Scientific Annals of "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi
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GIS ANALYSIS OF AVERAGE MONTHLY SPECIFIC RUNOFF IN SLOVENIA
Get PDFWater cycle research is the basis of any water management and one of most important elements is the runoff. In environmental analyzes the most commonly used is the annual specific runoff. Due to increasing environmental awareness the need for better seasonal runoff knowledge is crucial to support the decision making processes in order to improve the sustainable water resources management. The water quantity is crucial for all environmentally based water management. For water vulnerability analyzes the specific runoff can be taken into account as water sensitivity indicator. Since the runoff is varying in time and space the average annual runoff is not always enough, the substantial improvement can be achieved with the use of seasonal or monthly runoff. With the use of GIS we joined the results of two hydrological analyzes: water balance and river flow regimes. We used kriging to transform the point data of discharge coefficients in order to create continuous spatial distribution of the variable as a raster. To compute long-term average monthly specific runoff raster we used mathematical functions in GIS to combine the long-term specific runoff raster and the monthly discharge coefficients. The final results are 12 raster maps of monthly discharge coefficients and 12 maps of long-term monthly specific runoff
SPATIO-TEMPORAL IMPACT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC PRACTICES ON LAND USE/ COVER IN THE KASSO CATCHMENT, BALE MOUNTAINS, ETHIOPIA
Get PDFThis study aims to identify the driving forces and implications of the temporal and spatial dynamics of land use and land cover in the Kasso catchment, Bale Mountains (Southeastern Ethiopia). Aerial photographs (1965 and 1973) and satellite image (SPOT5 2007) were interpreted and analyzed using GIS tools. Socio-economic surveys, focus group discussions, and field observations were also used to determine the causes and effects of these land use and land cover dynamics. It was found that agriculture and settlement land had increased by 24%, whereas natural forest, woodland, bush land, and grassland declined by 80.74%, 68.08%, 63.02% and 17.65%, respectively. Agricultural expansion and population growth were the two major driving forces behind the land use and land cover dynamics. Environmental and local livelihood implications included forest cover degradation, soil erosion and fertility decline, stream volume and livestock size decline, and scarcity of firewood and construction materials. These in turn contributed to food insecurity, particularly in some low-income households, as well as hindering the sustainable livelihoods of the study area in general. Therefore, we suggest that there is a need to protect the fragile environment, and to adapt and implement sustainable land management practice to promote sustainable livelihood in the area
CLIMATE SERVICES AND HUMAN HEALTH: A NICHE OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH
Get PDFClimate services are the result of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the interaction between atmosphere and human beings. Climate change and weather variability are causing real impacts on people health at all levels. It has been admitted that health risks have an atmospheric component. Biometeorological forecasting tries to anticipate the impacts of the atmosphere on people health. Instead of uncertainties about climate change, many studies based on biometeorological approaches are being developed and massive bio-early warning systems are available already. The access and use of the new information and communication technologies (ICTs) has opened a niche of opportunities for the development of personalised climate services but further research is needed to achieve a diagnosis for each weather related disease and person
APPLICATION OF GIS AND STATISTICAL METHODS TO SELECT OPTIMUM MODEL FOR MALARIA SUSCEPTIBILITY ZONATION: A CASE STUDY
Get PDFThe representation and analysis of maps of malaria-incidence data is a basic tool in the analysis of regional variation in public health. An attempt has been made for Varanasi district, India to develop malaria susceptibility model using different statistical methods, by which malaria prone zones could be predicted using five classes of malaria susceptibility and comparison of statistical methods to select optimum model for malaria susceptibility zone and verification of the susceptibility zone by area under curve (AUC) though Remote Sensing data and GIS. Multiple linear regression, Information value and heuristic methods are applied for malaria disease occurrence. Using the causal factors and indicators, malaria susceptibility index (MSI) and malaria susceptibility zones (MSZ) are developed. Malaria density ratio (Qs) is used to calculate optimum model for malaria susceptibility index and malaria susceptibility zones. The verification method is performed by comparison of existing malaria data and malaria analysis results by area under curve (AUC). It is found that the information value method having Qs=3.96 has been selected as an optimum model for malaria susceptibility zonation in the study area, whereas Qs value for Heuristics method and Multiple linear regression method are 1.67 and 1.43 respectively. Verification results show that in the information value case, the area under curve (AUC) is 0.696 and the prediction accuracy is 69.60%. In the heuristic and multiple linear regression case, the AUC is 0.603 and 0.484 and the prediction accuracy is 60.30% and 48.40% respectively
CRITERIA FOR MEASURING PLACE STEWARDSHIP: THE EXAMPLE OF RUWA AND EPWORTH, PERI-URBAN HARARE, ZIMBABWE
Get PDFThe paper argues that though place stewardship is largely qualitative concept and practice, it is measurable. For theoretical analysis, the paper uses Amatya Sen and Yi-Fu Tuan’s models of capability and place, respectively, frameworks through which the indicators of measurement are drawn. By an illustrative set of criterion indicators, the paper puts across a possible framework for sustainable development through the element of place stewardship. Specifically, the criteria include individual capacity in households and membership; community capacity to decide on their ends; institutional capacity to meet the demands of the individuals, communities and those of other organizations; collaborative capacity to work on areas of common interest; and, the learning capacity of individuals, communities and organizations to adopt new innovations and adapt to changes. Place references are made to peri-urban settlements of Ruwa and Epworth, satellites of Harare, the capital city of Harare. Methodologically, the paper is based on the findings from a four year study by the author of this paper in which the behaviour, attitudes, perceptions and experiences of the inhabitants of the two settlements are crystallised and analysed.
YOUNG GLACIATION IN ASTAPUS COLES AND NILOSYRTIS MENSAE, MARS
No full textGlacial modifications of the upper part of the Martian lithosphere *the meteorization mantle ( has long been debated since the initial orbital observations of the Martian terrains in 1978 at a sufficient resolution (Luchitta, 1981). Better image resolution and age calculation tools provided with sufficient data to constrain better the evolution of the glacial area in western Utopia basin and Nilosyrtis area. Here we show that glacial manifestations were complex and formed during two stages recently during the Martian geologic history (8-12 millions years ago). These results are in concordance with the latest models of Mars cryosphere evolution for this area. This article shows also that the morphologic mapping and the morphometric one clearly differentiate between the units and this has consequences on a geologic mapping update for the entire Utopia area.
CORRELATION BASED MORPHOMETRIC ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND BASIN EVOLUTION: A CASE STUDY OF SIRSA RIVER BASIN, WESTERN HIMALAYA, INDIA
No full textQuantitative measurements of morphometric parameters of basin and sub basins have raised attraction of research in geology, geomorphology and hydrology since Horton’s period. In the present study, with the aid of Geographic Information System (GIS) several morphometric parameters were employed to understand the nature, landscape development and hydrologic responses of Sirsa river basin and its twelve sub basins (namely 1, 2, 3 etc.). Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was used to derive the relief and slope parameters; whether toposheets based digitized drainage network was used to calculate linear and areal aspects. Relative relief, dissection index, ruggedness index, average slope, stream frequency and drainage density were calculated from the basin by dividing it hundreds of one square km grids. Pearson correlation coefficient and probable error of correlation coefficient were determined between above mentioned parameters for all sub basins as well as basin. Justification of the correlations whether it were significant or not; and its relation to basin and sub basin development are analyzed. Overall analysis shows that the basin is normal, well drained and near-elongated. The analysis of various morphometric parameter and their correlations indicate that sub basins are in late youth stage (sub basins 2, 6 and 7), transition stage between youth and maturity (sub basins 3, 8 and 10), mature stage (sub basins 1, 5 and 11) and late mature stage (sub basins 4, 9 and 12) of landscape development. The results are quite significant to justify the erosional status, influence of geologic and other factors on basin development.