Flat Areas Research Articles

Insights from feature tracking of optical satellite data for studying rock glacier kinematics in the Northern Tien Shan

Rock glaciers are prevalent across the Tien Shan and exhibit complex, but poorly understood kinematics linked to climate and environmental fluctuations. This study employed a frequency domain cross-correlation method to investigate rock glacier velocities in the Northern Tien Shan. We compared different sources of satellite imagery, including 0.5m Pléiades, 3m Planet, 10m Sentinel-2 and 15m Landsat-8 data. Analysis of high-resolution Pléiades imagery in the Central Ile Alatau showed considerable spatial heterogeneity in flow. The highest median velocity of 0.65 m/yr was observed on Timofeyeva rock glacier, with an upper quartile value of 0.90 m/yr. Ordzhonikidze and Morennyi rock glaciers also exhibited high activity, with upper quartile values of 1.91 m/yr and 0.96 m/yr, respectively, despite considerably lower mean and median values than Timofeyeva. We observed bimodal velocity distributions on a number of rock glaciers, highlighting the limitations of using mean and median statistics for characterising rock glacier activity. Sentinel-2 data was capable of detecting kinematic patterns that closely reflected those identified by high-resolution Pléiades data. Velocities were derived from Sentinel-2 imagery for 672 rock glaciers across the Northern Tien Shan over a 7-year period (2016–2023). Many of the larger rock glaciers in the regional inventory exhibited active areas with velocities that exceeded 2 m per year. Topographic analysis in the Central Ile Alatau and visual inspection showed the fastest velocities to generally occur on lower, flatter areas near the rock glacier front. However, topography did not entirely explain the spatial flow heterogeneity. We interpret that these spatial patterns in activity are related to individual rock glacier’s internal structure.

Integrated Model to Reduce the Maneuver Time of the Harvester and Infield Wagon in Sugarcane Harvest

This study aims to enhance the efficiency of mechanized sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) harvesting by optimizing the maneuvers of the auxiliary vehicle (infield wagon) operating in tandem with the harvester. The optimization focuses on increasing productivity and reducing soil compaction in high-traffic maneuver areas. A comprehensive three-year experimental study was conducted in agricultural fields at a Brazilian mill, where extensive field data and economic parameters were collected to simulate and compare maneuvering techniques on both flat and sloped terrain. To evaluate the synchronization between the harvester and the infield wagon under non-optimized scenarios, a Maneuver Simultaneity Index (MSI) was developed. The results demonstrated that the optimized “P-optimized” technique, which utilizes dedicated maneuvering spaces, significantly increased economic returns per hour worked by reducing maneuver times across various terrain types. Additionally, fuel consumption decreased with the adoption of the optimized maneuver pattern, leading to lower operational costs and reduced environmental impact. These findings highlight the economic and operational feasibility of optimizing maneuver patterns, particularly in flat areas, and provide a sustainable framework adaptable for improving efficiency and productivity in diverse mechanized agricultural operations.

Greenhouse gas fluxes and their determining factors in salt marsh wetlands along the south shore of Hangzhou Bay, East China Sea.

This study employed in-situ online monitoring to assess the impact of Spartina alterniflora harvesting on greenhouse gas emissions. Their fluxes and δ13C values were measured in unvegetated tidal flat, low and medium vegetation coverage areas of the salt marsh wetlands along the south shore of Hangzhou Bay about a month after harvest. The objective was to clarify fluxes changes and interactions with environmental factors. The results indicated that methane (CH4) emissions were highest in the unvegetated tidal flat area, reaching 230.27nmolm-2·s-1, whereas carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions peaked at 2.16μmolm-2·s-1 in the low vegetation coverage area. Increased vegetation coverage was associated with decreased CH4 emissions, however, CO2 emissions showed inconsistent trends across different levels of vegetation. During the daytime, average CH4 emissions from the unvegetated tidal flat, low and medium vegetation coverage areas were 214.00, 100.26, and 77.54nmolm-2·s-1, respectively. In contrast, nighttime emissions from these areas were 207.18, 81.00, and 69.90nmolm-2·s-1, respectively. The average CO2 emissions during the daytime were 2.18, 1.56, and 0.23μmolm-2·s-1 for the same three areas, while nighttime emissions were 1.94, 2.52, and 2.88μmolm-2·s-1, respectively. CH4 emissions were elevated during the daytime under vegetative cover, whereas CO2 emissions peaked at night. Tidal influences led to increased CH4 fluxes before and after high tide, while CO2 emissions reached their nadir during high tide. Soil exposure coupled with increased organic matter from harvested Spartina alterniflora significantly elevated CH4 emissions. However, CO2 emissions did not exhibit a significant increase compared to other regions.

Quantitative impacts of climate change and human activities on grassland growth in Xinjiang, China

Grassland is an important vegetation type in Xinjiang, China, playing a crucial role in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Previous studies have shown that both climate change and human activities significantly impact grassland growth. However, research quantifying the contributions of these two factors to grassland changes is still not thorough enough. This study utilized remote sensing data, i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), to analyze the spatial trends of grassland changes from 1982 to 2015, and the correlation between NDVI and climate factors. Then, relative contributions of climate change and human activities to grassland changes were explored across Xinjiang. The results indicated that there was a significant spatial heterogeneity in the interannual variations of NDVI in the study area, showing an overall increasing trend (covering 62.5% of the study area). This was mainly attributed to the warming and humidifying trend of Xinjiang’s climate in recent decades, where increased precipitation and rising temperatures promoted grassland growth. The main regions with increased NDVI included the western part of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, the southern part of Tacheng Prefecture, and the northwestern part of the Tarim Basin; while the areas with decreased NDVI were mainly located in the western part of the study area, e.g., the Ili River basin, and the Tekes River basin. Compared to precipitation, NDVI showed a stronger correlation with temperature, which was related to temperature promoting organic matter decomposition and enhancing vegetation nutrient utilization efficiency. NDVI was negatively correlated with VPD, mainly due to the effects of transpiration and surface evaporation. In terms of grassland growth, climate change (52%) contributed as much as human activity (48%). For the grassland reduction, human activities played a larger role. Overall, in mountainous and flat areas, human activities contributed more (64.29%) than climate change (35.71%), including activities such as grazing and urbanization.

Demand conditions of physical experience-based tourism in an urban-centered wetland

The target area of the survey is the rehabilitated flat area behind the capital cities of Vienna and Bratislava, which lies in the tourist area of Győr. Wetlands provide a backdrop for tourism products such as kite flying, cycling and walking. The city centre offers tourists an easy sightseeing tour behind the natural scenery of the Danube tributary (Szigetköz). Objective: The demographic characteristics of demand and preferences for active tourism product types and the extent of the scope of supply were analyzed. The present research also analyses the cycling routes in the region with regard to the EUROVELO 6 road network. The primary research was a quantitative (questionnaire) survey conducted between 10 September 2023 and 30 October 2023. The survey sample of 666 respondents is not representative and was selected by random sampling. The results of the research include an analysis of the demand for participation in cycling tourism and tour programs as activities requiring activity. The findings of the research provide a basis for demand-supply segmentation of sustainable active tourism product development based on physical experience according to demographic characteristics (e.g. age, education). The landscape of the wetland can be positioned for the bicycle tourists. Especially for the target group of people over 40 and for people with higher education. The scope of the guided tours, linked to the central offer, extends over an area of more than 50 km. Activating the target group helps the rehabilitated natural scenery to connect to sustainable tourism.

Possibilities of Using Regional Index-Flood Method with Annual Maximum and Partial Duration Series: A Case Study of Susurluk River Basin, Turkey

Among the natural disasters experienced in Turkey, floods, which cause the most loss of life and property after the earthquake, have increased their impact and frequency of occurrence over time, as well as unplanned urbanization caused by the increasing population, uncontrolled construction in stream beds, and changing climate. Therefore, it is important to accurately predict the magnitude and frequency of floods. This study investigated the possibilities of using the regional index-flood method and annual maximum series (AMS) and partial duration series (PDS) in the Susurluk River basin. Annual maximum flood series provided homogeneity in the Susurluk basin as a single region, and the Generalized Logistic (GLO) distribution fits the AMS. PDS was extracted according to the threshold levels determined using the variance-mean ratio and frequency factors. The PDS's most appropriate frequency factors (k) were determined according to the Poisson distribution, which makes the variance-mean ratio equal. k=3.5 was determined for only two stations. k=4 was suitable for seven stations, and k=5 was suitable for thirteen stations. The average number of peaks over the threshold level (λ`) varies between 1.26 and 5.31. Since PDS is not homogeneous in a single region, cluster analysis divided the basin into three regions. After homogeneity was achieved, Pearson Type 3 (PE3) and Generalized Pareto (GPA) distributions were suitable with the PDS. The study concluded that instead of annual maximum flood series, partial duration flood series can be used in many stations in the short and medium term but can be used in fewer stations in the long-term estimations. Since Regions I and II are relatively lower and flatter areas than Region III, it was observed that the flows started to accumulate at the stations in these regions, and larger floods were predicted. Region III is close to the basin upstream, and smaller floods were predicted at the stations in this region. Since partial duration flood estimations are lower than annual maximum flood ones, they can provide advantages to engineering projects with lower costs. In addition, PDS can be useful in regionalizing floods, which are very common due to the data extraction process.

Examine the Heat Transfer Characteristics in Car Radiator Utilizing the Water/Anti-Freezing and Al2O3/Cuo/Tio2 Based Nanofluid as Coolant

Automobile radiators have been using traditional heat transfer fluids like water and motor oil for a long time. However, there is an increasing demand for improved heat transfer fluids in order to greatly increase the system's thermal performance. Traditional fluids often suffer from low thermal conductivities, and the flat tube's limited surface area hinders the enhancement of heat transfer. Improving heat transmission between the radiator and coolant is primarily intended to increase the cooling capability of car engines, guaranteeing peak performance and averting malfunctions. This study investigates two methods to achieve this goal. The first method focuses on modifying the radiator’s flat tube design by altering the fin configuration. One design incorporates 34 continuous louvered fins, while the other uses 46 continuous louvered fins with a U-shaped configuration. In order to improve heat transmission, the second technique adds solid particles that are nanoscale in size to the base fluid. Three nanoparticles—Al₂O₃, CuO, and TiO₂—are used at concentrations of 0.05%, 0.15%, and 0.3%. By combining these modified designs with various nanoparticle concentrations, a total of 10 cases were analyzed. Throughout the investigation, the flat tube's coolant's intake velocity remained constant. ANSYS Fluent 23.2 was used to assess the heat transfer properties, taking into account variables including velocity distribution, temperature distribution, pressure drop, and heat transfer rate. The coolant containing 0.3% TiO₂ nanoparticles had the greatest heat transfer capability, surpassing all other examples examined. Its outlet temperature was 360.53 K, and its heat transfer rate was 76.73 W.Keyword: Diabetes detection, machine learning, Support Vector Machine, Gradient Boosting, voting ensemble, early diagnosis.

Tectonics of Cauvery basin (India) in onshore and offshore portions

Morphometric studies coupled with geophysical investigations from petroliferous basins provide valuable information about tectonics of the regions. We deduce six morphologic parameters from the River Cauvery's designated (sub)watersheds and perform dendrogram clustering analysis. The main channels of the (sub)watersheds showcase steeper gradient and meandering nature with less concavity. On the other hand, the distributaries portray lesser gradient and straight nature with greater concavity. From the offshore region of the Cauvery basin, we perform gravity modeling. The results show variations in gravity values from low to high, -150 to 50 mGal probably because of the basement ridge-depression features. This anomaly orientation indicates the extension of the sub-basin in the region. A strong NE-SW gravity trend possibly suggests a high-density plug at mid-crust. The low gravity values near the Vedaranyam region indicate low-density rocks within the basement. Places of high gravity anomaly show a decrease in bathymetry depth and vice versa. This indicates isostatic compensation of the Moho geometry, possibly due to crustal thinning in the offshore areas. Isostatic regional gravity fields are manifested by Moho relief and can have implications on the lithospheric mechanical strengths. Bathymetric studies indicate multi-directional slopes. Relatively flat areas can indicate depocenters. E-W trending lineaments mapped on the Precambrian basement from a portion of the study area is presumably a manifestation of Cauvery Shear zone, which also persists in the offshore region.

Developing a new index with time series Sentinel-2 for accurate tidal flats mapping in China.

Tidal flats are essential habitats for a wide variety of plants and animals along the coast, contributing significantly to biodiversity preservation. Despite efforts to employ remote sensing technology for mapping these areas, misidentification remains a persistent issue. Within the context of tidal flat mapping, one of the primary challenges lies in distinguishing between tidal flats and turbid water bodies. This is primarily attributed to the high sediment content in turbid water bodies, which renders their spectral characteristics similar to those of tidal flats, consequently leading to confusion. To this end, this study developed a novel Tidal Flats-Water Difference Index (TWDI) with time series Sentinel-2 to accurately map tidal flats in China for the year 2020. The index demonstrates robust performance in distinguishing between tidal flats and water bodies, particularly in turbid water conditions. It reduces the likelihood of misclassifying water bodies as tidal flats, thus enhancing the accuracy of tidal flats mapping. Based on this index, we generated Tidal Flats Map of China at 10m (TFMC) in 2020 based on the GEE. With validation from 10,234 samples, the TFMC map attained an overall accuracy (OA) and F1 score of 0.97. Based on our calculations, the total area of tidal flats in China was 9195.80km2, with Jiangsu Province accounting the largest area at the provincial level (2467.71km2). This study is the first attempt to address the issue of misclassification of turbid water bodies as tidal flats. TWDI can serve as the spectral index in tidal flats mapping or as input features for training classification models of coastal wetland. The TFMC map can serve as foundational data to promote the protection of tidal flats and the sustainable development of coastal wetland ecosystems.

Resposta das alterações da paisagem rural às atividades humanas em áreas montanhosas cársticas

ABSTRACT: Landscape patterns in mountainous areas with rapid economic development are strongly affected by multiple human activities. However, the changes in landscape disturbances across karst mountainous areas attributed to complex human activities remain unclear. Research on the degree of landscape disturbance in mountainous areas under the influence of human activities is of great significance to the conservation and scientific management of mountainous landscapes. We selected rural zones with four typical small-scale landform types in karst mountainous areas as the research objects and analyzed the response of changes in rural landscape disturbance to human activity in these areas. Our results revealed that the landscape disturbance degree and human activity influence index increase in the majority of karst mountainous areas. The changes in human activity and landscape disturbances are generally observed in the low terrain relief region. High-intensity land use associated with rapid economic development has a serious negative impact on the degree of landscape disturbance, while ecological restoration projects exert a positive impact. Accelerating the implementation of the grain for green project and regulating the unregulated expansion of production and living land are crucial measures for the ecological management in karst mountainous areas. Future ecological management strategies should focus on relatively flat terrain areas. Our findings contributed to the landscape management and human activity regulation of different small-scale landform types in karst mountainous areas.

The influence of simulated worn shoe and foot inversion on heel internal biomechanics during running impact: A subject-specific finite element analysis.

This study explored how systematic changes in running shoe degradation and foot inversion alter the distribution and peak value of heel pressure and calcaneus stress, as well as the total stress-concentration exposure (TSCE) within the calcaneal bone. A foot-shoe finite element model was employed and three shoe wear conditions (new shoe (CON), moderate worn shoe (MWSC), excessive worn shoe (EWSC)) coupled with three foot inversion angles (0°, 10°, 20°) were further modulated. Simulations were conducted at the impact peak instant during running. Compared to CON0, heel pressure during neutral landings shifted medially and increased with progressive shoe wear, peaking under EWSC0. This shift expanded the high-pressure area by 1.333cm2 and raised peak pressure by 24.42%. Foot inversion landings exhibited an opposite trend: increased shoe wear promoted balanced pressure distribution, centralizing the load and eliminating high-pressure areas under EWSC10, where peak pressure was 11.36% lower than CON10. Calcaneus stress during neutral landings, initially concentrated on the medial calcaneal surface and inferior tuberosity, intensified with wear, expanding high-stress area by 5.276cm2 and increasing peak stress by 22.79% under EWSC0. For foot inversion, the high-stress region shifted to the inferior tuberosity, with wear reducing peak stress by 10.41% and eliminating high-stress area in EWSC10 compared to CON10. TSCE analysis revealed that EWSC10 had the lowest stress exposure (0%kPa) across all conditions. Worn-out shoes would exacerbate heel internal biomechanics, while these effects may be mitigated by foot inversion, likely due to the formation of a relatively flat and larger contact area between the lateral sole and the ground.

Assessment of soil erosion and sediment delivery ratio in the Arghandab Catchment, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan by using GIS-based RUSLE method

A significant proportion of Arghandab Catchment in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan has been under potential degradation threat due to soil erosion. This study assessed the extent of soil erosion and estimated the sediment delivery ratio (SDR) in the catchment by employing the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), utilizing the Geographic Information System (GIS) and the Remote Sensing (RS) techniques. Data, related to rainfall erosivity (R factor), soil erodibility (K factor), slope length and steepness (LS factor), cover management (C factor), and support practices (P factor), employed for the RUSLE model were processed using the GIS tools and R-Studio software. Average RUSLE factor values estimated in the studied area ranged from 51.8 to 124 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 year−1, 0.03725 t ha h ha−1 MJ−1 mm−1, 9.2, 0.445, and 0.75 for R, K, LS, C, and P factors, respectively. The results revealed that the average annual soil loss from the catchment was 6.81 t ha−1 yr−1, ranging from 0.002 t ha−1 yr−1 in the flat areas up to 94.7 t ha−1 yr−1 in the hilly and mountainous regions. Soil classes of slight, moderate, high, very high, severe, and very severe covered areas of 20.1% (263,542.3 ha), 12.2% (160,286.5 ha), 22.8% (298,740.6 ha), 20.3% (265,546.8 ha), 17.6% (231,224.4 ha) and 6.9% (90,879.9 ha), respectively. The computed SDR for Dahla Reservoir located in the catchment was found to be in between 24.2% and 36%. LS factor was identified as the most crucial variable associated with soil erosion. The findings from this study can be applied when designing effective conservation strategies in the management of erosion and water management.

PREVALENCE OF PERIODONTAL DISEASES AMONG INDUSTRIAL WORKERS EXPOSED TO HARMFUL FACTORS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and intensity of periodontal diseases among inductrial workers exposed to harmful factors. Subjects and methods. To achieve the goal, 263 employees from three industrial sectors in the Ivano-Frankivsk region were surveyed: chemical production, glass production, and the agro-industrial complex. Clinical examinations were conducted at the Department of Dentistry of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at IFNMU. The employees were divided into two groups: the main group, which included 185 workers directly involved in production, and the control group, which consisted of 78 individuals from administrative and support staff, matched for gender, age, and work experience. These control group members worked outside the main production areas. Clinical examinations for both groups followed a standard medical protocol, including the collection of anamnestic data and the assessment of patient complaints. Results and discussion. According to the obtained data, only 7,57% of 185 subjects in the main group had an intact periodontium, which is 1,7 times less common than the subjects of the control group, who did not have close contact with occupational pathogens. Periodontal diseases in the control group were found in 87,18% of people. This figure is close to the average population in the flat areas of the Ivano-Frankivsk region for age groups from 20 to 54 years. Among patients of the main group, the number of individuals with periodontal diseases was 5,25% higher, which is obviously due to the effect of unfavorable factors at enterprises. By studying the structure of periodontal diseases, it was established that among 171 individuals in the main groups that had periodontal diseases, gingivitis was diagnosed in 5,26% of patients, localized periodontitis in 3,51%, and periodontitis in 2,92%, and the rest – 88,31 % of people diagnosed with generalized periodontitis. Therefore, among patients of the main group who are exposed to occupational hazards, HP of the II and III degree is detected much more often - in 45,03% of patients, which is 12,67% more than in patients of the control group who are not in contact with harmful factors. The vast majority (67,64%) of employees of the administrative building had milder forms of periodontal disease: GP of the initial and first degree of development, gingivitis, localized periodontitis. Conclusions. Thus, a comparison of data from the study on the prevalence and condition of periodontal tissues in individuals exposed to occupational hazards in industrial production (main group) with the control group revealed the following: periodontal diseases develop much more rapidly in workers and are correlated with their work experience, leading to the presence of underlying conditions that contribute to the quick and intense progression of dystrophic-inflammatory processes in the periodontal tissues. Anamnestically, the majority of the subjects linked the initial manifestations of the disease to the onset of their work at the enterprise.

Smartphone-generated 3D facial images: reliable for routine assessment of the oronasal region of patients with cleft or mere convenience? A validation study

ObjectivesTo evaluate the validity and reliability of smartphone-generated three-dimensional (3D) facial images for routine evaluation of the oronasal region of patients with cleft by comparing their accuracy to that of direct anthropometry (DA) and 3dMD.Materials and methodsEighteen soft-tissue facial landmarks were manually labelled on each of the 17 (9 males and 8 females; mean age 23.3 ± 5.4 years) cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients’ faces. Two surface imaging systems, 3dMDface and Bellus3D FaceApp, were used to perform two imaging operations on each labelled face. Subsequently, 32 inter-landmark facial measurements were directly measured on the labelled faces and digitally measured on the 3D facial images. Statistical comparisons were made between smartphone-generated 3D facial images (SGI), DA, and 3dMD measurements.ResultsThe SGI measurements were slightly higher than those from DA and 3dMD, but the mean differences between inter-landmark measurements were not statistically significant across all three methods. In terms of clinical acceptability, 16% and 59% of measures showed differences of ≤ 3 mm or ≤ 5º, with good agreement between DA and SGI and 3dMD and SGI, respectively. A small systematic bias of ± 0.2 mm was observed generally among the three methods. Additionally, the mean absolute difference between the DA and SGI methods was the highest for linear measurements (1.31 ± 0.34 mm) and angular measurements (4.11 ± 0.76º).ConclusionsSGI displayed fair trueness compared to DA and 3dMD. It exhibited high accuracy in the orolabial area and specific central and flat areas within the oronasal region. Notwithstanding this, it has limited clinical applicability for assessing the entire oronasal region of patients with CLP. From a clinical application perspective, SGI should accurately encompass the entire oronasal region for optimal clinical use.Clinical relevanceSGI can be considered for macroscopic oronasal analysis or for patient education where accuracy within 3 mm and 5º may not be critical.

Hybrid delineation of landforms: Case of Bystrytsia-Pidbuzka drainage basin

Landforms, together with geological substrate and geomorphic processes, are essential for delineation of geoecosystems, which are indispensable for environmental management at landscape and regional levels. Geomorphometry is a geographic information system technology, which affords quantitative land-surface analysis and landform delineation using digital elevation models (DEM). Application of geomorphometry has been fostered by the emergence of free global high-resolution DEMs. However, automated geomorphometric extraction of landforms for flat areas, like wide river valleys, may be problematic owing to insufficient accuracy of the DEM. We selected the Bystrytsia-Pidbuzka drainage basin of 500 km², which has a transitional location between low flysch External Carpathian Mountains and wavy denudation-alluvial plains of the Fore-Carpathian Upland in Lviv Oblast (Ukraine), to test a hybrid methodology of landform delineation – manual and automated geomorphometric. We considered regional landforms as orotectonic units (morphostructures), which are used to characterize ecoregions, and morpholithotopes as the smallest local landforms – mesorelief elements together with surface deposits and current geomorphic processes. FABDEM V1-2 with a resolution of 30*30 m was used as a primary geodataset of elevation data. Ecoregions and morpholithotopes of wide flat valley bottoms were delineated via manual interpretation of the DEM and ancillary data, while the morpholithotopes of the hilly and mountainous interfluves were delineated automatedly using three topographic variables: topographic position index, slope, and flow accumulation. Within the study area, we singled-out six microecoregions and four mesoecoregions: Upper Dnister Depression, Upper Dnister Upland, Marginal Beskydy, and Dnister Beskydy. There are 21 classes of morpholithotopes distinguished belonging to flat valley bottoms with alluvial and lacustrine deposits, narrow valleys and big gullies, as well as lower concave and upper convex slopes formed by colluvial and eluvial-colluvial deposits respectively, divided into four inclination categories, and two lithological groups. Each morpholithotope class is attributed with a drainage status and probable current geomorphic processes. The obtained dataset is oriented on further ecological application. Key words: morpholithotope; ecoregion; geomorphometry; FABDEM; the Carpathian Mountains; the Fore-Carpathian Upland.

Agroforestry-Silvopastoral Systems Suitability for the Plateau Landforms: Devrekani Plateau (Northern Turkiye)

The Devrekani Plateau, located in the Kure Mountains massif (Kastamonu-Türkiye), is a geomorphological unit with flat areas ranging between 1000 and 1300 meters in altitude. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry activities are standard on the plateau. Due to environmental constraints, versatile, holistic, and sustainable land use plans are needed in such high areas. This study examines land use patterns compatible with natural environmental conditions for the Plateau Landforms. Agroforestry-silvopastoral systems where agriculture, pasture, forest lands, and recreational functions are applied together have been evaluated in the study area. Criteria that have a high relationship with land use have been identified. Using Geographic Information Systems, weighted overlay analysis was carried out with factor maps regarding Lithology, Slope, Elevation, and Actual Land Use. The model output reveals that the regions between agriculture and forest are the most suitable for the agroforestry-silvopastoral systems (outside urban areas) and recreation. The most suitable areas for mixed land use plans on the plateau are generally karst areas with sparse vegetation, located above 1200 meters, and having a 6-12% slope. The lower border of these areas is agricultural areas with flat or nearly flat slopes, commonly formed by alluviums. The upper limit consists of forest areas with steep slopes surrounded by high hills. Implementing agroforestry-silvopastoral land use models on plateau landforms can be an effective strategy for sustainable environmental management and land use.

Agroforestry-Silvopastoral Systems Suitability for the Plateau Landforms: Devrekani Plateau (Northern Turkiye)

The Devrekani Plateau, located in the Kure Mountains massif (Kastamonu-Türkiye), is a geomorphological unit with flat areas ranging between 1000 and 1300 meters in altitude. Agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry activities are standard on the plateau. Due to environmental constraints, versatile, holistic, and sustainable land use plans are needed in such high areas. This study examines land use patterns compatible with natural environmental conditions for the Plateau Landforms. Agroforestry-silvopastoral systems where agriculture, pasture, forest lands, and recreational functions are applied together have been evaluated in the study area. Criteria that have a high relationship with land use have been identified. Using Geographic Information Systems, weighted overlay analysis was carried out with factor maps regarding Lithology, Slope, Elevation, and Actual Land Use. The model output reveals that the regions between agriculture and forest are the most suitable for the agroforestry-silvopastoral systems (outside urban areas) and recreation. The most suitable areas for mixed land use plans on the plateau are generally karst areas with sparse vegetation, located above 1200 meters, and having a 6-12% slope. The lower border of these areas is agricultural areas with flat or nearly flat slopes, commonly formed by alluviums. The upper limit consists of forest areas with steep slopes surrounded by high hills. Implementing agroforestry-silvopastoral land use models on plateau landforms can be an effective strategy for sustainable environmental management and land use.

Efficacy of underground aggregate infiltration beds under a permeable pavement system

Pervious concrete (PC) pavement systems with their underlying aggregate storage beds provide potential strategies to mitigate stormwater runoff and associated flooding issues. Of particular interest is the efficacy of the infiltration capabilities into the soil of the underground storage bed, especially in areas with slow draining soils. This study uses real-time data on the water levels in the storage beds to determine soil infiltration rates at two test sites in Southeast Texas. One of the sites is connected to a rain garden system, with the potential for taking advantage of the low impact development (LID) processes of both systems. It was found that the combined systems allowed water to flow between them possibly adding additional storage during a storm event with the PC system’s void spaces and allowing for additional evaporative processes from the rain garden post the event. The other site has the PC raised above the surrounding grade, which represents potential applications where structures are raised above base flood elevations with connecting paved areas also raised. It was found that this raised system provided both infiltration into the soils from the underground bed and some detention capabilities in the raised portion of the system. These results aid in designing these LID systems in flat areas subject to flooding with slow draining soils such as in much of the coastal Gulf region.

A study of blind denoising algorithms for two-scale real images based on partial differential equations

In order to better preserve the details and texture information in the image, a dual scale real image blind denoising algorithm based on partial differential equations is studied. Input real image information, perform small-scale denoising based on differential curvature partial differential equations, and combine with a new diffusion coefficient function to distinguish the edges, flat areas, and noise of the image, allowing the algorithm to retain more subtle information such as weak edges and textures while removing noise. For the large-scale information in the input real image, a multi-stage partial differential equation is used for denoising processing. Based on the mixed denoising method of 8-neighborhood and implicit curvature, a weight function is constructed to control the proportion of the two types of equations in image denoising, effectively achieving the goal of large-scale image denoising. The experimental results show that in the MATLAB coding platform, this algorithm can eliminate different types of noise, preserve more edge and detail information of the image, and improve the registration and recognition accuracy in the image application process.

The effect of surface flow conditions on WEPP interrill erodibilities

The Water Erosion Prediction Project erosion model (WEPP) was developed as an event-based more process-based replacement for Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) based models in predicting soil erosion as a guide to conserving soil in the USA. However, WEPP has not been shown to predict event soil losses for bare fallow USLE plots better than USLE-based models when stipulated input values have been used. To some extent, this problem can be attributed to the availability of more refined and site-specific input parameters for the USLE-based models. This is true with respect to WEPP’s capacity to model raindrop-driven erosion on USLE plots under natural rainfall. Stipulated values for WEPP interrill erodibilities in the USA were determined only for ridge side slopes but USLE-based models focus on the prediction of long-term average annual soil loss caused by both sheet and rill erosion on planar surfaces. The interrill erodibilities determined for ridge side slopes did not correlate well with those on adjacent flat surfaces sloping along the land slope under the same rainfall conditions. Surface flow conditions, particularly flow depth, differ between the short high gradient side slopes associated with ridges, and the lower gradient slopes in interrill and sheet erosion areas on USLE plots. Failure of WEPP to account for the influence of different flow conditions between ridged and flat areas on raindrop-driven erosion affects the veracity of WEPP to predict average annual soil loss on USLE plots under natural rainfall and the use of WEPP to act as a replacement for USLE based models as an aid to make land management decisions to conserver soil in the USA.