Site Topography Research Articles

КОНЦЕНТРАЦИЯ ЦИНКА, МАРГАНЦА, МЕДИ В ПОКРОВНОМ ВОЛОСЕ КРУПНОГО РОГАТОГО СКОТА В ЗАВИСИМОСТИ ОТ УСЛОВИЙ СОДЕРЖАНИЯ, СЕЗОННОСТИ И ТОПОГРАФИЧЕСКОГО УЧАСТКА ТЕЛА

The article presents studies on the concentration of trace elements in the coat hair of cattle. They reflect the amount of copper, manganese and zinc in the hair coat of cattle under the influence of seasonality, type of maintenance, topographical area of the animal's body. Based on the results, it can be concluded that, in contrast to the factor of the topographic site, the seasonality and type of maintenance possess a pronounced impact on the concentrations of the studied trace elements in the hair coat. And the variability within the studied groups emphasizes the individuality of the accumulation of trace elements by every individual animal. This reflects the multifunctionality of the hair coat, which consists not only in performing the thermoregulatory function, but also in reflecting the mineral status of the animal's body.

Delineation of Aquifer Boundary by Two Vertical Superconducting Gravimeters in a Karst Hydrosystem, France

Mass distribution on Earth is continuously changing due to various physical processes beneath the Earth's surface or on the surface. Some of the primary sources for these mass displacements are tidal forces, atmospheric and oceanic loading, and seasonal changes in continental water distribution. The development of relative cryogenic gravimeters, the Superconducting Gravimeters (SGs), has made it possible to characterize and monitor such mass variations at orders of magnitudes as small as a few nm/s2 (1 nm/s2–10–10 g where g is the mean gravity at the Earth’s surface). Our study focuses on the hydrodynamics of the 900 m thick unsaturated zone of the low-noise underground research laboratory (Laboratoire Souterrain à Bas Bruit, LSBB) located in Rustrel (France) using a unique configuration of two SGs vertically arranged 520 m depth apart. The installation of an SG (iGrav31) at the site surface several years after installing the first (iOSG24) inside a tunnel has provided several new insights into the understanding of the hydrological processes occurring in the LSBB. By comparing differential and residual gravity time-series together with global hydrological loading models, we find that most water-storage changes occur in the unsaturated zone between both SGs. The misfit between the observed gravity time-series and the gravity effect corresponding to local hydrological contribution calculated from global hydrological models can be explained by large lateral fluxes and rapid runoff occurring in the LSBB site. Finally, we implement a rectangular prism method to compute forward gravity responses to water storage changes for a homogeneous water-layer following the site topography using a 5-m digital elevation model. In particular, we analyse the sensitivity of the differential record from both SGs to the extent and depth of the water storage changes by computing the corresponding 2D admittances. This gravity difference is sensitive to an extension up to about 2500 m laterally before tending towards an asymptotic value corresponding to the Bouguer plate approximation. We show that the zone of water-storage changes that best fits observed differential gravity signal is located at depths larger than 500 m (below iOSG24). This fitting is improving when the integration radius increases with depth. This is the first time that hydrological processes are investigated when the baseline configuration of two SGs is vertical.

An Extensive Field-Scale Dataset of Topsoil Organic Carbon Content Aimed to Assess Remote Sensed Datasets and Data-Derived Products from Modeling Approaches

The geosciences suffer from a lack of large georeferenced datasets that can be used to assess and monitor the role of soil organic carbon (SOC) in plant growth, soil fertility, and CO2 sequestration. Publicly available, large field-scale georeferenced datasets are often limited in number and design to serve these purposes. This study provides the first publicly accessible dataset of georeferenced topsoil SOC measurements (n = 840) over a 26-hectare (ha) agricultural field located in southern Ontario, Canada, with a sampling density of ~32 points per ha. As SOC is usually influenced by site topography (i.e., slope and landscape position), each point of the database is associated with a wide range of remote sensing topographic derivatives; as well as with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) based value. The NDVI data were extracted from remote sensing Sentinel-2 imagery from over a five-year period (2017–2021). In this paper, the methodology for topsoil sampling, SOC measurement in the lab, as well as producing the suite of topographic derivatives is described. We discuss the opportunities that the database offers in terms of spatially explicit and continuous soil information to support international efforts in digital soil mapping (i.e., SoilGrids250m) as well as other potential applications detailed in the discussion section. We believe that the database with very dense point location measurements can help in conducting carbon stocks and sequestration studies. Such information can be used to help bridge the gap between ground data and remotely sensed datasets or data-derived products from modeling approaches intended to evaluate field-scale rates of agricultural carbon accumulation. The generated topsoil database in this study is archived and publicly available on the Zenodo open-access repository.

Predicting Habitat Properties Using Remote Sensing Data: Soil pH and Moisture, and Ground Vegetation Cover

Remote sensing data comprise a valuable information source for many ecological landscape studies that may be under-utilized because of an overwhelming amount of processing methods and derived variables. These complexities, combined with a scarcity of quality control studies, make the selection of appropriate remote sensed variables challenging. Quality control studies are necessary to evaluate the predictive power of remote sensing data and also to develop parsimonious models underpinned by functional variables, i.e., cause rather than solely correlation. Cause-based models yield superior model transferability across different landscapes and ecological settings. We propose two basic guidelines for conducting such quality control studies that increase transferability and predictive power. The first is to favor predictors that are causally related to the response. The second is to include additional variables controlling variation in the property of interest and testing for optimum processing method and/or scale. Here, we evaluated these principles in predicting ground vegetation cover, soil moisture and pH under challenging conditions with forest canopies hindering direct remote sensing of the ground. Our model using lidar data combined with natural resource maps explained most of the observed variation in soil pH and moisture, and somewhat less variation of ground vegetation cover. Soil pH was best predicted by topographic position, sediment type and site index (R2 = 0.90). Soil moisture was best predicted by topographic position, radiation load, sediment type and site index (R2 = 0.83). The best model for predicting ground vegetation cover was a combination of lidar-based estimates for light availability below canopy and forest type, including an interaction between these two variables (R2 = 0.65).

Two decades of monitoring earthworms in translocated grasslands at Manchester Airport

Construction of a second runway at Manchester Airport included a mitigation package of habitat restoration with relocation of earthworms as prey items for protected vertebrates. Translocation of turf in blocks was the standard method used for four of five monitored sites with loose soil moved at the other. To assess earthworm communities at these translocated grassland sites, monitoring was undertaken each October (1998–2019) by digging and hand sorting of soil, followed by vermifuge application. Fourteen earthworm species were recorded, representing all ecological groups, but the majority were endogeic species, dominated by Aporrectodea caliginosa. Total earthworm numbers fluctuated during the monitoring period, with lowest density at 4 m−2 and highest more than a hundred times larger. The overall mean from all sites across the monitoring period was 151 ind. m−2. The differences between sites such as total earthworm numbers and species richness were clearly influenced by the translocation method and specific site topography. Created Hummocks to 3 m for hibernating amphibians proved successful with grassland soil establishing well. Lumbricus terrestris failed to establish due to translocation technique. Using non-metric multidimensional scaling, integration of environmental data with earthworm records showed effects of soil moisture content, pH and rainfall on abundance of ecological groupings and particular species. In general, earthworm community composition was dynamic over the monitoring period suggesting that this and population size needs to be appraised over realistic timescales, which may be best monitored in decades.

Geographic Information System-based Multi-Criteria Decision-Making analysis for assessing prospective locations of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage plants in Morocco: Towards efficient management of variable renewables

The considerable potential offered by wind and Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) energy, at competitive costs, constitutes a real opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions, thus contributing to significant decarbonization. Nevertheless, these sources require energy storage, which remains a key solution to mitigate their intermittency and variability, as they are dispatchable energy production systems. Among these latter, Pumped Hydro Energy Storage (PHES) stands as the most widely adopted technology for utility-scale applications, since it offers numerous advantages. Finding a suitable site for a PHES plant, however, remains a challenge for new project development, as it is highly dependent on topographic and geological site conditions. In this perspective, this paper presents an approach aiming at identifying and classifying appropriate locations for PHES plants based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method along with Geographic Information System (GIS) tools - ArcGIS 10.8. Considering the various PHES topologies, this assessment seeks to explore two: the first uses existing dams and lakes as primary reservoirs (Topology - T2), while the second considers the sea as a lower reservoir (Topology - T4). To our knowledge, this study introduces for the first time two novel decision criteria: evapotranspiration and sea surface salinity. These parameters lead respectively to evaporation losses from the storage reservoirs and corrosion effects on the different components of the installation. The proposed methodology was then applied to the case of Morocco, whereby the results revealed that a total of 1606 potential sites were identified, from which >36 % were deemed highly suitable. Furthermore, a total energy storage capacity of 6862 GWh was estimated from those locations, where about 72 % is represented by T2. This research work, the first of its kind for Morocco, aimed at securing cost-effective sites to help policy- and decision-makers develop strategies tailored to the country's conditions for a wide integration of variable renewables.

Simulation of the Effect of Small‐Scale Mountains on Weather Conditions During the May 2021 Ultramarathon in Gansu Province, China

AbstractHypothermia killed 21 participants of the 100 km cross‐country Ultramarathon Mountain race in Baiyin, Gansu Province in northwestern China on 22 May 2021, when a large‐scale cold front passed by the race site. The hypothermia was caused by low temperatures, high winds, and hail‐like precipitation, as reported by survivors. However, there is no meteorological station near the race site, leading to a lack of data on the exact weather conditions during the race. Considering the complex topography of the race site, the weather conditions must be re‐built using high‐resolution model simulations, so that the tragedy can be investigated. In this study, the weather conditions in this mountainous area were simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with a 333 m horizontal grid size. The results show that interaction between the mountain wind and orographic precipitation led to a 6.7°C decrease in temperature and a 12 m s−1 increase in wind speed. Precipitation increased owing to orographic accent and convergence, and fell as graupel. High‐speed downslope winds were the result of large‐amplitude trapped lee waves. The combination of low temperatures, high winds, and spillover graupel on the lee resulted in the blizzard‐like weather during the race, thus the hypothermia amongst the runners. The apparent temperature was estimated to be as low as −10°C. Our study shows that mesoscale numerical models with a grid size of hundreds of meters should be used to improve weather forecasts in mountainous regions and prevent future tragedies for special events.

A safety management system for natural gas pipeline in subsidence area of coal mine

ABSTRACT As one of the main ways to transport natural gas, pipeline safety is of great significance to maintaining social stability and ensuring the national energy supply. Aiming at the safe operation of natural gas pipelines in subsidence areas of coal mine, this work proposes a safety management system for condition monitoring and control. This system contains three technical modules: the surface and pipeline displacement monitoring, the risk assessment index system, and early warning model. Firstly, the collected data of site topography and pipeline conditions are transmitted to the database remotely. Second, multi-source data are collected to form data reports and conduct in-depth analysis and mining. Then, according to the analysis results, the pattern of surface and pipeline displacement is explored, the risk assessment system of gas pipelines is constructed, and the pipeline strain is monitored. Real-time computing and other technologies are developed to form a safety management system for gas pipelines in subsidence areas. Taking Shanxi Province in China as an example, based on the system developed by the technical modules, the application of surface and pipeline displacement monitoring, risk assessment, and pipeline stress-strain monitoring technology in subsidence areas is achieved. The results show that the risk score of the area where the pipeline is located is 82, which is a high-risk level. In addition, in the process of strain monitoring, the measured stress at the most unfavorable position is 140.207 MPa, which meets the allowable stress requirements. This safety management system can provide important support for decision-making of risk prevention, assessment, and management of natural gas pipelines in subsidence areas of coal mine.

Targeting Persistent Biofilm Infections: Reconsidering the Topography of the Infection Site during Model Selection

The physiology of an organism in the environment reflects its interactions with the diverse physical, chemical, and biological properties of the surface. These principles come into consideration during model selection to study biofilm–host interactions. Biofilms are communities formed by beneficial and pathogenic bacteria, where cells are held together by a structured extracellular matrix. When biofilms are associated with a host, chemical gradients and their origins become highly relevant. Conventional biofilm laboratory models such as multiwall biofilm models and agar plate models poorly mimic these gradients. In contrast, ex vivo models possess the partial capacity to mimic the conditions of tissue-associated biofilm and a biofilm associated with a mineralized surface enriched in inorganic components, such as the human dentin. This review will highlight the progress achieved using these settings for two models of persistent infections: the infection of the lung tissue by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the infection of the root canal by Enterococcus faecalis. For both models, we conclude that the limitations of the conventional in vitro systems necessitate a complimentary experimentation with clinically relevant ex vivo models during therapeutics development.

Characteristics of realigned dikes in coastal Europe: Overview and opportunities for nature-based flood protection

Managed realignment is the landward relocation of flood infrastructure to re-establish tidal exchange on formerly reclaimed land. Managed realignment can be seen as a nature-based flood defence system that combines flood protection by the realigned dike (artificial) and restored saltmarshes (nature-based). So far, research on coastal managed realignment is primarily directed to saltmarsh restoration on formerly reclaimed land. This study focuses on the realigned dikes. The aim of this research is to characterize realigned dikes and to indicate the characteristics that offer opportunities for nature-based flood protection. We categorized 90 European coastal managed realignment projects into two realigned dike groups: (1) Newly built landward dikes and (2) Existing landward dikes of former multiple dike systems. The second group has two subcategories: (2a) Former hinterland dikes and (2b) Realignments within summer polders. For each group we present the realigned dike characteristics of a representative case study. We consider that the use of existing landward dikes or local construction material make realignment more sustainable. From a nature-based flood protection perspective, the presence of an artificial dike is ambiguous. Our results show that targeted and expected saltmarsh restoration at managed realignment does not necessarily result in a greener realigned dike design that suits for combined flood protection with restored saltmarshes. We recommend coastal managers to explicitly take combined flood protection into account in the realigned dike design and steer the topography of the realignment site to facilitate nature-based flood protection and promote surface elevation increase seaward of the realigned dike in response to sea level rise. This makes managed realignment a nature-based flood defence zone for now and for the future.

Decade of Research in Review at the Auburn University Stormwater Research Facility

Sediment remains one of the most commonly occurring pollutants affecting the U.S.’s water bodies, as identified by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ( 1). Construction activities largely accelerate soil erosion and subsequent sediment deposition. The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Construction General Permit requires construction operators to implement erosion and sediment control (E&SC) plans to minimize downstream implications from sediment-laden discharge. However, E&SC practices are often designed from “rules of thumb” and lack scientific, performance-based evidence in their design and implementation. The Auburn University Stormwater Research Facility (AU-SRF), previously the Auburn University Erosion and Sediment Control Testing Facility (AU-ESCTF), is an outdoor research center dedicated to evaluating E&SC practices and products commonly used on highway construction projects. Large-scale test apparatuses and methods at AU-SRF are designed to mimic construction site conditions, including rainfall, flow rates, topography, and soil characteristics, to evaluate existing and novel E&SC practices. Since its inception in 2008, AU-SRF has provided small-, medium-, and large-scale testing evaluations for numerous Departments of Transportation and product manufacturers. Findings from controlled testing have continued to inform the selection, design, implementation, and maintenance of E&SC practices used on construction sites and protect downstream waters and infrastructure. In the first decade, AU-SRF has directed 13 research projects and produced more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and 100 professional presentations. As AU-SRF grows into its second decade and efforts reach outside of the southeastern region, the mission to advance knowledge through E&SC research and development, product evaluation, and training remains constant. This review synthesizes the research produced from large-scale testing at AU-SRF to date and presents ongoing projects.

Deployment Method and Optimal Placement of Surface Beacon Navigation System for Co-located Lunar Landings

Lunar Space exploration is currently accelerating, and manned and unmanned missions to the Moon are planned by several space agencies and private companies in the coming 5–10 years. The construction of the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway (LOP-G) and plans to establish a more permanent human presence on the Lunar surface will increase the landing frequency and require the capability to safely soft-land successive missions in near proximity to each other. The lunar South Pole is one of the preferred locations for surface exploration due to the discovery of volatiles in the permanently shadowed craters at the poles. However, landing on the lunar South Pole of the Moon is challenging due to the illumination and loss of Earth line-of-sight conditions combined with complex topography. The increased interest in co-located lunar landings concurrent with construction of lunar infrastructure and a challenging landing area warrants new approaches in navigation technology.In this paper we present a concept for a system of radio beacons installed around the Shackleton crater rim “SR1” landing site on the lunar South Pole. We present considerations for optimal placement of the radio beacons based on the specific landing site topography and quantify our finding with dilution of precision (DOP) calculations. We present a novel method for deploying the radio beacons as penetrators with embedded thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for autonomous power generation. We present findings on beacon survivability, penetration depth, spin-stabilization of the penetrators and maximal theoretical power generation.

Investigation of topographic site effects using 3D waveform modelling: amplification, polarization and torsional motions in the case study of Arquata del Tronto (Italy)

The combined effect of topography and near-surface heterogeneities on the seismic response is hardly predictable and may lead to an aggravation of the ground motion. We apply physics-based numerical simulations of 3D seismic wave propagation to highlight these effects in the case study of Arquata del Tronto, a municipality in the Apennines that includes a historical village on a hill and a hamlet on the flat terrain of an alluvial basin. The two hamlets suffered different damage during the 2016 seismic sequence in Central Italy. We analyze the linear visco-elastic seismic response for vertically incident plane waves in terms of spectral amplification, polarization and induced torsional motion within the frequency band 1–8 Hz over a 1 km2 square area, with spatial resolution 25 m. To discern the effects of topography from those of the sub-surface structure we iterate the numerical simulations for three different versions of the sub-surface model: one homogeneous, one with a surficial weathering layer and a soil basin and one with a complex internal setting. The numerical results confirm the correlation between topographic curvature and amplification and support a correlation between the induced torsional motion and the topographic slope. On the other hand we find that polarization does not necessarily imply ground motion amplification. In the frequency band above 4 Hz the topography-related effects are mainly aggravated by the presence of the weathering layer, even though they do not exceed the soil-related effects in the flat-topography basin. The geological setting below the weathering layer plays a recognizable role in the topography-related site response only for frequencies below 4 Hz.

Multi‐Model Comparison of Computed Debris Flow Runout for the 9 January 2018 Montecito, California Post‐Wildfire Event

AbstractHazard assessment for post‐wildfire debris flows, which are common in the steep terrain of the western United States, has focused on the susceptibility of upstream basins to generate debris flows. However, reducing public exposure to this hazard also requires an assessment of hazards in downstream areas that might be inundated during debris flow runout. Debris flow runout models are widely available, but their application to hazard assessment for post‐wildfire debris flows has not been extensively tested. Necessary inputs to these models include the total volume of the mobilized flow, flow properties (either inherent material properties or calibration coefficients), and site topography. Estimates of volume are possible in post‐event (“back calculation”) studies, yet before an event, volume is an uncertain quantity. We simulated debris flow runout for the well‐constrained 9 January 2018 Montecito event using three models (RAMMS, FLO2D, and D‐Claw) to determine the relative importance of volume and flow properties. We broke the impacted area into three domains, and for each model‐domain combination, we performed a numerical sampling study in which volume and flow properties varied within a wide, but plausible range. We assessed model performance based on inundation patterns and peak flow depths. We found all models could simulate the event with comparable results. Simulation performance was most sensitive to flow volume and less sensitive to flow properties. Our results emphasize the importance of reducing uncertainty in pre‐event estimates of flow volume for hazard assessment.

Soybean Roots and Soil From High- and Low-Yielding Field Sites Have Different Microbiome Composition.

The occurrence of high- (H) and low- (L) yielding field sites within a farm is a commonly observed phenomenon in soybean cultivation. Site topography, soil physical and chemical attributes, and soil/root-associated microbial composition can contribute to this phenomenon. In order to better understand the microbial dynamics associated with each site type (H/L), we collected bulk soil (BS), rhizosphere soil (RS), and soybean root (R) samples from historically high and low yield sites across eight Pennsylvania farms at V1 (first trifoliate) and R8 (maturity) soybean growth stages (SGS). We extracted DNA extracted from collected samples and performed high-throughput sequencing of PCR amplicons from both the fungal ITS and prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene regions. Sequences were then grouped into amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and subjected to network analysis. Based on both ITS and 16S rRNA gene data, a greater network size and edges were observed for all sample types from H-sites compared to L-sites at both SGS. Network analysis suggested that the number of potential microbial interactions/associations were greater in samples from H-sites compared to L-sites. Diversity analyses indicated that site-type was not a main driver of alpha and beta diversity in soybean-associated microbial communities. L-sites contained a greater percentage of fungal phytopathogens (ex: Fusarium, Macrophomina, Septoria), while H-sites contained a greater percentage of mycoparasitic (ex: Trichoderma) and entomopathogenic (ex: Metarhizium) fungal genera. Furthermore, roots from H-sites possessed a greater percentage of Bradyrhizobium and genera known to contain plant growth promoting bacteria (ex: Flavobacterium, Duganella). Overall, our results revealed that there were differences in microbial composition in soil and roots from H- and L-sites across a variety of soybean farms. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that differences in microbial composition could have a causative relationship with observed within-farm variability in soybean yield.

The influence of chalk grasslands on butterfly phenology and ecology.

The influence of large‐scale variables such as climate change on phenology has received a great deal of research attention. However, local environmental factors also play a key role in determining the timing of species life cycles. Using the meadow brown butterfly Maniola jurtina as an example, we investigate how a specific habitat type, lowland calcareous grassland, can affect the timing of flight dates. Although protracted flight periods have previously been reported in populations on chalk grassland sites in the south of England, no attempt has yet been made to quantify this at a national level, or to assess links with population genetics and drought tolerance. Using data from 539 sites across the UK, these differences in phenology are quantified, and M. jurtina phenology is found to be strongly associated with both site geology and topography, independent of levels of abundance. Further investigation into aspects of M. jurtina ecology at a subset of sites finds no genetic structuring or drought tolerance associated with these same site conditions.

Topographic site effects of Xishan Park ridge in Zigong city, Sichuan considering epicentral distance

Topographic site effects of Xishan Park ridge in Zigong city, Sichuan considering epicentral distance

KURGAN ON BRIIENN HILL NEAR ARTSYZ CITY

The article publishes materials of a mound excavated in 1972 in the steppes of Budzhak near Artsyz. The topography and cartography of this archaeological site are first considered. The 6 m high embankment was filled in five steps. It contains 23 burials, 21 of which date from the Bronze Age and two from the Scythian period. The original embankment was built over the burial of the Usatov culture. For the second time, the mound was poured over the bearers of the pit culture. This burial is surrounded by a cromlech and is central to eight burials of pit culture. The cromlech is made of the plates put on an edge, has diameter of 13 m. The sizes of plates from 1.2 m to 0.8 m. Around the cromlech the ditch 2.0 m wide and 1.0 m deep is dug. The third embankment was completed at implementation of inlet pits burials. The fourth mound, which consisted mainly of yellow forest and is connected with the graves of the Babyn Cultural Circle, brought the size of the mound to a height of 5 m and a diameter of 28 m were considered interconnected. But these burials are divorced both in time and in the space of the mound. The burial of the warrior was on a slope, and 12—13 m from him, a horse grave was found on top. Prior to the excavations, the mound was used to extract humus, and probably the tomb, which was accompanied by horses, was destroyed at the same time.
 Artifacts from this mound are partially published. The most popular of these is the golden cone of Scythian times. However, the authors propose a full publication of the findings and a new interpretation of the purpose of these mysterious artifacts. In particular, there is reason to believe that gold cones were used for smoking narcotic plants.
 An interesting element of the reins from the tomb of horses is a pair of silver muzzles with an engraved composition. The upper part of the snout has a sharp protrusion in the form of the head of a bird of prey, its eyes and beak are traced. The schematism of the decor of the muzzle is probably the result of a certain syncretism generated by the pressure of the Scythian semantic tradition on the Thracian performers. It is probable that the sheet from Artsiz is a prototype of the so-called bird-beaking nostrils.
 Analysis of the artifacts of the two Scythian complexes indicates a certain chronological distance between them. The burial of the soldier belongs to the time of the First Zavadska Grave (450—430 BC), and the grave of horses is close to the second tomb of Solokha (400—380 BC). That is, the chronological interval between the complexes is the life of one or two generations.

The relationship between species diversity and functional diversity along aridity gradients in semi-arid rangeland

The relationship between community species diversity and functional diversity (SFDR) was suggested to reflect the degree of overlap in species functions and highlight the effects of environmental filters on community composition. Using a novel approach, categorizing individual plants into functional groups according to their plant biomass production (function level) and regardless of their taxonomic attribution, we tested the pattern of SFDR (e.g., linear correlation or other type) in a semiarid, annual plant community. Species abundance and biomass were monitored over four years among neighbouring topographic sites representing a range of aridity levels in the Northern Negev, Israel. All sampled plant individuals collected at flowering season were weighted and classified into ten functional groups according to their above-ground biomass. Functional group richness and species richness were calculated for each of the 16 research plots during the four research years. We examined the relationship between species richness and functional richness and the effects of year and topographic site on species richness within each of the functional groups. Species and functional richness varied considerably among years and topographic sites. Functional richness was found to be positively related to species richness throughout the entire studied aridity range. Under relatively humid conditions, species richness was high, and increasing aridity led mainly to loss of functional redundancy. Lost taxa were typically rare, large sized or drought intolerant species with low functional plasticity. Conversely, under relatively dry conditions, species richness was low and further increasing aridity led more to loss of functional richness than to loss of species richness. Typical species that drove this pattern were abundant, medium to low sized and drought tolerant species with high functional plasticity. These species decreased their plant biomass production while guaranteeing their existence under extreme drought.

Stone Age dwellings, sites and environment in coastal northern Norway: surveys and documentation of house-pit sites

The northernmost parts of Europe has a large number of sites with Stone Age house-pits, the majority of which date from c. 5000 BC onwards. Remarkably, the remains of these dwellings are many places still visible on the surface. In northern Norway, such dwellings concentrate in the coastal areas, with a more limited number found on inland sites. In order to use these in analyses of settlement duration, distribution and organization a more uniform and coherent documentation of both individual structures and site characteristics must be ensured. In an ongoing research project on Stone Age Demographics, we have developed and tested different levels of settlement site documentation, scaling from single structures over site topography to reconstruction of past environments. Through substantial surveying in our study region in coastal western Finnmark, northern Norway, we have collected extensive and uniform documentation of dwellings, sites and environment. This systematic documentation allows us to not just discuss dwellings within one specific site, but to consider also regional and supra-regional patterns and variability. This is required if we are to consider both spatial variation and temporal developments in the use and role of pit-houses.