East-central Part Research Articles

The green trade benefits and horizontal ecological compensation from the perspective of embodied carbon emissions: A case study of the Yellow River Basin, China

The horizontal ecological compensation plays an important role in balancing the interests of all parties and coordinating regional development in the basin. However, the mechanism of ecological compensation based on embodied carbon emissions is still poorly understood. Here, taking the Yellow River Basin as the research area, we use the multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model to measure the embodied carbon transfers between its seven urban agglomerations in 2012 and 2017 from the viewpoint of value-added trade benefits. Further, for the first time, the green trade benefits and ecological compensation amounts are analyzed. The results indicate that: (1) The transfer of trade-embodied carbon among the urban agglomerations in the basin showed obvious spatial heterogeneity and geographic proximity effects, and trade-embodied carbon outflows (inflows) had a pattern of "highest in the midstream, second in the downstream, and lowest in the upstream". (2) The industry composition of the urban agglomerations in relation to embodied carbon outflows (inflows) was similar, mainly in the service and heavy manufacturing industries. (3) The spatial pattern of green trade benefits in the basin had shifted from "high in the north and low in the surrounding area" to "high in the east-central part and low in the west". (4) The pattern of ecological compensation in the basin had shifted from the upstream surplus, the middle and downstream deficit to the midstream deficit, and the upstream and downstream surplus. Therefore, we recommend improving energy structures in high-demand urban agglomerations by adopting clean energy, focusing on decarbonization and energy efficiency in resource-rich regions. Additionally, promoting low-carbon economies, especially in the service and heavy manufacturing industries, implementing differentiated emission reduction strategies, and optimizing carbon compensation mechanisms considering regional disparities and resource endowments are crucial. It is expected that the study can enrich the scientific basis of horizontal ecological compensation and increase the fairness of regional carbon emission rights allocation.

Increasing heat waves frequencies over India during post-El Niño spring and early summer seasons

The increasing frequency of extreme Heat Waves (HWs) has generated significant societal impacts in recent years. This study used different observational datasets to investigate the HW characteristics over India during the post-El Niño spring and early summer seasons (April to June; AMJ). Analysis suggests that HW days are more prevalent over India, predominantly increased in south-central and northwest India, during the decaying phase of strong El Niño years. It is found that anomalous anticyclone circulation accompanied by high pressure extending from the Western North Pacific region towards the Bay of Bengal and India is responsible for enhanced HW days and intensity during the AMJ of strong El Niño decay years. This anomalous anticyclone-induced downdraft reduces the specific humidity in the lower troposphere, leading to decreased cloud cover over India. As a result, shortwave radiation is enhanced at the surface, which causes abnormal HWs over India. During the decaying phase of strong El Niño years, the HW days over India contributed to an increase in the frequency of Discomfort Index hours (above 28 °C), maximum temperatures exceeding 40 °C (hours per day), and Universal Thermal Climate Index days above 38 °C and 46 °C during the spring and early summer months, especially in the East Coast, central, and northwestern parts of India. Thus, proper prediction of large-scale atmospheric circulation over the Indo-western Pacific region during El Niño can help to predict the HW conditions three months in advance. This would help to implement suitable adaptation measures and put into practice strong mitigation policies to limit the increased risk of such events during AMJ of El Niño decay years.

Response to hydrometeorological changes and evaluation of habitat quality in the Dongting Lake basin, China

ABSTRACT With the advancement of hydraulic engineering processes, surface water resources are encountering unprecedented crises that threaten social and ecological sustainability. This study analyzed the response changes and potential correlations between river conditions and climate change in the Dongting Lake (DTL) basin using gray correlation analysis and the LSTM model. Additionally, the InVEST model was employed to further assess the distribution of habitat quality within the basin. The results of the study showed that (1) the range of variation of environmental flows in each tributary became significantly narrower and the frequency of extreme hydrological conditions was reduced in the period after the abrupt hydrological change. (2) The hydrological status had a higher degree of correlation with the rainfall index, and the performance is more prominent on the Xiang River, and the influence of temperature is less. (3) Except in the Xiang River Basin, human activities are the dominant factor of runoff variation, and the annual contribution is generally higher than 50%. (4) Habitat quality in the ‘high’ distribution was the most guarded and always accounted for more than 60% of the basin, while habitat quality in the east-central part of the DTL basin and around the DTL was generally low.

Thunderstorm climatology of Slovakia between 1984–2023

Thunderstorms are among the most extreme meteorological phenomena that can cause widespread destruction and loss of life. Their occurrence varies significantly across different regions and times of the year. Despite various studies on thunderstorm activity across Central Europe, direct analyses based on data from the Slovak territory still need to be made available. Given Slovakia’s diverse natural conditions, there is a need for detailed knowledge about the frequency and spatial distribution of thunderstorms in this region. To address this knowledge gap, we analysed the frequency and spatiotemporal distribution of days with thunderstorm occurrences in Slovakia between 1984 and 2023, utilising climatological data from the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute. We limited our analysis to data of days with close thunderstorms (thunderstorms occurring within 3 km of the monitoring station). Our findings reveal a significant variation in thunderstorm occurrences across Slovakia, with peak activity in the summer, especially in June and July. However, the spatial distribution of thunderstorms differed significantly across the country, with the highest frequency observed in mountainous regions and the east-central part of Slovakia. We found significant deceasing signals of the thunderstorm activity trends during the studied period, including analyses during the colder part of the year. Furthermore, our results underscore the critical role of synoptic situations in shaping these trends, where changes in certain atmospheric patterns were closely aligned with variations in thunderstorm frequency. The interaction between these synoptic conditions and regional topography was particularly evident, reinforcing the notion that topographical and environmental complexities substantially contribute to the observed thunderstorm distribution.

Spatial and temporal variability of meteorological droughts including atmospheric circulation in Central Europe

Drought is one of the natural phenomena influencing many aspects of human activities like water scarcity, food production, agriculture, industry and ecological conditions of the environment. For decades, drought has caused huge financial losses in Europe and around the world. In the area of the Polish Carpathians, there are periods with a deficit of rainwater and increasing frequency of dry months especially in the cold half-year. However, only a limited number of studies exist about the spatial and temporal variability of meteorological drought and the main mechanisms determining its performance in Central Europe. The aim of this work is to perform the spatial and temporal analysis of drought, expressed as SPI, in a heterogenous area of the Polish Carpathian and the highland region in the East-Central part of Europe based on long-term precipitation data. Moreover, for the first time in this work drought characteristics assessed by means of the SPI were discussed considering the atmospheric circulation calendar. In this work monthly precipitation from 55 rainfall stations were analysed from 1961 to 2022. The 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used as indicators of meteorological drought. For the 3-month SPI, the main climatic mechanisms determining extreme droughts were defined based on the calendar of synoptic circulations. The Mann-Kendall test was used to detect the trend of extreme droughts. Statistically significant trends of SPI were observed on 52.7% of all analyzed stations and, in most cases, a positive trend was observed, indicating an increase in water resources in the Upper Vistula Basin. Statistically significant trends were more frequently observed in stations located in the western part of the analyzed region. Long-term droughts, represented by the 12-month SPI, occurred in all stations but not in all years. Short-term droughts (3-month SPI) were most frequent in the winter season, 6- and 9-month SPI in winter and spring, and 12-month SPI in winter and autumn. The spatial distribution of droughts was highly diverse. The most intensive drought occurred in 1984, with the 6-month SPI covering 98% of the analyzed region, and the 9- and 12-month SPI covering 90% of the entire region. Droughts exhibit a seasonal pattern, with a dominant 10-year periodicity for all analyzed variants of SPI. Additionally, Fourier analysis revealed a 2-year periodicity for the 3-, 6-, and 9-month SPI and a 31-year periodicity for the 12-month SPI. The results provide insights into the typical climatic conditions in Poland, with strong seasonality in precipitation. The study highlighted that short-term extreme droughts, represented by the 3-month SPI, are often caused by anticyclonic situations with high-pressure wedges Ka and Wa, as observed in 52.3% of cases. These findings are crucial for understanding the spatial and temporal variability of short and long-term extreme droughts in Central Europe, particularly for the agriculture sector which is dominant in the northern part of the analyzed region, where drought frequency is highest.

Does fiscal decentralization reduce environmental degradation through mitigating resource mismatch and digital transformation? Evidence from China's resource-based cities

Fiscal federalism grants local governments a certain degree of fiscal autonomy and stimulates their motivation. This study analyses the impact of fiscal decentralization on urban carbon emission reduction using the double fixed-effects model and the mediated-effects model using data from 187 resource-based cities in China from 2011 to 2020. It is found that fiscal decentralization significantly promotes energy saving and emission reduction, which is reflected in the significant negative correlation between fiscal decentralization and the size of urban carbon emissions and the positive correlation with carbon emission efficiency. These results are still robust after replacing the carbon emission scale and carbon emission efficiency and using the instrumental variable method. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that fiscal decentralization significantly suppresses the carbon emission scale and positively contributes to carbon emission efficiency in the country's east-central part and resource-based cities with lower marketization. Mechanistic analyses suggest that mitigating land resource mismatch and enhancing the degree of government digital transformation are critical factors for fiscal decentralization to reduce carbon emissions. This study provides empirical support for how policymakers can balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection when formulating local fiscal policies.

Effect of Composted Organic Waste on Miscanthus sinensis Andersson Energy Value

At the time of rising urbanization and population growth, the search for renewable energy sources to ensure sustainable development is of extreme importance. The aim of this research was to determine the effects of different proportions of composted organic materials, i.e., mushroom substrate and municipal waste, on Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis Andersson) energy value. A three-year field experiment was established on experimental plots in the east-central part of Poland. Various treatment combinations, each introducing 170 kg N·ha−1 to the soil, had a positive effect on the energy parameters of Chinese silver grass biomass. The highest calorific value (17,964 kJ·kg−1) was noted for plants treated with mushroom compost on its own (MSC100%).

Spatial pattern analysis of the impact of community food environments on foetal macrosomia, preterm births and low birth weight.

Community food environments (CFEs) have a strong impact on child health and nutrition and this impact is currently negative in many areas. In the Republic of Argentina, there is a lack of research evaluating CFEs regionally and comprehensively by tools based on geographic information systems (GIS). This study aimed to characterize the spatial patterns of CFEs, through variables associated with its three dimensions (political, individual and environmental), and their association with the spatial distribution in urban localities in Argentina. CFEs were assessed in 657 localities with ≥5,000 inhabitants. Data on births and CFEs were obtained from nationally available open-source data and through remote sensing. The spatial distribution and presence of clusters were assessed using hotspot analysis, purely spatial analysis (SaTScan), Moran's Index, semivariograms and spatially restrained multivariate clustering. Clusters of low risk for LBW, macrosomia, and preterm births were observed in the central-east part of the country, while high-risk clusters identified in the North, Centre and South. In the central-eastern region, low-risk clusters were found coinciding with hotspots of public policy coverage, high night-time light, social security coverage and complete secondary education of the household head in areas with low risk for negative outcomes of the birth variables studied, with the opposite with regard to households with unsatisfied basic needs and predominant land use classes in peri-urban areas of crops and herbaceous cover. These results show that the exploration of spatial patterns of CFEs is a necessary preliminary step before developing explanatory models and generating novel findings valuable for decision-making.

Neotectonism and reactivation of tectonic elements in eastern part of Shillong Plateau, India: constraints from morpho-tectonic analyses

ABSTRACT The Shillong Plateau is the only elevated topography in the Himalayan foreland bounded and crisscrossed by several prominent faults and shear zones. The plateau is situated in a complex tectonic compressional set up, owing to which the fault systems both at the periphery and within tend to be neotectonically active. Due to the elevation difference of the plateau with the Brahmaputra and Meghna River valleys flanking it, coupled with the impervious lithologies present, an intricate network of drainage system has developed in the plateau. In this paper, morphometric and structural analyses of four selected drainage basins from the east-central part of Shillong Plateau have been carried out to comprehend the effects of neotectonic reactivation of fault systems and associated basin tilting which in turn controls the development of drainage pattern. This has led to the understanding of the effects of the ever-evolving fluvial landforms on the anthroposphere in this part of Indian sub-continent, where the agrarian-economy is completely dependent on the intricate fluvial systems.

The role of changing land use and irrigation scheduling in groundwater depletion mitigation in a humid region

Many agricultural production regions in the world have been experiencing groundwater resource depletion, which threatens water and food security if mitigation practices are not developed and implemented. To understand how changing land use and irrigation schedule impact groundwater, a coupled SWAT-MODFLOW model was applied to determine groundwater depletion mitigation strategy in a humid region, the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW) in Mississippi, USA. It was found that converting grasslands to forests contributed to reducing groundwater declining. Simulated results indicated that the watershed lost 749, 586, and 381 mm yr−1 of water through surface runoff in the wet, normal and dry years, respectively. The amount of groundwater that moved into the vadose zone to help satisfy crop water demand ranged from 700 to 750 mm yr−1. Precipitation increased the groundwater recharge during the rainy season from fall to spring. Annual recharge rate was only 34–50 mm. Groundwater level dropped 0.2–0.5 m in crop irrigation seasons (May to August). Land use dataset showed 81 % of the area is cropland, with soybean, corn, rice, and cotton accounting for 64 % of the total cropland area in BSRW. The planted area of corn and soybean significantly increased while the area of cotton area was tremendously reduced. Corn, soybean, and rice consumed approximately 96 % of the total amount of groundwater irrigation. This study indicated that irrigation scheduling based on plant water demand could save 47 % of groundwater currently used by conventional irrigation. The improved irrigation schedule could reduce groundwater decline by 0.01–2.05 m across the watershed, and mitigate the declines by 1.35–2.05 m in the depression cone in the central east part of the watershed. The results can assist with planning land and water use and developing sustainable groundwater management practices focused on locations of high groundwater withdrawals in other regions around the world.

Study on suitability and spatial distribution of human settlement environment in arid areas based on GIS and analytic hierarchy process

IntroductionScientific evaluation of the suitability of human settlement in arid areas and a grasp of their spatial differentiation characteristics are of great significance for the implementation of regional human settlement environment (HSE) improvement according to local conditions.MethodsIn this study, we took Gansu Province (GS), a typical arid area in China, as the research object. First, based on field research, we used the analytic hierarchy process to determine the weights of 12 evaluation indicators and build an HSE evaluation model from the two dimensions of nature and humanities. Then, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of each factor based on the GIS spatial analysis module. Finally, we used the GIS natural breakpoint method and zoning statistics to understand the suitability of the HSE and its spatial distribution characteristics in GS Province.ResultsThe study findings can be summarized as follows: (1) The spatial distribution of the suitability of the natural environment in GS Province shows that the east-central part of the province is significantly higher than the northwestern, and there is a big difference between localities. (2) The comprehensive suitability of human settlement in GS Province appears as a spatial distribution characteristic, gradually decreasing from the central urban area to the surrounding areas. The suitability index of the living environment is between 0.26 and 0.71. (3) The area sizes of the five types of suitability are ranked as the following: low suitable (138,502 km2) > moderately suitable (133,761 km2) > critical suitable (97,244 km2) > high suitable (47,459 km2) > unsuitable (38,980km2); in 14 cities, the average value of habitat suitability index is more than 0.5 accounting for 42.9%.DiscussionOur research not only fills a gap in the research of human settlement in arid zones but also provides policy support for government departments to improve human settlement.

Place and transmemory in California Italian American literary narratives: Dorothy Bryant's Miss Giardino

In this article, I propose to think of spaces as sites of production and manifestation of memory, which, in turn, constitutes a transnational formation, one that can hardly be discursively fixed. In particular, my analysis of Dorothy Bryant's 1978 novel Miss Giardino uncovers how transmemory, or the intergenerational transmission of memory from diasporic to ethnic subjects, complicates ideas of Italian belonging. I turn to the study of space, with an emphasis on the multiethnic neighborhood of The Mission, in the east-central part of San Francisco, to address the mediation between Italian diasporic past and interethnic present. While acknowledging that forms of inherited memory (or postmemory), such as class memory, affect the social practice of place intergenerationally, I also aim to show that in transmemory spaces are made differently meaningful. Ultimately, reframing spaces of Italian migrations through the lens of transmemory offers a way to move us forward from impasses in Transnational Italian Studies and diaspora debates that assign to memory an overly static and national paradigm.

Incidence of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Portuguese Traditional Dry Smoked Meat Products Manufactured at Home for Self-Consumption and by Micro Industrial Plants

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) concentration in dry meat products is a priority safety requirement, mainly in those processed under the traditional smoking procedure. In order to investigate the levels occurred in traditional dry fermented sausages manufactured by regional home producers, samples were collected in region of Central-East part of Portugal for comparison with those from one micro industrial plant situated in the same geographical area. In the former products, mean total PAHs level (1364.0 µg/kg) almost doubled that of industrial counterparts (750 µg/kg) with PAH8 representing 2.9 and 1.65% of those total contaminations, respectively. In both product groups, BaA and CHR were the most concentrated compounds within the PAH8 indicator (15.39 µg/kg and 13.66 µg/kg vs 5.67 µg/kg and 5.15 µg/kg). In home made products the BaP concentration surpassed the limit value of 5.0 µg/kg in 31.3% of the samples, with 3 of these cases more than doubling that amount. In addition, more than 93% of samples showed a BaP contamination higher than 1.0 µg/kg. By the contrary, among products processed under the industrial conditions that limit was never surpassed and 81.3% of the samples presented a BaP level lower than 1.0 µg/kg.

Delineation of Ground Water Potential Zoning Using GIS and Remote Sensing by AHP of Sunsari District (Koshi Basin) Area of Nepal

This study assesses the groundwater potential in Sunsari district of Nepal by using a multi-criteria decision analysis tool along with remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS).The study has taken precipitation, Land use/cover (LULC), slope, geology, drainage density, lineament density, soil, and canal density as key influencing factors for determining the groundwater potential of the study area. The Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) technique was adopted in deriving the relative weights of these criteria and sub-criteria based on a review of the literature according to their relative importance in recharging the groundwater. The final thematic map of groundwater potential zones was prepared based on a groundwater potential index computed by aggregating the selected thematic layer with appropriate weights. The groundwater potential zones are classified into three zones based on the score of the groundwater potential index. The generated groundwater potential zones were further validated with ground truth data using a confusion matrix with a kappa coefficient and analysis of the receiver operating curve (ROC). The validation indicated fair predictability of groundwater potential zone with the AHP and GIS model. The areas under “Poor”, “Moderate” and “Good” are 13.6%, 36.0%, and 50.4% of the study area, respectively. The areas under the “Good” potential category are concentrated in the lower southern and western parts of the study area, while the east central part with highly dense built-up area falls under the “Poor” potential category. Also, the area just north of the central part is under the “Moderate” zone. There is a good coherence of precipitation and LULC with groundwater potential zones and less coherence of other factors.

Spatial and temporal changes in ecosystem service driven by ecological compensation in the Xin'an River Basin, China

Ecological compensation is an effective way to harmonize the conflict between exploitation and protection of ecosystem. Xin 'an River Basin, as the first pilot project in China to carry out horizontal ecological compensation for upstream and downstream river basins, has been continuously exploring the compensation path and mode in the past ten years. The significance of this study is to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of ecological compensation from the perspective of ecosystem service value. It is helpful to explore more effective refined implementation methods. It provides reference for further adjustment and development of ecological compensation. In this paper, we used the equivalence factor method to construct the ecosystem service equivalent factors applicable to the Xin'an River basin against the background of land use change from 2010 to 2020, evaluated the ecosystem service value(ESV) of the Xin'an River basin in 10 years, and analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics. It was found that (1) ESV showed an overall growth trend over the decade, increasing by 1.25 billion, with an increase of 2.84 %. The increase in the value of the hydrological regulation function was the most significant driver. The diminishing marginal effects are also shown on the time scale. This suggests that existing ecological conservation actions are becoming less effective in increasing ESV over time, and that there is a need for appropriate expansion of existing environmental actions, as well as more fine-grained policy implementation. (2) The trend of ESV showed obvious differences in spatial distribution. Four districts and counties in the west-central part of the study area showed increasing trends in ESV, while four districts and counties in the east-central part showed negative trends. The most significant increase was in the Huangshan District (+160,370.32 million yuan), mainly due to the significant increase in the watershed area in this region, which led to an increase in the value of the hydrological regulating function. The increase in the value of hydrological regulation function in the study area mainly came from Huangshan District. This is closely related to the water pollution control, water conservation and protection, and water ecology restoration in the Xin'an River Basin promoted by ecological compensation. (3) Ecological compensation in the Xin'an River Basin has effectively promoted the growth of ESVs in the region, especially watershed-related ecosystem services. It has played an obvious positive role in promoting the construction of ecological civilization and the coordinated ecological-social-economic development.. However, the growth of ESV is not comprehensive, and the ESV of some regions and ecosystem service types are in a declining trend, without achieving a synergistic and balanced development. We give relevant suggestions for this situation.

Geochemical Characteristics of Geothermal Fluids of a Deep Ancient Buried Hill in the Xiong’an New Area of China

The Xiong’an New Area is one of the areas with the richest geothermal resources in the east-central part of China. However, the genesis of the geothermal water in Jixianian carbonate reservoirs in this area is still unclear. This study conducted systematical geochemical and isotopic analyses of the geothermal water in the Jixianian carbonate reservoirs in the Rongcheng geothermal field and summed up the genetic mechanisms of geothermal fluids in deep geothermal reservoirs. The results are as follows: the geothermal water in the study area has a hydrochemical type of Cl·HCO3-Na and originates from meteoric water in the Taihang Mountains. The age of the geothermal water increases from 22 ka in the west to 45 ka in the east, and its transport rate is approximately 1.02 m/a. The Sr concentration and 87Sr/86Sr ratio of the geothermal fluids increase along their runoff direction and are related to the dissolution and filtration of minerals such as dolomite and gypsum and the decay of 87Rb in the Earth’s crust. The geothermal water is involved in deep circulation and occurs in a closed system. These results are consistent with those obtained using the PHREEQC inverse model. The reverse hydrogeochemical simulation results exhibited the precipitation of gypsum and halite, the dissolution of anorthite and quartz, and desulfurization. The geothermal reservoir temperatures were estimated to be 92–113 °C using a SiO2 geothermometer, and the thermal groundwater may have undergone deep circulation, with a prolonged retention time. Moreover, the groundwater occurs in a closed environment, strong water-rock interactions occur between the groundwater and related minerals, and the groundwater absorbs the heat from the deep heat source, thus forming geothermal water.

Performance comparison of mono and polycrystalline silicon solar photovoltaic modules under tropical wet and dry climatic conditions in east-central India

Abstract This work focuses on the performance comparison of monocrystalline and polycrystalline Si solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules under tropical wet and dry climatic conditions in east-central India (21.16° N 81.65° E, Raipur, Chhattisgarh). This study would help to select the SPV module for system installation in the east-central part of the country. For comparative analysis, we used performance ratio (PR) and efficiency as figures of merit. The plane-of-array (POA) irradiance was used to determine the efficiency of the modules. The decomposition and transposition models calculated the POA values from the measured global horizontal irradiance. The data were analysed systematically for 6 months in the non-rainy season, from October 2020 to March 2021. Special attention was given to solar irradiance, ambient temperature and module temperature—the parameters that affect the performance of PV modules. The month of October showed the highest variation in irradiance and temperature. The highest average module temperatures (51–52°C) were observed in October–November, while the lowest average module temperatures (34°C for mono-Si and 36°C for poly-Si) were observed in December. The highest value of average monthly POA irradiance (568 W/m2) was observed in February and the lowest (483 W/m2) in December. The results showed that the monocrystalline SPV module performed better than the polycrystalline module under all weather conditions. The maximum observed values of mono-Si and poly-Si panel PRs were 0.89 and 0.86, respectively, in December. Thermal losses were higher with higher module temperatures in October and November, and lower in December due to lower temperatures. The energy yield was calculated from the measured data and compared with PVSyst simulations.

Isla San Pedro Nolasco as a Late Miocene intrusive record at the eastern margin of the Gulf of California: Insights from geological, geochemical and geochronological studies

Isla San Pedro Nolasco (ISPN) is a structural high bounded by inactive dextral oblique-slip faults in the east-central part of the Gulf of California rift zone and is composed of intrusive rocks not exposed on other Gulf of California islands. Here we present the reconnaissance results from geological mapping, as well as first geochemical and geochronological data for the ISPN intrusive complex. The intrusive rocks compose a sheet-like body of intermediate and felsic composition intruded by an intermediate and acidic dike swarm. All intrusive rocks (host and dikes) range in age from ca. 9 Ma to 10 Ma (40Ar/39Ar) and show a hydrous ferromagnesian mineral association (amphibole and biotite) with a calc-alkalic and transitional affinity. This hydrated mineralogical association has not been recognized in the coeval rocks along the onshore western margin of the North American plate (coastal Sonora). However, such hydrous mineralogical association is found in the coeval rift transitional volcanic rocks from the Baja California Microplate at Santa Rosalía and Bahía de Los Ángeles – Bahía de Las Ánimas. The ISPN continental block, at least 40 km long, has been pulled apart by transtensional faulting of the late Miocene Gulf of California shear zone before the westward migration of the North America-Pacific plate boundary at ca. 3–2 Ma. Eventually, ISPN became isolated as an island during the late Miocene flooding of the Gulf of California seaway.

The fear of Covid-19 and its predictive factors among health care workers in Mahdia Tunisia

BackgroundThe massive spread of the corona virus being relatively deadly, leads to psychological pressures dominated by an atmosphere of panic and worries mainly among Health Care workers (HCWs). Only few studies have evaluated this impact on HCWs mental health in Tunisia.Aimwe aimed at determining the prevalence of corona virus fear and its associated factors among HCWs in the University Hospital Tahar Sfar Mahdia (Tunisia).MethodsWe conducted a cross sectional study among HCWs staff in the University Hospital Tahar Sfar Mahdia which is located in the Central-East part of Tunisia in December 2020. The fear of corona virus disease was assessed using the valid French version of the Fear of Covid-19 Scale (FCV-7).ResultsA total of 173 professionals were recruited with a mean age of 35.35 ± 9.31 years. Among them, 66% were women. One third of participants (33.3%) were medical professionals. Almost, 68% have experienced a high level of fear. Our survey showed a significantly higher level of fear among females 70.1% and elderly people 60.8%. It was positively associated (p < 0.05) with anxiety and depression, high risk perception and the responsibility degree of being a virus vector for their loved ones. Anxiety and depression disorders (standardized β = 3.118, CI = 0.545-5.832,p=0.018), high risk perception (β = 3.321,CI = 0.097-6.545, p = 0.044), knowledge about Covid-19 transmission (β = 2.586, CI = 0.439-4.734, p = 0.019), degree of responsibility (β = 3.130, CI = 0.373-5.887, p = 0.026), being a doctor (β = -6.475, CI = -8.785- -4.165, p = 0.001) and Perceived Vulnerability to Disease (β = 0.26,CI = 0.157-0.363, p < 001) were found to be predictive factors of corona virus fear in the linear regression model (Adjusted R2 = 0.374).ConclusionsAuthorities should introduce a preventive strategy based on psychological intervention for HCWs to overcome their fear and worries.Key messages The high prevalence of the fear of Covid-19 among health care workers is alarming. Its impact on mental health cannot be ignored.The health authorities worldwide should not have as objective only the reduction of the transmission, but also the work on individual fears to ensure a society totally free of covid-19.

Prioritization of Watershed Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System

Soil erosion is becoming a major concern at the watershed scale for the environment, natural resources, and sustainable resource management. Therefore, the estimation of soil loss through this phenomenon and the identification of critical soil erosion-prone areas are considered to be key tasks in the soil conservation programme for the design and implementation of best management practices for specific regions or areas. In the present study, revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) modelling is combined with remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) techniques and used to predict soil erosion and the prioritization of watersheds in Nainital district Uttarakhand, India. For the estimation of soil loss, different factors, namely, rainfall-runoff erosivity (R) factor, soil erodability (K) factor, slope length steepness (LS) factor, cover management (C) factor, and the erosion control practices (P) factor were computed. The data on various other aspects such as land use/land cover (LU/LC), the digital elevation model (DEM), slope, contours, drainage network, soil texture, organic matter, and rainfall were integrated to prepare a database for the RUSLE equation by employing ENVI &amp; QGIS software. The results showed that a major portion (70.26%) of Nainital district is covered with forest, followed by area under fallow and agricultural land. Annual average soil loss ranged between 20 to 80 t ha−1 yr−1 in the study area. Out of 50 watersheds in the study area, 7 watersheds were given top priority for conserving natural resources, while 11 watersheds, mostly in the east-central part of Nainital, were kept under the next priority category. Only 4 watersheds of the total were given lowest priority. Moreover, it was concluded that major portions of Nainital district were in a severely prone category of soil erosion, and therefore required immediate action plans to check soil erosion and evade the possibility of landslides.