Role of transport network accessibility in the spread of COVID-19 - a case study in Savar Upazila, Bangladesh

The aim of this research was to test the hypothesis that people in a typical high-transport zone are particularly vulnerable with respect to transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a new contagious disease that has rapidly developed into a highrisk global problem. A case study was carried out in Savar Upazila, a sub-district of the capital city Dhaka in Bangladesh, which is traversed by a prominent national highway (Dhaka- Aricha-N5) that also passes the concentric industrial export processing zone surrounding Dhaka. This municipality is thus part of a high-density transport network with extensive economic activities. COVID-19 data were collected from local records at the Upazila Health Complex, while spatial data of the Savar Upazila, including the pertinent road network, were identified and digitized using geographical information systems software. The presence of COVID-19 in in Savar Upazila was found to be strongly associated with the reach and mechanism of transport networks (Pearson correlation = 0.76 with 99% confidence interval).

Morphological Changes Detection of a Large Earthflow Using Archived Images, LiDAR-Derived DTM, and UAV-Based Remote Sensing

In mountainous landscapes, where strongly deformed pelitic sediments outcrop, earthflows can dominate denudation processes and landscape evolution. This paper investigated geological and geomorphological features and space-time evolution over a 65-year time span (1954–2019) of a large earthflow, representative of wide sectors of the Apennine chain of southern Italy. The landslide, with a maximum length of 1.85 × 103 m, affects an area of 4.21 × 105 m2 and exhibits two source zones: a narrow and elongated transport zone and a lobate accumulation zone. Spatial and temporal morphological changes of the earthflow were assessed, comparing multi-source and multi-temporal data (aerial photographs, Google Earth satellite images, Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) system data). Geomorphic changes, quantified using Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) of differences, highlighted an extensive lowering of the topographic surface in the source area and a significant uplift at the landslide toe. Moreover, the multi-temporal analysis showed a high increase of landslide surface (more than 66%) during the last 65 years. The volumetric analyses showed that different sectors of the earthflow were active at different times, with different rates of topographic change. Overall, the used approach highlighted the great potentiality of the integration of multi-source and multi-temporal data for the diachronic reconstruction of morphological landslide evolution.

Accumulation of toxigenic species of micromycetes as a factor of high phytotoxicity of urban soils

Indicator for urban load species of soil micromycetes synthesize mycotoxins of a wide range of toxic effects and cause a significant increase in phytotoxic activity of the soil in the transport zone of the city.

Vegetation covers change and its impact on Barchan Dune morphology in Parangtritis Coast, Indonesia

Barchan dune is a peculiar type of dune that forms in wind corridors at the Inner Zone of Parangtritis Sand Dune. Their existence is increasingly threatened by land-use changes, especially vegetation coverage. This research illustrates the dynamics of vegetation cover change at the Inner Zone with the NDVI value approach using Sentinel-2 imagery. We also conduct field surveys to determine the actual condition of barchan dunes and compare it to previous morphology data. We only used the slip face height as a parameter of the barchan morphometric. The result showed that the vegetation coverage changed annually in different parts of the Inner Zone from 2015 until 2019. This vegetation covers controlled by restoration program in 2015 and 2016. The vegetation density on the transport zone more significantly affected the morphology of barchan than vegetation density which grow on the barchan body. Based on field data, mostly barchan dunes (10 barchans) experienced a decrease of slip face height than increased slip face height (4 barchans). All of the decreased barchans located in the middle of the Inner zone. The most decreased slip face height as low as 29.3 meters.

Complex evaluation of the modern atmospheric air of city ecosystems

The results of studies of the chemical composition of atmospheric air showed that the concentration of ammonia (0.2520 mg/m3), nitrogen dioxide (0.3942 mg/m3) and hydrogen sulfide (0.0269 mg/m3) exceeded the MPC requirements. The seasonal dynamics of the spread of aerogenic pollutants revealed a decrease in NO, NO2, H2S, SO2 from winter to the spring-summer season. However, the content of such pollutants as NH3, CO and dust increased significantly in summer to 0.0816, 3.7140 and 0.0289 mg/m3 respectively. During bio-indication of 363 trees only 4 species of the 16 studied ones were characterized as healthy (K<1.5). The overall level of attenuation was 2.16 (“weakened forest”). Evaluation of the fluctuating asymmetry showed high resistance of the maple (Acer Platanoides) to environmental pollution (the level of asymmetry in the transport zone was 0.039 against 0.077–0.078 in the silver birch (Betula pendula) and the fragrant poplar (Populus suaveolens). The high level of anthropogenic pollution in the transport zones of the city adversely affected roadside biotopes. It has been proven that roadside phytocenosis is significantly sparse and the population density drops sharply by 50–100 %, compared to cleaner functional areas. The results of lichenoid indication showed that in most of the sites studied, the air was highly polluted (pollution class 1) and the concentration of SO2 was 0.10–0.30 mg/m3.

MYCOBIOTA OF SOILS OF URBAN TERRITORIES WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ANTHROPOGENIC LOAD

Anthropogenic forcing has a huge impact on the formation of the ecosystem of modern cities, including the composition of the mycobiota of the urban environment. The paper presents the results of mycological studies of soil samples taken in the city of Kazan in areas divided into recreational and transport functional areas with different levels of anthropogenic load. More than 60 species of fungi belonging to 15 genera, including 20 species common to soils in both zones were identified. Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp., Rhizomucor sp., Trichoderma viride were shown to dominate in undisturbed natural areas, and in soils of the urban environment there was much more often found the presence of Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Candida sp., Rhizopus sp., Trichophyton sp. In areas with good natural light the percentage of samples with low contamination by fungi was established to be significantly higher than in shaded areas: 16.7% and 7.1% in the recreational area; and 12.5% and 0% in the transport zone correspondingly. Potentially pathogenic species of fungi were detected in 80% of samples of recreational and in 95% of samples of transport areas. Dark-colored species (including Aspergillus, Alternaria, etc.) were shown to be more common in soils of transport zone, and Trichophyton sp. and Scopulariopsis sp. - in soils of recreational zone. The evaluation of mycological hazard index allowed to estimate the condition of the soil of Kazan as satisfactory for 80% of sites of recreational and 65% - of the transport area. The average value of the mycological hazard index for recreational areas was 2.7 and for the transport areas - 4.2. Results indicate to regular mycological monitoring would be desirable for the normalization of the mycological environment, significantly reducing the risk of mycosis, mycotoxicosis and mycogenic allergies, and should help to ensure sanitary-epidemiological welfare of the population.

Technological Indicators of Direct Dumping Zone as a Part of Combined Mining Method

Under the conditions of a combined mining system overburden is developed using a transport and non-transport technologies, specific costs for non-transport technology are lower than transport costs. The change in the non-transport bench height led to the redistribution of the volumes of transport and non-transport overburden. With an increase in the volume of non-transport overburden, the share of more expensive transport overburden is decreases, while the technical and economic indicators of the non-transport zone deteriorate due to an increase in re-excavation volumes. The change in the non-transport bench height affects the recasting ratio and the annual advance coal face line, which determine the cost of developing the overburden. This article presents the results of a study of the laws of change in the recasting ratio and the annual advance coal face line, depending on the non-transport bench height within a combined mining system of flat seam. The obtained patterns were established as a result of solving problems of substantiating typical excavation schemes of the direct dumping method and developing a mathematical model for identifying excavation schemes with the subsequent calculation of their technological indicators.