Search

In this study, we develop a machine-learning (ML)-enabled strategy for selecting hillslope-scale ecohydrological monitoring sites within snow-dominated mountainous watersheds, with a particular focus on snow-soil–plant interactions. Data layers rely on spatial data layers from both remote sensing and hydrological model simulations. Specifically, a Landsat-based foresummer drought sensitivity index is used to define the dependency of the annual peak plant productivity on the Palmer drought severity index in the early growing season. Hydrological simulations provide the spatiotemporal dynamics of near-surface soil moisture and snow depth. In this framework, a regression analysis identifies the key hydrological variables relevant to the spatial heterogeneity of drought sensitivity. We then apply unsupervised clustering to these key variables, using the Gaussian mixture model, to group hillslopes into several zones that have divergent relationships regarding soil moisture, snow dynamics, and drought sensitivity. Using the datasets collected in the East River Watershed (Crested Butte, Colorado, United States), results show that drought sensitivity is significantly correlated with model-derived soil moisture and snow-free timing over space and time. The relationship is, however, non-linear, such that the correlation decreases above a threshold elevation and in a heavy snow year due to large snowpacks, lateral flow, and soil storage limitations. Clustering is then able to define the zones that have high or low sensitivity to drought, as well as the mid-elevation regions where sensitivity is associated with the topographic aspect and net potential radiation. In addition, the algorithm identifies the most representative hillslopes with road/trail access within each zone for installing monitoring sites. Our method also aims to significantly increase the use of ML and model-simulation results to guide critical zone and watershed monitoring activities.

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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 present study aims to develop a protocol for determining the suitability of ponds in Nuh watershed, Haryana, India, using hydrological zoning, analytic hierarchy process, weighted overlay approach and geospatial techniques. Maximum area is in moderate and low run-off zones, with 50.43% and 32.4% of the area covering 104 and 129 ponds respectively. Area under least, moderate, high suitable zones are 33.2%, 51.92% and 11.38% respectively. Also, 137 more ponds are proposed, with 2, 49 and 86 ponds having very high, high and moderate suitable zones respectively. If these 472 ponds are revived, additional areas can be brought under irrigation in the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two years of monthly sampling and hydrological monitoring were performed at the outlet of a Mediterranean watershed in northern Tunisia to determine the contents of 469 pesticide active ingredients and metabolites in water and evaluate their behavior. Wadi Guenniche is a tributary of the Bizerte coastal lagoon, with a watershed area of 86 km2, which exhibits pluvial cereal, legume, and orchid cultivation and irrigated market gardening. Twenty-nine pesticide active ingredients and 2 metabolites were detected in water. Twenty-four pesticide active ingredients were authorized for use in Tunisia. Among them, 14 had never been mentioned in previous farmer surveys. Five herbicides and their metabolites were the most frequently detected: aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) (100%), glyphosate (94%), simazine (94%), 2,4-D (70%), and deisopropylatrazine (DIA) (47%). The detection frequency and concentration range suggested that the phytosanitary pressure and resulting water contamination are close to those on the northern Mediterranean shore. These results, in addition to characterizing the pollution state, emphasized the need for additional studies on the use and fate of pesticides on the southern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strengthening community engagement in stewardship can help to improve management of coastal and freshwater environments (blue spaces). Research suggests that recreational users of natural areas may be more willing to engage in stewardship. However, little research at a population scale has examine how recreation experiences shape psychological ingredients for stewardship.We surveyed 3271 residents of South East Queensland, Australia and quantified willingness to engage in blue space stewardship. We then quantified frequency of different types of blue space recreation, perceptions about threats to blue spaces (threat appraisal) and protective actions (coping appraisal), and satisfaction with blue spaces. We then examined pathways from recreation to stewardship intentions using mediation analysis.Results show that many types of recreation were associated with stewardship intentions. Specifically, higher frequency of social activities and nature‐appreciation activities were associated with greater intentions for individual stewardship (e.g. picking up litter, reducing use of household chemicals). Higher frequency of social activities, nature appreciation, exercise and fishing/boating was associated with stronger intentions for collective stewardship (e.g. attending a public meeting or riparian management event)Mediation analysis showed that most forms of recreation did not influence perceptions about severity of threats to blue spaces. Rather, the relationships between recreation and stewardship were mediated by greater place satisfaction, perceived vulnerability to blue space degradation, and feeling more able to contribute to waterway protection (efficacy).These findings indicate that many types of recreation (not just nature appreciation activities) can be a foundation for engaging in nature stewardship, and reinforce the importance of building efficacy when promoting stewardship. The finding that both place satisfaction and perceived vulnerability to environmental degradation suggests that there may be an optimal motivational window for stewardship: people need to connect a place with positive experiences, and have some recognition of a potential threat, but where the potential threat has not yet eroded the natural values of a place. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at assessing the long term impacts of watershed management interventions and scenarios on sediment export reduction in the data-scarce region of the Yezat watershed in north-west Ethiopia. The modified ecosystem services valuation model (InVEST) was employed to evaluate the amount of sediment export in the watershed. Different watershed management intervention scenarios were applied to evaluate the effectiveness of watershed management interventions on sediment export reduction. The results of the study showed that the mean annual sediment yield was 35 tons ha yr in 20000, due to the expansion of cultivated land and built-up area. Conversely, it decreased from 35 ton ha yr in 2000 -18.4 ton ha yr in 2021 due to watershed management interventions. On the contrary, moderate, severe, and very severe categories of sediment export intensity were high in 2000. But it decreased in 2021 due to watershed management interventions. The mean annual sediment export in the baseline scenario (BS) was 35 tons per year, which was reduced to 13.39 tons per year, 3.46 tons per year, and 1.17 tons per year in the reforestation scenario, soil/stone bund, and integrated scenarios, respectively. The result revealed that areas covered by high sediment severity classes were reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Water & Landscape (WAL) / Agua & Territorio (AYT) is the property of Editorial de la Universidad de Jaen 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.)

Studying the pressing impacts of climate change on runoff is vital for the sustainable functioning of society and ecosystems. In Senegal, there is insufficient consideration given to the magnitude of the decrease in water resources caused by climate change and the potential impact of this decrease on both society and the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hydrological effects of climate change in the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin by employing CWatM hydrological models inside the frameworks of ISIMIP and HMF-WA. Over the historical period (1981–2019) in the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin, the analysis of all hydrological parameters indicates positive trends, although not statistically significant (except for runoff). Over the future period, unlike temperatures and PET, which show an upward trend in all scenarios, precipitation and runoff show downward trends, which are more significant under SSP 585. For precipitation, Kendall's Tau shows a downward trend of − 0.157 mm/yr, − 0.321 mm/yr, and − 0.472 mm/yr under SSP 126, SSP 370 and SSP 585, respectively. For runoff, the trends are negative and of the order of − 0.207 m3/s/yr, − 0.44 m3/s/yr, and − 0.565 m3/s/yr, respectively, under SSP 126, SSP 370 and SSP 585 with CwatM and − 0.248 m3/s/yr (SSP 126), − 0.389 m3/s/yr (SSP 245) and − 0.579 m3/s/yr (SSP585) with HMF-WA. Compared with the decrease in precipitation toward the end of the century, the decrease in runoff noted for the distant future (2081–2100) will be of the order of − 32.8% (SSP 126), − 80.8% (SSP 370) and − 94.6% (SSP 585) with CwatM and − 22.3% (SSP 126), − 19.6% (SSP 245) and − 50.9% (SSP 585) with HMF-WA. This study could help policymakers and stakeholders to develop adaptation strategies for the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has ability to intensify the magnitude of flood and drought episodes, as well as their amplitude; also it has the potential to exacerbate hydrological extremes. It is crucial to forecast changes to hydrological regimes and determine the level of uncertainty around them to increase resilience and prepare for future changes. In order to enlighten long-term estimates, an attempt has been made to sustain the available water resources through Calibration and Validation of river discharge data using SWAT model for Upper Yamuna River Basin. Spatial climatic data were further crystallized to forecast climatic projection scenarios for Base line period, Mid-Century and End Century considering RCPs 2.6, 4.5 and 8.5. Result reveals that the average annual minimum temperature is estimated to be increased 1.4 °C in Mid-Century and 2.2 °C in End Century from the Base line Scenario while the average annual maximum temperature is found to be increased 1.5 °C in Mid-Century and 2.1 °C in End Century from the Base line Scenario. Further, while analyzing the hydrological components, Soil water percentage is expected to be increased in Mid-Century, whereas Percolation rate is found to be increased for all scenarios other than BL-MC (4.5) which is an indication of rise in Ground water. In addition to it, Surface flow is observed as a considerable increase from 4.33 to 72.69% in all scenarios. Also the Surface flow is more in case of End Century as compared to the Mid-Century. The estimated Ground water flow is found to be increased except BL-MC (4.5 & 8.5). Overall water yield has been estimated as a relative change from 7.06 to 18.70% based upon the specified conditions. The prediction for Evapotranspiration values is found as decreased in all scenarios except BL-MC (4.5 & 8.5). The outcome of the present study is very useful for planning of development strategies in the project area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The watershed is the earliest geographical unit of human activity and the tensest area in terms of human–land relations. Focussing solely on individual watershed spaces makes it difficult to comprehensively reflect and address complex human–land issues. For the complex processes of the origin, dissemination, communication and integration of civilisations, a more macroscopic scale is also needed for systematic understanding and analysis. The exchange and mutual learning amongst the Yellow River Basin, Yangtze River Basin and Grand Canal region promote the diversity and innovation of culture, making them the 'typical containers' of Chinese civilisation. Based on the uniqueness and correlation of regions such as the Yellow River Basin, Yangtze River Basin and Grand Canal, this study constructs the concept of a 'Yellow-Canal-Yangtze' watershed community, combining existing disciplinary advances and summarizing its spatial, temporal and elemental characteristics. This research is conducive to promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of excellent traditional culture, assisting in the protection of watershed cultural heritage systems and the governance of watershed ecosystems, and promoting regional coordinated and interconnected development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid deterioration of the upper Akaki catchment natural environment has led to an increasing impact not only on the watershed ecosystem but also the livelihood and the general well‐being of the local community. As a result, the water supply is becoming a problem for Addis Ababa and its surrounding residents. This may lead to a greater willingness to pay and cooperate in initiatives to protect the watersheds. Therefore, a market‐based instrument and participatory arrangements are critical for resolving socioecological problems. This research aimed to demonstrate a need for an incentive‐based watershed conservation approach that can be used to support nature conservation through long‐term financial investments in the central watersheds and elsewhere. To support the market‐based intervention, sealable ecosystem services and cost–benefit analysis, as well as relevant stakeholders, institutions, and legal frameworks, were assessed. The prime factors for designing market‐based approaches to halt biodiversity loss and reversing ecological processes are discussed. A domestic water tariff increase of ETB 1 per m3 (US$ 0.08) could raise approximately US$ 3.24 million annually for watershed management, which could compensate smallholder farmers' annual opportunity costs for crop and livestock forage loss. Furthermore, the practice could help to abate biodiversity loss, improve the local economy, and accelerate the implementation of global biodiversity targets. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:965–974. © 2023 SETAC Key Points: The rapid deterioration of watersheds is impacting the ecosystem and the well‐being of people.Water supply issues prompt collaboration on a watershed protection program.Raising financial resources could compensate farmers.Watershed management accelerates meeting biodiversity targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the natural hazards, without a doubt, the flood is known as a natural disaster. In this research, Shannon entropy model was used to prepare a flood sensitivity map. In this research, the Shannon entropy model was used to create a flood sensitivity map. Initially, 34 flood watersheds were selected from the Firoozabad basin, then these 34 points were classified into two groups. Out of the 34 points, 22 points (65 percent) were used for training and modeling, while the remaining 12 points (35 percent) were not used in the modeling process and were reserved for validation. First, a map depicting the flood status was developed. Then, ten factors, including slope, aspect, lithology, land use, NDVI, SPI, TWI, altitude, rainfall, and distance from the river, were selected as flood factors. Prioritizing the factors that have an impact on flood occurrence based on the Shannon entropy index revealed that the NDVI layers (2.03), rainfall (2.00), distance from the river (1.89), SPI (1.385), elevation classes (0.999), gradient with weight (0.932), lithology (0 .478), TWI (0 .379), land use (0 .280) and aspect (0.184) had the highest and lowest impacts on flood events, respectively The results of the ROC curve showed that the predicted surface area under the curve with the validation data (35 percent) was equal to 91.42 percent, and the success rate with the training data (65 percent) was equal to 92.53 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The condition of the Bengkulu watershed area is outlined in the Indonesia Integrated Watershed Management Plan. Adverse conditions in the watershed have been linked to a range of natural calamities, such as floods and droughts. Moreover, the process of converting forests into plantations or agricultural lands has resulted in environmental degradation. Therefore, there is a pressing need for an evaluation of vegetation density and plant analysis within the watershed. This is crucial for comprehending ecological conditions, devising restoration measures, and implementing conservation efforts. Hence, the aim of this study is to analyze vegetation density and track plant diversity, specifically focusing on tree characteristics, throughout. METHODS: The study techniques utilized in this investigation encompass the gathering of normalized difference vegetation index data from satellite imagery, followed by its analysis through the utilization of geographic information system software. Sentinel satellite imagery from 2021 is utilized due to its efficacy in monitoring environmental conditions and managing natural resources. Spatial data encompass maps and field data. FINDINGS: By employing normalized difference vegetation index data, the study pioneers a novel approach to environmental monitoring, setting an example for effective resource management and ecological conservation in watershed regions. The study findings indicate that 29 percent of the watershed area exhibits moderately steep topography with a dendritic flow pattern. The assessment of the normalized difference vegetation index demonstrates that the watershed is comprised of multiple sections abundant in high-density vegetation, primarily dedicated to plantations. Within the Bengkulu watershed area, a total of 49 tree species from 22 families were identified, with diversity indices falling within the moderate category. CONCLUSION: An in-depth knowledge of the ecological factors and plant preservation initiatives in the Bengkulu watershed can greatly aid in sustainable environmental management and help policymakers develop more effective policies for ensuring environmental sustainability. The findings of this study contribute significantly to the Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management's goals of promoting sustainable environmental management and biodiversity preservation, offering actionable insights for policymakers and conservationists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is modeling flood susceptibility in Jhelum River Basin by employing Geo-Morphometric ranking approach. The study area is located in the Monsoon region and exposed to heavy rainfall events. Every year monsoon rainfall and melting of snow and glaciers together generate flash floods in the upper catchment and then riverine flood in the low-lying areas. Watershed modeling approach is used to delineate the Jhelum watershed and its sub-watershed. Advance Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM) is utilized as input data in ArcMap software environment. Then Geo-Morphometric ranking model is applied to rank the susceptibility of each sub-watershed to flood. The analysis showed that geo-morphometric characteristics vary from basin to basin. There are 44 sub-basins which cover area less than 1000 ​km2. The area of sub-basins ranges from 47.68 ​km2 to 7667.77 ​km2. Based on our results, area of sub-basin directly impacts flood susceptibility. Geo-morphometric parameters such as gradient, relief and geology of basin such as type of bed rock govern the drainage pattern. The results of the study can assist line agencies and concerned government departments to design location specific flood risk reduction strategy.

Abstract Studying the pressing impacts of climate change on runoff is vital for the sustainable functioning of society and ecosystems. In Senegal, there is insufficient consideration given to the magnitude of the decrease in water resources caused by climate change and the potential impact of this decrease on both society and the environment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hydrological effects of climate change in the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin by employing CWatM hydrological models inside the frameworks of ISIMIP and HMF-WA. Over the historical period (1981–2019) in the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin, the analysis of all hydrological parameters indicates positive trends, although not statistically significant (except for runoff). Over the future period, unlike temperatures and PET, which show an upward trend in all scenarios, precipitation and runoff show downward trends, which are more significant under SSP 585. For precipitation, Kendall’s Tau shows a downward trend of − 0.157 mm/yr, − 0.321 mm/yr, and − 0.472 mm/yr under SSP 126, SSP 370 and SSP 585, respectively. For runoff, the trends are negative and of the order of − 0.207 m3/s/yr, − 0.44 m3/s/yr, and − 0.565 m3/s/yr, respectively, under SSP 126, SSP 370 and SSP 585 with CwatM and − 0.248 m3/s/yr (SSP 126), − 0.389 m3/s/yr (SSP 245) and − 0.579 m3/s/yr (SSP585) with HMF-WA. Compared with the decrease in precipitation toward the end of the century, the decrease in runoff noted for the distant future (2081–2100) will be of the order of − 32.8% (SSP 126), − 80.8% (SSP 370) and − 94.6% (SSP 585) with CwatM and − 22.3% (SSP 126), − 19.6% (SSP 245) and − 50.9% (SSP 585) with HMF-WA. This study could help policymakers and stakeholders to develop adaptation strategies for the Aga-Foua-Djilas basin.

Flood spreading is one of the solutions for water resource management that can have positive effects on groundwater resources. The aim of research is to investigate some qualitative changes of Herat aquifer affected by flood spreading station in the region. Statistics of Ca, HCO3, Mg, Na, Cl, TDS and EC parameters of agricultural wells were extracted. To evaluate effect of water extraction and consequently effect of sediment extraction on efficiency of sites, years of 2003-2011 were selected as the first period and 2012-2021 as the second period. Different interpolation methods were used to investigate spatial changes of qualitative parameters. Map of percentage of spatial changes of each parameter was obtained with using mathematical relationships. The results of examining percentage of spatial changes of parameters indicate an increase of water quality in downstream of flood spreading and outlet of aquifer. The lowest EC with less than 1000 µmho/cm is related to western wells and the highest EC with more than 10000 µmho/cm in is related to eastern wells. This reinforces positive effect of flood spreading. Considering spatial pattern, effect of flood spreading projects in this area has been positive and has been able to control the decline in quality of groundwater.

A significant portion of hyperspectral image (HSI) analysis involves detecting anomalous pixels, which are indicative of interesting phenomena or objects. One of the main challenges is the presence of outlier and noisy pixels in background data due to the variety of spectral signatures in heterogeneous HSIs. This article presents an effective approach using both spectral and spatial features for anomaly detection. The median filter with an appropriate size driven by using the principal component information is used for cleaning the background. Then, the image is segmented using the watershed approach. The anomaly detection occurs based on the spatial resolution by calculating each pixel's distance from its segment via spectral angle or Euclidean distance. The proposed Watershed Anomaly Detector (WAD), employs spatial features to segment the HSI properly. It also uses spectral features within each segment to detect anomalous pixels. The WAD outperforms other methods due to its simplicity and conceptual clarity. Notably, its underlying equation offers broader applicability for HSI segmentation tasks. Experiments on three benchmark datasets show WAD achieves higher accuracy and faster execution versus state-of-the-art techniques. On average across the datasets and methods, WAD attained a 6.45% higher area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and ran 26.95 s faster than other detectors. The WAD effectively detects anomalies in varied spectral and spatial resolutions. The results highlight the stability, robustness and computational efficiency of the proposed approach across diverse data. The simultaneous effectiveness and efficiency make WAD well-suited for near real-time anomaly detection applications.

Patients with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery frequently have a poorly developed vertebrobasilar arterial system. However, they are not at higher risk of stroke and most are asymptomatic. Left cerebral watershed infarction was identified in a 75-year-old man who presented with aphasia and disorientation on magnetic resonance image (MRI). Additional imaging studies also demonstrated a right persistent primitive trigeminal artery, aplastic basilar artery, and 47% left internal carotid artery stenosis. Antiplatelet medication was administered and he was discharged 2 weeks after admission on aspirin. At the 4-month follow-up, cerebral blood flow in the left watershed territory was still decreased; however, no recurrent stroke had occurred. Although the indication for surgical or endovascular intervention for internal carotid artery stenosis is primarily determined by the degree of stenosis, cerebral blood flow evaluation is recommended in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis and a persistent primitive trigeminal artery.

Soil hazard zonation in watershed is quite significant to take the necessary actions for soil conservation. The present study attempts to identify soil hazard zones for proper soil conservation and prepare a treatment plan for the Bandu sub-watershed of India through morphometric analysis techniques by giving rank based on priority. The result of the prioritization of eighteen micro-watersheds is entirely satisfactory due to the use of fourteen morphometric parameters. The study quantifies the potential soil loss and identifies the soil eroded zone of the sub-watershed using the universal soil loss equation method and the entire region is categorized into three soil hazard zones with varying degrees. Indian Remote Sensing Satellite data have been used to conduct the whole study. The micro-watershed prioritization has been estimated by applying the composite morphometric value. The micro-watershed having 5.625 composite value ranks first for prioritization (most vulnerable with maximum soil erosion) and having 15.875 composite value ranks last for prioritization (least vulnerable with minimum soil erosion). The result also shows that the soil loss ranges from 0-30 tonne/hectare/year with an average soil loss of 0-10 tonne/hectare/year in maximum areas of the sub-watershed. The soil loss map shows that along the Bandu and in some agricultural fields, the central part of the region is susceptible to soil erosion. The scientific approach of this research could be more effective in maintaining sustainable rural planning. The study can be used as a reference work for determining soil hazard zones in any tropical watershed with high soil loss risk.

Land use that disregards the potential of the land, like is the case in watershed areas, not only increases the danger of disaster, but it can also lead to environmental damage. This study intends to assess the land capacity and soil fertility in the Lesti Sub-watershed in Malang Regency, East Java Province. GIS analysis, descriptive analysis, and laboratory tests were the data analytic techniques employed in this study. Four different land use types Moor, Coffee Plantation, Snakefruit Plantation, and Shrubs can be found in the area surrounding the watershed, according to field observations. The research findings imply that sloping and hilly plains have limiting factors for variable land capacities and limiting factors such as land slope and permeability. The study also provides an overview, namely that overall soil fertility is low and in all land use units, including the limiting factors on base saturation, C-organic, phosphate, and potassium. Overall, the research gives information or instructions for accurately analyzing land resources to measure agricultural commodity output based on the physiography of watershed areas experiencing land degradation.

Abstract Inadequate conservation practice affects the sustainable production of agricultural watersheds due to erosion and fertility decline. Understanding soil erosion and implementing site-specific conservation practice could enhance agriculture-based rural development. The study was aimed to document soil erosion problem and soil and water conservation effort. The specific objectives of this study were to assess soil erosion severity, practices to reduce erosion, and determinants of the decision to reduce erosion. Data were collected by interviewing 198 farm household heads, undertaking four focus group discussions, and assessing rill erosion in 10 farm fields in Morayo and Wacho sub-watersheds of southern Ethiopia. Descriptive statistics and binary logit model were applied to analyze the data. Results indicated that many of the farm households, 63% in Morayo and 83% in the Wacho sub-watershed, perceived moderate to severe soil erosion, which is characterized by big rills and small gullies on the farmlands. Rill densities of 231.4 m ha−1 and 84.1 m ha−1 in the Morayo and Wacho sub-watersheds were observed, respectively. The estimated annual soil loss due to rills was 61.2 and 23.4 Mg ha−1 in the Morayo and Wacho sub-watersheds, respectively. The soil erosion from rills alone exceeds the expected tolerable soil erosion (11 tons ha−1 year−1). Due to erosion, about 90% of farmers perceived farmland degradation as described by a progressive decline in crop yield. Farmers used to practice traditional techniques to reduce erosion and government introduced conservation measures such as soil and stone bunds. However, many farmers did not use well-promoted conservation measures such as bunds, which could have negative impact on long-term erosion control effort and sustainable implementation of the conservation options. Among the assessed explanatory variables, educational level, farm distance from home, slope of the cultivated land, and frequency of extension contact were significantly affected (p

The article presents the results of the characterization of the geometric structure of the surface of unalloyed structural steel and alloyed (martensitic) steel subjected to chemical processing. Prior to phosphating, the samples were heat-treated. Both the surfaces and the cross-sections of the samples were investigated. Detailed studies were made using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), XRD, metallographic microscopy, chemical composition analysis and fractal analysis. The characteristics of the surface geometry involved such parameters as circularity, roundness, solidity, Feret's diameter, watershed diameter, fractal dimensions and corner frequencies, which were calculated by numerical processing of SEM images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Zagros Mountain range channels a significant volume of water towards the Persian Gulf basin due to the presence of gorges, diverting it from a potential southeast trajectory parallel to the Zagros folds. This study aimed to assess the water flow through the Zagros straits, utilizing 1:50,000 topographic and 1:100,000 geological maps, Iran's Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and various library sources. Hydrometric stations were used as the starting point and their associated sub-basins were delineated. The relationship between precipitation and elevation in each basin was analyzed to extract the precipitation layer of each sub-basin and calculate its average precipitation. Considering the sub-basin areas, the precipitation amount over a specific period was estimated and compared with the recorded discharges. The findings revealed that approximately 110,695 billion cubic meters of water were channeled to the Persian Gulf via the tidal currents of the Zagros Mountains. Notably, the sub-basins with lower discharge relative to the received precipitation, including Gilvan, Simre, Sartang Dolab, Qara Aghaj, and Dez, were situated to the east of the Zagros main thrust, while those with higher discharge were located to the west. This disparity in discharge on either side of the Zagros main thrust could be attributed to various mountain features, such as land surface slope, position in relation to incoming streams, karst, and faulting [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital game-based and gamified technologies hold much promise to promote the development of learners' conceptual knowledge. This efficacy study used desktop virtual reality (dVR) to investigate how the place-based digital gameful learning experience (DGLE) "Watershed Explorers", implemented as a curriculum enhancement activity, impacted students' watershed literacy as well as their attitudes towards playing and learning during dVR gameplay. Thirty-five middle school students completed a pretest-posttest content assessment measuring watershed literacy, a motivation to play with a dVR game survey, and a perception of learning with dVR games survey. Results showed that using "Watershed Explorers" as a curriculum enhancement activity can positively impact learning, especially middle school students' ability to identify their own local watershed and its connections to the ocean. Most participants perceived this DGLE as a helpful and engaging type of learning technology that can promote stimulating ways of presenting content materials and make school learning more interesting. Implications for the design of future iterations of "Watershed Explorers" to enhance learning are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of 41 stream water samples of the Lo River catchment, Ha Giang province, collected in dry season was analyzed for pH, major cation and anion, trace element concentrations. The stream waters exhibits a midly acidic to alkaline, meanwhile, the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) values have a wide range of 17.4–284.9 mg L–1. Among major cations and anions, the stream water within the Lo River catchment is characterized by the predominant presence of Ca2+ and . This compositional pattern gives rise to the emergence of the Ca–Mg–HCO3 water type as the most dominant species, followed by Na–Cl, Ca–Mg–Cl–SO4 and Na–HCO3–Cl types. However, the distribution of these water types corresponds closely with the geological conditions, with Na–Cl type prevailing in the watershed of granite complex, while watersheds characterized by lithologies such as Quaternary sediments, limestone, marble, shale, schist, and sandstone primarily exhibit the Ca–Mg–HCO3 water type. The dominant reaction in the water system is the dissolution of carbonate minerals, like calcite and dolomite, followed by the contribution of modest rainfall during the dry season, and small-scale processes of mixing and cation exchange. Comparison of major ions and trace element with technical standard reveal the stream waters are generally deemed suitable for the routine activities of the local population in Ha Giang province. However, stream water of a few specific sites may require treatment before these waters can be safely utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant portion of hyperspectral image (HSI) analysis involves detecting anomalous pixels, which are indicative of interesting phenomena or objects. One of the main challenges is the presence of outlier and noisy pixels in background data due to the variety of spectral signatures in heterogeneous HSIs. This article presents an effective approach using both spectral and spatial features for anomaly detection. The median filter with an appropriate size driven by using the principal component information is used for cleaning the background. Then, the image is segmented using the watershed approach. The anomaly detection occurs based on the spatial resolution by calculating each pixel's distance from its segment via spectral angle or Euclidean distance. The proposed Watershed Anomaly Detector (WAD), employs spatial features to segment the HSI properly. It also uses spectral features within each segment to detect anomalous pixels. The WAD outperforms other methods due to its simplicity and conceptual clarity. Notably, its underlying equation offers broader applicability for HSI segmentation tasks. Experiments on three benchmark datasets show WAD achieves higher accuracy and faster execution versus state-of-the-art techniques. On average across the datasets and methods, WAD attained a 6.45% higher area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and ran 26.95 s faster than other detectors. The WAD effectively detects anomalies in varied spectral and spatial resolutions. The results highlight the stability, robustness and computational efficiency of the proposed approach across diverse data. The simultaneous effectiveness and efficiency make WAD well-suited for near real-time anomaly detection applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente is the property of Universidade Federal do Parana 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 Keduang Sub-Watershed area has faced multiple natural disasters like landslides, erosion, and flooding because of the poorly managed terrain in the area. This study examines the distribution of the slaking index on agricultural land in the Keduang Sub-Watershed, analyzes the impact of soil type on it, and identifies the soil physical elements that have the most significant influence on it. The study took place in the Keduang Sub-Watershed, Indonesia, utilizing agricultural land from woods, plantations, drylands, and paddy fields with Andisols, Alfisols, Inceptisols, and Entisols soil types. This survey research was supported by laboratory analysis of the soil's physical and chemical properties and used GIS for data interpretation. Soil samples were collected from 22 Land Map Units (LMUs) with 3 replications each, resulting in 66 samples. The SLAKES software assesses the primary parameter, the slaking index. The supporting parameters analyzed were aggregate stability, bulk density, texture, structure, pH, organic C, and Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC). The research showed that soil types in the Keduang Sub-Watershed significantly affect the slaking index value. The slaking index ranged from 0.13-11.63, with the highest values for Andisols in a forest, while the lowest values were Inceptisols in a plantation. The allophane mineral in Andisols was causing the high slaking index. The soil factors determining the slaking index were bulk density and exchangeable K. The lower the bulk density, the higher the slaking index. Meanwhile, the lower the exchangeable K, the lower the slaking index. The land management recommendations based on determinant factors are adding organic material and reducing soil cultivation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Düzce University Journal of Forestry / Düzce Üniversitesi Orman Fakültesi Ormancılık Dergisi is the property of Duzce University 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.)