Vulnerability of Kuwait coast to sea level rise

Assessing coastal vulnerability to sea level rise (SLR) at local and regional scales is a fundamental step for designing successful long-term coastal management plans. This study was thus designed to assess Kuwait coastal vulnerability to SLR at four scenarios (.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 m). Potential inundated areas and the number of people at risk were estimated based on these SLR scenarios. A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) map of Kuwait was then computed based on the lowest scenario using eight parameters: elevation, coastal slope, geomorphology, distance to 20-m isobath, population, land use, cultural heritage and transportation. The geographic distribution of inundated areas at an SLR of .5 m revealed that the northern islands of Kuwait and coastal areas along Kuwait Bay would be highly impacted, whereas the coastal area near Shuaibah Port was the most influenced among the southern coasts. Most of the coastal area exhibited a moderate vulnerability to SLR, especially the northern islands. This study presented an initial vulnerability assessment for Kuwait coasts to SLR, which can be extended with more variables. The integrated remote sensing and geographic information system methodology demonstrated in this study can be applied in similar studies elsewhere.     

Managed relocation: an assessment of its feasibility as a coastal management option

Managed relocation is explained and examined as an option to add to the usual categories considered in relation to managing coastal erosion. The paper considers the relocation of buildings in one unit, as opposed to demolition and re-construction. The standard coastal erosion management options are briefly noted and how managed relocation can fit into these options is explained. This paper focuses on four case studies. Two examples are from the USA and two from the UK; of these, two (one in each of the UK and USA) took place during the nineteenth century. Managed relocation is proposed as being feasible in particular cases, particularly where there are isolated historic or high value buildings.     

THE RISE AND FALL OF THE AIZJOMI LANDSCAPE†

This article considers the history of a particular Latvian cultural landscape, located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Known as an aizjomi landscape, it consists of small, humanly made tilths on the seashore. These features are both physical elements and repositories of historical and cultural meaning. In one sense, through hard labor humans created the aizjomi landscape, adjusting the morphological and dynamic elements of the landscape and continually maintaining them. These human efforts made agriculture possible in the dunes, and in so doing they fashioned a means for producing a livelihood and, indeed, for sustaining life. The aizjomi landscape became a materialization of the people's day‐to‐day life in the middle and late nineteenth century and can thus be considered a “taskscape,” pulsating simultaneously with the rhythm of nature and historical events. I have analyzed empirical evidence from archival documents, reviewed ecological and historical studies, and conducted field research on specific farming practices that shaped the landscape that, in turn, shaped agricultural activities. Through a retrospective analysis I trace the development and decline of the aizjomi landscape.     

Woodland regeneration in a coastal heathland area in central Norway

The open coastal heathlands in Norway have changed character in recent decades, mainly because traditional practices such as burning, cutting and grazing have been abandoned or reduced. In a project aimed at increasing our knowledge of woodland regeneration in oceanic boreal heathlands, an area on the island of Kalv?ya in the archipelago of Vikna on the extreme outer coast of central Norway has been studied. Kalv?ya has calcareous bedrock; rich heath, rich fens and low-herb woodland cover 20% of the island. Large parts are paludified, and wet heath and mire vegetation cover 60%. The island has not been inhabited, but it was used for summer farming in the latter part of the 19th century and later for stock grazing. The woodland and scrub were mapped using aerial photographs from 1961 and 1981, and by fieldwork in 2001. Vegetation changes were analyzed using GIS techniques. Woodland and scrub increased from 3.0% in 1961, to 4.3% in 1981, to 11.6% in 2001. Betula pubescens is the commonest woody species. The oldest trees are 150 to 175 years old, growing in the most heavily wooded area, far away from the summer farm. In addition to human impact (summer farm, grazing pressure), the geology, terrain (degree of exposure), and climatic factors are important for woodland colonisation and distribution.     

The impact of land use change on quality evolution of soil genetic layers on the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay

Land use change plays an important part in the studies of global environmental change and regional sustainable development. The change of soil quality can particularly reflect the impacts of human socio-economic activities on environment. Taking the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay as a study case, we analyzed the effects of land use changes on organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), total salinity (TS), pH value in soil genetic layers, and assessed soil quality change related to different land use types from 1982 to 2003. The results show that: (1) The general change tendency of soil quality in the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay declined obviously in A layer and slightly rise in B (or P) layer and C (or W) layer. The contents of TP decreased generally in all soil genetic layers, but the variety difference of other soil quality indices was relatively great. (2) The change of soil quality in the areas where land use changed is far more remarkable than that with land use unchanged. The value of quality variety is A layer >B (or P) layer >C (or W) layer. (3) The changes of soil tillage, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation and drainage activities related to land use may make some soil-forming processes disappeared and bring in other new processes which will affect the soil quality and soil genetic layers directly.     

天津市海岸带环境的空间价值及其政策启示

运用政策选择实验的方法, 对天津市沿海地区居民的政策需求进行了实证分析, 定量地考察了海岸带环境 的价值及其在不同地区和不同属性居民之间呈现的空间差异, 对不同类型经济开发的空间影响强度, 及海岸带开 发、防灾减灾和生态环境保护政策的效果进行了比较分析。主要研究结论包括, ①工业开发明显降低了居民的效 用, 说明在目前的产业结构和增长方式下, 工业开发是以生态环境的破坏为代价的, 需要通过产业和环境政策的统 筹和协调来解决工业开发与环境承载力的矛盾。相反, 渔业开发仍然会带来正面的综合效益, 因此, 渔业作为天津 沿海地区未来发展的重点产业之一是适宜的。②塘沽和汉沽地区海岸带环境的价值具有明显的空间差异性。例如, 在塘沽区, 港湾开发和娱乐业的发展给居民带来负面影响, 而在汉沽区, 这些开发所带来的影响不显著。因此, 应该 根据不同地区的实际情况确定海岸带管理政策的重点和目标, 并实施差别化的生态环境补偿政策, 对产业开发格 局进行调控。③不同类型人群对于海岸带政策的敏感性存在差异, 因此有必要根据各类人群的空间集聚程度制定 有针对性的政策。上述研究结论为海岸带管理的定量决策, 如凝炼各地区海岸带规划的目标、制定产业开发的生态 补偿政策提供了一定的科学依据。     

鲁中山区新生代沉积盆地古近系含水层富水性分析

正前人研究结果认为,鲁中山区新生代沉积盆地古近系为一套碎屑岩孔隙裂隙含水层,单井涌水量小于100 m~3/d,长期作为弱富水含水层出现,不具有供水意义(康凤新等,2010)。2016年以来,中国地质调查局启动的沂蒙山革命老区1:5万水文地质调查项目,在大汶河流域中上游鲁中山区实施古近系钻孔8眼,涌水量达10800 m~3/d,直接解困人口1.1万。其中在莱芜盆地西北缘实     

地球物理方法在智利第一大区南部X矿区的应用

智利的区域地质和地球物理勘探的工作程度相对偏低,对矿区的地球物理资料的解释不够,矿床的分布特征了解得不透彻。笔者通过物探地面磁测和电磁法,对智利第一大区X矿区的地质特征与地球物理特征进行了综合分析,认为相对高磁或弱磁低阻异常带及其周围、深部是找矿的地球物理异常标志,本地区构造(破碎带)是下一步成矿规律的研究重点。地球物理方法对实际勘查工作具有指导意义。