scholarly journals First Perceptions of Hydroperiod Mapping and Assessment of Shallow Waters in Coastal Landscapes by Drone-Based Monitoring Activities: A Remote-Sensing and GIS Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 9773
Author(s):  
Massimiliano Scalici ◽  
Michela Perrone ◽  
Jacopo Battisti ◽  
Livia Benedini ◽  
Marco Malavasi
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Nutrient Retention ◽  
Temporary Ponds ◽  
Shallow Waters ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Coastal Landscapes ◽  
Terrestrial Life ◽  
Wide Variability

Beyond the importance of ponds for aquatic and terrestrial life, pond networks seem to be crucial to providing a vital spatial resource in response to global climate change for all migrating and spreading taxa. Additionally, ponds offer sustainable solutions to issues of concern in water management, such as nutrient retention, rainfall interception, or carbon sequestration. Although the ecological role of shallow waters seems clear, significant work must be performed to set future guidelines and actions towards their conservation. The main aims of the present study are to (i) georeference all small temporary wetlands within the Tyrrhenian central Italy coastal area, (ii) evaluate their hydroperiod, and (iii) calculate their surface size variability. We found 137 wetlands, 53 of which were temporary and contained listed habitats. Each wetland’s status was assessed in relation to land use and proximity to stressors (e.g., urban centres, railways, roads) while observing the relationship between pond occurrence, lithology, and permeability. Amongst the detected wetlands, we selected and monitored 21 temporary ponds (homogeneously distributed within the study area) for 12 months using images collected by the non-professional drone Parrot Bebop 2. All images were then acquired in ArcGIS to georeference all temporary ponds. The analysis confirmed that the majority of the surveyed ponds are in close proximity to roads and tracks, which might have significant impacts on the preservation of such fragile habitats. Moreover, despite the wide variability of hydroperiod duration, the greater part of the pools fill with water in autumn and dry in summer, in alignment with the Mediterranean climate. This preliminary study allowed for the creation of the first temporary ponds’ database, which is useful for monitoring their status in central Italy and planning further studies to assess eventual detrimental effects caused by human-mediated activities.

Fair training

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim O'Dempsey
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate Change ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Contingency Planning ◽  
Poor People ◽  
Disaster Prevention ◽  
Timely Manner ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Trained Personnel ◽  
Local Access ◽  
Mega Cities

Major catastrophes appear to be inevitable given the current demographic transition, the growth of mega-cities in disaster hotspots, the predicted effects of global climate change, and the crucial relationship between natural disasters and complex political emergencies. Disaster prevention, preparedness and contingency planning will be effective only if trained personnel are available to develop these plans and implement them in a timely manner. Workforce migration, driven by poverty, insecurity and lack of opportunity, creates a leadership and skills vacuum that further increases the vulnerability of those who remain. Sustainable solutions to the problems of disasters and development will only be achieved when poor people have local access to Fair Training.

scholarly journals Sustainable Solutions for Oyster Shell Waste Recycling in Thailand and the Philippines

Recycling ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramakrishna Chilakala ◽  
Chottitisupawong Thannaree ◽  
Eunsoo Justin Shin ◽  
Thriveni Thenepalli ◽  
Ji Whan Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Oyster Shell ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Shell Waste ◽  
Waste Shell ◽  
Mollusk Shell

This paper studies the utilization and management of the waste mollusk shell. The two major export countries of mollusk shell are the Southeast Asia’s Thailand and the Philippines. First, the aquaculture of oysters and bivalve shells has been studied as background understanding. The effect of the global climate change on farming and the consequences of farming on the nearby environment and neighborhoods have also been discussed. The utilization technologies on the waste shell are available on a small scale and not industrialized. This study offers an enabling context under which a suitable method can take action to solve the overflow waste shell problem, and at the same time, provide sustainable management.

The reproduction of the Apennine yellow-bellied toad (Bombina pachypus) in central Italy

2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Venchi ◽  
Mario Melletti ◽  
Marzia Mirabile ◽  
Marco Bologna
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
National Park ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
The Other ◽  
Temporary Ponds ◽  
Progressive Decline ◽  
Ephemeral Ponds ◽  
Grazing Area ◽  
Desiccation Risk

AbstractAmphibians are declining worldwide and many species are threatened for unknown reasons. In fact, information on ecology of several species are not available due to the lack of studies. The Apennine yellow-bellied toad (Bombina pachypus) is an Italian endemic species in progressive decline in many areas, often for unclear reasons. A two-year study of 116 temporary ponds in a grazing area of the Majella National Park (central Italy) from 2001 to 2002 revealed that: (a) Apennine yellow-bellied toads reproduced in small ponds characterized by high desiccation risk; (b) breeding activity occurred for a prolonged period (at least from May to the beginning of August), during which females spawned clutches of very few eggs in several, successive events; (c) the reproductive success was very low especially because of high egg mortality; and (d) the main cause of mortality was the desiccation of ponds. Consequently, the characteristics of breeding areas (i.e., small, ephemeral ponds) are the most important feature influencing the reproduction. The safeguard of temporary ponds is crucial for the conservation of this amphibian and could preserve also the other species using these pools.

scholarly journals Mapping Coastal Dune Landscape through Spectral Rao’s Q Temporal Diversity

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 2315
Author(s):  
Flavio Marzialetti ◽  
Mirko Di Febbraro ◽  
Marco Malavasi ◽  
Silvia Giulio ◽  
Alicia Teresa Rosario Acosta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Satellite Images ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Central Italy ◽  
Coastal Dunes ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Coastal Landscapes ◽  
Index 2 ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Q Index

Coastal dunes are found at the boundary between continents and seas representing unique transitional mosaics hosting highly dynamic habitats undergoing substantial seasonal changes. Here, we implemented a land cover classification approach specifically designed for coastal landscapes accounting for the within-year temporal variability of the main components of the coastal mosaic: vegetation, bare surfaces and water surfaces. Based on monthly Sentinel-2 satellite images of the year 2019, we used hierarchical clustering and a Random Forest model to produce an unsupervised land cover map of coastal dunes in a representative site of the Adriatic coast (central Italy). As classification variables, we used the within-year diversity computed through Rao’s Q index, along with three spectral indices describing the main components of the coastal mosaic (i.e., Modified Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index 2—MSAVI2, Normalized Difference Water Index 2—NDWI2 and Brightness Index 2—BI2). We identified seven land cover classes with high levels of accuracy, highlighting different covariates as the most important in differentiating them. The proposed framework proved effective in mapping a highly seasonal and heterogeneous landscape such as that of coastal dunes, highlighting Rao’s Q index as a sound base for natural cover monitoring and mapping. The applicability of the proposed framework on updated satellite images emphasizes the procedure as a reliable and replicable tool for coastal ecosystems monitoring.

Water and Development: A Southern African Perspective

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Ashton
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Political Development ◽  
Biological Diversity ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Social And Economic Development ◽  
African Perspective

Water is acknowledged as the most indispensable of all natural resources, and neither biological diversity nor social and economic development can be sustained in its absence (Hudson 1996; Ashton 2002). Every country faces a similar challenge, namely, providing sufficient water to meet the escalating needs of expanding populations while continuing to ensure that the available resources are used equitably and efficiently (Biswas 1993; Gleick 1998; Ashton and Haasbroek 2002). Increasing rates of industrialization, urbanization, and mechanization aggravate the pressures imposed by population growth, while increasing rates of utilization and pollution place further demands on dwindling resources (Falkenmark 1994,1999; Rosegrant 1997; Gleick 1998; Ashton 2002). This situation is especially serious in arid regions where water scarcity hinders social and economic development and is linked closely to the prevalence of poverty, hunger, and disease (Falkenmark 1989; Gleick 2000; Ashton 2002). In southern Africa, water resources are unevenly distributed in both geographical extent and time, and large areas of the region regularly experience prolonged and extreme droughts. Ironically, these droughts are often ‘relieved’ by equally extreme flood events (Christie and Hanlon 2001). Whilst the availability of water resources is naturally variable and often unpredictable, there is also compelling, though as yet unverified, evidence that projected trends in global climate change could worsen this situation (Ashton 2002). Falkenmark (1989) noted that several African countries had approached or would soon pass the point indicating severe water stress or water deficit, and that this could hinder further development in these countries. Recent estimates suggest that more African countries will exceed the limits of their economically usable, land-based water resources before the year 2025 (Ashton 2002). These disturbing statistics emphasize the urgent need to find sustainable solutions to the problem of ensuring secure and adequate water supplies for all countries in the region. The consequences of social and political dispensations imposed by previous colonial and apartheid administrations in southern Africa are reflected in the disparate levels of social, economic, and political development attained by these countries. These unequal levels of development have been accompanied by differing levels of need for water, further complicating the search for equitable and sustainable solutions to water supply problems (Ashton 2000, 2002).

Survival, growth and reproduction of non-indigenous Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus 1758). I. Physiological capabilities in various temperatures and salinities

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela J. Schofield ◽  
Mark S. Peterson ◽  
Michael R. Lowe ◽  
Nancy J. Brown-Peterson ◽  
William T. Slack
Keyword(s):  
Oreochromis Niloticus ◽  
Nile Tilapia ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Thermal Refugia ◽  
Coastal Watersheds ◽  
Nile Tilapia Oreochromis Niloticus ◽  
Saline Waters ◽  
Coastal Landscapes ◽  
Native Fishes ◽  
Growth And Reproduction

The physiological tolerances of non-native fishes is an integral component of assessing potential invasive risk. Salinity and temperature are environmental variables that limit the spread of many non-native fishes. We hypothesised that combinations of temperature and salinity will interact to affect survival, growth, and reproduction of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, introduced into Mississippi, USA. Tilapia withstood acute transfer from fresh water up to a salinity of 20 and survived gradual transfer up to 60 at typical summertime (30°C) temperatures. However, cold temperature (14°C) reduced survival of fish in saline waters ≥10 and increased the incidence of disease in freshwater controls. Although fish were able to equilibrate to saline waters in warm temperatures, reproductive parameters were reduced at salinities ≥30. These integrated responses suggest that Nile tilapia can invade coastal areas beyond their point of introduction. However, successful invasion is subject to two caveats: (1) wintertime survival depends on finding thermal refugia, and (2) reproduction is hampered in regions where salinities are ≥30. These data are vital to predicting the invasion of non-native fishes into coastal watersheds. This is particularly important given the predicted changes in coastal landscapes due to global climate change and sea-level rise.

scholarly journals RECENT ADVANCES IN MODELING WAVE ATTENUATION BY VEGETATION

2018 ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Qin Chen ◽  
Ling Zhu ◽  
Agnimitro Chakrabarti
Keyword(s):  
Wave Attenuation ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Multi Scale ◽  
Eddy Simulation ◽  
Drag Forces ◽  
Induced Drag ◽  
Scale Modeling ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
Large Eddy ◽  
Coastal Landscapes

In the past decade, interest in wave attenuation by vegetation has increased considerably as coastal engineers and scientists search for sustainable solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and natural hazards. The interactions of surface weaves and natural vegetation span over a large range of scales, from turbulence and eddies at the vegetation stem scale to wave generation in vast inundated wetlands of hundreds of square miles under hurricane conditions. Restoring coastal wetlands and reducing flood risks of coastal communities require improved understanding and better predictive capability for wave attenuation over inundated coastal landscapes with vegetation. The objective of this paper is to present recent advances in multi-scale modeling of wave attenuation by wetland vegetation. Numerical modeling results ranging from vegetation-resolved large eddy simulation under idealized conditions to incorporating vegetation-induced drag forces into conservation laws of momentum and energy for engineering applications will be shown. Effects of vegetation flexibility and various wave theories on the prediction of wave attenuation and the choice of vegetation drag coefficients will be discussed.

scholarly journals Measuring naturalistic proximity as a window into caregiver–child interaction patterns

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginia C. Salo ◽  
Pat Pannuto ◽  
William Hedgecock ◽  
Andreas Biri ◽  
David A. Russo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Close Contact ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Recording Device ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Wide Variability ◽  
Physical Touch ◽  
Linguistic Input

The types of interactions that we believe to be most supportive of positive child development (e.g., joint attention, physical touch) take place in moments of close contact with others, and in the earliest years of life a child’s caregivers are the primary partners in these important interactions. However, we know little about the patterns of real-life interactions between children and their caregivers. To address this gap, we have developed a wearable, infrastructure-free device (TotTag) used to dynamically and unobtrusively measure real-time physical proximity between children and caregivers throughout the day. The present study examines the TotTag validity and reliability with data collected over two days from a family of four (30-month-old son, 61-month-old daughter, 37-year-old father, 37-year-old mother), including information about their patterns of interaction as well as how the children’s experiences might differ depending on proximity to their caregivers. We explored patterns of proximity across the day within each parent–child dyad and whether measurements corresponding to close proximity between child and caregiver would indicate periods in which increased opportunity for developmentally critical interactions occur. Each child also wore a widely-used wearable audio recording device (LENA) to collect time-synced linguistic input. Descriptive analysis of the TotTag data reveal wide variability in caregiver–child proximity over the course of the recordings. Further, results suggest that the amount of time spent in close proximity with a caregiver is associated with the quantity of a child’s exposure to adult language, suggesting that variations in proximity are linked to, though not synonymous with, the experience of adult speech. Potential implications for deepening understanding of early caregiver–child interactions are discussed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document