scholarly journals Historical Suitability and Sustainability of Sicani Mountains Landscape (Western Sicily): An Integrated Approach of Phytosociology and Archaeobotany

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 3201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Bazan ◽  
Claudia Speciale ◽  
Angelo Castrorao Barba ◽  
Salvatore Cambria ◽  
Roberto Miccichè ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Middle Ages ◽  
Plant Communities ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Case Study Site ◽  
Western Sicily ◽  
Ongoing Project ◽  
Vegetation Series

Since 2015, the ongoing project “Harvesting Memories” has been focused on long-term landscape dynamics in Sicani Mountains (Western Sicily). Archaeological excavations in the case study site of Contrada Castro (Corleone) have investigated a settlement which was mainly occupied during the Early Middle Ages (late 8th–11th century AD). This paper aims to understand the historical suitability and sustainability of this area analysing the correlation between the current dynamics of plant communities and the historical use of woods detected by the archaeobotanical record. An integrated approach between phytosociology and archaeobotany has been applied. The vegetation series of the study area has been used as a model to understand the ecological meaning and spatial distribution of archaeobotanical data on charcoals from the Medieval layers of the Contrada Castro site. The intersection between the frequency data of the archaeobotanical record and the phytosociological analysis have confirmed the maintenance of the same plant communities during the last millennium due to the sustainable exploitation of wood resources. An integrated comparison between the structure and composition of current phytocoenoses with archaeobotanical data allowed us to confirm that this landscape is High Nature Value (HNV) farmland and to interpret the historical vegetation dynamics linked to the activities and economy of a rural community.

scholarly journals A New Integrated Approach for Municipal Landfill Siting Based on Urban Physical Growth Prediction: A Case Study Mashhad Metropolis in Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 949
Author(s):  
Salman Qureshi ◽  
Saman Nadizadeh Shorabeh ◽  
Najmeh Neysani Samany ◽  
Foad Minaei ◽  
Mehdi Homaee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Growth ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Physical Growth ◽  
Support Vector ◽  
Markov Chain Method ◽  
Physical Expansion ◽  
Hierarchy Process ◽  
The City

Due to irregular and uncontrolled expansion of cities in developing countries, currently operational landfill sites cannot be used in the long-term, as people will be living in proximity to these sites and be exposed to unhygienic circumstances. Hence, this study aims at proposing an integrated approach for determining suitable locations for landfills while considering their physical expansion. The proposed approach utilizes the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) to weigh the sets of identified landfill location criteria. Furthermore, the weighted linear combination (WLC) approach was applied for the elicitation of the proper primary locations. Finally, the support vector machine (SVM) and cellular automation-based Markov chain method were used to predict urban growth. To demonstrate the applicability of the developed approach, it was applied to a case study, namely the city of Mashhad in Iran, where suitable sites for landfills were identified considering the urban growth in different geographical directions for this city by 2048. The proposed approach could be of use for policymakers, urban planners, and other decision-makers to minimize uncertainty arising from long-term resource allocation.

scholarly journals Territorial governance of managed retreat in Sweden: addressing challenges

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnel Göransson ◽  
Lisa Van Well ◽  
David Bendz ◽  
Per Danielsson ◽  
Jim Hedfors
Keyword(s):  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Governance Framework ◽  
Case Study Site ◽  
Feasible Option ◽  
Flexible Planning ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Inland Flooding

AbstractMany climate adaptation options currently being discussed in Sweden to meet the challenge of surging seas and inland flooding advocate holding the line through various hard and soft measures to stabilize the shoreline, while managed retreat is neither considered as feasible option nor has it been explicitly researched in Sweden. However, failure to consider future flooding from climate change in municipal planning may have dangerous and costly consequences when the water does come. We suggest that managed retreat practices are challenging in Sweden, not only due to public opinions but also because of a deficit of uptake of territorial knowledge by decision-makers and difficulties in realizing flexible planning options of the shoreline. A territorial governance framework was used as a heuristic to explore the challenges to managed retreat in four urban case studies (three municipalities and one county) representing different territorial, hydrological and oceanographic environments. This was done through a series of participatory stakeholder workshops. The analysis using a territorial governance framework based on dimensions of coordination, integration, mobilization, adaptation and realization presents variations in how managed retreat barriers and opportunities are perceived among case study sites, mainly due to the differing territorial or place-based challenges. The results also indicate common challenges regardless of the case study site, including coordination challenges and unclear responsibility, the need for integrated means of addressing goal conflicts and being able to adapt flexibly to existing regulations and plans. Yet rethinking how managed retreat could boost community resilience and help to implement long-term visions was seen as a way to deal with some of the territorial challenges.

Optimisation of control strategies for the urban wastewater system - an integrated approach

1999 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 209-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred Schütze ◽  
David Butler ◽  
M. Bruce Beck
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Integrated Control ◽  
Water Quality Management ◽  
Treatment Plant ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Urban Wastewater ◽  
Sewer System ◽  
Integrated Simulation ◽  
Case Study Site

Currently, the sewer system, treatment plant and receiving water body are normally considered as separate units in water quality management. The study reported in this paper analyses the potential of integrated control of the urban wastewater system in its entirety. Assembly and implementation of an integrated simulation and optimisation tool, named SYNOPSIS, are presented. This software package allows water quantity and quality processes in the urban wastewater system to be simulated. Furthermore, optimisation modules included in this tool can be applied for off-line optimisation of control strategies. This procedure is exemplified for a semi-hypothetical case study site. Results obtained for this case study suggest that integrated control of the urban wastewater system can indeed lead to some improvement of its performance. This study demonstrates that a tool is now available for assessment of the potential of integrated control.

scholarly journals Collaborative Patterns of Long-Term Sustainability in Community Social Enterprises: An International Comparative Case Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunna Kovanen
Keyword(s):  
Communities Of Practice ◽  
Rural Community ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Social Enterprises ◽  
Comparative Case Study ◽  
Transformative Power ◽  
International Comparative ◽  
Community Enterprises

AbstractThe article presents results from a research on the relevance and challenges of collaboration for the long-term sustainability of rural community enterprises. The study relies on Communities of Practice and Degrowth theories. Methods include semi-standardised interviews and focused ethnography in two community enterprises in rural areas in Germany and Portugal. Main results confirm the relevance of collaborative relations with residents, public sector, peer organisations and within the teams for both stability and transformative power of the organisations’ work. Respectful handling of privileges and balance in participation and professionalisation support sustainability, whereas institutional stagnation and involuntary degrowth may risk it.

A Framework for Using Dynamic Modeling to Support Lean Sustainment in a Complex Setting

2021 ◽  
pp. 91-110
Author(s):  
Marc Haddad ◽  
Rami Otayek
Keyword(s):  
Systems Thinking ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Demand Uncertainty ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Dynamics Modeling ◽  
Work In Process ◽  
Simulation Results ◽  
Thinking Tools

This chapter proposes a framework for integrating lean and systems thinking tools to explore the dynamics of lean implementations in manufacturing. The value of this integrated approach is in supplementing the operational level principles of lean with the strategic outlook of systems thinking to mitigate adverse impacts of operational complexity on system performance. In particular, the focus of the framework is to enable the sustainment of lean gains in the long-term, a major challenge in manufacturing settings. The application of the framework is illustrated with a case study of a lean implementation for reducing work-in-process (WIP) at a clothing manufacturer dealing with a number of operational complexities such as demand uncertainty, a high product mix and inefficient processes. The case study highlights the usefulness of system dynamics modeling in revealing counterintuitive system behaviors that could compromise the success of the lean initiative. The simulation results demonstrate the application of the framework for sustaining lean implementations in practice.

scholarly journals Framework for the Integrated Sustainability Assessment of Irrigation with Marginal Water

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1168
Author(s):  
Pavan Cornelissen ◽  
Sjoerd E. A. T. M. van der Zee ◽  
Anton Leijnse
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Reclaimed Wastewater ◽  
The Public ◽  
Integrated Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Compartments

The use of marginal water, such as reclaimed wastewater or effluent, for irrigation can reduce the pressure on existing freshwater resources. However, this can cause contaminants to accumulate in compartments such as the soil, crop, air, surface- and groundwater, which may harm the public health and the environment. Environmental quality standards for these compartments are generally considered separately. However, the compartments are related to each other by the fluxes between them, and the concept of sustainability should hold for all compartments simultaneously. An integrated approach is therefore required for the sustainability assessment of irrigation with marginal water. Since such an approach has not been provided yet, we develop an integrated framework in this study. We provide sustainability indicators by comparing the long-term contaminant concentration and fluxes with quality standards for each environmental compartment. These indicators give comprehensible information on which contaminants will cause problems, which environmental compartments are threatened, and on what timescale this will occur. This allows for the prioritization of mitigation and preventive measures for better sustainability management. We illustrate the use of the framework by means of a case study.

scholarly journals Per filo e per segno

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Ammannati
Keyword(s):  
Sixteenth Century ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Critical Points ◽  
16Th Century ◽  
Late Middle Ages ◽  
Good Point ◽  
The City ◽  
Textile Sector

The wool manufacture, along with the International trade and finance, was one of Florence’s leading sectors in the Late Middle Ages. The sixteenth century has been only touched by the historical-economical studies, perhaps because it was traditionally considered a period of decadence. More recent research has instead highlighted the need to rethink these conclusions, demonstrating how the textile sector represents a good point of observation for deepening the critical points and evaluating the prospects of the economy of the city of the Lily in the 16th century. Alongside the analysis of a case study and the critical re-elaborations of what literature offers on more general topics, the book presents a long-term view of the process of the rise and decline of the Arte della Lana in Florence, reinterpreting it in the light of new archival investigations.

scholarly journals The Importance of Documenting and Including Traditional Wisdom in Community-Based Ecotourism Planning

SAGE Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401668104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vesna Đukić ◽  
Ivana Volić
Keyword(s):  
Rural Community ◽  
Traditional Practices ◽  
Cultural Resources ◽  
Positive Aspect ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Product Creation ◽  
The Village

This article accords to the theory of community-based tourism, which represents a concept that respects natural and cultural resources of a particular community and encourages participation of its members in the process of tourist product creation. The article operates in the planning phase and aims to give insights into the process of establishing the groundwork for community-based tourism. The key element is documenting and illustrating everything that could be a part of what is known as “traditional wisdom,” namely, the skills and knowledge of traditional life practices. The methods of case study, content analysis, and observation of the village of Omoljica, Serbia, were used. The positive aspect of this locality is reflected in the existing short-term initiatives of organizations and individuals engaging in preserving traditional practices, but without systematic, long-term planning and management of community-based tourism, these individual efforts to revalue traditional life practices would stay unrecognizable and invisible for visitors and stakeholders. Thus, the main goal of this article is to understand the relation between short-term bottom-up initiatives and long-term top-down strategic planning of specific ecotourism destinations, one that would embrace the traditional ways of rural community life. The contribution of this study, in addition to documenting and illustrating “traditional wisdom” of the specific rural community placed in the protected area which encompasses a particular local social system, will be reflected in the creation of a set of guidelines for sustainable, rural, community-based ecotourism as a soft-driver development of protected areas near big cities of the postsocialist countries.

scholarly journals Implications of spatial distribution of rockfall reconstructed by dendrogeomorphological methods

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1817-1826 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Šilhán ◽  
T. Pánek ◽  
J. Hradecký
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Nigra ◽  
Precise Determination ◽  
Spatial Reconstruction ◽  
Pine Trees ◽  
Case Study Site ◽  
Talus Slope ◽  
Old Trees

Abstract. Rockfall is a dangerous geomorphological process. The prediction of potentially threatened areas requires thorough reconstruction of spatial rockfall activity. Dendrogeomorphic methods allow precise determination of both temporal and spatial occurrences of rockfall without the necessity of long-term monitoring. At the case-study site of Taraktash, located among southern slopes of the Crimean Mountains, 114 Crimean pine trees (Pinus nigra ssp. pallasiana) were sampled on a talus slope located under a 150 m high rockwall. Based on their age, the trees were divided into two distinct groups (young and old trees). Considerable disturbance in the age structure of the trees on the talus was probably caused by a series of strong earthquakes. Major differences were identified in the ability of young and old trees to record a rockfall event. We found that in the first decades of their growth, the ability of the studied P. nigra to record rockfall events gradually increased. The trees showed the highest sensitivity at the age of 80 to 90 yr; after that age their sensitivity gradually decreases. Two indicators were selected for the spatial reconstruction of rockfall events (the number of rockfall events per tree and recurrence interval). The highest activity was identified on the talus using selected indicators.

scholarly journals Combining historical maps and censuses of Cyprus from the sixteenth to the twentieth century: A geospatial approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Antonis Hadjikyriacou ◽  
Evangelos Papadias ◽  
Christoforos Vradis ◽  
Christos Chalkias
Keyword(s):  
Economic Activity ◽  
Historical Development ◽  
Colonial Period ◽  
Historical Maps ◽  
Agricultural Census ◽  
Production Economic ◽  
British Colonial ◽  
Ongoing Project

Abstract. The paper presents the preliminary results of an ongoing project that combines historical cartographic and economic sources on Cyprus through the employment of geospatial analysis. The main sources are: the 1883 trigonometrical survey of the island by Horatio Herbert Kitchener; the 1572 fiscal survey and 1832/33 property survey by the Ottomans; and the 1931 British agricultural census. The Ottoman and British censuses, different though they are and separated by three and a half centuries, provide vital information on production, economic activity, population, and toponymy. The project correlates this data with the detailed recording of topographical, hydrological, and land use features of the Kitchener map, which constitutes an extremely close depiction of Ottoman conditions given that the transformation of the countryside witnessed during the British colonial period was not yet initiated. This allows the identification of certain constants in the Cypriot environment and landscape. The paper presents the interdisciplinary methodological challenges the project has encountered and proposes a framework for the combination of these different datasets and their analysis in order to better record and understand certain long-term patterns in the Cypriot economy, environment and landscape. It uses viticulture as a case study for the visualisation of data to determine the spatial distribution of vines in the historical long term. Finally, the paper situates its conclusions within broader historiographical discussions on the historical development of viticulture in the Mediterranean.

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