Topographic maps,as essential tools and sources of information for geographic research,contain precise spatial locations and rich map features,and they illustrate spatio-temporal information on the distribution and di...Topographic maps,as essential tools and sources of information for geographic research,contain precise spatial locations and rich map features,and they illustrate spatio-temporal information on the distribution and differences of various surface features.Currently,topographic maps are mainly stored in raster and vector formats.Extraction of the spatio-temporal knowledge in the maps—such as spatial distribution patterns,feature relationships,and dynamic evolution—still primarily relies on manual interpretation.However,manual interpretation is time-consuming and laborious,especially for large-scale,long-term map knowledge extraction and application.With the development of artificial intelligence technology,it is possible to improve the automation level of map knowledge interpretation.Therefore,the present study proposes an automatic interpretation method for raster topographic map knowledge based on deep learning.To address the limitations of current data-driven intelligent technology in learning map spatial relations and cognitive logic,we establish a formal description of map knowledge by mapping the relationship between map knowledge and features,thereby ensuring interpretation accuracy.Subsequently,deep learning techniques are employed to extract map features automatically,and the spatio-temporal knowledge is constructed by combining formal descriptions of geographic feature knowledge.Validation experiments demonstrate that the proposed method effectively achieves automatic interpretation of spatio-temporal knowledge of geographic features in maps,with an accuracy exceeding 80%.The findings of the present study contribute to machine understanding of spatio-temporal differences in map knowledge and advances the intelligent interpretation and utilization of cartographic information.展开更多
The capabilities of GIS for constructing a digital elevation model of a mountainous area and visualizing a spatial image of the terrain are given in this paper.Graphic,digital data and topographic maps,which are the m...The capabilities of GIS for constructing a digital elevation model of a mountainous area and visualizing a spatial image of the terrain are given in this paper.Graphic,digital data and topographic maps,which are the main sources for GIS,are described.The methods of vectorization of isolines and the requirements for technical means of processing graphic materials are presented in detail.The advantages and disadvantages of the DEM of a mountainous region are shown here.Segmentation methods using an interpolation polynomial are described in detail.A DEM of the mountainous area where the border between the republics runs was constructed in 2D and 3D formats using the GIS Panorama.Reducing the chord length when segmenting isolines on topographic maps leads to more accurate DEM construction.A vertical profile of a mountainous area with a visibility zone between two points was constructed.It is expected that the improved latitude,longitude and altitude parameters of the topographic map will be used to form a regional geodetic network and geospatial analysis of mountain ranges.It is proposed to use not only satellite data,but also classical geodetic networks and maps.It is recommended to use satellite and aerial photography to clarify the topographic and geodetic support of the studied area.展开更多
The topographic factor(LS factor),derived from the multiplication of the slope length(L)and slope steepness(S)factors,is a vital parameter in soil erosion models.Generated from the digital elevation model(DEM),the LS ...The topographic factor(LS factor),derived from the multiplication of the slope length(L)and slope steepness(S)factors,is a vital parameter in soil erosion models.Generated from the digital elevation model(DEM),the LS factor always varies with the changing DEM resolution,i.e.,the LS factor scale effect.Previous studies have found the phenomenon of the LS factor scale effect,but the underlying causes of this phenomenon has not been well explored.Therefore,how the DEM resolution affects the LS factor and how the scale effect of the L and S factors influence the LS factor scale effect remains unclear.To address these problems,we collected 20 watersheds from the Guangdong Province with different topographic reliefs,and compared the corresponding L,S and LS factors at 10-m and 30-m resolution DEMs.Our results indicate that the S factor,heavily influenced by slope underestimation in coarse-resolution DEMs,makes a difference in the LS factor scale effect.In addition,the LS factor scale effect becomes less significant with increasing reliefs,suggesting the possibility of using 30-m DEM for LS calculation in rugged terrains.Our findings on the underlying mechanisms of the LS factor scale effect help to identify the uncertainty in the LS factor estimation,thereby enhancing the accuracy of soil erosion assessment,particularly in regions with different topographic characteristics and contribute to more effective soil conservation strategies and decision-making.展开更多
The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for...The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for the life form category'chamaephytes'.Unfortunately,this incorrect term was used throughout the article following the nomenclature of this official database:in one instance in the main text,in Fig.3 and its caption,in Fig.5,and in two instances in the supplementary material.展开更多
A P-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar(PolSAR)sensor has deep penetration ability into and through the vegetation canopies in forested environments.Thus,the sensor is of great potential to accurately assess fo...A P-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar(PolSAR)sensor has deep penetration ability into and through the vegetation canopies in forested environments.Thus,the sensor is of great potential to accurately assess forest parameters such as coverage,stand density,and tree height.Unfortunately,the radar backscatter from complex terrain can adversely impact the backscatter from trees or forests,and forest parameters assessed can be erroneous.Thus,reducing the topographic impact is an urgent must.In this study,a topographic compensation algorithm has been studied.To assess the algorithm’s validity and effectiveness,we applied it to P-band PolSAR datasets in four forested areas in the US.Trees in the forest stands have diverse species,and the topographic conditions of the terrain differ.Significant topographic impact on the P-band PolSAR data exists before the topographic compensation algorithm.After the algorithm,the impact decreases noticeably qualitatively and quantitatively.The algorithm is valid and effective in reducing the topographic influence on the PolSAR data and,consequently,provides a better chance of retrieving accurate forest parameters.展开更多
Understanding local variation in forest biomass allows for a better evaluation of broad-scale patterns and interpretation of forest ecosystems’role in carbon dynamics.This study focuses on patterns of aboveground tre...Understanding local variation in forest biomass allows for a better evaluation of broad-scale patterns and interpretation of forest ecosystems’role in carbon dynamics.This study focuses on patterns of aboveground tree biomass within a fully censused 20 ha forest plot in a temperate forest of northern Alabama,USA.We evaluated the relationship between biomass and topography using ridge and valley landforms along with digitally derived moisture and solar radiation indices.Every live woody stem over 1 cm diameter at breast height within this plot was mapped,measured,and identified to species in 2019-2022,and diameter data were used along with speciesspecific wood density to map the aboveground biomass at the scale of 20 m×20 m quadrats.The aboveground tree biomass was 211 Mg·ha^(-1).Other than small stream areas that experienced recent natural disturbances,the total stand biomass was not associated with landform or topographic indices.Dominant species,in contrast,had strong associations with topography.American beech(Fagus grandifolia)and yellow-poplar(Liriodendron tulipfera)dominated the valley landform,with 37% and 54% greater biomass in the valley than their plot average,respectively.Three other dominant species,white oak(Quercus alba),southern shagbark hickory(Carya carolinaeseptentrionalis),and white ash(Fraxinus americana),were more abundant on slopes and benches,thus partitioning the site.Of the six dominant species,only sugar maple(Acer saccharum)was not associated with landform.Moreover,both topographic wetness and potential radiation indices were significant predictors of dominant species biomass within each of the landforms.The study highlights the need to consider species when examining forest productivity in a range of site conditions.展开更多
Based on geomorphologic and digital elevation model(DEM) data, the topographic characteristics of the northwestern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are analyzed. Five representative peaks are first determined accordi...Based on geomorphologic and digital elevation model(DEM) data, the topographic characteristics of the northwestern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are analyzed. Five representative peaks are first determined according to the topographic profile maps for the ridge and piedmont lines, and then the topographic gradient characteristics are analyzed according to the representative topographic profile acquisition method.Based on the geomorphologic database data, the regions between the ridge and the piedmont lines are divided into four geomorphologic zones; and the topographic characteristics are finally analyzed for the different geomorphologic zones regions using the DEM data. The research results show that from the piedmont to the ridge, there exist four geomorphologic zones: arid, fluvial, periglacial and glacial. The arid has the lowest elevation, topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics. The fluvial has lower elevation and the highest topographic gradient, but with lower relief and slope characteristics. With higher elevation, the periglcial has lower topographic gradient, but the highest relief and slope characteristics. The glacial has the highest elevation with higher topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics.展开更多
A barotropic model containing large-scale topography and zonal mean flow is established to discuss the effects of large-scale topography on the low-frequency waves. The results show that what affects low-frequency wav...A barotropic model containing large-scale topography and zonal mean flow is established to discuss the effects of large-scale topography on the low-frequency waves. The results show that what affects low-frequency waves mostly is maximal height of topography and topographic slope. The former makes frequency of topographic Rossby waves decrease, the latter makes Rossby waves instable. Moreover, when topographic slope is appropriate, it can also make Rossby waves turn into low-frequency waves.展开更多
With large scale topographic map charted in accordance with Topographic Map Symbols of 1:500 1:1 000 1:2 000(GB/T 20257.1-2007) as the base map of land survey,the land use status information was collected from the map...With large scale topographic map charted in accordance with Topographic Map Symbols of 1:500 1:1 000 1:2 000(GB/T 20257.1-2007) as the base map of land survey,the land use status information was collected from the map based on the standard in Present Status Classification of Land Utilization(GB/T 21010-2007).The study discussed in details the information of some land types including water system,residential sites,facilities,transportation,pipeline,vegetation,soils and so on,and pointed out problems on extracting land use status information from large scale topographic map.In order to share resources and save social costs,it suggested unifying the standard to classify land types and define all kinds of land types by quantitative values.展开更多
Large-scale mountains like Asian topographies and the Rocky Mountains have important influences on subtropical jet streams(STJs)over downstream regions in winter.The dynamical role of the Rocky Mountains in modulating...Large-scale mountains like Asian topographies and the Rocky Mountains have important influences on subtropical jet streams(STJs)over downstream regions in winter.The dynamical role of the Rocky Mountains in modulating STJs with and without the existence of East Asian(EA)topographies in northern winter is investigated via numerical experiments.In agreement with previous studies,the Rocky Mountains(topographic forcing),with the existence of EA topographies,can only strengthen the STJ from the east coast of North America to the western Atlantic region.The independent role of the Rocky Mountains,however,strengthens the STJ over not only the east coast of North America but also over Pacific regions.It is found that the existence of EA topographies can dramatically strengthen the EA trough,as well as a downstream ridge which,in the upstream of the Rocky Mountains,acts to partly cancel out the strengthening of the anticyclone to the north of the Rocky Mountains and the northward warm air transport in the high latitudes of Pacific regions due to the Rocky Mountains’forcing alone.Such circulation changes effectively weaken the Rocky Mountains–forced strengthening of the meridional temperature gradient in the midlatitude North Pacific,and thus the STJ there.Therefore,EA topographies are of great importance in modulating the role of the Rocky Mountains as a dynamical forcing of STJ variability.展开更多
Rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change impact may prove a disaster for small islands. Accurate DEM (digital elevation model) can help to understand SLR (sea level rise) impact, coastal zones fl...Rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change impact may prove a disaster for small islands. Accurate DEM (digital elevation model) can help to understand SLR (sea level rise) impact, coastal zones flooding risks assessment and hydrological attributes modeling and extraction. Currently, DEMs are available from several different sources using active and passive remote sensing systems. This research compares absolute surface heights accuracies retrieved from three independent DEMs datasets. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM-V4.1) and the Advanced Space borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER-V2.1) with 30-m pixel size, and a DEM-5 of 5-m spatial resolution generated from high topographic contour lines map at scale of 1:5,000 using simple Kriging interpolation method. Moreover, topographic attributes (slope and aspect) have been retrieved and compared. For the elevations validation purposes, a dataset of 400 GCPs uniformly distributed over the study site were used. These were measured using a DGPS assuring ± 1 and ± 2 cm accuracies, respectively, for planimerry and altimetry. The obtained results show that globally the landscape scale plays an important role in the selection of the DEM pixel size, which must reflect the real topographic attributes. Indeed, the derived DEM-5 from high topographic contours map (1:5,000) using simple Kriging exhibit the best accuracy of ±0.65 m which is less than the tolerance or the total error (±0.78 m) calculated based on errors sources propagation. Then, the results show an accuracy of ± 3.00 m for SRTM-V4.1 which is less than the absolute vertical height accuracy (±5.6 m) advocated by NASA for African continent and Middle-East regions. As well, the achieved ASTER accuracy was ± 8.40 m compared to the estimated error (±17.01 m) by USGS and JAXA. Obviously, high spatial resolution and accurate DEM-5 is a crucial requirement to simulate and evaluate costal zones inundation under different SLR and storm flow scenarios for small islands. Decidedly, the elevation of small islands with topographic features not higher than 134 m can be estimated using SRTM-V4.1 with relatively acceptable accuracy. Whereas, this DEM is not significantly consistent for accurate SLR scenarios simulations. Without doubt, ASTER-V2.1 DEM was an excellent alternative compared to SRTM with 90-m pixel size, but actually with SRTM-V4.1 full resolution (30-m) ASTER-V2.1 will likely see its limited uses in geosciences applications. Indeed, ASTER is not providing accurate information to simulate the impact of SLR scenarios on small islands.展开更多
Based on the DEM raster image data with a resolution of 60 m×60 m in the Sanjiangyuan region,the topographic heterogeneity in the Sanjiangyuan region was analyzed by calculating and processing the topographic rel...Based on the DEM raster image data with a resolution of 60 m×60 m in the Sanjiangyuan region,the topographic heterogeneity in the Sanjiangyuan region was analyzed by calculating and processing the topographic relief,elevation standard deviation,terrain heterogeneity and surface roughness indexes.The results show that the overall terrain elevation of the Sanjiangyuan area is high,and the surface undulations are large.The southern and southeastern parts of the region are the places with the most dramatic terrain changes.The absolute values of terrain undulations,elevation standard deviation and surface roughness are large.In the central and western regions,the terrain change is small,the relief degree is small,the elevation standard deviation and the surface roughness are small.展开更多
Topographical relief is a key factor that limits population distribution and economic development in mountainous areas. The limitation is especially apparent in the mountain-plain transition zone. Taking the transitio...Topographical relief is a key factor that limits population distribution and economic development in mountainous areas. The limitation is especially apparent in the mountain-plain transition zone. Taking the transition zone between the Qinling Mountains and the North China Plain(i.e. the mountainous area in western Henan Province) as an example and based on the 200-m resolution DEM data, we used the mean change-point analysis to determine the optimal statistical unit for topographical relief, and thereafter extracted the relief degree. Taking the 1:100,000 land use data, township population and county-level industrial data, population and economic spatial models were constructed, and 200-m resolution grid population and economic density maps were generated. Afterwards, statistical analysis was carried out to quantitatively reveal the impact of topographical relief on population and economy. In addition, the impacts of other topographical factors were discussed. The results showed the following.(1) The relief degree in western Henan is generally low, where 58.6% of the regional topography does not exceed half the height of a reference mountain(relative elevation ≤250 m). Spatially, the relief degree is high in the west while low in the east, and high in the middle while low in the north and south. There is a positive correlation between relief degree and elevation, and a much stronger correlation between relief degree and slope.(2) The linear fitting degree between the population and economic validation data and the corresponding simulation data are 0.943 and 0.909, respectively, indicating that the spatialized results can reflect the actual population and economic distribution.(3) The impact of topographical relief on population and economy was stronger than that of other topographical factors. The relief degree showed a good logarithmic fit relationship with population density(0.911) and economic density(0.874). Specifically, 88.65% of the population lives in areas where the topographical relief is ≤0.5 and 88.03% of the gross regional product was from areas where the relief is ≤0.3. Compared with the population distribution, the economic development showed an obvious agglomeration trend towards low relief areas.展开更多
Rubber plantation is the major land use type in Southeast Asia. Monitoring the spa- tial-temporal pattern of rubber plantation is significant for regional land resource development, eco-environmental protection, and m...Rubber plantation is the major land use type in Southeast Asia. Monitoring the spa- tial-temporal pattern of rubber plantation is significant for regional land resource development, eco-environmental protection, and maintaining border security. With remote sensing tech- nologies, we analyzed the rubber distribution pattern and spatial-temporal dynamic; with GIS and a newly proposed index of Planted Intensity (PI), we further quantified the impacts and limits of topographical factors on rubber plantation in the border region of China, Laos and Myanmar (BRCLM) between 1980 and 2010. The results showed that: (1) As the dominant land use type in this border region, the acreage of rubber plantation was 6014 km2 in 2010, accounting for 8.17% of the total area. Viewing from the rubber plantation structure, the ratio of mature- (〉10 year) and young rubber plantation (〈 10 year) was 5:7. (2) From 1980 to 2010, rubber plantation expanded significantly in BRCLM, from 705 km2 to 6014 km2, nearly nine times. The distribution characteristics of rubber plantation varied from concentrated toward dispersed, from border inside to outside, and expanded further in all directions with Jinghong City as the center. (3) Restricted by the topographical factors, more than 4/5 proportion of rubber plantation concentrated in the appropriate elevation gradients between 600 and 1000 m, rarely occurred in elevations beyond 1200 m in BRCLM. Nearly 2/3 of rubber plantation concentrated on slopes of 8^-25~, rarely distributed on slopes above 35~. Rubber plantation was primarily distributed in south and east aspects, relatively few in north and west aspects. Rubber planted intensity displayed the similar distribution trend. (4) Comparative studies of rubber plantation in different countries showed that there was a remarkable increase in area at higher elevations and steeper slopes in China, while there were large appropriate topog- raphical gradients for rubber plantation in Laos and Myanmar which benefited China for rubber trans-boundary expansion. (5) Rubber plantation in BRCLM will definitely expend cross borders of China to the territories of Laos and Myanmar, and the continuous expansion in the border region of China will be inevitable.展开更多
The spatial distribution of plant populations is an important feature of population structure and it de- termines the population's ecological preferences, biological characteristics and relationships with environment...The spatial distribution of plant populations is an important feature of population structure and it de- termines the population's ecological preferences, biological characteristics and relationships with environmental factors. The point pattern analysis method was adopted to study the distribution pattern of Picea schrenkiana indi- viduals of different size classes and the correlations between two size classes as well as the impact of topog- raphical attributes on the population distribution. With increasing diameter at breast height, the plant density of the P. schrenkiana population showed a declining trend. Old trees showed a random distribution at a small spatial scale (0-12 m), whereas saplings, small trees and big trees all had an aggregated distribution at all scales. With the increase of tree age, the scales at which maximal aggregation occurred gradually increased and the aggregation strength decreased. At a small scale (0-16 m), all size classes showed a negative correlation and the larger the difference between tree size, the more significant the negative correlation. The number of medium, big and old trees had a significantly positive correlation with elevations, whereas the number of saplings and small trees was not significantly correlated with elevations. The numbers of saplings, small and medium trees showed a significant positive correlation with slope gradient, whereas the number of big trees was not significantly correlated, and the number of old trees was negatively correlated with gradient. With the exception of old trees, saplings, small, me- dium and big trees showed negative correlations with convexity index. The study provides a theoretical basis for the conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the Tianshan Mountains.展开更多
For forest ecosystem management to be effective, knowledge of the horizontal and vertical structural diversity of a forest is essential. The moist Afromontane highlands of Wondo Genet in south-central Ethiopia present...For forest ecosystem management to be effective, knowledge of the horizontal and vertical structural diversity of a forest is essential. The moist Afromontane highlands of Wondo Genet in south-central Ethiopia present an opportunity to restore and rehabilitate and enhance the ecosystem services to be obtained from this forest sustainably. We focused on the forest structural characteristics to better understand the current forest conditions to assist in the sustainable management of this resource. A total of 75 (20 m × 20 m) quadrats were sampled and diame- ter at breast height (DBH) 〉2 cm and stem height 〉2 m were measured. Species identity and abundance, elevation, slope, and aspect were recorded for each plot. Structural characteristics were computed for each plot. Relationship of topographic factors with vegetation characteristics was conducted using R-Software. A total of 72 woody species was re- corded. Whereas, the overall diameter distribution shows an inverted J-shaped curve, the basal area followed a bell-shaped pattern. Five types of population structures are revealed. The mean tree density and basal area was 397.3 stems.ha-1 and 31.4 m2.ha-1, respectively. Only 2.8% of the tree species have densities of 〉25 stems.ha^-1 and the percentage dis- tribution of trees show 56.2% in the DBH class 2-10 cm, indicating that the forest is dominated by medium-sized trees. Celtis africana (8.81 m2.ha^-1) and Pouteria adolfi-friederieii (5.13 m2.ha^-1) make the highest contribution to the basal area and species importance value index. The families/species with the highest importance value index are Ulmaceae, Fabacea and Sapotaceae. Species abundance (r2 = 0.32, p 〈0.001) and species richness (P =0.50, p 〈0.001) are positively related with tree density. Tree density is negatively related with elevation (~ = -0.36, p 〈0.001), slope (r2 =-0.15, p 〈0.001) and aspect (r2 = -0.07, p 〈0.05). While basal area is negatively related with elevation (r2 =-0.14, p 〈0.001), it has a positive relationship with tree density (r2 =0.28, p 〈0.001 and species richness (r2 =0.098). Species with poor population structure should be assisted by restoration tasks and further anthropogenic distur- bance such as illegal logging and fuel wood extraction should be re- stricted.展开更多
Due to high intensity agricultural exploitation since the middle of the 20 th century, farmland gullies have become a pervasive form of water erosion in Northeast China. Yet few researches are concentrated on how topo...Due to high intensity agricultural exploitation since the middle of the 20 th century, farmland gullies have become a pervasive form of water erosion in Northeast China. Yet few researches are concentrated on how topography and land use affect long-term gully development in this region. In this study, gully distribution in a village with an area of 24.2 km^2 in the central Mollisols area of Northeast China in different times were compared by Aerial photography(1968), Quickbird image(2009) and field survey, and factors affecting gully development including land use and topography were analyzed. The results showed that the total gully number decreased from 104 to 69, while occupying area rose from 34.8 ha to 78.4 ha from 1968 to 2009. Fundamental gully distribution had been formed by 1968 as most of 2009′s gullies were evolved from 1968′s gullies′ merge and width expansion process, and new gullies those initiated after 1968 occupied only 7% of total gully area in 2009. Gully area increasing ratio in grassland was the highest and that in forestland was the lowest. The threshold catchment area between simple and complex gully development was around 15 ha to 25 ha. This threshold value sets apart catchment areas that will develop simple or complex gullies in areas with similar environmental conditions. Gully control measurements were urgent because if appropriate gully control implements would not be applied, present gully erosion crisis could be doubled within 50 years.展开更多
Soil seed banks play an important role in the distribution and composition of plant communities in semiarid grassland ecosystems. However, information on how spatial scale influences the spatial heterogeneity of soil ...Soil seed banks play an important role in the distribution and composition of plant communities in semiarid grassland ecosystems. However, information on how spatial scale influences the spatial heterogeneity of soil seed banks in a grassland under grazing disturbance is still lacking. Based on field sampling and greenhouse germination, we measured the species composition and seed density of soil seed banks at different spatial scales (30 mx30 m, 30 mx60 m and 30 mx90 m) along a topographical gradient in a sandy grassland in Horqin Sand Land, Northern China. By applying geostatistical methods, we examined how spatial scale and topography affected the spatial distribution of soil seed banks in the study area. Our results showed that the total number of species in soil seed banks, as well as the number of dominant annuals, increased with the increase of spatial scales. Seed density in soil seed banks decreased with the increase of spatial scales due to an increase in the slopes and relative heights of the sampling points. Geostatistical analysis showed that the relative structural variance (C/(C0+C)) of seed density and species richness were over 65% for all spatial scales, indicating that these variables had an ob- vious spatial autocorrelation and the spatial structured variance accounted for the largest proportion of the total sample variance. Spatial autocorrelation of seed density in soil seed banks increased with the increase of measured scales, while that of species richness showed a reverse trend. These results suggest that the total number of spe- cies in soil seed banks is spatial scale dependent and lower topography may accommodate more seeds. Spatial distribution of seed density in soil seed banks is also scale dependent due to topographic variation. Grassland management, therefore, needs to consider local grazing disturbance regime, spatial scale and topography.展开更多
This short review examines the most recent functional studies of the topographic organization of the human corpus callosum, the main interhemispheric commissure. After a brief description of its anatomy, development, ...This short review examines the most recent functional studies of the topographic organization of the human corpus callosum, the main interhemispheric commissure. After a brief description of its anatomy, development, microstructure, and function, it examines and discusses the latest findings obtained using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) and tractography(DTT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging(f MRI), three recently developed imaging techniques that have significantly expanded and refined our knowledge of the commissure. While DTI and DTT have been providing insights into its microstructure, integrity and level of myelination, f MRI has been the key technique in documenting the activation of white matter fibers, particularly in the corpus callosum. By combining DTT and f MRI it has been possible to describe the trajectory of the callosal fibers interconnecting the primary olfactory, gustatory, motor, somatic sensory, auditory and visual cortices at sites where the activation elicited by peripheral stimulation was detected by fMRI. These studies have demonstrated the presence of callosal fiber tracts that cross the commissure at the level of the genu, body, and splenium, at sites showing f MRI activation. Altogether such findings lend further support to the notion that the corpus callosum displays a functional topographic organization that can be explored with f MRI.展开更多
Terrain can influence the spatial distribution of settlements. Studies on the terrain characteristics of settlements can help to understand the effects of the environment on human activities. This paper provides a qua...Terrain can influence the spatial distribution of settlements. Studies on the terrain characteristics of settlements can help to understand the effects of the environment on human activities. This paper provides a quantitative analysis of the relationship between settlements and topographical factors. A statistically significant sample of residential locations and ASTER GDEM V2 were used to investigate terrain traits and settlements distributions. We selected eight topographical factors and introduced a practical concept, distributive entropy, into assessing the aggregation extent of the settlements' spatial distribution. The study showed that topography varies within the study area, and distributive entropy indicates that settlements have distinctive distribution tendency in statistic approach. According to the results of this study, mountain inhabitants prefer to settle in valleys. Additionally, with distributive entropy, residential suitability was divided to three levels: suitable, normal, and unsuited. The results showed that suitable area is small in Sichuan Province, accounting for 8.2%~29.9%; however, unsuited area is large, accounting for 33%~63.3%.展开更多
基金Deep-time Digital Earth(DDE)Big Science Program(No.GJ-C03-SGF-2025-004)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42394063)Sichuan Science and Technology Program(No.2025ZNSFSC0325).
文摘Topographic maps,as essential tools and sources of information for geographic research,contain precise spatial locations and rich map features,and they illustrate spatio-temporal information on the distribution and differences of various surface features.Currently,topographic maps are mainly stored in raster and vector formats.Extraction of the spatio-temporal knowledge in the maps—such as spatial distribution patterns,feature relationships,and dynamic evolution—still primarily relies on manual interpretation.However,manual interpretation is time-consuming and laborious,especially for large-scale,long-term map knowledge extraction and application.With the development of artificial intelligence technology,it is possible to improve the automation level of map knowledge interpretation.Therefore,the present study proposes an automatic interpretation method for raster topographic map knowledge based on deep learning.To address the limitations of current data-driven intelligent technology in learning map spatial relations and cognitive logic,we establish a formal description of map knowledge by mapping the relationship between map knowledge and features,thereby ensuring interpretation accuracy.Subsequently,deep learning techniques are employed to extract map features automatically,and the spatio-temporal knowledge is constructed by combining formal descriptions of geographic feature knowledge.Validation experiments demonstrate that the proposed method effectively achieves automatic interpretation of spatio-temporal knowledge of geographic features in maps,with an accuracy exceeding 80%.The findings of the present study contribute to machine understanding of spatio-temporal differences in map knowledge and advances the intelligent interpretation and utilization of cartographic information.
文摘The capabilities of GIS for constructing a digital elevation model of a mountainous area and visualizing a spatial image of the terrain are given in this paper.Graphic,digital data and topographic maps,which are the main sources for GIS,are described.The methods of vectorization of isolines and the requirements for technical means of processing graphic materials are presented in detail.The advantages and disadvantages of the DEM of a mountainous region are shown here.Segmentation methods using an interpolation polynomial are described in detail.A DEM of the mountainous area where the border between the republics runs was constructed in 2D and 3D formats using the GIS Panorama.Reducing the chord length when segmenting isolines on topographic maps leads to more accurate DEM construction.A vertical profile of a mountainous area with a visibility zone between two points was constructed.It is expected that the improved latitude,longitude and altitude parameters of the topographic map will be used to form a regional geodetic network and geospatial analysis of mountain ranges.It is proposed to use not only satellite data,but also classical geodetic networks and maps.It is recommended to use satellite and aerial photography to clarify the topographic and geodetic support of the studied area.
基金funded by the Guangdong Major Project of Basic and Applied Basic Research(2021B0301030007)the Supplemental Funds for Major Scientific Research Projects of Beijing Normal University,Zhuhai(ZHPT2023013)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42301387)the Science and Technology Program of Guangdong(No.2024B1212070012)。
文摘The topographic factor(LS factor),derived from the multiplication of the slope length(L)and slope steepness(S)factors,is a vital parameter in soil erosion models.Generated from the digital elevation model(DEM),the LS factor always varies with the changing DEM resolution,i.e.,the LS factor scale effect.Previous studies have found the phenomenon of the LS factor scale effect,but the underlying causes of this phenomenon has not been well explored.Therefore,how the DEM resolution affects the LS factor and how the scale effect of the L and S factors influence the LS factor scale effect remains unclear.To address these problems,we collected 20 watersheds from the Guangdong Province with different topographic reliefs,and compared the corresponding L,S and LS factors at 10-m and 30-m resolution DEMs.Our results indicate that the S factor,heavily influenced by slope underestimation in coarse-resolution DEMs,makes a difference in the LS factor scale effect.In addition,the LS factor scale effect becomes less significant with increasing reliefs,suggesting the possibility of using 30-m DEM for LS calculation in rugged terrains.Our findings on the underlying mechanisms of the LS factor scale effect help to identify the uncertainty in the LS factor estimation,thereby enhancing the accuracy of soil erosion assessment,particularly in regions with different topographic characteristics and contribute to more effective soil conservation strategies and decision-making.
文摘The authors regret that an error occurred during the preparation of their article:One of the official databases,which was used for functional trait collections,contained an incorrect term–'chametophytes'–for the life form category'chamaephytes'.Unfortunately,this incorrect term was used throughout the article following the nomenclature of this official database:in one instance in the main text,in Fig.3 and its caption,in Fig.5,and in two instances in the supplementary material.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grants No.41771401 and No.42350710201.
文摘A P-band polarimetric synthetic aperture radar(PolSAR)sensor has deep penetration ability into and through the vegetation canopies in forested environments.Thus,the sensor is of great potential to accurately assess forest parameters such as coverage,stand density,and tree height.Unfortunately,the radar backscatter from complex terrain can adversely impact the backscatter from trees or forests,and forest parameters assessed can be erroneous.Thus,reducing the topographic impact is an urgent must.In this study,a topographic compensation algorithm has been studied.To assess the algorithm’s validity and effectiveness,we applied it to P-band PolSAR datasets in four forested areas in the US.Trees in the forest stands have diverse species,and the topographic conditions of the terrain differ.Significant topographic impact on the P-band PolSAR data exists before the topographic compensation algorithm.After the algorithm,the impact decreases noticeably qualitatively and quantitatively.The algorithm is valid and effective in reducing the topographic influence on the PolSAR data and,consequently,provides a better chance of retrieving accurate forest parameters.
基金supported in part by the intramural research program of the US Department of Agriculture,National Institute of Food and Agriculture,Evans-Allen#1024525,and Capacity Building Grant#006531supported in part by the US National Science Foundation RII Track 2 FEC:Leveraging Intelligent Informatics and Smart Data for Improved Understanding of Northern Forest Ecosystem Resiliency(INSPIRES)#1920908by The Lyndhurst Foundation.
文摘Understanding local variation in forest biomass allows for a better evaluation of broad-scale patterns and interpretation of forest ecosystems’role in carbon dynamics.This study focuses on patterns of aboveground tree biomass within a fully censused 20 ha forest plot in a temperate forest of northern Alabama,USA.We evaluated the relationship between biomass and topography using ridge and valley landforms along with digitally derived moisture and solar radiation indices.Every live woody stem over 1 cm diameter at breast height within this plot was mapped,measured,and identified to species in 2019-2022,and diameter data were used along with speciesspecific wood density to map the aboveground biomass at the scale of 20 m×20 m quadrats.The aboveground tree biomass was 211 Mg·ha^(-1).Other than small stream areas that experienced recent natural disturbances,the total stand biomass was not associated with landform or topographic indices.Dominant species,in contrast,had strong associations with topography.American beech(Fagus grandifolia)and yellow-poplar(Liriodendron tulipfera)dominated the valley landform,with 37% and 54% greater biomass in the valley than their plot average,respectively.Three other dominant species,white oak(Quercus alba),southern shagbark hickory(Carya carolinaeseptentrionalis),and white ash(Fraxinus americana),were more abundant on slopes and benches,thus partitioning the site.Of the six dominant species,only sugar maple(Acer saccharum)was not associated with landform.Moreover,both topographic wetness and potential radiation indices were significant predictors of dominant species biomass within each of the landforms.The study highlights the need to consider species when examining forest productivity in a range of site conditions.
基金supported by the strategic plan project of science and technology of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research (Grant No. 2012ZD009)the National Science Technology Support Plan Project (Grant No. 2012BAH28B01-03)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41171332)the National Science Technology Basic Special Project (Grant No.2011FY110400-2)
文摘Based on geomorphologic and digital elevation model(DEM) data, the topographic characteristics of the northwestern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are analyzed. Five representative peaks are first determined according to the topographic profile maps for the ridge and piedmont lines, and then the topographic gradient characteristics are analyzed according to the representative topographic profile acquisition method.Based on the geomorphologic database data, the regions between the ridge and the piedmont lines are divided into four geomorphologic zones; and the topographic characteristics are finally analyzed for the different geomorphologic zones regions using the DEM data. The research results show that from the piedmont to the ridge, there exist four geomorphologic zones: arid, fluvial, periglacial and glacial. The arid has the lowest elevation, topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics. The fluvial has lower elevation and the highest topographic gradient, but with lower relief and slope characteristics. With higher elevation, the periglcial has lower topographic gradient, but the highest relief and slope characteristics. The glacial has the highest elevation with higher topographic gradient, relief and slope characteristics.
文摘A barotropic model containing large-scale topography and zonal mean flow is established to discuss the effects of large-scale topography on the low-frequency waves. The results show that what affects low-frequency waves mostly is maximal height of topography and topographic slope. The former makes frequency of topographic Rossby waves decrease, the latter makes Rossby waves instable. Moreover, when topographic slope is appropriate, it can also make Rossby waves turn into low-frequency waves.
基金Supported by Programs of Scientific and Technological Foundation of Nanjing Forestry University (X09-050-2)~~
文摘With large scale topographic map charted in accordance with Topographic Map Symbols of 1:500 1:1 000 1:2 000(GB/T 20257.1-2007) as the base map of land survey,the land use status information was collected from the map based on the standard in Present Status Classification of Land Utilization(GB/T 21010-2007).The study discussed in details the information of some land types including water system,residential sites,facilities,transportation,pipeline,vegetation,soils and so on,and pointed out problems on extracting land use status information from large scale topographic map.In order to share resources and save social costs,it suggested unifying the standard to classify land types and define all kinds of land types by quantitative values.
基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences [grant number XDA17010105-02]Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,CAS [grant number QYZDY-SSW-DQC018]the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers91437105,41430533,and 41575041]
文摘Large-scale mountains like Asian topographies and the Rocky Mountains have important influences on subtropical jet streams(STJs)over downstream regions in winter.The dynamical role of the Rocky Mountains in modulating STJs with and without the existence of East Asian(EA)topographies in northern winter is investigated via numerical experiments.In agreement with previous studies,the Rocky Mountains(topographic forcing),with the existence of EA topographies,can only strengthen the STJ from the east coast of North America to the western Atlantic region.The independent role of the Rocky Mountains,however,strengthens the STJ over not only the east coast of North America but also over Pacific regions.It is found that the existence of EA topographies can dramatically strengthen the EA trough,as well as a downstream ridge which,in the upstream of the Rocky Mountains,acts to partly cancel out the strengthening of the anticyclone to the north of the Rocky Mountains and the northward warm air transport in the high latitudes of Pacific regions due to the Rocky Mountains’forcing alone.Such circulation changes effectively weaken the Rocky Mountains–forced strengthening of the meridional temperature gradient in the midlatitude North Pacific,and thus the STJ there.Therefore,EA topographies are of great importance in modulating the role of the Rocky Mountains as a dynamical forcing of STJ variability.
文摘Rising sea levels due to global warming and climate change impact may prove a disaster for small islands. Accurate DEM (digital elevation model) can help to understand SLR (sea level rise) impact, coastal zones flooding risks assessment and hydrological attributes modeling and extraction. Currently, DEMs are available from several different sources using active and passive remote sensing systems. This research compares absolute surface heights accuracies retrieved from three independent DEMs datasets. The Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM-V4.1) and the Advanced Space borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER-V2.1) with 30-m pixel size, and a DEM-5 of 5-m spatial resolution generated from high topographic contour lines map at scale of 1:5,000 using simple Kriging interpolation method. Moreover, topographic attributes (slope and aspect) have been retrieved and compared. For the elevations validation purposes, a dataset of 400 GCPs uniformly distributed over the study site were used. These were measured using a DGPS assuring ± 1 and ± 2 cm accuracies, respectively, for planimerry and altimetry. The obtained results show that globally the landscape scale plays an important role in the selection of the DEM pixel size, which must reflect the real topographic attributes. Indeed, the derived DEM-5 from high topographic contours map (1:5,000) using simple Kriging exhibit the best accuracy of ±0.65 m which is less than the tolerance or the total error (±0.78 m) calculated based on errors sources propagation. Then, the results show an accuracy of ± 3.00 m for SRTM-V4.1 which is less than the absolute vertical height accuracy (±5.6 m) advocated by NASA for African continent and Middle-East regions. As well, the achieved ASTER accuracy was ± 8.40 m compared to the estimated error (±17.01 m) by USGS and JAXA. Obviously, high spatial resolution and accurate DEM-5 is a crucial requirement to simulate and evaluate costal zones inundation under different SLR and storm flow scenarios for small islands. Decidedly, the elevation of small islands with topographic features not higher than 134 m can be estimated using SRTM-V4.1 with relatively acceptable accuracy. Whereas, this DEM is not significantly consistent for accurate SLR scenarios simulations. Without doubt, ASTER-V2.1 DEM was an excellent alternative compared to SRTM with 90-m pixel size, but actually with SRTM-V4.1 full resolution (30-m) ASTER-V2.1 will likely see its limited uses in geosciences applications. Indeed, ASTER is not providing accurate information to simulate the impact of SLR scenarios on small islands.
基金Project of Shaanxi Provincial Land Engineering Construction Group(DJNY2021-32).
文摘Based on the DEM raster image data with a resolution of 60 m×60 m in the Sanjiangyuan region,the topographic heterogeneity in the Sanjiangyuan region was analyzed by calculating and processing the topographic relief,elevation standard deviation,terrain heterogeneity and surface roughness indexes.The results show that the overall terrain elevation of the Sanjiangyuan area is high,and the surface undulations are large.The southern and southeastern parts of the region are the places with the most dramatic terrain changes.The absolute values of terrain undulations,elevation standard deviation and surface roughness are large.In the central and western regions,the terrain change is small,the relief degree is small,the elevation standard deviation and the surface roughness are small.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41671090National Basic Research Program(973 Program),No.2015CB452702.
文摘Topographical relief is a key factor that limits population distribution and economic development in mountainous areas. The limitation is especially apparent in the mountain-plain transition zone. Taking the transition zone between the Qinling Mountains and the North China Plain(i.e. the mountainous area in western Henan Province) as an example and based on the 200-m resolution DEM data, we used the mean change-point analysis to determine the optimal statistical unit for topographical relief, and thereafter extracted the relief degree. Taking the 1:100,000 land use data, township population and county-level industrial data, population and economic spatial models were constructed, and 200-m resolution grid population and economic density maps were generated. Afterwards, statistical analysis was carried out to quantitatively reveal the impact of topographical relief on population and economy. In addition, the impacts of other topographical factors were discussed. The results showed the following.(1) The relief degree in western Henan is generally low, where 58.6% of the regional topography does not exceed half the height of a reference mountain(relative elevation ≤250 m). Spatially, the relief degree is high in the west while low in the east, and high in the middle while low in the north and south. There is a positive correlation between relief degree and elevation, and a much stronger correlation between relief degree and slope.(2) The linear fitting degree between the population and economic validation data and the corresponding simulation data are 0.943 and 0.909, respectively, indicating that the spatialized results can reflect the actual population and economic distribution.(3) The impact of topographical relief on population and economy was stronger than that of other topographical factors. The relief degree showed a good logarithmic fit relationship with population density(0.911) and economic density(0.874). Specifically, 88.65% of the population lives in areas where the topographical relief is ≤0.5 and 88.03% of the gross regional product was from areas where the relief is ≤0.3. Compared with the population distribution, the economic development showed an obvious agglomeration trend towards low relief areas.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41271117 Strategy of Science and Technology Planning Project of Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, CAS, No.2012SJ008
文摘Rubber plantation is the major land use type in Southeast Asia. Monitoring the spa- tial-temporal pattern of rubber plantation is significant for regional land resource development, eco-environmental protection, and maintaining border security. With remote sensing tech- nologies, we analyzed the rubber distribution pattern and spatial-temporal dynamic; with GIS and a newly proposed index of Planted Intensity (PI), we further quantified the impacts and limits of topographical factors on rubber plantation in the border region of China, Laos and Myanmar (BRCLM) between 1980 and 2010. The results showed that: (1) As the dominant land use type in this border region, the acreage of rubber plantation was 6014 km2 in 2010, accounting for 8.17% of the total area. Viewing from the rubber plantation structure, the ratio of mature- (〉10 year) and young rubber plantation (〈 10 year) was 5:7. (2) From 1980 to 2010, rubber plantation expanded significantly in BRCLM, from 705 km2 to 6014 km2, nearly nine times. The distribution characteristics of rubber plantation varied from concentrated toward dispersed, from border inside to outside, and expanded further in all directions with Jinghong City as the center. (3) Restricted by the topographical factors, more than 4/5 proportion of rubber plantation concentrated in the appropriate elevation gradients between 600 and 1000 m, rarely occurred in elevations beyond 1200 m in BRCLM. Nearly 2/3 of rubber plantation concentrated on slopes of 8^-25~, rarely distributed on slopes above 35~. Rubber plantation was primarily distributed in south and east aspects, relatively few in north and west aspects. Rubber planted intensity displayed the similar distribution trend. (4) Comparative studies of rubber plantation in different countries showed that there was a remarkable increase in area at higher elevations and steeper slopes in China, while there were large appropriate topog- raphical gradients for rubber plantation in Laos and Myanmar which benefited China for rubber trans-boundary expansion. (5) Rubber plantation in BRCLM will definitely expend cross borders of China to the territories of Laos and Myanmar, and the continuous expansion in the border region of China will be inevitable.
基金funded by the 12th Five-year Science and Technology Support Program(2011BAD38B0505)the Forestry Industry Research Special Funds for Public Welfare Projects (200804022C)the CFERN & GENE Award Funds on Ecological Papers
文摘The spatial distribution of plant populations is an important feature of population structure and it de- termines the population's ecological preferences, biological characteristics and relationships with environmental factors. The point pattern analysis method was adopted to study the distribution pattern of Picea schrenkiana indi- viduals of different size classes and the correlations between two size classes as well as the impact of topog- raphical attributes on the population distribution. With increasing diameter at breast height, the plant density of the P. schrenkiana population showed a declining trend. Old trees showed a random distribution at a small spatial scale (0-12 m), whereas saplings, small trees and big trees all had an aggregated distribution at all scales. With the increase of tree age, the scales at which maximal aggregation occurred gradually increased and the aggregation strength decreased. At a small scale (0-16 m), all size classes showed a negative correlation and the larger the difference between tree size, the more significant the negative correlation. The number of medium, big and old trees had a significantly positive correlation with elevations, whereas the number of saplings and small trees was not significantly correlated with elevations. The numbers of saplings, small and medium trees showed a significant positive correlation with slope gradient, whereas the number of big trees was not significantly correlated, and the number of old trees was negatively correlated with gradient. With the exception of old trees, saplings, small, me- dium and big trees showed negative correlations with convexity index. The study provides a theoretical basis for the conservation, rehabilitation and sustainable management of forest ecosystems in the Tianshan Mountains.
基金spported by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)Center for International Mobility (CIMO,Finland)+1 种基金International Foundation for Science (IFS Grt. No.D/5053-1)for the first author’s financial support
文摘For forest ecosystem management to be effective, knowledge of the horizontal and vertical structural diversity of a forest is essential. The moist Afromontane highlands of Wondo Genet in south-central Ethiopia present an opportunity to restore and rehabilitate and enhance the ecosystem services to be obtained from this forest sustainably. We focused on the forest structural characteristics to better understand the current forest conditions to assist in the sustainable management of this resource. A total of 75 (20 m × 20 m) quadrats were sampled and diame- ter at breast height (DBH) 〉2 cm and stem height 〉2 m were measured. Species identity and abundance, elevation, slope, and aspect were recorded for each plot. Structural characteristics were computed for each plot. Relationship of topographic factors with vegetation characteristics was conducted using R-Software. A total of 72 woody species was re- corded. Whereas, the overall diameter distribution shows an inverted J-shaped curve, the basal area followed a bell-shaped pattern. Five types of population structures are revealed. The mean tree density and basal area was 397.3 stems.ha-1 and 31.4 m2.ha-1, respectively. Only 2.8% of the tree species have densities of 〉25 stems.ha^-1 and the percentage dis- tribution of trees show 56.2% in the DBH class 2-10 cm, indicating that the forest is dominated by medium-sized trees. Celtis africana (8.81 m2.ha^-1) and Pouteria adolfi-friederieii (5.13 m2.ha^-1) make the highest contribution to the basal area and species importance value index. The families/species with the highest importance value index are Ulmaceae, Fabacea and Sapotaceae. Species abundance (r2 = 0.32, p 〈0.001) and species richness (P =0.50, p 〈0.001) are positively related with tree density. Tree density is negatively related with elevation (~ = -0.36, p 〈0.001), slope (r2 =-0.15, p 〈0.001) and aspect (r2 = -0.07, p 〈0.05). While basal area is negatively related with elevation (r2 =-0.14, p 〈0.001), it has a positive relationship with tree density (r2 =0.28, p 〈0.001 and species richness (r2 =0.098). Species with poor population structure should be assisted by restoration tasks and further anthropogenic distur- bance such as illegal logging and fuel wood extraction should be re- stricted.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41601289,41571264)
文摘Due to high intensity agricultural exploitation since the middle of the 20 th century, farmland gullies have become a pervasive form of water erosion in Northeast China. Yet few researches are concentrated on how topography and land use affect long-term gully development in this region. In this study, gully distribution in a village with an area of 24.2 km^2 in the central Mollisols area of Northeast China in different times were compared by Aerial photography(1968), Quickbird image(2009) and field survey, and factors affecting gully development including land use and topography were analyzed. The results showed that the total gully number decreased from 104 to 69, while occupying area rose from 34.8 ha to 78.4 ha from 1968 to 2009. Fundamental gully distribution had been formed by 1968 as most of 2009′s gullies were evolved from 1968′s gullies′ merge and width expansion process, and new gullies those initiated after 1968 occupied only 7% of total gully area in 2009. Gully area increasing ratio in grassland was the highest and that in forestland was the lowest. The threshold catchment area between simple and complex gully development was around 15 ha to 25 ha. This threshold value sets apart catchment areas that will develop simple or complex gullies in areas with similar environmental conditions. Gully control measurements were urgent because if appropriate gully control implements would not be applied, present gully erosion crisis could be doubled within 50 years.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41171414)the Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-EW-QN313)+2 种基金the National Science and Technology Support Program (2011BAC07B02)the National Basic Research Program of China(2009CB421303)the West Light Foundation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(0928711001)
文摘Soil seed banks play an important role in the distribution and composition of plant communities in semiarid grassland ecosystems. However, information on how spatial scale influences the spatial heterogeneity of soil seed banks in a grassland under grazing disturbance is still lacking. Based on field sampling and greenhouse germination, we measured the species composition and seed density of soil seed banks at different spatial scales (30 mx30 m, 30 mx60 m and 30 mx90 m) along a topographical gradient in a sandy grassland in Horqin Sand Land, Northern China. By applying geostatistical methods, we examined how spatial scale and topography affected the spatial distribution of soil seed banks in the study area. Our results showed that the total number of species in soil seed banks, as well as the number of dominant annuals, increased with the increase of spatial scales. Seed density in soil seed banks decreased with the increase of spatial scales due to an increase in the slopes and relative heights of the sampling points. Geostatistical analysis showed that the relative structural variance (C/(C0+C)) of seed density and species richness were over 65% for all spatial scales, indicating that these variables had an ob- vious spatial autocorrelation and the spatial structured variance accounted for the largest proportion of the total sample variance. Spatial autocorrelation of seed density in soil seed banks increased with the increase of measured scales, while that of species richness showed a reverse trend. These results suggest that the total number of spe- cies in soil seed banks is spatial scale dependent and lower topography may accommodate more seeds. Spatial distribution of seed density in soil seed banks is also scale dependent due to topographic variation. Grassland management, therefore, needs to consider local grazing disturbance regime, spatial scale and topography.
基金Supported by Ministero Istruzione,Universitàe Ricerca(MIURPRIN 2007,2009)
文摘This short review examines the most recent functional studies of the topographic organization of the human corpus callosum, the main interhemispheric commissure. After a brief description of its anatomy, development, microstructure, and function, it examines and discusses the latest findings obtained using diffusion tensor imaging(DTI) and tractography(DTT) and functional magnetic resonance imaging(f MRI), three recently developed imaging techniques that have significantly expanded and refined our knowledge of the commissure. While DTI and DTT have been providing insights into its microstructure, integrity and level of myelination, f MRI has been the key technique in documenting the activation of white matter fibers, particularly in the corpus callosum. By combining DTT and f MRI it has been possible to describe the trajectory of the callosal fibers interconnecting the primary olfactory, gustatory, motor, somatic sensory, auditory and visual cortices at sites where the activation elicited by peripheral stimulation was detected by fMRI. These studies have demonstrated the presence of callosal fiber tracts that cross the commissure at the level of the genu, body, and splenium, at sites showing f MRI activation. Altogether such findings lend further support to the notion that the corpus callosum displays a functional topographic organization that can be explored with f MRI.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41871294)
文摘Terrain can influence the spatial distribution of settlements. Studies on the terrain characteristics of settlements can help to understand the effects of the environment on human activities. This paper provides a quantitative analysis of the relationship between settlements and topographical factors. A statistically significant sample of residential locations and ASTER GDEM V2 were used to investigate terrain traits and settlements distributions. We selected eight topographical factors and introduced a practical concept, distributive entropy, into assessing the aggregation extent of the settlements' spatial distribution. The study showed that topography varies within the study area, and distributive entropy indicates that settlements have distinctive distribution tendency in statistic approach. According to the results of this study, mountain inhabitants prefer to settle in valleys. Additionally, with distributive entropy, residential suitability was divided to three levels: suitable, normal, and unsuited. The results showed that suitable area is small in Sichuan Province, accounting for 8.2%~29.9%; however, unsuited area is large, accounting for 33%~63.3%.