Land Resources for Wind Energy Development Requires Regionalized Characterizations

Estimates of the land area occupied by wind energy differ by orders of magnitude due to data scarcity and inconsistent methodology. We developed a method that combines machine learning-based imagery analysis and geographic information systems and examined the land area of 318 wind farms (15,871 turbines) in the U.S. portion of the Western Interconnection. We found that prior land use and human modification in the project area are critical for land-use efficiency and land transformation of wind projects. Projects developed in areas with little human modification have a land-use efficiency of 63.8 ± 8.9 W/m2 (mean ±95% confidence interval) and a land transformation of 0.24 ± 0.07 m2/MWh, while values for projects in areas with high human modification are 447 ± 49.4 W/m2 and 0.05 ± 0.01 m2/MWh, respectively. We show that land resources for wind can be quantified consistently with our replicable method, a method that obviates >99% of the workload using machine learning. To quantify the peripheral impact of a turbine, buffered geometry can be used as a proxy for measuring land resources and metrics when a large enough impact radius is assumed (e.g., >4 times the rotor diameter). Our analysis provides a necessary first step toward regionalized impact assessment and improved comparisons of energy alternatives.

The development of a novel decision support system for regional land use planning for brownfield land

Digital tools, particularly specialised decision support systems (DSSs), can be utilized to assist in the complex process of brownfield redevelopment. Existing brownfield DSSs typically focus on site-specific, late-stage applications, and socioeconomic factors are often overlooked. In this paper, we present a novel DSS aimed at providing support for early-stage, city region-scale brownfield land use planning and redevelopment. The proposed DSS is a prototype WebGIS application that enables land use planners and other brownfield regeneration professionals to examine a region and a set of sites during the initial planning phase for brownfield redevelopment. The DSS includes three bespoke modules comprising: (1) Land Use Potential (residential, commercial, and public open space), (2) risks posed by contamination and geotechnical hazards, (3) data pertinent to brownfield economic viability assessments. We outline a use case for this DSS, developed through comprehensive user-requirements gathering, and subsequently describe the techniques employed to construct the DSS modules and user interface. Finally, we present the results of user testing, wherein case-study stakeholders assessed the DSS. The feedback obtained during user testing aided in the identification of areas for improvement with regard to the functionality, usability, and effectiveness of the DSS in supporting decision-makers. The feedback was utilized to implement iterative improvements to the DSS and to plan future developments for the prototype DSS.

Morphology and land use change analysis of lower Padma River floodplain of Bangladesh

Bangladesh, the largest delta in the world, is situated over the flow of more than 700 rivers. The Ganges is a transboundary river, and it takes the Padma after meeting Jamuna near Aricha. The Padma River's morphology and hydraulic parameters are so dynamic that it erodes a large portion of land every year. However, the situation of erosion has been very threatening since 2014 which is almost the same period when the construction of the Padma Bridge started. Our Study on the erosion-accretion rate and bar dynamics of the selected reach of Padma River shows that the downstream right bank of this river lost around 134.85 sq. km of land between 2003 and 2021. The total bar area has also increased to 76.8%. Land use land classification (LULC) analysis was done for the years 2003, 2009, 2015, and 2021 to predict how the river might act in the future. For this prediction, artificial neural network (ANN) system has been used, and the predicted land use map was generated for 2027. The current kappa validation was 0.869, and the accuracy of the prediction was 87.05%. This study aims at analyzing the current morphological condition and its connection to the construction of the Padma Bridge and also predicts how the lower Padma River might act in near future. According to the study findings, in absence of prompt and appropriate measures, this country is highly susceptible to experiencing catastrophic consequences.

Sustainability assessment of Construction and Demolition Waste management applied to an Italian case

Construction and Demolition Waste represents a priority stream for the European Union and has a large potential for closing the material circulation loop in line with the Circular Economy principles. The present study focuses on the socio-economic and environmental implications of the management of such waste in the Campania Region (Italy), with the aim of documenting the benefits of recycling actions and landfill avoidance. By using local primary data, and complementing them with data from literature and datasets, three scenarios have been investigated: i) Status Quo, i.e., a baseline scenario presenting the current management of Construction and Demolition Waste in the Region; ii) a Linear Economy scenario, considering the total flow disposed of in landfill and iii) a Best Practice scenario based on the implementation of selective demolition practices and increased recycling for the production of high-quality recycled aggregates. Special attention has been paid to the land use and socio-economic implications linked to the management of this flow, which are rarely considered. We quantify that, with the implementation of best practices, ca. 18 Mkg CO2 -eq. can be saved annually relative to the Status Quo alongside creating additional 1,000 jobs-eq. and incurring important benefits on land use. The results stress that the potential environmental and social benefits of selective demolition and best practices are significant, but the incurred economic costs may hinder their application and the resulting development of more circular economy actions in the construction sector, highlighting the need for incentives and tools to facilitate this transition.

Spatial-temporal assessment of pollutions in Ekbatan lake using qualitative indices and statistical methods

The purpose of this study was to use water quality indices and statistical methods based on physicochemical parameters for spatial-temporal assessment of Ekbatan lake pollution. Sampling stations were selected based on systematic, non-random approach, and it was performed in 7 stations, with intervals of 30 days in 2010-2011. At first, indices model of IRWQI, NSFWQI, and TLI was prepared in GIS environment based on qualitative parameters by interpolation functions (deterministic and geostatistical methods). Results demonstrated that qualitative parameters of FC, NO₃^-, BOD₅, DO_Sat%, pH, PO₄^3- and Turb respectively with annual average quality of 13.5 very bad, 27.4 bad, 46.8, 47.2 and 48.6 moderate, 70 goodish, and 71 good using statistical and geostatistical methods-accounted for highest pollution level and created greatest impact on lake pollution status. This amount was considered as bad and eutrophication quality on the southern and east margins of the lake because of the effluent load of the rivers under high land use activities (especially residential and then agricultural) in comparison with the lake core and north (showing baddish and moderate quality status) has more pollution level than that. Also, all parameters showed a high positive correlation and significance with increased of water temperature owing to increase in pollutant land use activities and condensation of pollutants and decreased of floodrains in warm seasons, and two parameters of TDS and Turb show high significance rather than beginning floodrains in spring and autumn. Also, lake was in qualitative status of baddish 43.7, moderate 58.2, and mild eutrophication 57.2 based on IRWQI, NSFWQI, and TLI_Chl.a respectively. Further, according to IRWQI index, the quality of lake in summer was in baddish status of 35, in half of initial winter in goodish condition of 56 and spring and autumn in moderate qualitative status of 46.

Assessment of impact of land use change on the wetland in Makhitha village, Limpopo province, South Africa

Wetlands are essential for the natural function of an ecosystem, by regulating floods and remaining as a source of water supply. However, land use changes are the main forces behind wetland deterioration worldwide, including South Africa. In this article, we report on the impact of land use changes at the Makhitha wetland, Limpopo province, South Africa. The data was collected using techniques such as ecological survey, socio-economic survey and interpretation of satellite images obtained between 1978 and 2004. The study findings revealed that factors such as poverty and population growth were the driving forces behind wetland mismanagement. The cultivation of crops, grazing of livestock and road construction were the main land use activities that were practised in the wetland, which contributed to wetland deterioration, a disaster that can be mitigated. The study then recommended strategies such as environmental education, fencing and land use planning to resolve the problem of land use changes, in order to contribute to sustainable wetland management.

Interdisciplinary Approach to Spatiotemporal Population Dynamics: The North Orkney Population History Project

The North Orkney Population History Project is a multidisciplinary data collection, digitization, and analysis effort that aims to reconstruct longitudinal demographic, environmental, and economic change. We describe the motivation, methodological approach, data sources, and some initial findings of the project. Detailed contextual information about a single community allows for the joint analysis of the changing population and changing landscape. The combination of diverse data sources and disciplinary approaches has resulted in findings that would not have been possible if each source had been considered in isolation. The approach adopted by the project offers a way to examine the interaction of a population with its landscape over a period of change.

A Decision Support Tool for Sustainable Land Use, Transportation, Buildings/Infrastructure, and Materials Management

One issue for community groups, local and regional planners, and politicians, is that they require relevant information to develop programs and initiatives for incorporating sustainability principles into their physical infrastructure, operations, and decision-making processes. This research project addressed the issue through two research questions. The first research question that this project was designed to address, which was greatly influenced by the vast number of references in the sustainability literature, was an ontological one, " what are the major categories that sustainability decisions can be grouped under, and how might those categories be related? ". The second research question that this project answered was, " how can information contained in the sustainability literature be made accessible to users in a convenient format? ". The Multi-Sector Sustainability Browser (MSSB) is a decision support tool (DST) designed to synthesize and summarize research in four sustainability decision domains, Land Use, Buildings and Infrastructure, Transportation, and Materials Management in a manner that provides easy and rapid access to information for use in planning and decision making. Weblinks are provided to reference documents and resources from the four sustainability decision domains, allowing users to download relevant documents and extract information in support of sustainability decisions and related program initiatives.

Efficiency of Different Sampling Tools for Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Collections in Malaysian Streams

This study analyses the sampling performance of three benthic sampling tools commonly used to collect freshwater macroinvertebrates. Efficiency of qualitative D-frame and square aquatic nets were compared to a quantitative Surber sampler in tropical Malaysian streams. The abundance and diversity of macroinvertebrates collected using each tool evaluated along with their relative variations (RVs). Each tool was used to sample macroinvertebrates from three streams draining different areas: a vegetable farm, a tea plantation and a forest reserve. High macroinvertebrate diversities were recorded using the square net and Surber sampler at the forested stream site; however, very low species abundance was recorded by the Surber sampler. Relatively large variations in the Surber sampler collections (RVs of 36% and 28%) were observed for the vegetable farm and tea plantation streams, respectively. Of the three sampling methods, the square net was the most efficient, collecting a greater diversity of macroinvertebrate taxa and a greater number of specimens (i.e., abundance) overall, particularly from the vegetable farm and the tea plantation streams (RV<25%). Fewer square net sample passes (<8 samples) were sufficient to perform a biological assessment of water quality, but each sample required a slightly longer processing time (±20 min) compared with those gathered via the other samplers. In conclusion, all three apparatuses were suitable for macroinvertebrate collection in Malaysian streams and gathered assemblages that resulted in the determination of similar biological water quality classes using the Family Biotic Index (FBI) and the Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP). However, despite a slightly longer processing time, the square net was more efficient (lowest RV) at collecting samples and more suitable for the collection of macroinvertebrates from deep, fast flowing, wadeable streams with coarse substrates.