scholarly journals Pan Traps for Tracking Honey Bee Activity-Density: A Case Study in Soybeans

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 366
Author(s):  
Ashley L. St. Clair ◽  
Adam G. Dolezal ◽  
Matthew E. O’Neal ◽  
Amy L. Toth
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Activity Density ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
A Site ◽  
Monitoring Activity ◽  
Pan Traps

To study how honey bees utilize forage resources and guide pollination management plans in crops, a multitude of methods have been developed, but most are time consuming, costly, and require specialized skills. Colored pan traps for monitoring activity-density are a simple, efficient, and cost-effective alternative; however, their usefulness for studying honey bees is not well described. We examined if trap color, location within a field, and the presence of managed colonies affected estimates of honey bee activity-density within soybean fields. Soybeans are visited by pollinators but do not require these visits for seed development. Pan traps, especially those colored blue, captured more honey bees when colonies were present. There were no differences in activity-density based on placement of traps within a field nor with increasing distance from colonies. Throughout the season, activity-density in soybeans was constant but tripled after soybean ceased blooming, suggesting spikes in pan trap captures may indicate periods of forage scarcity. Activity-density did not correlate with the population size of worker bees at a site, but did correlate with number of colonies present. We conclude that pan traps can be useful for assessing honey bee activity, particularly for estimating colony presence and identifying times of forage scarcity.

Sustainability Study of In-situ Hydroponic Vetiver System for Urban Wastewater Management in Developing Countries: A Theoretical Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 97-103
Author(s):  
Kaushik Ghosh ◽  
Arup Sarkar
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Urban Wastewater ◽  
Current State ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Urban Wastewater Treatment

Urban wastewater management is a crucial challenge in the small and medium towns situated in the developing countries worldwide. These towns are also facing an increasing gap between infrastructure and population growth. A conventional approach to curb these problems is the application of cost-intensive electro-mechanical sewerage technologies, as adopted in developed countries. The first part of this paper derives a set of indicators to framework a sustainable urban wastewater treatment system by reviewing the current state of wastewater management in developing countries, for example, the sample case study being India. The second part evaluates the potential performance of the proposed alternative in-situ hydroponic vetiver system (HVS) against those set of sustainability indicators by reviewing the worldwide performance of the HVS. The objective of this paper is to assess the potential viability of the HVS as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for developing countries. The current analysis can aid in mainstreaming the use of HVS in policy making and urban planning.

scholarly journals A Multidisciplinary Approach for the Mapping, Automatic Detection and Morphometric Analysis of Ancient Submerged Coastal Installations: The Case Study of the Ancient Aegina Harbour Complex

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 4462
Author(s):  
Nikos Georgiou ◽  
Xenophon Dimas ◽  
Elias Fakiris ◽  
Dimitris Christodoulou ◽  
Maria Geraga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphometric Analysis ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Coastal Zone Management ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Statistical Parameters ◽  
Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽  
Acoustic Data ◽  
Zone Management ◽  
Management Plans

The documentation of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) is the basis for sustainable maritime development including its protection, preservation, and incorporation in coastal zone management plans. In this study, we present a multidisciplinary, non-intrusive downscale approach for the documentation of UCH implemented on the coastal area of Aegina Island, Greece, where a unique submerged harbour complex is preserved. This approach succeeded in obtaining information that serves both geomorphological and archaeological purposes in a time- and cost-effective way, while obtaining information of centimeters to millimeters scale. The geomorphology of the area was mapped in detail through marine geophysical means while ancient submerged conical rubble structures and breakwaters were documented using automatic seafloor segmentation techniques, revealing previously unknown sites of archaeological interest. The structures’ parameters were extracted from the acoustic data to analyze their morphometry, while photogrammetry was realized using a Remotely Operated Vehicle to expose their micro-structure. The spatial distribution of the structures revealed the construction of a well-planned harbour complex with multiple passages and different possible functionalities. Finally, through the structures’ morphometric analysis (geometry and terrain statistical parameters) their preservation status was revealed, demonstrating the anthropogenic impact on the submerged ancient structures due to the modern harbor activity.

scholarly journals Quantification of Kaolinite and Halloysite Using Machine Learning from FTIR, XRF, and Brightness Data

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1350
Author(s):  
Pieter I. Du Plessis ◽  
Michael F. Gazley ◽  
Stephanie L. Tay ◽  
Eliza F. Trunfull ◽  
Manuel Knorsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Yilgarn Craton ◽  
Weathering Profile ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Clay Deposits ◽  
Cost Effective Method ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Quantified Analysis

Quantification of halloysite and kaolinite in clay deposits from X-ray diffraction (XRD) commonly requires extensive sample preparation to differentiate the two phyllosilicates. When assessing hundreds of samples for mineral resource estimations, XRD analyses may become unfeasible due to time and expense. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis is a fast and cost-effective method to discriminate between kaolinite and halloysite; however, few efforts have been made to use this technique for quantified analysis of these minerals. In this study, we trained machine- and deep-learning models on XRD data to predict the abundance of kaolinite and halloysite from FTIR, chemical composition, and brightness data. The case study is from the Cloud Nine kaolinite–halloysite deposit, Noombenberry Project, Western Australia. The residual clay deposit is hosted in the saprolitic and transition zone of the weathering profile above the basement granite on the southwestern portion of the Archean Yilgarn Craton. Compared with XRD quantification, the predicted models have an R2 of 0.97 for kaolinite and 0.96 for halloysite, demonstrating an excellent fit. Based on these results, we demonstrate that our methodology provides a cost-effective alternative to XRD to quantify kaolinite and halloysite abundances.

scholarly journals Different Dynamics of Bacterial and Fungal Communities in Hive-Stored Bee Bread and Their Possible Roles: A Case Study from Two Commercial Honey Bees in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terd Disayathanoowat ◽  
HuanYuan Li ◽  
Natapon Supapimon ◽  
Nakarin Suwannarach ◽  
Saisamorn Lumyong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Filamentous Fungi ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Apis Cerana ◽  
Fungal Communities ◽  
Bee Bread ◽  
Pollen Preservation ◽  
Number Of Bacteria

This study investigated both bacterial and fungal communities in corbicular pollen and hive-stored bee bread of two commercial honey bees, Apis mellifera and Apis cerana, in China. Although both honey bees favor different main floral sources, the dynamics of each microbial community is similar. During pH reduction in hive-stored bee bread, results from conventional culturable methods and next-generation sequencing showed a declining bacterial population but a stable fungal population. Different honey bee species and floral sources might not affect the core microbial community structure but could change the number of bacteria. Corbicular pollen was colonized by the Enterobacteriaceae bacterium (Escherichia-Shiga, Panteoa, Pseudomonas) group; however, the number of bacteria significantly decreased in hive-stored bee bread in less than 72 h. In contrast, Acinetobacter was highly abundant and could utilize protein sources. In terms of the fungal community, the genus Cladosporium remained abundant in both corbicular pollen and hive-stored bee bread. This filamentous fungus might encourage honey bees to reserve pollen by releasing organic acids. Furthermore, several filamentous fungi had the potential to inhibit both commensal/contaminant bacteria and the growth of pathogens. Filamentous fungi, in particular, the genus Cladosporium, could support pollen preservation of both honey bee species.

scholarly journals Semi-Automated Field Plot Segmentation From UAS Imagery for Experimental Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciaran Robb ◽  
Andy Hardy ◽  
John H. Doonan ◽  
Jason Brook
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Field Work ◽  
Segmentation Method ◽  
Dry Land ◽  
Treatment Regimes ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Segmentation Approach ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Crop Types ◽  
Monitoring Activity

We present an image processing method for accurately segmenting crop plots from Unmanned Aerial System imagery (UAS). The use of UAS for agricultural monitoring has increased significantly, emerging as a potentially cost effective alternative to manned aerial surveys and field work for remotely assessing crop state. The accurate segmentation of small densely-packed crop plots from UAS imagery over extensive areas is an important component of this monitoring activity in order to assess the state of different varieties and treatment regimes in a timely and cost-effective manner. Despite its importance, a reliable crop plot segmentation approach eludes us, with best efforts being relying on significant manual parameterization. The segmentation method developed uses a combination of edge detection and Hough line detection to establish the boundaries of each plot with pixel/point based metrics calculated for each plot segment. We show that with limited parameterization, segmentation of crop plots consistently over 89% accuracy are possible on different crop types and conditions. This is comparable to results obtained from rice paddies where the plant material in plots is sharply contrasted with the water, and represents a considerable improvement over previous methods for typical dry land crops.

scholarly journals A Case Study on the Impacts of Connected Vehicle Technology on No-Notice Evacuation Clearance Time

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karzan Bahaaldin ◽  
Ryan Fries ◽  
Parth Bhavsar ◽  
Plaban Das
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Management ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Connected Vehicle ◽  
Vehicle To Vehicle ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Connected Vehicle Technology ◽  
Vehicle To Infrastructure ◽  
Evacuation Traffic

No-notice evacuations of metropolitan areas can place significant demands on transportation infrastructure. Connected vehicle (CV) technology, with real-time vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to infrastructure communications, can help emergency managers to develop efficient and cost-effective traffic management plans for such events. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the impacts of CVs on no-notice evacuations using a case study of a downtown metropolitan area. The microsimulation software VISSIM was used to model the roadway network and the evacuation traffic. The model was built, calibrated, and validated for studying the performance of traffic during the evacuation. The researchers evaluated system performance with different CV penetration rates (from 0 to 30 percent CVs) and measured average speed, average delays, and total delays. The findings suggest significant reductions in total delays when CVs reached a penetration rate of 30 percent, albeit increases in delays during the beginning of the evacuation. Additionally, the benefits could be greater for evacuations that last longer and with higher proportions of CVs in the vehicle stream.

Mobile data collection apps

2021 ◽  
pp. 177-200
Author(s):  
Edward McLester ◽  
Alex K. Piel
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Digital Data ◽  
Mobile Data ◽  
Mobile Data Collection ◽  
Conservation Practice ◽  
Mobile Consumer ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Widespread Availability

The expansion of the mobile consumer market in the last decade has resulted in the widespread availability of affordable, multifunctional tablets, and smartphones with a range of uses. Whether for scientific research or conservation practice, these devices provide a means of digital data collection that is an increasingly time- and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods. This chapter discusses recent advances in mobile data collection, especially with cloud storage, including the advantages and limitations of this emerging approach. It will also review current hardware and software options for conservation data collection, focusing on devices and apps with high customisability, and provide an overview of how these systems may be applied in conservation science. As a case study, it will examine the transition from paper to digital data collection at a primate conservation project at the Issa Valley, Tanzania. And finally, it will identify gaps and precautions in current applications of mobile data collection and suggest what lies ahead for digital data collection in conservation.

scholarly journals Digging into the Genomic Past of Swiss Honey Bees by Whole-Genome Sequencing Museum Specimens

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 2535-2551
Author(s):  
Melanie Parejo ◽  
David Wragg ◽  
Dora Henriques ◽  
Jean-Daniel Charrière ◽  
Andone Estonba
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Population History ◽  
History Museum ◽  
Whole Genomes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Commercial Breeding

Abstract Historical specimens in museum collections provide opportunities to gain insights into the genomic past. For the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., this is particularly important because its populations are currently under threat worldwide and have experienced many changes in management and environment over the last century. Using Swiss Apis mellifera mellifera as a case study, our research provides important insights into the genetic diversity of native honey bees prior to the industrial-scale introductions and trade of non-native stocks during the 20th century—the onset of intensive commercial breeding and the decline of wild honey bees following the arrival of Varroa destructor. We sequenced whole-genomes of 22 honey bees from the Natural History Museum in Bern collected in Switzerland, including the oldest A. mellifera sample ever sequenced. We identify both, a historic and a recent migrant, natural or human-mediated, which corroborates with the population history of honey bees in Switzerland. Contrary to what we expected, we find no evidence for a significant genetic bottleneck in Swiss honey bees, and find that genetic diversity is not only maintained, but even slightly increased, most probably due to modern apicultural practices. Finally, we identify signals of selection between historic and modern honey bee populations associated with genes enriched in functions linked to xenobiotics, suggesting a possible selective pressure from the increasing use and diversity of chemicals used in agriculture and apiculture over the last century.

2D Color-Intensity Representation of Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge Measurements

2020 ◽  
pp. 1192-1198
Author(s):  
M.S. Mohammad ◽  
Tibebe Tesfaye ◽  
Kim Ki-Seong
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
The Other ◽  
Thickness Gauge ◽  
Color Intensity ◽  
Digital Readout ◽  
Flat Surfaces ◽  
Video Cameras ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cost Effective Alternative ◽  
Ultrasonic Thickness

Ultrasonic thickness gauges are easy to operate and reliable, and can be used to measure a wide range of thicknesses and inspect all engineering materials. Supplementing the simple ultrasonic thickness gauges that present results in either a digital readout or as an A-scan with systems that enable correlating the measured values to their positions on the inspected surface to produce a two-dimensional (2D) thickness representation can extend their benefits and provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive advanced C-scan machines. In previous work, the authors introduced a system for the positioning and mapping of the values measured by the ultrasonic thickness gauges and flaw detectors (Tesfaye et al. 2019). The system is an alternative to the systems that use mechanical scanners, encoders, and sophisticated UT machines. It used a camera to record the probe’s movement and a projected laser grid obtained by a laser pattern generator to locate the probe on the inspected surface. In this paper, a novel system is proposed to be applied to flat surfaces, in addition to overcoming the other limitations posed due to the use of the laser projection. The proposed system uses two video cameras, one to monitor the probe’s movement on the inspected surface and the other to capture the corresponding digital readout of the thickness gauge. The acquired images of the probe’s position and thickness gauge readout are processed to plot the measured data in a 2D color-coded map. The system is meant to be simpler and more effective than the previous development.

CONTEXTUALIZING PALIMPSEST OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY IN AN URBAN HERITAGE SITE: Case Study of Chahar Bagh, Shiraz - Iran

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Mahmoudi Farahani ◽  
Marzieh Setayesh ◽  
Leila Shokrollahi
Keyword(s):  
Collective Memory ◽  
Active Part ◽  
Collective Memories ◽  
Cultural Life ◽  
Urban Heritage ◽  
Heritage Site ◽  
Historical Sites ◽  
A Site ◽  
Historical Centre

A landscape or site, which has been inhabited for long, consists of layers of history. This history is sometimes reserved in forms of small physical remnants, monuments, memorials, names or collective memories of destruction and reconstruction. In this sense, a site/landscape can be presumed as what Derrida refers to as a “palimpsest”. A palimpsest whose character is identified in a duality between the existing layers of meaning accumulated through time, and the act of erasing them to make room for the new to appear. In this study, the spatial collective memory of the Chahar Bagh site which is located in the historical centre of Shiraz will be investigated as a contextualized palimpsest, with various projects adjacent one another; each conceptualized and constructed within various historical settings; while the site as a heritage is still an active part of the city’s cultural life. Through analysing the different layers of meaning corresponding to these adjacent projects, a number of principals for reading the complexities of similar historical sites can be driven.

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