Normal Wiggly Probabilistic Hesitant Fuzzy Information for Environmental Quality Evaluation

As a valuable tool for representing uncertain information, probabilistic hesitant fuzzy sets (PHFS) have gained considerable recognition and in-depth discussion in recent years to increase the flexibility and manifest hesitant information in decision-making problems. However, decision-makers (DMs) cannot express all preferences only through a few probabilistic terms in actual decision-making. Much critical information is hidden behind the original information provided by the DMs. Keeping that in mind, we are interested in mining deeper uncertain information from the original probabilistic hesitant fuzzy evaluation data. To achieve the target, we put forward a novel representation tool called the normal wiggly probabilistic hesitant fuzzy set (NWPHFS) to extract deeper uncertain preferences from original probabilistic information. NWPHFS retains the original evaluation information and carries and assesses the potential uncertain details for increasing the rationality of decision-making outcomes. Herein, we propose some fundamental concepts of NWPHFS, for instance, some elementary operational laws, distance measures between two NWPHFSs, and score function. We also suggest two new aggregation operators, that is, the normal wiggly probabilistic hesitant fuzzy weighted averaging (NWPHFWA) and normal wiggly probabilistic hesitant fuzzy weighted geometric (NWPHFWG). A novel mechanism is proposed here to work out multiattribute decision-making (MADM) in solving normal wiggly probabilistic decision-making problems. Through a practical example of environmental quality assessment, the specific calculation steps of this method are epitomized. Finally, we have demonstrated the feasibility and advancement of the proposed approach via a comprehensive comparative study.

Assessment of benthic environmental disturbance in the Ba Lai estuary using the nematode biomass spectra

The researchs on the biomass spectra - a functional characteristic of biotic communities is still limited. In this study, the nematode biomass spectra in the bottom of Ba Lai estuary was investigated at six subtidal stations from the sea toward the upstream. The result showed that nematode biomass spectra ranged between -8 and 1 being significantly different between stations, and the lowest biomass of those spectras was in station BL4 (< 2 µg) which is upwardly closed to the Ba Lai dam. BL4 was also characterized by the lowest nematode abundance in the studied area. In addition, station BL3 downwardly closed to the dam exhibited low number of individuals. The heterogeneity in the nematode biomass spectra of BL3 and BL4 might due to the disturbance in the sedimentary environment of Ba Lai estuary related to the dam impact. This research again supports the important role of biomass spectra as bioindicator tool for biomonitoring and environmental quality assessment. Therefore, applying nematode biomass spectra is recommended for environmental assessment due to their advantages such as timesaving, not taxonomical expertise-requirement.

Defining Parameters for Urban-Environmental Quality Assessment

Measuring the quality of the urban environment has been a matter of research rooted in different fields of knowledge. Several methods and indicators have been deployed through the years, as have horizontal approaches from mixed perspectives. However, currently established indexes to measure urban performance depend on the actual definition of quality and on the weighted relevance of the different features influencing it. This contribution compares the level of emphasis paired by established indexes to measure urban quality, in contrast to what people mention the most when asked about what they like or dislike about the urban environment. The underlying idea is to obtain first-hand information about the way people make decisions about their movements in urban space. As a result, we observe a lack of correlation between the two groups of indicators, and between the key urban elements driving positive and negative emotions. In conclusion, we observe a tendency of people to perceive and report individual physical elements, rather than intangible concepts like safety or comfort.

Defining Parameters for Urban-Environmental Quality Assessment

Measuring the quality of the urban environment has been a matter of research rooted in different fields of knowledge. Several methods and indicators have been deployed through the years, as have horizontal approaches from mixed perspectives. However, currently established indexes to measure urban performance depend on the actual definition of quality and on the weighted relevance of the different features influencing it. This contribution compares the level of emphasis paired by established indexes to measure urban quality, in contrast to what people mention the most when asked about what they like or dislike about the urban environment. The underlying idea is to obtain first-hand information about the way people make decisions about their movements in urban space. As a result, we observe a lack of correlation between the two groups of indicators, and between the key urban elements driving positive and negative emotions. In conclusion, we observe a tendency of people to perceive and report individual physical elements, rather than intangible concepts like safety or comfort.

Environmental quality assessment in Central Andean rivers: using the Ecological Thresholds Concept, Environmental Quality Standards, and Biotic Indexes

As in many other countries, Peru has the Water Quality Standard (WQS) as the primary tool for managing and diagnosing water resources. An analysis variable by variable to define water quality as poor or good was applied by setting concentration limits. A second group of tools commonly used are Biotic Indexes based on tolerance of benthic macroinvertebrates to pollution, that reflect the impacts caused by a group of variables, even though they cannot identify which variables determine the viability of the ecosystem. This research proposes to include the Stable States approach to evaluate the ecological integrity in central Andes rivers to explore an alternative approach with the capacity to represent a broader number of factors through multivariate analysis. A ten-year database of biological and physical-chemical variables measured in five Andean rivers were evaluated. Our results suggest these rivers fluctuate into two seasonal stable states (wet and dry season), accounting for approximately 31% of the system variability. In the wet season, the equilibrium of the state was dominated by the highest levels of suspended solids, turbidity, coliform, phosphorus, and some metals. During the dry season, the key variables were dissolved oxygen, flow, physical habitat, and biotic and diversity indexes. Likewise, there seems to be a third alternative state influenced by human pressures because of variables that exceed the WQS. Regarding water quality, the concentrations of coliforms, phosphorus, and lead usually exceeded the limits in two stations, but not every year. The ecological condition was better represented by ABI index than EPT.

Geo-Environmental Quality Assessment Study Based On Multivariate Data And Geospatial Approach For A Watershed of Central India

The present study accentuates the expediency of remote sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS), and Spatial Multiple Criteria Evaluation Analysis (SMCE) in appraising the geo-environmental scenario of a watershed falling under the semi-arid region of India. In this study, the Bordi river basin, which falls partly under the Amravati and the Akola districts of Maharashtra state, Central India has been investigated in detail for identifying the existing environmental status of the region. This natural resource evaluation technique incorporates a set of 10 parameters which has significance in regional geo-environment sustainability. In the process, using expert knowledge, an integrated geo-environmental potential index (GPI) has been calculated and the same is used further to derive the final geo-environmental potential map (GEPM) illustrating four classes of geo-environmental resources i.e. high, moderate, low, and poor. The geo-environmental quality map overall shows a high level of geo-environmental resources in the maximum area (48.30%). The results are significant in protection, conservation, and planning management strategies of the geo-environment of the study area. Each geo-environmental potential unit is amenable to specific conservation techniques and hence appropriate conservation techniques are recommended to each of them. The work amply proves the applicability of RS, GIS, and SMCE techniques in the natural resource evaluation procedure. This technique is found to be suitable for areas with similar geo-environmental set-up elsewhere.

Aspects about the Environmental Quality Assessment in Urban Areas by Applying Multi-Criteria Analysis Methods

The aim of this paper is to make an assessment of the quality of the environment in urban areas based on multi-criteria analysis methods. Three important aspects of the quality of the environment in urban areas are considered in this paper, and an integrated AHP-SAW method is used to assess the quality of the environment. An indicator associated with the quality of the urban environment is proposed. This indicator is used to make a hierarcy of the environmental quality of an urban area over two periods of time. For the case study a city from the south - west region of Romania is chosen.