Landscape Features Research Articles

DYNAMICS AND STABILITY OF EMERGENCY VEHICLES ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN

This research paper examines the nuances of the dynamics and stability of emergency vehicles when maneuvering over complex terrain, offering a multifaceted analysis that combines theoretical modeling and empirical research. Central to the considerations is the study of the interaction between vehicle design and features of various landscapes, including mountain, forest and urban environments. The research uses a synergistic approach that interweaves advanced mathematical modeling techniques such as computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis with experimental validation in real-world conditions. The methodology clarifies the critical role of vehicle design parameters, such as suspension tuning and aerodynamic properties, in determining vehicle performance in challenging environments. The study highlights the relevance of terrain-dependent speed limits and maneuvering strategies, advocating for modular vehicle designs and terrain-independent technologies. The paper not only makes a significant contribution to the optimization of emergency vehicles, but also paves the way for future research in the areas of artificial intelligence-driven control systems, sustainable propulsion technologies, and predictive performance modeling. Integrated solutions in this area re key to improving the efficiency and safety of rescue operations in diverse and challenging environments.

Management of bushrocks in agricultural landscapes for reptile conservation

ABSTRACT Bushrocks provide critical habitat for reptiles and are a common feature in agricultural landscapes. Recent advances in soil amelioration practices have triggered a resurgence in the large-scale removal of bushrock from commodity production regions. Rock removal practices have substantial impacts on biodiversity, particularly for range-restricted and rock-dependent reptile species. We discuss findings from several observational studies and natural experiments on the ecological role of bushrocks in agricultural landscapes to inform land management and restoration practices. We found that bushrocks were critical as overwintering retreats, and reptiles preferred higher elevation areas with minimal canopy cover. We found reptiles rapidly responded to bushrock restoration, with increases in abundance and richness of reptiles in rock addition plots compared to controls. Our research highlights the importance of bushrock habitat, and the removal of such habitat may have far-reaching consequences. Conservation of reptiles in agricultural landscapes requires appropriate management and retention of bushrock. We urge for greater protection of existing bushrock habitats and consideration of rock as a restoration tool to improve conservation outcomes for reptiles in agricultural landscapes.

Green Lane Planning for Safety, Beauty, and Reduction of the Diffusion of Air Pollutants to the Environment in the Boyolali Interchange on Semarang-Solo Toll Road

Abstract The high mobility of people requires fast transportation making toll roads as an alternative route to break up congestion and shorten the distance to a place. The availability of toll roads that are passed by many motorized vehicles, causes air pollution. To reduce the impact of air pollution, greenery is needed that can absorb exhaust emissions. In this study, motor vehicle exhaust emissions focus on NO2 gas. The purpose of this study was to analyze the emission of NO2 gas pollutants from motor vehicles, the absorption capacity of NO2 by vegetation, and to plan green lane that can improve the quality of the interchange landscape. The research was conducted at the Boyolali Interchange. The research method used is descriptive-quantitative based on the potential and constraints on the site, as well as analysis of emissions and vegetation that can absorb NO2 gas pollutants. Based on the results of the analysis, the development of green lane space is divided based on the function of vegetation which includes clear zone, cushion planting, aesthetics, identity, conservation, and guides which it supported with trees, and shrubs. The area of land that has the potential to be developed into green lane is 41,956.3 m2. The volume of vehicles is 66,637 per day with the resulting NO2 gas emission of 57.797 g. After planning, the emission that can be absorbed by plants is 48,293.50 g. Planned green lane of the Boyolali Interchange can reduce 83,56% of NO2 gas emissions released by motorized vehicles.

Grey wolves (Canis lupus) shift selection of anthropogenic landscape features following predator control in the Nearctic boreal forest

Conserving endangered species sometimes involves killing their predators. In the case of Nearctic wolves (Canis lupus), rarely are lethal control measures examined for ancillary effects on predator behaviour or community responses in a before-after design. We examined wolf relative abundance and spatial distribution in a northwestern boreal forest landscape for three years before and after the onset of wolf culling intended to conserve threatened woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). We hypothesized that wolf occurrence would increase with density of anthropogenic features created by landscape development before the cull, but that wolves would avoid anthropogenic features after the cull due to associated mortality risk. We used generalized linear models in an information-theoretic framework to weigh evidence for our hypotheses. Post-control, independent wolf detections decreased to 24 % of pre-cull numbers, but wolves maintained 75 % of their distribution. Pre-control, wolves were positively associated with linear features, presumably for hunting efficiency, but post-cull wolves were negatively associated with these features. Thus, wolf control caused not only a numerical reduction of wolf numbers, but also a functional change in wolf behaviour that could further reduce predation pressure on caribou. However, post cull wolf occurrence was more strongly associated with anthropogenic block features which provide forage for alternate prey, potentially subsidizing their fast recovery. Conservation actions involving predator mortality alter landscape-scale distributions and behaviors of surviving predators, with potential indirect effects for the mammal community.

Coastal Resilience: A Comparative Analysis on the Landscape Management of Tanjung Lesung Beach and Puerto Galera Beach

Abstract Coastal communities in the Southeast Asian region are presently at risk from natural disasters emerging from climate change. Along with these situations are landscape-based solutions that arise immediate concerns for the landscape management approaches for coastal areas, aiming at reduction of threats toward communities. Beach communities like in Tanjung Lesung in Banten, Indonesia, and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro in the Philippines have become subject contexts in this comparative study, considering that potential landscape management solutions have been observed from some cultures in both places, which may promote profound techniques that are cultivated from Southeast Asia. This research employs SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and PEST (Political, Economic, Social, and Technological) frameworks to evaluate the environmental features of both Tanjung Lesung and Puerto Galera. These methods were preassigned to investigate their advantages in studying the landscape and their capacity to provide valuable insights for the development of both destination’s Landscape Character Management Plan. Structured around four interrelated objectives: (1) geospatial integration, (2) indicator system development, (3) synergistic integration, and (4) landscape management enhancement, the research utilizes a multifaceted approach. This includes desk reviews, observations, interviews with key informants, and mapping, supplementing the SWOT-PEST analysis. In doing so, an integrated methodological framework set in a spatial context was the result leading to determining strategic areas, nodes, and networks that are crucial to improving the environment, primarily characterized as the coastal landscapes, thus serving as potential coastal landscape management references of other coastal landscape areas with similar conditions in the Southeast Asian region.

Incorporating public perception of Renewable Energy Landscapes in local spatial planning tools: A case study in Mediterranean countries

The European energy transition requirements have been posing many questions on the deployment of renewable energy sources. The development of renewable energy infrastructures entails landscape transformations affecting the perceived landscape quality and local acceptance. Sustainable energy spatial planning considers environmental, cultural, ecological needs but often neglect community perception of landscape transformations including both the physical landscape structures and the meanings associated to them. To address this issue, the paper aims to explore public perception and incorporate it in the planning tools. The research draws on a survey of residents of Arcos de la Frontera, Spain, conducted with the visual Q methodology, and on structured interviews with local experts. A selection of 36 different photovoltaic applications in urban and rural areas was evaluated by 21 citizens. The analysis identified four distinct viewpoints on photovoltaic applications in urban and rural landscapes. Local experts provided feedback on the current local spatial planning tools and on their consideration of landscape transformations. Considering both citizens and experts, we provided landscape integration strategies linked to siting and landscape design of solar power plants to be included in urban planning tools.

Evaluation of Aging-Friendly Public Spaces in Old Urban Communities Based on IPA Method—A Case Study of Shouyi Community in Wuhan

In recent years, the aging population in Chinese cities has become increasingly severe. In 2021, the proportion of people aged 65 and above in Wuchang District, Wuhan reached 24.38%, indicating a deeply aging society. Consequently, the importance of studying aging-friendly public spaces in communities is becoming more prominent. This research was conducted based on survey data of outdoor spaces in Shouyi Community, Shouyi Road. Factor analysis and IPA were used to assess the satisfaction and importance of elderly residents’ satisfaction. The primary renovation factors identified include route organization, site height difference protection, barrier-free design, plant color matching, plant configuration, and landscape features, followed by spatial continuity, lighting, microclimate, and rest facilities layout. These analyses effectively identified public factors and prioritize the aging-friendly renovation of public spaces in old communities. In the renovation of old communities in Wuhan, safety is the primary renovation factor for aging-friendly communities. Improving site height difference protection and barrier-free facilities significantly enhances residents’ satisfaction. The aesthetic improvement of outdoor spaces is the second renovation factor, indicating that the elderly increasingly value the aesthetic aspect of spaces. Although accessibility of community public spaces is the third renovation factor, route organization at the criterion level has the highest priority. Road traffic and parking difficulties are also key factors in the renovation of old communities.

Integrating vision and lidar based hyperlocal metadata for optimal capacity expansion planning in hillside road networks

The rapidly expanding population and scarcity of affordable housing in many urban areas, such as Los Angeles, have resulted in large inventories of structures in hilly landscapes. Such urbanization has also rendered road capacities inadequate in many instances, with hazards such as floods, fires, and earthquakes posing additional risks to such inventory. Planning construction activities such as widening, structural, and geotechnical retrofits to increase capacity and resiliency by cutting through slopes and incorporating landslide protection measures requires hyperlocal information for road segments in hillside areas. Performing traditional surveys for large areas of such road networks can be both time-consuming and cost prohibitive. At the same time, data acquired from satellites may not provide the required spatial resolution for planning, especially regarding road-adjacent features such as slopes. This paper proposes a novel framework to fuse hyperlocal data regarding road and adjacent slopes gathered from the street-level mobile mapper equipped with cameras and lidar into the network design problem (NDP) to develop an optimal road width expansion plan. The hyperlocal features are derived from a colorized point cloud map and deep learning techniques to estimate the relevant features in hillside landscapes. Specifically, a deep learning-based segmentation and detection algorithms combined with novel point cloud processing techniques are used to obtain a spatially dense profile of the road and the adjacent slope. By leveraging such hyperlocal information, we explore all the potential road capacity and improvement options for road capacity expansion. Furthermore, we demonstrate the advantages of our proposed method over conventional techniques, particularly working with budget constraints. In terms of novel contributions, incorporating hyperlocal information into NDP for hillside road capacity expansion is novel, as well as algorithms to automatically detect and characterize relevant roadside features from remotely sensed lidar point clouds.

Flight patterns of monocularly occluded homing pigeons further reveal a left eye/right cerebral hemispheric advantage in the visual processing of familiar landscape/landmark features

Studying pigeons during homing has offered an opportunity to investigate visual–functional brain lateralization in the context of free flying and long distance navigation. In the current study we examine at a high scale of spatial resolution the flight paths of pigeons, which vary with respect to monocular and binocular treatment, as they familiarise themselves with landscape and landmark features during repeated flights home from two locations. The analysis of the flight paths of monocularly occluded pigeons revealed that pigeons using the right eye/left hemisphere visual system were more likely to display more tortuous paths over tracts of 500 m along the flight path home compared to both pigeons using the left eye/right hemisphere visual system and control birds. Accompanying this finding was the observation that pigeons using the right eye/left hemisphere system were more likely to perform flight “loops”, suggesting that, without right hemispheric visual processing, pigeons are more motivated to seek out visual input, behaviourally expanding the now monocularly reduced visual field. Taken together, the data are consistent with a more important role of the left eye/right hemisphere system in processing visual features of the landscape, which may contribute to the construction of the familiar landmark-based map used for navigation. More broadly, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the right cerebral hemisphere of the avian brain plays a more important role in memorising and using the relational properties of visual stimuli to guide performance on spatial tasks.

Localized Canal Development Model Based on Titled Landscapes on the Grand Canal, Hangzhou Section, China

After the decline of water transportation along the Grand Canal, the integration of urban development and the preservation of cultural heritage along the canal has become imperative. This paper takes the titled landscape as its research perspective and investigates the cultural significance of the canal through its historical, spatial, artistic, and spiritual dimensions, identifying the “Ten Canal Scenes” (TCS) that encapsulate both the canal’s heritage and the unique characteristics of Hangzhou, with the aim of establishing notable urban cultural landmarks. Archival analysis, average nearest neighbor (ANN) analysis, nuclear density analysis, and clustering of resource sites are first used to identify cultural landscape features. Evaluation and decision-making techniques are then used to comprehensively assess and categorize the conservation and utilization value for the TCS based on the value evaluation framework. Finally, it proposes strategies for enhancing the comprehensive values of titled landscapes and addressing socio-economic and cultural dimensions. These efforts seek to reconcile the preservation of the canal’s cultural heritage with the ongoing regeneration and development of the city and propose references for a localized canal development model based on titled landscapes.

Determination of Recreatıon Areas in Acarlar Longoz

The protection of nature and the environment, the preservation of the diversity of ecosystems without jeopardizing their integrity, and their sustainable development are important for sustainability. The Acarlar Floodplain is an extraordinary tourism and recreation area in terms of its ecological and landscape features. In the Acarlar Floodplain, which has recently become an important tourist destination, it is important to determine the attractions for daily recreation without neglecting the conservation value. The aim of this study is to identify suitable areas for hiking and birdwatching in the region using the weighted overlay method. The results show that most of the region is restricted areas for targeted activities, especially birdwatching, due to the different conservation status of Acar Longoz. The 1st degree suitable areas for hiking activities cover 226 ha and 4169 ha fall under the 2nd degree suitable category. The 1st degree suitable areas for birdwatching cover 16 ha, while the 2nd degree suitable areas cover 487 ha. The results provide essential inputs and an exemplary scientific methodology for the development of the current ecotourism project and wetland management plans.

Features of Consistent Powassan Virus Lineage II Focus in Southern Maine, United States.

Powassan virus lineage II or deer tick virus (DTV) is a rare but increasingly reported human infection in the United States transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks. The virus is thought to be maintained in environmental foci that are optimal for tick and vertebrate reservoirs, but details on DTV ecology are poorly understood. We investigated DTV tick infection rates and reservoir host abundance in a focus of consistent DTV activity in Maine, USA. Host and tick abundance, vegetation, and microclimate conditions were measured in three forest sites representing increasing invasive understory infestation. Sites were selected representing native understory, mixed vegetation with some invasive Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), and a highly invasive site dominated by Japanese barberry. Japanese barberry in the mixed vegetation site averaged 1 m in height with space between plants, whereas the highly invasive site had impenetrable Japanese barberry over 1.5 m. The DTV infection rate was greater in the highly invasive site. Density of I. scapularis ticks were significantly lower in the native forest site, and no DTV was found. Another feature of the DTV focus was more stable humid microclimate throughout the year compared with the other sites and a nearby continuous section of forest, consistent with reports from Connecticut, USA. We conclude that invasive Japanese barberry stands provide favorable and consistent microclimate conditions to maintain high DTV infection rates annually among questing I. scapularis ticks. Understanding environmental and landscape features that support high infection rates could lead to the identification of high-risk habitats for contracting DTV.

A Comprehensive Study of Growth Patterns and Success Factors of Unicorn Startups

Unicorn startups, defined as private companies with valuations exceeding $1 billion, have become a defining feature of the contemporary entrepreneurial landscape. This phenomenon, marked by rapid growth and extraordinary valuations, has garnered significant attention from entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers. This paper provides a comprehensive examination of unicorn startups, delving into their defining characteristics, the factors that contribute to their meteoric rise, the challenges they face, and the broader implications for the business ecosystem.

Advancements in mapping areas suitable for wetland habitats across the conterminous United States

Wetland habitats provide critical ecosystem services to the surrounding landscape, including nutrient and pollutant retention, flood mitigation, and carbon storage. Wetland connectivity to water bodies and related ecosystems is critical in habitat sustainability, but there are limited resources for landscape-level wetland planning. Considering the network connectivity of an ecosystem type can derive different benefits to the natural and built environment, as well as human health. The value that wetlands provide, along with incentive programs and conservation goals mandated by the government require new and improved wetland spatial data. Utilizing high quality, publicly available data, this study finds that the amount of land in the United States that could support built or restored wetlands is more than double the area of mapped existing wetlands.This study uses 17 input variables (i.e., features extracted from remotely sensed data and auxiliary datasets) at the 10-m resolution and the National Wetlands Inventory to train a random forest model to identify areas that may support a wetland habitat, or potential wetland areas. Models were calculated for each of 18 two-digit hydrologic units that encompass the conterminous United States, and model overall accuracy ranged from 78.0 % to 89.8 %. The models predicted that 21.1 % of the conterminous United States can be categorized as potential wetland area.Selecting input variables to predict areas with wetland potential, rather than to identify existing wetlands, using the random forest algorithm can be transferred to other locations, scales, and ecosystem types. Visualizing potential wetland areas using input data at the 10-m resolution and enhanced methodology improves previous work, as even slight changes in topography, soils, and landscape features can determine ecosystem connections. This product can be used to better place wetland restoration projects to serve ecosystem- and community-wide health by ensuring ecosystem success and targeting areas that face increased climate change impacts.

Carbon dynamics in an alluvial fan in the eastern Canadian Arctic

Alluvial fans are common features of mountainous landscapes in circumpolar regions and are characterized by a suit of hillslope processes that drive sediment distribution. At present there is little known about the biogeochemistry of these systems. Thus, this study aimed to understand alluvial fan soil carbon (C) dynamics. Surface and permafrost soil was retrieved in the apex, mid-section, and foot of a fan on Bylot Island in the Canadian Arctic. Soil characteristics such as grain size distribution, ice content and major ions, electric conductivity, as well as total C and nitrogen (N) contents were determined. Moreover, soil organic carbon (SOC) pools were assessed using density fractionation in combination with acid hydrolysis. Despite the strong influence of hillslope processes on physical sediment characteristics, hillslope location had no effect on SOC and N stocks. However, fractionation analysis showed that hillslope processes facilitate the degradation of soil C prior to its burial and integration into permafrost soil, where over 90% of the SOC pool associated with the mineral-fraction is resistant to degradation. Hence, SOC pools at the foot of alluvial fans may be considered relatively stable.

Pengembangan Kawasan Pariwisata Berbasis Kearifan Lokal Kampung Asey Besar

When viewed from a cultural perspective, the tourism industry indirectly plays an important role in the development of regional culture. Local wisdom is the potential of a culture that can be developed by the community so that the authenticity of that culture is maintained. It is hoped that the development of a tourism area based on local wisdom will have a positive impact on the people of Asey Besar Village. This research aims to determine the potential of a local wisdom-based tourism area in Asey Besar Village. To find out about the development of a tourism area based on local wisdom in Asey Besar Village, Jayapura Regency. The research method used is a qualitative descriptive method. Based on the research results, it was found that the potential for developing a tourism area based on local wisdom in Asey Besar Village is planned as a strategic area for traditional villages with known resources in the form of natural beauty, and has a landscape character with flora and fauna habitat, clear waters, topography, type of vegetation. Planning for regional development as a tourism area with local wisdom is carried out by increasing and developing investment in the social and cultural spatial structure of regional communities in Asey Besar Village. For the Government and Community, efforts must be made to preserve the potential of local wisdom in Asey Besar Village which supports tourism by the government and community as those responsible for protecting and maintaining local wisdom while maintaining culture as a characteristic of the tribal community of Asey Besar Village.

The spatial distribution of heat related hospitalizations and classification of the most dangerous heat events in California at a small-scale level

Many studies have explored the impact of extreme heat on health, but few have investigated localized heat-health outcomes across a wide area. We examined fine-scale variability in vulnerable areas, considering population distribution, local weather, and landscape characteristics. Using 36 different heat event definitions, we identified the most dangerous types of heat events based on minimum, maximum, and diurnal temperatures with varying thresholds and durations. Focusing on California's diverse climate, elevation, and population distribution, we analyzed hospital admissions for various causes of admission (2004–2013). Our matching approach identified vulnerable zip codes, even with small populations, on absolute and relative scales. Bayesian Hierarchical models leveraged spatial correlation. We ranked the 36 heat event types by attributable hospital admissions per zip code and provided code, simulated data, and an interactive web app for reproducibility. Our findings showed high variation in heat-related hospitalizations in coastal cities and substantial heat burdens in the Central Valley. Diurnal heat events had the greatest impact in the Central Valley, while nighttime extreme heat events drove burdens in the southeastern desert. This spatially informed approach guides local policies, prioritizing dangerous heat events to reduce the heat-health burden. The methodology is applicable to other regions, informing early warning systems and characterizing extreme heat impacts.

Wide-Scale Identification of Small Woody Features of Landscape from Remote Sensing

Small landscape features (i.e., trees outside forest, small woody features) and linear vegetation such as hedgerows, riparian vegetation, and green lanes are vital ecological structures in agroecosystems, enhancing the biodiversity, landscape diversity, and protecting water bodies. Therefore, their monitoring is fundamental to assessing a specific territory’s arrangement and verifying the effectiveness of strategies and financial measures activated at the local or European scale. The size of these elements and territorial distribution make their identification extremely complex without specific survey campaigns; in particular, remote monitoring requires data of considerable resolution and, therefore, is very costly. This paper proposes a methodology to map these features using a combination of open-source or low-cost high-resolution orthophotos (RGB), which are typically available to local administrators and are object-oriented classification methods. Additionally, multispectral satellite images from the Sentinel-2 platform were utilized to further characterize the identified elements. The produced map, compared with the other existing layers, provided better results than other maps at the European scale. Therefore, the developed method is highly effective for the remote and wide-scale assessment of SWFs, making it a crucial tool for defining and monitoring development policies in rural environments.

Greener view, safer drive: Using repeated field experiments and deep transfer learning technique to investigate impacts of urban road landscapes on driving performance

Driving in urban environments is an essential part of urban residents’ daily life. We still know little about impacts of a wide range of greenness on driving performance in real urban environments, after controlling for socioeconomic, demographic, driving record, and other environmental factors. This missing knowledge prevents policymakers and professionals from using appropriate planning and design of green landscapes to create safe driving environments for numerous urban residents. This study aimed to address this significant knowledge gap by using real-world driving experiments. Each of thirty-four residents performed seven driving tasks so 238 driving tasks were completed in total. Each task lasted one hour and followed a randomly assigned sequence. Road greenness and other environmental characteristics were analyzed using deep transfer learning semantic segmentation based on live videos (30 frames per second), recorded by a camera positioned to capture the driver’s eye view. A serial communication technology, known as Controller Area Network bus (CANbus), was employed to continuously measure driving performance using four parameters. A series of hierarchical regression analyses yielded three major findings: First, an increased mean of greenness was associated with improved driving performance, as demonstrated by all four parameters. Second, an increased variation of greenness was also associated with better driving performance in three parameters. Finally, the mean of greenness displayed a stronger positive relationship with driving performance than the variation of greenness in three parameters. The findings imply that both the quantity and quality of green landscapes are critical for promoting driving performance in urban areas.

Effects of landscape changes on urban climate change: A case study in the city of São Paulo

Given the vulnerability of Brazilian cities to climate change, it is imperative to monitor urban areas’ susceptibility to temperature fluctuations. In this article, we employ thermal remote sensing and digital image processing techniques to illustrate a substantial rise in surface temperatures across the Northwest Region of São Paulo City over the past three decades. This surge in surface temperature is closely linked to alterations in the urban landscape. Our findings emphasize that one significant environmental consequence of São Paulo City’s rapid urbanization is the pronounced increase in surface temperatures. These results also underscore the significance of assessing landscape features, such as vegetation cover, to inform the prudent, sustainable, and resilient management of urban centers, thereby mitigating climate change effects in metropolitan areas.