Using a spatial overlap approach to estimate the risk of collisions between deep diving seabirds and tidal stream turbines: A review of potential methods and approaches

It is likely that there will be a substantial increase in the number of tidal stream turbines within the UK over the next decade. However, the ecological impacts upon marine top-predators, including seabirds, remain largely unknown. Although tidal stream turbines could have many direct and indirect impacts upon seabird populations, it is the risk of direct collisions between individuals and moving components that currently causes the most concern. Species such as Auks Alcidae sp., Cormorants Phalacrocorax sp. and Divers Gavia sp. almost certainly face higher risks than others. However, it is likely that they are not equally vulnerable. Part of predicting which are most vulnerable involves the estimation of spatial overlap between their foraging distributions and the location of tidal stream turbines. This paper reviews potential methods and approaches that should help to predict whether a population would: (1) exploit areas suitable for tidal stream turbines, (2) dive near tidal stream turbines within these areas, or (3) dive to depths where moving components are found? Answering these questions in a hierarchical manner (from 1 to 3) could help to predict the extent of spatial overlap for vulnerable populations. These approaches require a fundamental understanding of the mechanistic links between physical conditions, prey characteristics and foraging opportunities. Therefore, multi-disciplinary approaches incorporating methods usually associated with oceanographic and fisheries studies are needed to document physical conditions and prey characteristics over large and small spatial scales. Answering these questions also requires collaborative efforts and a strategic governance approach to collating the wide range of distributional, prey and physical datasets currently being collected.     

Race,Gender, and Constrained Work Trips in Buffalo,NY, 1990

This study investigates whether women's short commutes should be interpreted as constrained or convenient work trips by examining how race, gender, travel mode, occupation, residential location, workplace location, and Inc.ome affect commuting time. The analysis is restricted to a sample of European American and African American male and female workers residing in Buffalo, New York, and the surrounding county using data drawn from the Public Use Microdata Samples of the 1990 U.S. census. Given the pervasive gender wage gap, women unsurprisingly have more compromised (short commutes to low-Inc.ome jobs) work trips than do men. Multivariate analysis reveals that among those who reverse commute to suburban locations, African American women have the longest work trips.     

面插值的研究进展

空间插值从广义上讲包括点插值和面插值 ,本文从有无辅助数据的角度介绍了还不为多数人熟知的面插值 ,在无辅助数据的方法中介绍了基于点的面插值法、面域比重插值法、使用控制区的面域比重法、Pycnophylactic面插值法等的算法和特点 ,在有辅助数据的方法中介绍了 EM算法和遥感作为辅助数据的面插值法 ,并介绍了面插值中的特例 -统计数据的空间化方法。     

分形城市引力模型的一般形式和应用方法--关于城市体系空间作用的引力理论探讨

基于分形思想和城市规模-产出关系推导出城市引力模型的一般形式Iij=GijMaiiMajjR-bij,论证了参数a和b的分维性质,并将引力系数定义为Gij=G|Rij,|/(1+Sij),式中Rii为i、j两城市的相关系数,Sij为二者的相似系数,G为量纲转换系数.以长春城镇体系和郑、汴、洛点-轴系统为实例说明了模型的应用方法,并指出了城市引力数值的相对性特征.作者发现,城镇体系各要素的引力之和Fi=∑Iij,在一定时空条件下满足位序-规模法则F(k)=F1K-q(k=1,2,…,n);这也表明,借助引力计算可以揭示城市体系某些隐含的地理规律.     

GIS空间动态模型组件的设计与实现

组件重用技术为GIS与空间模型的集成提供了新的解决方案。该文设计的空间动态模型的GIS组件 -Dy namicGC ,它在传统GIS数据模型的基础上 ,增加了表达空间动态系统的过程和关系 (流 )的数据模型和对象接口 ,为GIS环境下创建复杂动态过程模型提供了新的工具和解决方案。该组件基于微软组件对象模型 (COM/DCOM)实现 ,充分考虑了互操作性、模型建模语言以及模型系统的可获取性需求 ,由一系列支持动态数据计算的OLE自动化对象集组成 ,可支持VB、Dephi、VisualC 等通用开发环境 ,也支持VBA、VBSCRIPT、JAVASCRIPT等脚本语言环境。使用VBA创建了经典的“生命游戏”的元胞自动机模型的实现 ,作为该组件创建动态过程模型的应用实例。     

Simulating the spatial diffusion of memes on social media networks

This article reports the findings from simulating the spatial diffusion processes of memes over social media networks by using the approach of agent-based modeling. Different from other studies, this article examines how space and distance affect the diffusion of memes. Simulations were carried out to emulate and to allow assessment of the different levels of efficiency that memes spread spatially and temporally. Analyzed network structures include random networks and preferential attachment networks. Simulated spatial processes for meme diffusion include independent cascade models and linear threshold models. Both simulated and real-world social networks were used in the analysis. Findings indicate that the numbers of information sources and opinion leaders affect the processes of meme diffusion. In addition, geography is still important in the processes of spatial diffusion of memes over social media networks.     

A Review of: Environmental Modelling with GIS.

Cartographic modelling operations provide powerful tools for analysing and manipulating geographic data in the raster data model. This research extends these operations to the vector data model. It first discusses how the spatial scopes of analysis can be defined for point, line, and polygon features analogous to the raster cell. Then it introduces the local, focal, and zonal operations available for vector features, followed by providing a prototype syntax that might guide the implementation of these operations. Through example applications, this research also demonstrates the usefulness of these operations by comparing them with traditional vector spatial analysis.     

Using GIS to analyse a severe forest blowdown in the Southern Rocky Mountains

Many studies have helped us understand where blowdowns occur, how forests regenerate and respond to large disturbances. However, few studies have analysed how physical and biological factors affect blowdowns or interact with one another to determine susceptibility to blowdown. These factors range from the natural physical setting to past disturbances, and human-related features, such as roads and timber harvest units. These factors were examined in this study. Patches of the blown-down forest were mapped for the 1997 Routt-Divide blowdown, which affected over 10 000 ha of subalpine forest in north-central Colorado. A systematic sampling scheme was used to extract information on predictors for sampling points inside and outside the blowdown. Data on predictors were used in Classification and Regression Trees (CART) and logistic regression to model blowdown occurrence and severity. Two models were applied, and both were able to predict with an overall success rate of 75% or more. These two models produced similar results, showing that the Routt-Divide blowdown was most influenced by factors pertaining to the physical setting: distance to the Continental Divide, wind exposure, elevation, aspect, and cover type. Surprisingly, soil permeability and water-holding capacity and distance to natural edges (e.g. forest-meadow) were not correlated significantly with the blowdown pattern.     

Remotely sensing the spatial and temporal land cover changes in Eastern Mau forest reserve and Lake Nakuru drainage basin,Kenya

This study aimed at characterizing land cover dynamics for four decades in Eastern Mau forest and Lake Nakuru basin, Kenya. The specific objectives were to: (i) identify and map the major land cover types in 1973, 1985, 2000 and 2011; (ii) detect and determine the magnitude, rates and nature of the land cover changes that had occurred between these dates, and; (iii) establish the spatial and temporal distribution of these changes. Land cover types were discriminated through partitioning, hybrid classification and spatial reclassification of multi-temporal Landsat imagery. The land cover products were then validated and overlaid in post-classification comparison to detect the changes between 1973 and 2011. The accuracies of the land cover maps for 1973, 1985, 2000 and 2011 were 88%, 95%, 80% and 89% respectively. Six land cover classes, namely forests-shrublands, grasslands, croplands, built-up lands, bare lands and water bodies, were mapped. Forests-shrublands dominated in 1973, 1985 and 2000 covering about 1067 km², 893 km² and 797 km² respectively, but were surpassed by croplands (953 km²) in 2011. Bare lands occupied the least area that varied between 2 km² and 7 km² during this period. Overall, forests-shrublands and grasslands decreased by 428 km² and 258 km² at the annual average rates of 1% each, whereas croplands and built-up lands expanded by 660 km² and 24 km² at the annual rates of 6% and 16% respectively. The key hotspots of these changes were distributed in all directions of the study area, but at different times. Therefore, policies that integrate restoration and conservation of natural ecosystems with enhancement of agricultural productivity are strongly recommended. This will ensure environmental sustainability and socio-economic well-being in the area. Future research needs to assess the impacts of the land cover changes on ecosystem services and to project the future patterns of land cover changes.     

Mapping the popularity of urban restaurants using social media data

Nowadays, geographers show growing interest in providing location-based services for urban residents. It is of great practical significance to screen and recommend the most popular restaurants to consumers, as dining is important to every urban dweller. Consumer review website (CRW) has emerged as an active social media platform in catering industry. This paper demonstrated how to quantify the popularity of urban restaurants (PUR) by using CRW, namely, Dianping.com. An applied popularity index (PI) was developed to quantify PUR, based on the consumer review scores (food, service, and decoration) and physical data (evaluation frequency and restaurant grade) for 8259 restaurants within the Hangzhou city, China. All the information, together with the geographic location data, was harvested from the corresponding Application Programming Interface (API) platform. PUR was then mapped by using a geographic information system (GIS). Results showed that restaurants of high popularity were generally concentrated in old urban districts, whereas those in new urban districts presented low popularity. The kernel density distribution of PI also highlighted the geography that the PI values declined from the central city toward the outskirts. Locational associations between PUR and urban functional units (bank, shopping mall, school, cinema, hotel, bar, and scenic spot) generally presented a similar tendency. Restaurants with high PI values were in high proximity to urban functional units, whereas those with low PI values were located far away from other functional units. It implied that restaurants with high popularity tended to be located in high mixture with urban functional units. Although we used Dianping.com to perform the analysis, the presented methodology can be extended to other types of CRWs. Our study is believed to provide new insights into applied geographic sciences.