Small towns resisting urban decay through residential attractiveness. Findings from Denmark

Small towns are often considered as losing out in the current trend towards urban development. However, research from around Europe shows a great diversity of small town development, including successful development trajectories despite geographical disadvantages. Investigations into this are predominately done in the context of economic development and urban systems, but such approaches fail to explain why a number of small towns that are not centrally located near a metropolitan region are not in decay. This paper examines how the restructuring of retail and service sectors, demographic composition, residential migration, social organisation and community engagement form and affect small town (1000–5000 inhabitants) development patterns in Denmark and specific place-based endowments. The study is carried out with mixed methods, comprising a quantitative analysis of development trends, complemented by qualitative case studies in six small towns. Our findings show how favourable development paths are a combination of a positive development in population, provision of daily commodities and attractive housing, and a high number of local voluntary social organisations. Introducing the concept of ‘residential urbanism’, the paper discusses the extent to which a residentially driven urban development can compensate for the generally unfavourable regional development context.     

Identifying soft sediments at sea using GIS-modelled predictor variables and Sediment Profile Image (SPI) measured response variables

Macrofauna composition and diversity in soft sediments are commonly used as “health indicators” in various pollution monitoring programmes worldwide. Hence, finding a modelling method for predicting the presence of soft sediments and enable production of digital maps of where soft sediments are likely to be found would be valuable for developing a cost-effective sampling design. This study presents a first-generation model that can predict where to find soft sediments in coastal areas with a complex topography and a mosaic of seabed habitat types. We used geophysical data that were quantitative, objectively defined (through GIS modelling) and integrated over time. We analysed, using a Generalised Additive Model (GAM) and the model-selection approach Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the influence of in-situ measured depth and GIS-modelled terrain structures, wave exposure and current speed on the distribution of soft sediment measured using a Sediment Profile Image (SPI) camera. Our analyses showed that the probability of finding soft sediment was best determined by depth, terrain curvature and median current speed at the seafloor. These predictors were used to develop a spatial predictive GIS-model/-map (for parts of Skagerrak, Norway, with a spatial resolution of 25 m × 25 m) of the probability of soft seabed occurrence.     

Rapid physicochemical changes in the high Arctic Lake Kongressvatn caused by recent climate change

High Arctic lakes are among the most sensitive ecosystems and climate change strongly affects their physical properties, especially water temperature, and mixing processes. To study the effect of recent climate change on such a lake in the Arctic environment, we measured water chemistry and temperature from 2005 to 2010 in Kongressvatn, a crenogenic meromictic lake in Spitsbergen (Svalbard). In addition, we monitored water column temperatures during two consecutive years and compared them to regional air temperature data and physicochemical lake data from 1962 and 1968, two relatively cold years. Summer surface water temperature was highly correlated to air temperature, and both have increased by approximately 2°C since 1962. Temperature monitoring during 2?years showed that the warm summer of 2007 resulted in increased water temperatures even in the stratified, denser hypolimnion. Our water chemistry measurements showed that the chemocline position in 2005?C2010 was ca 12?m deeper than in 1962?C1968, and a second, weaker, chemocline appeared at metalimnetic depths of 7?C15?m. During the study period, the water level decreased by 4?m, and this change accelerated between 2008 and 2010. Our data support the hypothesis that water temperatures and stratification patterns are changing rapidly with air temperature, but changes in the catchment, such as glacial retreat and permafrost melting, may have an even stronger impact on lake properties.     

Landslide and Tsunami 21 November 2000 in Paatuut,West Greenland

A large landslide occurred November 21, 2000 at Paatuut, facing the Vaigat Strait onthe west coast of Greenland. 90 million m³ (260 million tons) of mainly basalticmaterial slid very rapidly (average velocity 140 km/h) down from 1,000–1,400 maltitude. Approximately 30 million m³ (87 million tons) entered the sea, creatinga tsunami with an run-up height of 50 m close to the landslide and 28 m at Qullissat,an abandoned mining town opposite Paatuut across the 20 km wide Vaigat strait. Theevent was recorded seismically, allowing the duration of the slide to be estimated tocirca 80 s and also allowing an estimate of the surface-wave magnitude of the slideof 2.3. Terrain models based on stereographic photographs before and after the slidemade it possible to determine the amount of material removed, and the manner ofre-deposition. Simple calculations of the tsunami travel times are in good correspondencewith the reports from the closest populated village, Saqqaq, 40 km from Paatuut, whererefracted energy from the tsunami destroyed a number of boats. Landslides are notuncommon in the area, due to the geology with dense basaltic rocks overlying poorlyconsolidated sedimentary rocks, but the size of the Paatuut slide is unusual. Based onthe observations it is likely at least 500 years since an event with a tsunami of similarproportions occurred. The triggering of the Paatuut slide is interpreted to be caused byweather conditions in the days prior to the slide, where re-freezing melt water inpre-existing cracks could have caused failure of the steep mountain side.