Anthropogenic Parameters Research Articles

Flash floods on the northern coast of the Black Sea: Formation and characteristics

Flash floods are one of the most dangerous hydrometeorological events in the world. The current study investigates flash floods on the northern Black Sea Coast. The data about stochastic and relatively stable factors of flash flood formation (such as hydrological, meteorological, lithological, geomorphological, and anthropogenic parameters) were collected for 22 events. The main trigger of flash floods is heavy rainfall of high intensity in the region but in some cases flash flood occurrence is connected with combinations of several “non-critical” factors. The small watershed area (≤ 351 km2) of river basins experiencing flash floodspromotes very rapid flow concentration. Analysis of extreme precipitation demonstrates significant increasing trends in river basins on the Crimean Peninsula and decreasing a maximum precipitation amount in 5 days (r5d) and 1 day (r1d) in river basins in the Caucasus Black Sea Coast in the 21st century as determined by processing of Integrated Multi-satellite Retrievals for Global precipitation measurement (IMEGR) satellite data. At the same time land network data indicates increasing r5d at the Anapa and r1d at the Tuapse meteorological stations in 1961–2020. More frequent occurrence of flash floods has been suggested in the area due to statistical analysis of the longest precipitation ranges. The main reason for significant social and economic damage is uncontrolled human activity in flooded areas on the northern Black Sea Coast.

Revealing the distribution of synthetic musks in Chinese estuarine sediments driven by natural and anthropogenic factors

Synthetic musks (SMs) commonly used in personal care products can accumulate in the estuarine environment, but influencing factors on their distribution at large-scale region remain largely unexplored. Herein, surface sediment samples from 18 main estuaries of China and two river outlets in the Yangtze River Estuary were collected to discern the spatial and temporal variations of SMs. Moreover, fourteen influencing factors consisting of natural and anthropogenic parameters were scrutinized and their significance were analyzed by using Spearman’s rank correlation and Random Forest. The widespread distribution of SMs were observed in Chinese estuarine sediments with the levels ranging from < reporting limit to 28 ng g-1 on a basis of dry weight (mean: 3.5 ng g-1). Predominated polycyclic musks shared similar sources both spatially and temporally. Positive correlation was found between SMs and total organic carbon in sediments, whereas the SM distribution was strongly influenced by regional anthropogenic activities. Regional population density was the primary influencing factor, followed by gross domestic product per unit area and wet deposition of particulate matters. A good correlation between SMs and water quality category indicated SMs could serve as an indicator for water quality. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify the main influencing factors on SM distribution in estuarine sediments, aiming to better understand the distribution and fate of emerging organic chemicals in the estuarine environment.

Identification of Flood-Prone Areas Using Geo-Informatics: A Case Study of Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Global flood events, intensified by an intricate interplay of natural dynamics and human activities, pose severe environmental and safety threats, driving the demand for advanced vulnerability assessments. This research innovates with a holistic geo-informatics methodology, pinpointing flood-prone regions in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. It harnesses the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Geographic Information System synergies, enriched with insights from multispectral satellite observations, to conduct an exhaustive analysis of key flood susceptibility indicators. These encompass geological, hydrological, meteorological, and anthropogenic parameters, integrated into a robust Geographic Information System analytical matrix. Through strategic factor analysis and prioritization, the study distills a detailed flood susceptibility cartogram, classifying regional vulnerabilities into distinct risk echelons: high (encompassing 25%), moderate (38.1%), low (28.4%), and very low (8.5%). The final flood map highlights an acute susceptibility epicenter in the northeast, contrasting with the minimal threat southwest. This demarcation reaffirms the Analytic Hierarchy Process-Geographic Information System fusion's precision in translating multifaceted data into strategic intelligence, proving instrumental for scholars, administrative frameworks, and developmental strategists. The insights garnered are pivotal in sculpting informed urban development and flood counteractive blueprints, instrumental in mitigating flood repercussions and preserving ecological and human integrities.

Cloudy with a chance of survival: Simulating the effects of climate, habitat, and management on the population viability of an at-risk lizard species

The spot-tailed earless lizards (STEL) are small, phrynosomatid lizards in the Holbrookia genus. Historically, these were considered two subspecies, the Plateau (Holbrookia lacerata lacerata) and Tamaulipan STEL (Holbrookia lacerata subcaudalis); however, each are now recognized as a distinct species (i.e., H. lacerata (plateau STEL) and H. subcaudalis (Tamaulipan STEL)). Recently, the plateau STEL was considered but not awarded federal protection under the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; however, much uncertainty remains about the status of the Tamaulipan STEL and a conclusive policy decision has not been made. In this study, we developed a hybrid theoretic-empirical demographic model and conducted a population viability analysis (PVA) of the Tamaulipan STEL (H. subcaudalis). We evaluated the role of multiple demographic, environmental, and anthropogenic parameters and assessed population-level effects and extinction risks via sensitivity experiments. The baseline simulation demonstrated that Tamaulipan STEL have a relatively low probability of extinction under best case scenario conditions; however, results of elasticity analysis of the baseline simulation and sensitivity analysis of demographic parameters demonstrated that increases in juvenile mortality had the greatest effect on population growth rate and extinction risk. Simulations of anthropogenic impacts showed that small increases in habitat loss (e.g., 2 %) had drastic negative effects on population size and persistence. Results from this study demonstrate the need for conservation and management actions aimed at protecting and increasing populations of young individuals (i.e., decreasing juvenile mortality) and promoting the conservation of available and suitable habitat for STEL throughout their range. These results must be considered in future conservation initiatives focused on this species to achieve successful conservation outcomes.

Assessing landslide susceptibility in northern Morocco: A geostatistical mapping approach in Al Hoceima-Ajdir

Landslides are a significant global risk due to their impact on nature, society, and the economy. The Al Hoceima-Ajdir region is highly susceptible to geohazards such as earthquakes and ground instabilities caused by local tectonic movements and specific climatic and geomorphological conditions. This study aims to assess landslide susceptibility in Al Hoceima-Ajdir using a digital mapping approach that integrates the geostatistical Frequency Ratio tool, geomatic tools, and field observations. The frequency ratio method, a widely used technique in geospatial analysis, evaluates the relative frequency of landslides based on the spatial distribution of conditioning factors such as slope, lithology and land use – land cover. This method calculates the ratio of the frequency of landslides within specific classes of these factors to their respective frequencies in the entire study area. This research introduces a novel susceptibility map highlighting major threats to several natural and touristic sites crucial to the region's socio-economic activities. The susceptibility map was developed by analyzing 40 historical landslides along various predisposing factors, including topographic, geo-hydrological, and anthropogenic parameters. The results identify areas prone to landslides and classify their susceptibility into five levels ranging from very high to very low, with each level indicating a different degree of risk and requiring a specific set of preventive measures. The reliability of this map was evaluated using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) method, demonstrating a high accuracy of 89%, further validated by field visits. This high-precision susceptibility map is significant for pre- and post-risk management, enhancing prevention and mitigation strategies. It also protects society, the economy, and the environment by providing a reliable regional planning and hazard management tool. The findings of this study offer a significant advancement in the methodology for landslide susceptibility assessment and present a model that can be adapted to other regions facing similar geohazards. The research underscores the importance of integrating geostatistical tools with field data to produce accurate and actionable susceptibility maps, benefitting the global scientific community by improving hazard prediction and management strategies.

A new approach to flood susceptibility analysis of urbanised alluvial fans: the case of Bursa City (Türkiye)

AbstractFloods stand out as one of the most significant disasters impacting human life, causing widespread economic and social damage across the globe. Numerous research studies have concentrated on comprehending the contributing factors of flooding. Despite the prevalence of morphometry-based basin flood susceptibility analyses in existing literature, a comprehensive examination that encompasses anthropogenic features in alluvial fans is notably lacking. This study aims to evaluate the flood susceptibility of alluvial fans and their catchments in urbanised areas, integrating individual and collective basin/fan (B/F) morphometry and land use characteristics with flood inventory data. The study area selected for this investigation is the basin and fan systems situated on the northern slope of the Uludağ Massif (2543 m), the highest point in the Marmara Region, northwestern Türkiye. Twelve basin morphometric parameters were applied to 5 m resolution Digital Elevation Model data, while six fan morphometric and anthropogenic parameters were applied to alluvial fans. In addition, the results were assessed using the Normalised Morphometric Flood Index method to mitigate subjectivity in result ranking. According to the integrated basin/fan flood susceptibility results obtained through bivariate analysis, B/F6 exhibits a very high susceptibility, while B/F1, B/F3, B/F2, B/F5, B/F4, and B11/F8 demonstrate high susceptibility. B7, 8, 9, 10/F7 display a moderate potential for generating floods. These findings align significantly with historical flood events in the basin/fan area.

Spatial Variation in Mercury Accumulation in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops spp.) in Southeastern U.S.A.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) inhabit bays, sounds, and estuaries (BSEs) throughout the southeast region of the U.S.A. and are sentinel species for human and ecosystem-level health. Dolphins are vulnerable to the bioaccumulation of contaminants through the coastal food chain because they are high-level predators. Currently, there is limited information on the spatial dynamics of mercury accumulation in these dolphins. Total mercury (THg) was measured in dolphin skin from multiple populations across the U.S. Southeast Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and the influence of geographic origin, sex, and age class was investigated. Mercury varied significantly among sampling sites and was greatest in dolphins in St. Joseph Bay, Florida Everglades, and Choctawhatchee Bay (14,193 ng/g ± 2196 ng/g, 10,916 ng/g ± 1532 ng/g, and 7333 ng/g ± 1405 ng/g wet mass (wm), respectively) and lowest in dolphins in Charleston and Skidaway River Estuary (509 ng/g ± 32.1 ng/g and 530 ng/g ± 58.4 ng/g wm, respectively). Spatial mercury patterns were consistent regardless of sex or age class. Bottlenose dolphin mercury exposure can effectively represent regional trends and reflect large-scale atmospheric mercury input and local biogeochemical processes. As a sentinel species, the bottlenose dolphin data presented here can direct future studies to evaluate mercury exposure to human residents in St. Joseph Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, and Florida Coastal Everglades, as well as additional sites with similar geographical, oceanographic, or anthropogenic parameters. These data may also inform state and federal authorities that establish fish consumption advisories to determine if residents in these locales are at heightened risk for mercury toxicity.

Groundwater quality, human health risks and major driving factors in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, India

Evaluating status, variability and identifying the factors influencing groundwater quality is essential to manage and conserve groundwater resources. The present study aims to examine groundwater quality for 15 water quality parameters from 84 stations in arid and semi-arid districts of Rajasthan, India, using annual data from 2000 to 2018. Statistical methods such as descriptive test statistics, Mann-Kendall (MK) test, Sen’s slope estimation, and Principal component analysis (PCA) were used to analyze the hydrochemical parameters. While World Health Organisation (WHO) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) guidelines were used to assess the suitability of groundwater for domestic purposes, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), electrical conductivity (EC), and United States Salinity (USSL) diagrams were used for irrigation suitability. Further Generalized Additive Model (GAM) was used to explore the effect of climatic (precipitation, temperature) and anthropogenic (net irrigated area (NIA), fertilizer usage, industrialization, and population) variables on groundwater quality. The empirical results reveal that in groundwater of the study area sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) were the dominating cations, while chloride (Cl−) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) were the dominating anions. The groundwater was predominantly Na–Cl type. Further, most stations witnessed an increasing trend in calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, bicarbonate and sulphate and a decreasing trend in potassium, fluoride and nitrate. The SAR, EC, and USSL indicate that the groundwater in the region is suitable for irrigation if salinity control measures are implemented. Chloride, fluoride and sodium concentrations exceeded the prescribed guideline limits in most stations, jeopardizing the suitability of water for drinking and posing significant health hazards. The GAM analysis revealed that anthropogenic variables significantly impact the groundwater quality parameters compared to the climatic variables. Accordingly, it is suggested that anthropogenic parameters must be addressed while formulating groundwater resource management policies. Thus, policies should focus on the stringent enactment of regulations and guidelines controlling the excessive use of fertilizers, implementing proper disposal of municipal solid and liquid waste, and managing industrial pollutants.

Multi-index assessment of sea bottom sediments of the Izmir Gulf, Aegean Sea: A study of interrelation between anthropogenic and hydrodynamic effects

This study aimed to investigate the sediment transport pathways and geochemical parameters in the Izmir Gulf to determine the heavily impacted areas by natural and anthropogenic parameters. The grain size trend analysis was used to determine sediment transport patterns and, statistical methods were employed to identify the sources and distribution of chemical elements in sediments. The main factors that were affecting the area were identified as lithogenic, anthropogenic, maritime traffic, biogenic and shipyard activities. The tannery industry (Cr), maritime traffic and shipyard/dock activities (Cu and Zn), road traffic run-offs (Pb and Zn), and untreated domestic waste discharges (TOC and S) were identified as the sources of metals. Contamination rankings based on metal concentrations indicated higher pollution levels in the Inner Gulf compared to the Central Gulf. Zinc and chromium were found to pose significant risks to benthic organisms. The pollutants tended to accumulate in deposition zones, following sediment transport directions.

VitaDNet: A Deep Learning-Based Approach for Vitamin-D Deficiency Prediction

Vitamin D (VD) deficiency is a very common disease among elderly people. The lack of VD causes various diseases related to skin, eyes and throat. The previous epidemiological studies tried to predict the vitamin B6 and VD levels from the blood samples. Since this is laborious and time-taking, it is very difficult for the homely people to work on it. There is a strong requirement for the noninvasive method as there is a necessity to detect the deficiency at the early stage. Certain crucial parameters that could be used for analysis are based on the intake of anthropogenic parameters along with the commonly known body vitals. These parameters include the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHR) and body roundness index (BRI). The dataset used for the prediction of VD has been collected from 501 patients in the age of 40–75 years old. The prediction of VD levels in the body has various complications, like the sex, previous health records, inherent health conditions and body pathology. To consolidate all those parameters and to analyse, a robust model is required to associate the parameters which are used to predict the deficit of VD. A binary set of gated recurrent units (GRUs) are used along with the auto-encoders. The feature extraction and selection module in the network are composed of two different patch-based networks which makes the three-stage network robust. Despite these difficulties, the model is robust enough to predict the levels of VD in the body based on the anthropogenic parameters. To support this network, a sub-VitaDNet module is proposed based on the food taken. Through this network, the food taken is continuously observed and the levels of VD are predicted. Hence, the authors believe that the model is robust enough to predict the VD levels in the body.

Dominance of Topography on Vegetation Dynamics in the Mt. Qomolangma National Nature Reserve: A UMAP and PLS-SEM Analysis

The southern portion of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) and the central Himalayan region are home to the Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) National Nature Reserve (QNNR), which is the world’s highest nature reserve and is distinguished by delicate natural ecosystems and unique geographic features. Analyzing regional vegetation trends, as well as the impacts of natural and anthropogenic variables on vegetation coverage, is crucial for local environmental protection and sustainable development. In this study, the variation patterns of the MOD13Q1 Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data were explored, and the responses of vegetation development to both natural and anthropogenic parameters were investigated by applying trend analysis and partial correlation analysis, as well as the partial least squares-structural equation model (PLS-SEM). To better comprehend the spatial characteristics and interrelationships between NDVI and various parameters under different vegetation types, the Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP) was employed for dimensionality reduction and visualization. The results illustrated that between 2000 and 2018, the reserve greened up at a rate of 0.00073/a (p &lt; 0.05), with vegetation improvement areas accounting for 49.46%. The major climatic driver for the greening trend of vegetation was temperature. Topography (especially elevation) remains dominant in regulating vegetation development in the QNNR, despite a progressively growing impact of hydrothermal conditions on vegetation development. Additionally, the implementation of environmental initiatives has stifled the adverse impacts of human activity.

Desertification hazards in the middle zone of Wadi Fatimah, West Saudi Arabia

This research aims at determining and analysing the causes and consequences of desertification in the middle zone of Wadi Fatimah using satellite images, climatic data, and topographic maps. The climatic parameters such as temperature, rainfall, and global reference evapotranspiration (ET0) indicated common severe arid conditions in the study area. The CORONA images acquired in 1967 and 1979 along with the topographic map of 1971 helped define the initial morphologic features and anthropogenic regimes. Analysing the various spatial datasets implied that the inappropriate management of water resources has resulted in changes in the anthropogenic regimes in the middle zone of Wadi Fatimah. These changes have triggered a chain of desertification processes such as degradation of the vegetation biomass and wind activities. These processes have transformed 15.3 km2 of agricultural farms into abandoned lands. Nineteen km2 of bushes have disappeared as well. The degradation of both agricultural and natural vegetation has exposed soils to intense wind erosion that detaches, transports and deposits sand in areas of low elevations. Accordingly, sand accumulations have massively expanded from 16.4 km2, as monitored by 1967 CORONA images, to 40.8 km2, as monitored by SPOT in 2013. This research emphasises that the middle zone of Wadi Fatimah has been experiencing remarkable changes in its morphologic and environmental characteristics in response to serious desertification processes. These processes are strongly linked to many anthropogenic interventions. It became a necessity, then, to redefine, study and assess the various anthropogenic parameters and their relative roles in desertification processes to combat desertification hazards and enhance sustainable environmental context in the middle zone of Wadi Fatimah.

Usage of Land Use/Land Cover and Anthropogenic Parameters in Prioritizing Conservation in Sub Watersheds of Upper Pulangi River

Most part of the Philippines are located within watersheds. The best unit for managing natural resources like land and water is a watershed. This study aimed to prioritize the nine sub watersheds of Upper Pulangi River for conservation and rehabilitation using land use and land cover and anthropogenic parameters. Land cover and land use was analysed using remote sensing and GIS techniques to identify and delineate its categories. In terms of anthropogenic parameters, watersheds with the most extensive and highest human alterations, such as surface mining/quarries, illegal logging, land conversion to agriculture, kaingin, built-up areas, and upland settlers, were assigned the top priority for conservation. Watershed prioritization is the process of ranking different sub-watersheds in the order in which they must be addressed for soil conservation measures. Out of the nine sub watersheds being studied, the results showed that Sawaga sub watershed has the high priority for conservation followed by Maapag, Upper Pulangi, Taganibong, and Malingun sub watersheds with medium priority. Panlibatuhan, Tigwa and Taganibong sub watersheds fall under low priority while Manupali sub watersheds has the lowest priority due to its favourable vegetation cover and existing conservation and rehabilitation projects. It is recommended to watershed managers of Upper Pulangi river to prioritize and consider for funding the rehabilitation and soil conservation measures for Sawaga sub watershed. The methods used in this study can be applied to other watershed management under limited resources.

Habitat preference of leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis Kerr. 1792) in the Cisokan Hydropower Development Area, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Shanida SS, Megantara EN, Husodo T, Mutaqin AZ, Kendarto DR, Wulandari I. 2023.Habitat preference of leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis Kerr. 1792) in the Cisokan Hydropower Development Area, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 2284-2293. Leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensisKerr. 1792) can occupy various habitats, including degraded and human-modified landscapes such as agricultural lands, plantations, and settlements. Nonetheless, there is little information about their responses to infrastructure development impacts the habitat preference of leopard cats. This study aims to reveal the habitat preferences of leopard cats in the Upper Cisokan Pumped Storage (UCPS) hydropower development area, Cianjur Regency and West Bandung Regency, West Java. Direct observation was conducted to collect habitat preference in terms of biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic parameters and analyzed using Vanderploeg and Scavia's Resource Selection Index (VSI). The results showed that in term of biotic factors, leopard cats preferred natural forests, shrubs, and rice fields; tree canopy area of ??51%-75%, tree DBH &gt;20 cm, tree height 0-5 m and 11-15 m, and tree density of 0-20 trees. Leopard cats preferred 76%-100% shrubs canopy; ground-plant cover of 26%-75% with withered grass cover of 76%-100%. According to their abiotic factors, leopard cats preferred habitats with north and south, gentle, and lower slopes. The leopard cats also preferred habitat with wet soil. In term of anthropogenic factors, leopard cats preferred habitat close to water sources (&lt;500 m). Leopard cats chose habitats with moderate distances (500 m-1000 m) from anthropogenic disturbances with weak intensity. Agricultural activities could affect its habitat preference directly. Leopard cats were found at various levels of disturbance in human-modified lands, such as rice fields and shrublands. Since the main prey is cosmopolitan animals, as long as there is human-modified land, prey availability will remain guaranteed. Although the leopard cat can tolerate anthropogenic disturbances, there is little information on the direct impact of construction activities on this population, so further research is needed to observe their population and habitat in the construction area.

Comparative Assessment of Physical Development of Children and Adolescents Living in Territories with Different Levels of Anthropogenic Load

Introduction: Correlations are considered as a reliable indicator of adaptive variability in populations. Objective: To make a comparative assessment of physical development of children and adolescents living in areas with different levels of anthropogenic load. Material and methods: We analyzed the structure of correlations between morphological and functional indicators of children and adolescents (n = 5,137) and the level of anthropogenic load (from relatively satisfactory to critical) in four territories for the years 2018–2021. We measured body length and weight, chest circumference, right and left hand grip strength, vital capacity of the lungs, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and sexual size dimorphism, and then calculated the body mass index and body surface area. The variability of somatic and functional indices was examined separately in age-standardized groups of 9, 13 and 15-year-old boys and girls. Significant differences in the frequencies of statistical correlations in each group and in different environmental clusters were determined. Results: We established a statistical decrease in body length by 0.82 % and in right and left handgrip strength by 5.22 % and 9.68 %, respectively, accompanied by an increase in body weight by 5.02 %, chest circumference by 1.26 %, and vital capacity by 5.56 %, all associated with an increase in the level of anthropogenic load in the area. In environmental clusters with intense and critical load, we noted a decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 4.54 % and 5.89 %, respectively, and an increase in the heart rate by 2.81 %. We found an increase in the total number of age and sex-specific intrasystemic (anthropometric) and intersystemic (anthropometric/hemodynamic) morphofunctional correlations from 186 in clean areas to 228 in heavily polluted ones. Health effects of environmental contamination was the most pronounced in 9-year-old children of both sexes. Conclusion: An increase in the frequency of significant intrasystemic and intersystemic correlations of morphological and functional indicators in children and adolescents with the increase in environmental load indicates tension of adaptive mechanisms in the body; the effect of interactions between environmental pollution and anthropogenic parameters in age and sex groups is attributed to greater sensitivity in the male cohort.

Distribution of Biodegradable Dissolved Organic Matter and Its Affecting Factors in a Typical Peri-urban Watershed in Yangtze River Delta

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays key roles in the carbon biogeochemical cycle, and biodegradable dissolved organic matter (BDOM) is one of the key fractions of DOM. Rapid urbanization and intensive human activities substantially influence the distribution of DOM at the watershed scale. Identifying the spatial and temporal variability in BDOM has become an important and urgent issue of water quality control in rapid urbanization areas. However, limited studies have been conducted to explore the role of human activities on the occurrence and distribution of BDOM in peri-urban watersheds. In this study, the spatial and temporal distribution of BDOM and related affecting factors were investigated in a typical peri-urban watershed (Zhangxi watershed) located at Ningbo City in Yangtze River Delta. Water samples were collected in wet and dry seasons in 2019 based on topographic features, land use, and intensity of human activities. The BDOM were characterized by fluorescence excitation-emission matrix and parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC), and land use patterns were analyzed using the Source-Sink Landscape Model. The results of this study showed that the BDOM concentrations ranged from 0.57 to 6.80 mg·L-1. Obvious spatial and temporal heterogeneities of BDOM were found at the watershed scale, and significantly higher concentrations of BDOM were observed in the wet season than those in the dry season. Furthermore, relatively high concentrations of BDOM were found in areas with relatively higher intensive human activities. Two fluorescent components (a terrestrial humic-like substance and protein-like substance) were observed using the PARAFAC model. The results of spatial analysis showed that terrestrial humic-like fluorescent components were closely positively correlated with anthropogenic parameters (percentages of agricultural and urban land and ratio of source and sink landscapes). The results showed that the occurrence and distribution of BDOM were strongly influenced by human activities, which could provide scientific guidance for water quality control and related land management in peri-urban aquatic ecosystems.

GIS-based risk assessment of tropical surface water pollution by integrating hydrogeological and anthropogenic parameters

Surface water pollution is a huge issue worldwide that keeps growing in magnitude and complexity which leads to millions of people don’t have access to clean water resource. Numerous studies on vulnerability, hazard and risk assessment of water pollution had been conducted yet most of them only focused on one of the three risk components. Therefore, the objective of this study was to apply a geospatial approach that integrated hydrogeological and anthropogenic parameters to assess the risk of surface water pollution in Selangor River Basin, Malaysia. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Weighted Linear Combination (WLC) were applied in hydrogeological vulnerability assessment. WRASTIC index was used in anthropogenic hazard assessment. The risk map showed that high-risk zones were mainly located in areas where development and agricultural activities are extensive. Conversely, low-risk zones were in areas that were mostly covered by forest with few developments, such as the upstream region. The results also revealed that high and very risk levels were dependent on soil media and presence of land use and anthropogenic activity especially agriculture, industry, and wastewater presence. The risk map also showed that developed area with high hydrogeological vulnerability would have higher risk of pollution compared to areas without any anthropogenic hazard. The risk map can assist stakeholders to identify at risk of pollution. This allows for better decision-making in integrated river basin management.

Artificial Water Troughs Use by the Mountain Ungulate Ovis gmelini ophion (Cyprus Mouflon) at Pafos Forest.

For large herbivores inhabiting arid/semi-arid environments, water can be a limiting resource affecting their distribution and abundance for periods when water requirements are not met via forage. The Cyprus mouflon (Ovis gmelini ophion) is such a species, which is endemic to the mountain habitats of Cyprus. Recognizing water scarcity to be a major pressure to the mouflon, and with global warming projected to intensify hot and dry periods in the region, the Game and Fauna Service has been maintaining a network of locally designed watering troughs in Pafos Forest-the mouflon's stronghold-since 1997. This study describes the mouflon's use of the water troughs and examines whether visitation rates differed at the daily or weekly scale in response to environmental, climatic or anthropogenic parameters. Using camera traps, ten troughs were monitored from September 2017 to March 2018 (1,065 days; range 29-164 days per trough). Mouflon were detected at seven troughs (mean herd size 1.5 ± 1.2) during 373 independent detections (≥30 min interval between photographs), with visits peaking during late morning and midday hours. Generalized mixed-effect models showed mouflon visiting water troughs more frequently during hotter days, regardless of recent precipitation. Visits were also more frequent at water troughs located close to tar roads. Moreover, there was no evidence of mouflon avoiding water troughs used by predators (red foxes, feral dogs) at either daily or weekly scale, or during hunting days. The study supports the value of artificial water troughs for mediating, partially at least, the effects of climate change on mountain ungulates such as the Cyprus mouflon. Additional studies are proposed that will examine both mouflon drinking patterns across all seasons and ways of improving the effectiveness of the current water trough grid.

CHARACTERISING THE POLLUTION CONCENTRATION IN HIGHLY URBANIZED AREA: AN APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING

Abstract. According to estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution contributes to about seven million deaths worldwide annually. Currently, more than 90% of people breathe air that exceeds the WHO’s recommended threshold of pollutants. This high degree of air pollution results in serious public health problems, such as pneumonia, acute asthma, chronic respiratory conditions, and shortness of breath. The execution of solutions to lower pollution exposure is therefore required, a study into the causes of air pollution. The “National Clean Air Programme (NCAP)”, a five-year action plan, has been launched by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC, 2019), Government of India. The program’s primary objective is to combat significant air pollution problems over the Indian subcontinent. As a result of economic growth, air pollution concentrations have consistently climbed to dangerous levels. To investigate influence of anthropogenic parameters on urban air, statistical analysis has been carried out for 8 Indian cities for pre- and post-COVID period using Sentinel-5P earth observatory data. These factors include population density, land use and total registered vehicles. The results of the investigation demonstrated that during the lockdown, air pollution levels in cities decreased. It is also discovered that pollutant levels have escalated once more since the lockdown limitations were lifted. It is clear from the findings that parameters affect pollution exposure. This demonstrates categorically that the pandemic has a beneficial effect on pollution exposure. A policy framework can be advised for policymakers based on the study done.

Evaluation of the vulnerability of groundwater to nitrogen pollution in the commune of Mananara Avaratra by the SINTACS method

The urban commune of Mananara Avaratra, located on the east coast of Madagascar in the Analanjirofo region, is characterized by alluvial soils, mainly sandy and ferruginous, and a tropical climate. Groundwater is considered as the main source of drinking water for the local population although the presence of pollution by nitrogen compounds has been a serious environmental problem for more than a decade This study aimed at developing a groundwater vulnerability model for nitrate and ammonium as a protective measure. Based on the intrinsic vulnerability determined by the SINTACS model, the influence of anthropogenic parameters related to nitrogen sources and groundwater use on contamination was verified using GIS. Chemical analyses showed high concentrations of nitrate (136.987 mg.l-1) and ammonium (1.120 mg.l-1) in the samples. The high nitrate and ammonium concentrations were found in the northern subwatershed, probably due to the area impacted by urbanization by urbanization, where the groundwater vulnerability index is high (high index is 197 - 210 and for the very high ones 215 - 223). On the other hand, the concentrations in the southern subwatershed are lower, and the index is moderate (137 - 178). In order to prevent the contamination of groundwater by nitrogen, it is necessary to develop management policies on surface land use and groundwater, as well as to continuously monitor the latter.