Near real-time characterisation of urban environments: a holistic approach for monitoring dengue fever risk areas

Despite frequent use of digital devices in everyday life, cost-effective measurement of public health issues in urban areas is still challenging. This study was, therefore, planned to extract land-use types using object-based and spatial metric approaches to explore the dengue incidence in relation to the surrounding environment in near real-time using Google and Advanced Land Observation Satellite images. The characterised image showed useful classification of an urban area with 77% accuracy and 0.68 kappa. Geospatial analysis on public health data indicated that most of the dengue cases were found in densely populated areas surrounded by dense vegetation. People living in independent houses having sparsely vegetated surroundings were found to be less vulnerable. Disease incidence was more prevalent in people of 5–24 years of age (67%); while in terms of occupation, mostly students, the unemployed, labourers and farmers (88%) were affected. In general, males were affected slightly more (10%) than females. Proximity analyses indicated that most of the dengue cases were around institutions (40%), religious places (18%) and markets (15%). Thus, usage of Digital Earth scalable tools for monitoring health issues would open new ways for maintaining a healthy and sustainable society in the years ahead.     

SPOT卫星影像居民地信息自动提取的决策树方法研究

以南京市江宁县为研究区域，首先分析了该区域居民地的影像特征，然后研究了居民地及其背景地物在SPOT—4(Ⅺ)卫星影像4个波段上的光谱特征，并由此探讨了它们在光谱特征上的可分性。研究发现，除道路在光谱特征上与居民地差异不大而难以完全分开外，其它背影地物均可以依据各波段亮度值的大小关系或适当的阈值与居民地分开。但道路和居民地在形状上存在明显差异，因此可以利用形状指数的差异加以去除。最后分析建立了基于光谱特征和形状特征的简单决策树模型，对研究区域居民地信息进行了提取并对结果进行了精度评价。结果表明，该方法的总体     

土地利用景观格局对居民就业可达性的影响——以武汉市中心城区为例

城市的制度转型和空间重构加剧了职住分离现象,降低了居民就业可达性,土地利用景观格局特征是影响居民就业可达性的因素之一。基于经济普查、人口普查数据以及2010年和2014年两期土地利用数据,对武汉市中心城区街道尺度的居民就业可达性进行分析,定量描述土地利用景观格局对居民就业可达性的影响。研究结果表明,景观格局指数中景观尺度的边缘密度、香农多样性指数和斑块类型尺度的斑块面积、斑块占景观面积比例、回旋半径、聚合度均对就业可达性有显著影响;就业类斑块特征对居民就业可达性的影响比居住类斑块更大,居住区规划应考虑周边就业岗位数量;土地利用多样性、斑块分布紧实度的提升均有助于提高居民就业可达性。     

Mapping and monitoring of urban landuse of Hisar Town,Haryana using remote sensing techniques

Aerial photographs for the year 1965 and 1975 and Landsat TM (FCC) 1986 data on 1:50,000 scale were used to map and monitor the pattern of growth and development of Hisar Town during the last 20 years. The different landuse categories identified are residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, vacant lands etc. The original shape of the town was nucleated one, but presently it is star-shaped, which is due to extension of the urban centre along the radiating roads. It has mainly elongated itself along the Delhi and Rajgarh roads. The presence of Government Livestock Farm (GLF), Equine Breeding Farm and HAU Farm towards North-west of the town has completely checked its growth on these sides. The total residential-cum-commercial area has nearly doubled during 1965–1975 and trebled by 1986. The change in net area under different types of urban land-use categories, described above has also been calculated. Degraded scrub lands and sandy wasteland on the fringes of the town have been identified where further development can be planned to avoid encroachment on good agricultural lands. Recommendations have been given for future urban planning of the town.     

SPOT卫星影像居民地信息自动提取的决策树方法研究

以南京市江宁县为研究区域，首先分析了该区域居民地的影像特征，然后研究了居民地及其背景地物在SPOT—4(Ⅺ)卫星影像4个波段上的光谱特征，并由此探讨了它们在光谱特征上的可分性。研究发现，除道路在光谱特征上与居民地差异不大而难以完全分开外，其它背影地物均可以依据各波段亮度值的大小关系或适当的阈值与居民地分开。但道路和居民地在形状上存在明显差异，因此可以利用形状指数的差异加以去除。最后分析建立了基于光谱特征和形状特征的简单决策树模型，对研究区域居民地信息进行了提取并对结果进行了精度评价。结果表明，该方法的总体提取效果较好，特别是对于面积大于10000m^2的城镇和集村。其提取精度与通常的监督分类方法相比有了很大的提高，只是在水际交界处和道路两侧有误判现象。因此，利用该模型可以将背景地物类型复杂的江南地区的城镇和集村居民地自动提取出来，并且模型受时相影响较小，只是在域值大小上会存在一些差异。     

云南漾弓江流域城乡聚落形态信息提取与分形分析

利用 1996年 2月和 1999年 11月的TM影像 ,通过对漾弓江流域的遥感影像的光谱特征分析 ,建立地物光谱模型 ,提取区域城乡聚落的时空分布信息。在此基础上 ,根据分形几何理论计算漾弓江流域城乡聚落不同时段空间形态的分形维数 ,从其变化分析流域内聚落空间形态的特征。结果表明 ,欠发达地区城乡聚落空间形态具有分形现象 ,并且城市与农村集镇的分形维数变化不一致 ,1996年丽江地震和 1998年大丽线的开通加速了丽江城和鹤庆城的发展 ,使其形态趋于复杂、不稳定性增大。     

Time series analysis of vegetation-cover response to environmental factors and residential development in a dryland region

Land-use changes as a result of residential development often lead to degradation and alter vegetation cover (VC). Although these are worldwide phenomena, sufficient knowledge about anthropogenic effects caused by various populated areas in dryland ecosystems is lacking. This study explored anthropogenic development in rural areas and its effects on the conservation of protected areas in drylands, focusing on the change in VC, the reasons, extent, and the drivers of change. We propose a novel framework for exploring VC change (VCC) as a function of environmental and human-driven factors including different types of populated areas in drylands. As a case study, we used a 30-year time series of Landsat satellite images over the arid region of Israel to analyze spatiotemporal VCC. The temporal analysis involved the Contextual Mann-Kendall significance test and spatial analysis to model clustering of VCC. A Gradient Boosted Regression machine learning algorithm was applied to study the relative influence of environmental and human-driven factors on VCC. In addition, we used ANOVA to examine differences between the effects of three types of populated areas on the spatiotemporal trends of VC. The results show that the most influential environmental variable on VCC was elevation (relative contribution of 17%), followed by slope (14.8%) and distance from populated areas (14.6%). Moreover, different types of populated areas affected VC differently with varying distances from residential centroids. The nature reserves increased VC positively and significantly, while livestock settlements had a negative effect. Change in vegetation was mostly confined to the stream network and occurred in lower elevations. The study demonstrates how different land-use practices alter the landscape in terms of VC and differ in their extents, patterns, and effects. With the expected growth in population and residential development worldwide, the proposed framework may assist conservation managements and policy makers in minimizing environmental degradation in drylands.     

近年来升金湖自然保护区土地利用空间格局变化特征分析

根据1995、2000、2005、2009、2013年Landsat影像,利用监督分类方法（平行六面体、最大似然、最小距离、马氏距离）进行解译,利用高分一号影像对不同解译方法进行评价,确定最优解译方法。利用最优解译方法解译得到升金湖保护区5个时期的土地利用图。在此基础上利用ArcGIS景观格局分析工具,通过分析其水域面积、图斑数、破碎度等要素,得出不同时期的土地利用和景观格局变化。土地利用变化是自然因素和人为因素综合作用的结果,利用对近20年土地利用空间格局变化特征分析的研究,为区域土地利用开发和资源的可持续发展提供依据。     

The map of Jerusalem (1538) by Hermanus Borculus and its copies - a carto-genealogical study

A proper characterization of land-use types is critical for constructing generalization constraints to guide and control landuse data generalization. This paper focused on identification and utilization of their importance based upon land-use distributions and application themes. First, this importance was identified using a three-step method that links a diversity index, a multiple attribute decision model and a spatial association analysis. Second, with the importance, a mathematical function was designed to determine minimum area thresholds of land-use polygons as an example of generalization constraints. Third, the importance was used to assist in the selection of generalization operators and evaluation of generalization outcomes. Fourth, a land-use dataset at 1:10 000, describing the land use of a typical rural area in Hubei province of China, was generalized towards a 1:50 000 dataset to verify the effects of the presented method and function. Three additional tests were implemented to analyze the sensitivity of the importance of land-use types on setting the minimum area threshold and generalization operations. The outcome showed that the proposed methods and functions make land-use data generalization more adaptable for in-use datasets and applications.     

基于RS-GIS的登革热空间分布模型研究

采用RS与GIS技术手段相结合的研究方法,探索登革热的空间分布机制,为登革热的宏观防治工作提供科学客观的依据.研究表明对于广州市各区,影响登革热空间分布的主要因子是人口密度,以及"人蚊交互地带"的覆盖率.脱离了人口的分布,媒介伊蚊密度对于调查登革热分布状况的本身是毫无意义的;改进后的模型与简单线性回归模型具有较高的拟合度.将RS与GIS技术应用于登革热空间分布研究中是可行的,并能客观、真实地反映登革热的空间分布机制.     

A spatially explicit modeling approach to explore scenarios of sustainable agriculture futures

The transition to agricultural sustainability involves difficult choices and an understanding of the complex trade-offs associated with agricultural activities. Decision support tools and techniques assist in making the informed decisions for a transition to sustainable agriculture. Georgia Basin — Quite Useful Ecosystem Scenario Tool (GB-QUEST) is a computer-based, user-friendly tool that has been developed to look at the future sustainability scenarios of the Georgia Basin in British Columbia. The objective of this paper is to describe the agricultural model that has been developed for implementation in GB-QUEST. We present its framework, spatial methodology for land-use simulation, and the initial results of its application. The agriculture model is a spatial model that examines the social, economic and environmental consequences of user-defined agricultural development strategies. The model simulates changes in the Georgia Basin from the year 2000 to 2040 in decadal steps. User choices of local and global development factors, along with their "worldview" choices, are important inputs in the model that determine the effects on environmental and socio-economic systems. The model has two components — Generation of land-use scenarios, and Development of Indicator models. The first component uses cell-based spatial algorithms to simulate likely changes/conversions in land-use up to the year 2040. The approach used here integrates the functionality of Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) and Cellular Automata (CA) techniques in order to simulate the land-use conversions. It uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques for creating, storing and deriving the data sets required for the model. The second component develops the indicator models for relating scenario variables to socio-economic and environmental variables such as physical and economic yields, economic operation costs and nutrient surplus per unit area. These indicator models are used to evaluate land-use scenarios generated by the users. The model encourages understanding of sustainability, by allowing one to explore different possible scenarios of the future for their environmental and socio-economic consequences.     

Morphological similarities between DBM and a microeconomic model of sprawl

We present a model that simulates the growth of a metropolitan area on a 2D lattice. The model is dynamic and based on microeconomics. Households show preferences for nearby open spaces and neighbourhood density. They compete on the land market. They travel along a road network to access the CBD. A planner ensures the connectedness and maintenance of the road network. The spatial pattern of houses, green spaces and road network self-organises, emerging from agents individualistic decisions. We perform several simulations and vary residential preferences. Our results show morphologies and transition phases that are similar to Dieletric Breakdown Models (DBM). Such similarities were observed earlier by other authors, but we show here that it can be deducted from the functioning of the land market and thus explicitly connected to urban economic theory.     

新疆地区鸟类和哺乳动物丰富度与环境因子的空间格局与关系

干旱区生态系统极易受到气候及土地利用变化的影响,其生物多样性格局及其形成机制是重要的生态学问题。基于新疆地区鸟类及哺乳动物物种多样性数据,结合气候、地形和长时间序列的植被遥感参数产品FAPAR数据等,主要在不同的土地利用类型及海拔带上采用单因子相关分析方法探讨了物种丰富度格局的形成机制。总体来说,不同生境类型中,植被遥感参数因子(DHI、NDVI等)与两种类群物种丰富度分布的相关性强于与气候因子(温度、降水)的相关性。具体而言,植被遥感参数因子中,基于FAPAR的生境指数因子与丰富度的相关性大于基于植被指数的因子(DHI_cumNDVI_cumEVI_cum);气候因子中,在草地生境或者较低的海拔上,年均降水因子对于丰富度分布的解释力强于年均温度因子。这表明在新疆地区,影响鸟类与哺乳类动物物种丰富度分布的主导理论是生境异质性假说与环境稳定性假说,其解释力在多种生境内均强于生产力与环境热量。     

陕北黄土高原土地类型区域分异规律遥感分析

陕北黄土高原地形破碎、交通不便、土地利用不合理、水土流失严重、生态环境脆弱。为了扭转这种局面,必须查清区内土地资源的类型及其分布状况,以便合理地评价和利用土地资源,改善当地的经济状况和生态环境。 本文以陕北11个县(市)为例,对利用TM图像进行1:10万土地类型遥感调查与制图的工作方法和程序进行了讨论,对区内土地类型区域分异因素和分异规律进行了分析,并在此基础上,提出了土地类型分区及分区治理措施的建议。     

A statistical model for spatial patterns of Buruli ulcer in the Amansie West district,Ghana

Buruli ulcer (BU), a skin ulceration caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans (MU), is the second most widespread mycobacterium infection in Ghana. Its infection pathway is possibly related to the potable and agricultural water supply. This study aims to identify environmental factors that influence infection in a part of Ghana. It examines the significance of contaminated surface drainage channels and groundwater using conditional autoregressive (CAR) statistical modelling. This type of modelling implies that the spatial pattern of BU incidence in one community depends on the influence of the environment in neighbouring communities. Covariates were included to assess the spatial relationship between environmental risk factors and BU incidence in the study area. The study reveals an association between (a) the mean As content of soil and spatial distribution of BU and (b) the distance to sites of gold mining and spatial distribution of BU. We conclude that both arsenic in the natural environment and gold mining influence BU infection.     

Land-use and land tenure explain spatial and temporal patterns in terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP) in Southern Africa

Net primary productivity (NPP) is an important indicator of ecosystem health and its estimation and understanding of factors determining its spatial and temporal variations is critical. It is important to note that biophysical factors and human induced factors are interlinked in determining NPP patterns. Nevertheless, it is difficult to consider some aspects of human management systems in relation to NPP variations on a global scale analysis than on a local scale analysis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that, at the local scale, particularly in highly intensive systems, land-use/land tenure types influence NPP variations by altering the biophysical conditions of the land. We estimated NPP between 2000 and 2009 using MODIS data and used ANOVA to test the abovementioned hypotheses. Results showed that NPP significantly (p < 0.05) varied by land-use/land tenure type. We also found that biophysical factors remained essential in explaining NPP variations even at local scales. These results exhibit the intricacies that exist between the biophysical and human-induced factors in explaining NPP variations within ecological landscapes.     

PALSAR和ASARPSI显著地表沉降探测与分析

永久散射体雷达干涉(PSI)已被广泛应用于城市缓慢沉降监测,但针对显著性地表沉降监测及PSI适用性的探讨较少。本文选取天津市与廊坊市城郊结合部的典型工业化城镇为研究区,分别以2007至2010年间的23幅L波段(23.6 cm)ALOS PALSAR影像和2007至2009年间的23幅C波段(5.6 cm)ENVISAT ASAR影像为数据源,使用基于相位空间相关性分析的PSI方法进行时空沉降提取,并对两个平台的结果进行对比分析和交叉验证。在此基础上,结合长短波SAR对沉降敏感性不同的特征探讨该PSI方法应用于显著沉降解算的可靠性,并结合地质条件及地下水开采信息对实验区沉降的时空分布进行深入分析和解释。研究表明,两平台的沉降结果十分吻合,在沉降漏斗区二者均方根误差(RMSE)为6.5 mm/a;实验区地表沉降呈现出显著的非均匀性,最大沉降速率超过200 mm/a,造成严重沉降的主要原因为地下水的大量开采;证实了PSI方法在显著地表沉降监测方面的有效性和可靠性。     

Building population mapping with aerial imagery and GIS data

Geospatial distribution of population at a scale of individual buildings is needed for analysis of people's interaction with their local socio-economic and physical environments. High resolution aerial images are capable of capturing urban complexities and considered as a potential source for mapping urban features at this fine scale. This paper studies population mapping for individual buildings by using aerial imagery and other geographic data. Building footprints and heights are first determined from aerial images, digital terrain and surface models. City zoning maps allow the classification of the buildings as residential and non-residential. The use of additional ancillary geographic data further filters residential utility buildings out of the residential area and identifies houses and apartments. In the final step, census block population, which is publicly available from the U.S. Census, is disaggregated and mapped to individual residential buildings. This paper proposes a modified building population mapping model that takes into account the effects of different types of residential buildings. Detailed steps are described that lead to the identification of residential buildings from imagery and other GIS data layers. Estimated building populations are evaluated per census block with reference to the known census records. This paper presents and evaluates the results of building population mapping in areas of West Lafayette, Lafayette, and Wea Township, all in the state of Indiana, USA.     

Assessing land-use and carbon stock in slash-and-burn ecosystems in tropical mountain of Laos based on time-series satellite images

In the tropical mountains of Southeast Asia, slash-and-burn (S/B) agriculture is a widely practiced and important food production system. The ecosystem carbon stock in this land-use is linked not only to the carbon exchange with the atmosphere but also with food and resource security. The objective of this study was to provide quantitative information on the land-use and ecosystem carbon stock in the region as well as to infer the impacts of alternative land-use and ecosystem management scenarios on the carbon sequestration potential at a regional scale. The study area was selected in a typical slash-and-burn region in the northern part of Laos. The chrono-sequential changes of land-use such as the relative areas of community age and cropping (C) + fallow (F) patterns were derived from the analysis of time-series satellite images. The chrono-sequential analysis showed that a consistent increase of S/B area during the past three decades and a rapid increase after 1990. Approximately 37% of the whole area was with the community age of 1–5 years, whereas 10% for 6–10 years in 2004. The ecosystem carbon stock at a regional scale was estimated by synthesizing the land-use patterns and semi-empirical carbon stock model derived from in situ measurements where the community age was used as a clue to the linkage. The ecosystem carbon stock in the region was strongly affected by the land-use patterns; the temporal average of carbon stock in 1C + 10F cycles, for example, was greater by 33 MgC ha⁻¹ compared to that in 1C + 2F land-use pattern. The amount of carbon lost from the regional ecosystems during 1990–2004 periods was estimated to be 42 MgC ha⁻¹. The study approach proved to be useful especially in such regions with low data-availability and accessibility. This study revealed the dynamic change of land-use and ecosystem carbon stock in the tropical mountain of Laos as affected by land-use. Results suggest the significant potential of carbon sequestration through changing land-use and ecosystem management scenarios. These quantitative estimates would be useful to better understand and manage the land-use and ecosystem carbon stock towards higher sustainability and food security in similar ecosystems.