Zonal Scheme Research Articles

Is LCZ Enough? Physical Properties, Thermal Environments and Cooling Effects of Green Roofs in High-Density Urban Industrial Blocks

With rapid worldwide urbanization, the urban heat island (UHI) effect is becoming more and more serious. The UHI effect is more intense in industrial areas. Green roofs are an effective way to mitigate UHIs in high-density cities, which calls for thorough examination. This study explored the associations between the block characteristics and block thermal environment in high-density industrial areas based on the widely accepted Local Climate Zone (LCZ) scheme. The pedestrian air temperature comparisons before and after virtual green roof installations presented the cooling effects of green roofs. Thirty-six typical industrial blocks were involved in the study and the simulations were conducted utilizing ENVI-met. The results showed that (1) the air temperature in LCZ4 is significantly lower than those in LCZ2 and LCZ6, but no significant differences were identified between other pairs of LCZ types; (2) the cooling effect of green roofs significantly differs among LCZs, and is associated with sky view factor (SVF), average building area (ABA) and average building shape index (ABSI); (3) in high-density urban areas, additional functional parameters and building-volume indices should be included to better address the physical characteristics, thermal environment, and green roof cooling effect of industrial blocks. This study could improve the validity of LCZ classification for high-density industrial blocks and may provide direct implications for green roof planning.

Simulating the impact of ventilation corridors for cooling air temperature in local climate zone scheme

Climate change and urbanization are impacting urban microclimates, necessitating careful consideration in urban ventilation planning. However, there remains uncertainty regarding the identification and examination of urban ventilation corridors (VCs), and their mechanisms for urban heat mitigation. This study combined ENVI-met and the least-cost path (LCP) algorithm to simulate the VCs within the local climate zone (LCZ) scheme, with Guangzhou as an example. The results show that (1) VCs constructed using the LCP method are primarily distributed along vegetation and rivers, bypassing high-temperature aggregation in high-density/high-rise building areas; (2) The cooling effect of VCs varies across different LCZs, influenced by factors such as land use, vegetation, building, and topography. (3) In low-density, low-rise LCZs, VCs significantly reduce temperatures by about 0.23°C, while in high-density, high-rise LCZs, the cooling effect is weaker, with a reduction of only around 0.01°C. This study highlights the importance of preserving hydrological system and optimizing green space layout to enhance urban ventilation thus mitigate heat accumulation.

Neostructural zoning of the Russian part of the Greater Caucasus megavault, the Eastern segment (advanced studies for engineering survey)

The use of the orotectonic method made it possible to detail significantly the previously proposed schemes of neotectonic zoning of the Eastern segment of the Greater Caucasus megavault. In the Russian part of the segment, the zones of the North-Eastern and Central uplifts are traced. Within the North-Eastern zone, Western, Eastern and Southern subzones are distinguished, differing in their structure and orientation of the main structures. Block structures predominate in the Western and Southern subzones, and folded ones in the Eastern subzones. Among the anticlinal folds, there are folds with eroded arches, as well as folds that are partially preserved. The zone of the central uplifts includes the subzones of the side and main ridges, separated by the subzone of the axial troughs. The trough subzone crosses the entire Eastern segment of the megavault and includes the Northwestern group of differently oriented grabens and the eastern Bezhtino-Samur suture-depression zone with longitudinal grabens. This zone and its subzones are limited by the largest faults and reverse faults. Most regional and local structures are separated by active faults, which may be dangerous for the stability of engineering structures. The obtained original data, which is not available in standard materials on geological surveying for a given area, is useful for construction design and geoecology.

Adaptive MAC Scheme for Interference Management in Ad Hoc IoT Networks

The field of wireless communication has undergone revolutionary changes driven by technological advancements in recent years. Central to this evolution is wireless ad hoc networks, which are characterized by their decentralized nature and have introduced numerous possibilities and challenges for researchers. Moreover, most of the existing Internet of Things (IoT) networks are based on ad hoc networks. This study focuses on the exploration of interference management and Medium Access Control (MAC) schemes. Through statistical derivations and systematic simulations, we evaluate the efficacy of guard zone-based MAC protocols under Rayleigh fading channel conditions. By establishing a link between network parameters, interference patterns, and MAC effectiveness, this work contributes to optimizing network performance. A key aspect of this study is the investigation of optimal guard zone parameters, which are crucial for interference mitigation. The adaptive guard zone scheme demonstrates superior performance compared to the widely recognized Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) and the system-wide fixed guard zone protocol under fading channel conditions that mimic real-world scenarios. Additionally, simulations reveal the interactions between network variables such as node density, path loss exponent, outage probability, and spreading gain, providing insights into their impact on aggregated interference and guard zone effectiveness.

Can ecological zoning act as an environmental management tool for protecting regional habitat quality: Causal evidence from the national key ecological function zone in China

Habitat degradation is one of the most serious environmental problems worldwide, which threatens human wellbeing and sustainable development. Exploring how to protect natural habitats has become a research hotspot in the environmental management field. Ecological zoning has been widely used in habitat protection, but its actual effectiveness has been rarely revealed, especially with the robust and reliable causal inference method. Therefore, taking the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) in China as the study area, we first quantified habitat quality and changes at the district/county scale during 2005–2019. Then, we used the National Key Ecological Function Zone (NKEFZ) as a representative ecological zone scheme, and explored the effectiveness of the NKEFZ in protecting habitat quality with the Propensity Score Matching and Difference-in-Difference combined method, which is a representative causal inference method. We found that habitat quality showed an uneven distribution during the study period, and habitat quality of districts/counties within the NKEFZ was higher than that outside the NKEFZ with statistical significance. Most districts/counties experienced a habitat quality decrease, but the decrease within the NKEFZ is less than that outside the NKEFZ. We observed that the NKEFZ can protect habitat quality from the causal relationship perspective, but there was the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of the NKEFZ effectiveness. In terms of the spatial dimension, the NKEFZ was the most effective in the Lower Reach of the YREB. In terms of the temporal dimension, there was a 1-year time-lag effect of the NKEFZ effectiveness, and NKEFZ effectiveness experienced a sharp increase from 2016. The NKEFZ contributed to protecting habitat quality through multiple management strategies such as urban land quota, high pollution industry prohibition, and ecological compensation. Overall, this study verified that the ecological zone scheme can contribute to habitat quality protection, and emphasizes that the effectiveness of ecological zoning may vary across time and space. This work can support ecological zoning implementation with robust evidence, and provides a novel perspective for understanding the effectiveness of ecological zoning.

New ammonoid records and the definition of the base of the German Hemberg-Stufe (Famennian III, Upper Devonian)

In the revised ammonoid biostratigraphy of Becker (1993), the base of the German Hemberg-Stufe (Hembergian, middle Famennian, Upper Devonian III) was defined by the entry of Pernoceras dorsatum (Wedekind, 1918). However, this taxon is an invalid junior homonym of Tornoceras simplex var. dorsata Gürich, 1900 and Wedekind`s form was poorly defined and originally not illustrated. Based on a review of Wedekind material and unpublished collections from two trenches at the Enkeberg type section, the defining taxon of the Hembergian is re-assigned to Protornoceras genulobatum (Sobolew, 1914b). The species is discussed in the context of previous records of Tornoceras dorsatum and in the taxonomic framework of the Aulatornoceratinae, especially of the genera Protornoceras and Pernoceras. In the revised regional and international zonation scheme, UD III-A becomes a regional Prot. genulobatum Zone and international Protornoceras Genozone. Some other Protornoceras, questionable Falcitornoceras, and Pernoceras are described. These include Prot. rhenicum n. sp., Prot. umbilicatoides (Sobolew, 1914a), Prot. aff. delepinei (Petter, 1975), and Prot. aff. crebriseptum (Raymond, 1909) from the Enkeberg, Prot. aff. genulobatum from Beringhauser Tunnel, the Rhenish Perno. kochi (Wedekind, 1908), and the Russian Pernoceras kirsaense n. sp.

Integrating geographic knowledge into deep learning for spatiotemporal local climate zone mapping derived thermal environment exploration across Chinese climate zones

The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) scheme representing urban structure and land use pattern is essential for urban heat island (UHI) research. Fine-grained LCZ mapping considering spatial and temporal heterogeneity can provide a more precise characterization of surface thermal properties, thereby enabling a comprehensive analysis and understanding of spatiotemporal trends in climate change research. However, data-driven deep learning-based methods have limitations in coping with the complex urban landscapes of the real-world scenarios, including the spectral similarity of different LCZ and the geospatial heterogeneity of urban LCZ categories. In this study, we constructed a geographic knowledge base for enhanced LCZ characterization with the consideration of prior surface spatial information, including a set of spectral indices and urban morphological parameters (UMPs). Then, we integrated the explicable geographic knowledge base into a learnable deep learning framework in an end-to-end manner for accurate LCZ mapping by fusing multi-source heterogeneous data with a multi-level fusion strategy. The constructed Chinese Climate Zone Time Series LCZ (CClimate-TLCZ) dataset derived from Landsat-8 data with a 30 m spatial resolution, covering 18 representative cities in China, were used to evaluate the proposed framework. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework achieved optimal outcomes across 18 cities, with an average overall accuracy exceeding 94 %, which is more than 20 % higher than that obtained by the standard WUDAPT method. Furthermore, the analysis of LCZ mapping-driven land surface temperature (LST) and surface UHI (SUHI) applications shows that cities within the same climate zone have similar LST distribution patterns, while significant heterogeneity exist between different zones. The annual consistency of LST patterns within each climate zone supports the validity of the LCZ classification scheme and accurate LCZ mapping for urban thermal environment studies. From 2016 to 2022, SUHI intensity initially increases and then decreases, indicating improvements in the urban thermal environment. These findings underscore the critical role of precise LCZ mapping in urban climate resilience and sustainable urban planning.

A Common Climate–Yield Relationship for Wheat and Barley in Japan and the United Kingdom

Wheat and barley yields in Japan are considerably lower than those in the UK, even where similar Climate Zones (CZs) of relatively cold and humid nature are shared. In order to understand this difference, it is first necessary to find out if any common climate–yield relationship exists between the two countries. The Climate Zonation Scheme (CZS) developed in the Global Yield Gap Atlas (GYGA) was used to analyse actual yield (Ya) with three climatic factors of the GYGA-CZS, i.e., growing degree days (GDD), aridity index (AI) and temperature seasonality (TS). A significant relationship was found between AI scores and Ya values across the two countries. Ya values decreased with an increase in AI scores; in other words, lower yields are associated with higher AI scores. In addition, the degree of yield reduction with the rise in AI scores was greater in Japan than in the UK. The present study also proposed a novel method to link CZs of the GYGA-CZS to regional classification units, especially for countries where statistical crop yield data are available only at a coarse scale.

Calcareous nannofossil biostratigraphy, bioevents, and palaeoecological interpretation of the lower-middle Miocene outcrops in west central Sinai (Egypt)

The Burdigalian/Langhian (B/L) boundary has not yet been designated as a Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP), despite various proposed zonal schemes. In the Gulf of Suez region of Egypt, the Burdigalian-Langhian successions are notable for hosting significant hydrocarbon reservoirs within a tectonic rift setting. Therefore, biostatigraphy plays a crucial role in exploration endeavors in this area. The nannofossil biostratigraphy is investigated in two sections, Wadi Baba and Wadi Gharandel, of the lower-middle Miocene from west-central Sinai. Three biozones, NN3 (Sphenolithus belemnos) Zone, NN4 (Helicosphaera ampliaperta) Zone, and NN5 (Sphenolithus heteromorphus) Zone, are identified from the studied interval. The NN4 Zone could be divided into MNN4a/b and MNN4c. Important biovents are discussed, such as the S. heteromorphus paracme interval and the first occurrence and evolution of the Discoaster exilis and Discoaster variabilis groups. Based on the cluster analysis, the recorded taxa can be subdivided into four groups that reflect their palaeoclimatic preferences. The paleoecological interpretation of the studied Rudies Formation indicates prevailing cool and eutrophic nutrient conditions based on the dominance of taxa such as Coccolithus pelagicus, Reticulofenestra minuta, and Cyclicargolithus floridanus. The nannofossil taxa responses to sea level curve are interpreted. Fluctuations in taxa abundance and diversity indicate a slight rise in the sea level at the base of the Burdigalian followed by sudden drop in the sea level at the middle Burdigalian. High sea-level conditions prevailed again until the B/L boundary. During the Langhian period, many small-scale fluctuations in sea-level curve are detected.

Energy Consumption and Outdoor Thermal Comfort Characteristics in High-Density Urban Areas Based on Local Climate Zone—A Case Study of Changsha, China

This study aims to investigate the characteristics of energy consumption and outdoor thermal comfort within the high-density urban fabric of Changsha. Two different types of building (residential and office), as well as three building forms (point, slab, and enclosed) were analyzed under the local climate zone scheme. Utilizing the ENVI-met 5.6.1 and EnergyPlus 23.2.0 software, simulations were conducted to assess the thermal comfort and energy consumption of 144 architectural models. Then, multiple regression and spatial regression were applied to predict the energy consumption characteristics of the study area. The results showed the following: (1) In the high-density urban area of Changsha, the central business district and historic old town adjacent to the Xiangjiang River are identified as areas with high energy use intensity. (2) Among the residential categories, the point-types LCZ-3 and LCZ-6, as well as the slab-type LCZ-4, exhibit the lowest energy use intensity. In contrast, the enclosed office buildings, LCZ-2 and LCZ-5, are characterized by the highest energy use intensity. (3) Urban form parameters such as floor area ratio and building shape coefficient have a significant impact on EUIwinter, while EUIsummer is highly related to the normalized difference vegetation index and building shape coefficient (BSC). (4) The slab-type LCZ-4 stands out with its notably lower cooling and heating energy use intensity, coupled with excellent thermal comfort, making it particularly well-suited for the climatic conditions of Changsha.

A mid-Cretaceous carbon isotope reference curve for the SE Neo-Tethys region (Zagros, W Iran)

Stable carbon isotope chemostratigraphy and the associated reference curves have proved to be valuable tools for stratigraphic calibration and long-distance correlations. Nonetheless, the reference curves covering the Cretaceous have mostly been produced from localities located within the W Neo-Tethys. In order to establish a reference curve for the SE Neo-Tethys margin, an Aptian–Albian hemipelagic carbonate-rich succession deposited along the Zagros Basin (SW Iran) was examined for planktic foraminifera biostratigraphy, carbon isotope stratigraphy, and sedimentological characteristics. Eight biozones including Globigerinelloides ferreolensis, Globigerinelloides algerianus, Hedbergella trocoidea, Paraticinella bejaouaensis, Muricohedbergella planispira, Ticinella (T.) primula, Biticinella breggiensis, and Pseudothalmanninella (P.)ticinensis as well as two subzones enclosing T. praeticinensis and P. subticinensis assign the strata to the early late Aptian–late Albian age. A carbon isotope record constrained by the planktic foraminifera zonation scheme shows good concordance with existing composite reference curves from the W Neo-Tethys region. Several carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) characterizing global marine events including Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 1a, OAE1b, OAE1c and associated sub-events can be identified in the studied section. Deoxygenated bottom waters associated with the formation of OAE1a and OAE1b are indicated by distinct lithological signatures including enrichment in pyrite and glauconite, nodular and stratiform chert beds, as well as enhanced organic matter contents. We integrate the here-studied interval with a previously published upper Albian−Turonian succession from the same outcrop section, forming a composite, stratigraphically well-constrained section. This results in a high-resolution carbon isotope record for the SE Neo-Tethys margin, considered to represent an expedient reference Aptian–Turonian curve for this region. Correlation of this new curve with previously published records from the Middle East has helped to address ambiguities regarding the stratigraphic positions of the early/late Aptian and Aptian/Albian boundaries identified by previous studies.

Development of an expanded local climate zone scheme to accommodate diversified urban morphological evolution: A case study of Shanghai, China

The local climate zone (LCZ) scheme efficiently associates urban forms with thermal environments. However, confronted with diversified urban fabrics, the initial LCZ scheme has encountered challenges of its restricted classes and intraclass temperature differences. This study aimed to develop an expanded LCZ scheme to accommodate the diversified urban morphological evolution. Thirty-two block prototypes were developed according to the building footprint ratios (BFRs), mean building heights (BHs), and mean sky view factors (SVFs) of the blocks in Shanghai, China. Then, the block prototypes were classified based on their morphological and temperature indices by k-means clustering, an unsupervised clustering method that maximizes the distance between the clusters and minimizes the distance within the cluster. Results indicated that the block prototypes were clustered into 14 classes, the high-rise LCZs were subdivided, and blocks within six classes were not covered by the initial LCZ scheme. Accordingly, an expanded LCZ scheme was developed by introducing four novel LCZ types and adjusting and subdividing the initial LCZ types, which covered 35% more blocks than the initial LCZ scheme. The mean SVF demonstrated the most significant correlation with the temperature of LCZs, whereas the effects of BFR and BH on the temperature depended on LCZ types.

Кластерный анализ геофизических полей при тектоническом районировании Африкано-Антарктического сектора Южного океана

The tectonic zoning of the African-Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean was carried out on the basis of cluster analysis of a large volume of heterogeneous geophysical and geological data. It is known that the degree of geological and geophysical exploration of this part of the ocean by marine surveys and drilling remains extremely low. The results of such an analysis make it possible in areas with weak geophysical knowledge to quickly draw up tectonic zoning schemes based on regional geophysical data that are freely available throughout the entire territory of the world ocean and use them as a basis for further interpretation. The following materials were used as input data or classification features: ocean floor topography, gravity anomalies in free air and in the Bouger reduction, ∆Ta anomalous magnetic field model, ocean floor age, geoid height data, and the SL2013sv seismotomography model. «K-means» algorithms and the «Gaussian mixtures» method used for clustering. Based on the results of the application of these algorithms, cluster models of the study region were obtained, in which the selected classes fully reflect the main tectonic elements.

Assessing spatiotemporal population density dynamics from 2000 to 2020 in megacities using urban and rural morphologies

Rapid urbanization has resulted in the substantial population growth in metropolitan areas. However, existing research on population change of the cities predominantly draws on grid statistical data at the administrative level, overlooking the intra-urban variegation of population change. Particularly, there is a lack of attention given to the spatio-temporal change of population across different urban forms and functions. This paper therefore fills in the lacuna by clarifying the spatio-temporal characteristics of population growth in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) from 2000 to 2020 through the methods of local climate zone (LCZ) scheme and urban–rural gradients. The results showed that: (1) High population density was observed in the compact high-rise (LCZ 1) areas, with a noticeable decline along urban–rural gradients. (2) The city centers of GBA experienced the most significant population growth, while certain urban fringes and rural areas witnessed significant population shrinkage. (3) The rate of growth tended to slow down after 2010, but the uneven development of population-based urbanization was also noticeable, as urbanization and industrialization varied across different LCZ types and cities in GBA. This paper therefore contributes to a deeper understanding of population change and urbanization by clarifying their spatio-temporal contingences at landscape level.

Carbon-isotope stratigraphy of the Lower Cambrian (Cambrian explosion) in northwestern Yangtze Platform, China: Implications for global correlation

The Archaeocyathid Extinction Carbon Isotope Excursion (AECE) and Mingxinsi Carbon Isotope Excursion (MICE) are major events in the Early Cambrian sedimentary records but controversially heterogeneous in their magnitudes, as well as local and global correlations. This paper presents a high-resolution δ13Ccarb profile from the Shiliu section in the western Yangtze Platform (China) that spans the lower part of the Lower Cambrian. The investigated Lower Tianheban interval (∼110 m) is dominated by marine carbonates (lime mudstones) alternating occasionally with thinly-bedded black shale and mudstone interbeds. The investigated micritic carbonates were examined through a multi-technique protocol, combining petrographic and geochemical assessments, to evaluate the degree of sample preservation. The δ13Ccarb values (−2.4‰–1.8‰) show an insignificant correlation with the δ18Ocarb values (−12.6‰ to −8.7‰, R2 = 0.012), the Mn/Sr ratios (R2 = 0.001), and Al concentrations (R2 = 0.041). This supports the preservation of predominantly at least near-primary δ13Ccarb signatures, which can be utilized to reconstruct a reliable, high-resolution δ13Ccarb profile for chemostratigraphic correlations in the area and beyond. The profile displays a lower positive excursion of ∼3‰ overlain immediately by a negative excursion of ∼2.3‰. The archaeocyath zonation scheme suggests that the lower excursion is correlated with the global MICE event and the upper excursion with the AECE event. The results provide an alternative option for interpreting the carbon isotope excursions in the Lower Cambrian within the Yangtze Platform as well as other equivalent sections at a global scale.

Surface urban heat island analysis based on local climate zones using ECOSTRESS and Landsat data: A case study of Valencia city (Spain)

Extreme heat events in cities are becoming more intense, frequent and prolonged. The spatiotemporal dynamics of surface temperature are closely related to land cover and atmospheric conditions, especially for urban areas with extensive surface heterogeneity. Two high spatial resolution satellites, ECOSTRESS and Landsat, provide land surface temperature (LST) for a typical Mediterranean climate city, Valencia, Spain. In total of 17 images throughout two heatwaves in the period of July and August from 2022 to 2023 were selected to monitor LST and surface urban heat island (SUHI). The Local Climate Zone (LCZ) scheme and hotspot analysis were applied to analyze the patterns of LST and SUHI during and after the heatwaves. Daytime images show LCZ 2/3/6/8 and LCZ C/E/F exhibit elevated SUHI intensity, meanwhile the LCZ 4, A/B and G have lower SUHI. The SUHI intensity of compact buildings (LCZ 1/2/3), LCZ 8/E/G are significantly higher at night, especially on heatwave days, the SUHI of all types increased by 0.1–0.9 °C. Furthermore, the meteorological parameters were introduced trying to explain the obvious diurnal difference of SUHI during heatwaves. This research serves as a proxy for understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of SUHI during heatwave events, offering valuable insights for city planners and policymakers to enhance thermal comfortable level and effectively cope with extreme weather.

Urban microclimate differences in continental zone of China

In modern cities, the block geometry and land cover feature directly affect the heat transfer between ground surface and atmosphere, resulting in significant differences of local microclimate. Clarifying this difference will help to accurately predict regional building energy demand and optimize regional layout design. However, existing microclimate research mainly focuses on tropical, arid, and temperate climate regions, leaving continental areas virtually unexplored. To address this problem and clarify the interactions of the urban blocks and microclimate, the combination of the local climate zone (LCZ) scheme and fixed-point weather station monitoring is employed to investigate the variation characteristics of the thermal and humidity conditions of typical urban blocks in continental zone of China. Firstly, sixty-seven typical urban blocks with self-built, national and regional meteorological stations are selected as the object of study, and classified into twelve LCZ categories, according to their inherent features. Secondly, the spatial and temporal variation patterns of the thermal environment indexes of the twelve LCZ types are analyzed and compared. Additionally, correlation analyses and regression fittings are performed between the thermal environment indexes and the urban morphological parameters. The results indicate significant differences in thermal environment indexes among different LCZ types. The mean temperature of built types is 0.72 °C higher than land cover types. The temperature and humidity exhibit a parabolic relationship with height of roughness elements and building surface fraction respectively, while the humidity has strong negatively correlations with the impervious surface fraction and the height of roughness elements.

Summary of a decade of research at the Owadów–Brzezinki Lagerstätte (Tithonian, central Poland): A review and perspectives for the future

For over ten years, the Lower to Upper Tithonian boundary beds cropping out in the Owadów–Brzezinki quarry have yielded numerous fossils of ammonites, bivalves, brachiopods, xiphosurans, decapods, insects, and vertebrates – including actinopterygian fishes and various reptiles and others, all of which exhibit fine preservation of their anatomical details due to special environmental conditions during their fossilization. The Owadów–Brzezinki section is also important for stratigraphical correlations because it contains ammonite faunas indicative of the NE European and NW European Subboreal zonal schemes, as well as Tethyan calpionellids. The whole faunal as-semblage, which represents taxa of many iconic groups of Mesozoic animals, has created the opportunity to establish the ‘Owadów–Brzezinki geopark’, a geoeducation area where the public, and especially the young, can learn about the beauty of the natural history of the region.

Urban heat island analysis based on high resolution measurement data: A case study in Beijing

Urban heat island (UHI) is a widely concerned urban climate which impacts billions of residents worldwide. Nevertheless, inadequate rigorous air temperature (Tair) measurement has become an obstacle to UHI research and mitigation, especially in megacities like Beijing. In this study, we applied a 1-km hourly Tair dataset interpolated from records of 521 stations in Beijing. The dataset enables us to analyze UHI patterns on a block scale and the impacts of landscapes combined with the local climate zones (LCZ) scheme. Our results indicate that: (1) Tair and its temporal variation in each LCZ vary significantly, which are highly relevant to their morphology and thermal-radiative properties. (2) LCZ 1 and LCZ 2 have the highest nocturnal UHI intensities (UHII). Discrepancies among LCZs also cause various temporal variations in their UHII. (3) The spatial pattern of LCZs affects regional temperature. Area ratio and aggregation extent of LCZ 1&2 show significant positive correlations with regional temperature, while LCZ A&D&G have the opposite regularity. (4) Distinct mitigation strategies are put forward for each subarea in Beijing with various endowments of population and the LCZ structure. The study provides insight into Beijing UHI and plausible mitigation advice in megacities like Beijing.

A contribution to the knowledge of Cretaceous to Neogene Palynology in the Colombian Caribbean.

The palynological study of a composite section of 14 cores drilled from the Sinu-San Jacinto Basin in the Colombian Caribbean (NW South America) provides for the first time a Cenozoic palynostratigraphic zonation scheme for this region. In addition, the study of calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifera allowed an independent calibration of the palynomorph assemblages to the international chronostratigraphic chart. The palynological results were compared with other studies for the northern part of South America and Colombia. Twelve Late Paleocene-Pliocene palynological zones are proposed for the Caribbean, some of which differ from those proposed for the Llanos and Llanos Foothills basins. A Paleocene palynological assemblage is reported for this part of the basin. Variations in the biostratigraphic ranges of some palynomorphs and new species with stratigraphic value are described. High diversity and abundance of dinoflagellate cysts in some stratigraphic intervals require more detailed study. Evidence of reworking in some stratigraphic intervals (e.g., Cretaceous and Oligocene in Miocene sediments), makes it necessary to be careful about the last appearance record of microfossils in exploration and geologic mapping.