Can trail spatial attributes predict trail use level in urban forest park? An examination integrating GPS data and space syntax theory

Understanding users’ spatial distribution in forest park is crucial for providing visitors with quality recreation experiences and for park planning and management. Utilizing users’ spatial distribution data, this study aims at investigating associations between trail use level and trail spatial attributes, through examining two large urban forest parks (Gongqing forest park and Paotaiwan forest park) in Shanghai, China. Users’ spatial distribution was measured utilizing GPS trackers with the interval of 10 seconds. This study conceptualizes trail spatial attributes as trail metric attributes and trail configurational attributes. Trail metric attributes include trail mean distance to gates, length, width and level of enclosure, which are calculated based on park map and on-site observation. We computed trail configurational attributes utilizing space syntax theory, which comprise measures of global integration, control, and connectivity. Trail connection with features/facilities, visual connection with water and shading are included as covariate variables. In total, we obtained 134 valid samples in Gongqing forest park and 210 valid samples in Paotaiwan forest park for analysis. Multivariate regression analyses indicate that when involving covariate variables, consistently in both parks, a greater trail usage is significantly related to trail shorter mean distance to park gate, trail width wider than 3 meters, higher global integration and higher control values. Collectively, these four trail spatial attributes explained 31.7 % (p < 0.001) and 27.3 % (p < 0.001) of the variances in trail use level in Gongqing forest park and Paotaiwan forest park. These findings provide direct implications to park designers and managers for providing visitors with different desirable social conditions, and ultimately improve users’ experiences and satisfactions.     

Cutting the lawn − Natural burial and its contribution to the delivery of ecosystem services in urban cemeteries

This article investigates the impact of natural burial on the delivery of ecosystem services (ESs) in urban cemeteries in England that are owned and managed by local authorities. Local authority natural burial sites have received far less attention from researchers than independent sites developed by farmers, charitable trusts, funeral directors and land owners. Here we argue that the local authority hybrid cemeteries that combine natural burial with traditional graves may have a far greater impact in delivering regulatory and cultural ecosystem services than the much larger and frequently more environmentally ambitious natural burial grounds developed by the independent sector. The article presents three case studies of cemeteries, each of which represents a different interpretation of natural burial. Two have retrofitted natural burial into an existing cemetery landscape. The third is a new cemetery where natural burial was included with traditional burial in the original design brief and planning application. The research reveals how natural burial is transforming the traditional cemetery, with its focus on an intensively managed lawn aesthetic, towards a more habitat rich and spatially complex landscape with its own distinctive identity. The research also reveals how natural burial (within the unique constraints of UK burial culture that does not permit the recycling of burial space) is increasing the burial capacity of urban cemeteries by accessing land and grave space that might not be suitable or appropriate for more traditional forms of burial.     

Exploring the characteristics of successful volunteer-led urban forest tree committees in Massachusetts

Citizen engagement through urban forest tree committee volunteer service may aid in providing essential experience, ideas, and skills that support municipal tree management. Using semi-structured, research interviews with tree committee (TC) representatives from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, this study addresses current knowledge gaps concerning the general composition, processes, and relationships of volunteer-led urban forest tree committees. Our findings indicate that TC representatives are typically motivated, passionate volunteers who generally desire to work cooperatively with the many associations, organizations, and agencies that comprise the local socio-political landscape. Our findings also indicate it is important that TC representatives make a sustained, concerted effort to work collaboratively with their local tree warden to advance the care of their community’s urban trees. Furthermore, it is also essential that municipal managers and decision-makers attempt to provide TC volunteers with appropriate training opportunities, resources, as well as demonstrate appreciation, to further encourage and solidify volunteer-engagement in urban forestry at the local level.     

Measuring trail users’ perception of crowding in a peri-urban nature park: A best-worst scaling experiment

This paper evaluates the perception of crowding, its determinants and relationship with trail users’ experience in a peri-urban nature park. Existing crowding surveys rely heavily on a single-item 9-point crowding scale which was originally developed for backcountry areas. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to test the validity and reliability of this measure in detecting crowding issues and formulating visitor capacity limits. Low validity and reliability raised concerns about the applicability of this scale in similar frontcountry areas. Inability of this simple crowding measure to detect a visitor threshold brings to the fore its another important limitation – ignorance of the complexity of crowding phenomenon. The perception of crowding varies with various social, psychological and situational factors, and a best-worst scaling (BWS) experiment was designed to simultaneously evaluate different aspects of crowding in the Medvednica Nature Park, a peri-urban nature park near Zagreb, Croatia. The findings of BWS experiment revealed that occupancy of mountain huts, number of other hikers on the trail and amount of litter along the trail on average contributed most to the trail users’ sense of crowding. A latent class analysis identified a large heterogeneity in the perception of crowding; while one group of trail users (63%) was more disturbed by the direct social impacts, the others (37%) were more disturbed by the secondary impacts of other visitors, especially by the negative externalities from road traffic in the park. Older visitors had a greater tendency to primarily associate crowding with the environmental conditions. A higher impact of trail use level in the perception of crowding, younger age and more frequent use were associated with a more negative evaluation of crowding. The park management should closely monitor road traffic in the park and visitor activity on highly used trails, especially on those popular among younger trail users.     

Modeling height-diameter relationship for artificial monoculture Metasequoia glyptostroboides in sub-tropic coastal megacity Shanghai,China

Tree height is a key variable in forest monitoring studies and for forest management. However, tree height measurement is time consuming, and the recommended procedure is to use estimates from tree height (H) - diameter at breast height (DBH) models. Increasingly, H-DBH models are being developed for urban forests, providing tools to forest management and ecosystem services estimation. Here, we compared model forms and approaches for predicting H as a function of DBH and additional stand level covariates variables. Four model forms were evaluated: (i) basic models (which only used DBH as predictor variable); (ii) generalized models (which used DBH and other predictor variables based on the best basic model); (iii) a mixed-effects model based on the best basic model; and (iv) a mixed-effects model based on the generalized model. Several sampling designs aimed at minimizing height measurement were tested in terms of accuracy and applicability. Taking predicted accuracy and investigation cost into account, we recommend generalized non-linear mixed-effects model (NLME) when there were two or less tree height measurements taken in a given stand. The basic NLME model could be calibrated when there were 3 or more tree height measurements, depending on the required level of accuracy and investigation cost. Additionally, we first reported that soil pH as a covariate variable in H-DBH model and our generalized NLME model implied that the difference in the H-DBH relationship caused by pH varies among different stands. This finding may be attributable to differing biological properties of the similar alkaline tolerance species.     

Tree vibrations: Determining oscillatory properties by using infra-red marker-tracking system

A state-of-the-art infrared marker-tracking system that consists of eight cameras outfitted with infra-red optical filters and an array of infra-red light-emitting diodes as well as a set of reflective markers, is used to record the motion of a set of markers arranged along a trunk-dominated potted tree, which was pulled and released to perform free vibrations. The time-history diagrams of these markers are numerically fitted to the corresponding analytical mathematical model for each marker, in which the markers are treated as particles performing in-plane oscillations. This combination of experimental, analytical and numerical results yields the main vibration properties of the markers, i.e. the points on the tree: natural frequencies, damping ratios and the position of principal axes in two cases: for the in-leaf and out-of-leaf tree under consideration. The shape of the time history diagrams for the motion along one direction indicates the initial increase of the amplitude, and this property is found to be associated with two closed-valued natural frequencies. These two natural frequencies decreased after the removal of leaves, but stayed closed-valued. Two natural frequencies correspond to two principal axes, whose change along the height of the tree is also determined in both cases. The change of the damping ratios associated with two principal axes is also obtained: only one of them changed after the removal of leaves. Besides providing a proof of concept for the use of the high-tech marker-tracking system for obtaining certain oscillatory characteristics, this study also points out the possibilities for future work in which this system can be beneficial for investigating tree vibrations and deflections under different loads.     

2株毒死蜱降解菌的分离鉴定及其混合降解特性研究

从生产毒死蜱农药厂采集的活性污泥中分离筛选得到2株降解效率较高的毒死蜱降解菌,命名为D1、D3,根据表型特征、生理生化特性和16 S rRNA基因序列相似性分析,将其鉴定为苍白杆菌属(Ochrobactrum sp.)和副球菌属(Paracoccus sp.)细菌。2株菌以最佳配比(1∶1.25)混合施用时,与单菌相比,毒死蜱降解效率可提高12%~26%;以混合菌株为研究对象,发现其对毒死蜱最适降解温度为30℃,最适降解pH值为7.0,最适NaCl浓度为0.5%;混合菌株施入土壤后,可保持较高的定殖能力和降解效率。     

Cohort‐specific variation in juvenile coho salmon habitat use

In this study, we examined summer and fall freshwater rearing habitat use by juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) in the quickly urbanising Big Lake drainage in south‐central Alaska. Habitat use was assessed by regressing fish count data against habitat survey information across thirty study sites using generalised linear mixed models. Habitat associations were examined by age‐0 and age‐1+ cohorts separately, providing an opportunity to compare habitat use across different juvenile coho salmon life stages during freshwater rearing. Regression results indicated that the age‐0 cohorts were strongly associated with shallow, wide stream reaches with in‐stream vegetation, whereas age‐1+ cohorts were associated with deeper stream reaches. Furthermore, associations between fork length and habitat characteristics suggest cohort‐specific habitat use patterns are distinct from those attributable to fish size. Habitat use information generated from this study is being used to guide optimal fish passage restoration planning in the Big Lake drainage. Evidence for habitat use partitioning by age cohort during freshwater juvenile rearing indicates that pooling age cohorts into a single “juvenile” stage for the purposes of watershed management may mask important habitat use dynamics.     

Silage and total mixed ration hygienic quality on commercial farms: implications for animal production

Implications of silage hygienic quality for animal production were investigated on forty‐five dairy farms in South West England. Samples of grass and maize silages and of total mixed rations (TMR) were obtained together with information on silage technology, herd size and animal production. Samples were analysed for mycotoxins, bacteria, yeasts, moulds and chemical composition. Thirteen mycotoxins were assayed, but none were detected in the samples of grass silage. However, mycotoxins were found in 0·9 of all maize and other silage samples, with deoxynivalenol and zearalenone predominating. There was no relationship between total mycotoxin concentration and mean lactation milk yield per cow. Enterobacteria counts tended to be higher in maize silage than in grass silage and higher still in TMR – a cause for concern. There were no relationships between mould counts and mycotoxin concentrations in silages, implying that mycotoxins may have been produced in the field pre‐ensiling.     

运用机载LiDAR数据对橡胶林地上生物量估测的采样尺度效应分析

气候变化下,森林生物量遥感监测是当前研究的热点,机载LiDAR作为重要的遥感信息源,其采样大小对生物量估测精度有着一定的影响。以机载LiDAR数据为信息源,以44块30m×30m的方形橡胶林实测样地数据为基础,对机载激光雷达数据进行不同尺寸采样(共21个采样尺寸,边长从10m至30m,间隔为1m),提取不同采样尺寸下的激光雷达参数,并与橡胶林地上生物量建立PLSR模型,就机载激光雷达采样大小对橡胶林地上生物量估测精度的影响进行研究。研究表明:当采样尺寸小于18m时,估测精度随着采样尺寸的增大而增大;而当采样尺寸大于18m时,估测精度随着采样尺寸的增大而减小,进而趋于平缓。结果虽然呈现出一定的规律性,但是差异并不是很明显。当采样尺寸为18m时估测效果最佳,模型决定系数(R^2)为0.718,均方根误差(RMSE)为17.830 t/hm^2;交叉验证精度P和RMSEcv分别为82.741%和18.874t/hm^2。相较于实际样地(30m)尺寸下的估测结果,18m采样尺寸下的R^2提高了1.989%,RMSEcv降低了2.611%。因此,生物量的估测精度受机载激光雷达数据采样尺寸大小的影响,在生物量估测过程中需结合研究对象和研究区的实际情况对采样尺寸进行选择,从而提高生物量估测精度。