Plot Ratio Research Articles

Assessment of Integrated Crop Management for Enhancing Mango Yield through Front Line Demonstrations in Sangareddy District, Telangana, India

The study assessed the impact of Integrated Crop Management (ICM) practices on mango yield and profitability through frontline demonstrations conducted in Sangareddy district, Telangana, during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022. The findings revealed a total yield gap of 63.5% between potential and actual mango yields, comprising a 27.75% gap between demonstration plots and farmers practice plots and a 35.8% technological gap. High adoption rates were recorded for key practices, such as water management during flowering and fruiting (93.3%), harvesting methods (90.0%), the recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers (83.3%), cultivating legumes as intercrops (80.0%) and applying the recommended amount of farmyard manure (76.6%). Additionally, adoption rates for mango-specific sprays (70.0%) and growth regulator sprays (40.0%) increased significantly following the demonstrations. The demonstration showed a 43.0% increase in mango yield, with demonstration plots outperforming traditional practices in both productivity and profitability. Economic analysis showed higher net returns and benefit-cost (B:C) ratios in the demonstration plots compared to farmers conventional practices. These results underscore the positive impact of ICM practices on mango productivity and profitability, emphasizing the need for adopting improved technologies to promote sustainable mango cultivation.

A Study on Spatial Differentiation of Urban Land Prices Based on Geographically Weighted Regression Models

Urban residential land price is related to the basic life of residents as well as the healthy and stable development of society. In this paper, the residential land price in QZ city was selected as the research object, and the residential land price data of 107 sample points in the built-up area were collected for the 10 years from 2013 to 2022, and the Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) method and Geostatistical Kriging Spatial Interpolation (GSI) method were combined to investigate the law of spatial heterogeneity of urban land price. Finally, general linear regression model and geographically weighted regression model are constructed to investigate the influencing factors of urban land price spatial differentiation by selecting suitable influencing factors. The sample data of residential land price in the study area basically conforms to normal distribution, and the land price shows a U-shape in the latitudinal direction, and in the horizontal direction, the land price shows a trend of decreasing from the city center to the periphery, and a “mono-core” spatial structure of decreasing from the center to the periphery. There are large regional differences in the contribution of plot ratio, distance from main roads, distance from hospitals and distance from schools to residential land price, among which the marginal effect of plot ratio on residential land price reaches 122.5385yuan/m², which reflects the importance of plot ratio to residential land price. The study provides a decision-making basis for government targeted land planning, urban infrastructure investment and real estate development.

Optimizing soil properties, water use efficiency, and crop yield through biochar and organic manure integration in organic soil.

Speedy decomposition of organic manure and efficient utilization of rice husk waste are two critical challenges for sustainable environment and soil health management. However, understanding the synergistic effects of rice husk biochar (B) and organic manure (OM) on soil properties and crop growth in subtropical conditions remains unclear. A field study was conducted to investigate the impact of sole and combined application of rice husk biochar (0tha-1, 3tha-1), farmyard manure (FYM), and vermicompost (VC) on soil aggregation, aggregate-associated carbon, water use efficiency (WUE), economic benefits, and yield of radish crop in sandy clay loam organic soil. Biochar application enhanced the macroaggregate stability and aggregate associated C contents. Soil moisture, infiltration rate (IR) and WUE were significantly improved by 9.2%, 20.8% and 13.6%, respectively, with addition of biochar, which might be related to improved aggregate-associated carbon and water retention in the soil. Similarly, improved soil properties, WUE were noticed in the treatment receiving combination of FYM+VC over the control. 16% and 30.9% higher radish yield was observed with biochar and FYM+VC amended treatments compared without B0 and manure OM0, respectively. The integrated use of biochar (3tha-1) and OM (FYM+VC) resulted in highest economic benefits of net return (₹ 138,325ha-1) and B:C (1:5) ratio and least in control plots. These results indicate that adding biochar in organic management practices considerably improved the soil properties, WUE which resulted in increased organic radish production.

The Urban Park Green Spaces Landscape Premium Functional Value Accounting System: Construction and Application

Urban park green spaces have the functions of improving the urban ecological environment and providing recreational services, and at the same time, they have a certain effect on the value of the surrounding residential property. To quantitatively assess the value of the landscape premium function of park green space, many scholars have carried out research exploration and adopted a variety of methods (such as the contingent valuation method (CVM), travel cost method (TCM) and hedonic price method (HPM)), which have developed from simple theoretical models with single factors to complex empirical models with multiple factors. Among them, the hedonic price method has become the mainstream research method, and in recent years, it has been widely adopted in combination with GIS technology. In terms of research objects, single park green space or multiple park green spaces in large cities are the main focus, while there are fewer studies on park green spaces in built-up areas of small and medium-sized cities. In terms of research content, there are more studies on the value-added coefficient of landscape premium and influence distance, and there are fewer studies on the total value of landscape premium. This article aims to calculate the total landscape premium value of all park green spaces in the built-up areas of small and medium-sized cities, proposing a complete and operable accounting system for the functional value of park green space landscape premiums by combining GIS with a hedonic pricing model and remote sensing image interpretation methods. For the first time, a method for interpreting the height of residential buildings within the benefit range of landscape premium through remote sensing images is proposed, and then the floor area ratio of residential plots is estimated, so as to estimate the total area of actual beneficial buildings. Therefore, this paper takes Chifeng City, a small and medium-sized city, as a case study, and empirically demonstrates the assessment of the landscape premium function of parks and green spaces in the built-up area of Chifeng City by using this accounting system. Research shows that this method has certain feasibility, not only calculating the total value of landscape premium but also addressing the issue in existing studies where all areas within the potential range of landscape premium function are counted as appreciated areas, leading to an overestimation of the premium. It further advances the accuracy of accounting for the value of landscape premium function of urban park green space and provides theoretical reference for the planning and construction of urban park green space.

Holistic method for determining the techno-economic feasibility of waste heat for the planning of the low-temperature district heating systems

The heating sector is the most energy-intensive sectors, accounting for almost 50% of final energy consumption at the EU and almost 70% of that energy comes from fossil fuels. Urban waste heat sources, the refrigeration system of supermarkets, cooling systems of supermarkets, shopping malls, data centres, and power substations are known as systems that can be heat sources for the district heating (DH) system. This paper presents a holistic method to assess the economic, energy, and environmental benefits of integrating urban waste heat sources into DH. The method considers different boundary conditions and compares these systems to individual natural gas boilers, as well as to DH based on natural gas boilers. The observed boundary conditions include varying temperature regimes of the DH network, heat demands, different shares of space heating, and plot ratios. The method has been implemented and tested in the case of Zagreb. The results showed that Low-Temperature DH is viable for lower plot ratio and high heat demand, while Neutral-temperature DH are suitable for high plot ratio and high heat demand. Ultra Low-Temperature DH is viable for medium plot ratio and medium heat demand. The conventional solutions remain viable for low plot ratio and low heat demand.

Citizen perceptions and interactions towards self-sufficiency, community plot ratio and civic generosity within sustainable neighbourhoods

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released design indexes for sustainable neighbourhoods, including self-sufficiency, community plot ratio and civic generosity. However, they are developed from an urban planning perspective and not researched in relation to: a) the citizen perspective and b) how citizen interactions can contribute to the environment. Therefore, this research tests a novel set of indexes with an underused method of ethnographic video interviews with 14 citizens of a known sustainable neighbourhood in Stockholm, Sweden. A thematic analysis conducted on 28 h of interview data collected over a 4-week period yielded 5 main themes, from outdoor public spaces. Self-sufficiency findings suggest that citizens 1) perceive small scale self-sufficiency to be challenged by large scale structural efficiency and 2) circular actions with food waste to biogas can develop the self-sufficiency index further. Community plot ratio findings suggest that citizens 3) perceive community spaces to be accessible for all but not used by all. Civic generosity findings suggest citizens 4) perceive an imbalance between self-interests of the individual versus collective interests of the community, while 5) experienced citizens feel personally responsible to pioneer civic generosity interactions. UNEP indexes for designing neighbourhoods can define local sustainability, however, our findings support this, only if they can be acted upon by the citizens who live there.

Deciphering Codon Usage Patterns in the Mitochondrial Genome of the Oryza Species

Rice (Oryza) is a genus in the Gramineae family, which has grown widely all over the world and is a staple food source for people’s survival. The genetic information of rice has garnered significant attention in recent years, prompting numerous researchers to conduct extensive investigations in this field. But rice mitochondrial codon usage patterns have received little attention. The present study systematically analyzed the codon usage patterns and sources of variance in the mitochondrial genome sequences of five rice species by the CodonW and R software programs. Our results revealed that the GC content of codons in rice mitochondrial genome genes was determined to be 43.60%. Notably, the individual codon positions exhibited distinct GC contents: 48.00% for position 1, 42.65% for position 2, and 40.16% for position 3. These findings suggest the preference of the rice mitochondrial genome for codons ending in A or U. A weak codon bias was observed, with the effective number of codons (ENC) varying between 40.02 and 61.00, with an average value of 54.34. Subsequently, we identified 25 identical high-frequency codons in five rice mitochondrial genomes, with 11 codons ending in A and 12 codons ending in U. The regression lines in the neutrality plot exhibited slopes of less than 0.5 in five rice species, indicating a predominant role of natural selection, while mutation pressure remained relatively insignificant. In the PR2-plot analysis, most of the genes were located in the right half of the plot, indicating that the third base of the synonymous codon was preferred to end in G than C. Additionally, the ENC plot and ENC ratio analysis unveiled that codon preferences in the rice mitochondrial genome were predominantly influenced by natural selection rather than mutational pressure. The analysis of correspondence revealed distinct variations in the codon usage pattern across five rice mitochondrial genomes. Based on the RSCU values of species, a cluster tree was inconsistent with the mitochondrial genetic data, indicating that RSCU data could not be used as a basis for classification at the species level in the Oryza genus. These results will help decide the specific types of natural selection pressures influencing codon usage and improve the expression of exogenous genes in rice mitochondrial genomes by optimizing their codons.

Prevalence of gonococcal and chlamydial infections among men who have sex with men in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundMen who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STI) including Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). The lack of robust data on STIs among African MSM has limited the development of evidence-based screening strategies. This study aimed at documenting the pooled prevalence of Ng/Ct among MSM in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).MethodsThis systematic review was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Relevant articles from the following databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Eligible studies reported on the prevalence of Ng/Ct among the MSM population in SSA. Publication bias was assessed using the Hoy tool, Doi plot, and LFK ratio. Due to heterogeneity among studies, subgroup analyses were performed using the MetaXL add-on tool for Microsoft Excel.ResultsOf 525 articles screened, 20 were selected for inclusion. Six were cross-sectional, four had a prospective cohort study design, and one was an epidemiological study. The pooled prevalence of Ng/Ct in MSM was 27% (95% CI, 19–39%), with an I2 of 98% signifying heterogeneity among the studies. Subgroup analysis by country revealed South Africa had the highest prevalence (38%).DiscussionInterpretationThe high prevalence of Ng/Ct infection among MSM in SSA is of concern.LimitationsDue to limited data available on Ng/Ct prevalence, the true prevalence of SSA and its associated risk factors is uncertain.ConclusionAs the first study to systematically review the available literature on STI prevalence among the MSM population in SSA, it showed the burden of Ng/Ct is higher than in other regions, warranting the strengthening of health systems to improve education, testing, and treatment in MSM population.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42022327095.

Assessing urban morphology's impact on solar potential of high-rise facades in Hong Kong using machine learning: An application for FIPV optimization

The relationship between solar potential on building façade and urban morphology at urban scale remains unclear, and the design of façade integrated photovoltaic (FIPV) lacks evidence. This study investigates high-rise, high-density commercial districts in Hong Kong (HK), using Random Forest algorithm combined with the SHapley Additive exPlanations method to assess the importance of urban morphology on solar irradiance on building facades. The results indicate that plot ratio, building floor, building density, and perimeter shape factor are the four key parameters influencing solar irradiance, with the importance rate and contribution value of the four parameters reach 43.9 % and 48.7 %, respectively. Based on these parameters and actual urban blocks in HK, typical urban typologies were constructed. Four scenarios were generated with plot ratio as the control parameter. The positions, amounts, and transparency of PV glass on the south and east facades were optimized to minimize the payback period and maximize power generation, using Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II algorithm. The south façade of Scenario 1 (when the heights of surrounding buildings are lower than that of the targeted building) obtained the optimal payback period (8.44 years) and power generation (55961 kWh), with 77 opaque PV panels and 49 semi-transparent ones.

Measuring and expounding technical and cost efficiencies of smallholder tomato producers in Northern Ethiopia

While tremendous progress has been achieved in expanding irrigation to improve fruit and vegetable production, the issue of resource use efficiency has received little attention. Tomatoes have economic, nutritional, and health benefits, but their production is very limited for many reasons, including inefficiencies caused by socioeconomic, biophysical, institutional, governance, and meteorological factors. However, there have been very few studies to determine whether tomato producers are technically and economically efficient. Therefore, the study's goal was to assess technical and cost efficiencies, as well as to investigate factors impacting tomato production cost efficiency. Cross sectional data was collected from tomato growers and analysed using Data Envelopment Analysis and Tobit model. The mean technical efficiency was 68 %, revealing 32 % production shortfall and the potential to increase agricultural productivity given present inputs and technologies. The mean cost and scale efficiencies were around 46 % and 37 %, respectively. Farmers operated at high-cost inefficiency compared to their technical and allocative efficiencies. Household size, education, and cash crop planting have all been linked to cost savings. Higher levels of education and larger household sizes are connected with more opportunities for off-farm work, which is likely to reduce on-farm management intensity. The dependency ratio and size of irrigated plots have a detrimental impact on farmer cost efficiency. As the size of irrigated farms grows, farmers become less cost-effective. Education, labor supply, crop types grown, and irrigated farmland all have a significant impact on tomato production cost efficiency. The study suggests that policymakers, development practitioners, and other relevant organizations focus on introducing labour-saving technologies, improving environmental factors, and investing in education and family planning to raise farmer awareness, increase agricultural productivity, and promote cost efficiencies. These can eventually lead to higher food security.

Unlocking solar potential in high-latitude urban areas: A study of morphological indicators and zero energy potential of Glasgow

The complexity of urban form can have a significant impact on the utilization of solar energy. While numerous studies have examined the influence of urban form on solar potential, the optimization of solar energy use in cities located at high latitudes remains a challenging subject. In this study, we focus on the high-latitude city of Glasgow, using residential buildings in urban grid cells as our sample. We calculate solar potential and urban form indicators for these buildings using the Digimap database and the ArcGIS Pro platform. Employing eight machine learning algorithms, we analyze the data and extract eight key morphological indicators that affect the solar potential of urban grid cells. Among these indicators, we select four indicators—roof slope, building density, plot ratio, and building perimeter shape factor—for cluster analysis, enabling us to classify urban building forms into five types based on their characteristics and solar potential. Our calculations demonstrate that effective utilization of solar energy offers significant zero energy potential for Glasgow. The findings of this research can provide valuable guidance in the early stages of urban planning and design, assisting policymakers in rationalizing the use of solar energy resources for sustainable urban development. Furthermore, the results help urban stakeholders identify variations in the solar potential of different building forms, aiding them in selecting appropriate building types and zones to maximize solar energy utilization.

Effect of Neem Cake, Neem Oil and Plant Extracts on Purple Blotch of Onion (Allium cepa L.) Caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cif.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the Effect of neem cake, plant extracts and neem oil on purple blotch of onion (Allium cepa L.) caused by Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cif. Six different treatments were tested in a randomized block design with 3 replications at the Central Research Field, Department of Plant Pathology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj during Rabi season of 2023. The results should that the minimum per cent disease intensity was recorded in T1Neem cake + Neem oil (31.72), T5 Neem cake + Eucalyptus leaf extract (37.40). bulb weight of onion (71.13g), bulb diameter (7.13cm), bulb yield per plot (2.106kg), yield (105.317 q/ha) and benefit cost ratio (1: 4.42) were found in T1Neem cake + Neem oil (31.72) when compared to untreated check and other treatments.

A colorimetric sensor based on 2,3-bis(6-chloropyridin-2-yl)-6-fluoroquinoxaline for naked-eye detection of Iron (III) and its application in real sample analysis

Iron ions are crucial for numerous biological processes, and the levels of these ions have a significant impact on human well-being. Hence, it is essential to identify the level of Iron ions using a suitable technique. A new colorimetric sensor, namely “2,3-bis(6-chloropyridin-2-yl)-6-fluoroquinoxaline” (CF), has been introduced to detect Fe3+ through naked-eye observation. The sensor exhibits remarkable specificity towards Fe3+ compared to other metal ions in aqueous environments. Furthermore, it undergoes a substantial color change from colorless to yellow, which is visible without needing additional equipment. The complex formation was proposed to be in 1:1 ratio based on the Job’s plot and molar ratio plot. The maximum sensitivity of CF towards Fe3+ was found at pH 6 to 8. Minimal or negligible interference was noticed from different metal ions in the detection of Fe3+. The binding constant using Benesi-Hildebrand was estimated at 1.434 × 104 M−1. Gibbs free energy was determined –23.728 kJ/Mol. The LOD and LOQ were calculated at 0.378 and 1.26 µM, respectively. The probe CF was utilized to recover Fe3+ in tap water, resulting in recovery percentages ranging from 99.44 to 103.61. This indicates that the CF has the ability to identify Fe3+ in environmental samples.

The relationships between 2D and 3D green index altered by spatial attributes at high spatial resolution

Understanding the relationship between 2D and 3D green indices holds significant implications for governance, especially amid the escalating demand for urban green spaces during rapid urbanization. However, the existing studies reveal inconsistent results pertaining to the relationships between 2D and 3D green indices and lack a systematic examination of spatial attributes' influence on the relationships. This study addresses these gaps by 1) assessing the correlation between 2D and 3D green indices using high-resolution data, 2) identifying spatial attributes that alter the 2D-3D association, and 3) determining the thresholds of spatial attributes that significantly impact the 2D-3D relationships. The Moderation Model was initially introduced to evaluate the mechanisms within its respective field. High-resolution data was collected from a campus, focusing on key spatial attributes: tree cover density (TC), plot ratio (PR), and vegetation composition (VC). NDVI and GVI were chosen to represent the 2D and 3D green index. The results indicate a significant correlation between NDVI and GVI (R=0.478, p<0.005). TC was identified as the fundamental moderator of the association. A medium TC (32.46 %) was the threshold for a significant NDVI - GVI correlation. Only at low TC (0–10.82 %), interactive effects between spatial attributes were observed: VC (type (e)) substituted NDVI to affect GVI directly; Above a PR of 1.95, the correlation between NDVI and GVI diminishes. In general, NDVI cannot substitutes GVI in areas where TC is higher than 32.46 %, or in areas where TC is lower than 10.82 % with many tall buildings (higher than 8 floors). The findings innovatively reveal the dynamic variation and thresholds in the 2D-3D green index relationships based on site-specific attributes rather than the resolution of data. Practically, a decision-making tree of green index governance is then proposed for relevant stakeholders to choose according to different site conditions.

A novel method of high-density urban block form generation based on multi-objective solar performance optimization: A case study of Nanjing

Efficiently harnessing solar radiation in high-density urban environments to optimize block forms holds significant potential for advancing urban low-carbon development. This paper introduces a novel method for generating high-density block forms based on comprehensive solar utilization. Grasshopper was used to compile an automated workflow for block form generation, solar simulation, and multi-objective optimization algorithms. Leveraging maximum solar radiation within and surrounding the block and effective photovoltaic utilization ratio are the three objectives in the multi-objective optimization process. From 60,000 generated samples, 1200 block forms were selected as the Pareto fronts. As the plot ratio of the generated blocks increases from 3 to 7, the annual mean solar radiation around the block decreases from 891.3 kWh/m2 to 863.5 kWh/m2, a reduction of only 3.1 %. When the number of blocks within the block increases from 1 to 4, the average solar radiation inside the block increases from 484.8 kWh/m2 to 516.1 kWh/m2, an increase of about 6.5 %. Additionally, as site coverage increased from 30 % to 60 %, the average solar radiation inside the block decreased from 549.2 kWh/m2 to 459.8 kWh/m2, a decrease of approximately 17 %. Notably, the photovoltaic power generation fell from 90.3 kWh/m2 to 61.2 kWh/m2, a decrease of about 32 %. The results indicate that the grid modeling method and multi-objective optimization algorithm adopted in this study can significantly improve the diversity of block morphology and achieve multiple solar performance requirements. The findings support designers in swiftly assessing building volume rationality and solar utilization potential at the early stages of urban design.

Effect of polarization on spectroscopic characterization of laser produced aluminium plasma

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a well-established technique widely used in fundamental research and diverse practical fields. Polarization-resolved LIBS, a variant of this technique, aims to improve the sensitivity, which is a critical aspect in numerous scientific domains. In our recent work we demonstrated that the degree of polarization (DOP) in the emission depends on the spatial location and time in a nano second laser generated aluminium plasma1. Present study investigates the effect of polarized emission on the estimation of plasma parameters. The plasma parameters are estimated using the conventional spectroscopic methods such as Boltzmann plot and line intensity ratio for the estimation of electron temperature and Stark broadening for estimating the electron density. The estimated plasma temperature using Boltzmann plot method shows large errors in electron temperature for the locations where DOP is higher. However, the electron density estimated using the Stark width does not show such variation. The observed ambiguity in temperature estimation using the Boltzmann plot method appears to be a consequence of deviation from expected Maxwell Boltzmann distribution of population of the involved energy levels. These findings highlight the need of assessing the DOP of the plasma before selecting the polarization for PRLIBS or temperature estimation using Boltzmann plots in elemental analysis.

Climate-responsive urban planning through generative models: Sensitivity analysis of urban planning and design parameters for urban heat island in Singapore's residential settlements

The Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect exacerbates the sustainability and well-being challenges of extreme heat events. While city planning and design measures have been shown to mitigate UHI severity, the complex interaction among these measures has limited the ability of previous research to assess their impact holistically and across urban scales. To investigate the cross-scalar effectiveness of multiple UHI mitigation measures, this study applies sensitivity analysis (SA) to nine parameters in an urban generative model. Previously unstudied planning parameters, land parcel area and road network density, are included in the analysis. From the SA of 21,000 model solutions for a 100 ha case study site in Singapore, building density, podium density, and land parcel area are found to have greatest impacts on UHI. This finding supports a hypothesis that urban planning parameters have a high potential for UHI mitigation. Key findings include that a high green plot ratio (>50 %) combined with a low site coverage ratio (<50 %) permits even high-density model solutions (gross plot ratio >4) to maintain annual UHI below 0.89 °C. The conclusion discusses the implications of the findings for heat-resilient city planning and demonstrates that performance-based evaluation of generative urban models can improve upon prescriptive planning approaches.

Energy efficiency of Silphium perfoliatum and Helianthus salicifolius biomass production

Silphium perfoliatum L. and Helianthus salicifolius A. Dietr are perennial herbaceous crops (PHC) that have recently attracted much attention. This study aimed to determine the energy input, the yield energy value, and the biomass production energy efficiency for the two prospective PHC species depending on the type of fertilizer (liquid digestate and mineral fertilizers) and the nitrogen fertilization level (0, 85 and 170 kg ha−1 N) in three consecutive growing years (2019–2021). S. perfoliatum produced a 14.1 % higher biomass yield energy value (142.3 GJ ha−1 y−1 on average) than H. salicifolius. However, the production of S. perfoliatum also required 22.8 % higher mean energy input (11.3 GJ ha−1 y−1) compared to H. salicifolius. As a result, the mean energy ratio for H. salicifolius (15.2) was 8.6 % higher than for S. perfoliatum. The highest energy ratios for H. salicifolius and S. perfoliatum were 29.7 and 22.8, respectively. Liquid digestate and mineral fertilization resulted in an increase in the yield energy value compared to plots with no fertilization, but at the same time, it increased the energy input. Therefore, the energy ratio in control plots was higher compared to the variants with fertilization.

Nonlinear impact of built environment on people with disabilities’ metro use behavior

Ensuring equal access to public transportation for people with disabilities is crucial for social equity and sustainable urban development. The physical characteristics and travel preferences of people with disabilities may lead to unique spatial and temporal characteristics of metro use behavior and make them more likely to be influenced by built environment characteristics. We tested this hypothesis by comparing metro travel behavior in Wuhan, China, for people with and without disabilities. The results showed that people with disabilities take more and shorter metro trips than people without disabilities. The relative importance of built environment features in influencing metro ridership displays notable distinctions between people with disabilities and those without, as indicated by the outcomes of the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model. For metro ridership among people with disabilities, street density, the number of medical facilities, and the building plot ratio are the top three influencing variables on weekdays, while the number of shopping centers, medical facilities, and recreational facilities are the top three on weekends. Additionally, these variables exhibit clear nonlinear associations on metro ridership for both groups. The findings offer new insights for providing a better travel environment for people with disabilities and thus promoting transportation equity.

The Synergistic Structure and Potential Development for Sustainable Ecosystem Services in Urban Areas along the Grand Canal: A Case Study of the Wuxi Segment

The Grand Canal possesses a unique ecosystem as one of the world cultural heritage sites. However, its ecological roles and services have been underemphasized in heritage conservation efforts, leading to environmental pollution and the degradation of its heritage value, especially in the highly urbanized southern Jiangsu section downstream. This study examines the synergy between regulating ecosystem services (RESs) and cultural ecosystem services (CESs) along the highly urbanized Wuxi section of the Grand Canal, as well as the environmental drivers influencing this relationship. The findings reveal that the synergy between CESs and RESs does not occur at the urban–rural interface but rather in areas 4-6 km away from the Central Business District (CBD). Certain drivers, such as floor area ratio (FAR) and plot ratio (PR), enhance both RES and CES within specific sections. Beyond riparian green belts, various low-density, dispersed, and well-vegetated lands could serve as significant contributors to future ecosystem service (ES) synergy. These conclusions further elucidate the spatial distribution of the heritage cultural services and other ES synergy along the Grand Canal, providing scientific support for broader improvements guiding the sustainable co-development in similar urbanized areas.