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Termites are important ecosystem engineers in many ecosystems globally. Hence, surveys of termite species composition, abundance and activity can be important for understanding ecosystem function—especially in biomes where they tend to be abundant, such as tropical savannas. However, comprehensively surveying termites can be challenging due to their cryptic nature and varied feeding and nesting habits, which strongly influence the effectiveness of different survey methods. Baiting and active searches of reduced transects are two methods commonly used to sample termites, and while these methods have been evaluated in the savannas of South Africa, this has not occurred in the extensive tropical savannas of northern Australia. Thus, this study evaluated the effectiveness of baits and reduced transects to assess termite species richness and activity across 18 × 1 ha experimental plots in a tropical savanna near Darwin, Australia. Surveys in each plot consisted of two 60 × 2 m transects and a 9 × 3 baiting grid of alternating buried wood and paper baits and surface straw baits. Baits were checked three times: at 4‐, 7‐ and 10‐week intervals following placement. Upon survey completion, the sampling effort, efficacy and costs of each method were compared. Reduced transects detected all 32 species recorded in this study, representing four feeding groups (from undecayed wood to highly decayed organic material in the soil). Baiting detected 20 species, but failed to detect some of the species that fed on decayed materials. Paper baits, checked only twice (at 4 and 10 weeks following placement), were required to detect all species sampled at both wood and paper baits. Therefore, overall baiting costs could be reduced (without data loss) by using paper baits only and reducing the number of bait checks. Compared with baiting using all three bait types, reduced transects detected the most species and had the lowest per‐species cost. Consequently, reduced transect surveys are the most effective method in these northern Australian savannas when assessing species composition. However, if the abundance of species that feed on undecayed wood or levels of termite activity are being assessed, then reduced baiting is a more appropriate method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Flood spreading has emerged as one of the most important management strategies for soil and water resources in arid and semi-arid areas, gaining attention from researchers worldwide in recent decades. This technique has been implemented in various watersheds globally to address the critical issue of moisture scarcity, which is a significant factor limiting plant growth in these regions. The flood spreading system not only supplies moisture for plants but also helps recharge underground aquifers, making it one of the most innovative methods developed for water management in arid and semi-arid environments. By effectively utilizing floodwaters that would otherwise be lost, flood spreading offers a viable solution for enhancing water resources and supporting sustainable agricultural practices in these challenging landscapes. Methodology In this study, we investigated vegetation density, regeneration, trends, and the condition of rangelands at the Abbarik Bam flood spreading station. To assess the effect of flood spreading on vegetation cover, we identified the site with the most flooding, located away from tree cover, and established four transects, each 100 meters long and spaced 15 meters apart, parallel to the distribution channels. Ten plots were installed along each transect, with a distance of 10 meters between them. At the end of the one-year period, we compared the collected data to accurately assess the changes in the flood spreading environment relative to a control environment, both of which were selected for grazing exclusion. This comparison allowed for an informed evaluation of the effects of flood spreading on vegetation density in the area. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design in a randomized complete block format with four replications. The main plots included flooded, non-flooded, and control areas, while the subplots encompassed five vegetative forms: perennial grasses, perennial forbs, annual grasses, annual forbs, and density parameters were recorded. Results The results also revealed that the density of forb plants was 2.6 times higher in flood-free plots and 4.2 times higher in flooded plots compared to the control area. In contrast, the density of perennial grasses was 0.1 times lower in flood-free plots and 0.05 times lower in flooded plots than the control area. The density of perennial broadleaf plants was 1.7 times higher in both floodfree and flooded plots compared to the control area. Interestingly, the density of annual grasses was 30.78 times higher in flood-free plots and 6.3 times higher in flooded plots than the control area. Finally, the density of annual broadleaf plants was 2.4 times higher in flood-free plots and 5.1 times higher in flooded plots compared to the control area. Conclusion The results indicated that the highest average vegetation density in flood-free plots was associated with the annual grasses, followed closely by annual broadleaf plants. In the control plots, the highest average vegetation density was found in annual broadleaf plants, followed by perennial grasses. Additionally, the impact of vegetative form on vegetation density was greatest for annual wheat and annual broadleaf plants, while shrub plants exhibited the lowest density. Therefore, the observed differences in vegetation cover between flooded and flood-free areas in the study region may be attributed to factors such as moisture content, nutrient availability, the accumulation of fine-grained sediments, root and bud choking, and reduced soil permeability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article offers an analysis of the territories and landscapes altered by agro-industrial approaches fostered by productive goals. Given that these alterations are complex in nature and interwoven within different scales, urban planning and landscape architecture need new tools and critical approaches to help us understand and reinterpret the complexity of these alterations. The aim is to understand which tools can be used and how they can be combined to explore these landscapes and represent their complexity. The transect is thus seen as a possible exploratory and analytical experimental approach which is at the crossroads of urban planning and landscape architecture. The contribution is the fruit of doctoral research and is organised around the account of a transect journey made in the region of Vendée, a hybrid urban-rural territory and the birthplace of an ancient local production system specialised in the agri-food sector. Based on a first-hand account, the article proposes a journey organised along four sub-transects from the heart of the Bocage to the Atlantic coast of La Faute-sur-mer. The transect combines sensitive experiences, scientific investigation, the collection of testimonials and cartographic research. It brings to the surface the latent tensions and conflicts linked to the alterations affecting the landscape and its inhabitants. The transect is therefore a relevant tool both for revealing and understanding the complexity of altered landscapes and for thinking about alteration as a lever for creating a new approach to territory and landscape.

Plant pH is an emerging functional trait that plays important roles in physiological processes and nutrient cycling. However, how root pH varies among plant functional groups (PFGs) and the regulatory factors on a large scale remain unclear. Therefore, we quantified root pH variation of herbaceous plants in four PFGs from 20 sites on the Tibetan Plateau along a 1600 km transect and explored the correlations between root pH and different PFGs, climate and soil conditions. The results showed that the root pH of herbaceous plants was slightly acidic (6.46 ± 0.05). Grasses had the highest root pH (6.91 ± 0.10) across all functional groups (p <.05), whereas legumes had the lowest (5.90 ± 0.08; p <.05). The root pH decreased with mean annual precipitation, aridity index, soil water content and soil stress coefficient, whereas the significant positive correlation with soil pH. PFGs, climate and soil explained 5.39, 11.15 and 24.94% of the root pH variance, respectively. This study provided a comprehensive analysis of root pH patterns in herbaceous plants over a large spatial scale. Root pH was controlled by the combined influence of PFGs, climate and soil properties, with moisture status being the main influential factor. In contrast to the leaf pH, the root pH of herbaceous plants is strongly affected by the soil pH along environmental gradients. Our findings provide new insights into root functional traits and survival strategies of herbaceous plants in alpine ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Scophularia striata Boiss plant from Scrophulariaceae family. In western states of Iran, a plant of Snapdragon has traditional medical usage. It utilize as a disinfectant and for treatment of stomach ulcer, infection of eyes and ears in the western regions of the country. Different parts of the Scophularia striata have different medicinal properties. So that the leaf extract of the plant has an inhibitory effect on the growth of fibroblasts and its seed extract stimulates the growth of the cell. Materials and Methods: Spatial distribution and species diversity of Scophularia striata was evaluated in Siahkouh region of Dehloran in 2020 with the aim of determining the appropriate distribution pattern of sampling and selection of the environmental factors affecting the species diversity of medicinal plants. Random sampling carried out according to w pattern in three altitudes (205-605, 605-1005 and 1005-1405 m) and two directs: West and East. Spatial distribution was evaluated by distribution indices, Taylor and Iwao models and diversity indicators. Results and Discussion: Different parts of Siahkuh Dehloran region have different distribution and diversity and with increasing the distribution height, the Scophularia striata becomes random and the diversity of species was uniform. All comparative methods showed that the distribution in the elevation class 1405-1005 was not significant. Shannon-Wiener and Simpson species diversity index also showed significant differences in three altitudes and two East and West directions of Siahkuh region. The results showed the highest value of Taylor and Iwao coefficient in west direction of altitude 605-1005 were 1.05 and 1.06 for Taylor and 1.18 and 1.17 for Iwao respectively, which Iwao model fitted better than Taylor model according to R2 and P obtained from 605-1005 altitude. Other indices values indicated the most amount of coefficient was in 205-605 m altitude and west direction. There are significant differences between the values of diversity indices in 3 altitudes and 2 directions of West and East (P≤0.05), too. The most and lowest amounts of Shannon-Weiner index were 0.76 and 1.23 for 205-605 and 1005-1405 m altitudes, respectively. Also, among the various indices, Morisita was better than others to show the distribution pattern of the Scophularia striata. Conclusion: The results showed that spatial distribution of the medicinal plant S. striata was cumulative in different indices and distribution pattern was randomly, species diversity decreased and uniformity amount enhanced by addition of altitudes. By comparing the diversity of species and distribution of Scophularia striata in other regions of the country and comparing with the results of this research, the best conditions can evaluate for physiological growth of the plant in terms of temperature, altitude, amount of sunlight, soil conditions etc. The results of the present study can also be used in studies related to modeling the sampling of medicinal plants and suggesting suitable breeding species to restore the vegetation of degraded species. Evaluation the distribution pattern in different plants can help to preserve rare species of medicinal and ornamental plants. Especially in the case of endangered plants, whether by humans or by livestock or natural disasters, the largest number of plant species can be found with similar research, in an area with a specific distribution pattern to achieve its full purpose with cost reduction used to maintain that species. In addition, determining the distribution pattern with the study of species diversity in different regions can help the researcher to determine what environmental or soil conditions in that region have caused the growth of these particular species, and the relationship between these plants. It is even possible to try in breeding programs for cossing between similar species and genera with close relationship to increase species diversity in that area and reduce the risk of extinction in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Plant pH is an emerging functional trait that plays important roles in physiological processes and nutrient cycling. However, how root pH varies among plant functional groups (PFGs) and the regulatory factors on a large scale remain unclear. Therefore, we quantified root pH variation of herbaceous plants in four PFGs from 20 sites on the Tibetan Plateau along a 1600 km transect and explored the correlations between root pH and different PFGs, climate and soil conditions. The results showed that the root pH of herbaceous plants was slightly acidic (6.46 ± 0.05). Grasses had the highest root pH (6.91 ± 0.10) across all functional groups (p

Resumen La presente investigación realiza un análisis y caracterización de la calidad de vida urbana de la ciudad de Valparaíso Chile, estudiando el medio ambiente construido considerando una perspectiva multiescalar y transversal, desde el Plan (faja entre el borde mar y el borde acantilado), siendo la zona consolidada de la ciudad, hacia los cerros incendiados en el año 2014. Esto permitirá observar cómo se encuentra conformada la ciudad a 9 años del desastre. En este contexto, el objetivo de la investigación es generar aportes respecto a cómo las condiciones urbanas y la planificación territorial, o falta de ella, inciden en la calidad de vida de los habitantes, afectando la satisfacción de las necesidades humanas. La utilización de un enfoque mixto permitirá combinar el análisis cualitativo y cuantitativo de trabajo a partir de cartografía – transecto, entrevista semi-estructurada y estadística descriptiva abarcando el carácter multidimensional de la investigación. AbstractThis research conducted an analysis and characterization of the quality of urban life in the city of Valparaíso Chile, studying the built environment from a cross-sectional and multiscale perspective, from the Plan (the area between the coastline and the cliff edge), being the consolidated area of the city, to the hills burned in 2014. Thus, it will be possible to observe how the city is conformed after 9 years from the disaster. In this context, the objective of the research is to generate contributions regarding how urban conditions and territorial planning, or lack of it, affect the quality of life of the residents, affecting the satisfaction of human needs. The use of a mixed approach will enable the combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis using transect mapping, semi-structured interviews, and descriptive statistics, encompassing the multidimensional nature of the research.

Copyright of Bulletin de la Societe Zoologique de France is the property of Societe Zoologique de France 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.)

Social-ecological systems evolve in cycles of ecological adaptation increasing the resilience of places. The aim of this article is to present the design and implementation processes of the Outdoor Cinema and Activity Area Project which are applied on one of the valley floors in Mugla Sitki Koçman University’s Main Campus. The project was carried out by using the eco-design approach as the method of design and planning based on the concepts of panarchy and transect having roots in the studies of Patrick Geddes. The criteria adopted for the design of the project area were determined by the survey-analysis-design process within the framework of the opportunities offered by the land in the interaction of nature and human beings. In line with the basic design criteria, the application phase of the project was completed and the Outdoor Cinema and Activity Area were put into service.

The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is considered one of the largest carnivores inhabiting different territories including coniferous and broad-leaved forests, extending from sea level to the elevation of 4300 m. The Kaghan and Siran Valleys in Pakistan's District Mansehra were the location of the current study. To evaluate the altitudinal distribution and seasonal movement of Asiatic black bears in the region, we used three approaches (sign distribution survey, questionnaire-based survey, and scat collecting). A total of 1858 bear signs were observed during the field survey, the highest number of signs was dig marks (1213) followed by plant uprooting. Dig marks (MER: 7.574) were observed repeatedly in each potential site of both valleys followed by plant uprooting (MER: 1.594). Similarly, the altitudinal distribution of black bears was determined through the frequency of signs concerning elevation (m). Elevation of the study area ranged from 1300 to 3500 m and the most abundant population was recorded at the elevation of 2501–3000 m followed by 2001–2500 m. About 52% of local communities encountered black bears during the summer season in the field followed by Spring (23%.8) and winter (15.3%). Manshi Reserver forest (24.5%) from Kaghan and Panjul Reserve forest (31.6) from Siran Valley are the potential summer migratory spots. Eleven scat samples were collected with a 0.103 encounter rate (ER). Most of the scats (about 70%) were observed within the maize crop field in the summer season at low elevation, while just 30% of the scat was observed in the winter season in the forest.

The marine energy (ME) industry historically lacked a standardized data processing toolkit for common tasks such as data ingestion, quality control, and visualization. The marine and hydrokinetic toolkit (MHKiT) solved this issue by providing a public software deployment (open-source and free) toolkit for the ME industry to store and maintain commonly used functionality for wave, tidal, and river energy. This paper demonstrates an initial model verification study in MHKiT. Using Delft3D, a numerical model of the Tanana River Test Site (TRTS) at Nenana, Alaska was created. Field data from the site was collected using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) at the proposed Current Energy Converter (CEC) locations. MHKiT is used to process model simulations from Delft3D and compare them to the transect data from the ADCP measurements at TRTS. The ability to use a single tool to process simulation and field data demonstrates the ease at which the ME industry can obtain results and collaborate across specialties, reducing errors and increasing efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Understanding the macro pattern and mechanisms of variation in species diversity along environmental gradients is one of the most important objectives in ecology. However, there have been few large-scale studies on the specific mechanisms by which climate and human activities affect insect diversity along the ecological transect. This study revealed the diversity patterns of insect communities along the ecological transect in the Eastern Eurasian Temperate Steppe, investigated the effects of environmental factors on its diversity in two types of steppes, and assessed the influence of plant diversity alterations on these effects. Our results revealed a breakpoint of insect diversity that divided typical and desert steppe communities. Climate factors and grazing intensities combine to influence insect diversity along the transect, and these effects are mediated through plant diversity. These findings provide a reference for the diversity patterns of insects along ecological gradients in the Eastern Eurasian Temperate Steppe and different conservation strategies of biodiversity in typical and desert steppes. Insects are important components of biodiversity and play significant roles in the steppe ecosystem. They are abundant, easy to sample, and sensitive to changing conditions, making them useful indicators of environmental changes. This study aims to describe patterns (α and β) of insect diversity across two steppe types (a typical steppe and a desert steppe) along the Eastern Eurasian Steppe Transect (EEST), as well as evaluate the effects of environmental variables in determining these patterns and the influence of plant diversity alterations on these effects. To this end, we collected 5244 individual insects and found an n-shaped diversity distribution along the latitudinal gradient and a significant difference in insect communities across the two steppe types. Further, the Mantel test and path analysis indicate that climate and grazing activities combine to influence insect diversity, and these effects are mediated through plant diversity, strongly supporting the role of bottom-up effects in situations of climatic and grazing pattern changes. Moreover, the contribution of plant diversity varied with steppe types and insect functional groups, with greater effects seen in the typical steppe and herbivorous insects. This indicated the importance of protecting species diversity in steppes through managing plant diversity and assessments of local environmental factors such as grazing intensity and temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring plant heights one by one is an important way to explore the height structure of grassland plant communities, and can be used to analyze the universal rules and regional variations of vegetation growth under environmental change. We chose grasslands in three plateaus, namely Tibetan Plateau (TP), Mongolian Plateau (MP) and Loess Plateau (LP), and set up three grassland transects along the precipitation gradients from meadow, steppe to desert. The mean height of grassland vegetation was 30.38 ± 22.44 cm, and the mean height from TP, MP to LP increased significantly. The aggregation of grassland vegetation exhibited a positive skew distribution (0.91, 3.60), and the community aggregation from TP, MP to LP tended to a normal distribution (0, 3). However, for TP, there was an exponential distribution in community aggregation of meadows, and a uniform distribution in that of desert. The explanatory effect of climate and soil nutrients on the variation of mean height in each region was more than 70%, while the explanatory effect on the community aggregation was the highest at TP, only 29%. From TP, MP to LP, response intensity of mean height to environmental changes increased significantly, and the influence of temperature and precipitation gradually increased, the influence of radiation, wind speed, and nutrients gradually weakened, and the synergy among environmental factors strengthened. Our study shows that normal distribution is a universal rule of grassland height construction, and that the synergy of environmental factors varies from region to region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of land use at different terrain gradients has been used as an important index for the land management and ecological restoration in the Loess Plateau of China. Based on the land use data surveyed in 2015 and digital elevation model data with a resolution of 30 m from typical village transects in the Loess Plateau area in Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province, this study analyzed the terrain niche index, distribution index, land utilization comprehensive index, and land use equilibrium degree for four village transects. The results demonstrated that the land use types in the four village transects were mainly grassland, forest land, and cropland. Land use types showed obvious differences in respect to topographical gradient with built-up land, traffic land, water bodies, cropland, and orchard distributed in low terrain gradient areas, forest land, and grassland distributed in medium- and high-terrain areas. As terrain gradient increased, the land utilization comprehensive index and land use equilibrium degree showed a generally decreasing trend. These findings may provide a useful reference for land use planning and land resource allocation in the Loess Plateau region.

Yield monitoring of a five-component grass stand in a breeding field within a moraine hill was carried out in 2003- 2018 in order to find patterns of its dynamics in the agrolandscape. The grass was used in the conditions of the Tver region without fertilizers in a single-cut mode in a field crossing all microlandscape positions of the hill (transcct) and divided into 30 plots. Annual data on productivity of grass mixture on each plot are presented in the form of: 1) absolute yield (specific hay yield); 2) relative yield (expressed as a percentage to maximum yield on a transect in a definite year). It was revealed that the yield of grasses is maximum in the central parts (≈ 6.5 t/ha) and minimal in the upper parts of the hillsides and at the top (≈ 5.2 t/ha). Time variability of yield depends on the geological structure of the soils ‒ increases with the transition from powerful binomials (≈ 40 %) to low-powerful ones (≈ 65 %). Correlation analysis showed that the transition to relative units (% of the yield) can significantly reduce the impact of climate on data variability. The maximum coincidence of temporal dynamics of different yield indicators is noted at the upper elevations ‒ here climatic conditions do not have a significant impact on the yield, as on slopes. Changes in the sum of the active temperatures have the greatest influence on the yield. Average indicators of correlation coefficients of yield and temperature sums are negative on the plots of soil distribution on powerful and medium-powerful binomials and positive on soils of low-powerful binomials. There has been found an inversely proportional dependence of the absolute yield of grasses on the sums of active temperatures in the pre-cut periods and in September and directly proportional in the second half of summer. Increasing the sum of temperatures contributes to a decrease in relative yields on sandy soils and optimizes the production process on loams and light loams. Dispersion analysis has shown that the main influence of temperatures on absolute yield is exerted by soil hydromorphism. The degree of impact of temperatures on relative yield depends on the nature of water exchange in the agrolandscape, the exposure of slopes (energy) and granulometric composition of soils. The results will make it possible to adapt measures for the placement of grass stands, regulation of water and thermal regimes of soils to farm conditions.

Members of the insect order Odonata are known as good ecological indicators. Many are sensitive to habitat modifications and are easily monitored for use in environmental assessment studies. Rapid assessments rely on efficient sampling techniques. However, there is limited information available on sampling techniques for adult odonates, and protocols require evaluation. To do this, we standardized counting methods during sampling of odonates from August to November 2016 at the Mula River, Pune, India. We used four counting techniques; full-width belt transect (FWBT), full-circle point count (FCPC), half-width belt transect (HWBT), and half-circle point count (HCPC). For HWBT and HCPC areas facing the river were sampled, and for each technique we took multiple temporal replicates. We compared species detected per unit time, species detected per unit area, new species detected per unit time, and new species detected per unit area. Additionally, we compared species estimates. With HCPC we detected the maximum number of species and new species per unit area, whereas FWBT returned maximum coverage of recorded species. We recommend our proposed techniques be considered in the future across various habitats to decide the most suitable sampling strategy for the different habitats or situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: It is essential to understand plant adaptive strategies on plant stoichiometric traits at the species level rather than at the community level under various environmental conditions across the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Methods: Here, plant community function and edaphic and meteorological factors were collected at 111 sites along an extensive water--heat gradient during the peak growing season in 2015. Community-weighted mean trait (CWM) was introduced to illuminating dynamics of the functional trait at the community level. Results: Our results indicated that plant functional traits, including CWM-leaf total carbon (CWM&lowbar;LTC), CWM-leaf total nitrogen (CWM&lowbar;LTN), and CWM-leaf total phosphorus (CWM&lowbar;LTP), showed similar and comparatively marked increases from alpine meadow (AM) to alpine steppe (AS). Moreover, since the tightly coordinated variation among each plant functional trait of AM was higher than that of AS, a more stable coupling mechanism of these plant functional traits could be observed in AM under a long-term evolutionary habit. Specifically, there was higher annual mean precipitation (AMP) in AM than that in AS significantly (P < 0.01), and AMP was significantly correlated with soil moisture and soil total phosphorus in AM. Generally, our findings suggest that precipitation determines divergent coupling plant community function in both AS and AM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Biology is the property of Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 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 ESTOA: Revista de la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Cuenca is the property of ESTOA Revista de la Facultad de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de la Universidad de Cuenca 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.)

Little is known about the response of soil respiration components to environmental changes, especially in high-altitude forest ecosystems. To examine the different effects of temperature and moisture on separate soil respiration components, namely autotropic (Ra) and heterotrophic (Rh) respirations, the gap formation method was adopted in a semi-arid highland elm (Ulmus pumila L.) sparse forest, Northwestern China. In 2021, a 9.33 m transect between two elm trees was built, forming a gap of elm sparse forest on the plateau. Soil respiration was measured along the transect between two elm trees. The results showed that the soil respiration under the canopy decreased with increasing distance from the base of the elm, and that the root had no effect on the soil respiration outside the canopy. Here we demonstrated that the mean value of Ra contribution to the total respiration (Rt) is 63%. Results of this study also showed that the temperature sensitivity of Rh (Q10 = 4.29) was much higher than that of Ra (Q10 = 1.40), and that soil moisture (SM) explained the variation of Ra (64.4%) better than that of Rh (49.9%). Our results suggested that the key driver of Rh was soil temperature (ST), and that of Ra was SM in the semi-arid highland elm sparse forest in Northwest China. The gap formation method is helpful to better understand the different responses of Ra and Rh to the variation of ST and SM in elm sparse forest in the semi-arid highland of Northwest China. We highlight that the different responses of Rh and Ra to the same environmental factors should be considered when predicting the future soil carbon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Sociedade de Ciencias Agrarias de Portugal 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.)

A study about the spatial distribution and density of common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) was conducted in two focal areas in Dabena Valley Forest, Western Ethiopia, from May 2016 to June 2018. These were Gassi Controlled Area (GCHA) in the southwestern part and Haro Aba Diko Controlled Hunting Area (HADCHA) in the northeastern part of the Valley. Population abundance and densities were analysed using distance sampling method. A total of 246 and 652 warthogs were counted in GCHA and HADCHA, respectively. The two study areas were significantly different during the wet season and during the dry season in the number of common warthog population per transect. During the dry season, HADCHA possessed more mean of cluster density (5.18/km2) than the GCHA (2.37/km2). Common warthog encounter rate ranged from 1.1 to 3.73/km during the wet season in both study areas. The two study areas did not show significant variation (χ2 = 0.188, df = 1, p = 0.05) in the clusters of common warthog sightings. A high number of common warthog population are threatened by increasing anthropogenic activities. Common warthog's natural habitats and their buffer zones should be properly monitored: Cattle grazing and human encroachment should be prohibited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed plants and their traits in dolines, which are characteristic enclosed terrain depressions on carbonate (karst) plateaus. These landforms range from a few meters to over 100 m in diameter, their depth generally varying from a few meters to a few tens of meters. A pronounced ecological gradient can be found from the bottom to the top, starting from humid, cool and shaded bottoms to sunny, dry and warm slopes and tops. We sampled dolines of various depths and analyzed the distribution of plant species on the gradient and how this distribution is reflected in plant traits: chorotypes, life forms, plant architecture and strategies. We used the transect method and sampled the floristic composition from the doline bottom to the top. We collected information about plant traits from various literature sources. The results show life forms and plant architecture explain this gradient well and, to a lesser extent, also chorotypes, but functional strategies have a low explanatory power. Life forms and plant architecture are the result of adaptation of species to the environment, and chorotypes are defined as species with an overlapping geographical distribution pattern due to their distribution and environmental histories. Functional strategies, which have evolved to enable plants to succeed in various environments, unexpectedly have a low explanatory power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various methods exist to monitor wildlife populations and estimate trends in their distribution and abundance. For American beaver (Castor canadensis), aerial surveys provide a means to obtain abundance data over large areas and typically involve observers searching watercourses and shorelines for active beaver presence. Here, we describe a systematic aerial photographic census we designed and executed in autumn to quantify annual beaver colony abundance on the 184‐km2 Michipicoten Island, Ontario, from 2015 to 2019. Aerial photographs were stitched together into orthophotomosaics after each census and visually searched for beaver food caches, with each food cache representing an independent beaver colony. Our methods revealed that beaver colony abundance declined substantially from a peak of 6.1 colonies/km2 in 2015, the highest reported across North America, to 0.4 colonies/km2 in 2018. Beaver abundance remained low through 2019. Although photographing the entire isolated study area required relatively little time and effort, even when beaver density was very high, post‐census processing work was time‐consuming. Lessons learned will improve efficiencies of our future censuses and aid other researchers. Our method is advantageous over traditional aerial wildlife surveys in that it provides a digital and visual record that can be used for additional analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mangroves are coastal intertidal wetland forests with halophytic trees and shrubs in the environment. Mangrove forests are of considerable significance in Guyana. Human interactions with this easily available and rather easy access to resources are what allow local communities to develop their knowledge and approaches to benefit from the mangrove environments. Disruptions such as clearing for construction, aquaculture, timber and fuel output are caused by local population stressors. This research was carried out to assess the local Guyanese population's influences, positive or negative, on mangrove forests; more specifically their overall health and numbers at the three study sites located in regions 3 and 4, Guyana, during the period February-May 2021. The objective of this study was focused on determining whether human interactions within the forests influence the conditions and state of the mangroves, discovering techniques that locals within the study areas may apply to forest care, and figuring out whether the effects that locals have on the mangrove population would have been positive or negative. The data for this study was gathered using the methods of ecological assessments and questionnaires after which, the data was analyzed using relevant software programs. The results of this study revealed that locals within the selected areas did have their management techniques, and numerous ways of interacting with the forests and results have also shown that the effects on the mangroves resulted in some loss. Moreover, the local population then be further used to inform other communities perhaps to refrain from activities that have detrimental effects on the forests or even encourage the continuation of constructive actions that contribute to forest health improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the treelines at higher elevations in mountains are reported to be advancing up-slope in response to recent climate warming. However, little is known about the treeline advancement in the Himalaya due to paucity of baseline vegetation data with which to compare, thus making their assessment and monitoring challenging. To fill this knowledge gap, the present study documented floristic and functional diversity of two treeline ecotone sites in Kashmir Himalaya. At each site, we conducted field sampling by laying five 20-m2 plots, with one at the highest limit (T0 plot), two plots below and two above the treeline and two nested subplots of 5-m2 for shrubs and five 1-m2 for herbs in each plot. We recorded 97 plant species belonging to 33 families from the two sites. We observed a considerable difference in species composition and distribution along the treeline ecotone. Majority of the species reported were perennial herbs. We observed a significant association of growth forms with the particular plots along the treeline ecotone. At both the sites, we recorded highest species richness at the T0 plot which was correlated well with the functional traits, thus indicating convergence of floristic and functional diversity at this transition zone. Interestingly, the T0 plot at both the sites showed maximum overlap of species with the plots above and below the treeline. In an era of climate warming, our study provides crucial baseline data that will facilitate assessment and monitoring of the Himalayan treelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of soil carbon ( C ), nitrogen ( N), and phosphorus( P) in a northern forest-grass ecotone and evaluate its response to influencing factors to reveal the limiting factors of soil nutrients and the driving mechanism of ecosystem evolution in the region. Sampling points were set up at an interval of 25 km from north to south in the study area for field investigation and soil sample collection. The soil ecological stoichiometric characteristics and their relationship with environmental factors were analyzed using statistics and redundancy analysis( RDA). The results showed that: the average concentration of soil organic carbon( SOC), total nitrogen( TN), and total phosphorus( TP) in the 0-20 cm soil layer was 36.76, 2.65, and 0.60 g • kg-1, respectively, and the C N P ratio was 61:4:1. In the 20-30 cm soil layer, the contents of SOC, TN, and TP decreased, they were 27.95, 2.30, and 0.55 g•kg-1, respectively, and the C: N: P ratio was 51:4:1. The region was characterized by N deficiency. For different vegetation types, the contents of SOC, TN, and TP were in the following order: forest>forest and sandy grassland>sandy grassland, and there were significant differences among the three vegetation areas( P<0.05). The contents of SOC, TN, and TP increased with an increase in precipitation, altitude, and temperature. In the 0-20 cm soil layer, the C: N, C: P, and N: P ratios increased with an increase in precipitation and altitude, but decreased with an increase in temperature. In the 20-30 cm soil layer, C: P and N: P ratios increased with an increase in precipitation and altitude but did not change significantly with temperature. C: N ratio increased with an increase altitude but did not change significantly with precipitation and temperature. RDA indicated that the main driving factor of soil ecological stoichiometry in the area was vegetation, followed by soil, terrain, and climate. The results revealed the response mechanism of soil ecological stoichiometry to influencing factors, and this is an important guide to ecological restoration and soil quality health development in forest-grassland ecotones in northern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper shows methods for studying the data bank for monitoring the yield of grasses within the agrolandscape. Monitoring of the yield of different-aged (1, 2 and 3 years of use) grass legumes was carried out in 2001-2019 at an agroecological test site located within a finite moraine hill at permanent sampling points on a transect that crosses all the main micropositions of the agricultural landscape. The influence of the features of various landscape structures (slopes of different exposure, landscape plots within their limits and the variegation of the soil cover) on the dynamics of grass yield was studied. The data array was processed using the methods of Variable Components Analysis, principal components, and correlation analysis. It is shown that the productivity of grasses is reliably influenced by the features of the landscape, agroclimatic conditions of the year and the age of the grass stand. The formation of the spatial variegation of the herb yield is most influenced by the nature of the soil cover (≈ 21 %), to a lesser extent by the features of individual parts of the slopes (≈ 17 %). It was found that with the aging of the herbage, there is a noticeable increase in the influence of exposure (from 3.4 to 8.0 %) and microlandscape (from 16 to 22 %) factors on the spatial variability of their productivity, and a decrease in the influence of soil cover characteristics (from 24 to 18 %). It was revealed that the dynamics of agroclimatic parameters noticeably affects only the dependence of the variegated yield on the exposure factor. An attempt has been made to divide the years of research by the nature of the dynamics of the yield of grasses into agro climatically homogeneous groups. It has been determined that different groups of observation years differ in productivity and in the nature of its spatio-temporal variability, as well as in the factors that determine them and in the conditions that affect these factors. This makes, when predicting the yield of grasses of different ages, to create mathematical models of its dependence on landscape conditions for different time clusters.

Marine microbial communities vary seasonally and spatially, but these two factors are rarely addressed together. In this study, the temporal and spatial patterns of the bacterial and archaeal community were studied along a coast-to-offshore transect in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) over six cruises, in three seasons of 2 consecutive years. Amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and transcripts was performed to determine presence and activity, respectively. The ultra-oligotrophic status of the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea was reflected in the microbial community composition dominated by oligotrophic bacterial groups such as SAR11, even at the most coastal station sampled, throughout the year. Seasons significantly affected the microbial communities, explaining more than half of the observed variability. However, the same few taxa dominated the community over the 2-year sampling period, varying only in their degree of dominance. While there was no overall effect of station location on the microbial community, the most coastal site (16 km offshore) differed significantly in community structure and activity from the three further offshore stations in early winter and summer. Our data on the microbial community compositions and their seasonality support previous notions that the EMS behaves like an oceanic gyre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a huge carbon pool in the lakeside, which is sensitive to environmental changes and can very easily be transformed into a carbon source as land from the lake is reclaimed. In this paper, West Mauri Lake was employed as a case study to examine soil organic carbon (SOC) and its controlling factors along the lakeside. Four transects of land use (i.e., vegetation) types along the landward lakeside were identified as the fluctuation zone, the beach zone, the mesozoic farmland rewetting zone and the xerophytic farmland rewetting zone. With the increase in soil depth, SOC in the lakeside decreased significantly (p < 0.05). SOC had an obvious seasonal variation (p < 0.001), ranking in order: winter (December) > spring (February) > summer (May). Among the aforementioned transects, SOC density differed significantly (p < 0.05), showing a significant increasing trend. Pearson correlation indicated that most soil physiochemical factors showed a significant correlation with SOC (p < 0.01), except total chromium, total copper, total zinc and total phosphorus. The relationship between SOC density and total nitrogen (N) has an obvious "S" curve, and total N accounts for 81% of the variation of SOC, suggesting that total N is the main controlling factor of SOC in the lakeside. The significant difference in SOC along the different vegetation (land use) types implied that land use affects the SOC in the lakeside. The long-term accumulation of N fertilizer after the man-made reclamation and aquaculture obviously controls SOC in the lakeside of West Mauri Lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands along the eastern and southern shores of Lake Onega are of interest because of their biodiversity, ecological function, and vulnerability to human impact and climate change. This study made a reference transect in the lake-river stretch on the northern bank of the River Andoma, which exhibits a change in natural conditions and an interaction between different ecosystem levels in the lakeside lowland area. Based on the results of the fieldwork, a profile of ground-penetrating radar observations with a total length of 4800 m was completed, supplemented with boreholes and soil sections. The combination of ground-penetrating radar data with field descriptions and the borehole survey produced a section that characterizes the variability of the mire system. The analysis of the section revealed zones differing in biological and ecological conditions caused by the action of several natural factors and contributing to biological diversity. Such reference transects provide a basis for the initial identification of vulnerabilities and for long-term monitoring of the ecological transformation of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temporary ponds play substantial roles in preserving biodiversity in the Sahel. This study investigated the influence of anthropic and eco-hydrological factors on the plant diversity around two grazed ponds and one ungrazed pond in Ferlo, northern Senegal. Two phytoecological transects were established per pond. On each transect, homogenous herbaceous vegetation units were identified and characterized (herbaceous cover, exposure, soil texture, soil moisture and pH, average height and slope). The herbaceous flora comprised 55 species, 41 genera and 22 families across the three ponds. Species of the Poaceae , particularly Eragrostis tremula and Enteropogon prieurii , mostly colonized the grazed ponds, while the ungrazed pond favored other families' species such as Achyranthes sp. Commelina forsskaolii , Corchorus sp. The Shannon's diversity index (H ′) of Wendu Marodi (ungrazed pond) was slightly higher (4.9 bits) than that of Belel Lougal and Belel Sow (grazed ponds) with 4.8 and 4.5 bits, respectively. The equitability indices were relatively high in the three ponds (0.85, 0.83 and 0.78). Eco-ecological factors distinguished four species' groupings: a Tribulus terrestris grouping colonizing the constraining and over-grazed zones, a Digitaria horizontalis grouping, and Chloris barbata grouping found in the transition zones, and an Achyranthes aspera grouping in the wetlands, where woody plants were strongly present and the anthropic action low. This study highlighted the importance of maintaining a landscape mosaic of ungrazed or semi-protected ponds and grazed ponds to preserve the herbaceous floristic diversity in the center of Ferlo (Senegal) and the Sahel in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined welfare assessment protocol, including indicators from the Welfare Quality® and AWIN® EU funded projects, was tested on commercial fast and medium growth commercial broiler flocks to determine differences in their assessments as measured with the used of animal welfare indicators. Ten commercial fast (Ross 308, Cobb 500, or a mix of both) and 10 medium growth (Hubbard JA × Ross 308), mixed sex commercial flocks were assessed at 32 and 48 days of age, respectively. Two observers simultaneously collected data on each flock. Observations included transect walks on central and wall areas to assess the AWIN® welfare indicators, bedding quality, environmental parameters and positive behaviors, all of them collected with the i-WatchBroiler app. According to the WQ protocol, welfare assessment indicators including the human avoidance tests, gait score, body weight and hock burns were also measured on each flock. Novel object tests were also carried out. The results of the study show that fast growth flocks had a higher incidence of welfare issues shown by the higher percentage of immobile, lame, sick, featherless, and tail wounded birds. Positive behaviors such as play fighting, wing flapping and running were more frequently observed in medium growth flocks on central locations, while fast growth flocks had a more limited expression of such behaviors. Fast growth flocks also had worse gait scores. Medium growth flocks expressed a different response to behavioral tests depending on the house location, likely attributable to their better mobility and welfare state, and also to the smaller stocking densities at which they were housed, while on the other hand the behavior of fast growth broilers during tests was similar regardless house location, being likely affected by mobility problems and the higher stocking density specific to their management. These results provide quantitative evidences on the differences in animal welfare assessment outcomes in fast and medium growth broilers. Nevertheless, results also suggest that some of the test responses were associated with the physical state and movement ability of the birds and house location that limit their response capacity. Such limitations should be considered when interpreting animal welfare assessment outcomes. These results add to previously published scientific evidences showing the potential of the method and app technology for practical on-farm broiler welfare assessment, including positive indicators, with farmers, technical personnel, certification bodies or scientist as potential end-users.

Marine microbial communities vary seasonally and spatially, but these two factors are rarely addressed together. In this study, the temporal and spatial patterns of the bacterial and archaeal community were studied along a coast-to-offshore transect in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS) over six cruises, in three seasons of 2 consecutive years. Amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and transcripts was performed to determine presence and activity, respectively. The ultra-oligotrophic status of the Southeastern Mediterranean Sea was reflected in the microbial community composition dominated by oligotrophic bacterial groups such as SAR11, even at the most coastal station sampled, throughout the year. Seasons significantly affected the microbial communities, explaining more than half of the observed variability. However, the same few taxa dominated the community over the 2-year sampling period, varying only in their degree of dominance. While there was no overall effect of station location on the microbial community, the most coastal site (16 km offshore) differed significantly in community structure and activity from the three further offshore stations in early winter and summer. Our data on the microbial community compositions and their seasonality support previous notions that the EMS behaves like an oceanic gyre.

The marine energy (ME) industry historically lacked a standardized data processing toolkit for common tasks such as data ingestion, quality control, and visualization. The marine and hydrokinetic toolkit (MHKiT) solved this issue by providing a public software deployment (open-source and free) toolkit for the ME industry to store and maintain commonly used functionality for wave, tidal, and river energy. This paper demonstrates an initial model verification study in MHKiT. Using Delft3D, a numerical model of the Tanana River Test Site (TRTS) at Nenana, Alaska was created. Field data from the site was collected using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) at the proposed Current Energy Converter (CEC) locations. MHKiT is used to process model simulations from Delft3D and compare them to the transect data from the ADCP measurements at TRTS. The ability to use a single tool to process simulation and field data demonstrates the ease at which the ME industry can obtain results and collaborate across specialties, reducing errors and increasing efficiency.

Insects are important components of biodiversity and play significant roles in the steppe ecosystem. They are abundant, easy to sample, and sensitive to changing conditions, making them useful indicators of environmental changes. This study aims to describe patterns (α and β) of insect diversity across two steppe types (a typical steppe and a desert steppe) along the Eastern Eurasian Steppe Transect (EEST), as well as evaluate the effects of environmental variables in determining these patterns and the influence of plant diversity alterations on these effects. To this end, we collected 5244 individual insects and found an n-shaped diversity distribution along the latitudinal gradient and a significant difference in insect communities across the two steppe types. Further, the Mantel test and path analysis indicate that climate and grazing activities combine to influence insect diversity, and these effects are mediated through plant diversity, strongly supporting the role of bottom-up effects in situations of climatic and grazing pattern changes. Moreover, the contribution of plant diversity varied with steppe types and insect functional groups, with greater effects seen in the typical steppe and herbivorous insects. This indicated the importance of protecting species diversity in steppes through managing plant diversity and assessments of local environmental factors such as grazing intensity and temperature.

Bees are declining in the U.S., especially in heavily cropped landscapes due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and other factors. In Midwestern states like North Dakota (ND), where field crops are grown extensively, native resources for bees are often sparse. Soybean and sunflower are two major crops grown in ND which could provide floral resources for bee communities. To address the importance of these crops for bees, we sampled soybean and sunflower fields in 2018 using bee bowls. Our objectives were: 1) to determine the community composition, abundance, and species richness of bees in flowering soybean and sunflower grown in southeastern ND; 2) to determine the bee abundance at different flowering stages of each crop; and 3) to evaluate the effectiveness of bowl colors for monitoring bees. We collected a total of 3,038 bees and 53 different species. Apidae was the most common bee trapped across both crops with 82.4% of collected bees. Overall, community composition, abundance, and species richness of bees were not significantly different between crops; however, abundance indicated that 116.8% more bees were collected in soybean than sunflower. Regardless of crop, bee abundance at field edges was 18.2% higher than those captured from field interiors; however, species richness did not differ between field edges and interiors. Bee abundance did not differ across flowering stages of either crop, with one exception in sunflowers. Sunflower at R6 (flowering completed) had much higher bee abundance than sunflower at R5.5 (mid-flowering), probably due to the bowls being more attractive and visible as flowering ended. Blue bowls captured the majority of bees. Both blue and yellow bowls captured significantly more bees than white and red bowls across both crops. The relative bee diversity and abundance identified in this study increased our knowledge of bee communities in soybean and sunflower grown in ND. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The arid and semi-arid regions of the extreme west of Algeria, as in the study area, represent in the current state, a transitional environment between the steppes and matorrals. Our objective being the floristic and ecological characterization of the vegetation of the study area and thus to seize the dynamic aspects and the evolution of the groupings. The method of Transects is used to know easily and quickly the effect of the modifications of the environment (exposure, slope, ground...) on the distribution of the vegetation in other words to determine to understand the dynamics. The results obtained are likely to provide us with valuable information as well on the evolution as on the situation of the degraded zones. Indeed, steppe and presteppe vegetation occupy important surfaces, but also in a more limited way almost everywhere in the region. The pre-steppe vegetation with xeric determinism has remained essentially confined to the altitudes, with an extremely low development and where the grassy and therophytic cover clearly dominates. Despite the intensity of anthropogenic degradation, the irreversibility stage is not yet achieved; since the advent of a rainy period leads to a more or less rapid recovery of the vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a common human behavior, walking has been regarded much as a bodily movement. To better understand the cognitive aspect, the paper inquires about how imaginary walking can enrich a landscape experience and what the role of the representational diagram is in facilitating the dual status of walking. To present the proposition tangibly, the paper raises three case studies, each being featured with a distinct relation between in-situ walking and imaginary walking. The type of representational diagram in each case also varies, which is conceived as a thematic map for the story in Florence (Italy), a historical transect for the scenario in New York State (United States), and a hybrid drawing for the re-imagination in Yuyao (China). These cases are based on personal experiences, with the previous two finished during the study of Landscape Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and the third one afterward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tarbagan, or Mongolian marmot (Marmota sibirica Radde 1862), is one of the typical members of steppe ecosystems in southwestern Transbaikalia. The study of regularities reflecting the effect of ecological factors on tarbagan abundance will allow us to develop a model of the ecological niche of this species and to carry out efficient environmental measures for its preservation. The effect of ecological factors (topographic, edaphic, vegetation, anthropogenic disturbance, and cohabitation with the Daurian pika and long-tailed ground squirrel) on tarbagan abundance was studied in the Kyakhtinsk, Dzhidinsk, and Selenginsk administrative districts of Buryatia (southwestern Transbaikalia). In May–August 2015–2018, using the method of linear transects (1000 m long) with the establishment of four test plots (50 × 50 m in size), a total of 95 transects with 380 plots was set in each of them. The differences in the abundance of plots were significant depending on the height of their surface above sea level (Pearson criterion χ2 = 23.422, p < 0.001, df = 2) and stony conditions (χ2 = 15.219, p < 0.001, df = 1). The association of the abundance with other habitat parameters (edaphic, heterogeneity or homogeneity of vegetation, and disturbance) was not significant. The presence of inhabited burrows and colonies of the Daurian pika in most places inhabited by the tarbagan (χ2 = 21.772, p < 0.001, df=1) indicates similar requirements of these species to certain habitat parameters (for example, stony conditions of locations). No inhabited burrows and settlements of long-tailed ground squirrel were found on the plots inhabited by tarbagan (χ2 = 0.443, p = 0.506, df = 1); most likely, seed-eating ground squirrels and marmots have different feed preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Asiatic black bear is present in variety of habitats like broad-leaves and coniferous forests, extending form sea level to 4300m elevation and change their habitat for food purpose seasonally. The present study was conducted at Kaghan and Siran Valleys, District Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan to assess habitat of black bear. Line transect method was used for observation of bear signs. Twelve meter circular radius plots were selected for the concern vegetation’s i.e. (trees, shrubs and herbs) and three to six plots were placed in each transect. At the result of sign survey, thirteen different categories of bear signs were recorded and encounter rate was calculated for each sign. A total of 1858 signs were observed during field surveys. Total (81%) coniferous species were recoded among trees, with the highest appearance of Pinus wallichiana (34.22%) and Spruce spp (27.76%), similarly broad leaves trees (18.56%) were also recoded from habitat plots. Most of the signs were encountered in bushy areas, whereas high number of Viburnum Spp (60.29%) was present. It is indicated that black bear prefers blend of Coniferous Trees, Viburnum and Ferns Species; probably because these plants provide enough food, protection, and meticulous shelter because more than 80% of habitat composed of these three species. Currently habitat destruction and increase in human population are the up-growing issues for wild animals (especially Asiatic black bear), which is highly sensitive to such problems. High levels of conservation efforts are recommended for the protection of black bear habitat and to avoid human interference in their territory.

The urban thermal environment is closely related to landscape patterns and land surface characteristics. Several studies have investigated the relationship between land surface characteristics and land surface temperature (LST). To explore the effects of the urban landscape on urban thermal environments, multiple land-use/land-cover (LULC) remote sensing-based indices have emerged. However, the function of the indices in better explaining LST in the heterogeneous urban landscape has not been fully addressed. This study aims to investigate the effect of remote-sensing-based LULC indices on LST, and to quantify the impact magnitude of green spaces on LST in the city built-up blocks. We used a random forest classifier algorithm to map LULC from the Gaofen 2 (GF-2) satellite and retrieved LST from Landsat-8 ETM data through the split-window algorithm. The pixel values of the LULC types and indices were extracted using the line transect approach. The multicollinearity effect was excluded before regression analysis. The vegetation index was found to have a strong negative relationship with LST, but a positive relationship with built-up indices was found in univariate analysis. The preferred indices, such as normalized difference impervious index (NDISI), dry built-up index (DBI), and bare soil index (BSI), predicted the LST (R² = 0.41) in the multivariate analysis. The stepwise regression analysis adequately explained the LST (R² = 0.44) due to the combined effect of the indices. The study results indicated that the LULC indices can be used to explain the LST of LULC types and provides useful information for urban managers and planners for the design of smart green cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A complex study of the structure and rock composition of an exploited oil and gas field on the Yamal Peninsula (Russia) has been performed. The experimental equipment, based on an original deep ground-penetrating radar (GPR) GROT 12, included also a seismic sensing complex. GPR transects and hodograph images have been obtained. The GPR data are compared with seismic data in the general processing system. This complex study of the electromagnetic and acoustic parameters of a layered deposit to actual depths of more than 500 m has been performed for the first time in the engineering practice. The key advantage of the electromagnetic method over the seismic method (higher sensitivity to changes in the saturated bed content (water, oil, gas, condensate) over depth) is implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our contribution aims at pointing out how the food issue challenges metropolitan areas while at the same time identifying potential for sustainable urban planning. To that end, we investigate to what extent taking into account agricultural and food-related issues enables to rethink urban planning which is usually qualified as sustainable. Our analysis will be based upon the two French urban regions of Grenoble and Caen where participatory research was conducted through collective and prospective walks. These urban explorations, which provide insights on metropolitan spaces and the interrelations that underlie them, underly the disconnections of contemporary urban planning with the inhabitants, their vital needs and, more generally, the soil, while highlight working paths for a more nourishing, meaningful and rooted urban planning. By considering urban planning through the scope of agri-food stakes, we contribute then to the renewal of urban concepts and thus highlight three workshops aiming at further developing sustainable urban planning issues and tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]