextraction secondary forests such as southern thorn and southern thorn scrub forests in the middle [400–900 m above mean sea level (MSL)] and lower slopes (<400 m MSL). However, the evergreen forests present at the upper slope (>900 m MSL) and plateau seemed not to be much affected by the forest management. The changes estimated by the satellite data processing in the major forest types such as evergreen, deciduous, southern thorn, and southern thorn scrub are really alarming because these changes have occurred after the implementation of a forest conservation act. The dependence of local people on forests for various purposes in this region is also considerably high, which might be a key factor for the changes in the forests. The results of this study not only provide an outlook on the present status of the forests and the change trends but also provide the basis for further studies on forests in the EG of TN.     

An improved user-based beach climate index

In many coastal resort areas of the world, it is likely that optimal climatic conditions for beach use might occur outside the peak of the tourist season. Investigation of this issue together with associated publicity might help to spread the tourism load and hence reduce undesirable social and environmental effects of extreme seasonality in tourist demand. For this to take place, better knowledge of beach user preferences in terms of climate and bathing water temperature is required. Questionnaire surveys were carried out in Wales, Malta and Turkey to establish the preferences of north European beach users for thermal sensation and bathing water temperature, plus priority levels for other climatic attributes. A user-based beach climate index based on these preferences and priorities was formulated. Linkage was made between the user-generated ratings for various climatic conditions and published climate data to evaluate most major Euro-Mediterranean/Black Sea and a range of other beach tourism areas on a month-by-month basis. Results showed excessively hot thermal sensation in many southern and eastern Mediterranean coastal destinations during July and August, the present peak of the beach tourism season. Highest preference was given to water temperatures rather lower than those found in these areas during late summer. Many long haul coastal destinations popular with north European visitors had similar unpleasant thermal sensations over several months. Uncertainties and deficiencies still exist with the system, but from the point of view of north European beach users the final scores generated in this study may be regarded as good approximations of the quality of resort area climates for sedentary beach use.     

Implications of climate change for evaporation from bare soils in a Mediterranean environment

The purpose of this study was to predict quantitative changes in evaporation from bare soils in the Mediterranean climate region of Turkey in response to the projections of a regional climate model developed in Japan (hereafter RCM). Daily RCM data for the estimation of reference evapotranspiration (ET _r) and soil evaporation were obtained for the periods of 1994–2003 and 2070–2079. Potential evaporation (E _p) from bare soils was calculated using the Penman–Monteith equation with a surface resistance of zero. Simulation of actual soil evaporation (E _a) was carried out using Aydin model (Aydin et al., Ecological Modelling 182:91–105, 2005) combined with Aydin and Uygur (2006, A model for estimating soil water potential of bare fields. In Proceedings of the 18th International Soil Meeting (ISM) on Soils Sustaining Life on Earth, Managing Soil and Technology, Sanliurfa, 477–480pp.) model of predicting soil water potential at the top surface layer of a bare soil, after performances of Aydin model (R ² = 94.0%) and Aydin and Uygur model (R ² = 97.6) were tested. The latter model is based on the relations among potential soil evaporation, hydraulic diffusivity, and soil wetness, with some simplified assumptions. Input parameters of the model are simple and easily obtainable such as climatic parameters used to compute the potential soil evaporation, average diffusivity for the drying soil, and volumetric water content at field capacity. The combination of Aydin and Aydin and Uygur models appeared to be useful in estimating water potential of soils and E _a from bare soils, with only a few parameters. Unlike ET _r and E _p projected to increase by 92 and 69 mm (equivalent to 8.0 and 7.3% increases) due to the elevated evaporative demand of the atmosphere, respectively, E _a from bare soils is projected to reduce by 50 mm (equivalent to a 16.5% decrease) in response to a decrease in rainfall by 46% in the Mediterranean region of Turkey by the 2070s predicted by RCM, and consequently, to decreased soil wetness in the future.     

Determination of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn) by ICP-OES and their speciation in Algerian Mediterranean Sea sediments after a five-stage sequential extraction procedure

Surface sediment samples (n = 18) were collected from the Algerian Mediterranean coasts and analyzed for seven metals using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry in order to asses the distribution and bioavailability of metals and to study the anthropogenic factors affecting their concentrations. Sediment samples were size-fractionated into three sizes: 1,080–500 (coarse), 500–250 (medium), and <250 mm (fine). Bulk sediments were subjected to both sequential extraction and total digestion to evaluate the reliability of the sequential extraction procedure (SEP), while the fractions have been only sequentially extracted for metals speciation. The metals were sequentially extracted into five phases namely exchangeable (P1), carbonates (P2), Fe–Mn oxides (P3), organic (P4) and residual (P5). Metal recoveries in sequential extractions were ±20% of the independently measured total metal concentrations; the high recovery rates indicate the good reliability of the SEP used in this study. Correlation coefficients indicated that the grain size has an effect on the distribution of metals in the investigated samples. The order of metal levels in the fractions was medium > fine > coarse for all the metals. The average total extractable metal concentrations for Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 1.1, 8.8, 4.7, 1,291.3, 13.9, 5.7 and 20.4 μg/g, respectively. The northeastern shelf had the lowest metal levels while the highest were in northwestern part mainly due to the significant tourism activities in the northwestern part. Comparison of our results to Earth’s crust values and to previous studies points out that our samples were relatively unpolluted with respect to the heavy metals investigated; most of the metals are not from anthropogenic sources. Enrichment factors as the criteria for examining the impact of the anthropogenic sources of heavy metals were calculated, and it was observed that the investigated samples were not contaminated with Cr, Cu, and Fe, moderately contaminated with Ni, Pb, and Cd, and contaminated with Cd in some sites. The P5 phase had the highest percents of Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn. Cadmium and lead were predominant in the P4 phase, while Cu, Fe and Zn were distributed in the order P5 > P3 > P4 > P2 > P1. The following order of bioavailability was found with the heavy metals Pb > Cr > Cd > Ni > Zn > Cu > Fe.     

Trace metals assessment in water, sediment, mussel and seagrass species--validation of the use of Posidonia oceanica as a metal biomonitor

The accumulation of trace metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni and Pb) was measured in water, sediment, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and the seagrass Posidonia oceanica. Samples were collected in three locations of the north-western Mediterranean (Canari, Livorno and Porto-Torres) which present different levels and sources of human impact. Analyses in the different compartments (water, sediment, M. galloprovincialis and P. oceanica) have allowed to identify Canari as the most Cd, Co, Cr and Ni contaminated site; Livorno as the most Hg contaminated and Porto-Torres as the most Pb contaminated. Furthermore, for the first time, metal concentrations found in P. oceanica have been compared with those found in the water column, in the sediment and in the recognized metal bio-indicator species M. galloprovincialis and the results obtained have led to the same conclusions. Thus, this study allows to validate the use of P. oceanica as metal biomonitor of coastal waters.     

Monitoring morphological and vegetation changes and flow events in dryland river channels

Monitoring of impacts of floods in river valleys of dryland regions has become important with the onset and threats of desertification and is likely to become even more vital with predictions of increased effects of climate and land use change. It is also needed in order to conform to requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive. Monitoring in such regions sets particular challenges. This paper explains a system of low-cost monitoring of changes in morphology, vegetation and sediment cover in channels and valley floors of ephemerally flowing streams. It has been applied in SE Spain for 10 years and has proved very effective. In particular, the use of simple crest-stage recorders for measuring flow height and the use of real-time differential GPS for rapid and accurate survey and for relocating points have proved very valuable. Part of the monitoring is focused on the interaction of plants and channel processes. Small changes in and around vegetation associated with flow events have been detected by a combination of quadrat surveys and cross-profiling of the channel. A range of flow events has been measured over the period of monitoring, demonstrating their differing effects and the varying sensitivity and responsiveness of different sites. The sporadic occurrence of flood events in such an environment means that a strategy of monitoring several sites and of continuation over many years has great benefits.     

Global localism: Recentering the research agenda for biodiversity conservation

Global environmental crisis narratives about biodiversity loss promote conservation research on how human activities impact natural resources and link scientific findings to protectionist policies. This paper critiques how local knowledge, over space and through time, is constructed for these studies and integrated with ecological measures and qualitative interpretations of biodiversity conditions. As a case example, we describe how ethnoecological research at Mt. Kasigau, a biodiversity hot spot in Southeastern Kenya, changes ‘scientific’ views on human–resource relations. Species richness in woody plants and local knowledge about trees show resource continua on the mountain that question the designation of diverse undisturbed forests and degraded human‐utilized lands. Local narratives document spatially dynamic and adaptive relationships between the Kasigau Taita and their plant resources as they moved up and down the mountain in response to environmental conditions and extra local forces. We argue that greater ‘local learning’ about local places is important to hypothesizing and potentially guiding ‘global action’ for biodiversity conservation.     

基于深度学习的华东地区PM2.5浓度遥感反演

PM_2.5作为大气污染的主要来源,对人类身体健康有着极大的影响.本文提出基于深度学习模型的多要素联合PM_2.5反演方法,以PM_2.5浓度作为真值数据,引入Himawari气溶胶光学厚度（AOD）日数据产品与温度、相对湿度和气压等10个要素作为反演要素.为验证方法的有效性,采用华东地区2016~2018年的数据分季节开展实验,并与传统反演方法进行对比.结果表明,PM_2.5浓度与AOD、降水、风速、高植被覆盖指数呈正相关关系,与矮植被覆盖指数呈负相关关系,与温度、湿度、气压以及DEM的相关性随季节的变化而改变;基于深层神经网络（DNN）反演的PM_2.5精度高于传统的线性和非线性模型,各个季节R²均在0.5以上并且误差较小,其中秋季的反演效果最好R²为0.86,夏季为0.75,冬季为0.613,春季为0.566;模型的可视化结果显示,DNN模型的反演结果更接近地面监测站点插值的PM_2.5浓度分布,分辨率更高且更精确.     

城乡融合区乡村地域多功能空间分异及影响因素——以福州东部片区为例

乡村地域多功能是有效破解城乡二元结构、促进城乡融合发展的重要途径。本文以国家城乡融合发展试验区——福州东部片区为研究区,基于乡镇域尺度分析研究区乡村地域多功能空间分异规律与特征,使用地理探测器分析空间分异的影响因素。结果表明：（1）研究区各乡镇的乡村单一功能空间格局特征表现为农业生产功能在沿海小范围聚集,工业发展和生活保障功能主要集中分布在福州城区边缘郊区和南部乡镇,生态保育功能西部山区大于东部乡镇,而旅游休闲功能主要分布在中北部乡镇和平潭岛;（2）依据LSE模型,将研究区乡镇划分为五功能、四功能、三功能、双功能复合区和单功能主导区,其中拥有五、四功能复合区的乡镇共计58个,占比45.68%,说明研究区乡村地域多功能整体上处于较高水平,城乡融合发展基础良好;（3）乡村地域多功能的空间分异受自然环境、社会经济等内外因素的共同影响,自然环境因素塑造了乡村地域初始与特色功能,地理区位因素促进乡村功能的形成与分化,社会经济是优化乡村功能的基础因素,政策资金是推动乡村多功能转型的主导因素。研究结果为进一步推进区域城乡融合发展与乡村振兴提供科学依据。     

气象因素和前体物对中国东部O3浓度分布的影响

采用重心模型、空间自相关分析和地理探测器,研究了2016年中国东部O₃浓度的时空变化规律,揭示了气象因素和前体物对中国东部O₃浓度空间分布格局及其演变的影响.结果表明：（1）O₃浓度变化可分为3个阶段：1~3月为低值上升阶段、4~9月为高值波动阶段、10~12月为低值下降阶段,O₃污染主要发生在高值波动阶段,超标天数占全年的96.0%.（2）气象因素是影响O₃年均浓度空间分布格局的主导因素,受降水、相对湿度南高北低和日照时数北高南低的影响,O₃年均浓度总体呈北高南低的态势;前体物对O₃年均浓度分布也有显著影响,是城市群核心城市形成局部O₃污染中心的原因.（3）O₃月均浓度分布格局经历了由北高南低到南高北低的演变过程,1~6月O₃浓度总体重心和高值重心向北迁移,6月达到最北,北高南低的特征最强,环渤海地区成为O₃污染最严重的区域;7~12月,O₃浓度总体重心和高值重心向南迁移,12月达到最南,O₃浓度分布格局演变为南高北低.3~9月雨季期间,O₃浓度分布主要受降水和相对湿度的影响,其余时间主要受气温的影响.（4）前体物对O₃浓度分布的影响主要通过气象条件实现,气温越高,光化学反应越强,前体物的正向影响力越大;气温越低,光化学反应越弱,NO_x、CO、SO₂等化学性质活跃的前体物对O₃可能起消耗作用.