Park Site Research Articles

Status Assessment and Population Trends of the Madagascar Pond-Heron (Ardeola idae) from 1993-2016

The Madagascar Pond-heron (Ardeola idae) is a migratory species that breeds exclusively in Madagascar and nearby islands (Europa, Aldabra and Mayotte). Changes in the population of this species were investigated over the last 23 years through literature reviews, field monitoring, and surveys undertaken from 1993 to 2016. Data from 111 sites were collected and analyzed for population assessment, including 11 known breeding sites in Madagascar (n = 6), Mayotte (n = 4), and Europa (n = 1). Trend analyses were done with surveys from 1993-2016 (omitting 1996) and population estimates from the last 5 years of surveys, 2012-2016. The species occurred in all types of wetlands including lakes, ponds, marshes, rivers, mangroves, pasture wet meadow, and rice fields. During the non-breeding season (May-September), many pond-herons migrate to eastern and central Africa; however, some birds (911 records) remained in Madagascar and Mayotte during austral winter. Data show the current population estimated at ∼1100 breeding birds in the total breeding area. The population has declined significantly, with 41.6% and 52.9% declines, respectively, at the two colony sites in Tsimbazaza and Tsarasaotra parks with the longest history of breeding. Main threats to the species are habitat destruction, collection of eggs and fledglings, predation, and human disturbance at all breeding sites.

Throughput reduction on an air-ground transport system by the simultaneous effect of multiple traveling routes equipped with parking sites

This paper examines the traffic flows on a two-dimensional stochastic lattice model that comprises a junction of two traveling routes: the domestic route and the international route each of which has parking sites. In our model, the system distributes the arrived particles to either of the two routes and selects one of the parking sites in the route for each particle, which stops at the parking site once during its travel. Because each particle has antennas in the back and front directions to detect other approaching particles, the effect of the volume exclusion of each particle extends in the moving direction. The system displays interesting behavior; remarkably, the dependence of the throughput on the distribution ratio of particles to the domestic route reduces after reaching the maximum parking capacity of the domestic route. Our simulations and analysis with the queueing model describe this phenomenon and suggest the following fact: as the distribution ratio of particles to the international route decreases, the throughput of the international route reduces, and simultaneously, that of the domestic route saturates. The simultaneous effect of the decrease and saturation causes a reduction in the throughput of the entire system.

Foliar nitrogen characteristics of two tropical tree species along urban roads and parklands

Citywide tree planting in urban cities is occurring rapidly because of the benefits urban vegetation provide to the environment. Nutrient cycling in tropical urban ecosystems is relatively unknown. Nitrogen utilisation in urban and rural conditions can vary substantially hence foliar N characteristics of two common tree species grown in the tropics was compared between urban roads and parkland sites. The study was carried out in the tropical island state of Singapore situated 1° north of the equator. Foliar sampling of nitrate reductase, %C, %N, δ13C and δ13N in two tree species grown along urban roads and parklands were evaluated. Foliage sampled along roads were depleted of δ15N compared to parkland foliage. Significantly higher levels of δ13C, nitrate reductase activity (NRA), %C and %N were found in the northern and southern Parklands. Samanea saman, and Khaya senegalensis showed significantly greater ability to assimilate nitrate at the park sites, measured through NRA. There were no significant differences in foliar N and C characteristics between tree species. Significant variation in foliar N and C concentrations were only observed between regions and at park and road sites. The isotopic and %N data suggested greater N availability and higher available nitrate at park sites as a result of variable site histories. These previous land use, land cover change may have accumulated organic matter in the rhizosphere primarily in the stable form of humus alongside that of biological nitrogen fixation. N cycling in urban systems and associated physiological changes in vegetation is critical as these may have implications for carbon sequestration, while N retention or export can impact on water quality in urban environments.

Increasing urban tram system efficiency, with battery storage and electric vehicle charging

This paper examines the possible placement of Energy Storage Systems (ESS) on an urban tram system for the purpose of exploring potential increases in operating efficiency through the examination of different locations for battery energy storage. Further, the paper suggests the utilisation of Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries at existing Park and Ride (P&R) sites as a means of achieving additional energy storage at these locations. The study achieves this through MATLAB modelling utilising captured GPS data and publically available information. This study examines the scenario of uni-directional substations with no interconnection between the overhead catenary for both directions of travel, and discusses the trade-offs between ESS size and required current limits.The results show the savings in both energy and basic CO2 emissions alongside the discussion of Return on Investment (RoI) that can be achieved through the potential installation of ESS at identified ideal locations along the tram network. Moreover, this may be extended to the use of EVs as stationary ESS sited at the existing P&R facilities. Further, the model may also be used to inform future infrastructure upgrades and potential improvements to air quality within urban environments.

Off-street parking characteristics in Al-Hilla City Center

Parking problems in an urban area are one of the serious problems everywhere, especially in Iraq. Therefore, this study has mainly focused on investigating parking characteristics in the city center of Al-Hilla. These parking characteristics include average turnover and efficiency for off-street parking. Sixteen off-street parking sites have been surveyed through this study. These facilities are within the CBD area in the city. The main results demonstrate a sharp lack of legal parking for off street and most of existing ones are illegal. The average turnover for off-street parking ranges from 1.9 to 2.6 which shows low utilization of each space with the city centre. The study has specific limitations to improve the parking activities with more sophisticated methods of managing off-street parking demand.

IDENTIFYING PUBLIC PARKING SITES USING INTEGRATING GIS AND ORDERED WEIGHTED AVERAGING APPROACH IN SANANDAJ CITY, IRAN

In this study, the integration of GIS-based ordered weighted averaging as used to spatial site selection of parking lots in Sanandaj city located in the west of Iran. For this purpose, the effective parameters were selected including distance from attractions, street width, population density, distance from roads, land price, and land use were selected based on literature review and expert opinion. The layers of the parameters were prepared in the GIS environment, and the relative weights of factors were gained using analytical hierarchy processes. Then, the ordered weighted averaging method was used to aggregate all maps and creat the suitability map. The zoning of suitable lands finally was determined using the zonal land suitability (ZLS) method and the most suitable sites were suggested in the study area. The results indicate that 234,887 m2 (16.14%) of the study area has high suitability for construction parking sites mostly located in the northern and southern parts of the city. In conclusion, the combination of GIS with powerful aggregation and suitability analysis methods has a strong ability to integrate and analyze various spatial data simultaneously, in particular in site selection studies.

Análisis, diseño y desarrollo de un prototipo de software para la administración de parqueaderos

Este proyecto nace a partir de la necesidad de un software que facilite la administración de un establecimiento dedicado al alquiler de parqueaderos, de modo que muchas de las características de estos establecimientos sean parametrizables desde una herramienta de software. En el proyecto, se diseñó y se desarrolló una aplicación de escritorio, compatible con versiones de Windows (7, 8, 8.1, 10) que permite la administración, parametrización y ejecución de las tareas realizadas en un establecimiento de alquiler de parqueaderos, con características extendidas como préstamo de inventario (cascos, chalecos) y creación de cupos de parqueo. El prototipo se desarrolló en la plataforma Windows para aprovechar la infraestructura básica de un parqueadero de la ciudad de Pereira. La concepción del software incluye actividades como; gestión de clientes, empleados, quejas, vehículos, mensualidades, ingresos, egresos, bitácora, auditoría, inventario, préstamos y facturación. Para el desarrollo del prototipo se utilizó una arquitectura cliente/servidor, de modo que los diferentes equipos estén conectados a una misma base de datos, compartiendo entre sí cada gestión. Se utilizó el IDE WINDEV y el lenguaje WLANGUAGE para el desarrollo.

Unprecedented Prevalence of Azole-Resistant <i>Aspergillus fumigatus</i> Identified in the Environment of Vietnam, with Marked Variability by Land Use Type

Background: Azole-resistant Aspergillus fumigatus (ARAF) presents a threat to global public health, particularly where prior tuberculosis or underlying lung disease is prevalent. Southeast Asia is estimated to have a large burden of Aspergillus disease yet mycology diagnostic laboratory capacity is limited and systematic surveillance for drug resistance is absent. ARAF’s threat is thus poorly understood in this populous region. Methods: We conducted environmental surveillance in southern Vietnam, collecting air and ground samples across land-use types including cultivated land, urban residential land, and national park. We determined susceptibilities of A. fumigatus and non-fumigatus Aspergillus section Fumigati (ASF) isolates using EUCAST methodology, and measured residual agricultural azole concentrations in soil using liquid chromatography / tandem mass spectrometry. Findings: 95·2% of A. fumigatus isolates (59/62) were azole-resistant (31·6% for non- fumigatus ASF isolates (18/57)). Of all 119 ASF isolates, 55% were resistant or non-wild type to itraconazole, 65% to posaconazole and 50% to voriconazole. Both resistant isolates and agricultural azole residues were over-represented in cultivated land. The odds ratio for azole-resistance being detected, compared to national park sites, was ranged from 3·15-7·16 in cultivated lands types, and was highest in urban residential sites (9·31, p=0.0002). cyp51A gene sequence analysis showed 38/56 resistant A. fumigatus isolates carried known resistance mutations, with TR34/L98H most frequent (34/38). Interpretation: Our data demonstrate alarmingly high levels of azole-resistant A. fumigatus in this region, which challenge the reliance of existing treatment guidelines on empiric azole therapy. Funding Statement: This project received internal funding from the University of Sydney. Declaration of Interests: None of the authors have any financial and personal potential conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: National Lung Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam provided ethical approval for the study.

Differences in the breeding performance of great tits Parus major between a forest and an urban area: a long term study on first clutches

The great tit Parus major inhabits various types of forests, yet it prefers deciduous forests. In the urbanized areas it is one of the commonest bird species, even where only isolated trees are present, which seems to be a relatively recent phenomenon. This paper presents results of a long-term study (2002–2015) of variation in reproductive performance (number of hatchlings, hatching success, number of fledglings, fledging success, breeding success and nest failure rate) in first clutches of two great tit populations nesting in two contrasting habitats: a mature deciduous forest and an urban parkland, in central Poland. This study shows a clear and sustained spatial pattern of variation where the forest population of great tits produced more hatchlings and fledglings per successful nests than the urban park site population. Breeding success and fledging success demonstrate a similar but slightly less obvious pattern, with higher values for the forest site than the urban parkland area occurring consistently in the vast majority of years. Also hatching success was generally slightly higher in the forest than in the urban park but did not show such a clear spatial pattern. Only the nest failure rate was higher in the forest than in the urban parkland. We suggest that caterpillar richness in the forest compared to the urban parkland is one of the key drivers of the observed differences in the breeding performance between the study habitats. We also found positive correlations between fledgling numbers and caterpillar abundance and between fledgling numbers and mean May temperatures in the forest, whereas neither breeding nor fledging success showed such correlations. In the urban parkland, fledgling numbers as well as fledging and breeding successes were positively correlated with mean May temperatures. The between-population variation we found probably reflects a more general difference between urban and forest populations of tits.

Using visitor observations to predict proper waste disposal: A case study from three US national parks

As protected land systems grow and develop in countries across the world, sustainability concerns arise alongside this growth. Specifically, increasing visitation to the US National Park System has resulted in new managerial concerns, one being the large amounts of waste produced by these visitors and how this waste is being disposed of. In response to this growing issue, a partnership between industry, non-profits, and the National Park Service, called the Zero Landfill Initiative (ZLI), is working to reduce waste sent to landfills from US national park sites by having visitors sort their waste and recyclable material for proper disposal. To evaluate the efficacy of this outreach campaign and further develop knowledge on factors influencing waste sorting behavior, this study aimed to use a novel observational approach to learn about visitor waste disposal in three US national parks. Results showed that individuals who meaningfully engaged with signage, did not appear confused, and who had children in their group were more likely to dispose of waste properly. The future research and managerial implications of these findings are then discussed to encourage proper waste disposal and sorting in these US national parks as well as in more generalized contexts.

Migration pattern and wintering population of the Eurasian marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) in the Central Marshes, a wetland of international importance in southern Iraq

Abstract There is scarce information on the migration patterns and population size of the Eurasian marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus) in Iraq in general and in the southern Mesopotamian wetlands in particular. From February 2018–April 2019, a total of 11 field expeditions were conducted in the Central Marshes (219,700 ha), one of the major Mesopotamian wetlands and Iraq’s National Park, a RAMSAR and UNESCO site. Two of the field survey objectives were to determine the spatial and temporal distribution and estimate the population size of the migratory/wintering Eurasian marsh harrier in the Central Marshes. Distance sampling on three line-transects covering a study plot of 40,000 ha was conducted. Among other wintering Circus harriers, the Eurasian marsh harrier was the most abundant species with a total of 93 individuals recorded. The estimated species densities were 0.0042–0.035 individuals/ha, and the estimated size of the Eurasian marsh harrier migratory population in the Central Marshes was 922.7–7,689.5 individuals. Moreover, the migration phenology and breeding status of the Eurasian marsh harrier in the Central Marshes were investigated. Our efforts did not confirm the breeding of this species during recent years, or since the inundation of the Mesopotamian wetlands in 2003. Furthermore, hunting and trapping were identified as major threats affecting the species which need urgent conservation action.

The parameters for a retaining wall interaction mathematical model with a reservoir in the ground conditions determination in the krasnodar territory

The main parameters affecting the interaction of the retaining wall with the reservoir foundation on the slope are considered. A reservoir park sites geomorphological structure classification in the Krasnodar Territory is proposed. The separation is made on the plain, coastal and mountainous areas, depending on the relief incidence angles. It was also found that, in most cases, the large reservoirs’ natural foundations base in the Krasnodar Territory is loam and clay consistency from solid to refractory. The obtained data were used to assess the staging impact of work on the “retaining wall - tank” system construction in the territory of the Afipsky refinery tank farm. The evaluation was carried out on a mathematical model using the finite element method in the Midas GTS 2012 software package. To model the base foundation, the program the Mohr – Coulomb model was used. The components in the construction sequence “slope trimming - retaining wall device - reservoir foundation building” have alternately changed in the model. In this case, the device structures sequence almost does not affect the tank bottom deflection.

Comparison of surface radiation and turbulent heat fluxes in Olympic Forest Park and on a building roof in Beijing, China

An effective combination of buildings and parks, as the two core elements of cities, plays an important role in regulating urban climate and ecosystem services. We conducted a comprehensive observation campaign at an Olympic Forest Park site and a surrounding building roof site from 2011 to 2012, with half-hour time step details, including observations of meteorological conditions, radiation and surface heat fluxes. We attempted to find out the effects of changes in the surface radiation and energy balance due to the underlying surface structure and used material by statistical analysis. As expected, besides regular heat fluxes exchange, we also observed larger (by 20.35 W/m2) sensible heat fluxes in the park site than in the building roof during winter. We found the horizontal advection disrupts the local energy balance and modifies the near surface air temperature. Specifically, horizontal advection bringing in external energy would reduce the difference of local near surface temperature between the park and the building roof and weaken the cooling effect of the park. The relationship between urban land cover and its structure and urban surface heat fluxes can be analyzed and discussed, which can provide some practical evidence for future urban construction planning and residents' health.

Seasonal and spatial variation in Toxoplasma gondii contamination in soil in urban public spaces in California, United States.

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic parasite that can have severe implications for human health. Acutely infected cats shed environmentally resistant T. gondii oocysts in their faeces that contaminate soil, and soil can serve as a reservoir of infection for humans. Free-roaming domestic cats are thought to play an important role in environmental contamination with T. gondii, but few studies have directly measured the direct contribution of free-roaming cats to T. gondii in soil. Our goals were to determine whether T. gondii soil contamination occurs in public areas with free-roaming cat colonies in central California and examine spatial and temporal variation in soil contamination. We initially performed spiking experiments to compare the limit of T. gondii detection in soil using three conventional nested PCR assays and one real-time quantitative PCR. The nested PCR targeting the internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of the small subunit ribosomal RNA was the most sensitive assay, with a limit of detection between 20 and 200 oocysts per gram of soil. We applied the ITS1 PCR assay on soil from sites in city and state parks, public playgrounds and community gardens in central California, USA. Samples were collected during spring, summer and fall and in sites located along the coast and inland. We detected and sequence-confirmed T. gondii in 5.6% ofall of our soil sub-samples, but with large seasonal and spatial variation in soil contamination: we only detected T. gondii during fall and only in coastal sites (44.3% soil prevalence), despite similar sampling intensity across space and time. Our results suggest that free-roaming cat colonies are an important source of T. gondii in spaces where people recreate and grow food and that soil contamination is highly seasonal and spatially variable. Management of free-roaming cats could prevent T. gondii infections by reducing environmental contamination with this zoonotic pathogen.

Do introduced apex predators suppress introduced mesopredators? A multiscale spatiotemporal study of dingoes and feral cats in Australia suggests not

Abstract The role of apex predators in structuring ecosystems through the suppression of mesopredator activity and abundance is receiving increasing attention, largely due to the potential benefits for biodiversity conservation. In Australia, invasive mesopredators such as feral cats (Felis catus) have been identified as major contributors to Australia's mass mammal extinctions since European arrival. The introduced dingo (Canis familiaris) has been proposed as a novel way to suppress the impacts of feral cats, however, scientific evidence of the dingo's suppressive role is equivocal. We used camera traps to investigate whether a large introduced predator (dingo) suppresses the activity of an established introduced mesopredator (feral cat) across a national park site conserving endangered species, and an agricultural site supporting cattle grazing enterprises. Feral cats and dingoes exhibited marked overlap in both temporal and spatial activity, indicating coexistence. Some temporal separation was evident at the agricultural site, however, this reflected higher diurnal activity by dingoes, not a responsive shift in cat activity. Cat activity times were unrelated to dingo presence and did not differ between areas occupied by dingoes and dingo‐free areas. There was no evidence of dingoes excluding cats from patches at either site, nor was there evidence of within‐night fine‐scale spatiotemporal avoidance of dingoes by cats. Species co‐occurrence models revealed dingoes had no negative effect on the probability of cat presence. The probability of detecting a cat on the national park was significantly higher in areas with dingoes than in dingo‐free areas, while on agricultural land, cat detectability did not differ between areas with and without dingoes. Cats remained active, abundant and widespread across both sites, with evidence of cats hunting and breeding successfully in areas occupied by dingoes. Synthesis and applications. Our findings indicate that feral cats can coexist with dingoes, without apparent suppression of cat activity, abundance or fitness. Proposals to reintroduce or restore dingoes and other large predators to suppress invasive mesopredators and conserve biodiversity should be carefully evaluated on a site‐by‐site basis, as their ability to suppress cats and protect species of conservation significance will likely be context dependent.

Physiological and gene transcription assays to assess responses of mussels to environmental changes.

Coastal regions worldwide face increasing management concerns due to natural and anthropogenic forces that have the potential to significantly degrade nearshore marine resources. The goal of our study was to develop and test a monitoring strategy for nearshore marine ecosystems in remote areas that are not readily accessible for sampling. Mussel species have been used extensively to assess ecosystem vulnerability to multiple, interacting stressors. We sampled bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) in 2015 and 2016 from six intertidal sites in Lake Clark and Katmai National Parks and Preserves, in south-central Alaska. Reference ranges for physiological assays and gene transcription were determined for use in future assessment efforts. Both techniques identified differences among sites, suggesting influences of both large-scale and local environmental factors and underscoring the value of this combined approach to ecosystem health monitoring.

Bloodmeal, Host Selection, and Genetic Admixture Analyses of Culex pipiens Complex (Diptera: Culicidae) Mosquitoes in Chicago, IL.

The area in and around Chicago, IL, is a hotspot of West Nile virus activity. The discovery of a Culex pipiens form molestus Forskӓl population in Chicago in 2009 added to speculation that offspring from hybridization between Cx. pipiens f. pipiens L. and f. molestus could show a preference for feeding on humans. We collected blood-fed female mosquitoes (N = 1,023) from eight residential sites and one public park site in Chicago in July and August 2012. Bloodmeal analysis using the COI (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) gene was performed to ascertain host choice. Almost all (99%) bloodmeals came from birds, with American Robins (Turdus migratorius L.) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus L.) making up the largest percentage (74% combined). A forage ratio analysis comparing bird species fed upon and available bird species based on point count surveys indicated Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) and American Robins (Turdus migratorius) appeared to be over-utilized, whereas several species were under-utilized. Two human bloodmeals came from Culex pipiens complex mosquitoes. Admixture and population genetic analyses were conducted with 15 microsatellite loci on head and thorax DNA from the collected blood-fed mosquitoes. A modest amount of hybridization was detected between Cx. pipiens f. pipiens and f. molestus, as well as between f. pipiens and Cx. quinquefasciatus Say. Several pure Cx. quinquefasciatus individuals were noted at the two Trumbull Park sites. Our data suggest that Cx. pipiens complex mosquitoes in the Chicago area are not highly introgressed with f. molestus and appear to utilize avian hosts.

Exploring the effect of group decision on information search behaviour in web-based collaborative GIS-MCDA

ABSTRACTThe combination of Web GIS (Geographic Information System) and Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) techniques offers an effective tool for collaborative spatial decision making. This study examines the relationship between the group recommendations on alternatives and the information search behaviour of decision makers in a web-based GIS-MCDA for parking site selection in Tehran, Iran. Decision participants used a GIS-MCDA framework without and with an access to group decision/recommendations. Findings show that the access to group decision leads to a decrease in the proportion of information search, the average time spent acquiring each piece of information, and variability of information search per attribute in a parking site selection context.

Talk to Me, Not at Me: An Ethnographic Study on Health-Related Help-Seeking Behavior Among Socially Marginalized Danish Men.

Research shows that men tend to have delayed health-related help-seeking behavior. In this ethnographic study, we explored influential factors related to health-related help-seeking behavior among socially marginalized men who seem not to benefit from existing municipal health care services in a large Danish municipality. The study included 200 hours of participant observations and 25 ethnographic interviews with men between 45 and 65 years of age in their own homes and in public parks among their peers. In this study, we found that the men had several complex and interacting social- and health-related conditions, which seemed to affect their health-related help-seeking behavior. We conclude that collaborative initiatives between the outreach team who occasionally visits bench sites in the public parks and the municipal health care services in the local areas could lay the groundwork for encouraging men's health-related help-seeking behavior and aid men in supporting each other.

Physical Factors Affecting Access to Public Park in Areas of Unrest: A Case Study of Yala Municipality, Thailand

This research aims to study the physical factors affecting public park access in the unrest area, Municipality of Yala, Thailand. The sample consisted of 392 park users, covering 8 park sites. The data were collected from January to March 2018. The research found that the highest number of respondents in the park was found in the working age group of between 23 and 60 years old, with most studying at the undergraduate level. These respondents used the park for exercise (50.5%), relaxation (32.7%), and both activities (16.8%). The most frequent periods spent at the park were the 5-6 pm for exercise (51.52%) and rest (53.09%), with the length ranging from 30 to 60 minutes. The most favorite day is Saturday for leisure (66.67%) and exercise (57.22%) with the most popular park for exercise and relaxation being the Yala Municipality Youth Center and Chang Puek Park, respectively. This study also suggested that the most important factors are the distance (79.17%) and accessibility (80.41%) and that there is a high likelihood of exercising in Yala municipality, irrespective of its condition.