Enhanced application of root‐reinforcement algorithms for bank‐stability modeling

Riparian vegetation is known to exert a number of mechanical and hydrologic controls on bank stability. In particular, plant roots provide mechanical reinforcement to a soil matrix due to the different responses of soils and roots to stress. Root reinforcement is largely a function of the strength of the roots crossing potential shear planes, and the number and diameter of such roots. However, previous bank stability models have been constrained by limited field data pertaining to the spatial and temporal variability of root networks within stream banks. In this paper, a method is developed to use root‐architecture data to derive parameters required for modeling temporal and spatial changes in root reinforcement. Changes in root numbers over time were assumed to follow a sigmoidal curve, which commonly represents the growth rates of organisms. Regressions for numbers of roots crossing potential shear planes over time showed small variations between species during the juvenile growth phase, but extrapolation led to large variations in root numbers by the time the senescent phase of the sigmoidal growth curve had been reached. In light of potential variability in the field data, the mean number of roots crossing a potential shear plane at each year of tree growth was also calculated using data from all species and an additional sigmoidal regression was run. After 30 years the mean number of roots predicted to cross a 1 m shear plane was 484, compared with species‐specific curves whose values ranged from 240 roots for black willow trees to 890 roots for western cottonwood trees. In addition, the effect of spatial variations in rooting density with depth on stream‐bank stability was modeled using the bank stability and toe erosion model (BSTEM). Three root distributions, all approximating the same average root reinforcement (5 kPa) over the top 1 m of the bank profile, were modeled, but with differing vertical distributions (concentrated near surface, non‐linear decline with depth, uniform over top meter). It was found that stream‐bank F_S varied the most when the proportion of the failure plane length to the depth of the rooting zone was greatest. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integration of transfer function model and back propagation neural network for forecasting storm sewer flow in Taipei metropolis

Typhoons and storms have often brought heavy rainfalls and induced floods that have frequently caused severe damage and loss of life in Taiwan. Our ability to predict sewer discharge and forecast floods in advance during storm seasons plays an important role in flood warning and flood hazard mitigation. In this paper, we develop an integrated model (TFMBPN) for forecasting sewer discharge that combines two traditional models: a transfer function model and a back propagation neural network. We evaluated the integrated model and the two traditional models by applying them to a sewer system of Taipei metropolis during three past typhoon events (NARI, SINLAKU, and NAKR). The performances of the models were evaluated by using predictions of a total of 6 h of sewer flow stages, and six different evaluation indices of the predictions. Finally, an overall performance index was determined to assess the overall performance of each model. Based on these evaluation indices, our analysis shows that TFMBNP yields accurate results that surpass the two traditional models. Thus, TFMBNP appears to be a promising tool for flood forecasting for the Taipei metropolis sewer system. For publication in Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Analysis.     

Application of biomarkers for improving risk assessments of chemicals under the Water Framework Directive: a case study

To answer the requirement of the European Commission's Water Framework Directive (WFD) for biological-effects endpoints to classify the ecological health of aquatic ecosystems, we propose the biomarker response index (BRI). The BRI, based on a suite of biomarkers at different levels of biological response at the individual level, provides an integrated relative measure of the general health status of coastal invertebrates. Using the BRI, the health of mussels (Mytilus edulis) from 10 estuaries classified by the Environment Agency of England and Wales under the WFD was compared. Eight sites were healthier than predicted and two showed a similar health status to that of the predicted point-source pollution risk classification. Results indicate that the BRI offers a potential measure of organism health that can be used in monitoring under the WFD as an additional aid to reduce uncertainty in defining risk classification and to provide better evidence of existing impact.     

Geochemical modeling,fate distribution,and risk exposure of potentially toxic metals in the surface sediment of the Shyok suture zone,northern Pakistan

The objective of the current study was to assess the contamination of potentially toxic metals (PTMs) in weathered surface sediment, along stream tributaries, and surrounding area of the river Chitral, Shyok suture zone district Chitral, Pakistan. To understand the geochemical features of 113 sediment, samples were collected from the Mirkhani and Drosh area. Then, different statistical tools including the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and ecological risk assessment (ERA) were used to unravel the origin, intensity, and exposure level of PTMs to control risk and restore the ecosystem within the study area. The results for the PTMs namely nickle (Ni), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), and cobalt (Co) in Mirkhani and Drosh were in the following ranges: 10–150, 15–210, 15–250, 0.08–1.00, 10–70, 76–240 and 14–51; and 13–240, 17–210, 15–150, 0.08–0.60, 7–140, 47–150 and 13–36 mg/kg, respectively. In consequence, the potential ecological risk caused by Pb, Ni, Cu, Co, Cr, and Zn is reflected by the percentages of samples with an ecological risk index (ERI) greater than one which were 100%, 91%, 100%, 100%, 92%, and 100%, respectively. However, the overall mean decreasing order of ecological risk of PTMs in the district Chitral was Pb > Ni > Cu > Co > Cr > Zn > Cd. Moreover, the PCA yielded 78% variability which indicated that mineral prospects play an important role in the contamination of sediment. Furthermore, the mineral phases of Pb and Zn suggested supersaturation, while that for Cd revealed unsaturation. The results of Igeo, ERI, and CA indicated contamination of PTMs in the study area. The ERI value of Pb, Ni, Cu, Co, Cr, and Zn was higher than 1 suggesting an ecological risk in the study area. Moreover, the current study showed the dominance of geogenic contamination with major contributions from ultramafic rock and known mineral prospects. Therefore, contaminated sediment of the Shyok suture zone is extremely detrimental to the aquatic ecosystem of the study area.     

恶劣环境下GPS/BDS混合双差模糊度固定性能分析

针对在恶劣观测环境下每个GNSS系统只观测到较少的几颗卫星,采用标准双差模型很难实现整周模糊度固定的问题,该文对GPS/BDS系统间混合双差模型进行研究,利用该模型计算出GPS/BDS系统偏差。在此基础上,利用实验分别对模拟和真实恶劣观测环境下的模糊度固定性能进行分析,实验结果表明,恶劣环境下GPS/BDS系统间混合双差模型表现良好,相较于经典的双差模型可将模糊度固定平均所需时间分别缩短43%和33%,模糊度固定成功率分别提高107%和31%。     

竣工前后房产面积测绘差异原因分析

以竣工前后的房产面积差异分析为研究对象,从计算规则改变、设计变更、施工变更等五个方面分析了其中原因,全文是笔者长期工作实践基础上的理论升华,相信对从事相关工作的同行能有所裨益。     

西宁盆地周边灌木植物护坡水文效应影响要素研究

通过对试验区种植的生长期为5年的柠条锦鸡儿、霸王、白刺、四翅滨藜和北方枸杞等5种灌木地上部分生长量进行观测和统计,并对其护坡水文效应影响要素进行了探讨和研究。结果表明:灌木植物的地上生长量影响着灌木植物护坡水文效应和固坡效果; 其中,其株高、地径对于灌木植物的水文效应的影响均不同,且相同生长期的5种灌木植物其地上部分生长量指标所表现出的水文效应和固坡效果差异较大。通过试验区影响灌木植物护坡水文效应影响因素的研究,有助于筛选出护坡水文效应及护坡效果相对显著的灌木植物属种。     

现代银杏叶脉参数初步研究

对南京现生银杏叶片的长枝阳叶、短枝阳叶和短枝阴叶的形态参数和叶脉参数进行观察和度量。结果显示:长枝阳叶、短枝阳叶和短枝阴叶的叶脉密度分别为14.78±2.44 cm、16.05±2.57cm、15.31±2.34 cm,叶脉指数分别为0.090±0.026、0.098±0.037、0.091±0.027,差别不显著。表明,银杏叶生长位置和光照强度对其叶脉参数影响不大。     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of white mold and impacts on yield in soybean fields in South Dakota

ABSTRACT

White mold of soybeans is one of the most important fungal diseases that affect soybean production in South Dakota. However, there is a lack of information on the spatial characteristics of the disease and relationship with soybean yield. This relationship can be explored with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from Landsat 8 and a fusion of Landsat 8 and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images. This study investigated the patterns of yield in two soybean fields infected with white mold between 2016 and 2017, and estimated yield loss caused by white mold. Results show evidence of clustering in the spatial distribution of yield (Moran’s I = 0.38; p < 0.05 in 2016 and Moran’s I = 0.45; p < 0.05 in 2017) that can be explained by the spatial distribution of white mold in the observed fields. Yield loss caused by white mold was estimated at 36% in 2016 and 56% in 2017 for the worse disease pixels, with the most accurate period for estimating this loss on 21 August and 8 September for 2016 field and 2017 field, respectively. This study shows the potential of free remotely sensed satellite data in estimating yield loss caused by white mold.     

南京城区夏季低层逆温对人体舒适状况影响初探

利用2000年夏季南京志区地面气象要素和低层探空资料，分析了该夏季南京城区早、晚低层逆温的频率、厚度和强度变化特征，着重从统计角度研究了逆温的厚度、强度与城区地面温度、相对湿度变化的关系及对人体舒适状况的影响。结果表明：低层逆温对城区地面温湿变化及其幅度影响较大，当07时有逆温层时，08时至14时的温度增加幅度变大，相对温度减小幅度也变大，人体不适指数增加幅度变大；当19时有逆温层时，20时至23时温度减小幅度变小，相对湿度增加幅度也变小，人体不适指数减小幅度变小，并通过相关分析建立了人体舒适度指数与逆温强度之间的回归方程。