Places of the Holocaust: Towards a model of GIS of place

Progress toward developing a GIS of place can only follow from an understanding of what place is, and this understanding draws on geographical theory. Here—following Agnew, Tuan, and others—we consider place as being made up of three components—location, locale, and sense of place—which are recognizable at multiple scales and vary historically as a product of social and political processes. Using the testimonies of two survivors of the Holocaust, we sketch the components of a model for a GIS of place that allows for this theory of place to be visualized and analyzed. The model is, crucially, both multi‐scalar and sensitive to uncertainty, as a GIS of place needs to be able to zoom in and out of the different scales at which place is experienced, as well as capture both uncertain data and uncertainty as data. We see potential in the representations proposed for scaling up from the anecdotal to the general in the sense that any narrative can be grouped and classified according to places and scales as shown here. The challenge in developing a GIS of place along the lines we propose here is to design a new set of functionalities that can do so.     

Study of the macrophyte assemblages and application of phytobenthic indices to assess the Ecological Status of the Marano‐Grado Lagoon (Italy)

Benthic macrophytes from 19 sites within the Marano‐Grado Lagoon were sampled in July 2007 in order to update the available information on the flora and vegetation and to assess the Ecological Status (ES) within the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Data on macrophytes were analysed using two phytobenthic indices (EEI and R‐MaQI) recently set up to evaluate the ecological status of transitional environments in the Mediterranean eco‐region. Notwithstanding the extension (c. 160 km²) that places this lagoon as the second largest Italian transitional environment, ecological studies are relatively few. The present research revealed a relatively poor flora, mainly characterized by the dominance of low‐diversity settlements of Ulvaceae. Moreover, the absence of intensive aquaculture activities and commercial big harbours, which account for the new species introductions recorded in other lagoons, limits the presence of non‐autochthonous species. The comparison with previous data ( Curiel et al. 1998 ) highlighted the reduction of macrophyte coverage and biomass, especially Ulvaceae stands, and an increase in species richness. In particular, there was evidence of a worsening of the area north of the Grado bridge. This area, which in the past was colonized by widespread angiosperm coverage, at present is almost lacking in vegetation. According to these observations, by applying both the phytobenthic indices available in the literature for the transitional environments, the Marano‐Grado Lagoon showed a ‘Good–High’ quality in the central part of the basin and near the lagoon inlets and a ‘Poor–Bad’ quality in the northern and southern areas. The evaluation of some physico‐chemical parameters, coupled with the distribution of the angiosperms, also allowed a first delineation of the main lagoon water bodies.     

An individual-based population dynamic model for estimating biomass yield and nutrient fluxes through an off-shore mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) farm

The fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus through an off-shore long-line Mytilus galloprovincialis farm during a typical rearing cycle were estimated by combining a simple population dynamic model, based on a new individual model, and a set of field data, concerning the composition of the seston, as well as that of mussel meat and faeces. The individual model, based on an energy budget, was validated against a set of original field data, which were purposely collected from July 2006 to May 2007 in the North-Western Adriatic Sea (Italy) and was further tested using historical data. The model was upscaled to the population level by means of a set of Monte Carlo simulations, which were used for estimating the size structure of the population. The daily fluxes of C, N and P associated with mussel filtration, excretion and faeces and pseudo-faeces production were integrated over the 10-month-long rearing cycle and compared with the total amount of C, N and P removed by harvesting. The results indicate that the individual model compares well with an existing literature model and provides reliable estimations of the growth of mussel specimen over a range of trophic conditions which are typical of the Northern Adriatic Sea coastal area. The results of the budget calculation indicate that, even though the harvest represents a net removal of phosphorus and nitrogen from the ecosystem, the mussel farm increases the retention time of both nutrients in the coastal area, via the deposition of faeces and pseudo-faeces on the sea-bed. In fact, the amount of nitrogen associated with deposition is approximately twice the harvested one and the amount of phosphorus is approximately five times higher. These findings are in qualitative agreement with the results of literature budget and model calculations carried out in a temperate coastal embayment. This agreement suggests that the proper assessment of the overall effect of long-line mussel farming on both the benthic and pelagic ecosystem asks for an integrated modelling approach, which should include the dynamic of early diagenesis processes, as well as of that of nutrients released from the surface sediment.     

Dripping into unsaturated rock underground excavations—literature review and geologic and hydrogeologic setting description

A literature review of dripping in underground constructions in deep, unsaturated geologic media was performed as part of a phased study. The objective is to develop and test a formulation that can be used for studying unsaturated flow through rough multi-segmented fractures, with emphasis on predicting dripping initiation time. Geologic and hydrogeologic setting for the Yucca Mountain (YM) and its exploratory studies facility, which is the site where the model will be tested, are described.     

Viscosity of a Teide phonolite in the welding interval

The viscosity of a natural phonolitic composition with variable amounts of H₂O has been experimentally determined. The starting materials were crystal-free phonolitic glasses from Montaña Blanca, situated within the Las Cañadas caldera of Teide. Dry phonolitic melt viscosities were determined using concentric cylinder viscometry in the low viscosity range. The glassy quench products of these runs were then hydrated by high pressure synthesis in a piston–cylinder apparatus to generate a suite of samples with water contents ranging from 0.02 to 3.75 wt%. Samples thus hydrated were quenched rapidly and prepared (cut and polished) for the determination of water contents by infrared spectroscopy before and after experimental viscometry. The viscosities of the melts (dry and hydrated) were determined at 1 bar using a micropenetration technique. Samples were stable under the measurement conditions up to 3.75 wt% H₂O. Homogeneity of water content was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy and total water contents were calculated using absorptivity coefficients for compositions extremely close to that investigated here. The variation of viscosity as a function of water content and temperature can be described in the high viscosity interval of relevance to many welding processes by the non-Arrhenian expression:

(1)

log₁₀ η=−5.900−0.286 ln (H₂O)+(10775.4−394.8(H₂O))/(T−148.7+21.65 ln (H₂O))

whereas the high viscosity range alone is adequately described by the Arrhenian expression

(2)

log₁₀ η=−10.622−0.738 ln (H₂O)+(17114.3−590.4(H₂O))×1/T

where η is the viscosity in Pa s, H₂O is the water content in wt% and T is the temperature in K.These results are particularly useful for the scaling of conditions extant during the welding of phonolitic products of Montaña Blanca. The welding of glassy phonolitic rocks is enhanced by the lower viscosity of these melts with respect to calcalkaline rhyolites. The ratio of viscosities of phonolitic to calcalkaline rhyolitic melts is a complex function of temperature and water content and reaches up to 10^4.5 at 0.1 wt% H₂O and 500°C. Abundant evidence of welding and remobilisation of pyroclastic and spatter products of Teide system volcanism are consistent with these experimental observations.     

Luminescence dating of Late Pleistocene faults as evidence of uplift and active tectonics in Sardinia,W Mediterranean

Precise dating of the activity of Late Pleistocene to Holocene neo‐tectonic structures is crucial to quantify the rate of deformation in low‐seismicity regions. Sardinia is a relatively stable continental fragment set in the middle of the tectonically active Western Mediterranean belt. This paper provides evidences of significant uplift of northwest Sardinia that support an ongoing tectonic activity since the Marine Isotopic Stage 7 (MIS 7; ca. 220 ka). In particular, it documents for the first time Late Pleistocene to Holocene tectonics based on luminescence dating of travertine sealing a major NNE‐SSW fault.     

Seasonal nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics during benthic clam and suspended mussel cultivation

Effects of suspended mussel and infaunal clam cultivation on sediment characteristics, and benthic organic and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes were compared in a shallow coastal lagoon. The two species had different impacts on sediment features, but both created “hotspots” of nutrient fluxes with annual N and P regeneration rates being 4.9 and 13.5 (mussel) and 4.5 and 14.9 (clams) fold greater than those of unfarmed control sediments. Mussel farming also caused considerable nutrient regeneration within the water column with the mussel ropes contributing ∼25% of total inorganic N and P production and at times dominating the sediments (e.g. 95% of SRP production in summer and 45% of DIN production in winter). Such nutrient regeneration rates seriously question the proposal that suspension-feeding bivalves act as a eutrophication buffer, especially during summer when nutrient regeneration rates are maximal, but other nutrient sources (freshwater run-off and unfarmed sediments) are at their lowest.