scholarly journals On the presence of Brachytrupes megacephalus Lefebvre 1827 (Orthoptera, Gryllidae) in the Natural Reserve "Simeto Oasis" (Sicily, Italy)

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfredo Petralia ◽  
Pietro Fiandaca ◽  
Ettore Petralia ◽  
Giorgio Sabella ◽  
Gaetano Torrisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ground Surface ◽  
Safeguard Measures ◽  
Natural Reserve ◽  
Large Head ◽  
Sandy Coast ◽  
First Results ◽  
The City ◽  
Artificial Changes ◽  
Anthropic Pressure ◽  
Special Protection

The authors present the first results of a survey on the presence of Brachytrupes megacephalus (Orthoptera species described by Alexandre Lefebvre in 1827 from specimens found in Sicily) in the Natural Reserve (NR) "Simeto Oasis". The NR is located along the Sicilian Ionian sandy coast just south of the city of Catania, at the mouth of the most important in river Sicily, Simeto. Brachytrupes megacephalus is a south Mediterranean species living in the sandy environments of Sicily, Aeolian Islands, Maltese islands, south Sardinia, North Africa. Due to its rarity in Europe, the species was included in Annexes II and IV of the European Directive 92/43 as one that requires special protection. This cricket is vegetarian, hygrophilous, yellowish in color, normally crepuscular and nocturnal. It is a burrowing animal living in tunnels that the individuals dig by the expulsion of the excavated sand by means of a very spectacular behavioural pattern involving its forelegs and the large head; this activity produces typical small irregular sandy cones on the ground surface, which reveals the presence of the animals (Conti et al. 2012). By detecting these formations, and also the entrances of the tunnels, it is possible to map the presence of B. megacephalus (Petralia et al. 2015). The species was present in the NR and was well represented in all the areas in which the soil has not been altered by the diverse human activities. The very intensive anthropization of the NR (e.g. houses, roads, cultivations, trampling, pollution, artificial changes of the vegetation) has subtracted vital space for the species; however, up to now the specie has survived even under difficult conditions and has been able to re-colonize the areas where the anthropic disturbance had ceased. The purpose of this research is to provide the management authority of the NR with useful information for the planning of appropriate safeguard measures aimed at limiting the anthropic pressure as well as measures aimed at protecting and restoring the habitat of the species, a fundamental condition for its survival.

scholarly journals FIRST STEPS TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED CITYGML-BASED 3D MODEL OF VIENNA

2016 ◽  
Vol III-4 ◽  
pp. 139-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Agugiaro
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
3D City Model ◽  
First Results ◽  
Sustainable Energy Systems ◽  
City Model ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The City ◽  
City Models

This paper presents and discusses the results regarding the initial steps (selection, analysis, preparation and eventual integration of a number of datasets) for the creation of an integrated, semantic, three-dimensional, and CityGML-based virtual model of the city of Vienna. CityGML is an international standard conceived specifically as information and data model for semantic city models at urban and territorial scale. It is being adopted by more and more cities all over the world. <br><br> The work described in this paper is embedded within the European Marie-Curie ITN project “Ci-nergy, Smart cities with sustainable energy systems”, which aims, among the rest, at developing urban decision making and operational optimisation software tools to minimise non-renewable energy use in cities. Given the scope and scale of the project, it is therefore vital to set up a common, unique and spatio-semantically coherent urban model to be used as information hub for all applications being developed. This paper reports about the experiences done so far, it describes the test area and the available data sources, it shows and exemplifies the data integration issues, the strategies developed to solve them in order to obtain the integrated 3D city model. The first results as well as some comments about their quality and limitations are presented, together with the discussion regarding the next steps and some planned improvements.

scholarly journals New locality of the endangered Sierra Madre Sparrow (Xenospiza baileyi) from the State of Durango, Mexico, and recommendations for its conservation

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Hugo Martínez-Guerrero ◽  
Jorge Nocedal ◽  
Daniel Sierra-Franco ◽  
Samuel Ignacio Arroyo-Arroyo ◽  
Martín Emilio Pereda-Solís
Keyword(s):  
The State ◽  
Reproductive Season ◽  
Livestock Grazing ◽  
Rainfed Agriculture ◽  
Sierra Madre Occidental ◽  
Sierra Madre ◽  
Protection Area ◽  
Northwestern Mexico ◽  
The City ◽  
Special Protection

The Sierra Madre Sparrow (Xenospiza baileyi) is an endemic species of Mexico that is threatened with extinction. Its distribution is reported in two areas: One in the Transvolcanic Belt of central Mexico (La Cima) near Mexico City and the other in the Sierra Madre Occidental in northwestern Mexico (Ejido Ojo de Agua El Cazador) near the city of Durango, in the state of Durango. The habitat is the same in these two areas, and consists of sub-alpine grassland that is located in shallow valleys or shallows. In our case, "El Bajío la Cantera" of approximately 55 hectares, is mostly used in rainfed agriculture, protected from livestock grazing with wire fences, which in turn represents protection for remnants of grassland where they are the birds. “El Bajío la Cantera" belongs to Ejido 12 de Mayo, Municipality of San Dimas, Durango, where 28 males were detected singing along a 500 meter transect. This finding represents the population of the healthiest Sierra Madre Sparrow currently known, so it would be necessary to document their population trend over time. This information can help to evaluate and propose the creation of a special protection area for the species that involves joint government actions and ejidatarios tending to conserve the habitat during the reproductive season in order to increase and / or maintain the size of the population.

scholarly journals Defensive system of ancient city Volubilis. State of research and new perspectives

2017 ◽  
pp. 513-528
Author(s):  
Maciej Czapski
Keyword(s):  
Non Invasive ◽  
Ancient City ◽  
First Results ◽  
Field Information ◽  
Southern Border ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Roman Province ◽  
The City

This contribution presents the first results of two surveys (2014, 2016) in the vicinity of the ancient city of Volubilis, situated in the southern part of the Roman province Mauretania Tingitana. The main purpose was to assess the possibilities of non-invasive research of the forts established by the Romans as part of the defensive system of Volubilis and to investigate the character of the Roman defences on the southern border. Forts were connected with watchtowers which completed the system protecting the territory in question. Many interesting fragments of pottery have been found at those sites, which may confirm Roman presence in many, though not all points. Collected field information as well as the analysis of publications leads to the conclusion that the border defence arrangements at Volubilis might not be considered as a part of a centrally organised limes system, safe guarding the entire province, but as the defensive system of the city and its surroundings.

Urban DAS recording of a vibroseismic campaign with a 21km-long dark fibre in Potsdam, Germany

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
CharLotte Krawczyk ◽  
Christopher Wollin ◽  
Stefan Lüth ◽  
Martin Lipus ◽  
Christian Cunow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
District Heating ◽  
Telecommunication Networks ◽  
Seismic Exploration ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Geothermal Potential ◽  
First Results ◽  
Local Geology ◽  
The City

<p>The de-carbonization strategy of the city of Potsdam, Germany, incorporates the utilization of its geothermal potential.  As a first step of developing a deep geothermal project for district heating, an urban seismic exploration campaign of the Stadtwerke Potsdam took place in December 2020 in the city centre of Potsdam.  Since urban measurements are often difficult to setup and a low-footprint alternative is sought for, we supplemented the contractor-performed Vibroseis survey along three profiles by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS).  In close cooperation with the municipal utilities, we interrogated a 21 km-long dark telecommunication fibre whose trajectory followed the seismic lines as close as possible.  This was accompanied by a network of 15 three-component geophones for further control and research.</p><p>In this contribution we present the data set, the approach for geo-referencing the fibre, and first results regarding DAS recording capabilities of vibroseismic signals in an urban environment.  Following the paradigm that the high density of telecommunication networks in urban areas may facilitate the exploration of the often insufficiently known local geology, we strive to further shed light on the possibilities of their employment for urban exploration.  In this respect we aim at tackling the question of the accuracy of fibre localization, recording sensitivity and range of active stimulation.</p>

Development of strategic water reserve for the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia

2009 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-540
Author(s):  
Abdullah S. Al-Ghamdi
Keyword(s):  
Demand Management ◽  
Ground Surface ◽  
Pumping Test ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Water Reserve ◽  
Desalination Plant ◽  
Subsurface Dam ◽  
The City ◽  
Natural Recharge

This contribution presents part of the work that had been done to develop the water resources in Wadi Naman east of Makkah City to form a strategic water reserve for the city of Makkah and the nearby holy shrines. The aim of the strategic water reserve is to be used as water supply in emergencies when the desalination plant or the pipelines from the desalination plant to the city have to be out of the service for a considerable amount of time due to planned or unplanned shutdowns. The development plan calls for a constructing of a subsurface dam across the Wadi at a prescribed location. The proposed subsurface dam will extend from 3 m below the natural ground surface to a depth of 2–3 metres inside solid bedrock. The suggested dam may be constructed using plain plastic concrete and utilizing the diaphragm wall technique for construction. The crest of the subsurface dam can serve as a buried spillway to convey access water downstream and the overflow freeboard will provide a room for utilities that passes through the wadi to serve cities and villages upstream. The alluvium thickness upstream of the proposed dam location is ranging from 20–70 m and the total volume of the alluvium behind the dam that can store water is 218 × 106 m3. Pumping test revealed that the transmissivity is 1,376 m2/day and the yield storage coefficient is 0.15. The safe water yield that can be stored in the alluvium behind the dam due to natural recharge of 6.53 × 106 m3/year and interception of the groundwater flow by the dam can reach an amount of 32.7 million cubic metres of water in a period of about 5 years from the date of completion of the dam. This amount of water can serve the city and the nearby holy shrines for a period of up to four months with a good demand management program. However, to maintain the desired levels of water quality and quantity in the reservoir and to minimize the adverse effect of the dam on the downstream area a very strict management program of the basin has to be followed. This management program can be used to control the urban and rural development in the area upstream of the dam and enhancing artificial and natural recharge in the upstream and downstream sides of the dam.

scholarly journals UHI ESTIMATION BASED ON ASTER AND MODIS SATELLITE IMAGERY: FIRST RESULTS ON STRASBOURG CITY, FRANCE

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIII-B3-2020 ◽  
pp. 799-805
Author(s):  
S. Del Pozo ◽  
T. Landes ◽  
F. Nerry ◽  
P. Kastendeuch ◽  
G. Najjar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rural Areas ◽  
Land Surface ◽  
Remote Sensing Data ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
First Results ◽  
Land Surface Temperatures ◽  
Urban And Rural Areas ◽  
The City

Abstract. The increase in urbanization of cities coupled with some effects of climate change is leading to the emergence of urban microclimates. The rising temperatures in cities create the phenomenon known as Urban Heat Island (UHI). This is a difference between the temperature of urban and rural areas that intensifies more during the night and varies according to the season of the year. This paper focuses on the estimation of the UHI and its variations in and around the city of Strasbourg. To this end, thermal remote sensing data from different satellite has been used to isolate and analyse this phenomenon, specifically, Land Surface Temperatures (LSTs) provided by ASTER and MODIS. The LST provided by these sensors has been compared to air temperatures of the last 15 years from meteorological stations distributed throughout the city that have served as ground truth. Forty-seven meteorological stations spread throughout the area of interest provided measurements of air humidity and temperature. This valuable data base has allowed the assessment of the correlations between LST from satellite and ground truth air temperature. Based on satellite data resampled at different spatial units, this work led to the creation of the first UHI map of Strasbourg.

scholarly journals First Results and Perspectives of a New Archaeological Project in the Armenian Capital Artaxata: From Artashes-Artaxias I to Roman Imperialism

Electrum ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 245-276
Author(s):  
Achim Lichtenberger ◽  
Torben Schreiber ◽  
Mkrtich H. Zardaryan
Keyword(s):  
The South ◽  
Roman Imperialism ◽  
The North ◽  
Exact Function ◽  
First Results ◽  
Archaeological Project ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Roman Province ◽  
The City ◽  
Three Phases

The paper deals with the first results of the Armenian-German Artaxata Project which was initiated in 2018. The city of Artaxata was founded in the 2nd century BC as the capital of the Artaxiad kingdom. The city stretches over the 13 hills of the Khor Virap heights and the adjacent plain in the Ararat valley. The new project focusses on Hill XIII and the Lower city to the south and the north of it. This area was investigated by magnetic prospections in 2018 and on the basis of its results, in total eleven 5 × 5 m trenches were excavated in 2019. On the eastern part of Hill XIII several structures of possibly domestic function were uncovered. They were laid out according to a regular plan and in total three phases could be determined. According to 14C data, the first phase already dates to the 2nd century BC while the subsequent two phases continue into the 1st/2nd century AD. In the 2019 campaign, the overall layout and exact function of the structures could not be determined and more excavations will be undertaken in the forthcoming years. North of Hill XIII the foundations of piers of an unfinished Roman aqueduct on arches were excavated. This aqueduct is attributed to the period 114–117 AD when Rome in vain tried to establish the Roman province of Armenia with Artaxata being the capital.

scholarly journals COMPARISON OF SOME ATMOSPHERIC AEROSOL PARAMETERS MEASURED IN MOSCOW WITH MERRA-2 REANALYSIS DATA

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
pp. 115-122
Author(s):  
D.P. Gubanova ◽  
◽  
A.A. Vinogradova ◽  
Yu.A. Ivanova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Anthropogenic Aerosol ◽  
Average Mass ◽  
Annual Variations ◽  
Monthly Average ◽  
Pm10 And Pm2.5 ◽  
First Results ◽  
The City ◽  
Mass Concentrations

The first results of the complicated experiment for studying atmospheric composition in Moscow metropolis in different seasons are considered. The mass concentrations of aerosol particles PM10 and PM2.5, as well as the total aerosol concentration in the surface air of the city center were analyzed for the period of eight months (October 2019 – May 2020). The obtained monthly average values of aerosol concentrations show good correlation with the results of measurements at several stations of Mosecomonitoring system, differences in monthly average values are about 35–40 % and 20–25 %, respectively, from the average values. This is primarily due to various degrees of urbanization, the specifics and intensity of local anthropogenic aerosol sources in different areas of the city, as well as the peculiarities of the circulation regime of the Moscow metropolis. For three consecutive seasons (autumn, winter and spring 2019/2020), the corresponding monthly average mass concentrations were about 24 and 11 μg/m3 for PM10 and PM2.5 aerosols, which is very close to corresponding mass concentrations in the atmosphere of a number of major European cities and lower than the mass concentrations of submicron and micron surface aerosols in the megacities of East Asia. The measurement results are noticeably higher than MERRA-2 reanalysis data. Reanalysis data qualitatively reflect intra-annual variations in the mass concentration of aerosol in the city’s surface air. However, MERRA-2 reanalysis greatly underestimates the level of aerosol pollution in Moscow, from 2 to 12 times in different months for the total aerosol mass or PM2.5 particles.

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