Narrow Results

This study investigates the engagement of communities with little or no GIS expertise in the use of publicly available spatial data for self-education in the protection of drinking water sources. A traditional administrative top-down approach to assisting communities in getting or using spatial information was replaced in the study with a bottom-up approach based on the principles of social cybernetics. The study investigated how communities used spatial datasets provided by the state to facilitate public participation in creating maps for water resource protection. Nine rural communities in the State of Idaho within the Nez Perce Indian Reservation participated in a field study from 2001–2002. Results included "map archetypes" developed by the communities and a validation of the bottom-up approach stressing community control over the process of using spatial data.

Water harvesting is a must and not an option for Jordan in the near future. The available water resources are limited and barely satisfy the current growing demands. In the basalt aquifer/NE of Jordan, there is a possibility to construct water harvesting ponds to assist the livestock owners in villages and towns in watering their livestock which will ease the pressure on the existing water resources. This research was based on the use of GIS techniques to select the optimum sites for water harvesting ponds within the basalt aquifer. Buffering, Union and arithmetic operations in GIS were all used in analysing the data based on different socio-economic and physical criteria. The outcomes of the GIS analysis resulted in selecting 72 suitable sites within the study area. These sites could be used as a guideline to the decision makers in Jordan when they decided to establish a water harvesting pond in the area. This will save time and money which could be directed to the construction of the actual water harvesting ponds.

The challenge for implementing an ecosystems approach to environmental decision-making processes, such as spatial planning, is to understand the range, nature and amount of ecosystem services currently provided and the potential for such service provision in the future. The ability to spatially represent ecosystems services is a critical element of the evidence base on which to make decisions about how physical space is used most effectively and sustainably, and the way people and activities are distributed at different spatial scales. This paper reports on the outcomes of a research project originally undertaken for the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which developed a methodology for mapping ecosystem services using GIS and readily available, existing land use/land cover datasets. Critical components of the methodology, in order to determine which datasets are appropriate for which services, are network analysis and stakeholder engagement techniques, to define the relevant typology of ecosystem services and their relationship to land use/land cover types. The methodology was developed and tested successfully in the context of green grid (green infrastructure) networks in a major UK regeneration area, the Thames Gateway, to the east of London, and its potential use in impact assessment further explored through a number of case studies.

Northern Quebec (Nunavik) presents an important intersection between population growth and climate change. The Inuit population of Nunavik has the fastest growth rate in any region of Canada. Land-use planning is an urgent and pressing need for northern communities built on permafrost, where there are considerable risks to development in areas where permafrost may thaw. As northern communities work to adapt to climate changes, they will be in great need of confident recommendations about locations of future development projects. This paper presents a case-study of the community of Tasiujaq and assesses the probability of thaw settlement of the surface, a process seriously affecting infrastructure stability. A method is developed for quantifying uncertainty in the resulting map, expressed as a function of judgmentbased uncertainty in the various factors that can influence eventual map quality. The best estimate of vulnerability and of the confidence in that estimate can be expressed in a single, simple map that allows an analyst to convey both of these vital aspects of the assessment process.

This paper reports the findings of a survey in 2009 of European practitioners who face problems related to accessing and using spatial data when preparing reports for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs). The survey was designed to be comparable to the one undertaken in 2002–03 and reported by Vanderhaegen and Muro (2005). The 2009 survey showed that problems persist and additional costs to practitioners due to data access problems were at least €150 million p.a. in Europe, providing evidence for the need for ongoing investment in the INSPIRE Directive, which aims to support spatial and environmental data-sharing for EIA/SEA studies as well as other environmental policies. The survey also indicated that although EIA and SEA reports now take less time and are, on average, cheaper to prepare, the variability of their quality is still of concern.

Across the public sector, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis are increasingly ubiquitous when making decisions involving people and places. However, historically GIS has not been prevalently applied to the various types of impact assessment. As such, this paper presents findings from a survey conducted in 2011 of 100 local authorities in England to examine how embedded GIS, spatial analysis and visualisation practices are to the process of conducting impact assessments. The results show that despite obvious advantages of applying GIS in these processes, applications employing basic techniques are at best sporadic, and where advanced methods are implemented, these in almost all instances are conducted by external contractors, thus illustrating a significant GIS under capacity within the sampled local authorities studied.

The generation and use of spatial information has significantly increased in recent years. Its importance has been magnified by the INSPIRE Directive, which has subsequently led to specific requirements within several legislative frameworks, such as the Water Framework and Noise Directives, for generating spatial data and spatially-specific outputs, as well as encouraging the creation of spatial data infrastructures at European level. The increased availability of spatial datasets resulting from these initiatives facilitates and promotes the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in planning and environmental assessment, among other sectoral applications. Arguably, the inclusion of geographic information through GIS supports and enhances environmental planning processes, enabling a rapid and objective analysis of environmental issues, and presenting information in a spatial and graphical manner. However, there are a number of considerations for the successful application of spatial data and GIS, and a number of issues remain affecting consistency and validity of results. This paper provides a critical review of current issues affecting spatial dataset management and use (such as format, scale, completeness, timeliness and metadata), and discusses common GIS methods and existing constraints to their application in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It concludes outlining existing opportunities to optimise the contribution of spatial data to environmental planning, and establishing future research and practice needs to enhance GIS use in SEA and EIA practice.

Landscape characteristics underpin the ability of the forestry industry to deliver in an increasingly complex operational environment. However, the range of site types within the British public forest estate includes many with soil or exposure constraints. Until recently it was not possible to effectively assess the scale of constraints and spatially allocate land appropriately to the objectives suggested by policy makers. Stand level forestry decision support systems have been developed to address these issues but it is difficult to incorporate their outputs into the spatial forest plans, limiting their operational use. The MOTIVE project (EU 7th Framework Programme) provided an opportunity to integrate stand level tools with spatial inventory data. The output is a comprehensive GIS layer containing silvicultural, geophysical and climate data, and site-specific decision support system outputs. This paper describes the climate and inventory data, models, GIS methods, the visualisation of outputs, and the impact on stakeholders.

Expansion of renewable energy development causes concerns which traditional land-use planning may have limited capacity to address adequately. The complexity and multiplicity of scales, criteria and actors involved in decision-making processes requires a holistic approach that captures the variety in stakeholder interests. Reaching consensus across interests ensures democratic and cost-effective decision-making processes. The Consensus-based Siting (ConSite) tool suite was developed for optimal siting of onshore wind-power plants and routing of high-voltage power lines considering stakeholder interests. ConSite is based on the operational steps of spatial multi-criteria decision analysis using a bottom-up holistic approach. Its spatially explicit graphical user interface allows for a high level of stakeholder involvement and includes inherent capabilities of scenario modelling. ConSite thereby helps to structure decision problems, balance conflicting interests and identify relevant decision strategies based on risk assessment and trade-off analysis. ConSite visualises the spatial consequences of implementing various decision strategies and balancing site-specific conflict levels with energy production potential.

Forest planning is a necessary requirement for long-term, economically efficient and environmentally responsible forest management and use. Iran has 12 million ha of forest cover, with 5 million ha in the mountainous Zagros area. Many of the improper uses in these forests, so far removed from the past, have resulted in significant degradation. The purpose of this paper is to check and compare the prepared methods, including the Iranian Ecological Model (with seven classes using Boolean logic), its revised method (with four classes using Boolean logic and four classes using geometric mean evaluation, as well) and a new model for ecological capability evaluation for better planning management for commercial and conservational forestry in Jahrom County located in Fars Province, Iran. In this study, we assessed the potential for conservational forestry in two ways: first, by adjusting the quantitative evaluation threshold of the model’s primary topographic criterion, and then, by removing this criterion altogether. It is worth noting that the necessary information, including climatic, topographic, soil and other types, was compiled by national and local organisations in Iran for the research. The improved Boolean technique (with $\mathrm{\text{kappa}}=0.53$) outperformed the Iranian Ecological Model (with $\mathrm{\text{kappa}}=0.06$), while the revised method using geometric mean assessment and calibration (with $\mathrm{\text{kappa}}=0.65$) outperformed the other methods tested. Furthermore, when all of the forestry capacity maps were compared, conservational forestry map demonstrated a higher capability after removing the topographic criterion in the region (with $\mathrm{\text{kappa}}=0.90$ for calibration technique), indicating conservational forestry’s potential in Jahrom County. Overall, because of its simplicity and excellent precision, this study may be utilised as a fundamental framework to evaluate ecological capability for other locations with similar conditions, and this model can help users and administrations undertake executive initiatives.

Urban social life increasingly depends on a functioning social and technical infrastructure. Protecting infrastructures from natural disasters and extreme weather events, which are especially a result of climate change, has become an important topic in international research in the last years [Birkmann et al. (2016). Journal of Extreme Events, 03: 1650017]. In order to increase efficiency, the connections and interrelations between infrastructure components have been strengthened more and more, promoting the growth of large-scale interconnected systems. This in turn has resulted in uncontrollable potential risks as the functionality of each component now depends on an ever-increasing number of other infrastructure components. If one infrastructure component fails, this causes extensive cascades carrying the original failure over to successive components. This can, for example, cause large-scale failures in the rail network due to a shortage of fuel supply in large power plants resulting in impaired grid stability and thus a blackout, which in turn affects communications infrastructure, water supply, and other sectors. The growing complexity of connected infrastructures across multiple sectors and the use of continuously evolving technologies pose great challenges for researchers and providers regarding the prediction of cascading disruptions in the event of a component failure. Cascade modeling is an essential tool for improving the system’s resilience, since the security of the population’s supply is already disrupted when only parts of infrastructure systems are deactivated for test purposes. Accordingly, development and improvement of modeling approaches for the depiction of failure scenarios plays an essential role in planning and operating infrastructure systems. Against this background, we are developing an intersectoral graph-theoretical model framework for cascading failures in large-scale infrastructure systems in order to identify hotspots of high criticality. This work extends the study of criticality as a function of network centrality metrics. Network centrality metrics are applied to the electricity sector to examine and comprehend their correlation. The proposed criticality model for the graph model is then extended to a geographical dependence model. Predicting and analyzing criticality is important to support urban planners in setting up independently operational infrastructure systems and to accomplish the transformation of existing vulnerabilities into resilient adaptive structures.

Floods are major social and environmental concerns in many urban areas. We investigated how changes in land cover, sociodemographic conditions, and meteorological factors affect flood damage in districts of South Korea. Using historical maps and spatial analysis, we showed that flood damages increased in the areas where rapid urbanization happened without coordinated urban planning. High flood damage areas are not spatially randomly distributed, and the hotspots of high damage areas are concentrated in population centers that underwent rapid development after 1975. Additionally, human modifications of natural channels further exacerbated flood risks during the development stage and subsequent periods. Total annual precipitation is positively related to the flood damage at a higher spatial unit. This study underscores the importance of understanding the historical–geographical conditions, and how humans either increased or reduced the flood damage through social and infrastructure interventions. Findings of this study have implications for resilient flood management for regions that are currently facing the dual challenges of land densification and climate change-induced heavy precipitation.

The effect of four different cyclones making land fall on four different coastal regions is studied viz., Nisha (2008, Tamil Nadu), Laila (2010, Andhra Pradesh), Sidr (2007, Bangladesh) and land depression BOB 03 (2008, Orissa). Remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) technique are used to detect change in Land use and Land cover (LU/LC). Change in vegetation cover by Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI) is also investigated. Further, preparation of slope map, processing of buffer zoning map is exercised. These parameters are analyzed to find the impression of cyclones after hitting the coastal boundaries by considering the images before and after the cyclone has passed. Change detection assessment of LU/LC features provides information for monitoring the trend of change in an area. In almost every considered region, it is found that dense vegetation is changed to sparse vegetation. Also, decrease in the irrigated cropland due to heavy rainfall caused by cyclone is noted. Risk zone is created by buffer ring of cyclone track to spot the area under risk zone. The area calculation suggests the effect of cyclone at the distance of 20–50km from the cyclone path which is validated from the slope effect on LU/LC, also. Some of the common features such as dense vegetation, show decrease in the area by 71%, 17%, 67% and 60%, or settlement area also shows decrease by 38%, 15%, 57% and 17% due to Laila, BOB 03, Nisha and Sidr cyclones, respectively. Increase in shrubland mix with rangeland by 18%, 113% and 98% is also seen due to Laila, Nisha and Sidr cyclones. Other LU/LC shows changes such as, water bodies increasing by 6%, 189% due to BOB 03 and Nisha cyclones. Changes are also seen in sparsed vegetation, which is decreased in Orissa and Tamil Nadu and increased in Andhra Pradesh and Bangladesh. It is demonstrated that by preparing risk zonation map, risk assessment can be done.

The generation and use of spatial information has significantly increased in recent years. Its importance has been magnified by the INSPIRE Directive, which has subsequently led to specific requirements within several legislative frameworks, such as the Water Framework and Noise Directives, for generating spatial data and spatially-specific outputs, as well as encouraging the creation of spatial data infrastructures at European level. The increased availability of spatial datasets resulting from these initiatives facilitates and promotes the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in planning and environmental assessment, among other sectoral applications. Arguably, the inclusion of geographic information through GIS supports and enhances environmental planning processes, enabling a rapid and objective analysis of environmental issues, and presenting information in a spatial and graphical manner. However, there are a number of considerations for the successful application of spatial data and GIS, and a number of issues remain affecting consistency and validity of results. This paper provides a critical review of current issues affecting spatial dataset management and use (such as format, scale, completeness, timeliness and metadata), and discusses common GIS methods and existing constraints to their application in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). It concludes outlining existing opportunities to optimise the contribution of spatial data to environmental planning, and establishing future research and practice needs to enhance GIS use in SEA and EIA practice.

The purpose of this work is to study the land cover and land types of Nanji Island. A scene IKONOS image was taken to classify the land types including village, farmland, shrubbery, meadow, reservoir, sands and so on. Then several models were built base on fractal theory to analyze the land types. Condition of the land cover and land use was analyzed at three aspects as following: 1) effects of patch area; 2) fractal characters of land types; 3) test of difference of fractal character between every two land types. The results show that the values of D of meadow and shrubbery are higher, and those of farmland and village are smaller, and that the fractal characters are determined by the degree of interferes of human activities.

Accurate river channel and flood plain representation plays vital part in flood risk analysis. Terrain models such as TINs and DEMs are normally used to represent floodplains. But unfortunately finding a terrain model with a high density of stream channel elevation points that are sufficient for hydraulic modeling is not a easy task. However for years engineers and researchers have developed a high-resolution cross-section data for hydraulic modeling from field surveys, photogrametries and topographic maps. This research presented here introduces the procedures for creating integrated multiresolution TIN (ITIN) models for highresolution flood plain representation for flood risk analysis. The high-resolution river channel geometric data stored in HEC-6 hydraulic model and low-resolution flood plain data in the form of DEM created in Arc View GIS 3.2a were integrated by resolving the coordinate incompatibility in the both system. An integration procedure (ArcView extention) namely AVHEC6.avx has been developed between HEC-6 Hydraulic Model and ArcView GIS 3.2a to visualize model outputs in a more presentable manner through 3D capabilities of GIS.

Fluid modeling covers a wide range of principles describing the motion of matter and energy in dependence on spatial scales, time scales and other attributes. In order to provide efficient numeric calculations, the information systems have to be developed for management, pre-processing, post-processing and visualization. In spite of that many software tools contain sophisticated subsystems for data management and implement advanced numerical algorithms, there is still need to standardize data inputs/outputs, wide used data analyses, and case oriented computational tools under one roof. Thus, the geographic information system (GIS) is used to satisfy all the requirements. As an example, the case study focused on dust dispersion above the surface coal mine documents the GIS ability to solve all the tasks. The input data are represented by terrain measurements of meteorological conditions and by estimates of the emission rates of potential surface dust sources. Remote sensing helps to identify and classify the coal mine surface in order to map erosion sites and other surface objects. GPS is used to improve the accuracy of the erosion site boundaries and to locate other point emission sources such as excavators, storage sites, and line emission sources such as conveyors and roads. The 3D mine surface for modeling of wind flows and dust dispersion is based on GPS measurements and laser scanning. All data inputs are integrated together with simulation outputs in the spatial database in the framework of the GIS project. In case of dispersion modeling, a few ways can be used to provide numeric calculations together with GIS analyses. The traditionally used way represents using of standalone simulation tools and the input/output data linkage through shared data files. The more advanced way is the implementation of dispersion models in the GIS environment. The methods are demonstrated by using U.S. EPA modeling tools and by linking standalone numerical calculations in the GIS environment with using case oriented programming libraries and GIS development tools.

In this paper, we propose a “center” type of electric vehicle charging dynamic route planning service system architecture, and the architecture of the server-side data management technology and services were studied, through GIS technology, the optimalal location of each electric vehicle charging station sultimately comestrue, which ensures the coordination and harm onization of electric vehicles, charging stations and users, saves the time for travel and charging, and improves operating efficiency. Simultaneously, taking full account of the requirements of power grid, select electric vehicle charging station, use the resources of electric vehicle charging stations rationally, to ensure the safe operation of grid.

Facing with the constantly overloaded operation of the life support system on earth currently, the ecological environmental problems become more and more serious on a global scale, and the ecological security of the geographic space attracts extensive attentions increasingly. Based on GIS and spacial ecological condition, this paper builds the ecological security evaluation index system, sets up the evaluation criterion, designs the space ecological security evaluation model further, and analyzes the evaluation results of the province regions in China from 1998 to 2012, so as to have the definite strategy for promoting the spacial ecological security in the province region.

GIS is widely used in grid for its excellent performance. In the practical operation, besides the accidents caused by discharge faults, there are also a lot of accidents which are induced by mechanical faults. The electrical detection methods are mainly about discharge faults, there's lack of methods about mechanical faults. The field measurement of 110 kV GIS, especially the part of bus, is carried out using the GIS vibration test system in this paper. The results show that the vibration of bus near the part with contact faults is strongest, while the bus vibration is generally weak. The results provide data support for the on-site testing of GIS vibration and fault diagnosis of mechanical faults.