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Few studies have used aerial imagery or various statistical records to analyse temporal land use and vegetation dynamics over large areas. This study presents an innovative approach that merges national‐scale data to provide temporal and spatial digital information on land use and vegetation cover change at high resolution. The work includes 326 historical aerial photographs from 1957 and 1980, derived digital terrain models, digital orthophotos (from 1994 to 1997), current land use (available from 2006), and forestry databases. Using two case studies in Slovenia, a detailed procedure for data preparation, processing (including orthorectification, on‐screen digitisation, visual photointerpretation), and result generation is presented. The used multiple sources showed great potential for the acquisition, mapping and quantifying selected land use categories. The study provided very important material for land use change assessment and implementation of the national documentary heritage. Although the processing methods were time‐consuming, they proved to be very suitable for delineating polygons of change with a spatial resolution of at least 1 m. The results show that the forest in the Rižana catchment has increased by 30 percentage points in the last 60 years and that in the Unica catchment 2/3 of the forest was damaged by large‐scale disturbances in 2014–2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Land-use change analysis is widely accepted as a biodiversity conservation tool. However, it has seldom been used in the context of endangered plants. Our aim is to accurately quantify changes in land cover over the last 60 years in a selection of 58 populations of 43 Spanish threatened plants. Consequently, we explain how these changes correlate with major trends in biodiversity conservation such as human demography, ecological gradients or the spatial distribution of plant threats. A semi-automatic classification methodology is used to identify land-cover changes by comparing aerial photographs from 1956 to 2019 in an established radius around field plots. Secondly, information from field plots and external databases was analyzed using GIS layers and PCA statistics. Land use changes have been extensive and diverse. Tree and shrubland area have increased by 717.8 ha (an increase of 1.19 times compared to the initial situation) affecting most of the samples, whereas the urban area has increased by 168.8 ha (at a rate of 49 times from the initial values), although concentrated in certain populations. Land-use changes define two groups in the endangered flora: a first group is related to high human densities, low elevation settings and low in situ protection, while a second group is related to the cessation in human pressure, protected area establishment and increase in forest cover. The increase in forested area could be counterproductive. Urban land-use changes present a more urgent issue, especially for those endangered plants in coastal areas. Finally, high herbivore density and richness compromise endangered plant populations growing at high elevation in protected areas.

Illegal waste is a global problem with negative impacts on human health and the environment. This article focuses on detection using remote sensing of sites of demolition and construction waste. We hypothesise that construction and demolition waste represent a human modification of terrain and, as a result, will be sensible to detection using visualisation models of terrain, specifically DEM (digital elevation model). To this effect, we start with a DEM of 0.25 m per pixel developed using data from the second iteration of the PNOA LiDAR project by the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN). We evaluate seven modelling tools of the Relief Visualisation Toolbox (RVT) for the visual detection of waste. The study area includes the city of Mérida (Extremadura, Spain). Our fieldwork identified 494 points of illegal waste in this area. These points were classified according to five categories in relation to land use, and we established a total of 14 areas with a surface area of 450 m by 450 m. Our results suggest that three of the seven models employed allow us to differentiate with clarity what is anthropic from the natural terrain and, in some scenarios, the location of construction and demolition waste. The LD model was the one with the best results, allowing an increase in the number of locations of illegal dumping of CDW in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Seridó UNESCO Global Geopark is a territory of 2802 km2 located in the interior of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, recognized by UNESCO since 2022. The Seridó UNESCO Global Geopark region is located in one of the oldest occupation areas in the interior of Brazil, destined to extensive cattle ranching since the 17th century in semi-arid climatic conditions (average rainfall between 450 and 700 mm per year), being one of the six Desertification Nuclei in Brazil. This article aimed to identify and map the types of land use and land cover in the area. For this, methodological procedures for classifying remote sensing images were applied, based on photointerpretation and manual vectorization techniques, in a geographic information system (GIS). The research classified 11 classes, where anthropized areas stand out (50.63%) that put pressure on most of the 21 geosites; these areas include the classes of degraded vegetation (36.1%), agriculture (5.15%), farming (8.18%), mining (0.34%), urbanized areas (0.6%), and wind farms (0.26%). The conserved natural areas represent (48.15%) of the geopark territory, encompassing facies of shrubby vegetation (30.8%), association of rocky outcrops, colluvium, and shrubby vegetation (6.33%), arboreal vegetation (5%), and apparent riverbed and riparian forest (6.02%). In addition to these classes, there are artificial and natural lakes, with an area of 1.38%. This study was important for the diagnosis of surface cover and land use in geopark in order to discuss alternatives for sustainable economic development, promoting geoconservation, geotourism, and scientific education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal waste is a global problem with negative impacts on human health and the environment. This article focuses on detection using remote sensing of sites of demolition and construction waste. We hypothesise that construction and demolition waste represent a human modification of terrain and, as a result, will be sensible to detection using visualisation models of terrain, specifically DEM (digital elevation model). To this effect, we start with a DEM of 0.25 m per pixel developed using data from the second iteration of the PNOA LiDAR project by the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN). We evaluate seven modelling tools of the Relief Visualisation Toolbox (RVT) for the visual detection of waste. The study area includes the city of Mérida (Extremadura, Spain). Our fieldwork identified 494 points of illegal waste in this area. These points were classified according to five categories in relation to land use, and we established a total of 14 areas with a surface area of 450 m by 450 m. Our results suggest that three of the seven models employed allow us to differentiate with clarity what is anthropic from the natural terrain and, in some scenarios, the location of construction and demolition waste. The LD model was the one with the best results, allowing an increase in the number of locations of illegal dumping of CDW in the study area.

The GIAHS-FAO program enhances the agricultural systems coevolved with humans through their dynamic conservation to guarantee the livelihood of future generations. The aim of this research was to assess, with a dynamic perspective, the terraced landscape's integrity in a potential GIAHS-FAO site (Northwest Piedmont, Italy, 545 ha) characterized by a pergola caremiese vine-breeding technique. We developed a GIS-based approach to explore the main features that can affect the landscape's integrity, starting from the changes of the land use. The aerial IGMI images (1954–1968) and the AGEA (2018) orthophoto were photo-interpreted using QGIS 3.16.2 "Hannover" (minimum mappable unit 100 m2). The results showed that 70.16% of the historical landscape was preserved, while the surface of vineyards decreased because of their abandonment. We observed that vineyards are the land use that requires more attention in future planning strategies, and that the landscape's integrity is affected by the limited introduction of non-traditional vine-breeding techniques (espaliers) and new crops (olives groves). The methodology was able to assess the terraced landscape's integrity in a dynamic perspective. The good integrity makes the study area a potential GIAHS-FAO site. Future planning strategies will have to lead the changing processes and preserve the landscape's integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-level fluctuations are critical in maintaining diversity of plant communities in Great Lakes wetlands. Sedge-grass meadows are especially sensitive to such fluctuations. We conducted vegetation sampling in a sedge-grass dominated Lake Michigan drowned river mouth wetland in 1995, 2002, and 2010 following high lake levels in 1986 and 1997. We also conducted photointerpretation studies in 16 years dating back to 1965 to include responses to high lake levels in 1952 and 1974. Topographic data were collected to assess their influence on areal extent of sedge-grass meadow. Dominant species in short emergent and submersed/floating plant communities changed with water availability from 1995 to extreme low lake levels in 2002 and 2010. Sedge-grass meadow was dominated by Calamagrostis canadensis and Carex stricta in all years sampled, but Importance Values differed among years partly due to sampling in newly exposed areas. Photointerpretation studies showed a significant relation between percent of wetland in sedge-grass meadow and summer lake level, as well as the number of years since an extreme high lake level. From the topographic map created, we calculated the cumulative area above each 0.2-m contour to determine the percent of wetland dewatered in select years following extreme high lake levels. When compared with percent sedge-grass meadow in those years, relative changes in both predicted land surface and sedge-grass meadow demonstrated that accuracy of lake level as a predictor of area of sedge-grass meadow is dependent on topography. Our results regarding relations of plant-community response to hydrology are applicable to other Great Lakes wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finally, the 20th century gave geographers the opportunity to rise above the surface of the earth to observe from a distance. While contemplating the earth from the top was an enchantment for the geographers of the beginning of the century who experienced and expressed it enthusiastically, it took a long time for them to make common use of it in their publications, which is shown, in particular, by a systematic review of the BAGF journal since its first issue. Today, oblique aerial photography is marginalized by more rigorous documents, but the oblique view, which retains the reality of landscapes, can bring much to the geographer, if put in such order as to highlight the spatial organization which is proposed in one single look.

This paper illustrates a land consumption map for Italy (year 2017) at a scale 1:1,300,000, and the assessment of its changes (2012–2017). We define land consumption as the replacement of a non-artificial land cover to an artificial land cover, both permanent and no-permanent. The maps are a 10 m spatial resolution raster, produced by photointerpretation of very high resolution images and semiautomatic classification of high resolution remote sensing images. An overall accuracy of 97.7% for the map of 2012 and of 99.66% for the map of 2017 was obtained. The results suggest that the method proposed is appropriate to detect land consumption, both for the urban densification and for the sprawling phenomena, from national to local level. Furthermore, because of the high spatial resolution and the classification scheme adopted, it is suitable for an effective monitoring system, compared to other existing classification systems or monitoring programs.

At the time of European settlement, an extensive graminoid wetland existed at the confluence of the East and West Holland Rivers at the southern end of Lake Simcoe, Ontario. However, by 1925, clearing and draining of the marsh for specialty agriculture (i.e., market gardens) had begun and, by the 1940s, ~46% of the wetland had been cleared and another 13% was lost before 2016. Concurrent with marsh conversion has been an increase in Narrow-leaved Cattail (Typha angustifolia) in the remnant wetland. This study documents the change in the Holland Marsh wetland by delineating boundaries between marsh, fen, and shrub communities on aerial photographs taken at ~10-year intervals between 1946 and 2015 and documenting vegetation change along transects running perpendicular to tributaries bisecting the wetland. The extent of fen habitat within the Holland Marsh has been decreasing since 1946 at an average rate of 0.24 ha/year because of increases in both shrub and marsh (i.e., T. angustifolia) communities. Typha angustifolia expansion has been predominantly from along the margins of the Holland River where soil phosphorus concentration is significantly higher than in the core of the fen. Beyond 30 m from the river, vegetation dominance shifts from T. angustifolia to sedges (Cyperaceae). Managing phosphorus loading from upstream land uses will be of critical importance in protecting this habitat, which is rare in southern Ontario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The GIAHS-FAO program enhances the agricultural systems coevolved with humans through their dynamic conservation to guarantee the livelihood of future generations. The aim of this research was to assess, with a dynamic perspective, the terraced landscape’s integrity in a potential GIAHS-FAO site (Northwest Piedmont, Italy, 545 ha) characterized by a pergola caremiese vine-breeding technique. We developed a GIS-based approach to explore the main features that can affect the landscape’s integrity, starting from the changes of the land use. The aerial IGMI images (1954–1968) and the AGEA (2018) orthophoto were photo-interpreted using QGIS 3.16.2 “Hannover” (minimum mappable unit 100 m2). The results showed that 70.16% of the historical landscape was preserved, while the surface of vineyards decreased because of their abandonment. We observed that vineyards are the land use that requires more attention in future planning strategies, and that the landscape’s integrity is affected by the limited introduction of non-traditional vine-breeding techniques (espaliers) and new crops (olives groves). The methodology was able to assess the terraced landscape’s integrity in a dynamic perspective. The good integrity makes the study area a potential GIAHS-FAO site. Future planning strategies will have to lead the changing processes and preserve the landscape’s integrity.

This paper evaluates the potential of false color composite images, from 3 different remote sensing satellites, for the identification of continental wetlands. Landsat 8, Sentinel-2 and CBERS-4 scenes from three different Ramsar sites (i.e., sites designated to be of international importance) two sites located within the Mato-Grossense Pantanal and one within the Sul-mato-grossense were used for analyses. For each site, images from both the dry and rainy seasons were analyzed using Near-Infrared (NIR), Shortwave Infrared (SWIR), and visible (VIS) bands. The results show that false color composite images from both the Landsat 8 and the Sentinel-2 satellites, with both SWIR 2-NIR-BLUE and NIR-SWIR-RED spectral band combinations, allow the identification of wetlands.

This article recreates the spatial distribution of German field fortifications in the mountains of Central Europe. The fortifications in question were located in the southern part of the Polish Carpathians. This particular section is a fragment of the Oberkommando des Heeres Stellung b1 (OKH Stellung b1), built in 1944, and running from north to south through all of German‐occupied Poland. Determining the course of the studied fortifications is based on the use of two remote sensing materials for data acquisition: archival military aerial photographs taken in 1944 and high‐resolution terrain derivative models based on data from airborne laser scanning (ALS). Some sections were additionally checked during the field study. Creating a reconstruction is impossible without the use of both remote sensing data sources. Only 24% of the studied fortifications are visible in both the aerial photographs and the ALS model. Aerial photographs are better suited to the photointerpretation of trenches in arable land and near buildings. Objects in these places may have been buried or otherwise ceased to be visible as relief microforms. The ALS model is especially useful in wooded areas. Laser scanning with a large number of measurements enabled the implementation of a detailed model which also included the course of trenches under the tree canopy. Combining both source materials gave a spatial image of approximately a 30 km section of the fortified line. The total length of the fortifications was 85.412 km. The reconstructed line consists of two parallel trench lines with excavations for machine gun nests and shelters, as well as isolated points of defence located in the mountains near the current border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, climate change has been faster in various parts of the world. Within species, to counter rapid climate changes shift of geographical area, individuals' plastic responses or populations' genetic adaptation might occur. The sub-Antarctic islands are subject to one of the most rapid climate changes on earth, with already visible impacts on native vegetation. Such might be the case of Lyallia kerguelensis a cushion plant strictly endemic to the Kerguelen Islands. In L. kerguelensis, necrotic parts were observed in cushions these last decades and possibly related to water stress. We analysed morphological variability of L. kerguelensis, including necrosis extent, across 19 populations spanning a wide range of environments across the Kerguelen Islands. Inter-population variations in the cushion surface area, shape and compactness were well explained by topography, degree of wind exposure, slope aspect, proportions of coarse sand and bare soil, and geographical distance between populations. All these variables are related to wind intensity and water availability. Moreover, in cushions with less than 10% necrosis in surface area, necrosis extent was positively correlated to soil sodium. Sodium availability might reduce the plant's capacity for osmotic adjustment in face of other abiotic stresses, such as water stress. We conclude that cushion morphology may have the capacity to adjust to environmental variation, including aspects of climate change, but that cushion necrosis may be accelerated in the driest and most saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates a land consumption map for Italy (year 2017) at a scale 1:1,300,000, and the assessment of its changes (2012–2017). We define land consumption as the replacement of a non-artificial land cover to an artificial land cover, both permanent and no-permanent. The maps are a 10 m spatial resolution raster, produced by photointerpretation of very high resolution images and semiautomatic classification of high resolution remote sensing images. An overall accuracy of 97.7% for the map of 2012 and of 99.66% for the map of 2017 was obtained. The results suggest that the method proposed is appropriate to detect land consumption, both for the urban densification and for the sprawling phenomena, from national to local level. Furthermore, because of the high spatial resolution and the classification scheme adopted, it is suitable for an effective monitoring system, compared to other existing classification systems or monitoring programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The encroachment of wild boars into urban areas is a growing problem. The occurrence of wild boars in cities leads to conflict situations. Socio-spatial conflicts can escalate to a varied degree. Assessments of these conflicts can be performed by analyzing spatial data concerning the affected locations and wild boar behaviors. The collection of spatial data is a laborious and costly process that requires access to urban surveillance systems, in addition to regular analyses of intervention reports. A supporting method for assessing the risk of wild boar encroachment and socio-spatial conflict in cities was proposed in the present study. The developed approach relies on big data, namely, multimedia and descriptive data that are on social media. The proposed method was tested in the city of Olsztyn in Poland. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of data crowdsourced from a popular social networking site for determining the location and severity of conflicts. A photointerpretation method and the kernel density estimation (KDE) tool implemented in ArcGIS Desktop 10.7.1 software were applied in the study. The proposed approach fills a gap in the application of crowdsourcing data to identify types of socio-spatial conflicts involving wild boars in urban areas. Validation of the results with reports of calls to intervention services showed the high coverage of this approach and thus the usefulness of crowdsourcing data.

The paper explores the contribution of domestic gardening to the local food systems in three cities of the North-West of France : Rennes, Caen, and Alençon. The methodology of this research is based on a fine-scale inventory of vegetable gardening space and on a survey with gardeners cultivating a vegetable garden. The results show that the areas dedicated to domestic production, although often underestimated, are very important (nearly 45 ha in Rennes, a little more than 50 ha in Caen and about 25 ha in Alençon). This work shows also the central place of home gardens cultivated in the private gardens of houses within the total vegetable areas. Their spatial distribution is not homogeneous and accounts for the effects of urban morphology and the social composition of neighborhoods. We also note that the cities most marked by the presence of popular categories and retirees are those where the areas of vegetable gardens per household are the most important. Finally, an evaluation of the contribution of domestic gardening production to the local food system has been done. It shows that this contribution is differentiated according to cities and neighbourhoods, due to several parameters : the social composition of the population, urban morphology and access to a cultural space.

In the framework of a landslide inventory map of the Sierra Costa Region, we identified and classified landslides on the basis of extensive field-verified aerial photo interpretation. Geological and geomorphological data were gathered to assess the spatial distribution of the landslides, occurrence characteristics and possible associated risk. Of the 1262 landslides analysed and classified, the main geomorphological units for landslide occurrence were fluvial valleys located in the mountains (1007 landslides) and in the rolling hills (260 landslides). Debris flows were mostly controlled by lithological contacts (478 landslides) and slope gradient (367 landslides); debris slides were mainly influenced by lithological features, more specifically sedimentary rocks (208 landslides). Another significant factor was fault systems associated with fluvial valleys (92 landslides). The identification, location and classification of major mass movement types, in combination with the assessment of controlling factors, allow us to understand the nature of slope instability in the region and contribute to land planning efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study takes stock of the confusion that exists around the environmental state of Lake Inle, a flagship destination for tourism in Myanmar. Reports on the dynamics of its iconic floating gardens and on the evolution of the Lake's dimensions in response to land‐use change in the watershed are inconsistent and provide a poor basis for policymaking. Here, we (a) present a critical overview of the literature concerning land degradation around Lake Inle; (b) provide an independent and quantitative reexamination of the Lake's size; (c) carry out a methodic assessment of the history of floating gardens based on written sources, interviews, and high‐resolution imagery from 1967, 1983, 2002, and 2014; and (d) produce the first comprehensive and biseasonal bathymetric survey of the Lake, thereby providing a baseline water volume estimate fit for future monitoring purposes. Results challenge previous reports and show that floating agriculture boomed in the 1970s (11 km2 in 1967 and 29 km2 in 1983), peaked in 2002 (35 km2), then declined slightly (33 km2 in 2014). Our bathymetric survey reveals that the Lake volume at the peak of the 2015 rainy season was 122.6 × 106 m3, with maximum water depths having diminished substantially from 6 m (as reported in 1918) to just 3 m today as a combined result of sediment aggradation and waterlevel decline (−1 m in 25 years). Those dynamics have critical implications for the sustainability of floating agriculture, fishing, and the local tourist economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A review of the historical ecology literature led us to the realization that there was an important gap in terms of recognized methodological procedures and techniques. Contributions along these lines are sparse. However, some publications (book chapters and papers), some of them case studies, contain methodological material of great interest. Therefore, all these materials needed to be gathered together and put in a historical ecology methodological context. With this in mind, this article focuses on the methods employed to date in historical ecology when working with qualitative and graphic materials. In addition, it incorporates an exploration of the links between these methods and those used in general in qualitative research. Historical ecology requires source criticism methods (a source critical approach which offers guidelines for both source and source reliability assessment) and time line–based methods for landscape change. Some of the techniques used in historical ecology, but not originate from it, are presented (historical maps, photointerpretation, repeat photography, and oral history). The methodological links between historical ecology and qualitative research are then explored, and, finally, a method for text analysis (thematic networks) is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Anuario do Instituto de Geociencias is the property of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Geociencias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper describes the development of predictive equations of windthrow for five tree species based on remote sensing of wind-affected stands in southwestern New Brunswick (NB). The data characterises forest conditions before, during and after the passing of extratropical cyclone Arthur, July 4–5, 2014. The five-variable logistic function developed for balsam fir (bF) was validated against remote-sensing-acquired windthrow data for bF-stands affected by the Christmas Mountains windthrow event of November 7, 1994. In general, the prediction of windthrow in the area agreed fairly well with the windthrow sites identified by photogrammetry. The occurrence of windthrow in the Christmas Mountains was prominent in areas with shallow soils and prone to localised accelerations in mean and turbulent airflow. The windthrow function for bF was subsequently used to examine the future impact of windthrow under two climate scenarios (RCP’s 4.5 and 8.5) and species response to local changes anticipated with global climate change, particularly with respect to growing degree-days and soil moisture. Under climate change, future windthrow in bF stands (2006–2100) is projected to be modified as the species withdraws from the high-elevation areas and NB as a whole, as the climate progressively warms and precipitation increases, causing the growing environment of bF to deteriorate.

The aim of this article is to show geomorphological mapping of remote Antarctic locations using images taken by a fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. We mapped landform assemblages developed in forelands of Ecology Glacier (EGF), Sphinx Glacier (SGF) and Baranowski Glacier (BGF) in Antarctic Specially Protected Area No. 128 (ASPA 128) on King George Island (South Shetland Islands) and inferred about glacial dynamics. The orthophoto and digital elevation model allowed for geomorphological mapping of glacial forelands, including (i) glacial depositional landforms, (ii) fluvial and fluvioglacial landforms, (iii) littoral and lacustrine landforms, (iv) bodies of water, and (v) other. The largest area is occupied by ground moraine and glacial lagoons on EGF and BGF. The most profound features of EGF are the large latero-frontal moraine ridges from Little Ice Age and the first half of the 20th century. Large areas of ground moraine, frequently fluted and marked with large recessional moraine ridges, dominate on SGF. A significant percentage of bedrock outcrops and end moraine complexes characterize BGF. The landform assemblages are typical for discontinuous fast ice flow of tidewater glaciers over a deformable bed. It is inferred that ice flow velocity decreased as a result of recession from the sea coast, resulting in a significant decrease in the length of ice cliffs and decrease in calving rate. Image acquisition during the fixed-wing UAV BVLOS operation proved to be a very robust technique in harsh polar conditions of King George Island.

Background and Purpose: The main goal of this paper was to highlight the importance of colour infrared (CIR) aerial photographs for efficient inventory, monitoring and predicting the health status of forests in changed site conditions. CIR aerial photographs from two aerial surveys conducted in 1989 and 2008 were used to identify and analyze the damage in lowland pedunculated oak (Quercus robur L.) forests during each period, as well as to obtain a dieback trend in the observed period. Material and Methods: The research was conducted in lowland pedunculated oak forests of Josip Kozarac management unit. CIR aerial photographs (1989) of the research area were taken with a classical camera, while aerial images in 2008 were taken with a digital camera and then converted from digital to analogue form (contact copy - photograph) in order to perform photointerpretation with a SOKKIA MS27 Carl ZEISS Jena mirror stereoscope, magnified by 8x. The health status of particular trees (crowns) was assessed by means of photointerpretation keys in a stereomodel over a systematic 100x100 m sample grid on both 1989 and 2008 aerial photographs. The degree of damage of 4 individual trees was assessed at every grid point in the surveying strips covering the surveyed area. Damage indicators were calculated and thematic maps were constructed on the basis of the interpretation of data for all the grid points. Results: For the research area a damage index (IO) of 68.36% for oak was determined by photointerpreting individual trees (2008); in other words, this percentage of pedunculate oak trees in the surveyed area was found to be in the damage degree of 2.1 and more. Of 68.36% trees classified in the damage degree of 2.1 or more, mean damage (SO1) amounted to 52.16% and could be classified in the damage degree of 2.2. In 1989, the mean damage index (IO) for pedunculate oak was 48.00%, and pedunculate oak trees with mean damage degree of 2.1 or more (SO1) amounted to 36.03%. The comparison of photointerpretation results from 1989 and 2008 shows that the damage index (IO) for pedunculate oak increased by more than 20%, whereas mean damage (SO) rose by almost 15%. An increase of more than 15% in mean damage of considerably damaged pedunculate oak trees can also be observed. Conclusions: The obtained results provide not only the current forest condition but also indicate the condition in the field and the purposefulness of aerial surveying, since aerial photographs allow an insight into the condition in the field in a short time period. This in turn enables the efficient application of measures to mitigate the consequences of dieback.

There are several procedures of spatialization and individualization of physical environmental units, such as the techniques of remote sensing and geoprocessing. The physiographic compartmentation can be performed by systematic photointerpretation processes of satellite images, trough the analysis of the drainage network’s properties, from the homogeneity and similarities of landscape units. The advantage of applying this technique in environmental planning is the generation of a single cartographic product sectioned into several landscape units, which summarize characteristics of relief, geology and land use. This study aimed at making the physiographic compartmentation in Casa Branca, São Paulo state, based on the integration of data from analysis of satellite images, mapping products, and geological and geomorphological data. The city suffers problems related to lack of urban planning and the development of erosive processes. Analyzing the results, it was concluded that the methodology adopted for the research was very efficient. Therefore, it is expected that this research may support the decisions of urban planning in the city and that the described procedures can be the basis for the development of geo-environmental zoning in other municipalities.

Highlights • Experts largely disagree on visually interpreted shadows. • A risk-based shadow detection method is presented. • Difference in shadow detected automatically and by the experts is within expectations. Abstract Land cover identification and area quantification are key aspects in determining support payments to farmers under the European Common Agricultural Policy. Agricultural land is monitored using the Land Parcel Identification System and visual image interpretation. However, shadows covering reference parcel boundaries can hinder effective delineation. Visual interpretation of shadows is labor intensive and subjective, while automated methods give reproducible results. In this paper we compare shadow detection on satellite imagery obtained by expert photointerpretation to a proposed automated, data-driven method. The latter automated method is a thresholding approach employing both panchromatic and multispectral imagery, where the former has a finer spatial resolution than the latter. Thresholds are determined from automatically generated training data using a risk-based approach. Comparison of the total shadow area per scene showed that more pixels were labelled as shadow by the automatic procedure than by visual interpretation. However, the union of shadow area independently identified by twelve experts on a subscene was larger than the automatically determined shadow area. The limited intersection of the shadow areas identified by the experts demonstrated that experts strongly disagreed in their interpretations. The shadow area labelled by the automated method was in between the intersection and the union of the areas interpreted by experts. Furthermore, the automated shadow detection method is reproducible and reduces the interpretation effort and skill required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Regulation of Lake Ontario water levels since the St. Lawrence Seaway began operation in the early 1960s reduced the range of lake-level fluctuations and resulted in alteration of wetland plant communities, especially invasion of sedge/grass meadow marsh by cattails. A new regulation plan was implemented in January 2017 that seeks to restore some of the natural range in lake levels to benefit the environment. An adaptive management process accompanied the new Plan 2014, requiring before-after data for evaluation. Aerial photographs from 2014/2015 were obtained from existing sources for 16 wetlands previously assessed from 2001 photographs, and photointerpretation was used to re-map the vegetation types from the earlier study. The updated data set provides further information on wetland response to lake-level regulation. Overall, area of Meadow Marsh decreased from 2001 to 2014/2015 in most wetlands. In some cases, losses were due to increased Cattail abundance and in others to Mixed Emergent abundance. Although area of Cattail did increase at half the sites, expansion landward into Meadow Marsh was likely limited to an upper elevation with drier soils that had not been flooded for at least 15 years. Waterward expansion of Cattail was slow because it occurs by formation of vegetatively-expanding floating mats. The updated data set can now serve as a baseline for future adaptive management evaluations, including response to extreme high lake levels in 2017 and future low lake levels that Plan 2014 should allow during periods of low water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agro Productividad is the property of Colegio de Postgraduados and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ra'e Ga is the property of Ra'e Ga - O Espaco Geografico em Analise and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuaternario y Geomorfología is the property of Cuaternario y Geomorfologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recent increases in urbanization and tourism threaten the viability of UNESCO world heritage sites across the globe. The Angkor world heritage site located in southern Cambodia is now facing such a challenge. Over the past two decades, Angkor has seen over 300,000% growth in international tourist arrivals, which has led to uncontrolled development of the nearby city of Siem Reap. This study uses remote sensing and GIS to comprehend the process of urban expansion during the past 14 years, and has applied the CA-Markov model to predict future urban expansion. This paper analyzes the urban pressure on the Angkor site at different scales. The results reveal that the urban area of Siem Reap city increased from 28.23 km2 in 2004 to 73.56 km2 in 2017, an increase of 160%. Urban growth mainly represented a transit-oriented pattern of expansion, and it was also observed that land surfaces, such as arable land, forests, and grasslands, were transformed into urban residential land. The total constructed land area in the core and buffer zones increased by 12.99 km2 from 2004 to 2017, and 72% of the total increase was in the buffer zone. It is predicted that the built-up area in Siem Reap is expected to cover 135.09 km2 by 2025 and 159.14 km2 by 2030. The number of monuments that are most likely be affected by urban expansion is expected to increase from 9 in 2017 to 14 in 2025 and 17 in 2030. The urban area in Siem Reap has increased dramatically over the past decade and monuments continue to be decimated by urban expansion. This paper urges closer attention and urgent actions to minimize the urban pressure on the Angkor site in the future.

Urbanization in Brazil occurred in a disorganized way and without observing criteria that could ensure the sustainability of this process, resulting in high population concentrations in large urban centers. In this way, it is recognized the need for an adequate planning that contemplates the economic and social interests and respects the environmental demands. Thus, the present work aims to map the land use and occupancy, with an emphasis in an urban area, having as a case study the municipality of Novo Hamburgo, RS. The methodology is established in two levels of detailing of classes, in which supervised classification and manual vectorization were used, seeking a more accurate specification of the urban areas. Validation was established through two databases: Google Earth and Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), using the confusion matrix and the Kappa index. The results show the efficiency of the hybrid method for high-resolution images, besides highlighting the existing anthropogenic differences in urban areas. In relation to the use of different databases for validation, close values are also perceived between the two processes, with a Kappa index of 0.928 for data obtained from Google Earth and 0.943 for the RPAS.

High-resolution aerial images allow detailed analyses of periglacial landforms, which is of particular importance in light of climate change and resulting changes in active layer thickness. The aim of this study is to show possibilities of using UAV-based photography to perform spatial analysis of periglacial landforms on the Demay Point peninsula, King George Island, and hence to supplement previous geomorphological studies of the South Shetland Islands. Photogrammetric flights were performed using a PW-ZOOM fixed-winged unmanned aircraft vehicle. Digital elevation models (DEM) and maps of slope and contour lines were prepared in ESRI ArcGIS 10.3 with the Spatial Analyst extension, and three-dimensional visualizations in ESRI ArcScene 10.3 software. Careful interpretation of orthophoto and DEM, allowed us to vectorize polygons of landforms, such as (i) solifluction landforms (solifluction sheets, tongues, and lobes); (ii) scarps, taluses, and a protalus rampart; (iii) patterned ground (hummocks, sorted circles, stripes, nets and labyrinths, and nonsorted nets and stripes); (iv) coastal landforms (cliffs and beaches); (v) landslides and mud flows; and (vi) stone fields and bedrock outcrops. We conclude that geomorphological studies based on commonly accessible aerial and satellite images can underestimate the spatial extent of periglacial landforms and result in incomplete inventories. The PW-ZOOM UAV is well suited to gather detailed geomorphological data and can be used in spatial analysis of periglacial landforms in the Western Antarctic Peninsula region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

«We are the heirs of glorious traditions» it is a phrase that has always accompanied me in my military career. Photographic notes are an anecdote that brings the reader a series of experiences and coincidences that place the CECAF (Cartographic and Photographic Center of the Air Force) as a pioneer of Aerial Photography and its later uses in Cartography, Photointerpretation and scientific research, creating in addition a school in the Cuatro Vientos Aerodrome for the future specialists instruction in the matter. I present you a series of historical characters, the most of whom are known, others not so much, who have been present in this short and admirable story of the Spanish Military Aviation. Now you have to continue with the restlessness, the search for more data, unleash the imagination and navigate with your dreams, Capa, Alonso, Herrera and many others are waiting for you. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow lakes in semiarid regions experience frequent water level fluctuations. Each long-lasting episode of water-level lowering leaves behind abandoned littoral forms and deposits whose identification and mapping is hampered by their smooth relief. Given the difficulty of recognising these possible relict forms using traditional geomorphological techniques, two sources of information were employed in the present work: high resolution (1:15,000) aerial photographs and a digital terrain model (DTM) generated from LiDAR data. The improved definition of surface elevation enhanced the quality of geomorphological mapping as well as the accurate delineation of subtle geoforms. The method was applied to Gallocanta Lake, a highly fluctuating shallow lake 14 km in area and less than 3 m deep located in a mountainous semiarid area of NE Spain. As a result, a sequence of relict coastal features (RCF) with high lateral continuity has been identified around the lakebed. These include well-preserved spits with recurved hooks, counter-spits, bays closed by barrier islands, beach ridges, deltas and cliffs. The highly precise LiDAR-derived topographic maps suggest a much greater extension of the lacustrine environment during the Late Pleistocene, reaching at least 51 km of water surface and about 13 m of depth above the present lake bottom. The method presented in this paper generates very detailed palaeogeographical maps that are particularly useful for reconstructing lake changes in semiarid environments as a function of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central Platte River in Nebraska, USA, has undergone substantial channel narrowing since basin settlement in the mid-nineteenth century. Many researchers have studied the causes of channel narrowing and its implications for endangered species that use wide, shallow channel segments with barren sandbars. As a result, changes in metrics such as unvegetated channel width have been studied. With few exceptions, these measures are estimated from aerial imagery without mention of error in relation to actual channel conditions and/or investigator bias. This issue is not unique to central Platte River studies, as a general lack of commentary is apparent regarding the direct comparison of channel planform characteristics interpreted from aerial imagery relative to those measured in the field. Here we present a case study where data collected by the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program was used to make multiple comparisons using three years of field-measured unvegetated channel widths and those photointerpreted from aerial imagery. Widths were interpreted by three investigators, who identified similar widths in almost all cases. Photointerpretation from imagery collected during the fall resulted in unvegetated width estimates that were more consistent with field measurments than estimates derived using imagery collected in June. Differences were attributed to three main factors: (1) influences of discharge on photointerpretation of unvegetated channel width; (2) increases in vegetative cover throughout the growing season; and (3) resolution of imagery. Most importantly, we concluded that photointerpretation of unvegetated widths from imagery collected during high flows can result in significant over estimation of unvegetated channel width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]