This research proposes an on-line Environmental Information System for Planners (EISP). The Environmental Information System for Planners has been developed in collaboration with five local authorities as a web-based system designed to support decision making within the UK planning framework. It has been built as a ‘proof-of-concept’ system to demonstrate the value to urban planning of making information on environmental issues more widely accessible. The EISP has been designed to support three principal planning functions carried out by Local Authorities: Pre-planning enquiries; Development control decisions; and Strategic planning. The system incorporates 12 environmental themes: Air quality (PM10); Shallow undermining; Landslide susceptibility; Groundwater protection; Flood risk; Drainage; Land contamination; Proximity to landfill; Biodiversity; Natural heritage designations; Man-made heritage; and Natural Ground Stability (Geohazards). The design framework is based upon a series of decision flow diagrams, each covering one of the above themes. These decision flows take account of current planning procedures in the UK. Industry-standard web technologies have been employed to integrate the flows and develop the functionality that will allow the planner access to the system through secure web pages. Underpinning the system is an environmental Geographical Information System (GIS) that contains the most up-to-date data, information and models relevant to each of the environmental themes listed. The planning regulations are subject to change and so the system has been designed in a modular way so that new legislation can be accommodated without the need for a complete system rewrite. This modular approach also means that the system can be readily adapted to reflect local priorities and to draw on local datasets. The EISP was successfully tested and the thesis concludes with a costed business case study for commercial implementation and rollout of a production EISP system populated with appropriate environmental data within UK local authorities.

No description available.

Perceptual dialectology studies have shown that people have strong opinions about the number and placement of dialect regions. There has been relatively little research conducted in this area on Korean, however, with early studies using only short language attitude surveys. To address this gap in research, in the present study, I use the 'draw-­?a-­?map' task to examine perceptions of language variation in Korea. I ask respondents to draw a line around places in Korea where people speak differently and provide names, examples, and comments about the language spoken in those areas. With the resulting data, I use ArcGIS 10.0 software to quantitatively identify, aggregate, and map the most salient dialect areas and categories for subjects' perceptions. I also perform a content analysis of the qualitative data provided by respondents using 'keywords.' During this process, I categorize comments and labels given by respondents to find emerging themes. Finally, I stratify perceptions of respondents by demographic factors, e.g., age, sex, and urbanicity, that have often been found to be important in language variation and change. An analysis of these data suggests that Koreans' perceptions of dialect regions are not necessarily limited by administrative boundaries. In fact, the data reveal not only perceptions of dialect variation unassociated with geographic borders, but they also tap into the way people connect ideas about language and place. Results from this study have implications for language attitudes research, perceptual dialectology methodology, and the relationship between language and place in Korea.

A malária é a mais importante doença tropical do mundo. Em muitos países, especialmente no continente africano, causa grandes prejuízos com custos médicos e dias de trabalho perdidos. O risco de contrair malária está relacionado a alterações ambientais causadas por atividades como construções de estradas, projetos de mineração, agricultura e irrigação, particularmente em áreas da região amazônica e sudeste asiático. Entre outras causas da expansão desta endemia no mundo, pode-se incluir as mudanças climáticas, desintegração dos serviços de saúde e movimentos migratórios. Em áreas onde a malária é endêmica, o monitoramento das larvas e de populações de mosquitos adultos é de grande importância para o controle da doença. Novas ferramentas são necessárias para este processo, dentre os quais, as técnicas de sensoriamento remoto e os sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG). Essas técnicas têm reduzido custos e tempo nas pesquisas epidemiológicas, pois são usadas em escala regional para identificar tipos de vegetação, alterações ambientais que podem favorecer a proliferação de vetores da doença. Dada à gravidade da malária na região amazônica, este trabalho tem por objetivo entender como os padrões de distribuição espacial dos casos de malária na região da Usina Hidrelétrica de Tucuruí-PA se relacionam com os padrões de ocupação da terra, induzidos por sua implantação. Foi utilizado um conjunto de dados que incluem imagens TM-LANDSAT5 e SAR-RADARSAT para o levantamento de uso da terra os municípios de Tucuruí, Novo Repartimento e Jacundá e também para monitorar a variação sazonal do reservatório da UHE de Tucurui, além de uma série histórica de dados de malária do período compreendido entre 1992 a 2001. Esses dados foram integrados e analisados por meio do software SPRING 3.6. Foi constatado que os municípios de Novo Repartimento e Tucuruí, por possuírem grandes áreas de contato com o reservatório, apresentaram maiores problemas com a malária e que a variação temporal da doença, nesta região, está relacionada com o ciclo do reservatório, com a precipitação e com a dinâmica da população. / Malaria is the most important tropical disease in the world. In many countries, specially in the African continent, malaria is responsible for huge economical losses with medical bills and absenteeism. Malaria risk relates to environmental change derived from road construction, mining activities, agriculture and irrigation mainly in forested areas such as Amazon region and southern Asia. Among the causes explaining the spread of this endemic disease in the world, one can include climatic changes, healthy service breakdown and migration. At malaria endemic areas, larva and mosquito monitoring is highly important for disease control. New tools however are needed such as remote sensing and geographical information system in epidemic areas. These techniques have been responsible for reducing the time and cost of epidemiological researches, since they are used in a regional scale for assessing environmental disturbance apt to spreading of malaria vectors. Due to the threat of malaria in the Amazon region, this research aims to understand the relationship between land use changes induced by UHE-Tucuruí construction and the spatial distribution of malaria incidence in the region. LANDSAT5-TM and RADARSAT-SAR images were used respectively for land use mapping at Tucuruí, Novo Repartimento and Jacundá municipality and for monitoring the seasonal variation of UHE Tucuruí reservoir flooded area. A historic series of malaria data acquired for the National Health Foundation between 1992 and 2001 was also used. These data were integrated and analyzed with the aid of the SPRING 3.6 software. It was determined that Novo Repartimento and Tucuruí with large areas bounded by the reservoir are more prone to malaria incidence and that the time change in the disease in this region is related to the hydrology and reservoir operation, as well as with the precipitation and population dynamic.

<p>There are a number of decision making problems in which Geographical Information System (GIS) has employed to organize and facilitate the procedure of analyzing the problem. These GIS-based decision problems which typically include a number of different criteria and alternatives are generally analyzed by Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA).Different locations within a geographical area represent the alternatives by which the overall goal of the project is achieved. The quality of achieving the goal is evaluated by a set of criteria which should be considered in the work. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) which is a powerful method of MCDA generally can organize spatial problems and decides which alternatives are most suitable for the defined problems. However due to some intrinsic uncertainty in the method, a number of authors suggest fuzzifying the method while others are against fuzzification of the AHP.</p><p>The debate over fuzzifying AHP is going on and attempt for finding that was mostly in theory, and little, if any; practical comparison between the AHP and fuzzified AHP has done. This work presents a practical comparison of AHP and fuzzy AHP in a GIS-based problem, case study, for locating a dam in Costa Rica, considering different criteria. In order to perform the AHP and fuzzy AHP in the GIS-based problem and calculating weights of the criteria by the methods, some computer codes have written and developed in MATLAB.</p><p>The comparisons between the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods are done on result weights and on the result final maps. The comparison between the weights is repeated on different levels of uncertainty in fuzzy AHP then all the results are compared with the result of AHP method. Also this study for checking the effect of fuzzification on results is suggested Chi-Square test as a suitable tool.</p><p>Comparisons between the resulting weights of the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods show some differences between the methods. Furthermore, the Chi-Square test shows that the higher level of uncertainty in the fuzzy AHP, the greater the difference in results between the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods.</p>

There are a number of decision making problems in which Geographical Information System (GIS) has employed to organize and facilitate the procedure of analyzing the problem. These GIS-based decision problems which typically include a number of different criteria and alternatives are generally analyzed by Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA).Different locations within a geographical area represent the alternatives by which the overall goal of the project is achieved. The quality of achieving the goal is evaluated by a set of criteria which should be considered in the work. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) which is a powerful method of MCDA generally can organize spatial problems and decides which alternatives are most suitable for the defined problems. However due to some intrinsic uncertainty in the method, a number of authors suggest fuzzifying the method while others are against fuzzification of the AHP. The debate over fuzzifying AHP is going on and attempt for finding that was mostly in theory, and little, if any; practical comparison between the AHP and fuzzified AHP has done. This work presents a practical comparison of AHP and fuzzy AHP in a GIS-based problem, case study, for locating a dam in Costa Rica, considering different criteria. In order to perform the AHP and fuzzy AHP in the GIS-based problem and calculating weights of the criteria by the methods, some computer codes have written and developed in MATLAB. The comparisons between the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods are done on result weights and on the result final maps. The comparison between the weights is repeated on different levels of uncertainty in fuzzy AHP then all the results are compared with the result of AHP method. Also this study for checking the effect of fuzzification on results is suggested Chi-Square test as a suitable tool. Comparisons between the resulting weights of the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods show some differences between the methods. Furthermore, the Chi-Square test shows that the higher level of uncertainty in the fuzzy AHP, the greater the difference in results between the AHP and fuzzy AHP methods.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-03-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:17:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 cuelbas_lp_me_ilha.pdf: 2115644 bytes, checksum: f3080604473d2817e7f0854ab397b883 (MD5) / Ctgeo-Lins / O estudo foi realizado na microbacia do Córrego Campestre que está localizada no Município de Lins, Estado de São Paulo, compreendendo uma área de 80 km2. Nessa área está inserida a Cidade de Lins com uma área urbana de 20 km2, perfazendo 25% da microbacia em estudo. Através das coletas e análises de amostras de água, no período de seca e chuva, dos principais córregos da microbacia do Córrego Campestre, foi possível obter resultados do Índice de Qualidade da Água - ÍQA. Com bases nos resultados combinados, com as informações obtidas através das imagens de satélite e fotos dos locais, constatou-se que os efeitos das atividades antrópicas principais desenvolvidas na região urbana, a urbanização e lançamentos de resíduos nos cursos d'água sem nenhuma forma de tratamento, provocaram elevados teores de matéria orgânica e coliformes, comprovado através da analise das características físico-químicas e bacteriológicas. Constatou-se também, a partir das observações feitas in loco, fortes evidências de degradação da microbacia, principalmente por um antigo lixão que está localizado às margens do Córrego Campestre. Através da analise das imagens de satélite, utilizando um Sistema de Informações Geográficas - SIG, foi possível identificar a inexistência de vegetação ciliar, o que contribuiu para o carregamento de resíduos poluentes do solo aos cursos d'água após as chuvas intensas. / The study it was carried through in the microwatershed of the Campestre Stream that is located in the region of the Lins city, São Paulo State, understanding an area of 80 km 2. In this area the Lins city with an urban area of 20 is inserted km 2, with about 25% of the microwatershed in study. Through the collections and analyze chemistry of samples of water, in the drought periods and rain, of the main streams in the microwatershed of the Rural Stream, it was possible like this to obtain results of the Index of Quality of the Water - ÍQA and analyses of the parameters physical, chemical and biological. Those combined results with the information obtained through the satellite images and pictures of the places, it was verified that the effects of the activities main human actions developed in the urban area, the urbanization and releases of residues in the courses of water without any handling form, they provoked high tenors of organic matter, coliformes and nutritious, proven through it analyzes it of the physiochemical and bacteriological characteristics. It was also verified, starting from the observations done in loco , strong evidences of degradation of the microwatershed mainly for an old deposit garbage that is located to the margins of the Rural Stream. Through it analyzes her/it of the satellite images, being used... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

A malária é a mais importante doença tropical do mundo. Em muitos países, especialmente no continente africano, causa grandes prejuízos com custos médicos e dias de trabalho perdidos. O risco de contrair malária está relacionado a alterações ambientais causadas por atividades como construções de estradas, projetos de mineração, agricultura e irrigação, particularmente em áreas da região amazônica e sudeste asiático. Entre outras causas da expansão desta endemia no mundo, pode-se incluir as mudanças climáticas, desintegração dos serviços de saúde e movimentos migratórios. Em áreas onde a malária é endêmica, o monitoramento das larvas e de populações de mosquitos adultos é de grande importância para o controle da doença. Novas ferramentas são necessárias para este processo, dentre os quais, as técnicas de sensoriamento remoto e os sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG). Essas técnicas têm reduzido custos e tempo nas pesquisas epidemiológicas, pois são usadas em escala regional para identificar tipos de vegetação, alterações ambientais que podem favorecer a proliferação de vetores da doença. Dada à gravidade da malária na região amazônica, este trabalho tem por objetivo entender como os padrões de distribuição espacial dos casos de malária na região da Usina Hidrelétrica de Tucuruí-PA se relacionam com os padrões de ocupação da terra, induzidos por sua implantação. Foi utilizado um conjunto de dados que incluem imagens TM-LANDSAT5 e SAR-RADARSAT para o levantamento de uso da terra os municípios de Tucuruí, Novo Repartimento e Jacundá e também para monitorar a variação sazonal do reservatório da UHE de Tucurui, além de uma série histórica de dados de malária do período compreendido entre 1992 a 2001. Esses dados foram integrados e analisados por meio do software SPRING 3.6. Foi constatado que os municípios de Novo Repartimento e Tucuruí, por possuírem grandes áreas de contato com o reservatório, apresentaram maiores problemas com a malária e que a variação temporal da doença, nesta região, está relacionada com o ciclo do reservatório, com a precipitação e com a dinâmica da população. / Malaria is the most important tropical disease in the world. In many countries, specially in the African continent, malaria is responsible for huge economical losses with medical bills and absenteeism. Malaria risk relates to environmental change derived from road construction, mining activities, agriculture and irrigation mainly in forested areas such as Amazon region and southern Asia. Among the causes explaining the spread of this endemic disease in the world, one can include climatic changes, healthy service breakdown and migration. At malaria endemic areas, larva and mosquito monitoring is highly important for disease control. New tools however are needed such as remote sensing and geographical information system in epidemic areas. These techniques have been responsible for reducing the time and cost of epidemiological researches, since they are used in a regional scale for assessing environmental disturbance apt to spreading of malaria vectors. Due to the threat of malaria in the Amazon region, this research aims to understand the relationship between land use changes induced by UHE-Tucuruí construction and the spatial distribution of malaria incidence in the region. LANDSAT5-TM and RADARSAT-SAR images were used respectively for land use mapping at Tucuruí, Novo Repartimento and Jacundá municipality and for monitoring the seasonal variation of UHE Tucuruí reservoir flooded area. A historic series of malaria data acquired for the National Health Foundation between 1992 and 2001 was also used. These data were integrated and analyzed with the aid of the SPRING 3.6 software. It was determined that Novo Repartimento and Tucuruí with large areas bounded by the reservoir are more prone to malaria incidence and that the time change in the disease in this region is related to the hydrology and reservoir operation, as well as with the precipitation and population dynamic.

The assessment of regional bioenergy potentials from different types of natural land cover is an integral part of simulation tools that aim to assess local renewable energy systems. This work introduces a new workflow, which evaluates regional bioenergy potentials and its impact on water demand based on geographical information system (GIS)-based land use data, satellite maps on local crop types and soil types, and conversion factors from biomass to bioenergy. The actual annual biomass yield of crops is assessed through an automated process considering the factors of local climate, crop type, soil, and irrigation. The crop biomass yields are validated with historic statistical data, with deviation less than 7% in most cases. Additionally, the resulting bioenergy potentials yield between 10.7 and 12.0 GWh/ha compared with 13.3 GWh/ha from other studies. The potential contribution from bioenergy on the energy demand were investigated in the two case studies, representing the agricultural-dominant rural area in North Germany and suburban region in South Germany: Simulation of the future bioenergy potential for 2050 shows only smaller effects from climate change (less than 4%) and irrigation (below 3%), but the potential to cover up to 21% of the transport fuels demand in scenario supporting biodiesel and bioethanol for transportation.

Orientador: Sérgio Luis de Carvalho / Banca: Edson Pereira Tangerino / Banca: Maria José Alencar Vilela / Resumo: O estudo foi realizado na microbacia do Córrego Campestre que está localizada no Município de Lins, Estado de São Paulo, compreendendo uma área de 80 km2. Nessa área está inserida a Cidade de Lins com uma área urbana de 20 km2, perfazendo 25% da microbacia em estudo. Através das coletas e análises de amostras de água, no período de seca e chuva, dos principais córregos da microbacia do Córrego Campestre, foi possível obter resultados do Índice de Qualidade da Água - ÍQA. Com bases nos resultados combinados, com as informações obtidas através das imagens de satélite e fotos dos locais, constatou-se que os efeitos das atividades antrópicas principais desenvolvidas na região urbana, a urbanização e lançamentos de resíduos nos cursos d'água sem nenhuma forma de tratamento, provocaram elevados teores de matéria orgânica e coliformes, comprovado através da analise das características físico-químicas e bacteriológicas. Constatou-se também, a partir das observações feitas "in loco", fortes evidências de degradação da microbacia, principalmente por um antigo lixão que está localizado às margens do Córrego Campestre. Através da analise das imagens de satélite, utilizando um Sistema de Informações Geográficas - SIG, foi possível identificar a inexistência de vegetação ciliar, o que contribuiu para o carregamento de resíduos poluentes do solo aos cursos d'água após as chuvas intensas. / Abstract: The study it was carried through in the microwatershed of the Campestre Stream that is located in the region of the Lins city, São Paulo State, understanding an area of 80 km 2. In this area the Lins city with an urban area of 20 is inserted km 2, with about 25% of the microwatershed in study. Through the collections and analyze chemistry of samples of water, in the drought periods and rain, of the main streams in the microwatershed of the Rural Stream, it was possible like this to obtain results of the Index of Quality of the Water - ÍQA and analyses of the parameters physical, chemical and biological. Those combined results with the information obtained through the satellite images and pictures of the places, it was verified that the effects of the activities main human actions developed in the urban area, the urbanization and releases of residues in the courses of water without any handling form, they provoked high tenors of organic matter, coliformes and nutritious, proven through it analyzes it of the physiochemical and bacteriological characteristics. It was also verified, starting from the observations done " in loco ", strong evidences of degradation of the microwatershed mainly for an old deposit garbage that is located to the margins of the Rural Stream. Through it analyzes her/it of the satellite images, being used... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre