bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consumption Loan Augmented Divisia Monetary Index and China Monetary Aggregation
Authors: Barnett William A. , He Kun , He Jingtong
Published: October 2022

Simple sum monetary aggregates are based on accounting conventions and have no aggregation theoretic foundations in economic theory. In contrast, Divisia monetary aggregates are directly derived from aggregation and index number theory. Credit card services cannot be included in simple sum monetary aggregates since accounting conventions cannot aggregate over assets and liabilities. However, microeconomic aggregation theory aggregates over service flows, not stocks, regardless of whether from assets or liabilities. As a result, it has recently been shown that Divisia monetary aggregates can be augmented to include credit card services and are available from the Center for Financial Stability in New York City. Other sources of consumer credit cannot be included in Divisia monetary aggregates for the United States since other sources of consumer credit in the United States are linked to specific groups of consumer goods and hence, violate the weak separability condition for the existence of an aggregator function. However, China produces a unique opportunity to broaden the Divisia monetary aggregates since sources of consumer credit, not limited to credit cards, are applicable to all consumption purchases and hence, do not violate the existence condition for an aggregator function. We report initial results with a broader Chinese Divisia monetary aggregate, including not only credit card services but also other broadly acceptable consumer loan services.
Greek Banking Sector Stock Reaction to ECB’s Monetary Policy Interventions
Authors: Petrakis Nikolaos , Lemonakis Christos , Floros Christos , Zopounidis Constantin
Published: October 2022

Reacting to extreme uncertainty conditions caused by the global financial crisis, the European Central Bank implemented countercyclical strategy, combining conventional and non-traditional monetary policy tools to stabilize financial markets and euro area economies. We study the impact of the euro area monetary authority policy interventions on equity returns of four systemic Greek banks for the period January 2007 to August 2018. In the first step, we collect and classify interventions to several categories. Then, an event study analysis is carried out to evaluate cumulative abnormal returns. In the second step, a panel regression analysis is performed to identify Cumulative Abnormal Return (CAR) determinants. Our results suggest that expansionary conventional monetary policy interventions significantly affect equity returns of Greek banking institutions, assisting the regional banking equity stability. On the other hand, the harmful consequences of Greek debt crisis limited the effectiveness of non-standard measures.
Surviving Meltdowns That Cannot Be Prevented: Review of Gaps in Managing Uncertainty and Addressing Existential Vulnerabilities
Authors: Paul Karamjeet S.
Published: October 2022

We make all decisions in the context of what we know and can envision. However, catastrophes often arise from what we had not known or had not envisioned previously. Approaches that work for addressing what can be envisioned are not useful in preventing catastrophic meltdowns arising from what cannot be envisioned ex ante. In extreme situations, such meltdowns can represent existential exposure to an organization, and thus cannot be ignored. Despite advances in risk management, a gap in addressing what cannot be envisioned ex ante has existed since Frank Knight’s designation of risk and uncertainty in 1921. As a result, organizations continue to employ approaches that may be ineffective against catastrophic meltdowns from the unknown. There is an urgent need to address this gap by scholars because as our world becomes more complex and globally interconnected our organizations and systems become increasingly vulnerable to this exposure from the unknown. The need and the urgency to address this exposure will only increase as, in addition to everyday operations, climate change represents a unique and growing challenge because everything about it, and its impact at organization levels, is unknown and beyond what can be envisioned today. Its impact, if it materializes, will be global and widespread, and it is likely that no organization and system will escape it. Thus, a mechanism to address the unknown that cannot be envisioned should be a priority for scholars and for organizations. There are clear differences between exposure from what can be envisioned and exposure arising from the unknown that require addressing the unknown differently. This paper explores these differences and then offers an approach to address the exposure from the unknown in practice through a disciplined managerial process to ensure that organizations can survive meltdowns that cannot be prevented.
The Characteristics of the Housing Market and the Goal of Stable and Healthy Development in China’s Cities
Authors: Xiang Guocheng , Tang Juan , Yao Shuntian
Published: October 2022

This paper constructs a mathematical model to study China’s urban real estate markets, in which there are different types of demands from house buyers, and housing suppliers adopt the strategy of quality differentiation second-degree price discrimination. Our theoretical result shows that, in China’s case, without government intervention in the housing market, it is almost inevitable that the prices of both housing and the related resources will rocket. To achieve the goal of “houses built for inhabitance”, we put forward a policy scheme to achieve “houses built for inhabitance” in China’s cities from the perspectives of “speculation limitation” and “price control”. We also conduct a numerical analysis to consider the macroeconomic effects of these two policy solutions on the housing market, and we conclude that Chinese authorities should introduce a resale tax in the housing market and learn from Singapore’s experience in housing market regulation.
Enhancing Optical Character Recognition on Images with Mixed Text Using Semantic Segmentation
Authors: Patil Shruti , Varadarajan Vijayakumar , Mahadevkar Supriya , Athawade Rohan , Maheshwari Lakhan , Kumbhare Shrushti , Garg Yash , Dharrao Deepak , Kamat Pooja , Kotecha Ketan
Published: October 2022

Optical Character Recognition has made large strides in the field of recognizing printed and properly formatted text. However, the effort attributed to developing systems that are able to reliably apply OCR to both printed as well as handwritten text simultaneously, such as hand-filled forms, is lackadaisical. As Machine printed/typed text follows specific formats and fonts while handwritten texts are variable and non-uniform, it is very hard to classify and recognize using traditional OCR only. A pre-processing methodology employing semantic segmentation to identify, segment and crop boxes containing relevant text on a given image in order to improve the results of conventional online-available OCR engines is proposed here. In this paper, the authors have also provided a comparison of popular OCR engines like Microsoft Cognitive Services, Google Cloud Vision and AWS recognitions. We have proposed a pixel-wise classification technique to accurately identify the area of an image containing relevant text, to feed them to a conventional OCR engine in the hopes of improving the quality of the output. The proposed methodology also supports the digitization of mixed typed text documents with amended performance. The experimental study shows that the proposed pipeline architecture provides reliable and quality inputs through complex image preprocessing to Conventional OCR, which results in better accuracy and improved performance.
Predicting Conversion Rates in Online Hotel Bookings with Customer Reviews
Authors: Tang Liang , Wang Xi , Kim Eojina
Published: October 2022

E-commerce in the hospitality and tourism field has already ranked No. 2 among all online shopping categories worldwide. However, customers’ visits to a hotel booking website cannot guarantee the generation of sales, while the conversion rate is regarded as the indicator that effectively assesses the e-commerce website performance. This study aimed to investigate the influential factors of conversion rates from both affective content and the communication style of customer’s online reviews. The affective content was evaluated with eight emotional dimensions (i.e., joy, sadness, anger, fear, trust, disgust, anticipation, and surprise) in Plutchik’s emotion wheel, and the communication style perspective was assessed with linguistic style matching (LSM). In total, 111,926 customer reviews from 641 hotels in five cities in the U.S. were collected for the analysis. Results indicated that LSM and four emotions have significant impacts on hotel conversion rates. This research contributes to the knowledge body of customers’ conversion behaviors on hotel booking websites and offers pertinent practical implications.
Toward Revision of the ‘Best Practice for Diabetic Patients on Hemodialysis 2012’
Authors: Abe Masanori , Matsuoka Tomomi , Kawamoto Shunsuke , Miyasato Kota , Kobayashi Hiroki
Published: October 2022

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of dialysis therapy worldwide. The number of diabetes patients on dialysis in clinical settings has been increasing in Japan. In 2013, the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy (JSDT) published the “Best Practice for Diabetic Patients on Hemodialysis 2012”. While glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is used mainly as a glycemic control index for dialysis patients overseas, Japan is the first country in the world to use glycated albumin (GA) for assessment. According to a survey conducted by the JSDT in 2018, the number of facilities measuring only HbA1c has decreased compared with 2013, while the number of facilities measuring GA or both has significantly increased. Ten years have passed since the publication of the first edition of the guidelines, and several clinical studies regarding the GA value and mortality of dialysis patients have been reported. In addition, novel antidiabetic agents have appeared, and continuous glucose monitoring of dialysis patients has been adopted. On the other hand, Japanese dialysis patients are rapidly aging, and the proportion of patients with malnutrition is increasing. Therefore, there is great variation among diabetes patients on dialysis with respect to their backgrounds and characteristics. This review covers the indices and targets of glycemic control, the treatment of hyperglycemia, and diet recommendations for dialysis patients with diabetes.
The Net Spatio-Temporal Impact of the International Tourism Is-Land Strategy on the Ecosystem Service Value of Hainan Island: A Counterfactual Analysis
Authors: Guan Miao , Xiong Changsheng
Published: October 2022

The strategy of building an international tourism island in Hainan is an important national strategic deployment, with tourism as the core, integrating a series of issues such as industry, tropical agriculture, and urban-rural relations. The implementation of this strategy profoundly affects the evolution of local land use patterns and ecosystems on Hainan Island. This paper utilizes a counterfactual analysis framework and Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov model based on the current land use data of Hainan Island for the three periods of 1999, 2008 and 2017. Accordingly, the spatial and temporal conditions of ecosystem service values (ESV) in 2017, under the assumed scenario of unimplemented international tourism island strategy, were simulated. The net spatial and temporal impacts of the international tourism island construction strategy on the value of ecosystem services on Hainan Island were finally assessed. The results are as follows. First, the total value of ESV in Hainan Island in 1999, 2008 and 2017 were 33.88 billion yuan, 56.045 billion yuan and 50.417 billion yuan respectively showing a trend of first increasing and then decreasing; spatially, the ESV were high in the central region and low in the surrounding areas. Second, in the simulated scenario without the implementation of the international tourism island construction strategy in 2017, the total ESV of Hainan Island was 54.19 billion yuan. Third, the implementation of the international tourism island policy reduced the ESV by 3773 million yuan, and the impact of this policy was high in coastal areas and low inland. There was an obvious divergence between the positive and negative effects.
The Location and Built Environment of Cultural and Creative Industry in Hangzhou, China: A Spatial Entropy Weight Overlay Method Based on Multi-Source Data
Authors: Wu Dandan , Wu Yang , Ni Xinxin , Sun Yuandan , Ma Renfeng
Published: October 2022

Quantitative identification of the location of cultural and creative industries has always been an important issue in the study of micro-locations in human geography. However, most of the previous studies on the location of cultural and creative industries focused on the macro description of the existing cultural and creative industry and lacked quantitative identification of micro-locations suitable for cultivating and developing cultural and creative industries. Therefore, based on the relevant location theory of cultural and creative industries, the urban creative field strength and its quantitative model are proposed. From the perspective of the built environment, 500 m × 500 m grids were established as analysis units based on multi-source data, including society, economy and geography data, using the geographic information system (GIS) analysis technology and spatial entropy weight overlay method to describe and visualize the micro-locations of urban cultural and creative industries. Based on the empirical study in Hangzhou, the following can be concluded: (1) the study method of “single index measurement–entropy method weighting–space weighted summation–hot spot analysis” constructed can quantitatively identify the micro-location of urban cultural and creative industries. It proves that the research framework proposed is scientifically valid. (2) The overall field strength of the creative field in Hangzhou has a circular structure with multiple centers, gradually decreasing outward from the main urban area of Hangzhou, with the sub-centers of the creative field scattered around the core urban area. The most suitable location for the cultivation and development of cultural and creative industries in Hangzhou is located in Wensan District as the core area, which includes Wensan Road, Xueyuan Road, Wulin Square, Hangzhou Future City-Xixi Wetland, etc. (3) The location around the provincial/city/district government land is the core area of creative field strength, which is more suitable for the development of cultural and creative industries. The farther from the core area, the smaller the creative field strength is, and the more obvious the attenuation of distance is.
Study on the Scale Effect of Spatial Variation in Soil Salinity Based on Geostatistics: A Case Study of Yingdaya River Irrigation Area
Authors: Lu Li , Li Sheng , Wu Rong , Shen Deyou
Published: October 2022

Soil salinization seriously restricts the development of agricultural economies in arid and semi-arid areas. Mastering the spatial variability characteristics of multi-scale soil salt in irrigated areas is of great significance for the improvement and utilization of saline soil and agricultural production. The middle and lower reaches of the Yingdaya River were selected as the study area, and the irrigation area was divided into three scales: the L scale (irrigation area), the M scale (township level) and the S scale (village level). A total of 131 data sets were obtained through field investigations and sampling, and the spatial variability characteristics and scale effects of the soil salt in multi-scale irrigated areas were analyzed using classical statistics, geostatistics and nested model methods. The results showed that the average soil salinities at the L, M and S scales were 1.664%, 0.263% and 0.217%, respectively, and the coefficients of variation were 2.564, 1.312 and 0.866, respectively. The soil salinities at different scales exhibited moderate spatial correlation and anisotropic characteristics, through which, the maximum variation directions for L and M were 113° and 139°, respectively, and the maximum variation direction of the S scale was 86°. The spatial distribution of the soil salinity is affected by the scale effect, but the accuracy of spatial estimations can be effectively improved by using a multi-scale nested model for interpolation. The high-value areas of soil salt in the irrigation areas were distributed in the southeastern regions of the study area, and weakened in small areas around the high-value areas. The influence of each influencing factor on the soil salinization at different scales also differed. Except for the slope, the correlations between other influencing factors and the soil salt content gradually decreased with decreases in the scale. This study provides a concise summary of the spatial variation analysis of soil characteristic variables, and also provides a scientific basis for the formulation and implementation of salinization control programs.
What Triggers Protest?—Understanding Local Conflict Dynamics in Renewable Energy Development
Authors: Eichenauer Eva , Gailing Ludger
Published: October 2022

The expansion of renewable energy infrastructure comes with increasing conflicts at local level that significantly impede the expansion of renewable energy in Germany and impact the realization of national and international climate goals. In some conflicts, rural communities are torn apart and social relations strained beyond the energy conflict. Other projects are realized with no or only minor disruption. To researchers, project developers and local politicians alike, it seems unpredictable as to which way local energy conflicts evolve. Thus, the paper aims to shed light on conflict dynamics and identifies a number of aspects that influence local energy conflicts. The paper applies a conflict theoretical perspective on local energy conflicts. Rather than identifying energy conflicts as a sign of dysfunctionality, conflicts are seen as an important element of a democratic society struggling to find the best way through the transformation towards decarbonization. Based on qualitative research on local energy conflicts in five German municipalities the paper analyzes aspects that encourage constructive conflicts and aspects that impede such developments. With reference to Dahrendorf’s conditions of conflict the categories of energy conflicts are systematized within an analytical framework according to conditions of organization, conflict and change. These categories and aspects are embedded in specific local conditions, making conflicts on the one hand typical and on the other very specific. They are also entry points for dealing constructively with the conflicts.
Stakeholders’ Perceptions of Nature-Based Solutions for Hurricane Risk Reduction Policies in the Mexican Caribbean
Authors: Moreno Claudia Shantal , Roman-Cuesta Rosa Maria , Canty Steven W. J. , Herrera Jorge , Teutli Claudia , Muñiz-Castillo Aarón Israel , McField Melanie , Soto Melina , do Amaral Cibele , Paton Steven , González-Trujillo Juan David , Poulter Benjamin , Schumacher Melissa , Durán-Díaz Pamela
Published: October 2022

Nature-based solutions (NbSs) have long recognized the value of coastal and marine ecosystem management and associated ecosystem services as useful tools for climate change mitigation (e.g., blue carbon) and adaptation (e.g., coastal protection against flooding and storm surges). However, NbSs remain poorly acknowledged and mostly absent from coastal planning for disaster risk reduction policies in the Caribbean, as well as from ex-post disaster reconstruction funds. With the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes in the region, NbSs are now more needed than ever. Taking Mexico as a representative case study for the wider Caribbean, we here seek to identify and analyze the barriers and opportunities perceived by relevant stakeholders for mainstreaming coastal-marine NbSs into coastal management and disaster risk reduction policies (e.g., mangroves as green infrastructure) to protect coastal societies and national economies against hurricanes. We conduct semi-structured, in-depth interviews with twenty stakeholders covering academic, governmental, tourism, NGO, coastal planning, and financial domains. Among the twenty-three identified barriers, governance, institutional, financial, and human-capacity aspects are the most dominant perceptions behind the current lack of NbS implementation. Future action for the policy integration of NbSs requires widespread political will and better quantification of both the provision of ecosystem services and their economic benefits under conventional markets.
Substituting Inorganic Fertilizers with Organic Amendment Reduced Nitrous Oxide Emissions by Affecting Nitrifiers’ Microbial Community
Authors: Xie Lihua , Li Lingling , Xie Junhong , Wang Jinbin , Anwar Sumera , Du Changliang , Zhou Yongjie
Published: October 2022

Excessive inorganic fertilizers are one of the main causes of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Organic fertilizers can not only reduce the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizers by increasing soil organic matter but are also safe for the environment. The partial replacement of nitrogen (N) fertilizers with organic fertilizers can potentially reduce N2O emissions. To illuminate the best ratio for the nitrogen replacement of inorganic fertilizer, the present experiment was conducted in dryland areas of central Gansu Province and different portions of inorganic N fertilizers (200 kg ha−1); i.e., 0, 50, 37.5, 25, and 12.5% were replaced with commercial organic fertilizers to test their effects on soil physicochemical properties, the grain yield of maize, N2O emissions, and the diversity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacterial (AOB) communities. Results showed that the maximum N2O emission was obtained by 100% inorganic fertilizers and the lowest was obtained at the control (no fertilizer). Substituting inorganic fertilizers with organic manure not only reduced N2O emissions but also improved soil organic carbon content and soil moisture and typically improves grain yield and biomass. The highest reduction in N2O emissions was recorded by 50% substitution. Furthermore, 37.5% and 12.5% substitutions did not reduce the grain yield and biomass compared to 100% inorganic fertilizer, and a 37.5% substitution performed better in improving soil fertility. Organic fertilizer increased the amoA copy number of AOA but decreased that of AOB. Nitrososphaera (AOA) and Nitrosospira (AOB) were the most dominant ammonia-oxidizing communities. Structural equation modeling indicated that AOB contributes more N2O emissions than AOA and is more sensitive to changes in pH, moisture, and NO3−−N, and the input of organic fertilizers may affect AOB by influencing soil physicochemical traits. In summary, replacing a reasonable proportion (37.5%) of inorganic fertilizers with organic manure improves soil fertility, reduces N2O emissions, and stabilizes production.
Pre/Post-Fire Soil Erosion and Evaluation of Check-Dams Effectiveness in Mediterranean Suburban Catchments Based on Field Measurements and Modeling
Authors: Margiorou Stella , Kastridis Aristeidis , Sapountzis Marios
Published: October 2022

The present study was conducted in the suburban forest of Thessaloniki city (Seich Sou), which constitutes one of the most significant suburban forests in Greece. In 1997, more than the half of the forest area was destroyed by a wildfire, after which soil erosion and flood control works (check-dams) were constructed in the burned areas. The aim of the study is to estimate the annual soil erosion rate for the last 30 years (pre- and post-fire periods) applying the WaTEM/SEDEM model, in order to investigate the impact of this wildfire on soil erosion, the effectiveness of the flood- and erosion-control works and the level of forest regeneration. It is the first time that WaTEM/SEDEM was calibrated and validated in Greece, taking into account soil erosion records from the 18 check-dams that were constructed in the study area in 2001. The mean annual erosion rate was 0.0419 t/ha/year, 0.998 t/ha/year and 0.08 t/ha/year for the pre-fire period, the first 3 years and 20 years after the fire, respectively. The results showed a very low erosion rate for the pre-fire period, an expected significant increase 3 years after the wildfire and a gradual decrease in the subsequent years until 2021. However, it seems that the post-fire regeneration of the forest has not been fully achieved, since the annual soil erosion rate at the long-term post-fire period is double compared with the pre-fire period. Concerning the check-dams’ effectiveness, it was observed that after 20 years of operation, they were non-silted, and most of them retained a small amount of sediments. This fact could be attributed to multiple factors such as the very thin soil depth, fire severity and catchment geomorphology, though the main reason seems to be the time elapsed between fire occurrence and the check-dams’ construction. The results of this study advance/strengthen the knowledge concerning the pre/post-fire soil erosion processes in already degraded ecosystems, while the calibrated model could serve as a useful tool able to be applied in other Mediterranean catchments of similar characteristics.
Spatio-Temporal Features and Influencing Factors of Homesteads Expansion at Village Scale
Authors: Zhang Jie , Liu Shengping , Zhao Zijuan , Li Bin , Fan Beilei , Zhou Guomin
Published: October 2022

The current research on the change of homesteads has rarely combined spatial information, and no expansion research has been found with a scale as detailed as the level of the homestead plots. Understanding the changing rules of homesteads expansion and its influencing factors are important to homestead reform, optimization of village layout, and cultivated land protection. In order to explore the direction, level, and spatial pattern of homesteads expansion from 2010 to 2020 and the influencing factors, by taking six villages in Deqing County as an example, this research proposed a tract division scheme based on multidistance spatial clustering and intersecting area index and used homesteads expansion index and geographical detector. The results showed that (1) 83.3% of the villages had a decreasing trend of homesteads expansion, and half of the villages’ homesteads remained unchanged in their distribution direction. (2) The average order of factors influencing the expansion of homesteads was: distance from road > altitude > slope > policy restriction > distance from water area > slope aspect. This study helps to understand the spatio-temporal features of homesteads expansion in small-scale areas, provides an empirical reference for deepening homesteads reform and policy formulation, and also provides new methods for quantitative research on homesteads expansion.
Morphological Characteristics and Hydrological Connectivity Evaluation of Tidal Creeks in Coastal Wetlands
Authors: Chen Xu , Zhang Mingliang , Jiang Hengzhi
Published: October 2022

Tidal creeks play a critical role in delivering water, suspended sediments, and nutrients to coastal wetlands, so it is important to understand the characteristics of the tidal creek system to guide the development and sustainable utilization of coastal wetlands. Using the coastal wetlands of the Liao River Estuary (LRE) as a study area, this study accurately divided the tidal flat based on the principle of tidal correction, extracted the linear features of tidal creeks using high-resolution remote sensing (RS) data, and then classified the tidal creeks on a tidal flat using the tidal creek ordering algorithm. Our study aimed to quantify the morphological characteristics of tidal creeks and qualitatively evaluate the parameters of the tidal creek network in the study area. The study results show obvious spatial heterogeneity in the order and the average length of tidal creeks in the coastal wetlands of the LRE. With the increase in the order of tidal creeks, the average length of tidal creeks increased exponentially and the number of tidal creeks decreased exponentially in the study area. The total density of tidal creeks was related to the beach surface elevation gradient, and the density and frequency of tidal creeks reduced substantially with an increase in the order of tidal creeks. The sinuosity ratio of tidal creeks declined sharply with a fall in the beach surface elevation gradient. The average bifurcation ratio of tidal creeks in the upper intertidal zone was higher than that in other zones, indicating that the tidal creeks in the upper intertidal zone were erratic. In addition, the hydrological connectivity of the tidal creek network in the upper intertidal zone and the development of the tidal creek system in the supratidal zone were the highest in the LRE. The study results help understand the spatial variations in tidal creek morphology under the influence of tidal hydrodynamics.
Influence of Soil Tillage Systems on the Yield and Weeds Infestation in the Soybean Crop
Authors: Cheţan Felicia , Rusu Teodor , Cheţan Cornel , Urdă Camelia , Rezi Raluca , Şimon Alina , Bogdan Ileana
Published: October 2022

Soybean is an important crop due to its multiple uses but also due to its agronomic advantages. Regardless of the agrotechnical system practiced, in the success of the crop, a very important role is represented by weed control. Soybeans are sensitive to infestation with weeds both at the early stages of growing season until the plants cover the soil, but also to maturity after the leaves fall. A soil tillage system applied, through its effect on the soil and on weed control, influences the soybean crop. This paper presents the evolution of soybean crop weeds and soybean yield under the influence of soil tillage systems (conventional, minimum tillage and no tillage) and climatic conditions from 2017 to 2021. The soil’s mobilization by plowing significantly reduces the infestation with weeds, especially the perennial ones. Reducing the intensity of the soil tillage system and the depth of tillage causes an increase in the amount of weeding and, especially, perennial weeds. This determines a lower production of soybean crop by 23–243 kg ha−1 in the minimum tillage system and by 675 kg ha−1 in the no-tillage system, compared to the conventional system. Differentiation of the weed control strategy is required depending on the soil tillage system.
Changes in the Landform and Water Conditions of the Industri-Alized Urban Area as a Result of Mining Activities
Authors: Machowski Robert
Published: October 2022

A particularly large accumulation of mining subsidence basins is characteristic for the Silesian Upland in southern Poland. This region is home to one of Europe’s largest coal basins. The objective of the study was to assess the subsidence process on the land surface in an industrialized urban area, as well as their impact on changes in the water cycle. Detailed studies were conducted in an area of 51.26 km2, which covers urban areas—mainly of Świętochłowice and partly Ruda Śląska and Chorzów, as well as Bytom and Zabrze. In the period 1883–1994 land surface depressions were revealed in an area of 38.8 km2, which constitutes 75.7% of the study area. In total, the endorheic areas spread over 6.9 km2. Changes in land reliefs have resulted in distinct water-cycle disturbances at local and regional levels. A generalised water-cycle scheme has been developed for the mining subsidence zone. The main directions of changes in water migration within the endorheic subsidence basin have been indicated, accounting for the situation before and after land subsidence. Consequently, this results in an average excess of 1.7 hm3 of water per year in the water cycle in these areas.
Implementing Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Spaces in the Context of the Sense of Danger That Citizens May Feel
Authors: Vojvodíková Barbara , Tichá Iva , Starzewska-Sikorska Anna
Published: October 2022

Cities are facing the challenges of climate change. The application of nature-based solutions (NBS) to the urban structure is often mentioned in climate change adaptation strategies. In an effort to ensure the greatest possible well-being of citizens in the form of environmentally positive elements, the opinions of citizens are forgotten. This paper presents the results of research focusing on the feelings of unsafety associated with the application of NBS elements directly into the urban structure. In two pilot areas (Ostrava (CZ) and the part of Upper Silesian agglomeration (PL)) the feelings of the inhabitants and the possible feeling of fear or danger in the application of NBS were investigated. In Ostrava, a questionnaire survey was conducted in relation to specific elements of the NBS without discussion of specific locations. In the Upper Silesian agglomeration, residents’ feelings about specific NBS were surveyed at specific locations using guided interviews. Both approaches resulted in the identification of elements of concern. Respondents who discussed a specific location had a better understanding of the urban context and worried less. The two approaches demonstrated the need to communicate with residents before finalizing the design of a particular public space and the desirability of discussing site-specific issues with citizens.
Changes in Mangrove Cover and Exposure to Coastal Hazards in Kenya
Authors: Hamza Amina Juma , Esteves Luciana S. , Cvitanović Marin
Published: October 2022

Mangroves are effective carbon sinks, support coastal fisheries and provide wood and non-wood resources to coastal communities. They are threatened by natural and human-induced stresses including over-exploitation, conversion pressures, pollution and climate change. Understanding changes in this important ecosystem is essential to inform the sustainable management of mangroves and assess the implications related to the loss of ecosystem services. This study used global remote sensing mangrove forest data to quantify changes in mangrove cover in Kenya between 2010 and 2016 and applied the InVEST coastal vulnerability model to assess the implications concerning the provision of natural coastal protection services in Kenya. The results indicate that the annual rates of mangrove cover loss in Kenya were 0.15% between 2010 and 2016. Currently, 16% of the Kenyan coastline is at higher levels of exposure to coastal hazards but this could increase to 41% if coastal ecosystems (mangroves, corals and seagrasses) are lost. The study further identified that higher rates of mangrove loss are observed in areas at higher risk of exposure in the southern and northern counties of Kwale and Lamu, where monitoring and management efforts should be prioritized.
An Integrated Modelling Approach to Urban Growth and Land Use/Cover Change
Authors: Azizi Parviz , Soltani Ali , Bagheri Farokh , Sharifi Shahrzad , Mikaeili Mehdi
Published: October 2022

Long-term sustainable development in developing countries requires researching and projecting urban physical growth and land use/land cover change (LUCC). This research fills a gap in the literature by exploring the issues of modelling coupled LUCC and urban growth, their causes, and the role of policymakers. Tabriz metropolitan area (TMA), located at north-west Iran, was chosen as a case study to design an integrated framework using four well-established methods: cellular automata (CA), Markov chains (MC), logistic regression (LR), and stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA). Northern, north-west, and central TMA were affected the worst by urbanisation and the loss of cultivated and grassland between 1990 and 2020. The accessibility of arterial roadways and proximity to major cities influenced these changes. Three scenarios characterise LUCC dynamics: the uncontrolled growth scenario (UGS) and the historical trend growth scenario (HTGS) foresee significant loss of cultivated land and continued urban expansion above the long-term average in 2050, while the environmental protection growth scenario (EPGS) promotes sustainable development and compact urbanisation. The methods used in this research may be used to various contexts to examine the temporal and spatial dynamics of LUCC and urban growth.
Planform Changes in the Lower Mahaweli River, Sri Lanka Using Landsat Satellite Data
Authors: Basnayaka Vindhya , Samarasinghe Jayanga T. , Gunathilake Miyuru B. , Muttil Nitin , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: October 2022

Major development projects along rivers, like reservoirs and other hydraulic structures, have changed not only river discharges but also sediment transport. Thus, changes in river planforms can be observed in such rivers. In addition, river centerline migrations can be witnessed. The Mahaweli River is the longest in Sri Lanka, having the largest catchment area among the 103 major river basins in the country. The river has been subjected to many development projects over the last 50 years, causing significant changes in the river discharge and sediment transport. However, no research has been carried out to evaluate the temporal and spatial changes in planforms. The current seeks to qualitatively analyze the river planform changes of the Lower Mahaweli River (downstream to Damanewewa) over the past 30 years (from 1991 to 2021) and identify the major planform features and their spatiotemporal changes in the lower Mahaweli River. Analyzing the changes in rivers requires long-term data with high spatial resolution. Therefore, in this research, remotely sensed Landsat satellite data were used to analyze the planform changes of Lower Mahaweli River with a considerably high resolution (30 m). These Landsat satellite images were processed and analyzed using the QGIS mapping tool and a semi-automated digitizing tool. The results show that major changes in river Mahaweli occurred mainly in the most downstream sections of the selected river segment. Further, the river curvature was also comparatively high downstream of the river. An oxbow lake formation was observed over time in the most downstream part of the Mahaweli River after 2011. Centerline migration rates were also calculated with the generated river centerlines. It was found that the rates were generally lower than about 30 m per year, except for at locations where river meandering was observed. The main limitations of this study were the possible misclassifications due to the resolution of images and obstructions caused by cloud cover in the Landsat images. To achieve more accurate estimates, this study could be developed further with quantitative mathematical analysis by also considering the sediment dynamics of the Mahaweli River.
Time Allocation and the Activity-Space-Based Segregation of Different Income Groups: A Case Study of Nanjing
Authors: Wang Hui , Kwan Mei-Po , Hu Mingxing , Qi Junheng , Zheng Jiemin , Han Bin
Published: October 2022

Time allocation is closely related to life quality and is a potential indicator of urban space utilization and sociospatial differentiation. However, existing time allocation studies focus on how time is allocated to various activities but pay less attention to where individuals allocate their time. In the context of China’s transformation, this study examines the differences in time allocation in different urban spaces between low- and non-low-income groups based on two methods, descriptive statistics and social area analysis. The results show that low-income participants’ daily activities (especially work) are highly dependent on the central city area. However, they are at a disadvantage in accessing the central city area. Nevertheless, non-low-income individuals have diversified activity spaces and can better choose locations according to the purpose of activities and make fuller use of various types of urban areas. This study indicates that there are social differences in time allocation and urban space utilization among different income groups. The results obtained with regression models reveal that in addition to income, activity characteristics and built environment characteristics are significant factors affecting the differences. Social policies should support the equitable distribution of urban resources for different social groups, especially for vulnerable groups who live in affordable housing.
Assessment of Woody Residual Biomass Generation Capacity in the Central Region of Portugal: Analysis of the Power Production Potential
Authors: Nunes Leonel J. R. , Casau Margarida , Matias João C. O. , Dias Marta Ferreira
Published: October 2022

Biomass is an alternative energy source with high potential to contribute to the global energy mix and to countries’ energetic independence. The case of Portugal is particularly relevant, given its biomass availability. Thus, the quantification of woody residual biomass is assumed to be urgent. To achieve the objective of quantifying residual woody biomass, various available data were used, namely the Land Cover and Soil Use Map (COS 2018), from which areas occupied by different categories were selected as being the most relevant. Then, based on coefficients previously established, the amounts of residual woody biomass were determined, namely for maritime pine forests, eucalyptus forests, scrubland, vineyards, olive groves, and orchards. Then, the potential for generating electricity was estimated. It was found that for the hypothetical scenario of the total conversion of the recently closed Pêgo coal power plant to biomass, the available amounts of residual woody biomass in the country would not be sufficient to ensure the operation. On the other hand, if the power plant only worked as a backup unit, the available quantities could ensure its operation and contribute to creating a value chain for residual woody biomass of forest and agricultural origin within a circular economy and sustainable development approach.
Distribution Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in the Drylands of Central Asia
Authors: Chen Yusen , Zhang Shihang , Wang Yongdong
Published: October 2022

Soil organic carbon (C) and soil total nitrogen (N) show different degrees of spatial variability at different scales. Both are important components of soil nutrients and essential elements for plant growth and development, and are closely related to biogeochemical cycles. However, there is limited information on the regional spatial validity of SOC and TN and the associated drivers at the scale of the Central Asian drylands. Therefore, this study uses the ISRIC-WISE (International Soil Reference and Information Centre-Word Inventory of Soil Property Estimates) database to conduct soil sampling at the raster level, combined with relevant climatic and environmental datasets, to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and drivers of soil C and N in the drylands of Central Asia using classical geostatistical methods and structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of this study show that the distributions of soil C and N contents in the dry zone of Central Asia have greater similarity, with C content mainly concentrated in the ranges of 0–5.5 g/kg and 11.1–15.9 g/kg; soil N content mainly concentrated in the range of 0.4–1.1 g/kg, and the soil C:N ratio mainly concentrated in the range of 12.2–28.9. Structural equation modelling showed that the main driver of soil C change was Aridity (−0.51); the main driver of soil N change was Mean Annual Temperature (MAT) (−0.44); and soil C:N change was most influenced by Aboveground biomass (AGB) (−0.25). An analysis of the relative importance contribution showed that Aridity had the highest relative importance with regard to the change in C (32%); MAT had the highest relative importance with regard to the changes in N and C:N (29% and 40%, respectively). The above findings provide a reference for the use of soil resources in drylands and provide a scientific basis for regional differences in the response of arid ecosystems to climate change.
Spatiotemporal Evolution and Cause Analysis of Urban Housing Investment Resilience: An Empirical Study of 35 Large and Medium-Sized Cities in China
Authors: Wang Linyan , Hu Haiqing , Wang Xianzhu , Zhang Xincheng , Sun Hao
Published: October 2022

In this study, we explore the evolution and formation mechanism of urban housing investment resilience from three perspectives: theoretical analysis, model construction, and empirical testing. Based on the three-element theory of investment decision making and urban resilience system theory, a theoretical framework of urban housing investment resilience is constructed. Spatiotemporal analysis and qualitative comparison methods are used to divide 35 large and medium-sized cities into two categories, first-tier and non-first-tier cities, and their spatiotemporal characteristics and differences in terms of formation mechanism differences then explored. The results show that (1) the overall housing investment resilience of the 35 investigated cities is low, with the characteristics of periodic evolution, and there are obvious differences between the first-tier and non-first-tier cities as well as unbalanced development problems. (2) The three internal investment decision factors of returns, costs, and expectations and the five external support factors of economic growth, infrastructure development, labor market, policy regulation, and monetary policy do not, by themselves, constitute the necessary conditions for high levels of urban housing investment resilience, and there are three paths for the development of high levels of housing investment resilience in both first-tier and non-first-tier cities. (3) The twos types of cities have the same conformational path of "return- and cost-driven" but different dedicated conformational paths, including "cost-driven", "expectation- driven", and "return- and expectation-driven", and the core conditions in their driving paths are different, with real estate policy being the core condition in the path of first-tier cities and infrastructure development and labor markets being the core conditions in the path of non-first-tier cities. (4) There is a potential substitution relationship between the three configuration paths of first-tier and non-first-tier cities, and the substitution relationship between the two types of cities is also different. The findings of this study reveal that the complex interaction between the urban resilience system, represented by infrastructure construction, and multiple factors, including the three elements of investment, can have an impact on the resilience of real estate investment.