The accuracy of methods used to estimate the whole-lake accumulation rate of organic carbon, major cations, phosphorus and heavy metals in sediment

The accuracy of three methods used to estimate the whole-lake accumulation rate of chemicals in sediment, the simple mean accumulation rate, regression against water depth and the mean accumulation rate in sedimentation zones, was assessed. The concentrations and accumulation rates of organic carbon, four major cations, phosphorus and four heavy metals in the 1902 to 1988 sediment layer at 43 sites in Kassjön were used and the three methods gave identical results. The accuracy of the simple mean accumulation rate method using 5 or 10 sites was investigated using Monte Carlo simulation and both versions gave accurate results. If the method used the dry sediment accumulation rate at 5 or 10 sites, along with chemical concentration at one central site, then the errors were less than ±10% for five of the chemicals and larger for the others (?20 or 20–40%), although the direction of the bias was predictable. If chemical accumulation rate at the central site only was used to estimate the whole-lake value, the bias increased to 25% for the major cations, 50% for the heavy metals and P, and 85% for organic carbon. Having 43 sites in Kassjön meant that the true whole-lake chemical accumulation rate was known and so the accuracy of the methods and their variants could be assessed for the first time. These findings allow the particulars of the simple mean accumulation rate method to be chosen to suit the accuracy needed for a palaeolimnological investigation.     

地震部门在应急救援演练中应敢于“亮真较劲”

地震应急救援演练是检验应对地震突发事件处置能力的有效途径。如何解决地震应急救援演练中容易出现的"演为看"和"练与用脱节"等现象,厦门市地震局大胆探索、勇于实践,积累了一套科学有效的地震应急救援办法。本文结合实例,从理论与实践相结合的高度,紧紧围绕组织地震应急救援演练要做到"四真",即设置情况真、应急响应真、演练内容真、组织保障真;以及在应对地震突发事件要拧紧"四股劲",即敢于同传统观念"较劲"、敢于同自己短处"较劲"、敢于同难点难题"较劲"、敢于同突破创新"较劲"等8个方面,对如何做好新形势下的地震应急救援工作做了很好的诠释,具有较强的针对性、操作性和有效性,能够帮助人们提高对地震应急救援工作重要性的认识,促进地震应急救援工作的扎实深入开展。     

新疆巴音沟蛇绿混杂岩带中硅质岩及硅质泥岩的元素地球化学特征及其形成环境

巴音沟蛇绿混杂岩带中成薄层状产出的硅质岩、硅质泥岩的Si02：55．37％～91．19％,Al2O3含量较高,变化在3．07～17．66,TiO2=0．12～0．8,Al2O3与TiO2具有较好的正相关关系,表明它们含有较高比例的陆源泥质沉积物质。样品经北美页岩标准化的稀土模式呈现无Ce负异常（Ce／Ce^＊=1．03～1．45）的平坦稀土谱型,球粒陨石标准化稀土模式为轻稀土富集,Eu具明显负异常的右倾谱型。均显示与大陆边缘沉积硅质岩、硅质泥岩相似的稀土配分模式。它们的（La／Ce）N=0．62～0．92,V／Y=0．32～8．87,Th／U=2．99～6．45,表明这些硅质岩、硅质泥岩形成于与陆源物质输入密切相关的大陆边缘环境,综合大地构造背景、蛇绿岩带中超基性、基性岩元素地球化学以及年代学分析认为,蛇绿岩就位于早石炭世晚期,形成在大陆裂谷向大洋裂谷转换并形成小洋盆的环境。     

We Are All Makers: The Method of Keyword Selection in Teaching and Learning Human Geography

Abstract

Geographers continue to engage in public debate “inside the Beltway” by participation within and through federal agencies and through the National Research Council. Several examples illustrate the level and kind of this engagement, which has been concentrated on environmental and spatial data and analysis themes. Most professional geographers have the opportunity to engage in this form of public debate through participation in the activities of the National Research Council. The level of this participation has been surprisingly strong, given the small size of the community of professional geographers, and has helped to shape both U.S. and international research agendas relevant to geographic research. Participation, however, is concentrated in a few programs and individuals, raising questions about the sustainability of geography's voice in this public activity.

     

Exploring the Impact of Contextual Information on Student Performance and Interest in Open Humanitarian Mapping

The opportunity to engage university students in authentic, open humanitarian mapping raises important questions about how to guide the quality and productivity of volunteer spatial contributions while providing a valuable learning experience. It presents the unique chance to pique new mappers’ interest, satisfaction, and confidence in spatial technologies in particular, and technology in general, as well as pique their interest in the people and places that are served by the humanitarian mapping projects. This article shares the findings of a study that explores the importance of sharing authentic contextual information about the purpose of the humanitarian mapping task. Two groups of beginner mappers were given mapping tasks, with only one group being provided details on the purpose. Comparisons were made on their respective performance and changes in affective response to a series of questions about technology, education, good citizenship, and empathy. Measures of the quantity and quality of spatial data produced; their respective levels of interest, satisfaction, and confidence in technology; and affective responses before and after mapping show the relative effects of contextual information. Results provide insights about the potential effectiveness of authentic instruction on the performance of mapping as well as the potential effect on mappers themselves. Key Words: citizenship, data quality, empathy, humanitarian mapping, volunteered geographic information.     

The Spatial–Temporal Hierarchy of Inequality in Urban China: A Prefectural City–Level Study

Inequality has been the subject of intense debates in China, but inequality across cities remains less studied. This article investigates economic inequality based on prefectural-level cities during the period from 1990 to 2010. Statistical analyses indicate that interregional inequality among cities has increased, which is mostly attributable to widening intraregional inequality, especially within the western region. The high gross domestic product (GDP) per capita clusters emerged in the Pearl River Delta in the 1990s, spread to the Yangtze River Delta in the 2000s, and then reached north China in the 2010s. In contrast, the number of low GDP per capita clusters significantly increased in the central and western regions in the 2010s. In addition, the significance of national development zones and foreign direct investment indicates the greatest effect of globalization on the increasing intercity inequality. Decentralization also contributes to the intercity inequality of China. We suggest that in addition to national programs aimed at reducing the inequality between the eastern region and the rest of China, efforts are needed to reduce inequality within each region through provincial and local government policies, especially in western China. Key Words: China, cluster, decentralization, globalization, regional inequality, urban inequality.     

Enhancing the Two-Step Floating Catchment Area Model for Community Food Access Mapping: Case of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

In this article, a Gaussian-based two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) model is applied to evaluate the geographical accessibility to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)-authorized retailers. First, the proposed method considers the interaction between the food supply (in terms of categorized benefit redemptions) and demand (in terms of benefit-receiving households). Second, the model is used to visualize food access patterns at the level of refined administrative units (i.e., census block groups). The developed food access metric was compared to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Access Research Atlas, justifying the validity of this new method for small area estimation. The following are important observations: (1) the choice of catchment size had a considerable impact on the accessibility measure in urban areas (or when small statistical units are used); (2) the 2SFCA measurement had a higher level of correspondence with that of the USDA Atlas at a smaller catchment size for identifying low food access units; and (3) there was no significant inequality regarding SNAP accessibility with respect to different socioeconomic deprivation variables. This new method can better assist the SNAP administration with store authorization on a refined geographic scale. Key Words: food access, inequality, scale, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA).     

QVOA techniques for fracture characterization

New computational techniques of QVOA analysis (Quality factor Versus Offset and Azimuth) for fracture characterization are developed. The techniques are applied to synthetic surface data of reflection with noise.     

Hydro-climatic variability and forest fires in Mexico’s northern temperate forests

Global warming is likely modifying the hydrological cycle of forested watersheds. This report set as objectives to: a) assess the hydrological variables interception loss, I, potential and actual evapo-transpiration, E, Et, runoff, Q, and soil moisture content, θ; b) evaluate whether these variables are presenting consistent trends or oscillations that can be associated to global warming or climate variability; and c) relate θ to the number of wildfires and the burned area in Durango, Mexico. A mass balance approach estimated daily variables of the water cycle using sub-models for I and Et to calculate Q and θ for a time series from 1945 to 2007. Regression and auto-regressive and moving averaging (ARIMA) techniques evaluated the statistical significance of trends. The cumulative standardized z value magnified and ARIMA models projected statistically similar monthly and annual time series data of all variables of the water cycle. Regression analysis and ARIMA models showed monthly and annual P, I, E, and Et, Q, and θ do not follow consistent up or downward linear tendencies over time with statistical significance; they rather follow oscillations that could be adequately predicted by ARIMA models (r² ≥ 0.70). There was a consistent statistical association (p ≤ 0.05) of θ with the number of wildfires and the area burned regardless of the different spatial scales used in evaluating these variables. The analysis shows seasonal variability is increasing over time as magnifying pulses of dryness and wetness, which may be the response of the hydrological cycle to climate change. Further research must center on using longer time series data, testing seasonal variability with additional statistical analysis, and incorporating new variables in the analysis.