Evaluating the fitness for use of spatial data sets to promote quality in ecological assessment and monitoring

This article proposes and illustrates a practical methodological framework to evaluate the fitness for use of spatial data sets for environmental and ecological applications, focusing on user requirements for specified application contexts. The methodology is based on the use of metadata to analyze similarity between the data characteristics and the user’s needs or expectations for several quality indicators. Additionally, the concept of ‘critical factors’ is introduced in this framework, allowing users to define which quality indicators have greater importance given their own requirements or expectations and the specified application contexts. The proposed methodology further allows integrating and interconnecting the spatial data quality (SDQ) evaluation methodology with metadata geoportals in WebGIS platforms, facilitating its operation by users from non-spatial disciplines and with often limited expertise on this subject. Examples of the evaluation of fitness for use for specific application contexts within the project BIO_SOS (‘Biodiversity Multi-SOurce Monitoring System: From Space To Species’ FP7 project) are presented. By providing a prompt and straightforward evaluation tool, the proposed methodology can encourage the implementation of SDQ evaluation routines in ecological assessment and monitoring programs, promoting a more adequate use of geospatial data and ultimately contributing to well-supported policy and management decisions.     

中国市场群落发展机制

市场群落的崛起已成为21世纪初中国市场经济发展的新景观，在概述市场群落的基本特点后，揭示其形成和演化的动力机制；继而对单个市场与群落型市场上经营者的行为方式特征进行了比较分析，表明群落型市场具有多方面的竞争优势；指出市场群落的空间扩张还促进了经济国际化与本地化的有机融合发展，同时认为，市场群落持续发展的根本在于保证商人的可持续发展，并提出了相应的对策建议。     

地籍信息系统中动态地块存储的实现

该文归纳了地籍信息系统中地块动态变化的基本类型 ,提出了存储动态变化信息的两种解决方案 ,分别称之为基于多边形的数据结构和基于弧段的数据结构 ,讨论了它们具体的实现 ,并比较其优缺点     

长株潭城市化进程中极端降水变化特征

利用陕西省延安市12个气象站建站至2013年7月的降水资料和延安市降水引发的地质灾害资料,从1 h、3 h、6 h、12 h、日最大降水量、3 d连续最大降水量和月降水量等方面分析了延安市2013年7月连续降水的极端性和致灾特点。结果表明：延安市2013年7月全市平均降水量419 mm,为1 000 a一遇极端降水。过程累积地质灾害次数(D_L)和过程累计降水量(R_L)关系密切,两者关系可以用分段函数描述。延安市R_L＜137 mm时,无群发地质灾害;137mm≤R_L＜200 mm且日降水量(R_R)＜50 mm时,有群发地质灾害但较少;R_L≥200 mm或200 mm＞R_L≥137 mm且R_R≥50 mm时,群发地质灾害多。经济比较发达、防灾减灾能力较强的延安市宝塔区2013年7月降水量568 mm,超过1 000 a一遇,其R_L＜332 mm时,无群发地质灾害;R_L≥332 mm时,群发地质灾害多。

     

The Pedagogical Benefits of SimCity in Urban Geography Education

This article investigated the pedagogical potential of the SimCity simulation game in an urban geography course. University students used SimCity to build their own cities and applied a wide range of theories to support their urban structures. Moreover, the students critically evaluated the logic and functioning of the SimCity simulation compared to real-world contexts and urban geography principles. The students believed the SimCity activity provided them with opportunities to promote their geographic creativity, resulting in diverse, unique, and interesting cities. The findings demonstrate that the use of SimCity can be an effective tool for geography education.     

Traction image method for irregular free surface boundaries in finite difference seismic wave simulation

In this study, we propose a new numerical method, named as Traction Image method, to accurately and efficiently implement the traction-free boundary conditions in finite difference simulation in the presence of surface topography. In this algorithm, the computational domain is discretized by boundary-conforming grids, in which the irregular surface is transformed into a 'flat' surface in computational space. Thus, the artefact of staircase approximation to arbitrarily irregular surface can be avoided. Such boundary-conforming gridding is equivalent to a curvilinear coordinate system, in which the first-order partial differential velocity-stress equations are numerically updated by an optimized high-order non-staggered finite difference scheme, that is, DRP/opt MacCormack scheme. To satisfy the free surface boundary conditions, we extend the Stress Image method for planar surface to Traction Image method for arbitrarily irregular surface by antisymmetrically setting the values of normal traction on the grid points above the free surface. This Traction Image method can be efficiently implemented. To validate this new method, we perform numerical tests to several complex models by comparing our results with those computed by other independent accurate methods. Although some of the testing examples have extremely sloped topography, all tested results show an excellent agreement between our results and those from the reference solutions, confirming the validity of our method for modelling seismic waves in the heterogeneous media with arbitrary shape topography. Numerical tests also demonstrate the efficiency of this method. We find about 10 grid points per shortest wavelength is enough to maintain the global accuracy of the simulation. Although the current study is for 2-D P-SV problem, it can be easily extended to 3-D problem.     

A greenhouse study on root dynamics of cactus pears, Opuntia ficus-indica and O. robusta

Over the last 10 years a great interest in spineless cactus pear was shown in the drier areas in terms of both fresh fruit and fodder production. However, there is a lack of knowledge on quantitative data on root dynamics of these plants needed to fully understand its potential under water limiting conditions. This study aimed at quantifying the effects of water stress on the growth of tap roots, side roots and rain roots of the species Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller (cultivar Morado—green cladode) and O. robusta Wendl. (cultivar Monterey—blue cladode). One-year-old cladodes were planted in root boxes and pots (2002/2003 season) that were kept in the greenhouse at day/night temperatures of 25–30 °C/15–18 °C. Placing the cladodes flat on the soil, more areoles came in contact with the soil and therefore more roots developed in both species with an average of only 3.4% areole complexes not rooting. Each areole complex formed on average 3 roots. The highest daily tap root growth was 42 and 36 mm for O. ficus-indica and O. robusta, respectively. Tap root growth increased in the morning with water stress for both species but decreased in the afternoon. Side root growth increased with water stress, with that of O. robusta more per tap root than O. ficus-indica. O. robusta showed a finer root system than O. ficus-indica. The side roots grew as much as 8 and 5 mm per day for O. ficus-indica and O. robusta, respectively. Whitish rain roots developed on the established roots within the first hour after rewetting the soil and grew for only 3 days. Rain roots grew up to 7 and 5 mm within a day for O. ficus-indica and O. robusta, respectively. Considering all studied aspects of their roots systems, O. robusta appears to be better adapted to drought (less sensitive to water stress) than O. ficus-indica.