Large bio-geographical shifts in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean: From the subpolar gyre, via plankton, to blue whiting and pilot whales

Pronounced changes in fauna, extending from the English Channel in the south to the Barents Sea in the north-east and off Greenland in the north-west, have occurred in the late 1920s, the late 1960s and again in the late 1990s. We attribute these events to exchanges of subarctic and subtropical water masses in the north-eastern North Atlantic Ocean, associated with changes in the strength and extent of the subpolar gyre. These exchanges lead to variations in the influence exerted by the subarctic or Lusitanian biomes on the intermediate faunistic zone in the north-eastern Atlantic. This strong and persistent bottom-up bio-physical link is demonstrated using a numerical ocean general circulation model and data on four trophically connected levels in the food chain – phytoplankton, zooplankton, blue whiting, and pilot whales. The plankton data give a unique basin-scale depiction of these changes, and a long pilot whale record from the Faroe Islands offers an exceptional temporal perspective over three centuries. Recent advances in simulating the dynamics of the subpolar gyre suggests a potential for predicting the distribution of the main faunistic zones in the north-eastern Atlantic a few years into the future, which might facilitate a more rational management of the commercially important fisheries in this region.     

GeoSurveillance: a GIS-based system for the detection and monitoring of spatial clusters

This article introduces a software package named GeoSurveillance that combines spatial statistical techniques and GIS routines to perform tests for the detection and monitoring of spatial clustering. GeoSurveillance provides both retrospective and prospective tests. While retrospective tests are applied to spatial data collected for a particular point in time, prospective tests attempt to incorporate the dynamic nature of spatial patterns via analyzing time-series data to detect emergent clusters as quickly as possible. This article will outline the structure of GeoSurveillance as well as describe the statistical cluster detection methods implemented in the software. It concludes with an illustration of the use of the software to analyze the spatial pattern of low birth weights in Los Angeles County, California.      

京杭大运河保护地理信息系统建设研究

京杭大运河是独特的超大型文化遗产,其保护工作面临着复杂的形势和问题,需要新的理论方法和技术手段支持。以地理信息系统（GIS）,遥感（RS）,全球定位系统（GPS）为核心的空间信息技术在空间信息获取、处理、管理和分析上有着强大的优势。本文根据空间信息科学和文化遗产保护理论,结合京杭大运河保护实际业务需求,探讨了基于空间信息技术的京杭大运河保护地理信息系统的建设思路和建设方法,设计和开发了京杭大运河保护地理信息系统并实际应用于京杭大运河历史文化环境保护工作中,产生了一系列专题研究成果。结果表明：空间信息技术可以为大运河保护提供强有力的技术支持和可靠保障。     

使用Python函数式编程进行空间回归分析

针对使用传统的编程方式进行空间回归分析过于繁杂的问题,本文提出将Python函数式编程引入空间回归分析方法,分析和探讨脚本语言＋函数式编程方式在GIS数据分析中的推广应用前景。编程实践证明,采用Python函数式编程,结合既有的开源软件包,可以有效提高编程效率,减少代码量,将实践人员的注意力集中在问题本身。     

Developing a building policy for the erosion zone: Solutions to some key (Dutch) questions

In those coastal communities where the most seaward strip of mainland consists of dunes, these dunes often serve as a flexible sea defence. In addition, this strip offers large potential for housing and commercial enterprises. Unfortunately, due to severe storm surges part of this strip (the erosion zone) is subject to erosion, and as a result of which any buildings or infrastructure located here, are destroyed. Therefore, as we will illustrate in this paper, a building policy for this zone should reflect a compromise between two opposite interests: exploitation of the existing potential and, prevention of an unacceptable high risk due to erosion. Accordingly, the authors have developed a framework for such a building policy on the basis of which the desirability of various different types of investments and the location within the erosion zone of such investments can be determined. The examples that are used to illustrate this framework in this paper are limited to experiences in The Netherlands as relevant data and experiences are available and relatively easy accessible here. Nevertheless, the approach as is described is generic and applicable worldwide suggesting that the discovered unused potential for exploitation is not just limited to The Netherlands.     

Spatial policy and the behavior of fishermen

Fishery policy makers would often benefit from information on how a policy might change fishermen behavior before the policy is implemented. This paper contributes to the literature by comparing simulated behavioral response with actual response to a spatial policy using a discrete choice model of fishing location choice. The results point to the inherent problem of the simulation's inability to capture the fundamental change in the nature of the choice problem that occurs with the change in policy. Addressing this problem will be important as these models continue to be used to inform policy makers.     

Mapping fisheries in the German exclusive economic zone with special reference to offshore Natura 2000 sites

Large intensity and diversity of human activities result in an increase in complexity in the utilization of space. This paper describes the fisheries and a method to map fishing efforts and catches of different fleets by combining vessel monitoring system (VMS) data and logbook data. The method makes it possible to explore the spatial and temporal variability of fishing and the potential impacts of proposed management measures on the fisheries. The method is proposed to be used in the development of management plans for marine protected areas such as Natura 2000 sites, designated to protect vulnerable habitats and species.     

Scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz—First clues about their spatial and temporal distribution

This paper presents the first compilation of information on the spatial distribution of scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz based on literature research and own observations (video footage, sediment samples). Scleractinian cold-water corals are widely distributed along the Spanish and Moroccan margins in the Gulf of Cádiz, where they are mainly associated with mud volcanoes, diapiric ridges, steep fault escarpments, and coral mounds. Dendrophyllia cornigera, Dendrophyllia alternata, Eguchipsammia cornucopia, Madrepora oculata and Lophelia pertusa are the most abundant reef-forming species. Today, they are almost solely present as isolated patches of fossil coral and coral rubble. The absence of living scleractinian corals is likely related to a reduced food supply caused by low productivity and diminished tidal effects. In contrast, during the past 48 kyr scleractinian corals were abundant in the Gulf of Cádiz, although their occurrence demonstrates no relationship with main climatic or oceanographic changes. Nevertheless, there exists a conspicuous relationship when the main species are considered separately. Dendrophylliids are associated with periods of relatively stable and warm conditions. The occurrence of L. pertusa mainly clusters within the last glacial when bottom current strength in the Gulf of Cádiz was enhanced and long-term stable conditions existed in terms of temperature. Madrepora oculata shows a higher tolerance to abrupt environmental changes.     

Distribution and spatial variation of hydrothermal faunal assemblages at Lucky Strike (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) revealed by high-resolution video image analysis

Whilst the fauna inhabiting hydrothermal vent structures in the Atlantic Ocean is reasonably well known, less is understood about the spatial distributions of the fauna in relation to abiotic and biotic factors. In this study, a major active hydrothermal edifice (Eiffel Tower, at 1690 m depth) on the Lucky Strike vent field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR)) was investigated. Video transects were carried out by ROV Victor 6000 and complete image coverage was acquired. Four distinct assemblages, ranging from dense larger-sized Bathymodiolus mussel beds to smaller-sized mussel clumps and alvinocaridid shrimps, and two types of substrata were defined based on high definition photographs and video imagery. To evaluate spatial variation, faunal distribution was mapped in three dimensions. A high degree of patchiness characterizes this 11 m high sulfide structure. The differences observed in assemblage and substratum distribution were related to habitat characteristics (fluid exits, depth and structure orientation). Gradients in community structure were observed, which coincided with an increasing distance from the fluid exits. A biological zonation model for the Eiffel Tower edifice was created in which faunal composition and distribution can be visually explained by the presence/absence of fluid exits.     

基于Oracle Spatial的空间数据库缓存的关键技术

Oracle Spatial是目前发展得比较成熟的对象关系型空间数据库存储模型,它实现了空间数据与属性数据的一体化存储,可以定义特定的数据类型,具有开放的存储格式,为GIS数据共享提供新的解决方案;但由于其采用扩展结构的空间数据库模型,对空间数据进行间接存取,数据存储和获取的效率较低。本文在阐述了扩展结构空间数据库模型的优势和局限性的基础上,提出采用缓存技术来提高数据访问效率,重点研究了空间数据库客户端缓存的关键技术,包括缓存实现机制、数据编码方法、数据一致性控制等,并给出实验对比数据,证明了空间数据缓存技术对空间数据尤其是大数据量空间数据的读取上所取得的成效。最后,本文指出了这一技术尚存在的问题及初步解决思路。