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In recent decades, rivers in Southern Italy experienced remarkable channel changes. Studies on this topic are relatively recent, and yet, far from defining a morpho-evolutionary trend that is common to all rivers of this area. The types and roles of the different controlling factors are still debated. In this study, we present preliminary results about the width channel changes of major rivers in the Campania region (Southern Italy) in the last 150 years. The aim is to provide new insights that are useful to define morpho-evolutionary trajectories at a regional scale and shed light on the roles played by controlling factors. To this aim, we carried out a GIS-aided geomorphological analysis of topographic maps and orthophotos. The results showed the existence of at least three main phases of channel width variations. Between the 1870s and 1930s (Phase 1), most of the rivers experienced widening. Between the 1930s and late 1990s (Phase 2), all of the rivers underwent dramatic narrowing at high rates. Finally, from the 1990s onwards, no dominant trend was found and variations were negligible. Land-use changes at the basin scale and rainfall changes at a decadal scale are likely the main controlling factors, while variations in human disturbances and local factors seem responsible for changes in general trends.

Objective: The World Health Organization formally announced the global COVID-19 pandemic on March 11, 2020 due to widespread infections. In this study, COVID-19 cases in India were critically analyzed during the pre-lockdown (PLD), lockdown (LD), and unlock (UL) phases. Method: Analyses were conducted using geospatial technology at district, state, and country levels, and comparisons were also made with other countries throughout the world that had the highest infection rates. India had the third highest infection rate in the world after the USA and Brazil during UL2.0–UL3.0 phases, the second highest after the USA during UL4.0–UL5.0 phases, and the highest among South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries in PLD–UL5.0 period. Results: The trend in the number of COVID-19 cases was associated with the population density where higher numbers tended to be record in the eastern, southern, and west–central parts of India. The death rate in India throughout the pandemic period under study was lower than the global average. Kerala reported the maximum number of infections during PLD whereas Maharashtra had the highest numbers during all LD and UL phases. Eighty percent of the cases in India were concentrated mainly in highly populous districts. Conclusion: The top 25 districts accounted for 70.99%, 69.38%, 54.87%, 44.23%, 40.48%, and 38.96% of the infections from the start of UL1.0 until the end of UL phases, respectively, and the top 26–50 districts accounted for 6.38%, 6.76%, 11.23%, 12.98%, 13.40%, and 13.61% of cases in these phase, thereby indicating that COVID-19 cases spread during the UL period. By October 31, 2020, Delhi had the highest number of infections, followed by Bengaluru Urban, Pune, Mumbai, Thane, and Chennai. No decline in the infection rate occurred, even in UL5.0, thereby indicating a highly alarming situation in India.

The paper researches the landscape transformation of the surface mines of the Đurđevik coal basin (northeastern Bosnia region), where 35.24 Mt of brown coal were produced in the past 74 years, and 227.40 Mm3 of overburden was excavated and disposed of. This type of coal exploitation caused the formation concave and convex of anthropogenic relief forms which ultimately led to significant landscape transformation. These transformations were identified and geovisualized on the basis of field research and comparative GIS analysis of archival maps, satellite images, Digital Elevation Models and plans of this area. As a result of the research, especially comparative GIS analysis of two prepared terrain models of surface mines, the transformation of hypsometry, slope and aspect, hydrographic network, pedological as well as vegetation cover were determined. Obtained geospatial data are geo-visualized in QGIS, and as a result, thematic maps were created to provide insight into the essence of transformations. Therefore, established indicators of landscape transformation can serve as a significant factor in planning the revitalization and land re-cultivation of devastated areas in the Đurđevik coal basin.

This paper points out the possibilities of better exploitation of marine traffic as well as its connection with other kinds of traffic. Special attention is given to the analysis of 1,081 harbors about their availability during the year. The methods and algorithms used in GIS are buffers, cluster, method of interpolations, and network analysis. The methods used for the purpose of conducting numerical analyses are algorithms that served for the analysis of the network, its transport features, and the connectivity with harbors in terms of geospace. The main results found in this research showed that harbors have good connectivity in the first place with road traffic and after that with air and railroad traffic. According to data from 2019, all traffic lines cover 4.1 × 1015 km, and the road traffic has the most significant potential in connection with the harbors. The most connected harbors and airports are in the east coast of North America, west coast, north Europe, southern Europe, south-east Australia, a central part of Oceania, and south-east Africa. The results in the modified Likert scale between airports and harbors showed medium results. The densest road network is located in the eastern part of USA, western and central part of Europe, and east coast of China. The number of possible connected lines between main road nodes and harbors is 0.8 × 109. This type of traffic showed excellent results and connection with harbors. The number of possible connected lines per month between railroads and harbors is 1.3 × 103. This type of traffic showed low connectivity with the harbors. In the end comparison of harbors with air, road and railroad networks were established. The geographical position of harbors was analyzed, and better understanding was performed on a global scale.

This paper presents the results of a geoinformation analysis of the spread of rabies in Vinnytsia region during 2018. The material for the study was the official data from the report of the region laboratory of veterinary medicine of the State Food and Consumer Service of Ukraine. GIS analysis was performed using Quantum GIS software version 3.4.10. The highest incidence of rabies among foxes was observed in the autumn-winter period, especially in November and December. Among cats and dogs, elevated rates were observed from October to May (with a predominance in January-March). Among farm animals, the disease progressed in summer and to a greater extent in early autumn (SeptemberOctober). Outbreaks of rabies in other wild animals were not synchronously associated with fox disease and were reported in winter only in January, during spring (mainly in May) and in early summer. Calculated using standard deviations ellipses, the spatial trends of rabies distribution among different animal species show that the vast majority of rabies cases among foxes were localized in the centre of the region along the western border; among cats more compact, closer to the northern border; among dogs, cases of rabies were scattered throughout the territory and distributed along the northeastern border; among farm animals were localized only in the northern part of the region; among other wild animals were registered almost throughout the region. The identification of "hot spots" allowed to establish zones of maximum rabies density with a rate of 27.8 casesof rabies per km2 for all species of animals. For foxes, the zones of the highest density (17.9 cases per km2) were mainly localized in the areas near Khmelnytsky, Zhytomyr and Cherkasy regions. For cats (9.12 cases per km2) they covered the territories of the central and north-eastern districts. For dogs (9.12 cases per km2) only in the north-eastern regions. For farm animals (9 cases per km2) the location of the hotspots coincided with the areas for cats. Among other wild animals, the highest density (3.71 cases per km2) was recorded in the southern part of the regions. The prospect of further research is based on modeling the dynamics of rabies in the Vinnytsia regions. Key words: GIS analysis, rabies of wild animals, rabies of domestic animals, epizootic situation, rabies in Ukraine.

In the present paper, province-level variations of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease incidence across Iran were investigated. To this end, a geo-database from infected cases, deaths, total population, death-to-population ratio, and infected case-to-death ratio for 31 provinces of Iran and during seven successive periods of February 18–March 19 (P1), March 20–April 8 (P2), April 9–April 28 (P3), April 29–May 20 (P4), May 21–June 20 (P5), June 21–September 21 (P6), and September 22–October 21 (P7) of 2020 was built. Based on the last reports of the population and housing census (2018), Iran is home to 81.8 million people. Nationwide case series of 536,181 and 29,403 infected cases and deaths respectively with COVID-19 were reported to Iran’s Minister of Health from February 18 to October 21, 2020. Of the infected cases, 5.48% have died. The spatiotemporal patterns of COVID-19 were different throughout the 31 study provinces. Firstly, the central, north, and northwest of Iran were the main hosts of this virus. Shortly after, other parts of Iran, most notably the west and southwest regions, experienced a momentous rise in the numeral of infected cases and deaths. In the first study period, Tehran, West Azerbaijan, Mazandaran, Qom, and Gilan had the most infected cases (> 1000). In the second to fourth periods, the number of provinces with higher than 1000 infected cases, respectively, reached 12, 10, and 17. For the last three periods (P5–P7), 31 provinces were assigned higher than 1000 infected cases. Tehran had the most deaths with an increasing trend for all study periods among other provinces. The areas around Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, Bushehr, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, South Khorasan, and Ilam had the least death cases. The numbers of infected (death) cases in Iran for the first to seventh periods (P1–P7) respectively were 16,730 (1208), 41,285 (1595), 28,530 (1876), 16,366 (1856), 80,694 (6588), 201,585 (6232), and 128,336 (6953). The location quotient (LQ) index showed that most provinces of Iran have the LQ > 1 indicating a high degree of COVID-19 concentration in most of the province’s area in comparison with the nation, especially in the last study period (P7).

Urban shrinkage is a problem that is faced by some metropolitan areas globally in urban cities faced with depopulation. Therefore, these cities require “smart shrinking”, which consists of design methods intended to satisfy residents’living needs, even though the population is declining. The purpose of this paper is to develop a walkability indicator for visualizing smart shrinking. The methods include statistical analysis by GIS analysis and questionnaire in the Northern Osaka Metropolitan Area where there are many small-sprawl areas. The following four results were identified. First, the population decline in sprawl areas indicates the regional characteristics of each city. Second, this paper develops a walkability indicator composed of household density, convenience of facilities, road connectivity, and traffic safety. Third, Wi(i), which is walkability in each residential area, in sprawl areas, and in public housing areas, is important for future population change. Finally, the validity and effectiveness of the indicator is clarified by questionnaires regarding regional evaluation. In conclusion, the walkability indicator is able to visualize smart shrinking in sprawl areas.

Over the past three decades, Croatia has been experiencing a process of depopulation and population aging. This is the result of demographic changes in the past, especially in the second half of the 20th century. In this paper, the index of demographic-depressed areas (iddp) for the settlements of Croatia was derived using GIS multicriteria analysis (GIS-MCDA). An iddp was derived for all Croatian counties (21) and detailed analysis of demographic-depressed and vital areas was conducted for the settlements of Medjimurje County (131). This is recognised as the county with the highest achieved level of socio-economic development. A new methodological framework for deriving an iddp based on eight selected demographic variables has been proposed. The iddp was derived with GIS based on eight selected criteria using data from 2011 census results. The degree of demographic depression was divided into five classes: (A) distinctly depressed area, (B) less depressed area, (C) area at the edge of demographic depression, (D) vital area, and (E) distinctly vital area. The accuracy of the derived index was verified by analysing age-sex pyramids of the most depressed and vital settlements. The distinctly depressed demographic (A) is the predominant form of demographic settlement development in the six counties. These are areas that have been affected by rural exodus and depopulation, both of which were further intensified by the war from 1991 to 1995. Medjimurje County was categorised as a (D) vital area. However, of the 131 settlements in the county, 28 were identified as demographic-depressed and 72 as vital. More than half of these 72 settlements (42) have the characteristics of a distinctly vital area, which is the highest proportion among all counties. The most vital settlements were Parag, Kursanec, and Piskorovec. Their main feature is that a significant proportion of their population belongs to the Roma demographic. Derived population pyramids confirm the consistency of the generated index. Medjimurje County is characterised by high variability among results (from extremely depressed to extremely non-depressed spaces), which indicates the impossibility of adopting uniform measures and policies throughout the county. In the future, the identified vital settlements have the potential to become the county's primary demographic resource. The proposed classification of settlements according to the derived index (iddp) could serve as a useful instrument in designing development policies or measures for this specific administrative-territorial unit.

Drainage basin-scale morphometric analysis and morphological evidence of tectonics represent helpful tools to evaluate and investigate morphoneotectonic processes in tectonically active regions. In this perspective, we applied an integrated analysis to the Abruzzo Periadriatic Area, between the Tronto and Sinello rivers (Central Italy). It involved morphometric analysis, structural geomorphological field mapping, and detailed analysis of fluvial terraces. Geomorphic indexes and markers (e.g., Irta, SL index, ksn, and knickpoints) were used in this study to detect the response of landscapes to drainage systems’ unsteadiness and tectonic deformation processes, possibly induced by the ongoing activity of the buried tectonic structures. Furthermore, the investigation of morphological field evidence of tectonics, integrated with the analysis of fluvial terraces’ spatial and temporal arrangement, was performed to assign relative, geomorphologically-based, age constraints of the landscape evolution. The resulting data allowed us to define domains affected by different morphostructural and morphoneotectonic processes, related to the impact and ongoing activity of the five detected families of structural elements (S1, F1, F2, F3, and F4), mainly characterized by compressive, extensional, and transtensive kinematics. Finally, this study could represent a scientific basis for integrating morphometric, fluvial, and tectonic geomorphology analysis to better define the main phases of the landscape evolution and the impact of morphoneotectonic processes on fluvial environments in uplifting piedmont areas.

Geodiversity is the variety of natural elements that are excluded from biodiversity, such as: geological, geomorphological, and soil features including their properties, systems, and relationships. Geodiversity assessment measures these features, emphasising the characteristics and physical fragility of the examined areas. In this study, a quantitative methodology has been applied in Bakony–Balaton UGGp, Hungary. The Geopark’s area was divided into 2 × 2 km cells in which geodiversity indices were calculated using various data: maps, spatial databases, and elevation models. However, data sources differ significantly in each country: thematic information may not be entirely public or does not have the appropriate scale and complexity. We proposed to use universal data—geomorphons and a watercourse network—derived from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) to calculate geomorphological diversity. Making a balance between the base materials was also an aim of this research. As sources with different data densities are used, some abiotic elements may be overrepresented, while others seem to have less significance. The normalisation of thematic layers solves this problem: it gives a proportion to each sub-element and creates a balanced index. By applying worldwide accessible digital base data and statistical standardization methods, abiotic nature quantification may open new perspectives in geoconservation.

International audience; Over the last 30 years, geoarchaeological surveys undertaken in the Near East have offered a powerful way of studying, inter alia, water supply systems at a microregional to regional scale. However, efforts to synthesize the results of surveys at a sub-continental scale in order to understand local differences and similarities, and compare local strategies through time, require specific tools. In this paper, we develop a methodology designed to characterize and facilitate comparison of strategies employed across the arid areas of Western Syria. This requires microregional field studies undertaken at the level of specific landscapes to be integrated within a wider GIS framework, based upon thematic layers (soils, rainfalls, hydrology) at a uniform spatial scale of assessment (in this case the pixel of a Landsat image), and a common description of the agronomic potential in those areas in which specific hydraulic installations were employed. In contrast to the usual practice of modelling, which depends upon the downscaling of environmental data (land cover, rainfall maps) generated at a continental scale, we stress here the need to generalize upwards, from observations made at the microregional level, by using common descriptors and qualitative indicators. The GIS analysis of these data provides a weighted average model derived from field evidence for the different technical choices made (i.e. the decision to utilize specific water management devices) in relation to the various agronomic landscapes

Sparsely vegetated habitats of cliffs and screes act as refugia for many regional and local endemic specialized plant taxa most of which have evolved precisely for that type of habitat. The interplay between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional plant diversity on rock and scree habitats of extreme environmental conditions, enlightens the relations of plant communities and ecosystems and facilitates management planning for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The identification of biodiversity patterns and hotspots (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) contributes to the integration of the ecosystem services (ES) approach for the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) implementation in Greece and the creation of thematic maps based on the MAES reporting format. The overlap among the protected areas’ network revealed that almost all areas of cliffs and screes of medium, high, and very high taxonomic and phylogenetic plant endemism are included in the Natura 2000 area network. The results of this study provide the baseline information for ES assessments at sparsely vegetated land of cliffs and screes. Our results contribute to the implementation of certain indicators of the national set of MAES indicators in Greece such as (a) floristic diversity and (b) microrefugia of endemic diversity and support of decision-making.

Climate change is regarded as one of the most important threats to plants. Already species around the globe are showing considerable latitudinal and altitudinal shifts. Helen’s bee orchid (Ophrys helenae), a Balkan endemic with a distribution center in northwestern Greece, is reported to be expanding east and southwards. Since this southeastern movement goes against the usual expectations, we investigated via Species Distribution Modelling, whether this pattern is consistent with projections based on the species’ response to climate change. We predicted the species’ future distribution based on three different climate models in two climate scenarios. We also explored the species’ potential distribution during the Last Interglacial and the Last Glacial Maximum. O. helenae is projected to shift mainly southeast and experience considerable area changes. The species is expected to become extinct in the core of its current distribution, but to establish a strong presence in the mid- and high-altitude areas of the Central Peloponnese, a region that could have provided shelter in previous climatic extremes.

Current urban planning of central neighborhoods is focused on mobility transformation towards more sustainable methods of public transportation and walkability that increase social interactions. Central urban neighborhoods in many cities may suffer from deterioration due to lack of personal security that result in diminished walkability. The lack of personal security might exclude residents from those areas and create a troublesome circle of deterioration, and may emphasize spatial inequality. It may also establish different patterns of the neighborhood infrastructure usage for different social groups, such as using specifically more secure streets and public spaces. The main goal of this paper is to define the routes and spaces where people walk and use in their neighborhoods in which they feel safe, and to understand how different social groups walk-through and use the same urban environment. This is analyzed by the security rating index (SRI) model, a GIS-based mapping model, which is used to identify and rate secure urban areas for better walkability. The SRI results are compared to an interview, which was given to different social-group representatives, urban data that was collected using a mobile application, and to vandalism data analysis from the municipality. The security and walkability analysis assessment took place in the Hadar neighborhood in Haifa, Israel.

Air pollution remains a major environmental and health concern in urban environments, especially in street canyons that show increased pollution levels due to a lack of natural ventilation. Previous studies have investigated the relationship between street canyon morphology and in-canyon pollution levels. However, these studies are typically limited to the scale of a single street canyon and city-wide assessments on this matter are scarce. In 2018, NO2 concentrations were measured in 321 street canyons in the city of Antwerp (Belgium) as part of the large-scale citizen-science project “CurieuzeNeuzen”. In our research, this data was used to study the correlation between morphological indices (e.g. aspect ratio (AR), lateral aspect ratio (LAR), presence of trees) and the traffic volumes on a city-wide scale. The maximum hourly traffic volume (TVmax) and AR correlated significantly with the measured NO2 values, making them useful indicators for air quality in street canyons. For street canyons with AR > 0.65, a TVmax of 300 vehicles/hour was found as a threshold value to guarantee acceptable air quality. No significant correlations were found for the other parameters. Finally, a number of typical street canyon types were defined, which can be of fundamental interest for further research and spatial policy making.

People and wildlife have co-occurred, sharing resources for thousands of years, however, over the last four decades records of human–wildlife conflict have increasingly emerged. Human–elephant conflict is a form of such conflict, resulting from negative interactions between people and elephants. Human–elephant conflict affects local community livelihood and the success of elephant conservation. Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, which cover about 60% of the Taita Taveta County land area, host the single largest elephant population in Kenya. We analysed human–elephant conflict incident data over 15 years (2004–2018) in Taita Taveta County, which forms part of the Tsavo ecosystem in south-eastern Kenya. We identified eight forms of human–elephant conflict comprising elephant threat, crop raiding, property damage, injury to people, human death, elephant death, elephant injury, and livestock death. Three forms of conflict accounted for 97% of the reported incidents, namely elephant threat to humans, constituting the highest number of incidents (62.46%), followed by crop raiding (32.46%) and property damage (2.33%). Conflicts occurred throughout the year, with June to July having the highest number of incidents. Rainfall, distance from the Tsavo national parks, and human population density were used as covariates to explain HEC patterns. This study seeks to provide a detailed evaluation of the spatial–temporal patterns of human–elephant conflict in Taita Taveta County and to yield information useful for human–elephant conflict mitigation and elephant conservation.

Floods are among the most recurring and devastating natural hazards, impacting human lives and causing severe economic damage. Urbanization can increase the risk of flooding due to increased peak discharge and volume. Over arid urban areas of developing countries, flood disaster management is reactive, responding to prevailing disaster situations, mainly because of the lack of budget, equipment, facilities, and human resources. The approach required in a new city requires a different operative planning process, ruled by different kinds of specific indicators to be incorporated in the sustainable planning process. This study focuses on an approach to assess flood vulnerability as a planning tool using an integrated flood vulnerability index (FVI) with variables that are accessible in developing countries and arid urban areas. The research took place in the city of Mexicali, Baja, California. M&eacute, xico. This index was determined by coupling the variables of three components: social, economic, and physical. The FVI reflects the status of an urban scale&rsquo, s vulnerability. Variables were obtained from government data for the social and economic components, and a hydrological and hydraulic model approach as a physical component. The correlation of each variable to the flood was taken into account by using a general linear transformation. GIS was used as a tool for the development of spatial analysis. The results showed the spatial distribution of vulnerability at an urban district scale. It was found that 55% of the population is exposed to a vulnerability above the average value of the urban area. Integrating all the components will help decision-makers to implement strategies to improve the resilience of the area by attending the needs of the particular component that is more vulnerable.

New geochemical results for two obsidian types, Laguna del Diamante and Arroyo Paramillos, naturally available in the Laguna del Diamante locality, a seasonally accessible highland wetland emplaced in the current border between Argentina and Chile at 3300 masl (34°S), are presented. A total of 1219 archeological artifacts from 41 sites located on both sides of the Andes have been assigned to these sources. The artifacts were analyzed by non-destructive, energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF). Archeological distributions of these obsidian types are assessed through GIS spatial analysis. Results show a great asymmetry in the distribution of these sources toward the two Andean slopes: the Laguna de Diamante chemical type shows a fairly local use pattern, being concentrated almost entirely in Cordillera sites, but the Paramillos shows a less homogeneous distribution and tends to be more concentrated in the sites that are in the western natural corridor. Although these lands were accessed and occupied from diverse demographic nodes in lower-altitude settings, the spatial analysis of obsidian artifacts reinforces the argument of dominant geographic vectors of access connecting with the western valleys and lowlands of Chile. Fil: Cortegoso, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas. - Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas.; Argentina Fil: Yebra, Lucía Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas. - Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas.; Argentina Fil: Durán, Víctor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas. - Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas.; Argentina Fil: Barberena, Ramiro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas. - Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Basicas.; Argentina Fil: Lucero Ferreyra, Gustavo Fernando. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Paleoecología Humana; Argentina Fil: Cornejo Bustamante, Luis Eduardo. Universidad de Chile; Chile Fil: Giesso, Martín. Northeastern University; Estados Unidos Fil: MacDonald, Brandi L.. University of Missouri; Estados Unidos Fil: Glascock, Michael D. University of Missouri; Estados Unidos

Globally, fire causes considerable losses that can be alleviated by taking appropriate actions facilitated by systems supported by geo-information technologies. This research focuses upon the development of an approach for planning urban infrastructures, and particularly in the accessibility of fire hydrants. Accessibility of fire hydrants&rsquo, infrastructure in urban territories is one of the key elements in fire risk management and public safety. The main result of the research is a comprehensive and structured Geographic Information Systems (GISs)-based dataset for the fast and more efficient planning of fire hydrants in urban territories. The proposed framework for data collection and processing was used to determine the distribution of hydrants, location of fire brigade stations and areas and to demonstrate the capabilities of the existing municipal fire extinguishing systems in Vilnius City, Lithuania. Later on, research on fire hydrants&rsquo, accessibility, analysis of the location of protected and unprotected urban territories and marking of unprotected buildings, was carried out. The resulting map of unprotected urban territories can be of great benefit for understanding fire risks and offering more effective ways for fire risk management.

Although the Toplica region is situated in a forest-rich part of the Republic of Serbia, the region’s four municipalities are not equally forested. Forests are an important resource for economic activities and the existence of flora and fauna, both globally and in the Republic of Serbia. Many initiatives around the world intend to protect and renew forest belts under the sponsorship of developed and developing countries (e.g. China, India, Russia, Brazil, or the G7). In this study, we reconstructed the condition of forests in the Toplica region over the last 60 years using remote sensing, topographic maps, geographical information system (GIS) analysis, and official data from cadaster books and censuses. In addition to changes in forested land, concurrent socio-economic changes have affected the distribution and density of forests. The total number of trees in the Toplica region in 2013 was determined by applying numerical GIS analyses to remote sensing data. We also reconstructed the state of forests in 1953 and used this to determine the total number of trees cut down within this period, as well as the forested areas within different parts of the region. We also determined the elevations beneath different forested zones. In addition to these qualitative and quantitative analyses, we analyzed processes with the potential to influence future forest dispersion (afforestation, deagrarianization, degradation, and deforestation). These analyses are useful in acquiring more detailed insight into the condition of forests in this part of southeastern Europe.

Aims Rice is a staple food for many countries, being fundamental for a large part of the worlds’ population. In sub-Saharan Africa, its importance is currently high and is likely to become even more relevant, considering that the number of people and the per-capita consumption are both predicted to increase. The flea beetles belonging to the Chaetocnema pulla species group (pulla group), a harmful rice pest, are an important vector of the Rice Yellow Mottle Virus, a disease which leads even to 80–100% yield losses in rice production. We present a continental-scale study aiming at: (1) locating current and future suitable territories for both pulla group and rice; (2) identifying areas where rice cultivations may occur without suffering the presence of pulla group using an Ecological Niche Modelling (ENM) approach; (3) estimating current and future connectivity among pulla group populations and areas predicted to host rice cultivations, based on the most recent land-use estimates for future agricultural trends; (4) proposing a new connectivity index called “Pest Aggression Index” (PAI) to measure the agricultural susceptibility to the potential future invasions of pests and disease; (5) quantifying losses in terms of production when rice cultivations co‐occur with the pulla group and identifying the SSA countries which, in the future inferred scenarios, will potentially suffer the greatest losses. Location Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Since the ongoing climate and land-use changes affect species’ distributions, we first assess the impact of these changes through a spatially-jackknifed Maxent-based Ecological Niche Modelling in GIS environment, for both the pulla group and rice, in two climatic/socioeconomic future scenarios (SSP_2.45 and 3.70). We then assess the connectivity potential of the pulla group populations towards rice cultivations, for both current and future predictions, through a circuit theory-based approach (Circuitscape implemented in Julia language). We finally measure the rice production and GPD loss per country through the spatial index named “Pest Aggression Index”, based on the inferred connectivity magnitude. Results The most considerable losses in rice production are observed for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Madagascar in all future scenarios (2030, 2050, 2070). The future economic cost, calculated as USD lost from rice losses/country’s GDP results are high for Central African Republic (−0.6% in SSP_2.45 and −3.0% in SSP_3.70) and Guinea–Bissau (−0.4% in SSP_2.45 and −0.68% in SSP_3.70), with relevant losses also obtained for other countries. Main conclusions Since our results are spatially explicit and focused on each country, we encourage careful land-use planning. Our findings could support best practices to avoid the future settlement of new cultivations in territories where rice would be attacked by pulla group and the virus, bringing economic and biodiversity losses.

This paper examines land use changes on the territory of Stara Pazova municipality with an aim to describe the evolution of these changes and future trend. Lack of the reliable data about history of land use changes, which is one of the main problems in the similar researches in Serbia, was solved by using CORINE (Coordination of information on the environment) land cover database. The collected information and GIS analysis conducted under created geodatabase enable insight in spatial and temporal dimensions of these changes, identification of change types and assessment of their intensities. The obtained results indicate that trends of land use changes for the period 1990-2000 and 2000-2012 are very similar and point to tendency of agriculture land reduction and increasing of residential and industrial zones.

The common ragweed Ambrosia artemisiifolia has spread throughout Europe since the 1800s, infesting croplands and causing severe allergic reactions. Recently, the ragweed leaf beetle Ophraella communa was found in Italy and Switzerland, considering that it feeds primarily on A. artemisiifolia in its invaded ranges, some projects started biological control of this invasive plant through the adventive beetle. In this context of a &lsquo, double&rsquo, invasion, we assessed the influence of climate change on the spread of these alien species through ecological niche modelling. Considering that A. artemisiifolia mainly lives in agricultural and urbanized areas, we refined the models using satellite remote-sensing data, we also assessed the co-occurrence of the two species in these patches. A. artemisiifolia is predicted to expand more than O. communa in the future, with the medium and high classes of suitability of the former increasing more than the latter, resulting in lower efficacy for O. communa to potentially control A. artemisiifolia in agricultural and urbanized patches. Although a future assessment was performed through the 2018 land-cover data, the predictions we propose are intended to be a starting point for future assessments, considering that the possibility of a shrinkage of target patches is unlikely to occur.

Although Madagascar is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots, the knowledge of its faunistic diversity is still incomplete, notwithstanding many field campaigns were organized since the 17th century until nowadays, leading to a huge number of vertebrate and invertebrate records. In this contribution, taking into consideration the geographic distribution by a GBIF dataset including 286,764 records referred to nine insect orders (Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera, Odonata, Orthoptera, Trichoptera), we tried to supply some observations on the spatial distribution and to point out some possible biases in the entomological knowledge of Madagascar. Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Diptera were the most represented orders in the dataset, respectively. Some orders show many “coupled” sampling, with peaks of shared sampled localities between Diptera with Hymenoptera (98.07%) and Hemiptera with Coleoptera (64.21%). Considering the geographic location and the extension of the vegetation macrogroups in Madagascar, the entomological data result unevenly distributed. Current Protected Areas’ (PAs) network covers about the 70% of the total of the collecting localities for the nine insect orders considered, even though some, such as Trichoptera, Odonata, and Neuroptera seem significantly less protected than others. However, the possible new PAs planned for Madagascar could greatly increase in the future the protection level for all 9 insect orders analyzed, especially for Neuroptera, Odonata and Lepidoptera. A percentage of 82.3% of the whole sampling localities falls inside the PAs themselves or within 1000 m from their borders. A similar pattern is observed for the road network: the 62.9% of the localities fall at least at 1000 m from a road, with no sampling localities observed further than 10 km from a road; statistically significant clusters were observed in evaluating these biases, coinciding with major towns or PAs., Fragmenta Entomologica, Vol. 51 No. 1 (2019)

The Syrian crisis caused a massive influx of displaced people into neighboring countries, with Lebanon hosting the highest per capita number of refugees (3:10). Water remains the most critical natural resource that influences the resilience of host and refugee communities. We provide a new GIS-based updated water balance and water scarcity analysis at the national and the watershed level in Lebanon by comparing current conditions to no-refugee levels. Results show a small (6%) increase in water stress in an average water year at the national level that masks hot spots of water scarcity at the local geography. While domestic water use increased by 20%, we find that refugees’ water use is only 10% of agricultural water use in summer. We also show that interventions to rehabilitate the water networks can reduce water stress to better than pre-conflict levels (3% less stress). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-019-01272-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

1st International IEREK Conference on Cultural Sustainable Tourism (CST) -- NOV 27-29, 2017 -- Thessaloniki, GREECE WOS: 000484887500001 This paper addresses the spatial pattern around the ancient amphitheater in the Ciftepinarlar neighborhood of the Konuralp District in Duzce Province, Turkey. The amphitheater has been declared a first-degree archeological site and its surrounding buildings are officially registered. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the quality of the settlement pattern in the defined area via an analysis based on the scale of the streets and residences. Furthermore, GIS was used to detect the urban pattern of the area under evaluation. The ultimate aim was to assess the vulnerability of the historical site and to develop a relevant proposal for the enhancement and conservation of the neighborhood. Int Experts Res Enrichment & Knowledge Exchange

Dengue is one of the emerging major public health problems, and its incidence varies with climate conditions. It affects millions of people's lives owing to unusual socioeconomic conditions and epidemiological factors. This study was designed to build a web-based GIS alert system for dengue data management and analysis which would centralize information and make it accessible to all relevant stakeholders before, during, and after crises. Three geographical regions were selected in this study. The user interface of the dengue alert system was developed based upon MapGuide. Results indicate that risk level was mainly associated with Breteau Index. Karachi and Lahore were at their highest risk, i.e., level 4. Islamabad and Chakwal were also at the highest risk, i.e., level 4. Attock had high risk, i.e., level 3 followed by Haripur with minimal level 1. The high Breteau Index showed a direct relationship to high potential transmission of dengue outbreaks, a more significant peak of dengue was the result of monsoons, while smaller peaks were observed due to domestic water storage. Hence, it was concluded that monsoon is the best suitable season for the development of dengue. Web-Based GIS Alert System for dengue data management and analysis was developed, centralizing information and making it accessible to all relevant stakeholders before, during & after a crisis. This program creation will provide a more analytical forum for advising multiple levels of risk and an experimental method for measuring the effect of different factors on risk level distribution by adjusting the component's weighting. Keywords : Dengue; GIS analysis; GUI; Alert system; Breteau index; Weighted overlay Copyright (c) 2021 Geosfera Indonesia and Department of Geography Education, University of Jember This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share A like 4.0 International License

Climate change creates new challenges for preventing and protecting human health against different diseases that could appear and propagate. The Aedes albopictus mosquito species is an important vector for different diseases like dengue fever or zika. Although this species is not “indigenous” in Europe, its presence is noticed in many countries on the continent. The Ae. albopictus establishment is conditioned by the species’ characteristics and environmental factors. To assess the possible spread of Ae. albopictus in the Dobrogea region (situated in the Southeast of Romania), we conducted the following analysis: (1) Investigation of the current distribution and climatic factors favoring Ae. albopictus’ establishment in Europe, (2) Analysis of climate dynamics in Dobrogea in terms of the parameters identified at stage (1), (3) Testing the hypothesis that the climate from Dobrogea favors Ae. albopictus’ establishment in the region, (4) Building a Geographic Information System (GIS)-based model of the potential geographic distribution of Ae. albopictus in Dobrogea. Results show that the climate of Dobrogea favors the apparition of the investigated species and its proliferation.

There is a growing interest on landscape and landscape policy and planning, especially since the adoption of the European Landscape Convention in 2000. This latter defines landscape as “an area, as perceived by people, whose character is the result of the action and interaction of natural and/or human factors”. In the case of rural landscape, this means that an appropriate governance model should not only involve local stakeholders in a participative approach, but also take into account natural characteristics, cultural aspects of the past and present, and socio-economic aspects, since agriculture is the main driver of change for rural landscapes. Farm strategies are influenced by internal and by external factors, these latter being related to market conditions and to constraints and opportunities given by policies. Market globalization and Agricultural policies are consequently having a strong impact on landscape, that public institutions try to neutralise setting rules about landscape conservation. Thus, due to its specific features, landscape is impacted both by several sectorial and territorial policies which have none or very low coordination among them. Indeed, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has often shown a negative influence on landscape, also in the case of Agri-Environmental Schemes (AES) intended to promote landscape. In this framework, the aim of this paper is to present a comprehensive model for the governance of rural landscape and a first simplified application to a cultural landscape. This model is based on the integration of a geographical multi-criteria analysis, an advanced GIS-based geo-processing tools, and participatory techniques aiming to understand and foresee local stakeholders' behaviours through focus-groups and dedicated interviews. The identification of future landscape scenarios is based on the integration of past evolution (historical analysis), landscape sensitivity (territorial analysis) and farmers' adaptation to market and policy changes (farm analysis). A simplified version of the model was tailored and tested in the municipality of Castiglione d'Orcia of the Siena province in Tuscany, Italy, one of the UNESCO cultural landscapes, but is the Authors' opinion that its approach

The article deals with the practice of application of GIS technology in the study of socio- demographic development of Central Asia. The authors analyzed the spatial distribution of the statistical indexes on the basis of a series of thematic maps.

In some European regions, particularly in mountainous areas, the demand for energy is evolving due to the decrease of resident population and the adoption of energy efficiency measures. Such changes are rapid enough to significantly impact on the planning process of wood-to-energy chains that are supposed to work for the following 20–25 years. The paper summarizes a study in an Italian pre-alpine district where some municipality shows a declining resident population together with increasing summer tourism. The planning of conversion plants to exploit the local availability of wood is formulated as a mathematical programming problem that maximizes the economic return of the investment, under time-varying parameters that account for the demand evolution. Such a demand is estimated from current trends, while biomass availability and transport is computed from the local cartography, through standard GIS operations. Altogether, the mixed integer optimization problem has 11 possible plant locations of different sizes and technologies taking their feedstock from about 200 parcels. The problem is solved with a commercial software package and shows that the optimal plan changes if one considers the foreseen evolution of the energy demand. As it always happen in this type of biomass-based plants, while the problem formulation is general and may be applied to other cases, the solution obtained is strongly dependent on local values and thus cannot be extrapolated to different contexts.

We studied the geospatial distribution of health facilities in Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia, in relation to the public transport system. Analyses in this research were based on advanced geographical information systems using numerical methods. We calculated accessibility to health centres as based on public transport properties accounting for the movement of citizens, as well as patients, through the city. Based on results, the city of Belgrade has a moderate connectivity. Public health centres and a group of other health centres in the central-east part of the city have a better connectivity. Also, in this paper we estimated that the average time necessary to reach health facilities on foot is 100 minutes and by public transport vehicles such as buses, trams and trolleys is 42 minutes.

Shoreline evolution and seabed morphology changes depend on coastal geomorphology as well as hydrodynamics of the nearshore region. &Tau, his study investigates the morphological evolution of the northernmost headland of Rhodes Island, Greece, using a method that combines historical shoreline evolution analysis and numerical modelling of coastal processes. The satellite and aerial imagery analysis under a GIS platform reveals that, since 1982, the overall surface area of the backshore has slightly increased, though in shorter period times, large variations have been identified. The part of the beach that is most prone to extreme changes is the spit-like formation at the tip of the headland. Wind-generated waves and induced currents are the main forcing factors that affect the shape and orientation of the spit-like beach. This spit-like morphology changes seasonally due to variations in the dominant wave regime. West sector waves cause sediment deposition at the eastern sector of the spit-like formation, whereas strong southeast wave events during the winter favor accretion at the west sector, inducing an asymmetrical shape. Thus, the analysis results indicate an annual balance in sediment transport.

Defining flood-prone areas is particularly important for policy makers, in order to design mitigation strategies and implement flood risk management planning. The present research applies a multicriteria index method to assess flood hazard areas at a river basin scale, in a geographic information system (GIS) environment. The developed methodology has been applied for an area in northeastern Greece, by processing information of seven parameters: flow accumulation, distance from the drainage network, elevation, land use, rainfall intensity and geology. The method assigns a relative importance to each of the parameters for the occurrence and magnitude of flooding, and the relevant weight values are defined through an “analytical hierarchy process”. Subsequently, and according to the relative importance of each index, the spatial information is superimposed, resulting in a flood hazard map of the studied region, an area in northern Greece. The obtained results indicate flood-prone zones, with a very high flood hazard mainly occurring at the lowlands in the vicinity of the drainage network. The provided flood hazard map supports planning activities and mitigation plans that are crucial to protect both the agricultural activities and existing infrastructure from future flood events.

The process of making decisions on sustainable development and construction begins in spatial and urban planning when defining the suitability of using land for sustainable construction in a protected area (PA) and its immediate and regional surroundings. The aim of this research is to propose and assess a model for evaluating land-use suitability for sustainable construction in a PA and its surroundings. The methodological approach of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis was used in the formation of this model and adapted for the research; it was combined with the adapted Analytical hierarchy process and the Delphi process, and supported by a geographical information system (GIS) within the framework of ESRI ArcGIS software - Spatial analyst. The model is applied to the case study of Sara mountain National Park in Kosovo. The result of the model is a "map of integrated assessment of land-use suitability for sustainable construction in a PA for the natural factor".

In recent years Prosecco, the renowned Italian sparkling wine, has become an increasingly popular product globally, leading to a massive expansion of viticulture within Prosecco’s production zones (north-eastern Italy). Through qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper provides the first empirical analysis of the landscape and land-use modifications generated by the planting of new vineyards. Specifically, it seeks to reconstruct both the long-term historical factors that brought about the emergence of the specific winescape (today a candidate for becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site), and the recent conversion of croplands, grassland, and woodland to wine-growing areas. The landscape, particularly on the plains, is radically changing due to the new, large geometric plantations that are perfectly suited to mechanical viticulture. This paper’s conclusions argue for overall regulation of such a booming monoculture in order to effectively harmonize the production needs of wine-growers with the needs of other land-uses (mostly residential), and to protect the historical landscape patterns and ecological biodiversity.

The study area is Šumava National Park (ŠNP), the largest of the four national parks (68,064 hectares) located in the south-west of Czech Republic, on the border with Germany. Since 1990 it has been the protected Biospherical Reserve of UNESCO (Bilek et al. 1990). Being a unique mosaic of natural and secondary habitats of exceptional natural value of European-wide significance, the components of the ŠNP represent is the largest terrestrial significant part of the Natura 2000 network in Czech Republic and Germany. For instance, the fauna species of ŠNP include protected important examples, such as e.g. lynx, otter and peregrine (Bláha et al. 2013). The ŠNP is established as a special regime of environmental protection with unique biological communities that are the most precious objects of protection. The area is represented by the vast wooded areas, mountain spruce and mixed forests of various ages, peat bogs, meadows biotops, moors and lakes. Altogether, they create a unique mosaic of biotopes, which encompass a variety of rare, endemic and endangered species, e.g. lynx, pearl mussel, owls, songbirds. The research aim was to analyse how the ecosystem landscapes located within the study area changed since 1991 until 2009 (18-year time span) using remote sensing data and GIS. The data include GIS layers in two forms: raster layers as Landsat TM images with 18-years interval (1991 and 2009), and vector thematic layers in ArcGIS shape-file format. The data were stored in a GIS project. Technically, the GIS project were generated in Quantum GIS (QGIS) software. Methodologically, the applied workflow used in this research included following steps: 1) Data capture, unpacking and storage. 2) Organizing GIS project. 3) Geo- referencing and re-projection. 4) Activating GDAL and GRASS remote sensing plugins. 5) Preliminary data processing. 6) Generating contour layers from DEM. 7) Colour composition from 3 Landsat TM bands. 8) Defining Region of Interest: raster mosaicing and clipping. 9) False colour composites (bands 4-3-2). 10) Setting up parameters for classification. 11) Image classification using K-Means algorithm. 12) Pattern recognition. 13) Spatial analysis. The detailed illustrations of these steps are shown in the proposed presentation. The GIS analysis is used to test the importance of the natural and human-induced land used changes for survival of the important floristic locations in several case studies. The outcomes are illustrated by two maps showing geographic distribution of land cover types within the study area in given time periods of 18-year time span. The results demonstrate visualization of the ecosystems in 1991 and 2009 showing dynamics of land cover types in the given time. The work demonstrated effective application of QGIS software combined with multi-source data (remote sensing and geoinformatics) for the purpose of environmental protection of precious areas of the Šumava National Park.

Agriculture plays a fundamental role in the provision and regulation of Ecosystem Services. As a result, the loss of farmland or its mismanagement may consistently reduce community well-being. This problem is particularly felt in the Mediterranean area, where pedoclimatic conditions and high anthropic pressure on scarce resources are making rural systems more fragile. Policy is a very important driver in the promotion of sustainable agriculture and soil protection. However, it would appear that policy does not adequately address the scale and urgency of soil and environment protection issues. The complexity of factors that influence the role played by agriculture in territorial custodianship and Ecosystem service provision demands dynamic management tools, where information and territory are closely intertwined in providing adequate knowledge for intervention. This paper presents SIDECAR (Spatial Integrated Database for the Enhancement of the Agricultural Custodianship Role 1 ), a decision support system (DSS) which aims to promote an integrated approach to planning, programming and design. SIDECAR is a database where several georeferenced data were merged and developed using a Geographic Information System (QGIS). It allows for the integration of spatialized information on land use, territorial biophysical characteristics, farm socio-economic characteristics, Common Agricultural Policy aid distribution, etc. SIDECAR has been tested in the Italian region of Tuscany where there is a high level of multifunctionality in agriculture and a great variety of contexts. Results show that the effectiveness of agricultural and spatial planning policies and their positive role for community well-being can be improved by considering: a) spatialized information; b) farm data used for forecasting agricultural trends at territorial level; c) the provision of ecosystem services by agriculture.

Torrential floods are the most frequent natural hazard events in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The increase of intensive rains in Bosnia and Herzegovina over last years, as a consequence of the climate changes, has triggered many torrential floods, which have generated a lot of damages and losses of human lives. This study was focused on development of torrential susceptibility model using GMM Method and GIS in the Vrbas river basin as an attempt to create a new methodological approach which can be used on other river basins in Bosnia and Herzegovina. First, a total of 174 torrential basins were identified in the Vrbas river basin, as a base for creating an inventory map, which was a base map for the assessment of torrential floods susceptibility. The GIS Matrix Method and six influencing factors were used for generation of Torrential Flood Susceptibility Model. Based on the obtained values of Torrential Flood Susceptibility Model for the Vrbas river basin, 45.52% of the study area is within strong and very strong susceptibility category. The Torrential Flood Susceptibility Model was validated using a "degree of fit" method. Validation indicators of the TFSM show that the 80.04% are in the category of strong and very strong susceptibility, while only 4.37% are in the category of very low and low susceptibility. This fact suggests that used methodology based on GMM method and used influencing factors enable delimitation of the area with high and very high susceptibility to torrential floods into the Vrbas basin. Therefore, used methodological approach represents a good base for future research, and it has potential for the practical use and should be tested in other river basins in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Cultural heritage (CH) sites are threatened from a variety of natural and anthropogenic factors. Innovative and cost effective tools for systematic monitoring of landscapes and CH sites are needed to protect them. Towards this direction, the article presents a multidisciplinary approach, based on remote sensing techniques and Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis, in order to assess the overall risk in the Paphos district (Cyprus). Paphos region has a great deal of archaeological sites and isolated monuments, which reflect the long history of the area, while some of them are also listed in the UNESCO catalogue of World Cultural Heritage sites. Several natural and anthropogenic hazards have been mapped using different remote sensing data and methodologies. All data were gathered from satellite images and satellite products. The results from each hazard were imported into a GIS environment in order to examine the overall risk assessment based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The results found that the methodology applied was effective enough in the understanding of the current conservation circumstances of the monuments in relation to their environment as well as predicting the future development of the present hazards.

We described in this report the essential geographic layers used as landscape drivers for the Marco Polo Argali habitat in the eastern Tajik Pamirs. Using remote sensing techniques and geographic information systems (GIS), individual layers were generated in order to acquire more information on argali patterns and habitat suitability and to make the dataset available online. We introduced an improved object-based image analysis in our mapping of the vegetation cover by utilizing spectral, topographic, and texture variables. We exhausted every Landsat image band and texture feature combination to select the best pairing of band-texture components. For vegetation class alone, the producer’s accuracy was 90.8% and the user’s accuracy was 91.6%.

The Yacyretá dam is one of the most important hydroelectric projects in La Plata Basin. As a consequence of the filling of the reservoir to its final height of 83m, approximately 1,076km2 of terrestrial and riparian ecosystems were flooded in Argentina and Paraguay. In order to evaluate the ecosystem loss due to this impounding, we generated two maps of land use/land cover from Landsat satellite images: 1987 (prior to the dam) and 2011 (after the final height was reached). We applied a post classification method and tested the gain, loss, and net change of natural and anthropic ecosystems in the study area with a cross tabulation matrix. Water bodies were the land cover type that showed the greatest degree of change, increasing 14.8% between periods. This was in detriment of, primarily, wetlands by 7.5%, grasslands by 4.0%, and native forests by 2.8%. However, sandbanks presented the highest probability of transition to another land class and, thus, correspond to the most vulnerable land cover in the study area. Also, we detected a differential ecosystem loss, both in type and magnitude, up and downstream of the dam. Our work is the first one to address ecosystem loss in the Yacyretá area and our results should help to improve management policies, such as the design of the current network of compensatory reserves. Fil: Bauni, Valeria. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentina Fil: Schivo, Facundo Mauro. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigación en Ingeniería Ambiental; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Capmourteres, Virginia. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentina Fil: Homberg, Marina. Fundación de Historia Natural Félix de Azara; Argentina

The project of a canal connecting the three major Central European Rivers: the Danube, Oder and Elbe, is incorporated into a planned trans-European transport network system. Geographically, the course of the planned canal stretches into the territory of four Central European countries, predominantly that of the Czech Republic. The environmental impacts of the potential construction and operation of the Danube–Oder–Elbe (DOE) Canal is currently widely discussed by experts from various fields. This paper aims to assess some potential impacts of the canal on the alluvial landscapes in the Czech Republic. The method of geo-ecological assessment presented here applies GIS analyses at the larger landscape scale. The results of the geo-ecological assessment of potential impacts of the DOE Canal on the land-use of river floodplains, the fluvial dynamics of streams and the extent of their alluvial plains, and the quantified DOE Canal impact on protected areas and groundwater sources, are presented. The hydrological impact of the DOE Canal will affect a total of 1,975.4 km2 of river basins in the Czech Republic. The DOE Canal will affect 157 sites significant from the perspective of landscape and nature conservation, 7 nature parks and 113 existing water points which are used as groundwater sources. The results show that the most significant disruption of fluvial dynamics of the stream sediment regime would occur in the Protected Landscape Area of Litovelské Pomoraví. In general, the geo-ecological impact of the DOE Canal on the landscape will be very important.

This article explores the integration of GIS technology with urban historical studies, focusing on one case study from the 18th century, the project Historical atlas of the modern Rome. The methodology employed in this project allows for effectiveness and accuracy in historical data acquisition and integration, which enables refined analyses of socioeconomic and environmental phenomena. The approach outlined in this article allowed researchers from different disciplines—city historians, archaeologists, demographists, economists, and so on—to interpret urban phenomenologies according to different thematic keys. These interpretations were derived from archival sources that complement each other and offer diversified insights into the urban context. The techniques described in the article are based on methods of data acquisition and spatial analysis developed in a GIS environment by exploiting the effectiveness of this technology in the quantitative treatment of cartographic and documentary sources.

This paper describes the results of a study developed, with a GIS approach, at the University of Bergamo, about snow avalanche zoning and risk assessment in the Province of Bergamo. The adoption of a simplified estimation model, presented here, nonetheless allowed achieving results in good accordance with those provided by previous, more rigorous studies at the Province of Bergamo. A following analysis has also been performed to estimate ski lifts, urban areas, power lines, highways, railroads and roads at possible risk. This is a work in progress, since further development has already been taken into account to enrich the risk model with more parameters describing land morphology and meteorology. These results will then be used to simulate accidents and to estimate the shortest routes for rescuers. Finally, the development of a geo-app for mobile devices could become a very useful and fast tool for avalanche risk areas information.