Mountain Landscapes Research Articles

Healing forests as potential natural resources for visitor health therapy in the post-pandemic period

The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked people all over the world, including Indonesia. Various impacts have been felt due to the pandemic, including the many lives lost, obstacles to economic activity, limited community activities in general, to a decline in national tourism activities. The space for people to move at that time was limited, especially when they were infected with COVID-19. This study aims to identify the benefits of forests to improve public health recovery post-pandemic. Data collection was carried out in February-June 2023 by literature review and was analyzed qualitatively. Indonesia has successfully passed COVID-19 since December 2022, while health protocols are still being implemented. After going through a difficult period, people need health therapy to face their activities properly. The benefit of forests from environmental services in several countries is considered capable of being an alternative to increasing people’s enthusiasm with health therapy through healing forests. Many ecotourism activists in Central Java offered tourism services for beautiful landscapes, kind of waterfalls, mountainous landscapes, and the serenity of forests. Visitors welcome the opportunity to enjoy beautiful natural offerings and soothe the soul. It is in line with the high demand of ecotourism spots post pandemic, which form a close relationship between the triple bottom line from an ecological, social, and economic standpoint toward the environment sustainable development.

BACKLAND: spatially explicit and high‐resolution pollen‐based BACKward LAND‐cover reconstructions

Studying the interactions between humans, land‐cover and biodiversity is necessary for the sustainable management of socio‐ecosystems and requires long‐term reconstructions of past landscapes, improving the integration of slow processes. The main source of information on past vegetation is fossil pollen, but pollen data are biased by inter‐taxonomic differential production and dispersal. The landscape reconstruction algorithm (LRA) approach is the most widely used to correct for these biases. The LOVE algorithm (LOcal Vegetation estimates), the second step in the LRA approach, also estimates the spatial extent of the local vegetation reconstruction zone (the relevant source area of pollen, RSAP). While LRA estimates have already been integrated into certain past land‐cover mapping approaches, none have been designed to allow the diachronic reconstruction of a land‐cover mosaic over the long term combining the following points: the direct integration of LOVE estimates as a source of variability in the composition and distribution of pollen taxa, without multiple scenarios, and the integration of spatiotemporal autocorrelation in the taxa distribution between periods. Here, we propose an innovative approach for BACKward LAND‐cover reconstruction (BACKLAND), combining these points and estimating the past land‐cover mosaic within a set of RSAPs. Based on three stages using parsimonious assumptions and easy‐to‐implement probabilistic and statistical tools, this approach requires LOVE estimates of sites close enough to each other for their RSAPs to overlap, botanical data, a digital elevation model and two recent land‐cover maps. Developed and tested on a small study area within the mountain landscape of the Bassiès valley (French Pyrenees), BACKLAND achieved the reconstruction of a past land‐cover map representing eight land‐cover types at a spatial resolution of 20 m with a good level of accuracy. We show in this study the originality of this approach and discuss its potential for palaeoenvironmental studies, historical ecology and the management of socio‐ecosystems.

Participatory ground data are complementary to satellite bark beetle detection

Key messageDuring pest outbreaks, mapping tools play an important role. Participatory projects can provide useful ground data, which have a high accuracy in detecting early-stage infestations and small spots of the European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. However, satellite approaches are fundamental to clearly estimate infestation occurrence because ground data are spatially biased. Here, we show how a participatory approach involving nonspecialized staff and based on GIS-based app may contribute ground truth data that are fully complementary to satellite data.ContextIn Europe, bark beetle outbreaks were recently triggered by windstorms and heat waves, with the European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus. as the most important pest species. Huge efforts are needed for continuous mapping and monitoring of affected areas, especially during an incipient large-scale infestation. This is particularly difficult in mountain landscapes because of the rugged topography.AimsIn addition to the use of remote sensing techniques, ground surveys are still an important source of data, providing detailed information on the symptoms of the affected trees and the stage of the attacks. Unfortunately, these surveys are extremely time demanding and require intensive field work. We wanted to assess how a participatory approach based on nonspecialized staff may contribute to data collection.MethodsGeoreferenced outbreak data were collected in the field in the Southern Alps (Italy) using a smartphone application based on ArcGIS platform. The survey was based on a participatory approach on a voluntary basis, involving citizens aware of forest practices. Visual analysis of satellite images was performed monthly to assess the visibility of reported infestations. Using a binomial model, we tested how the type of report (i.e., on-site/off-site), size of spot, stage of infestation, and their interactions affect detectability. In addition, spot occurrences within a study area were mapped for comparison with ground surveillance. Closeness to roads was tested between reported and unreported spots.ResultsWebGIS platform allowed us to retrieve near real-time information on bark beetle outbreaks and to compare the results with satellite imagery. Using visual analysis of satellite images, we detected only ~ 50% of the spots observed in the field, and detectability decreased dramatically for smaller and early-stage spots. Field observations were mostly concentrated near roads and covered only ~ 10% of the spots detected on satellite images.ConclusionThe participatory approach is particularly helpful in mapping early-stage and small infestations, while satellite images are better suited at covering large areas and detect large and advanced-stage spots. The integration of those approaches is promising, and it can greatly improve the overall understanding of bark beetle outbreaks under emergency situations. A greater effort in developing smart applications for ground detection will benefit future monitoring of forest pests.

Mapping landscape evolution in 3D: Climate change, natural hazard and human settlements across the 1618 Piuro landslide in the Italian Central Alps

AbstractNatural and anthropogenic mountain landscapes coevolve responding on different temporal scales to climate changes and geodynamics by a series of increments that cause the dynamic association of morphological stabilization surfaces, stratigraphic units and landforms. Understanding the incremental history of palimpsest landscapes helps to recognize and forecast the effects of climate change on the sensitive mountain environments, contributes to archaeological and historical reconstruction and supports management strategies for natural risks prevention and mitigation. The Italian Bregaglia Valley provides an excellent site to unravel the recent/historical increments of evolution of landforms and human settlement, permitting to map the paleo‐digital terrain models (DTMs) corresponding to the relevant landscape turning points. After the last de‐glaciation, two large‐scale landslides reshaped the valley floor, both predisposed by deep‐seated gravitational slope deformations and one surely triggered by intense rainfalls. The most recent and impacting event buried in 1618 the rich border town of Piuro, the ancient one occurred in the same area at least 1.5 ka before. Combining stratigraphic, geomorphological, topographic, archaeological and historical data, we drew the paleo‐DTMs of the pre‐ and post‐1618 settings of Piuro, sketching the landscape evolution. Since two millennia, human settlements took advantage of the decadal to secular most stable surfaces, represented by the inactive lobes of debris‐flow fans, the highest trunk river terraces and the top of humps formed by the ancient landslide body in the valley centre. Stratigraphic relationships, archaeological findings and age determinations show that both landslides diverted the trunk river and covered the existing fan lobes. On a secular timescale, fan progradation and trunk river terracing buried and reworked both the landslide bodies. The paleo‐DTMs show their original areal extent and permit to compute their volume and to sketch the setting of the buried Piuro settlements, drawing the changes of the Mera trunk river course and the chronology of activity of the lateral debris‐flow fan lobes.

Various Types of Lightning Observed in Mountainous Region Recorded from Kathmandu, Nepal

Vertical electric fields of lightning, generated by thunderstorms manifest on the rugged terrain in the mountainous vicinity of Kathmandu, Nepal. Diverse forms of lightning occurrences have been meticulously documented from a hill station in Kathmandu spanning a three-year interval, commencing from 2015 through 2017. Throughout this duration, cloud-to-cloud lightning discharges constituted 62.8% of the occurrences, while cloud-to-ground lightning discharges accounted for 20.4%. Additionally, 9.5% of the observed events were characterized as unusual lightning phenomena, and 2.9% were attributed to breakdown events. The elevated hills and tall structures inherent to the mountainous landscape significantly influence lightning activity, contributing to a heightened frequency of ground flashes in contrast to other areas.

Informing climate adaptation strategies using ecological simulation models and spatial decision support tools

IntroductionForest landscapes offer resources and ecosystem services that are vital to the social, economic, and cultural well-being of human communities, but managing for these provisions can require socially and ecologically relevant trade-offs. We designed a spatial decision support model to reveal trade-offs and synergies between ecosystem services in a large eastern Cascade Mountain landscape in Washington State, USA.MethodsWe used process-based forest landscape (LANDIS-II) and hydrology (DHSVM) models to compare outcomes associated with 100 years of simulated forest and wildfire dynamics for two management scenarios, Wildfire only and Wildfire + Treatments. We then examined the strength and spatial distribution of potential treatment effects and trends in a set of resources and ecosystem services over the simulation period.ResultsWe found that wildfire area burned increased over time, but some impacts could be mitigated by adaptation treatments. Treatment benefits were not limited to treated areas. Interestingly, we observed neighborhood benefits where fire spread and severity were reduced not only in treated patches but in adjacent patches and landscapes as well, creating potential synergies among some resource benefits and services. Ordinations provided further evidence for two main kinds of outcomes. Positive ecological effects of treatments were greatest in upper elevation moist and cold forests, while positive benefits to human communities were aligned with drier, low- and mid-elevation forests closer to the wildland urban interface.DiscussionOur results contribute to improved understanding of synergies and tradeoffs linked to adaptation and restoration efforts in fire-prone forests and can be used to inform management aimed at rebuilding resilient, climate-adapted landscapes.

Spatial dimensions in stated preference valuation: The role of place attachment

The importance of considering spatial dimensions in welfare analysis is increasingly acknowledged, but there are still knowledge gaps. For this purpose, we turn to environmental psychology and use place attachment, the functional and emotional bond people have to a defined place. We conduct a stated preference study of new recreational mountain homes in southeast Norway and investigate the concept of place attachment to explain spatial preference heterogeneity towards reducing recreational home developments and preserving the mountain landscape and biodiversity. Using structural equation modelling, we find that place attachment is spatially determined and helps explain spatial variations in pro-environmental preferences and distance decay in nonmarket values. In contrast to most previous studies, place attachment reduces pro-environmental behaviour across the entire sample. However, among respondents preferring the smallest development plan, we find that place attachment explains a substantial part of an identified distance decay effect in willingness-to-pay (WTP). About 55 per cent of the negative impact of travel time on WTP indirectly channels through reduced place attachment. Place attachment also substantially improves the fit of our econometric model. Place attachment may provide valuable information on the affected populations when evaluating land-use policies.

Consistent response to topographical variation in net assimilation rate across the central Himalayan broadleaved forests

In a mountainous landscape, vegetation patterns are influenced by the interaction of slope aspect and topographical positions. Here, we have examined the effect of two contrasting aspects (North and South) and three slope positions (Hill Base, Mid Slope and Hill Top) on net assimilation rate (NAR) of trees across four forest sites of the monsoonal Central Himalaya between 400 and 2300 m elevations. The study species, namely Shorea robusta, Quercus leucotrichophora, and Q. floribunda were broadleaved evergreen with concentrated summer leaf drop and simultaneous leafing. The NAR of these broadleaved species was measured in five seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon, autumn, winter and spring) diurnally at their respective forest sites. In each of the forest site the dominant species was the same, on both aspects and the three slope positions. We also analyzed topographical associated effect of tree water relations on NAR, using the data of an earlier study on these species. The average NAR (μ mol m−2 s−1) across the four forest sites and five seasons, (measured diurnally) was higher on the north (5.08 ± 0.23) slope aspect than south aspect (4.61 ± 0.22; average of 120 NAR values for each aspect), and among the three slope positions, it was higher on hill base (5.13 ± 0.29), than on mid-slope (4.80 ± 0.27) and hill top (4.61 ± 0.26; average of 80 NAR values for each position). These patterns in NAR values in relation to slope aspects and slope positions were also found separately for each of the species, and each of the seasons. The NAR varied across the sites, seasons and day time from 2.84 to 11.99 μ mol m−2 s−1, largely because of the variation in tree water potential and leaf phenological changes. To conclude, the NAR shows a consistency in responses to differences in slope aspects and slope positions across the forests ranging from tropical to warm temperate type. The study would help generalizing topographical effects on tree growth.

Inventories of natural hazards in under-reported regions: a multi-method insight from a tropical mountainous landscape

ABSTRACT Impacts of natural hazards are on an increase globally. To mitigate these impacts, sound disaster risk reduction strategies must rely on comprehensive inventory of natural hazards. However, to date, many regions worldwide still suffer from a dearth of information. The goal of our research is to assess how, with limited means and several methods, environments that are typically under-researched can be covered with accurate information on which further research aiming at understanding and mitigating disaster risk could be set out. We focus on the Kigezi highlands, an under-reported and populated tropical region of Uganda (Africa) known to be impacted by natural hazards. We conducted a multi-method multi-temporal inventory over the entire region using satellite image analysis, exploration of literature and archives, and field surveys. We also set up a network of 15 geo-observers to collect accurate space-time data on seven natural hazards. Our multi-method inventory generated a database comprising over 4000 natural hazard occurrences with frequent natural and anthropogenic interactions. Our results indicate that Kigezi highlands is a hotspot for natural hazards associated with extensive risks, whose numbers are underestimated. We therefore highlight the importance of working with a multiple-method approach in characterizing natural hazards and their interactions.

Reindeer retrieved from melting snow patches reveal information on prehistoric landscape use in Swedish Sápmi

In this study we discuss the remains of reindeer skeletal elements found at two different snow patches at Varánjunnje and Gárránistjåhkkå situated in the National Park of Stuor Muorkke in northern Sweden. Unfortunately, glaciers and snow patches are melting; however, this offers a unique opportunity to study the use of mountainous landscape in the past. Here we compare modern, historic and archaeological reindeer to Forest and Mountain Sámi reindeer herding districts. By using radiocarbon dating and osteological and stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N and δ34S) we aim to study reindeer mobility and land use in the past. The results from the morphometric data, stable isotope analysis and radiocarbon dating from prehistoric and historic reindeer (n=40) show that there is very little variation over time in the diet of the reindeer retrieved from the snow patches. We also found that these reindeer must have grazed in different geographic areas. There was no correlation between age, gender, pathological changes and diet, and the castrated reindeer did not differ from other reindeer.

THE CATALYTIC PROPERTIES OF LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE IN SKELETAL MUSCLES AND LIVER OF THE MARSH FROG (PELOPHYLAX RIDIBUNDUS) DEPEND ON ITS ECOLOGICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

The marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus) has a widespread distribution range, which is due to a variety of adaptations that contribute to the development of tolerance to a wide range of physicochemical environmental factors. Of particular interest are the adaptations of these animals to different levels of oxygen in mid- and high-altitude conditions. In this work, a comparative analysis of the kinetic parameters of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the liver of marsh frogs living in the mountainous and lowland regions of Dagestan was carried out. Animals caught in their habitats were decapitated, the liver and calf muscles were isolated, and they were placed in liquid nitrogen. In the laboratory, the selected tissues were homogenized and mitochondria-free cytosol was obtained by differential centrifugation, in which LDH activity was determined. It was found that LDH activity is significantly higher in the tissues of frogs from mountainous regions: by 42.4% in the muscles and 2.38 times in the liver (p 0.05). The high efficiency of catalysis is ensured due to significant changes in the catalytic parameters of the enzyme: an increase in Vmax (50.9% in muscles and 70% in the liver (p 0.05)) and a decrease in Km. (45.9% in muscles and 69% in liver, (p 0.05)). A more pronounced difference, compared to muscles, between LDH activity in the liver of foothill and lowland populations of frogs suggests that the sensitivity of liver LDH to changes in oxygen tension is higher. The vector of a number of other kinetic parameters of LDH (Ki, Sopt, Δ) in the liver of animals from mountainous landscapes is absolutely opposite to that of skeletal muscles. High activity and modifications of the catalytic properties of LDH in the tissues of marsh frogs living in mid-mountain areas may play an important role in the adaptation of these animals to conditions of oxygen deficiency.

Evaluation of landscape qualities with development guidelines of the Fužine municipality

Abstract The landscape of the municipality of Fužine is characterized as a mountainous landscape of rural settlements. The area faces problems of depopulation and pressures of tourism development on the environment. Basic premise of this paper is derived from the assumption that the values of the landscape are not fully recognized and can become endangered due to implementation of development projects. The aim of the paper is to identify highly valuable areas of the municipality‘s landscape in order to create guidelines for the development of the area, along with the project program that will preserve important features. The analysis of spatial planning and strategic documentation provides an overview of developmental guidelines, the position of planned interventions, the goals and visions of the progress of the municipality. The landscape evaluation is carried out through analysing the factors of the landscape – natural, anthropogenic and structural – with the available literature and spatial data. The product of analysis and evaluation are models, created using the GIS tool of the QGIS application. Based on the analysis, landscape quality modelling was carried out with the ProVal2000 program, where the factors were grouped in order to evaluate the natural-ecological, social-cultural and visual-experiential qualities of the landscape, with combined quality model indicating where the most valuable spatial zones with high quality landscape features are.

Steady‐State Bedrock Channel Width

AbstractThe increase in bedrock channel width and the decline in bedrock channel slope with increasing drainage area are fundamental characteristics of mountainous landscapes. Compared with slope, little is known about controls on steady‐state bedrock channel width. We model steady‐state bedrock channel width by iteratively solving models for bed and bank erosion by impacting bedload, using measurable physical parameters, including uplift rate, water discharge, sediment supply, grain size, rock strength, and bank angle. The results indicate that width is largely controlled by sediment flux, rather than water discharge. The commonly used width‐discharge scaling relation is an artifact of the covariance of sediment flux and water discharge. Scaling up from cross‐section to drainage basin scales, our model reproduces the width‐drainage area scaling relation and suggests that the scaling exponent is largely controlled by the downstream change in the fraction of total sediment supply transported as bedload.

Surface deformation detection and attribution in the Mountain-Oasis-Desert Landscape in north Tianshan Mountains

ABSTRACT The Mountain-Oasis-Desert System (MODS) is the fundamental landscape component within the vast arid region of Central Asia. Human activities and natural processes cause surface displacement in the MODS, resulting in geoenvironmental issues and hazards. However, surface displacement and its driving mechanisms in the MODS are not understood. In this study, we used the time-series interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) method to detect deformation in the MODS in north Tianshan Mountain, Xinjiang and investigated its attribution from the geological conditions, groundwater level changes, and climate variability. The results along the vertical gradient indicate that decorrelation is severe in the high mountain areas with ice-marginal environments (over 3600 m above sea level (a.s.l.)) and the forest-covered mid-mountainous belt (1700–2800 m asl), rendering effective detection unfeasible. Dynamic characteristics are identified in subalpine areas with an elevation of 2800–3600 m asl, with maximum horizontal and vertical displacements of −80.2 mm/year and −58.6 mm/year, respectively. The seasonal acceleration is influenced by the combined effects of temperature and precipitation changes. We observed dense subsidence funnels and ground fissures associated with coal mining in the foreland hills (700–1700 m asl). Ground displacements here exceeded −50 mm/year two years after mining activities had ceased. Subsidence has expanded in the oases with elevations of less than 700 m asl, due to extensive groundwater extraction for agricultural irrigation. The correlation coefficient between groundwater level and displacement was 0.89 and 0.45 at wells in the agricultural and desert areas, respectively. The deformation exhibited seasonal variations associated with groundwater level. The deformation remains relatively stable in the surrounding oasis-affected desert areas, with weak fluctuations influenced by seasonal variations in groundwater level.

Revisiting a cryptic species complex: interspecific gene flow among woodland salamanders in the Blue Ridge Mountains of northern Georgia, USA

Abstract The complex topography of mountainous landscapes can create biogeographical barriers and promote allopatric speciation—even among morphologically cryptic species. However, these biogeographical barriers may not be permanent, and secondary contact between previously independently evolving populations can result in hybridization and introgression. In this study, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data to re-examine a classic example of cryptic species in the Appalachian Mountains: the slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus) species complex. This group of morphologically similar terrestrial salamanders includes 14 species with parapatric distributions across the eastern USA. We focused on the Chattahoochee slimy salamander (P. chattahoochee) in northern Georgia and used a series of complementary phylogenomic and population genomic analyses to evaluate spatial genetic structure within this species and admixture with at least four other species of parapatric woodland salamanders. Our results highlight the utility of genomic data in clarifying species boundaries and underline the difficulty of species delimitation in organisms with complex evolutionary histories.

Soil toposequences, soil erosion, and ancient Maya land use adaptations to pedodiversity in the tropical karstic landscapes of southern Mexico

The soil mantle of the tropical karst landscapes of southern Mexico was a key resource for ancient Maya agriculture and experienced deep transformation due to long-term human impacts under changing environmental conditions. We conducted a comparative analysis of three compound soil toposequences in mountainous (Sierra de Chiapas/Middle Usumacinta Valley, Busiljá, and Chinikihá archaeological sites) and platform (NE Yucatán Peninsula, Yalahau region) karst landscapes to reconstruct general tendencies and regional variations in pedodiversity development and soil–human interactions since the Early Preclassic Period. Toposequence characterization is based on macro- and micromorphological observations, accompanied by a suite of laboratory data. Calcareous upland geoforms of all toposequences have similar soil combinations consisting of shallow Rendzina and deep red clayey Terra Rossa types of profiles. We argue that Rendzinas, now dominant in the upland soil cover, in most cases, are not a product of incipient pedogenesis on limestone; they have developed from the residues of Terra Rossa soils after their advanced erosion. Pedosediments generated by ancient soil erosion have been found in the piedmont and depression positions in the mountainous landscapes of Chiapas, as a result of lateral downslope soil removal, and in the subsurface karstic cavities in the platform of NE Yucatán, indicating vertical “soil piping.” The soils of the lowland domains show contrasting differences between the toposequences: gleyic clay–rich soils and humic alluvial soils prevail in Chinikihá and Busiljá, whereas hydromorphic carbonate soils have formed in Yalahau karstic depressions. These differences in the lowland soil properties led to divergent ancient Maya land use strategies; in Chinikihá and Busiljá, the major agricultural domain was developed in the lowlands, implying largescale artificial drainage. On the contrary, in Yalahau, mostly upland Rendzinas were cultivated, implying “precision agriculture” and “container gardening.”

Wild pollinator communities benefit from mixed cultivation of oilseed rape and milk vetch

AbstractGlobally, insect pollinators that are linked to increased yields in many crops have experienced severe population declines. Crop diversification is often proposed as an effective conservation measure to boost pollinator populations. Here, we investigate the potential benefits of mixed oilseed rape/milk vetch cultivation for wild pollinator communities by comparing it with oilseed rape monocultures. Studying 8 mixed and 10 monocropping fields positioned along a gradient of increasing semi‐natural habitat coverage in mountainous agricultural landscapes, we found that agricultural landscapes with mixed cultivation harboured higher wild pollinator diversity than oilseed rape monocropping landscapes. This positive effect was observed irrespective of the proportion of semi‐natural habitat. Meanwhile, the pollinator community composition in mixed cultivation landscapes was similar to that of oilseed rape monoculture landscapes, and, contrary to expectations, mixed cultivation did not benefit specific pollinator trait groups like cavity‐nesting bees. Overall, we believe the higher pollinator diversity linked to mixed cultivation can increase insect‐pollinated crop yields, and mixed oilseed rape‐milk vetch cultivation might represent a potential mitigation measure for the negative impacts agricultural intensification has on wild pollinator communities.

Lessons learnt on the impact of an unprecedented soil decontamination program in Fukushima on contaminant fluxes

In the context of elevated concerns related to nuclear accidents and warfare, the lessons learnt from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011 are important. In particular, Japanese authorities implemented an ambitious decontamination program to reduce the air dose rate in order to facilitate the return of the local inhabitants to previously evacuated areas. This approach contrasts the strategy adopted in Chernobyl, where the most contaminated areas remain off limits. Nonetheless, the effectiveness of the Japanese decontamination strategy on the dispersion of radioactive contaminant fluxes across mountainous landscapes exposed to typhoons has not been quantified. Based on the unique combination of river monitoring and modeling in a catchment representative of the most impacted area in Japan, we demonstrate that decontamination of 16% of the catchment area resulted in a decrease of 17% of sediment-bound radioactive fluxes in rivers. Decontamination operations were therefore relatively effective, although they could only be conducted in a small part of the area due to the dominance of steep forested slopes. In fact, 67% of the initial radiocesium contamination was calculated to remain stored in forested landscapes, which may contribute to future downstream radiocesium dispersion during erosive events. Given that only a limited proportion of the initial population had returned in 2019 (~30%), it raises the question as to whether decontaminating a small percentage of the contaminated area was worth the effort, the price, and the amount of waste generated?

Differential paleoelevation changes in North China during the late Mesozoic: Evidence from stable isotopes and clumped isotopes

The modern elevation of China decreases from the Tibetan plateau in the west to near sea level in the east across several topographic steps. A pronounced topographic step occurs in North China (NC), separating the plateaus and high mountains (elevations generally >1000 m) that dominate western NC from the plains and low mountain landscapes (elevations generally <500 m) of eastern NC. The topographic step in NC shapes modern climate and vegetation gradients and may have affected paleoenvironments and ecosystems in deep time. However, few studies have been conducted to explore paleoenvironmental and paleoelevation changes in NC, and thus the timing of its establishment is unclear. In this study, we use δ18O, δ13C and clumped isotope values of Middle Jurassic and Early Cretaceous paleosol carbonates from representative basins in western and eastern NC to constrain paleoenvironmental and paleoelevation changes during the late Mesozoic. Our δ13C and clumped isotope results suggest that the Ordos Basin of western NC maintained high paleoelevation (>1.5 km) during the Middle Jurassic-late Early Cretaceous, while the Hefei Basin of eastern NC experienced significant elevation reduction by the Early Cretaceous. Combined with paleogeographic, geophysical, and paleoecological evidence, these findings suggest that the lowering of eastern NC may have formed a topographic step across NC by Aptian time. This topographic change may have affected paleoclimate patterns and caused a climatic transition from dry to humid in eastern NC during this period. Broader topographic and environmental change may have occurred in Eastern China during the Early Cretaceous.

Automatic Mapping of Potential Landslides Using Satellite Multitemporal Interferometry

Mapping potential landslides is crucial to mitigating and preventing landslide disasters and understanding mountain landscape evolution. However, the existing methods to map and demonstrate potential landslides in mountainous regions are challenging to use and inefficient. Therefore, herein, we propose a method using hot spot analysis and convolutional neural networks to map potential landslides in mountainous areas at a regional scale based on ground deformation detection using multitemporal interferometry synthetic aperture radar. Ground deformations were detected by processing 76 images acquired from the descending and ascending orbits of the Sentinel-1A satellite. In total, 606 slopes with large ground deformations were automatically detected using hot spot analysis in the study area, and the extraction accuracy rate and the missing rate are 71.02% and 7.89%, respectively. Subsequently, based on the high-deformation areas and potential landslide conditioning factors, we compared the performance of convolutional neural networks with the random forest algorithm and constructed a classification model with the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, recall, and precision for testing being 0.75, 0.75, 0.82, and 0.75, respectively. Our approach underpins the ability of interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) to map potential landslides regionally and provide a scientific foundation for landslide risk management. It also enables an accurate and efficient identification of potential landslides within a short period and under extremely hazardous conditions.