The Upper Middle Rhine Valley as a risk area

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley, granted the status of a World Heritage site, is well known for its unique inner narrow valley of Quaternary age with its historical legacy of numerous medieval castles and old towns. Less known is that this has always been a risk area of floods and gravitative mass movements. Up to the recent past, mainly ice floods caused enormous damage. The inhabitants of the valley were well aware that they lived in a risk area, but they had learned to handle the flood hazard. With the demise of ice floods over the last 40 years, due to climate change and because of the additional heating of the river water by power plants, the awareness of flood hazards has been much diminished, in contrast to that of potential damage by rockfalls and landslides which were also much feared in the past, though at the local level only. Still in the people’s memory is the Kaub catastrophe of March 10, 1876, when 28 persons were killed by a landslide. Nowadays, even minor rockfalls are a major threat, as they will affect the much-used traffic lines on both banks of the river, in particular the railroads. Therefore, since 2002, on behalf of German Rail (Deutsche Bahn, DB), all problematic slopes have been protected by costly steel-ring nets, although they are an aesthetic problem by UNESCO standards. The feeling of absolute safety created among the public is only subjective, though, as planners are well aware of. Moreover, the impact of modern climate change on slope stability is nearly unknown. Therefore, it is still necessary to develop a risk map for the narrow valley, with emphasis on gravitational hazards.     

The trade network of the Belt and Road Initiative and its topological relationship to the global trade network

Unimpeded trade is one of the cooperation priorities in the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China. On 15 May 2017, the Joint Communique of the Leaders Roundtable of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation reaffirmed the participants’ shared commitment to build an open economy and ensure free and inclusive trade. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is not only China's new action to drive its open and global development, but also a platform for an increasing number of countries to explore free and inclusive trade and promote a universal, rule-based, open, non-discriminatory, and equitable multilateral trade system. It is therefore important to examine the topological relationship between the BRI and global trade networks. More specifically, this article first analyzes the community structure of trade networks using a community detection algorithm, and then estimates the topological relationship between different trade communities. The findings of this article are as follows. First, this research identified three trade communities and two sub-communities in the BRI trade network, in which China is the core, Russia is the sub-core of the biggest trade community, and India, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia are cores of the second trade community (South Asia-West Asia). Second, it identified five trade communities in the global trade network, centred on China, USA, Russia, India-United Arab Emirates, and Germany- Netherlands-France-Britain and other European developed countries. Third, the topological analysis indicated that in the global trade network, most BRI countries are attracted by the core nodes of the BRI regions, such as the China, Russia and India-United Arab Emirates core nodes, and have strong trade contacts with BRI countries. Most Central-East European countries are mainly attracted by Germany-Netherlands-France-Britain and other developed European countries with a low penetration of BRI trade. Although some Southeast Asian countries are incorporated into the Asia-Australia-South Africa community with China as the core, they still need to strengthen trade linkages with BRI countries.     

Potential implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba shells for paleoenvironmental reconstruction in peatlands

Testate amoebae are now commonly used in paleoenvironmental studies but little is known of their taphonomy. There is some experimental evidence for differential preservation of some testate amoeba shell types over others, but it is unclear what, if any impact this has on palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. To investigate this issue we looked at palaeoecological evidence for the preservation of different shell types. We then investigated the possible impact of selective preservation on quantitative palaeoenvironmental inference. We first used existing palaeoecological data sets to assess the vertical patterns of relative abundance in four testate amoeba shell types: (1) shells made of secreted biosilica plates (idiosomes, e.g. Euglypha), (2) idiosomes with thick organic coating (Assulina), (3) proteinaceous shells (e.g. Hyalosphenia), (4) shells built from recycled organic or mineral particles (xenosomes) (e.g. Difflugia, Centropyxis). In three diagrams a clear pattern of decay was only observed for the idiosome type. In order to assess the implications of differential preservation of testate amoeba taxa for paleoenvironmental reconstruction we then carried out simulations using three existing transfer functions and a wide range of scenarios, downweighting different test categories to represent the impact of selective test decomposition. Simulation results showed that downweighting generally reduced overall model performance. However downweighting a shell type only produced a consistent directional bias in inferred water table depth where that shell type is both dominant and shows a clear preference along the ecological gradient. Applying a scenario derived from previous experimental work did not lead to significant difference in inferred water table. Our results show that differential shell preservation has little impact on paleohydrological reconstruction from Sphagnum-dominated peatlands. By contrast, for the minerotrophic peatlands data-set loss of idiosome tests leads to consistent underestimation of water table depth. However there are few studies from fens and it is possible that idiosome tests are not always dominant, and/or that differential decomposition is less marked than in Sphagnum peatlands. Further work is clearly needed to assess the potential of testate amoebae for paleoecological studies of minerotrophic peatlands.     

一种新的客源地集中指数(tourCI)与实证分析

客源地分布的集聚特征是客源市场空间结构研究的重要内容。针对现有客源集中指数不能横向对比及难以解释驱动因素的问题,论文提出了支持引入不同影响因子参数的客源地集中指数“tourCI”计算方法,建立了基于tourCI指数的客源地空间结构解释概念框架,给出tourCI的多维度描述方式和意义解析,以测算不同影响因素下的客源地分布集聚特征。以大理古城位置微博签到提取的客源数据进行实证研究,结果表明：基于政区维度的tourCI反映出云南省内本地客源对大理古城客源分布特征产生了重要影响,省外客源分布相对均衡;基于距离维度的tourCI刻画了大理古城客源分布随目的地距离的变化规律,由近及远呈现“弱—强—弱—均衡”的指数变化模式;经济维度tourCI显示来自一线城市的游客高度集中在经济水平较高地区,来自新一线城市的游客分布相对均衡,其余城市的客源分布受经济影响较大。理论与实证研究证明了tourCI指数对客源地空间结构集聚特征及驱动因素具有较好的解析能力,有助于丰富旅游地理研究的方法体系。     

Identification of the “source” and “sink” patterns influencing non-point source pollution in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Non-point source pollution is one of the primarily ecological issues affecting the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. In this paper, landscape resistance and motivation coefficient, which integrated various landscape elements, such as land use, soil, hydrology, topography, and vegetation, was established based on the effects of large-scale resistance and motivation on the formation of non-point source pollution. In addition, cost models of the landscape resistance and motivation coefficients were constructed based on the distances from the landscape units to the sub-basin outlets in order to identify the “source” and “sink” patterns affecting the formation of non-point source pollution. The results indicated that the changes in the landscape resistance and motivation coefficients of the 16 sub-basins exhibited inverse relationships to their spatial distributions. The landscape resistance and motivation cost curves were more volatile than the landscape resistance and motivation coefficient curves. The landscape resistance and motivation cost trends of the 16 sub-basins became increasingly apparent along the flow of the Yangtze River. The landscape resistance and motivation cost models proposed in this paper could be used to identify large-scale non-point source pollution “source” and “sink” patterns. Moreover, the proposed model could be used to describe the large-scale spatial characteristics of non-point source pollution formation based on “source” and “sink” landscape pattern indices, spatial localization, and landscape resistance and motivation coefficients.     

Automated Segmentation of Resistivity Image Logs Using Wavelet Transform

We describe a wavelet-transform-based method for automated segmentation of resistivity image logs that takes into account the apparent dip in the data and addresses the problem of discriminating lithofacies boundaries from noise and intrafacies variations. Our method can be applied to borehole measurements in general, but might have an advantage when applied to resistivity image logs as it addresses explicitly the large variability in facies segments recorded with a high-resolution multiple-sensor tool. We have developed an algorithm based on this method that might outperform other existing segmentation methods in the cases of low to moderate dip. We made a detailed comparison of the segmentation from our method with the one done by a geologist to delineate different lithofacies blocks in a well drilled in a deepwater depositional environment. Our results show considerable success rates in reproducing the geologically defined lithofacies boundaries, and the generality of our procedure suggests it could also be applied to other depositional environments.     

快速城市化过程中的深圳东部海岸地貌环境与可持续发展

The geomorphological environment is one of the most fundamental variables af-fecting the development of human society.The mission of geomorphological environment research is to explore the most basic environment and features of our Earth’s surface mor-phology.The results can be applied to resource evaluation,environmental protection and reducing and preventing geological disasters.Thus,it can serve to help achieve sustainable development.This paper examines the Shenzhen east coastal zone as a case strongly in-fluenced by urban expansion.We use modern geomorphological theory and methods,along with GIS and RS techniques,to reveal key characteristics of the geomorphological environ-ment and landform classification.Furthermore,coastal ecosystem evaluation and regional resources sustainable utilization should be considered relative to the corresponding geo-morphological environment.Based on this study,we conclude that modern geomorphological theory and methods,supported by "3S" techniques including GIS,RS and GPS,can play an important role in resolving the environment,resources and population problems as well as sustainable development challenges facing humankind at present.     

Relationship Between Land Cover Ratio and Urban Heat Island from Remote Sensing and Automatic Weather Stations Data

Urban heat island (UHI) effect has a close relation to land covers type. This paper investigates the relationship between land cover ratio and UHI in Guangzhou, south of China using remote sensing and automatic weather stations data. The temperature data were obtained by Automatic weather stations (AWS) of Guangzhou in October, 2004, at the same time with the CBERS remote sensing image acquired. Firstly, the hourly mean temperature was computed from hourly AWS data. Secondly, the CBERS remote sensing image was classified using support vector machine (SVM) and land covers classification were output. Thirdly, the classification result was overlapped with a round buffer with 1.5 KM radius centered on the AWS, and then the land cover ratio, Edge Density (ED) and Mean Fractal Dimension (MFRACT) of buffers were computed out. Finally, the correlation coefficient between hourly mean temperature and land cover ratio, ED and MFRACT was calculated. It concluded that UHI intensity was heavier during nighttime than daytime. Stations with higher vegetation ratio and higher ED had lower heat island effect. On the contrary, stations with higher impervious ratio and lower ED had more serious heat island effect. The positive–negative of correlation coefficient between hourly mean temperature and vegetation ratio during 11:00–17:00 h (local time) was opposite to that during other time. ED was negatively correlated with hourly mean temperature except during 11:00–17:00 h. On the contrary, MFRACT was positively correlated with hourly mean temperature. It implied that fragmentations of patches were favorable to UHI alleviation, and complexities of patch were unfavorable factors.     

Temporal and spatial dynamical simulation of groundwater characteristics in Minqin Oasis

Application scope of geostatistics has been gradually extended from original geologic field to soil science and ecological field, etc. and its successful application results have been widely demonstrated. But little information is reported as to the direct use of geostatistical method to work out the distribu- tion map of groundwater characteristics. In this paper the semivariogram of geostatistics, in combina- tion with GIS, was used to quantitatively study the spatial variation characteristics of groundwater table depth and mineralization degree and their relation to the landuse changes. F test of the used spherical model reached a very significant level, and the theoretical model can well reflect the spatial structural characteristics of groundwater table depth and mineralization degree and achieve an ideal result. This shows that the application of the method in the dynamical simulation of groundwater is feasible. And this paper also provides useful reference for the application of geostatistics in the study of the dy- namical variations of groundwater resources in the oasis.     

秦巴山集中连片特困区农户多维贫困测度与影响机理分析——以商洛市为例

中国扶贫瞄准单位已下沉到农户单元,发展和完善农户尺度的多维贫困测度方法是精准配置扶贫资源、提高扶贫效率的关键。通过借鉴“人”“地”和“业”关系理论构建了“能力—资本—环境”多维贫困综合评估框架,以秦巴山特困区商洛为例,通过多维贫困测度体系对农户进行综合测度,识别样本区多维贫困户,进而与建档立卡贫困户进行对比分析,并探讨了多维贫困发生的主要影响机理,最后依据多维贫困户剥夺维度的组合划分不同类型。研究结果表明:① 有245户被识别为多维贫困户,239户被识别为非多维贫困户,多维贫困户与非多维贫困户在能力维度、资本维度和环境维度均存在较大差异;② 有84.08%的多维贫困户与建档立卡贫困户相重叠,多维贫困户在综合维度和单维度的贫困程度均较深;③ 多维贫困发生主要受“人”的发展能力和生产能力、“业”的金融资本、物质资本以及“地”的地理条件和区位的弱势或剥夺的影响;④ 多维贫困户划分为发展缺失型、复合贫困型、生存环境恶劣型和综合贫困型4类。