Has Site Productivity Changed? A Case Study in the Eastern Swabian Alb, Germany

Construction, as the process of constructing a building, has diverse range of available software tools which have been developed to support modelling operations, tasks, and processes in the construction industry. 3D visualization as a modelling tool has been widely used to improve modular and off-site construction activities; it allows for seamless information sharing and collaboration among project stakeholders, and also provides opportunities for improvements suggested by the project team. This paper presents a framework for modelling the off-site modular construction of housing at the Kent Homes manufacturing facility through 3D/4D visualization. A case study is represented to illustrate the potential for production improvement.

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Geoheritage and Geotourism in Regions with Extinct Volcanism in Germany; Case Study Southwest Germany with UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences10110445 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 445

Author(s):

Heidi Elisabeth Megerle

Keyword(s):

Geological Heritage ◽

High Quality ◽

Comprehensive Strategy ◽

Active Volcanism ◽

Very High ◽

Swabian Alb ◽

Southwest Germany ◽

Tertiary Period

Geotourism has become more popular in recent decades. Volcanism is an essential part of geoheritage and attracts a high number of visitors. In contrast to active volcanism, Tertiary volcanism is often not identified as such by a lay audience and is understandably perceived as less spectacular. The challenge is therefore to protect the volcanic heritage, to communicate its values, and to enhance it with the help of adequate geotourism offers. Germany does not have active volcanism, but a very high quality volcanic geological heritage, especially from the Tertiary period. Fortunately, this heritage is being increasingly valued and presented in an attractive way for a lay audience. The two Geoparks in the Eifel (Rhineland-Palatinate) are pioneers in this field. The UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb actually offers a well camouflaged potential. The Swabian volcano, with an area of 1600 km2, is one of the most important tuff vent areas on earth, but hardly known outside of expert groups. A comprehensive strategy for the geotouristic valorization of the Tertiary volcanic phenomena does not yet exist in the Geopark Swabian Alb.

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Sustainability of Site Productivity in Tropical Forest Plantations: Case Study of Gmelina arborea Plantations in Tropical Rainforest, Nigeria

Tropical Forestry - Silviculture in the Tropics ◽

10.1007/978-3-642-19986-8_28 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 455-462 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jonathan C. Onyekwelu

Keyword(s):

Tropical Forest ◽

Tropical Rainforest ◽

Forest Plantations ◽

Gmelina Arborea ◽

Site Productivity

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Maintaining natural and traditional cultural green infrastructures across Europe: learning from historic and current landscape transformations

Landscape Ecology ◽

10.1007/s10980-020-01161-y ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Per Angelstam ◽

Michael Manton ◽

Taras Yamelynets ◽

Mariia Fedoriak ◽

Andra-Cosmina Albulescu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Forest Canopy ◽

Cultural Landscapes ◽

Forest Vegetation ◽

Natural Forest ◽

Forest Loss ◽

Site Productivity ◽

Fragmented Forest ◽

Social Ecological ◽

Land Covers

Abstract Context Maintaining functional green infrastructures (GIs) require evidence-based knowledge about historic and current states and trends of representative land cover types. Objectives We address: (1) the long-term loss and transformation of potential natural forest vegetation; (2) the effects of site productivity on permanent forest loss and emergence of traditional cultural landscapes; (3) the current management intensity; and (4) the social-ecological contexts conducive to GI maintenance . Methods We selected 16 case study regions, each with a local hotspot landscape, ranging from intact forest landscapes, via contiguous and fragmented forest covers, to severe forest loss. Quantitative open access data were used to estimate (i) the historic change and (ii) transformation of land covers, and (iii) compare the forest canopy loss from 2000 to 2018. Qualitative narratives about each hotspot landscape were analysed for similarities (iv). Results While the potential natural forest vegetation cover in the 16 case study regions had a mean of 86%, historically it has been reduced to 34%. Higher site productivity coincided with transformation to non-forest land covers. The mean annual forest canopy loss for 2000–2018 ranged from 0.01 to 1.08%. The 16 case studies represented five distinct social-ecological contexts (1) radical transformation of landscapes, (2) abuse of protected area concepts, (3) ancient cultural landscapes (4) multi-functional forests, and (5) intensive even-aged forest management, of which 1 and 4 was most common. Conclusions GIs encompass both forest naturalness and traditional cultural landscapes. Our review of Pan-European regions and landscapes revealed similarities in seemingly different contexts, which can support knowledge production and learning about how to sustain GIs.

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Patterns and causes of land change: Empirical results and conceptual considerations derived from a case study in the Swabian Alb, Germany

Land Use Policy ◽

10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.05.012 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 35 ◽

pp. 192-203 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Claudia Bieling ◽

Tobias Plieninger ◽

Harald Schaich

Keyword(s):

Land Change ◽

Empirical Results ◽

Swabian Alb

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Calcerous Tufa as Invaluable Geotopes Endangered by (Over-)Tourism: A Case Study in the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb, Germany

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences11050198 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 198

Author(s):

Heidi Elisabeth Megerle

Keyword(s):

Geological Heritage ◽

Aesthetic Value ◽

Nature Preservation ◽

Karst Landscapes ◽

Swabian Alb ◽

Southwest Germany

Calcerous tufa and sinter are among the most impressive natural spectacles in karst landscapes whose scientific and aesthetic value is universally recognized. Being visually often very appealing they attract numerous visitors. At the same time tufa landforms are extremely vulnerable and can be seriously damaged even by minor interference. The challenge is, therefore, to protect the calcerous tufa heritage, to communicate its values, and to enhance it with the help of adequate geotourism offers. Tufa geotopes are an essential part of the geological heritage of the UNESCO Global Geopark Swabian Alb in Southwest Germany. Unfortunately tufa landforms, especially tufa cascades, suffer serious impairments by (over-)tourism, particularly during the Corona pandemic. The article explores where best to strike the balance between valorization and protection, as well as how to ensure that growth in tourism is compatible with nature preservation, especially in the case of the extremely vulnerable tufa geotopes.

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The Genesis and Internal Dynamics of El Salvador's People's Revolutionary Army, 1970–1976

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x13009850 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 38 (01) ◽

pp. 102-129

Author(s):

ALBERTO MARTÍN ÁLVAREZ ◽

EUDALD CORTINA ORERO

Keyword(s):

Latin America ◽

El Salvador ◽

Early Years ◽

Left Wing ◽

Internal Dynamics ◽

Internal Coherence ◽

The 1960S

AbstractUsing interviews with former militants and previously unpublished documents, this article traces the genesis and internal dynamics of the Ejército Revolucionario del Pueblo (People's Revolutionary Army, ERP) in El Salvador during the early years of its existence (1970–6). This period was marked by the inability of the ERP to maintain internal coherence or any consensus on revolutionary strategy, which led to a series of splits and internal fights over control of the organisation. The evidence marshalled in this case study sheds new light on the origins of the armed Salvadorean Left and thus contributes to a wider understanding of the processes of formation and internal dynamics of armed left-wing groups that emerged from the 1960s onwards in Latin America.

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Culture and the plasticity of perception

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x19002887 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Lifshitz ◽

T. M. Luhrmann

Keyword(s):

Cultural Context ◽

Sensory Experience ◽

Cultural Learning ◽

The World

Abstract Culture shapes our basic sensory experience of the world. This is particularly striking in the study of religion and psychosis, where we and others have shown that cultural context determines both the structure and content of hallucination-like events. The cultural shaping of hallucinations may provide a rich case-study for linking cultural learning with emerging prediction-based models of perception.

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