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The main objective of this study was to determine the relation between soil profile development and landscape. For this purpose, a field survey was carried out on the same topography and climate to determine the soil profile development degree on different parent materials in the Korudağ Catena (Çanakkale, northwest Turkey). Seven soil profiles were excavated (each 50 m elevation between 350 and 50 m) and described based on soil taxonomy. Profile development index values of soils were calculated to compare and quantify soil horizon properties with their parent materials. The data were collected through field study and physicochemical analyses. Nine characteristics including rubification, color paling, color lightening, melanization, carbonate morphology, moist consistence, dry consistence, pH, texture and structure, were evaluated to calculate the profile development index. This index was calculated as P7 > P1 > P2 > P3 > P5 > P6 > P4, respectively. The P7 profile on the footslope position has the highest profile development due to higher moisture content and the chemical weathering process. The lowest profile development was observed in P4. This profile's topographic position (shoulder) and vegetative density are the major reason. The effect of steepness, curvature, and vegetation on controlling profile development was obvious at the P4 on the shoulder position. In the Korudağ Catena, vegetative density, slope and slope length, elevation difference, and moisture content control the pedogenic process and profile development. This study also showed the profile development changing in a catena with the same aspect, where morphological changes occur on similar parent materials at similar ages but at short distances due to erosion storage processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical buildings have inhabited every epoch of history. Some of these built legacies are now in ruins and dying whilst others are somewhat undamaged. Knowledge of conservation techniques available today has allowed us to understand more innovative ways of conserving the built heritage. Such techniques are, however, incompatible with the building materials available in our historical epoch and environment. People seek to reclaim the forgotten cultural heritage in the midst of the heritage conservation era while bearing in mind that previous work seldom takes into account the inventive preservation methods of today. This study aims to explore the innovative built heritage conservation practice in the Kano metropolis, to detect deterioration and incorporate traditional wisdom and contemporary innovation according to modern urban development. The study adopted qualitative research with a descriptive approach. The descriptive research explains, examines, and interprets prevailing practices, existing situations, attitudes, reasons, and on-going processes, while the qualitative research approach uses spatial analysis methods (direct assessment of physical characteristics of the selected buildings) and focus group discussion (FGD) sessions with the custodians, prominent elderly persons, or ward head (Mai Unguwa) from each of the selected buildings. In this work, we found it necessary to survey 29 historical buildings of which three of the historic buildings from pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial architecture were purposively sampled for inclusion. This is on the basis of their value formation, processes, phenomena, and typology. The findings reveal that deterioration is due to decaying plaster and paint, moist walls, deformed openings, sagging roofs, wall cracks, roof leakages, exit spouts, stains, and corrosion. Other factors include microbes and termite attacks, inappropriate use and neglect, civilization, and inappropriate funding. Conservation was performed to avert the amount of decay while the techniques in practice are documentation methods and treatment interventions with no implementation of diagnostic methods. It further unveils the potential benefits of local treatment, as evidenced by the intervention at the Dorayi palace segment, the use of "makuba" (milled locust bean pod) to stabilize the geotechnical performance of "tubali" (local mud bricks) to improve its potency. This milled locust bean pod also serves as the water repellent consolidant in "laso" (local) plaster, which has proven to be eco-friendly, non-toxic, and effective in wall rendering. The need for immediate implementation of diagnosis techniques in the conservation of architectural heritage in the municipality and elsewhere in Nigeria and beyond is eminent. Intervention and implementation of policies, appropriate funding, and mobilization, raising awareness and sensitization on the value, significance, and state of affairs of our cultural heritage is also paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People-oriented landscape experiences have become the focus of park design with the increasing demand of outdoor activities from urban residents, whereas thermal-comfort-guided landscape design has attracted more attention in academic circles. Based on the investigation of the microclimate of typical subregions in riverside parks, this paper uses AI recognition to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of camping crowds, and considers the correlation between landscape morphological parameters, microclimates, and crowd behavior. Finally, we built a model to raise the number of landscape optimization strategies for landscape design. The results show that landscape morphological parameters, such as tree height, crown canopy, and sky visibility factor (SVF), can significantly affect the air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), and physiological temperature (PET) in an environment, while hardly affecting wind speed (WS). For microclimate parameters, Ta has a moderate correlation with camping behavior, with a correlation coefficient of −0.145 and a p-value of 0.040, while the corresponding correlation with PET was non-significant with a p-value of 0.622. The temporal distribution of the number of campers per day show a linear upward trend with a reasonable goodness-of-fit, with an adjusted R2 above 0.789 for all subregions. The model based on landscape morphological parameters has a good fit, with coefficients of tree height and crown canopy of −0.195 and 1.316, respectively. This study provides theoretical support and design suggestions for the design of riverside parks based on crowd behavior patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical buildings have inhabited every epoch of history. Some of these built legacies are now in ruins and dying whilst others are somewhat undamaged. Knowledge of conservation techniques available today has allowed us to understand more innovative ways of conserving the built heritage. Such techniques are, however, incompatible with the building materials available in our historical epoch and environment. People seek to reclaim the forgotten cultural heritage in the midst of the heritage conservation era while bearing in mind that previous work seldom takes into account the inventive preservation methods of today. This study aims to explore the innovative built heritage conservation practice in the Kano metropolis, to detect deterioration and incorporate traditional wisdom and contemporary innovation according to modern urban development. The study adopted qualitative research with a descriptive approach. The descriptive research explains, examines, and interprets prevailing practices, existing situations, attitudes, reasons, and on-going processes, while the qualitative research approach uses spatial analysis methods (direct assessment of physical characteristics of the selected buildings) and focus group discussion (FGD) sessions with the custodians, prominent elderly persons, or ward head (Mai Unguwa) from each of the selected buildings. In this work, we found it necessary to survey 29 historical buildings of which three of the historic buildings from pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial architecture were purposively sampled for inclusion. This is on the basis of their value formation, processes, phenomena, and typology. The findings reveal that deterioration is due to decaying plaster and paint, moist walls, deformed openings, sagging roofs, wall cracks, roof leakages, exit spouts, stains, and corrosion. Other factors include microbes and termite attacks, inappropriate use and neglect, civilization, and inappropriate funding. Conservation was performed to avert the amount of decay while the techniques in practice are documentation methods and treatment interventions with no implementation of diagnostic methods. It further unveils the potential benefits of local treatment, as evidenced by the intervention at the Dorayi palace segment, the use of “makuba” (milled locust bean pod) to stabilize the geotechnical performance of “tubali” (local mud bricks) to improve its potency. This milled locust bean pod also serves as the water repellent consolidant in “laso” (local) plaster, which has proven to be eco-friendly, non-toxic, and effective in wall rendering. The need for immediate implementation of diagnosis techniques in the conservation of architectural heritage in the municipality and elsewhere in Nigeria and beyond is eminent. Intervention and implementation of policies, appropriate funding, and mobilization, raising awareness and sensitization on the value, significance, and state of affairs of our cultural heritage is also paramount.

People-oriented landscape experiences have become the focus of park design with the increasing demand of outdoor activities from urban residents, whereas thermal-comfort-guided landscape design has attracted more attention in academic circles. Based on the investigation of the microclimate of typical subregions in riverside parks, this paper uses AI recognition to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of camping crowds, and considers the correlation between landscape morphological parameters, microclimates, and crowd behavior. Finally, we built a model to raise the number of landscape optimization strategies for landscape design. The results show that landscape morphological parameters, such as tree height, crown canopy, and sky visibility factor (SVF), can significantly affect the air temperature (Ta), relative humidity (RH), and physiological temperature (PET) in an environment, while hardly affecting wind speed (WS). For microclimate parameters, Ta has a moderate correlation with camping behavior, with a correlation coefficient of −0.145 and a p-value of 0.040, while the corresponding correlation with PET was non-significant with a p-value of 0.622. The temporal distribution of the number of campers per day show a linear upward trend with a reasonable goodness-of-fit, with an adjusted R2 above 0.789 for all subregions. The model based on landscape morphological parameters has a good fit, with coefficients of tree height and crown canopy of −0.195 and 1.316, respectively. This study provides theoretical support and design suggestions for the design of riverside parks based on crowd behavior patterns.

Previous studies on semi‐arid ecosystems have shown high values of soil moisture variability (SMV) primarily induced by the combined effects of non‐uniform precipitation, incoming solar radiation, and soil and vegetation properties. However, the relative impact of these various factors on SMV has been difficult to evaluate due to limited availability of field data. In addition, only a limited number of studies have analysed the role of landscape morphology on SMV. Here we use numerical simulations of a simple hydrological model, the Bucket Grassland Model, to systematically analyse the effect of each contributing factor on SMV on two different landscape morphologies. The two different landform morphologies represent landscapes dominated respectively by either diffusive erosion or fluvial erosion processes. We conducted various simulations driven by a stochastically generated 100‐year climate time series, which is long enough to capture climatic fluctuations, in order to understand the effect of various soil moisture controlling factors on the spatiotemporal SMV. Our modelling results show that the fluvial dominated landscapes promote higher spatial SMV than the diffusive dominated ones. Further, the role of landform morphology on SMV is more pronounced in regions where the spatial variability of incoming solar radiation and precipitation is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report discusses the results and layout of a design research studio focused on applying methods related to speculation and imagination. Three main findings are presented: a review of six methods that can direct designerly speculations; development of 11 'landscape city' scenarios; and a discussion of the role design 'challenges' can play in studio research settings. These outcomes reveal that creative discoveries are not bound to elaborative final outcomes only. Some of the intermediate results, particularly those with explicit habit-breaking effects on the imagination of the designers involved, and the process-driven materials produced, are equally valuable. This report seeks a reconsideration of the presentation and sharing of research results through designing, moving from the familiar focus on high-end, 'glossy' finalisations towards those more revealing of intermediate and abstract products of inquiry. In conclusion, an argument is made as to what can be framed as an 'imagination gap' that suggests possibility operates as a counterpoint to empiricism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The driving factors of the PCII were assessed using a novel SEM approach. • The SEM considers interactions between temperatures inside and outside the park. • Landscape patterns inside and outside the park jointly impact the PCII. • Increasing park size and optimizing park tree cover pattern enhance the PCII. • Parks should be built in the hot areas of the city. Urban parks have significant cooling effects that alleviate the urban heat island (UHI). The park cool island intensity (PCII), the temperature difference between outside and inside a park, is a widely used indicator of a park's cooling ability. Understanding the driving factors of the PCII is crucial for better urban park planning and management. Taking the subtropical city of Changsha, China, as a case study, factors such as the landscape patterns inside and outside a park and the geometric morphology of a park were investigated, based on 153 urban parks. A novel simultaneous equation modeling (SEM) approach was used to account for the mutual interactions between the temperatures of a park and its buffer. The results show that: (1) Park geometric morphology and landscape patterns inside and outside the park all significantly impact the PCII. Specifically, doubling the park size can increase the PCII by 0.8 K. Increasing by ten percent the tree cover and water cover in the park can enhance the PCII by 0.12 K and 0.41 K, respectively. Increasing the mean tree patch size by 1 ha can increase the PCII by 0.43 K. Decreasing by one unit the mean tree patch shape index can increase the PCII by 0.31 K. (2) An elasticity analysis, which measures the PCII percent change resulting from one percent change in a driving factor, indicates the relative importance ranking of these driving factors: percent cover of impervious surface outside the park (0.77), park size (0.72), percent cover of tree within the park (0.51), percent cover of water within the park (0.12), and mean patch size of tree cover within the park (0.086). To enhance the PCII, we recommend building parks in the hot areas of the city, increasing their size, increasing the percentages of tree cover and water cover in the park, and optimizing the spatial configuration of the tree cover in the park (i.e., aggregating trees in a smaller number of large patches and reducing the irregularity of tree patches). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greater Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Empire from the ninth to the fourteenth centuries a.d. The rulers of Angkor left behind magnificent temples, along with extensive, centrally planned landscapes and massive urban complexes. However, the landscape of Greater Angkor also represents a decentralized planning tradition. This article addresses the different scales of economic landscapes at Greater Angkor: from massive rice-field superstructures watered by artificial irrigation, to smaller patches of fields organized around local temples and ponds. Contrary to widely accepted views, the design of extensive cultural landscapes does not require the presence of an elite controlling authority, or the guidance of a commonly conceived plan. Within Greater Angkor, the design of extensive landscapes often occurred at the local level, most likely involving local traditions rather than abstract, centrally approved plans. The relationship between centralized and decentralized planning traditions is investigated using a topographic classification of the landscape based on extensive mapping from remote sensed imagery from 2007-2010. Covering 1000 km2 of rice fields, and including 22,000 km of rice-field bunds, the topographic classification of the rice-field systems reveals two very different ways of building. These two systems are best described as coaxial systems and cardinal systems: both suggest dramatically different development models and socioeconomic frame-works. The two different, and extensive, development processes had a lasting physical impact on the resulting landscapes, and are still actively used today. This article discusses the evidence for both central and local plans as well as more complicated examples, where both central and local plans seem to have influenced the design of landscapes. Illustrated examples of centrally planned landscapes and local approaches to planning landscapes demonstrate this premise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: It has been observed that landslide size distribution shows power-law scaling for large landslide areas, with a roll-over for landslides below a certain threshold which frequently coincides with the modal peak of the distribution. The physical reasons leading to this distribution are not yet fully understood. The analysis of non-cumulative size distribution of two landslide inventories in the Italian Alps confirms the existence of a power-law scaling with exponent of 2.56±0.02, and demonstrates that the roll-over is not due to under-sampling since it occurs at landslide sizes significantly larger than mapping resolution. The control of topography on landslide size distribution is investigated by a topographic analysis using the virtual tiling method. We observe a power-law scaling of topography with a roll-over for finer scales, which is comparable with that of landslide size distribution. The control of material properties on landslide size and geometry is examined through deterministic and probabilistic 2D limit-equilibrium slope stability analyses. Incoherent materials favour shallow landslides with no limitation in size; cohesive materials favour deep landslides and show a limitation for small sizes. Multilayered materials with depth-dependent strength show a limitation for both small and large landslides. The joint probability of (1) the probability that a slope with a given size and slope gradient is unstable (i.e., failure probability from probabilistic stability analysis) and (2) the probability that a slope with a given size and slope gradient exists (topographic analysis) allows to build synthetic size distributions which show both power-law scaling and roll-over. For multilayered materials, we obtain a scaling exponent of the power law of 2.58±0.02. We suggest that the power-law scaling in landslide size distribution results, in the study area, from the constraint of topography and the presence of multilayered materials or depth-dependent strength. The roll-over is an intrinsic characteristic of the size distribution, due to the contribution of cohesion to slope stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Natural systems undergo processes, flows, and rhythms that differ from those of urban sociocultural systems. While the former takes place over eras or many generations, the latter may occur within years or even months. Natural systems change includes no principle of intentional progress or enhancement of complexity. In contrast, sociocultural systems change occurs through inherited characteristics, learning, and cultural transmission [1]. Both are dynamic, heterogeneous, and vulnerable to regime shifts, and are inextricably linked. The interrelations among natural and anthropogenic factors affecting sustainability vary spatially and temporally. This paper focuses on landscape changes along the Carioca River valley in Rio de Janeiro, located in the Brazilian Neotropical Southeastern Region, and its implications for local urban sustainability. The study incorporates a transdisciplinary approach that integrates landscape ecology and urban morphology methodologies to gauge landscape change and assess social-ecological systems dynamics. The methodology includes a variety of landscape change assessments; including on-site landscape ecological, landscape morphology, biological and urbanistic surveys, to gauge urban watershed quality. It presents an adapted inventory for assessment of urban tropical rivers, Neotropical Urban Stream Visual Assessment Protocol (NUSVAP), and correlates the level of stream and rainforest integrity to local urban environmental patterns and processes. How can urban regional land managers, planners and communities work together to promote shifts toward more desirable configurations and processes? An understanding of the transient behavior of social-ecological systems and how they respond to change and disturbance is fundamental to building appropriate management strategies and fostering resilience, regenerative capacity, and sustainable development in urban watersheds. The sociocultural patterns, processes and dynamics of Rio's hillsides suggest that increasing the multifunctionality, flexibility, adaptability and connectivity of open spaces may influence carrying, adaptive and regenerative capacities of urban landscape systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses landscape changes during the late Bronze Age and early iron age periods in north-west Europe, focusing on the deforestation of former wood-pasture landscapes as a result of the growth of land under cultivation. Notable features of the period in densely populated areas include planned allotments with open landscapes. Landscape morphologies shifted from natural curvilinear features to those featuring rectilinearity. Other topics considered include landscape perception, shapes of ritual enclosures and burial monuments, and the field system.

The article discusses research study on the distribution of macrofaunal grazers on a spatially patterned intertidal flat in Westerschelde, The Netherlands. The study utilized two gazers hydrobia ulvae and corophium volutator and measured the distribution of macrofaunal and benthic algae on the Kapellebank intertidal flat. The study reveals the major role played by grazers to control vegetation distribution in ecosystems as well as the effect of macrobenthic herbivores on intertidal flat.

This article reports the findings on analyses of landscape morphology by density and green space distribution of the Stockholm county region, correlations between morphology and socio-economic data and assessments of two regional development scenarios for 2030 modelled in the proposed regional plan (The Office of Regional Planning and Urban Transportation in Stockholm 2010). Today, Stockholm is a relatively green and spacious metropolitan region with a small compact city core. We found the correlations between compactness (product of floor area and nature recreation area) and highly mixed parcels (R2 = 0.729, p < 0.001), between compactness and overweight (R2 = 0.47, p < 0.001) and between accessibility to nature recreation and reduced psychological well-being (R2 = 0.40, p < 0.001). It seems that new housing developments and income levels are driven by compactness in the city centre and spaciousness (quotient of nature recreation area and floor area) in the suburban periphery. The scenario FORDELAD is more spread out and spacious in the periphery and the scenario TAT is more compacted in the city centre; however, both scenarios decrease in compactness and spaciousness in the inner suburbs. We consider that the decline in spaciousness in inner suburbia would be accepted if compactness also increased a situation that is not part of either scenario. The apparent risk of this development is that suburbia will lose its attractiveness and this will fall to a level that it will fuel even more peripheral sprawl. With support from the correlation studies and other sprawl research, we suggest that this planned development could have severe negative consequences for sustainability and attractiveness, which are claimed to be the core goals in the proposed regional plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper examines the relationship between land surface properties (e.g. soil, vegetation, and lithology) and landscape morphology quantified by the catchment descriptors: the slope–area (S–A) relation, curvature–area (C–A) relation, and the cumulative area distribution (CAD), in two semi-arid basins in central New Mexico. The first site is composed of several basins located in today''s desert elevations with mesic north-facing and xeric south-facing hillslopes underlain by different lithological formations. The second site is a mountainous basin exhibiting vegetation gradients from shrublands in the lower elevations to grasslands and forests at higher elevations. All three land surface properties were found to have significant influences on the S–A and C– A relations, while the power-law exponents of the CADs for these properties did not show any significant deviations from the narrow range of universal scaling exponents reported in the literature. Among the three different surface properties we investigated, vegetation had the most profound impact on the catchment descriptors. In the S–A diagrams of the aspect-controlled ecosystems, we found steeper slopes in north-facing aspects than south-facing aspects for a given drainage area. In elevation-controlled ecosystems, forested landscapes exhibited the steepest slopes for the range of drainage areas examined, followed by shrublands and grasslands in all soil textures and lithologies. In the C–A diagrams, steeper slopes led to a higher degree of divergence on hillslopes and a higher degree of convergence in the valleys than shallower slopes. The influence of functional types of vegetation detected on observed topography provided some initial understanding of the potential impacts of life on the organization of topography. This finding also emphasizes the critical role of climate in catchment development. We suggest that climatic fluctuations that are capable of replacing vegetation communities could lead to highly amplified hydrological and geomorphic responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ‘Lluta collapse’ of northern Chile is one of the oldest recognizable landslides (>2.5 Ma) in a hyperarid continental setting. This paper develops a conceptual landscape evolution model of the ‘Lluta collapse’ and analyzes the controls of mass wasting and erosion/sediment transport in channels on the topographic development. The data presented here imply that high relief along a topographic scarp, surface fracturing, elevated groundwater table during a more humid climate and an aquitard underlying permeable ignimbrites are preparatory causal factors for landsliding >2.5 Ma ago. A strong seismic event then possibly resulted in the displacement of ca. 26 km3 of mass. Subsequent modification of the landslide scar occurred by backward erosion, resulting in the establishment of a dendritic drainage network and the removal of an additional ca. 24 km3 of material. It appears that this mass was produced by mass wasting in the headwaters, and exported by high-concentrated debris flows in channels. In addition, morphometric information suggest that whereas the geometrical development of the ‘Lluta collapse’ has been controlled by gravitational mass wasting, the rates of the development of this geomorphic unit have been limited by the export rates of mass and hence by the transport capacity of the flows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Badlands are present throughout the world, but not everywhere do they have the same morphology. The main objective of this study is to try to understand why these different morphologies occur by analysing the physical-chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the parental material in which badlands have developed. The study was carried out in three areas of the Region of Murcia (south-east Spain): Abanilla, Mula and Gebas. Several analyses were carried out: (i) field analysis (orientation, slope, length and shape of the slope, presence and characteristics of the rills, vegetation, vegetation pedestals, exposed roots, stoniness, physical and biological crusts, saline efflorescence, cracks, popcorn, piping processes, sedimentation areas and mass movements); (ii) physical-chemical analysis of the soils (colour, texture, aggregate stability, bulk density, organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity, cations and cation exchange capacity, total or equivalent calcium carbonate, sodium absorption ratio and exchangeable sodium percentage); and (iii) mineralogical analysis. The results of the analyses reveal how the rounded shapes in the badlands that appear in Abanilla have significant differences with respect to the angled shapes of Mula and Gebas, which could explain the different morphologies. In general, Abanilla has very small amount of sand, higher bulk density, small amount of organic matter, lower cation exchange capacity, and very high salinity, as shown in the values of electrical conductivity, sodio, SAR and ESP. On the other hand, similarities were found between the badlands of the Region of Murcia with the calanchi (angled shapes) and biancane (rounded shapes) of Italy. • Badlands are present throughout the world, but not everywhere do they have the same morphology. • Some physical-chemical characteristics of the parent material may explain the differences in the badland morphologies found. • Similar characteristics of the badlands studied in Murcia (Spain) have been found in the calanchi and Biancana of Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]