Southeastern Corner Research Articles

Modelling pinyon pine distribution in the northern Great Basin, USA

SummaryPinyon–juniper woodlands are dry ecosystems defined by the presence of juniper (Juniperus spp.) and pinyon pine (Pinus spp.), which stretch over 400 000 km2 across 10 US states. Certain areas have become unnaturally dense and have moved into former shrub and grasslands, while others have experienced widespread mortality. To properly manage these woodlands, sites must be evaluated individually and decisions made based on scientific information that is often not available. Many species utilize pinyon–juniper woodlands, including the pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus), named for its mutualism with pinyon pine, whose population has declined by c. 2.2% per year from 1966 to 2022, an overall decrease of c. 71%. To increase the likelihood of further research progress, we propose a tool to model the distribution of pinyon pine at a finer scale than current woodland classification tools in the northern US Great Basin: a random forest model using geographical, ecological and climate variables. Our results achieved an accuracy of 93.94%, indicating high predictive power to identify locations of pinyon pine in north-eastern Nevada, the south-eastern corner of Oregon and southern Idaho. These findings can inform managers and planners researching pinyon pine, pinyon–juniper woodlands and potentially the pinyon jay.

A Perspective on the Floristic Studies in the South-Eastern Corner of Madhya Pradesh and Future Needs

No Abstract.

ВЛАСТИВОСТІ АРХІТЕКТУРНО-МІСТОБУДІВНОГО ТВОРЕННЯ СЕРЕДМІСТЬ У ОДНОЙМЕННИХ МІСТАХ ДЕРАЖНЕ І ДЕРАЖНЯ

The properties of the downtown architectural and town-planning creation in the historical cities of Derazhne and Derazhnya are considered. It has been found that in Derazhne the castle was located in the southern part of today's village, on a wedge ledge formed at the place where the stream flows into the Horyn River. The downtown stood northeast of the castle. Its territory had features of a regular rectangle, and the gates were located on the western and northern sides. Unfortunately, today it is difficult to determine the location of the wooden Roman Catholic church in the downtown, instead, the brick church of the beginning of the 19th century was built on the territory of the castle. It was established that the castle in Deraznya was rectangular in plan with two corner roundels located in the southern and northern corners of the western side. The indistinct fragments of the downtown ramparts preserved to this day, the configuration of the streets and the graphic image of the urban defense complex of Deraznya on the map of the mid-17th century by the military engineer Guiyaume Levasseur de Beauplan indicate that the northern and eastern parts of the fortifications of the city center had bastion-like protrusions, and the northeastern corner had a special fortification purpose . Rynok Square was located in the center of the downtown. A wooden church stood in its northeastern corner, and a brick Roman Catholic church in the southeastern corner. Relying on the determined properties of architectural and town-planning creation in the downtown of Derazhnye and Derazhnya settlements, we can record their equivalent historical and cultural value. The development vector of their cities was identical, but the architectural image was individual. The spatial composition of the connection between the castle and the city center, the abundance of temples and the fortification system differed. Instead, the street network in Derazne and Derazne was ordered, calculated and synchronized with two entrance gates. The current state of the downtown is unsatisfactory. In Derazhnya, Khmelnytskyi region, the street network, quarters with several houses of the 19th century, and castle ramparts have been partially preserved. The downtown of Derazne, Rivne Oblast, has preserved parts of historic streets, completely lost quarters, and faint traces of the castle. In both settlements, uncontrolled green spaces hinder the spatial perception of the historical center. Therefore, recommendations have been formulated for the return of service functions to the downtowns, their unification with the rest of the settlement territories, saturating them with new functions, and the reproduction of the traditional historical and urban landscape.

Geolinguistic approach to migration history in the south-eastern edge of the Tibetosphere

Abstract This article examines the migration history of Tibetic language-speaking people in the south-eastern corner of the Tibetosphere, particularly the origin of Sangdam Tibetan, spoken in Kachin State, Myanmar, by adopting a geolinguistic approach with linguistic maps. It first presents the current research progress of geolinguistics in the region and then discusses phonological and lexical features to elucidate the dialect position of Sangdam Tibetan based on the data available in its adjacent areas, such as Eastern Tibet and Yunnan in China. In addition, this study highlights the geolinguistic method’s potential and difficulties in addressing migration history.

Socio-economic status and access to fluoridated water in Queensland: an ecological data linkage study.

To investigate the relationship between access to fluoridated drinking water and area-level socio-economic status in Queensland. Ecological, geospatial data linkage study. Queensland, by statistical area level 2 (SA2), 2021. Proportion of SA2s and of residents with access to fluoridated drinking water (natural or supplemented); relationship at SA2 level between access to fluoridated water and socio-economic status (Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage, IRSAD; Index of Economic Resources, IER). In 2021, an estimated 4 050 168 people (79.4% of the population) and 397 SA2 regions (72.7%) in Queensland had access to fluoridated water. Access was concentrated in the southeastern corner of the state. After adjusting for SA2 population, log area, and population density, the likelihood of access to fluoridated drinking water almost doubled for each 100-rank increase in IRSAD (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-2.36) or IER (aOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.50-2.11). The 2012 decision to devolve responsibility for water fluoridation decisions and funding from the Queensland government to local councils means that residents in lower socio-economic areas are less likely to have access to fluoridated water than those in more advantaged areas, exacerbating their already greater risk of dental disease. Queensland water fluoridation policy should be revised so that all residents can benefit from this evidence-based public health intervention for reducing the prevalence of dental caries.

Tangut Pillars of <i>Uṣṇīṣavijayā</i> in Baoding Prefecture: The Last Monuments of Xixia Descendants

In the Park of Lotus Pond in the Baoding city of China, there is a pair of stone pillars of Uṣṇīṣavijayā erected in 1502, which proves to have been the latest Tangut relics existing so far. A textual investigation of their inscriptions indicates that they were built in memory of two monks of the Xingshan Temple, which was first established in the southeastern corner of the city in the 13th c. and repeatedly rebuilt later. After a reconstruction at the end of the 15th c., three Tangut monks first came and lived in the temple, two of whom died within a dozen years, and they were the buried monks for whom the pillars were erected. The pillars were originally located in a graveyard next to the Hanzhuang village outside the city, and, as mentioned in the inscription, near the village there was a considerable settlement of descendants of the Tangut warriors conscripted and transferred by the Yuan government to protect the Central Kingdom.

GIS-Based Analysis of Wildlife Habitat Suitability and Conservation Strategies in Maasai Mara Reserve

The significance of conducting an animal habitats suitability analysis is to enhance sustainable management in the face of land use modification, population growth, and changing settlement patterns, thereby safeguarding Kenya's natural resources, tourism, biodiversity, resource utilization, and community livelihoods. This paper establishes a habitat suitability analysis of specific animal habitats based on GIS technology. Firstly, key indicators were identified and subjected to the single factor analysis. Secondly, the AHP model was employed to calculate the weights of the indicators. A comprehensive evaluation was then carried out to visualize the animal habitat suitability map. Finally, the results of the animal habitat suitability analysis were overlaid with the spatial data of the road network. Overall, the results show that the suitable habitat for wildlife habitat is concentrated in the eastern and western corners of the Masai Mara Reserve, evenly distributed in the south-eastern corner, with a small amount in the north. The impact of lost opportunities for people living near the reserve will be significantly reduced. A kernel density estimation model was introduced to make predictions based on the first law of geography. The visualized predictions show that the habitable range of animals is relatively close to the results of model 1, which proves that animal populations and the quality of human life are secure.

Sand wave migration near the southeastern corner of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA

Sand waves of approximately 2 m in height were observed to migrate nearly 40 m with counterclockwise rotation between two bathymetric surveys performed three months apart near the southeastern corner of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. The region is characterized by strong tidal currents, intermittent energetic surface wave events, and shallow water with local depth ranging from 2 to 7 m. This study uses the process-based model, Delft3D, with a three-dimensional approach to examine the sand wave dynamics by incorporating surface waves, winds, currents, and bathymetric observations. The model successfully simulates sand wave migration in comparisons to observations. Model sensitivity analyses show that the sand wave migration reduces by 65% with the absence of the surface waves. The modeled sand wave migration speed is correlated with the tidal current Shields parameter, and sharp increases in migration speed occur when the wave-driven Shields parameter increases in response to energetic surface wave events. The combined effect of tides, surface waves, and bathymetry is the origin of the rotational aspect of the sand wave, using the Shields parameter as an indicator of tidal currents and surface wave influence on sand wave dynamics.

Provenance analysis of Paleozoic strata in the Falkland/Malvinas Islands: Implications for paleogeography and Gondwanan reconstructions

New U-Pb geochronological, Hf isotopic, heavy mineral, and sandstone petrographic results for Paleozoic clastic deposits of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands help address renewed debates on the plate tectonic history, regional paleogeography, and basin evolution of this geologic enigma prior to Mesozoic breakup of Gondwana. The Falkland/Malvinas Islands have been considered either an autochthonous part of the South American continent or part of an independent microplate displaced from the southeastern corner of Africa. We report detrital zircon U-Pb results (n = 1306 LA-ICPMS ages) for 11 sandstone samples from the Silurian-Devonian West Falkland Group (N = 7 samples, n = 837 grains) and Carboniferous-Permian Lafonia Group (N = 4 samples, n = 469 grains). Detrital zircon age distributions for the West Falkland Group point to consistent contributions from Neoproterozoic-Cambrian (650–520 Ma) and Mesoproterozoic (1100–1000 Ma) sources. Heavy mineral assemblages and sandstone petrographic data from these samples indicate significant input from recycled sediments. A potential shift in sediment sources during deposition of the Lafonia Group is indicated by the appearance of late Paleozoic (350–250 Ma) and Proterozoic (2000–1200 Ma) age populations, decreased proportions of stable heavy minerals, and a shift to juvenile Hf values for < 300 Ma zircons. The provenance change can be attributed to the onset of subduction-related arc magmatism and potential regional shortening and crustal thickening in southwestern Gondwana during the Permian transition of a passive margin into an active, retro-arc foreland basin. The detrital zircon age distributions identified here reflect potential source regions in southern Africa and/or the Transantarctic Mountains in Antarctica. These results are most readily accommodated within a Gondwana reconstruction that includes the Falkland/Malvinas Islands as a rotated microplate originating on the eastern side of southern Africa as part of the Gondwanide fold-thrust belt spanning from the Ventania region of Argentina through the Cape region of South Africa and into the Ellsworth and Pensacola mountains of Antarctica.

Vulnerability analysis of land ecosystem considering ecological cost and value: A complex network approach

The urban–rural fringe is the most sensitive area in the process of urban expansion and rural revitalization. It is important to study the complex coupling relationship between economic development and ecological protection in the urban–rural fringe from a holistic and dynamic perspective. The complex network theory is utilized in this study to analyze how land use change (LUC) affects ecosystems' structural and functional vulnerabilities. From the perspective of network modeling and analysis, the network eco-efficiency indicator for the vulnerability analysis of the land transfer network is defined considering the ecological cost and value in this study. Based on this, we propose a method for analyzing the vulnerability of the functioning of land ecosystem. In order to testify the effectiveness of the method, this study takes the southeastern corner of the Pidu District of Chengdu as the research object. The result shows: (1) Under the combined effect of urban expansion and rural revitalization, the utilization of land resources in the region is relatively poor, the development of urbanization is slow, and the rural ecological environment has not been improved; (2) The ecological land is the transfer-out type, the artificial land is the transfer-in type. Grassland is the primary key land type that is essential to the network's connectivity but also the most at risk to attack. Although the stability of the land ecosystem is not great, it is generally progressing in a stable direction; (3) To maintain the resilience of the land ecosystem and alleviate the vulnerability, at least 85% of the dryland and 45% of the urban residential land need to be protected; (4) A 20% increase of dryland and paddy is positive to enhancing the resilience of the ecosystem and reducing the negative impact on the ecosystem in the process of land use transition. The research results can provide a reference for the coordinated development of “land-economy-ecology” in the urban–rural fringe.

Buddhist Culture of Contemporary West Bengal (Reflections on the Bengali-speaking Buddhists)

Since the inception of Buddhism, the people of Bengal have maintained a very close relationship with Buddhist ideologies. In fact, Bengal appeared as a dominant center of Buddhist culture in the early medieval period (sixth to twelfth century CE) both for its institutional flavour as well as for state- sponsorship. However, with the fall of royal patronage and the conversion of the Buddhists to other religious faiths, Buddhism gradually lost its prominence in Bengal. It was during the colonial period (1757 to 1947 CE), Buddhism again started reviving in different corners of Bengal principally in the early twentieth century. However, the ‘Partition of Bengal Province (in 1947) appeared as a serious setback for the fate of Buddhism in this region. The East Bengali Buddhists had started a new episode of the struggle for survival in India more precisely in West Bengal as ‘refugees’ or as ‘asylum seekers. After their migration to West Bengal, the Bengali-speaking Buddhists have aspired to build up several Viharas (monasteries), Sanghasrams (spiritual hermitage), temples, and institutions in Kolkata, Sub-Himalayan Bengal, and certain other districts of West Bengal. They have preserved and maintained the Buddhist socio-cultural traditions that they have inherited from the southeastern corner of former East Bengal. This paper highlights all these aspects of the Buddhist culture of West Bengal with a fresh outlook.

Epidemiology of Aeromonas Species Bloodstream Infection in Queensland, Australia: Association with Regional and Climate Zones.

Aeromonas species can cause severe bloodstream infection (BSI) however, few studies have examined their epidemiology in non-selected populations. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence and determinants of Aeromonas species BSI in Queensland, Australia. A retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted during 2000-2019. Aeromonas species BSI were identified by laboratory surveillance and clinical and outcome information through data linkages to statewide databases. A total of 407 incident Aeromonas species BSI were identified with an age- and sex-standardized incidence of 5.2 per million residents annually. No trend in annual incidence rate during two decades of surveillance was demonstrated. Significant variable monthly occurrences were observed with highest rates during warmer, wetter months, and lowest rates during winter and dry periods. There was significant variability in incidence accordingly to region and climate zones, with higher rates observed in tropical north regions and lowest in southeastern corner. The highest incidence was observed in very remote and hot areas in Queensland. Cases were infrequent in children and risk was highest in elderly and males. Seventy-eight patients died within 30 days with a case-fatality rate of 19%. Older age, non-focal infection, higher Charlson score, and monomicrobial bacteremia were independent risk factors for death. Demographic and climatic changes may increase the burden of these infections in future years.

Eastern periphery of the Magdalenian world. Wierzawice 31 hunting campsite (SE Poland)

Wierzawice 31 site is one of the easternmost Magdalenian sites, situated in the south-eastern corner of the Kolbuszowa Plateau surrounded, to the east, by the broad San River valley and, on the south, by the sub-Carpathian ice-marginal valley. This archaeological site lies in an area with surface deposits developed as periglacial stratified silty-sandy sediments about 10 m thick, adjoined in the NW by an isolated patch of loess of the island type. The lithic artefacts occur in a small area of about 40 sqm, with the main concentration of artefacts centred around the focus. Almost 70% of the tools are hunting weapon elements. Both technology and tool typology are typical for Magdalenian assemblages. Absolute dating (14C and TL) indicates a very young, Allerød age for the site. The raw materials used indicate connections with the northern part of the Sandomierz Upland. Imports of “Volhynian flint” suggest possible contacts with areas beyond the limits of the Magdalenian range.

Review: The Shadow of El Centro: A History of Migrant Incarceration and Solidarity, by Jessica Ordaz

Review: <i>The Shadow of El Centro: A History of Migrant Incarceration and Solidarity</i>, by Jessica Ordaz

Faunal composition, diversity, and distribution of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of Dhofar Governorate, Oman, with updated list of the Omani species and remarks on zoogeography

The Sultanate of Oman is a country on the southeastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, near the intersection of the Afrotropical, Palaearctic, and Indomalayan biogeographic realms. We surveyed ants at 18 sites between 16 and 22 November 2017 using beating sheets, hand picking, Malaise traps, sifting trays, sweeping net, and light traps on the coastal plains and monsoon slopes of Dhofar Governorate in southwest Oman, an area that is relatively verdant due to its exposure to monsoons between June and September. We collected 37 ant species, including 11 species recorded for the first time from Oman: Camponotus diplopunctatus Emery, 1915, Cardiocondyla minutior Forel, 1899, Cardiocondyla wroughtonii (Forel, 1890), Carebara arabica (Collingwood &amp; van Harten, 2001), Leptanilla islamica Baroni Urbani, 1977, Monomorium clavicorne André, 1881, Monomorium floricola (Jerdon, 1851), Monomorium sahlbergi Emery, 1898, Strumigenys membranifera Emery, 1869, Anochetus sedilloti Emery, 1884, and Hypoponera ragusai (Emery, 1894). In total, 130 ant species are now known from Oman, including 53 from Dhofar. The known ants of Dhofar are primarily of Afrotropical origin (23 species, 43%), followed by Palearctic (20 species, 38%), and Indomalayan (4 species, 8%), and a single species from both the Malagasy and Neotropical Regions (1%). Five species (9%) are apparently endemic to Dhofar, Lepisiota dhofara Collingwood &amp; Agosti, 1996, Lepisiota elbazi Sharaf &amp; Hita Garcia, 2020, Crematogaster jacindae Sharaf &amp; Hita Garcia, 2019, Meranoplus mosalahi Sharaf, 2019, and Nesomyrmex micheleae Sharaf, 2020. The zoogeography of the Omani ant fauna reflects a clear dominance of faunal elements from the Palearctic Region (68 species, 53%) followed by Afrotropical faunal elements (45 species, 34%), and five species that are broadly spread throughout both the Palearctic and the Afrotropical Regions (4%). There are nine species (6%) from the Indomalayan Region, two species from the Neotropical Region (2%), T. melanocephalum, C. emeryi, and a single species Ph. megacephala (1%) from the Malagasy Region. The number of endemic species (15 species, 12%) is relatively low compared to the large geographical area of Oman and the broad diversity of habitats that characterizes the country.

Influence of different La Niña decay types on tropical cyclone genesis over the western North Pacific

This study investigates changes in tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the western North Pacific (WNP) during two different types of La Niña decaying events: rapidly-decaying La Niña and slowly-decaying La Niña. These events are selected based on the evolution of Niño-3.4 sea surface temperature anomalies. TC genesis changes during these two La Niña decaying types exhibit both similarities and differences. For both types, TC genesis significantly increases over the northwestern quadrant of the WNP (15°-30°N, 125°-145°E), while it significantly decreases over the southeastern corner of the WNP (5°-20°N, 165°E-180°). Over the region spanning 15°-30°N and 145°-165°E, TC genesis is suppressed during rapidly-decaying La Niña events, primarily due to anomalous upper-level convergent flow. Over this same region in slowly-decaying La Niña events, TC genesis is enhanced due to both increased lower-level vorticity and upper-level divergence. Over the region spanning 5°-15°N and 140°-165°E, enhanced TC genesis in rapidly-decaying La Niña events is linked to reduced vertical wind shear, while suppressed TC genesis in slowly-decaying La Niña events is mainly the result of reduced lower-level vorticity.

Intellectual life in the city of Gorgan

The current research aims to identify the intellectual life in the city of Gorgan, where the research was divided into two sections. Descriptive, and sometimes analytical, the researcher reached a set of the following conclusions: 1.The city of Gorgan is located in the southeastern corner of the Caspian Sea. Gorgan has attracted the attention of travelers in the past. They mentioned its location between the kingdoms of Tabaristan and Khorasan, and described its beautiful nature, orchards, villages and waters, until they made it a paradise with shades. There is not a whole city in the East after going beyond Iraq, and I have not shown any good in it. 2. After the Islamic conquest, Gorgan became a great cultural and scientific center that contributed significantly to the renaissance of Islamic civilization through the huge number of scholars who came out of its womb.

Examining the groundwater level in a semi-arid district of eastern India: spatiotemporal trends, determinants, and future prospects

The present study aims to examine the spatio-temporal and seasonal fluctuation of groundwater levels in an eastern Indian semi-arid region. Also, it attempted to investigate the involvement of different significant groundwater usage factors in causing such variations and trends. Furthermore, by evaluating temporal patterns and the influence of the crucial drivers, generate meaningful predictions for raising community awareness about the future. A combination of statistical, spatial analysis, and machine learning techniques were used to fulfill the objectives. Overall, the findings revealed that the south-eastern corner (consisting of Bundwan and Barabazar Blocks), the far western region (especially Jhalda I and II Blocks), and some of the eastern Blocks are most vulnerable to groundwater scarcity. The monitoring stations in this region are typically suffering a significant declining trend in groundwater level, with a substantial amount of Sen's Slope. In contrast, the centrally positioned Blocks have lesser susceptibility. The MLR analysis and spatial thematic maps demonstrate a strong association between this spatial pattern of declining groundwater table and the groundwater drivers in consideration. Thus, it is acceptable to suggest that drivers from the human world must be included in the groundwater management planning of the Purulia district. Finally, the predictions from the time series confirm that if no interventions are implemented, the average groundwater level will decline by 2.5 m by 2030. Therefore, Purulia urgently requires a realistic plan to prevent future generations from becoming refugees in their own land.

The Old Toponymy and New Topography of Zion: Utah, Photography, and Daniel George's Series God to Go West

The Old Toponymy and New Topography of Zion: Utah, Photography, and Daniel George's Series <i>God to Go West</i>

Lithospheric Structure in Central-East China from Joint Inversion of Surface-Wave Dispersion and CCP-Derived Receiver Function: Implications for Regional Tectonics

Abstract To investigate the lithospheric deformation beneath central-east China, we constructed a 3D crustal and uppermost-mantle velocity model of this region by joint inversion of Rayleigh-wave phase velocities and common conversion point-derived receiver functions. The velocity images at the east and west sides of Xuefeng Mountain presented quite different features and a sharp change in lithospheric thickness beneath this mountain, suggesting that this mountain may be the southwestern segment of the boundary between the Yangtze craton (YZC) and the Cathaysia block (CAB). We observed extensive lithospheric thinning in the eastern South China block (SCB), including the CAB and lower YZC. Considering that the eastern SCB is within the influence of the circum-Pacific system and features intensive Mesozoic magmatic activity, we deduced that subduction of the Pacific plate was the main controlling factor of lithospheric thinning. The westward extension of lithospheric thinning in the SCB terminates in the area east of the north–south gravity lineament. We observed a large-scale, low-velocity zone in the uppermost mantle of the southern Trans-North China orogen that penetrates northwestward into the southeastern corner of the Ordos block. The low-velocity zone intrudes into the bottom of the crust and results in crustal thinning in the region. We proposed that both the southern Trans-North China craton and the southeastern Ordos block are suffering ongoing lithospheric mantle modification.