Chalet farming,as a specific type of agricultural landscape management,has been established in many European mountain ranges,including the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains in Czechia.During the ...Chalet farming,as a specific type of agricultural landscape management,has been established in many European mountain ranges,including the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains in Czechia.During the operation of such farming from 16/17th century till 1945,many changes in land use/land cover and landscape at all occurred,which are generally evaluated positively.Turbulent events including political,economic and social changes and the displacement of the German-speaking population associated with them in the mid-20th century rapidly ended this development,causing significant landscape changes,such as the abandonment of agricultural land and succession,afforestation,expansion of the alpine tree line,reduction of diversity.The aim of our study is to evaluate changes of land cover(forests,dwarf pine,grasslands,other areas)from 1936/1946 till 2021,secondary succession and driving forces of change for selected meadow enclaves in the Krkonose Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains after the decline of mountain chalet farming since the middle of 20th century.We used remote sensing methods(aerial imagery)and field research(dendrochronology and comparative photography)to detect the land use/land cover changes in the selected study areas in the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.We documented the process of the succession,which occurred almost immediately after the end of farming,peaking about 10–20 years later,with an earlier start in the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.The succession led to the significant change of land use/land cover and these processes were similar in both mountain ranges.The largest changes were a decrease in grasslands by 62%–64%and an increase in forest area by 33%–40%for both study areas.The abandonment of land is the main consequence of a crucial political driving forces(displacement of German-speaking population)in the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.展开更多
The increasing frequency and intensity of forest fires,driven by climate change and human activities,pose a significant threat to vital forest ecosystems,particularly where fire is not a natural element in the regener...The increasing frequency and intensity of forest fires,driven by climate change and human activities,pose a significant threat to vital forest ecosystems,particularly where fire is not a natural element in the regeneration cycle.This study aims to identify the indicators influencing forest fire vulnerability and compare maps of forest fire susceptibility that are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tripartite model,with a focus on the vulnerable Hyrcanian forest region in Golestan Province,northern Iran,where forest fires have caused considerable economic losses.On the basis of expert opinions and a literature review,we used geographic information systems,remote sensing and machine learning techniques to select and weigh 30 biophysical,environmental and socioeconomic indicators that affect forest fire vulnerability in the study area.These indicators were rigorously normalized,weighted and amalgamated into a comprehensive forest fire vulnerability index to analyze forest exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity.We thus identified and mapped areas with very high forest fire exposure,high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity for urgent targeted intervention and strategic planning to mitigate the impacts of forest fires.The results also revealed a set of critical indicators that contribute more significantly to forest fire vulnerability(e.g.,precipitation,elevation and factors related to biodiversity,human activity and economic reliance on forest resources).Our results provide insights that can inform policy-making,community engagement and environmental management strategies to mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with forest fires in the Hyrcanian forest.展开更多
AIM To perform a comprehensive review and provide an up-to-date synopsis of the incidence and trends of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). METHODS We systematically searched the MEDLINE(source Pub Med), EMBASE and Cochr...AIM To perform a comprehensive review and provide an up-to-date synopsis of the incidence and trends of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). METHODS We systematically searched the MEDLINE(source Pub Med), EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines(period: 1985-2018) to identify studies reporting population-based data on the incidence of pediatriconset(< 19 years at diagnosis) IBD in full manuscripts. Two authors carried out screening and data extraction. Choropleth interactive maps and temporal trends were used to illustrate the international differences and incidences of and changes in IBD and subtypes.RESULTS In total, one hundred forty studies reporting data from 38 countries were considered in this review. The highest annual pediatric incidences of IBD were 23/100000 person-years in Europe, 15.2/100000 in North America, and 11.4/100000 in Asia/the Middle East and Oceania. The highest annual incidences of Crohn's disease(CD) were 13.9/100000 in North America and 12.3/100000 in Europe. The highest annual incidences of ulcerative colitis(UC) were 15.0/100000 in Europe and 10.6/100000 in North America. The highest annual incidences of IBD-unclassified(IBD-U) were 3.6/100000 in Europe and 2.1/100000 in North America. In the time-trend analyses, 67% of CD, 46% of UC and 11% of IBD-U studies reported an increasing incidence(P < 0.05). The risk of IBD is increasing among firstgeneration of migrant populations.CONCLUSION Globally, the incidence of IBD varies greatly by geographical areas. The steadily increasing incidence of pediatric IBD over time indicates its emergence as a global disease, suggesting that studies should investigate the environmental risk factors among pediatric cohorts.展开更多
The study investigates the potential of UAV-based remote sensing technique for monitoring of Norway spruce health condition in the affected forest areas.The objectives are:(1)to test the applicability of UAV visible a...The study investigates the potential of UAV-based remote sensing technique for monitoring of Norway spruce health condition in the affected forest areas.The objectives are:(1)to test the applicability of UAV visible an near-infrared(VNIR)and geometrical data based on Z values of point dense cloud(PDC)raster to separate forest species and dead trees in the study area;(2)to explore the relationship between UAV VNIR data and individual spruce health indicators from field sampling;and(3)to explore the possibility of the qualitative classification of spruce health indicators.Analysis based on NDVI and PDC raster was successfully applied for separation of spruce and silver fir,and for identification of dead tree category.Separation between common beech and fir was distinguished by the object-oriented image analysis.NDVI was able to identify the presence of key indicators of spruce health,such as mechanical damage on stems and stem resin exudation linked to honey fungus infestation,while stem damage by peeling was identified at the significance margin.The results contributed to improving separation of coniferous(spruce and fir)tree species based on VNIR and PDC raster UAV data,and newly demonstrated the potential of NDVI for qualitative classification of spruce trees.The proposed methodology can be applicable for monitoring of spruce health condition in the local forest sites.展开更多
Groundwater forms the main freshwater supply in arid and semi-arid areas,and contamination of this precious resource is complicated by the slow rate of recharge in these areas.Nitrate contamination of groundwater is a...Groundwater forms the main freshwater supply in arid and semi-arid areas,and contamination of this precious resource is complicated by the slow rate of recharge in these areas.Nitrate contamination of groundwater is a global water quality problem,as it entails threat to human health as well as aquatic ecosystems.Source identification of contamination is the cornerstone and a prerequisite for any effective management program of water quality.Stable isotope composition of the dissolved nitrate(δ^(15)N-NO_(3)-andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-)has been applied to identify NO_(3)-sources and the main transformation processes in the upper aquifer system(A1/2,A4,and B2/A7 aquifers)in the Wadi Shueib catchment area,Jordan.Moreover,the stable isotope compositions of the groundwater(δ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)O-H_(2)O)in conjunction with the groundwater hydrochemistry were integrated to investigate the origin and evolution of the groundwater.Results revealed that groundwater in the study area is fresh and hard-very hard water,and mainly a Ca-Mg-Cl type.NO_(3)-concentration was in the range of 7.0-74.0 mg/L with an average of 37.0 mg/L.Most of the samples showed concentration higher than the natural background concentration of NO_(3)-(5.0-10.0 mg/L).Theδ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)O-H_(2)O values indicated that the groundwater is meteoric,and of Mediterranean origin,with a strong evaporation effect.Theδ^(15)N-NO_(3)-values ranged between 6.0‰and 11.3‰with an average of 8.7‰,and theδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-values ranged between 1.6‰and 5.9‰with an average of 3.4‰.These values are in conformity with the stable isotope composition of nitrate derived the nitrification of wastewater/manure,and soil NH4.Nitrification and denitrification are the main transformation processes affecting nitrogen species.Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in theδ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)OH_(2)O values,andδ^(15)N-NO_(3)-andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-values for the three aquifers(A1/2,A4,and B2/A7),indicating that the groundwater of these aquifers has the same origin,and a common source of pollution.展开更多
Taxi trajectories from urban environments allow inferring various information about the transport service qualities and commuter dynamics.It is possible to associate starting and end points of taxi trips with requirem...Taxi trajectories from urban environments allow inferring various information about the transport service qualities and commuter dynamics.It is possible to associate starting and end points of taxi trips with requirements of individual groups of people and even social inequalities.Previous research shows that due to service restrictions,boro taxis have typical customer destination locations on selected Saturdays:many drop-off clusters appear near the restricted zone,where it is not allowed to pick up customers and only few drop-off clusters appear at complicated crossing.Detected crossings imply recent infrastructural modifications.We want to follow up on these results and add one additional group of commuters:Citi Bike users.For selected Saturdays in June 2015,we want to compare the destinations of boro taxi and Citi Bike users.This is challenging due to manifold differences between active mobility and motorized road users,and,due to the fact that station-based bike sharing services are restricted to stations.Start and end points of trips,as well as the volumes in between rely on specific numbers of bike sharing stations.Therefore,we introduce a novel spatiotemporal assigning procedure for areas of influence around static bike sharing stations for extending available computational methods.展开更多
As a Nature-Based Solution,urban forests deliver a number of environmental ecosystem services(EESs).To quantify these EESs,well-defined,reliable,quantifiable and stable indicators are needed.With literature analysis a...As a Nature-Based Solution,urban forests deliver a number of environmental ecosystem services(EESs).To quantify these EESs,well-defined,reliable,quantifiable and stable indicators are needed.With literature analysis and expert knowledge gathered within COST Action FP1204 GreenInUrbs,we proposed a classification of urban forest EESs into three categories:(A)regulation of air,water,soil and climate;(B)provisioning of habitat quality;and(C)provisioning of other goods and services.Each category is divided into EES types:(a)amelioration of air quality;restoration of soil and water;amelioration of the microclimate;removal of CO2 from the air;(b)provision of habitat for biodiversity;support for resilient urban ecosystems;provision of genetic diversity;and(c)provision of energy and nutrients;provision of grey infrastructure resilience.Each EES type provides one or more benefits.For each of these 12 benefits,we propose a set of indicators to be used when analyzing the impacts on the identified EESs.Around half of the 36 indicators are relevant to more than one single benefit,which highlights complex interrelationships.The indicators of wider applicability are tree and stand characteristics,followed by leaf physical traits and tree species composition.This knowledge is needed for the optimization of the EESs delivered by urban forests,now and in the future.展开更多
The massive lockdown of human socioeconomic activities and vehicle movements due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in an unprecedented reduction in pollutant gases such as Nitrogen Dioxide(NO_(2))and Carbo...The massive lockdown of human socioeconomic activities and vehicle movements due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in an unprecedented reduction in pollutant gases such as Nitrogen Dioxide(NO_(2))and Carbon Monoxide(CO)as well as Land Surface Temperature(LST)in Amman as well as all countries around the globe.In this study,the spatial and temporal variability/stability of NO_(2),CO,and LST throughout the lockdown period over Amman city have been analyzed.The NO_(2) and CO column density values were acquired from Sentinel-5p while the LST data were obtained from MODIS satellite during the lockdown period from 20 March to 24 April in 2019,2020,and 2021.The statistical analysis showed an overall reduction in NO_(2) in 2020 by around 27% and 48% compared to 2019 and 2021,respectively.However,an increase of 7% in 2021 compared to 2019 was observed because almost all anthropogenic activities were allowed during the daytime.The temporal persistence showed almost constant NO2 values in 2020 over the study area throughout the lockdown period.In addition,a slight decrease in CO(around 1%)was recorded in 2020 and 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.Restrictions on human activities resulted in an evident drop in LST in 2020 by around 13%and 18% less than the 5-year average and 2021 respectively.The study concludes that due to the restrictions imposed on industrial activities and automobile movements in Amman city,an unprecedented reduction in NO_(2),CO,and LST was recorded.展开更多
Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.Th...Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.展开更多
Background: Sympatric species adapt to, and temporally or geographically segregate access to similar limiting factors.Methods: We compared nesting habitat and diet affinities of six raptor species in central India bet...Background: Sympatric species adapt to, and temporally or geographically segregate access to similar limiting factors.Methods: We compared nesting habitat and diet affinities of six raptor species in central India between the years 20062015.Results: A large composition of reptiles in the diet was characteristic for Circaetus gallicus, Spilornis cheela and Elanus caeruleus, while Aquila fasciata, Falco chicquera and Nisaetus cirrhatus show a higher proportion of birds. Species with greatest similarity of diet were C. gallicus and S. cheela. Considering the environmental characterization of areas where raptors built the nest, some species were ecologically closer than others. N. cirrhatus and S. cheela were related to the presence of water bodies, dry deciduous forest and evergreen forests, while E. caeruleus and C. gallicus preferred more open habitats. A. fasciata bred either on cliffs or trees, F. chicquera on trees or mobile towers, and the other four species built their nests exclusively in trees.Conclusions: We conclude that although there was overlap in diet and nesting ecology for a number of species, the geographical separation likely limits competition for resources.展开更多
Urbanization effects on living organisms are spatially heterogeneous.Here we quantified the abundance of birds per tree in forested urban and rural habitats for 85,829 trees mainly in China and Europe.A population mod...Urbanization effects on living organisms are spatially heterogeneous.Here we quantified the abundance of birds per tree in forested urban and rural habitats for 85,829 trees mainly in China and Europe.A population model was based on the assumption that:1)birds have a normally distributed habitat preference;2)an increase in population size linked to the habitat preference;3)a population size dependent on the habitat preference;and 4)the removal of a certain fraction of individuals giving rise to extinction.We tested for large-scale differences in the impact of urbanization on the frequency distribution of the difference in abundance between urban and rural habitats in China and parts of Europe.The difference in the frequency distribution of urban population density of birds in trees minus rural population density of birds in trees in China and Europe was statistically significant suggesting that the abundance of birds differed between trees in urban and rural habitats,but more so in China than in Europe.We hypothesize that more pronounced differences in China than in Europe may have arisen due to the Four Pests Campaign in 1958-1962 that resulted in death of hundreds of millions of birds(mainly tree sparrows Passer monfanus,but also numerous other less common species that were starting to become urbanized around 1960).Species that were less common in 1960 could not sustain reductions in population size in urban areas and hence these species are still rare or absent in urban areas today 60 years later.展开更多
The present study deals with the determination of Mount Olympus summit(Mytikas),exploiting modern observations such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems(GNSS)and existing geodetic information.The last official Olymp...The present study deals with the determination of Mount Olympus summit(Mytikas),exploiting modern observations such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems(GNSS)and existing geodetic information.The last official Olympus height determination goes back 102 years by the Swiss surveyor M.Kurz.Since then,only unofficial measurement campaigns have taken place.There is a variety of released heights,which range from 2917 to 2919 meters.In September and October of 2022,we conducted a GNSS campaign,focusing on the area of highest Olympus peaks.Employing precise GNSS measurements(accuracy of 1-3 cm),in conjunction with height information from Greece’s National Triangulation Network(5-10 cm accuracy)and an appropriate,recent geoid model(5-6 cm accuracy),we estimate through the so-called GNSS-levelling,the height of Olympus to 2917.727 m with respect to Greece’s officially accepted mean sea level and 2918.390 m with respect to the global vertical datum.Our estimation of Olympus highest peak shows remarkable consistency at the level of 12.8 cm to that of M.Kurz in 1921.展开更多
Groundwater vulnerability maps were created for the Corridor wellfield (~300 km<sup>2</sup>) in the eastern Jordan using the DRASTIC and modified DRASTIC groundwater vulnerability assessment models. The st...Groundwater vulnerability maps were created for the Corridor wellfield (~300 km<sup>2</sup>) in the eastern Jordan using the DRASTIC and modified DRASTIC groundwater vulnerability assessment models. The study area is considered as one of the most important well fields therein providing partially three governorates with the needed drinking water. Detailed geological and hydrogeological parameters as well as the land-use map of the area were obtained from various sources to utilize both models. ArcGIS software was used for calculations and maps preparation. As a result, the generic DRASTIC vulnerability index ranges between 109 and 168. Thus, two vulnerability classes were observed, moderate (9.9%) and high (90.1%) vulnerability classes. On the other hand, the modified DRASTIC model (risk map) is taking into account the land-use map classes in the study area. The output risk map reveals two main classes, the moderate and high-risk areas. The moderate-risk areas occupy 9.3% of the total volume of the study area while the high-risk areas are 90.7%. Due to the high depth to groundwater within the area (between 90 m and 390 m), the depth to groundwater intervals was modified in the model to become more comfortable with the situation in Jordan. The high percentage of the high vulnerable areas against pollutants reflects the need to do more investigation for the studied area.展开更多
Background: Intentional winter bird feeding in gardens is one of the most common interactions between birds and humans. Because feeding may have both desired effects(provisioning of nutritious food for under-nourished...Background: Intentional winter bird feeding in gardens is one of the most common interactions between birds and humans. Because feeding may have both desired effects(provisioning of nutritious food for under-nourished birds) and undesired effects(favouritism of competitively superior species, transmission of disease), management of supplementary sites should be optimized from an ecological and conservation perspective. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to experimentally test winter food preferences of birds, with underlying potential influence of habitat(rural vs. urban) on realised food preferences pattern.Methods: We conducted an experimental analysis of food preferences of wintering birds by provided bird-feeders in urban and rural environments across Poland. Data were collected twice during winter 2013–2014 across Poland, in total with 80 experimental trials.Results: Sunflower seeds were the most preferred food supplement both in urban and rural habitats, significantly more exploited than any other food simultaneously available in feeders(animal fat, millet seed and dry fruits of rowanberry). However, no significant differences were recorded between urban and rural habitats in use of food.Conclusions: The degree of use of a particular type of food at bird-feeders depended on the overall use of food in a bird-feeder—consumption of each of the four types of food was significantly positively correlated with that of the others, and it was positively correlated with the number of birds observed at the feeders.展开更多
Most ground filtering algorithms are primarily designed for airborne LiDAR point cloud processing and their successful use in identifying ground points from photogrammetric point clouds remains questionable.We compare...Most ground filtering algorithms are primarily designed for airborne LiDAR point cloud processing and their successful use in identifying ground points from photogrammetric point clouds remains questionable.We compared six ground filtering algorithms implemented in Metashape,ArcGIS,CloudCompare,LAStools,and PDAL.We used UAV photogrammetry-based(acquired under leaf-off conditions)and airborne LiDAR(leaf-on)point clouds of the same area to:(i)compare accuracy of generated DTMs;(ii)evaluate the effect of vegetation density and terrain slope on filtering accuracy;and(iii)assess which algorithm parameters have the greatest effect on the filtering accuracy.Our results show that the performance of filtering algorithms was affected by the point cloud type,terrain slope and vegetation cover.The results were generally better for LiDAR(RMSE 0.13–0.19 m)than for photogrammetric(RMSE 0.19–0.23 m)point clouds.The behavior in varying vegetation and terrain conditions was consistent for LiDAR point clouds.However,when applied on photogrammetric point clouds,the algorithms’behavior was inconsistent,especially in areas of steep slope(except for the Progressive Triangulated Irregular Network in LAStools).Parameters related to the selection of the initial minimum elevation ground points were the most influential in all algorithms and point clouds.展开更多
Virtual globes are technologies for visual navigation through a threedimensional,multi-resolution model of the entire planet.Data representations used in virtual globes,however,lack geometric flexibility at high-resol...Virtual globes are technologies for visual navigation through a threedimensional,multi-resolution model of the entire planet.Data representations used in virtual globes,however,lack geometric flexibility at high-resolution levels of the planet-wide terrain surface.This is a problem especially if boundaries between individual geospatial features and the terrain are important.A novel integration of individual polygonal boundaries with a specific multi-resolution representation of the planet-wide terrain is developed in this article.In the preparation stage,the integration relies on an original simplification algorithm applied to the polygonal boundaries between geospatial features and the terrain.Its output is a multiple level-of-detail(LOD)geometry,which can be combined with a known multi-LOD representation of the terrain that uses run-time triangulation.This data representation is suitable for storage in existing database systems,avoids any data redundancy across LODs,and is even independent of the subdivision schema that partitions the planet’s surface for the sake of dealing with LODs.At runtime,a novel reconstruction algorithm stitches geometric parts from different LODs together in a manner that augments the multi-LOD representation of the terrain.Within a certain proximity range from a given position,the method reconstructs a scene that preserves topological relations between the boundaries of geospatial features with the terrain.The method also guarantees that certain nearest proximity to the given position consists of the best geometries that correspond to the original datasets.Such properties of the method close up the gap between a mere exploratory visualization of static,pre-generated models and the models supporting geospatial analysis,which is deemed crucial for applications in Geographic Information Systems,Building Information Modelling and other software industries.A prototype implementation and experiment results that prove this method are also presented.展开更多
基金funded by the European Commission,CINEA Horizon Europe project no.101081307“Towards Sustainable Land-Use in the Context of Climate Change and Biodiversity in Europe(Europe-LAND)”。
文摘Chalet farming,as a specific type of agricultural landscape management,has been established in many European mountain ranges,including the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains in Czechia.During the operation of such farming from 16/17th century till 1945,many changes in land use/land cover and landscape at all occurred,which are generally evaluated positively.Turbulent events including political,economic and social changes and the displacement of the German-speaking population associated with them in the mid-20th century rapidly ended this development,causing significant landscape changes,such as the abandonment of agricultural land and succession,afforestation,expansion of the alpine tree line,reduction of diversity.The aim of our study is to evaluate changes of land cover(forests,dwarf pine,grasslands,other areas)from 1936/1946 till 2021,secondary succession and driving forces of change for selected meadow enclaves in the Krkonose Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains after the decline of mountain chalet farming since the middle of 20th century.We used remote sensing methods(aerial imagery)and field research(dendrochronology and comparative photography)to detect the land use/land cover changes in the selected study areas in the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.We documented the process of the succession,which occurred almost immediately after the end of farming,peaking about 10–20 years later,with an earlier start in the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.The succession led to the significant change of land use/land cover and these processes were similar in both mountain ranges.The largest changes were a decrease in grasslands by 62%–64%and an increase in forest area by 33%–40%for both study areas.The abandonment of land is the main consequence of a crucial political driving forces(displacement of German-speaking population)in the Krkono?e Mountains and the Hruby Jeseník Mountains.
基金funding provided by University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna(BOKU).
文摘The increasing frequency and intensity of forest fires,driven by climate change and human activities,pose a significant threat to vital forest ecosystems,particularly where fire is not a natural element in the regeneration cycle.This study aims to identify the indicators influencing forest fire vulnerability and compare maps of forest fire susceptibility that are based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tripartite model,with a focus on the vulnerable Hyrcanian forest region in Golestan Province,northern Iran,where forest fires have caused considerable economic losses.On the basis of expert opinions and a literature review,we used geographic information systems,remote sensing and machine learning techniques to select and weigh 30 biophysical,environmental and socioeconomic indicators that affect forest fire vulnerability in the study area.These indicators were rigorously normalized,weighted and amalgamated into a comprehensive forest fire vulnerability index to analyze forest exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity.We thus identified and mapped areas with very high forest fire exposure,high sensitivity and low adaptive capacity for urgent targeted intervention and strategic planning to mitigate the impacts of forest fires.The results also revealed a set of critical indicators that contribute more significantly to forest fire vulnerability(e.g.,precipitation,elevation and factors related to biodiversity,human activity and economic reliance on forest resources).Our results provide insights that can inform policy-making,community engagement and environmental management strategies to mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with forest fires in the Hyrcanian forest.
基金Supported by the“On Our Own Feet Movement-P?áteléstonozky”-Endowment Programand Research Project Progress Q-39
文摘AIM To perform a comprehensive review and provide an up-to-date synopsis of the incidence and trends of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD). METHODS We systematically searched the MEDLINE(source Pub Med), EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines(period: 1985-2018) to identify studies reporting population-based data on the incidence of pediatriconset(< 19 years at diagnosis) IBD in full manuscripts. Two authors carried out screening and data extraction. Choropleth interactive maps and temporal trends were used to illustrate the international differences and incidences of and changes in IBD and subtypes.RESULTS In total, one hundred forty studies reporting data from 38 countries were considered in this review. The highest annual pediatric incidences of IBD were 23/100000 person-years in Europe, 15.2/100000 in North America, and 11.4/100000 in Asia/the Middle East and Oceania. The highest annual incidences of Crohn's disease(CD) were 13.9/100000 in North America and 12.3/100000 in Europe. The highest annual incidences of ulcerative colitis(UC) were 15.0/100000 in Europe and 10.6/100000 in North America. The highest annual incidences of IBD-unclassified(IBD-U) were 3.6/100000 in Europe and 2.1/100000 in North America. In the time-trend analyses, 67% of CD, 46% of UC and 11% of IBD-U studies reported an increasing incidence(P < 0.05). The risk of IBD is increasing among firstgeneration of migrant populations.CONCLUSION Globally, the incidence of IBD varies greatly by geographical areas. The steadily increasing incidence of pediatric IBD over time indicates its emergence as a global disease, suggesting that studies should investigate the environmental risk factors among pediatric cohorts.
基金This work was supported by the Ministry of Education,Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic within the National Programme for Sustainability I[grant number LO1415]partly by EEA Grants if Iceland,Liechtenstein and Norway[grant number EHP-CZ02-OV-1-019-2014].
文摘The study investigates the potential of UAV-based remote sensing technique for monitoring of Norway spruce health condition in the affected forest areas.The objectives are:(1)to test the applicability of UAV visible an near-infrared(VNIR)and geometrical data based on Z values of point dense cloud(PDC)raster to separate forest species and dead trees in the study area;(2)to explore the relationship between UAV VNIR data and individual spruce health indicators from field sampling;and(3)to explore the possibility of the qualitative classification of spruce health indicators.Analysis based on NDVI and PDC raster was successfully applied for separation of spruce and silver fir,and for identification of dead tree category.Separation between common beech and fir was distinguished by the object-oriented image analysis.NDVI was able to identify the presence of key indicators of spruce health,such as mechanical damage on stems and stem resin exudation linked to honey fungus infestation,while stem damage by peeling was identified at the significance margin.The results contributed to improving separation of coniferous(spruce and fir)tree species based on VNIR and PDC raster UAV data,and newly demonstrated the potential of NDVI for qualitative classification of spruce trees.The proposed methodology can be applicable for monitoring of spruce health condition in the local forest sites.
基金funded by the by the Deanship of Scientific Research,Jordan University of Science and Technology(20170338).
文摘Groundwater forms the main freshwater supply in arid and semi-arid areas,and contamination of this precious resource is complicated by the slow rate of recharge in these areas.Nitrate contamination of groundwater is a global water quality problem,as it entails threat to human health as well as aquatic ecosystems.Source identification of contamination is the cornerstone and a prerequisite for any effective management program of water quality.Stable isotope composition of the dissolved nitrate(δ^(15)N-NO_(3)-andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-)has been applied to identify NO_(3)-sources and the main transformation processes in the upper aquifer system(A1/2,A4,and B2/A7 aquifers)in the Wadi Shueib catchment area,Jordan.Moreover,the stable isotope compositions of the groundwater(δ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)O-H_(2)O)in conjunction with the groundwater hydrochemistry were integrated to investigate the origin and evolution of the groundwater.Results revealed that groundwater in the study area is fresh and hard-very hard water,and mainly a Ca-Mg-Cl type.NO_(3)-concentration was in the range of 7.0-74.0 mg/L with an average of 37.0 mg/L.Most of the samples showed concentration higher than the natural background concentration of NO_(3)-(5.0-10.0 mg/L).Theδ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)O-H_(2)O values indicated that the groundwater is meteoric,and of Mediterranean origin,with a strong evaporation effect.Theδ^(15)N-NO_(3)-values ranged between 6.0‰and 11.3‰with an average of 8.7‰,and theδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-values ranged between 1.6‰and 5.9‰with an average of 3.4‰.These values are in conformity with the stable isotope composition of nitrate derived the nitrification of wastewater/manure,and soil NH4.Nitrification and denitrification are the main transformation processes affecting nitrogen species.Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in theδ^(2)H-H_(2)O andδ^(18)OH_(2)O values,andδ^(15)N-NO_(3)-andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)-values for the three aquifers(A1/2,A4,and B2/A7),indicating that the groundwater of these aquifers has the same origin,and a common source of pollution.
文摘Taxi trajectories from urban environments allow inferring various information about the transport service qualities and commuter dynamics.It is possible to associate starting and end points of taxi trips with requirements of individual groups of people and even social inequalities.Previous research shows that due to service restrictions,boro taxis have typical customer destination locations on selected Saturdays:many drop-off clusters appear near the restricted zone,where it is not allowed to pick up customers and only few drop-off clusters appear at complicated crossing.Detected crossings imply recent infrastructural modifications.We want to follow up on these results and add one additional group of commuters:Citi Bike users.For selected Saturdays in June 2015,we want to compare the destinations of boro taxi and Citi Bike users.This is challenging due to manifold differences between active mobility and motorized road users,and,due to the fact that station-based bike sharing services are restricted to stations.Start and end points of trips,as well as the volumes in between rely on specific numbers of bike sharing stations.Therefore,we introduce a novel spatiotemporal assigning procedure for areas of influence around static bike sharing stations for extending available computational methods.
基金financially supported by COST Action FP1204 GreenInUrbsPRIN project EUFORICCMinistry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation(the Agreement No.02.A03.21.0008)
文摘As a Nature-Based Solution,urban forests deliver a number of environmental ecosystem services(EESs).To quantify these EESs,well-defined,reliable,quantifiable and stable indicators are needed.With literature analysis and expert knowledge gathered within COST Action FP1204 GreenInUrbs,we proposed a classification of urban forest EESs into three categories:(A)regulation of air,water,soil and climate;(B)provisioning of habitat quality;and(C)provisioning of other goods and services.Each category is divided into EES types:(a)amelioration of air quality;restoration of soil and water;amelioration of the microclimate;removal of CO2 from the air;(b)provision of habitat for biodiversity;support for resilient urban ecosystems;provision of genetic diversity;and(c)provision of energy and nutrients;provision of grey infrastructure resilience.Each EES type provides one or more benefits.For each of these 12 benefits,we propose a set of indicators to be used when analyzing the impacts on the identified EESs.Around half of the 36 indicators are relevant to more than one single benefit,which highlights complex interrelationships.The indicators of wider applicability are tree and stand characteristics,followed by leaf physical traits and tree species composition.This knowledge is needed for the optimization of the EESs delivered by urban forests,now and in the future.
文摘The massive lockdown of human socioeconomic activities and vehicle movements due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in an unprecedented reduction in pollutant gases such as Nitrogen Dioxide(NO_(2))and Carbon Monoxide(CO)as well as Land Surface Temperature(LST)in Amman as well as all countries around the globe.In this study,the spatial and temporal variability/stability of NO_(2),CO,and LST throughout the lockdown period over Amman city have been analyzed.The NO_(2) and CO column density values were acquired from Sentinel-5p while the LST data were obtained from MODIS satellite during the lockdown period from 20 March to 24 April in 2019,2020,and 2021.The statistical analysis showed an overall reduction in NO_(2) in 2020 by around 27% and 48% compared to 2019 and 2021,respectively.However,an increase of 7% in 2021 compared to 2019 was observed because almost all anthropogenic activities were allowed during the daytime.The temporal persistence showed almost constant NO2 values in 2020 over the study area throughout the lockdown period.In addition,a slight decrease in CO(around 1%)was recorded in 2020 and 2021 compared to the same period in 2019.Restrictions on human activities resulted in an evident drop in LST in 2020 by around 13%and 18% less than the 5-year average and 2021 respectively.The study concludes that due to the restrictions imposed on industrial activities and automobile movements in Amman city,an unprecedented reduction in NO_(2),CO,and LST was recorded.
基金funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research,Jordan University of Science and Technology(20210159).
文摘Globally,groundwater contamination by nitrate is one of the most widespread environmental problems,particularly in arid and semiarid areas,which are characterized by low amounts of rainfall and groundwater recharge.The stable isotope composition of groundwater(δ2H-H2O andδ18O-H2O)and dissolved nitrate(δ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–)and factor analysis(FA)were applied to explore groundwater provenance,pollution,and chemistry evolution in the northwestern part of the Amman-Al Zarqa Basin,Jordan.In this study,we collected 23 samples from the Lower Ajloun aquifer in 2021,including 1 sample from a groundwater well and 22 samples from springs.These samples were tested for electrical conductivity,total dissolved solids,pH,temperature,dissolved oxygen,the concentration of major ions(Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+,K+,HCO3–,Cl–,SO42–,and NO3–),and the stable isotope composition of groundwater and dissolved nitrate.The results revealed that groundwater in the study area is mainly Ca–Mg–HCO3 type and can be classified as fresh water,hard water,and very hard water.The range and average concentration of NO3–were 3.5–230.8 and 50.9 mg/L,respectively.Approximately 33%of the sampling points showed NO3–levels above the maximum allowable concentration of 50.0 mg/L set by the World Health Organization(WHO)guidelines for drinking water quality.The values ofδ18O-H2O andδ2H-H2O showed that groundwater in the study area is part of the current water cycle,originating in the Mediterranean Sea,with significant evaporation,orographic,and amount effects.The values of the stable isotope composition of NO3–corresponded toδ15N-NO3–andδ18O-NO3–values produced by the nitrification process of manure or septic waste and soil NH4+.The FA performed on the hydrochemical parameters and isotope data resulted in three main factors,with Factor 1,Factor 2,and Factor 3,accounting for 50%,21%,and 11%of the total variance,respectively.Factor 1 was considered human-induced factor,named"pollution factor",whereas Factor 2,named"conservative fingerprint factor",and Factor 3,named"hardness factor",were considered natural factors.This study will help local researchers manage groundwater sustainably in the study area and other similar arid and semiarid areas in the world.
文摘Background: Sympatric species adapt to, and temporally or geographically segregate access to similar limiting factors.Methods: We compared nesting habitat and diet affinities of six raptor species in central India between the years 20062015.Results: A large composition of reptiles in the diet was characteristic for Circaetus gallicus, Spilornis cheela and Elanus caeruleus, while Aquila fasciata, Falco chicquera and Nisaetus cirrhatus show a higher proportion of birds. Species with greatest similarity of diet were C. gallicus and S. cheela. Considering the environmental characterization of areas where raptors built the nest, some species were ecologically closer than others. N. cirrhatus and S. cheela were related to the presence of water bodies, dry deciduous forest and evergreen forests, while E. caeruleus and C. gallicus preferred more open habitats. A. fasciata bred either on cliffs or trees, F. chicquera on trees or mobile towers, and the other four species built their nests exclusively in trees.Conclusions: We conclude that although there was overlap in diet and nesting ecology for a number of species, the geographical separation likely limits competition for resources.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos 31472013 and 31772453 to W.L.)GDAS Special Project of Science and Technology Development(Nos 2017 GDASCX-0107,2018 GDASCX-0107)to F.S.Z.
文摘Urbanization effects on living organisms are spatially heterogeneous.Here we quantified the abundance of birds per tree in forested urban and rural habitats for 85,829 trees mainly in China and Europe.A population model was based on the assumption that:1)birds have a normally distributed habitat preference;2)an increase in population size linked to the habitat preference;3)a population size dependent on the habitat preference;and 4)the removal of a certain fraction of individuals giving rise to extinction.We tested for large-scale differences in the impact of urbanization on the frequency distribution of the difference in abundance between urban and rural habitats in China and parts of Europe.The difference in the frequency distribution of urban population density of birds in trees minus rural population density of birds in trees in China and Europe was statistically significant suggesting that the abundance of birds differed between trees in urban and rural habitats,but more so in China than in Europe.We hypothesize that more pronounced differences in China than in Europe may have arisen due to the Four Pests Campaign in 1958-1962 that resulted in death of hundreds of millions of birds(mainly tree sparrows Passer monfanus,but also numerous other less common species that were starting to become urbanized around 1960).Species that were less common in 1960 could not sustain reductions in population size in urban areas and hence these species are still rare or absent in urban areas today 60 years later.
文摘The present study deals with the determination of Mount Olympus summit(Mytikas),exploiting modern observations such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems(GNSS)and existing geodetic information.The last official Olympus height determination goes back 102 years by the Swiss surveyor M.Kurz.Since then,only unofficial measurement campaigns have taken place.There is a variety of released heights,which range from 2917 to 2919 meters.In September and October of 2022,we conducted a GNSS campaign,focusing on the area of highest Olympus peaks.Employing precise GNSS measurements(accuracy of 1-3 cm),in conjunction with height information from Greece’s National Triangulation Network(5-10 cm accuracy)and an appropriate,recent geoid model(5-6 cm accuracy),we estimate through the so-called GNSS-levelling,the height of Olympus to 2917.727 m with respect to Greece’s officially accepted mean sea level and 2918.390 m with respect to the global vertical datum.Our estimation of Olympus highest peak shows remarkable consistency at the level of 12.8 cm to that of M.Kurz in 1921.
文摘Groundwater vulnerability maps were created for the Corridor wellfield (~300 km<sup>2</sup>) in the eastern Jordan using the DRASTIC and modified DRASTIC groundwater vulnerability assessment models. The study area is considered as one of the most important well fields therein providing partially three governorates with the needed drinking water. Detailed geological and hydrogeological parameters as well as the land-use map of the area were obtained from various sources to utilize both models. ArcGIS software was used for calculations and maps preparation. As a result, the generic DRASTIC vulnerability index ranges between 109 and 168. Thus, two vulnerability classes were observed, moderate (9.9%) and high (90.1%) vulnerability classes. On the other hand, the modified DRASTIC model (risk map) is taking into account the land-use map classes in the study area. The output risk map reveals two main classes, the moderate and high-risk areas. The moderate-risk areas occupy 9.3% of the total volume of the study area while the high-risk areas are 90.7%. Due to the high depth to groundwater within the area (between 90 m and 390 m), the depth to groundwater intervals was modified in the model to become more comfortable with the situation in Jordan. The high percentage of the high vulnerable areas against pollutants reflects the need to do more investigation for the studied area.
文摘Background: Intentional winter bird feeding in gardens is one of the most common interactions between birds and humans. Because feeding may have both desired effects(provisioning of nutritious food for under-nourished birds) and undesired effects(favouritism of competitively superior species, transmission of disease), management of supplementary sites should be optimized from an ecological and conservation perspective. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to experimentally test winter food preferences of birds, with underlying potential influence of habitat(rural vs. urban) on realised food preferences pattern.Methods: We conducted an experimental analysis of food preferences of wintering birds by provided bird-feeders in urban and rural environments across Poland. Data were collected twice during winter 2013–2014 across Poland, in total with 80 experimental trials.Results: Sunflower seeds were the most preferred food supplement both in urban and rural habitats, significantly more exploited than any other food simultaneously available in feeders(animal fat, millet seed and dry fruits of rowanberry). However, no significant differences were recorded between urban and rural habitats in use of food.Conclusions: The degree of use of a particular type of food at bird-feeders depended on the overall use of food in a bird-feeder—consumption of each of the four types of food was significantly positively correlated with that of the others, and it was positively correlated with the number of birds observed at the feeders.
基金funded by the Czech Science Foundation[grant number 17-17156Y]supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Technical University in Prague‘Optimization of acquisition and processing of 3D data for purpose of engineering surveying,geodesy in underground spaces and 3D scanning,SGS 2020’.
文摘Most ground filtering algorithms are primarily designed for airborne LiDAR point cloud processing and their successful use in identifying ground points from photogrammetric point clouds remains questionable.We compared six ground filtering algorithms implemented in Metashape,ArcGIS,CloudCompare,LAStools,and PDAL.We used UAV photogrammetry-based(acquired under leaf-off conditions)and airborne LiDAR(leaf-on)point clouds of the same area to:(i)compare accuracy of generated DTMs;(ii)evaluate the effect of vegetation density and terrain slope on filtering accuracy;and(iii)assess which algorithm parameters have the greatest effect on the filtering accuracy.Our results show that the performance of filtering algorithms was affected by the point cloud type,terrain slope and vegetation cover.The results were generally better for LiDAR(RMSE 0.13–0.19 m)than for photogrammetric(RMSE 0.19–0.23 m)point clouds.The behavior in varying vegetation and terrain conditions was consistent for LiDAR point clouds.However,when applied on photogrammetric point clouds,the algorithms’behavior was inconsistent,especially in areas of steep slope(except for the Progressive Triangulated Irregular Network in LAStools).Parameters related to the selection of the initial minimum elevation ground points were the most influential in all algorithms and point clouds.
基金This work has been supported by Charles University Research Centre program UNCE/HUM/018.
文摘Virtual globes are technologies for visual navigation through a threedimensional,multi-resolution model of the entire planet.Data representations used in virtual globes,however,lack geometric flexibility at high-resolution levels of the planet-wide terrain surface.This is a problem especially if boundaries between individual geospatial features and the terrain are important.A novel integration of individual polygonal boundaries with a specific multi-resolution representation of the planet-wide terrain is developed in this article.In the preparation stage,the integration relies on an original simplification algorithm applied to the polygonal boundaries between geospatial features and the terrain.Its output is a multiple level-of-detail(LOD)geometry,which can be combined with a known multi-LOD representation of the terrain that uses run-time triangulation.This data representation is suitable for storage in existing database systems,avoids any data redundancy across LODs,and is even independent of the subdivision schema that partitions the planet’s surface for the sake of dealing with LODs.At runtime,a novel reconstruction algorithm stitches geometric parts from different LODs together in a manner that augments the multi-LOD representation of the terrain.Within a certain proximity range from a given position,the method reconstructs a scene that preserves topological relations between the boundaries of geospatial features with the terrain.The method also guarantees that certain nearest proximity to the given position consists of the best geometries that correspond to the original datasets.Such properties of the method close up the gap between a mere exploratory visualization of static,pre-generated models and the models supporting geospatial analysis,which is deemed crucial for applications in Geographic Information Systems,Building Information Modelling and other software industries.A prototype implementation and experiment results that prove this method are also presented.
