From the Proceedings of the 1974 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 19-20, 1974, Flagstaff, Arizona / The paper presents a stochastic model for the prediction of sediment yield in a semi -arid watershed based on rainfall data and watershed characteristics. Uncertainty stems from each of the random variables used in the model, namely, rainfall amount, storm duration, runoff, and peak flow. Soil Conservation Service formulas are used to compute the runoff and peak flow components of the Universal Soil Loss Equation. A transformation of random variables is used to obtain the distribution function of sediment yield from the joint distribution of rainfall amount and storm duration. The model has applications in the planning of reservoirs and dams where the effective lifetime of the facility may be evaluated in terms of storage capacity as well as the effects of land management on the watershed. Experimental data from the Atterbury watershed is used to calibrate the model and to evaluate uncertainties associated with our uncertain knowledge of the parameters of the joint distribution of rainfall and storm duration.

From the Proceedings of the 1982 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona - Nevada Academy of Science - April 24,1982, Tempe, Arizona / A prototypical computer simulation model has been developed to aid watershed managers in estimating impacts of alternative land management practices on nutrient and heavy metal losses due to transported sediment on forested watersheds of the southwestern United States. The model, called SEDCON, allows users at remote locations with modest computer terminal equipment and commonly available data to obtain reliable estimates of nutrient and heavy metal concentrations in suspended sediment originating on uniformly-stocked, forested watersheds in the Southwest. SEDCON has been structured in an interactive mode to facilitate its use by persons not familiar with computer operations. Written in FORTRAN IV computer language, the model requires approximately 5000 words of core. SEDCON is operative on a DEC-10 computer at the University of Arizona.

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a problem of worldwide concern that is still unsolved. The analysis of the current methods of soil cleaning from heavy metals leads to conclusions that phytoremediation, i.e. soil decontamination by using plants, is one of the best methods. Although this method has not received a wide application yet and possibilities of its application are still being analysed, it is one of the most prospective soil cleaning methods due to low cost and a rather efficient cleaning of the upper surface of soil. Three kinds of Poaceae f. Species – Lolium perenne L., Poa pratensis L. and Festuca pratensis Huds. – have been chosen in this work for decontaminating soil from heavy metals. These plants were grown under artificial laboratory conditions in soil which was once and periodically contaminated with heavy metals. It was established that it is the Lolium perenne L. that most efficiently removes heavy metals and cleans soil. The results of experiments show that the selected grassy plants (perennial ryegrass, meadow-grass and fescue-grass) efficiently clean soil from heavy metals (copper, lead, manganese, zinc, nickel and chromium) when soil contains both low (0.5–120 mg/kg) and high (up to 6,850 mg/kg) concentrations of these metals. Since the perennial ryegrass absorbs the highest amount of heavy metals, the highest efficiency of soil cleaning is achieved using this plant, therefore, 80 % of the mixture of grassy plants was formed of the perennial... [to full text] / Dirvožemio tarša sunkiaisiais metalais visame pasaulyje aktuali problema iki šiol neturinti universalaus sprendimo. Išanalizavus šiuo metu dirvožemio valymui nuo sunkiųjų metalų naudojamus metodus, galima daryti išvadą, kad vienas iš tinkamiausių metodų yra fitoremediacija, t. y. dirvožemio valymas nuo teršalų panaudojant augalus. Šis metodas dar nėra plačiai taikomas ir jo taikymo galimybės dar tik tiriamos tačiau, tai vienas iš perspektyviausių dirvožemio valymo metodų dėl sąlyginai mažos kainos ir pakankamai efektyvaus paviršinio dirvožemio sluoksnio išvalymo. Atliktų eksperimentinių tyrimų rezultatai parodė, kad pasirinkta žolinė augalija – daugiametė svidrė, pievinė miglė ir tikrasis eraičinas efektyviai valo dirvožemį nuo sunkiųjų metalų (vario, švino, mangano, cinko, nikelio, chromo) tiek esant mažoms (0,5–120 mg/kg), tiek didelėms (iki 6850 mg/kg) jų koncentracijoms dirvožemyje. Kadangi daugiausiai sunkiųjų metalų iš dirvožemio sorbuoja svidrė, tai dirvožemio valymo efektyvumas naudojant šią žolinės augalijos rūšį yra efektyviausias ir sudarant žolinės augalijos mišinį 80  sudarė svidrė ir po 10  eraičinas bei miglė. Eksperimentų metu tirta, kaip sunkiųjų metalų mišinio koncentracijos kenkia hidrobiontams ir nustatyta, kad didinat sunkiųjų metalų mišinio koncentracijas (iki 0,198–5,12 g/l) jos tampa letalinėmis vaivorykštiniam upėtakiui, tuo pačiu ir kitiems vandens gyvūnams.Pagal tyrimų su vaivorykštiniais upėtakiais rezultatus nustatyta, kad stebimų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Dirvožemio tarša sunkiaisiais metalais visame pasaulyje aktuali problema iki šiol neturinti universalaus sprendimo. Fitoremediacija – naujai atsirandanti ir daug žadanti technologija nestipriai užterštiems dirvožemiams valyti naudojant augalus. Šiame darbe dirvožemio valymui nuo sunkiųjų metalų pasirinktos trys žolinės augalijos rūšys – svidrė, miglė ir eraičinas, augintos modelinėmis laboratorinėmis sąlygomis vieną kartą ir periodiškai sunkiaisiais metalais teršiamuose dirvožemiuose. Nustatyta, kad geriausiai sunkiuosius metalus iš dirvožemio sorbuoja ir didžiausias dirvožemio valymo efektyvumas pasiekiamas naudojant svidrę. Augalijai sorbuojant sunkiuosius metalus iš dirvožemio dalis šių metalų (Cu, Cr, Zn, Pb, Mn, Ni) koncentruojasi žolinės augalijos šaknyse, tačiau didžioji dalis ten susikaupiančių metalų (iki 90 proc.) pereina į antžeminę augalo dalį. Didžiausios sunkiųjų metalų koncentracijos augale (iki 60 proc. ir daugiau) ir atitinkamai efektyviausias dirvožemio valymas nustatytas svidrės atveju, todėl sudarant mišinį didžiąją dalį (80 proc.) jame sudaro svidrė. Sunkiųjų metalų mišinys daro neigiamą įtaką vaivorykštinio upėtakio jauniklių fiziologiniams ir morfologiniams rodikliams, todėl didinat sunkiųjų metalų mišinio koncentracijas (iki 0,198–5,12 g/l) jos tampa letalinėmis vaivorykštiniams upėtakiams, tuo pačiu ir kitiems vandens gyvūnams. Pagal tyrimų su vaivorykštiniais upėtakiais rezultatus nustatyta, kad stebimų upėtakių, gyvenusių akvariume, užterštame 5,7... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Soil contamination with heavy metals is a problem of worldwide concern that is still unsolved. The analysis of the current methods of soil cleaning from heavy metals leads to conclusions that phytoremediation, i.e. soil decontamination by using plants, is one of the best methods. Although this method has not received a wide application yet and possibilities of its application are still being analysed, it is one of the most prospective soil cleaning methods due to low cost and a rather efficient cleaning of the upper surface of soil. Three kinds of Poaceae f. Species – Lolium perenne L., Poa pratensis L. and Festuca pratensis Huds. – have been chosen in this work for decontaminating soil from heavy metals. These plants were grown under artificial laboratory conditions in soil which was once and periodically contaminated with heavy metals. It was established that it is the Lolium perenne L. that most efficiently removes heavy metals and cleans soil. The results of experiments show that the selected grassy plants (perennial ryegrass, meadow-grass and fescue-grass) efficiently clean soil from heavy metals (copper, lead, manganese, zinc, nickel and chromium) when soil contains both low (0.5–120 mg/kg) and high (up to 6,850 mg/kg) concentrations of these metals. Since the perennial ryegrass absorbs the highest amount of heavy metals, the highest efficiency of soil cleaning is achieved using this plant, therefore, 80 % of the mixture of grassy plants was formed of the perennial... [to full text]

Basic concepts: environmental protection, legal regulation, sustainable development, protection of water and air quality, waste management, financing of environmental protection, transposition and implementation of legislation. The aim of the thesis is to determine and look into the influence of the EU environmental policy on the formation of Lithuania’s environmental policy. To this end, the analysis of EU environmental policy documents and directives has been carried out, and their transposition and implementation in Lithuania’s environmental policy have been considered. Focus has also been placed on the financing of the EU environmental policy and absorption of EU assistance in Lithuania. An expert survey has been carried out to attain this objective. The object of the thesis is the process of implementation of the EU environmental policy and its legal norms in Lithuania. The thesis raises a hypothesis that the implementation of the EU environmental policy in Lithuania depends on the competence of Lithuania’s management authorities and EU financial assistance, as the failure to absorb it indicates an inadequate level of development and efficiency of Lithuania’s environmental policy. The research performed in the thesis has supported the hypothesis. The present master’s thesis consists of three sections. The first section of the thesis analyses EU environmental programmes and their impact on the development of the EU environmental policy and presents the legal regulation of... [to full text]

The aim of this paper is to outline the problems of the design of optical access networks. In the first Rasta work is generally described problems optickcýh GPON network GEPON. The second part deals with the optical network elements, such as HDPE ducts, fiber optic cables, optical splitters and the like. The third part is devoted to legislative operation of electronic communications, especially the work is focused on the rights and obligations of providers elektronickcýh communications. It is also in this part of the studied issues of territorial management in the design of optical access networks. In the last part was designed optical network, for which the development of model documentation to obtain zoning and accompanying technical report, including drawings. The proposed network was prepared in the lab of optical networks and were made to her measurements CD, PMD, OTDR measurement and direct method.

Since formal instruments of spatial planning in Germany have turned out to be too inflexible to govern regional development, new ones are being implemented. One of them is Regional Land Management (RLM), which can be described as an application of regional management. A RLM comprises various aspects of planning, development and use of sites for industrial purposes, housing, recreation, open space et cetera. The complexity of tasks requires the cooperation between public and private actors ("public private partnership"), for instance municipalities and firms as well as different lobby groups. In most cases a Regional Development Concept contents the necessary guidelines, objectives and steps. This process has been analysed in the Municipal Network of "Saalebogen", which consists of Rudolstadt, Saalfeld and Bad Blankenburg and is situated in East Thuringia. Like elsewhere in Thuringia the "Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen", i. e. the state development corporation, has taken considerable measures toward the revitalisation of industrial areas by acquisition, clearing, development and commercialisation. Thus, it was explored to what extent the participating municipalities undertook activities in terms of mutual coordination of industrial areas and public projects on existing sites referring to different functions within the Municipal Network. This has to take into account especially the decline of population due to the volatile economic performance of the region. The overall question is whether and how it can be managed to stimulate a development from the bottom of the region. The method of research chosen is threefold: Based on a new understanding of communicative and cooperative planning and a general concept for an RLM, the respective elements in the "Saalebogen" were defined as they can found in the urban and regional development plans and concepts. Interviews should show the motives, objectives and actions of planners, local politicians and entrepreneurs who are more or less involved in the RLM. Moreover, data on several industrial sites are evaluated in order to reflect the actual results. In the conclusion the implications of the RLM for regional planning and governance are formulated as well as improvements concerning planning system, spatial arrangement and organisation. / Die Raumplanung hat in der jüngeren Vergangenheit einen deutlichen Paradigmenwechsel vollzogen. Zunehmende Umsetzungsdefizite von formalen Plänen haben informellen Planungsinstrumenten einen erheblichen Bedeutungszuwachs beschert. Dazu gehören v.a. Regionale Entwicklungskonzepte (REK), die zur Behandlung einzelner Themenschwerpunkte bzw. Teilräume unter Einbeziehung der jeweils relevanten Akteure erstellt werden. Gerade in Ostdeutschland hat es sich als sinnvoll und notwendig erwiesen, nicht nur formale Rechtspläne in einem aufwendigen Verfahren zu erstellen, sondern im Vorgriff darauf bzw. parallel dazu Entwicklungskonzepte zu erarbeiten. Der zu untersuchende Raum des Städtedreiecks am Saalebogen stellt einen Städteverbund, bestehend aus Saalfeld, Rudolstadt und Bad Blankenburg, dar und wurde inhaltlich in einem REK verankert. Der dabei gewählte Ansatz eines Regionalmanagements umfasst zahlreiche Akteure auf den verschiedenen Ebenen (Land, Region, Kommunen, Unternehmen etc.). In diesem Zusammenhang sind planerische Überlegungen nicht zuletzt von Fragen der Flächenentwicklung (Revitalisierung, Nachnutzung, Neuerschließung) bestimmt. Nachdem die Landesentwicklungsgesellschaft Thüringen (LEG) erhebliche Leistungen in der Entwicklung gewerblicher Standorte sowie im Projektmanagement erbracht hat, stellt sich die Frage, inwieweit die beteiligten Kommunen ihrerseits eine abgestimmte, koordinierte und kooperative Flächenentwicklung betreiben. Elemente hierfür sind etwa die Bevorzugung gemeinsamer Standorte und die Rücknahme einzelner Flächen. Weiterhin soll anhand der Arbeit untersucht werden, wie mit den Rahmenbedingungen der Schrumpfung umgegangen wird. Dies betrifft v.a. die (interkommunale) (Um-) Nutzung bestimmter Standorte bzw. Flächen im Rahmen eines Bestandsmanagements. In Anbetracht der organisatorischen Form der Zusammenarbeit ist am konkreten Beispiel insgesamt von Interesse zu untersuchen, ob mit "weichen", kooperativen Instrumenten der Regionalentwicklung "harte" Standort- bzw. Flächennutzungsentscheidungen getroffen werden können. Als normative Grundlage zur Beurteilung kann dabei das Postulat einer nachhaltigen Raumentwicklung herangezogen werden, aus dem sich Kriterien einer ressourcensparenden und nutzungseffizienten Flächenentwicklung einerseits sowie einer kontinuierlichen Beteiligung von Akteuren bzw. Institutionalisierung der Zusammenarbeit andererseits ableiten lassen. In einer theoretischen Einführung werden die sich wandelnden raumplanerischen Funktionen allgemein erörtert sowie die Instrumente REK und Städtenetze im Besonderen vorgestellt. In einem nächsten Schritt erfolgt eine Begriffsbestimmung "des" regionalen Flächenmanagements anhand einzelner Elemente der Planung und deren Umsetzung bzw. Nutzung. Nach einer Beschreibung des Untersuchungsraums stehen konkrete Rahmenbedingungen (REK, Städteverbund), bisherige Aktivitäten und zukünftige Vorhaben eines regionalen Flächenmanagements im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit. Um dies differenziert beurteilen zu können, werden der (zeitliche) Vergleich von Raumordnungsplänen und REK, Gespräche mit regional bedeutsamen Akteuren sowie die Auswertung von Strukturdaten durchgeführt. Mit dieser empirischen Vorgehensweise verbunden sind neue Erkenntnisse über Entscheidungsprozesse in der Regionalentwicklung unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Flächenentwicklung. Außerdem werden Vorschläge für die Weiterentwicklung des RFM im Städtedreieck und allgemein erarbeitet. Damit liegt der Schwerpunkt der Untersuchung auf planungspraktischen sowie umsetzungsbezogenen Fragestellungen.

<p dir="ltr">Precision agriculture has been around for many, many years but as technology has rapidly grown with the population, farmers are looking for more ways to improve their operation with the help of these tools. These tools help farmers manage, understand, and decide when, how and what should be done regarding the tough decisions in the field based on their machinery statues. The tools that utilize GPS location and provide farm managers with useful information and feedback on large scales of value in the Harvesting and planting operation. With previous works done focusing on identify state machine activity utilizing GPS location data with the use of loggers and algorithms this study carries on from one field to the next identifying the truth data set for each and the accuracy of the algorithm. The goal is to add a more realistic view to the states identifying turning and transporting throughout the harvesting operation in truth data and from algorithm results. Also diving into truck activity with lower standard GPS tracking to see how accurately they can be predicted to complete the harvesting cycle from vehicle to vehicle. Overall, the combine and grain cart held at 88% accuracy for labeling all state activity during the harvesting operation for multiple fields, while for the model algorithm with the grain trucks having an overall accuracy of 94%.</p>

Deep anthropogenic topsoils – those augmented through long-term additions of mineral bulk among fertilising agents – retain in both their physical and chemical make-up significant indicators for cultural activity. This project researched the geographical distribution and historical context of deep anthropogenic topsoils in Scotland and the Isles, and used this information to investigate the impact of current land cover upon the cultural information they retain. In so doing, the project investigated the potential for conservation of this significant cultural resource. A review of the historical information available on agricultural and manuring practices for Scotland identified several factors likely to affect deep topsoil distribution and frequency. These were: the availability of bulk manures to Scottish farmers, the significance of the seaweed resource in determining fertiliser strategies in coastal areas, and the influence of urban settlement and associated patterns of domestic and industrial waste disposal on the location of deep topsoils. Evidence for widespread deep topsoil development was limited. The primary data source used – the First Statistical Account of Scotland – was manipulated into a spatial database in ArcView GIS, to which geographical data from the Soil Survey of Scotland and national archaeological survey databases were added. This was used to devise a survey programme aiming both to investigate the potential factors affecting soil development listed above, and to locate deep topsoil sites for analysis. Three sites were identified with deep topsoils under different cover types (woodland, arable and pasture). The urban-influenced context of two of these highlighted the significance of urban settlement to the location of Scottish deep topsoils. Analysis of pH, organic matter, and total phosphorus content showed a correlation between raised organic matter and a corresponding increase in phosphorus content in soils under permanent vegetation. By contrast, soils under arable cultivation showed no such rise. This was attributed to the action of cropping in removing modern organic inputs prior to down-profile cycling. The potential for pasture and woodland cover to affect relict soil signatures was therefore observed. Thin section analysis aimed to both provide micromorphological characterisation of the three deep topsoil sites and investigate the effect of modern land cover on micromorphological indicators. Distinctive differences in micromorphological character were observed between the rural and urban deep topsoils, with the latter showing a strong focus on carbonised fuel residues and industrial wastes. All sites showed a highly individual micromorphological character, reflective of localised fertilising systems. There was no correlation between land cover type and survival of material indictors for anthropogenic activity, with soil cultural indicators surviving well, particularly those characteristic of urban-influenced topsoils. Suggestions for preservation strategies for this potentially rare and highly localised cultural resource included the incorporation of deep anthropogenic topsoil conservation into current government policy relating to care of the rural historic environment, and the improvement of data on the resource through ongoing survey and excavation.

This research work concentrate on developing digital soil maps to support field based plant phenotyping research. We have developed soil organic matter content (OM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), natural soil drainage class, and tile drainage line maps using topographic indices and aerial imagery. Various prediction models (universal kriging, cubist, random forest, C5.0, artificial neural network, and multinomial logistic regression) were used to estimate the soil properties of interest.