Objective of this dissertation was to study possibilities of detection of subsurface drainage systems by unmanned aerial vehicles. Unmanned aerial vehicles, "drones", served to military purpose in the past. Nowadays these unmanned aerial vehicles helps to map drainage on fields because it is hard to get draining plans today and a big part do not match with the actual implementation of drainage systems. We can also add that nobody cares about drainage today. Drainage drains of soaked soil and improve its harvest. Drainage facilitates transport of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) to watercourses. Fields changes over time to parcels. There is description of sorting and functionality of drainage systems as well as description of malfunctions and used material in theoretical part. There is also description of unmanned aerial vehicles and a method of detection of subsurface drainage systems . Besides there is detailed description of the locality, function of drainage system and evaluation. There is description of indication of drainage on specialized aerial photography. Indications are compared with period plans. Methods of highlighting indications are applied and evaluated by programs Agisoft PhotoScan Professional and Arc GIS 10.1. Main results are photographies that demonstrate location of drainages. Using ground control points the image converted into the coordinate system.

Abstract During the past half century several large lakes in Finland have experienced notable changes in their ecological condition, induced mainly by water level regulation, eutrophication and land use transformation. The objective of this thesis was the quantification of the spatiotemporal changes of aquatic macrophytes in Finland during the second half of the 1900s. Mapped aquatic macrophyte cover from historic (1947–1963) and present day (1996–2000) aerial photographs, additional macrophyte data and several environmental variables were used to identify the main determinants of aquatic macrophyte distribution, abundance and change. Furthermore, factors influencing the littoral paludification process were identified. The study was conducted in 24 boreal lakes (41–1116 km2) with multisource vegetation data. Selected environmental variables of water level regulation, eutrophication and geomorphology were collected and analyzed. More than 402 km of littoral shoreline in historic and present day aerial photographs was analyzed with stereoscopic visual interpretation. A total of 474 habitat level study sites were used to examine the determining environmental factors of occurrence, abundance and change of emergent vegetation. Finally, 289 vegetation transects were performed in order to study the occurrence, types and main determinants of littoral paludification. Water level regulation was found to be the primary factor behind aquatic macrophyte vegetation development at the whole lake level. The major vegetation changes were determined by the mean water level rise or reduction, decreased fluctuation range and reduced spring flood. The vegetation response was less pronounced in a lake with water level regulation similar to natural fluctuation. Eutrophication influenced aquatic macrophytes at the site level. Land use variables of tributary and agriculture, indicating nutrient increment, corresponded positively with vegetation occurrence and abundance. Geomorphology explained vegetation development at the habitat level. Clay and related deposits and the shore slope specified the vegetation occurrence and affected the abundance of vegetation. Water level regulation, eutrophication, clay and shallowness were found to influence paludification. Helophyte species, common reed (Phragmites australis) and water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile), dominated the emergent vegetation in the studied lakes. / Tiivistelmä Viimeisen puolen vuosisadan aikana suomalaisiin suurjärviin on kohdistunut lukuisia muutoksia, jotka ovat vaikuttaneet järvien ekologiseen tilaan. Muutoksia ovat aiheuttaneet pääasiallisesti vesistöjen säännöstely, rehevöityminen sekä maankäytön muuttuminen. Tämän väitöskirjan tarkoituksena on analysoida noin viimeisten 50 vuoden aikana suomalaisissa suurjärvissä tapahtunutta ranta- ja vesikasvillisuuden pitkäaikaismuutosta. Historiallisilla (1947–1963) ja nykyisillä (1996–2000) ilmakuvilla, muilla kasvillisuusaineistoilla sekä useilla ympäristömuuttujilla tunnistettiin keskeisiä tekijöitä, jotka vaikuttivat kasvillisuuden esiintymiseen, runsauteen ja muutokseen. Tämän lisäksi tutkittiin rantojen pysyvän umpeenkasvun kehitysprosessia. Tutkimusta varten kasvillisuudesta kerättiin monilähdeaineistoa kaikilta Suomen päävaluma-alueilta yhteensä 24 eri järveltä, joiden koko vaihteli 41–1116 km2:n välillä. Tämän lisäksi useita vesistöjen säännöstelyn, rehevöitymisen ja geomorfologian ympäristömuuttujia kerättiin ja analysoitiin. Stereoskooppisella visuaalisella ilmakuvatulkinnalla tutkittiin yli 402 kilometriä rantaviivaa historiallisista ja nykyisistä ilmakuvista. Ilmaversoisen ranta- ja vesikasvillisuuden esiintymistä, runsautta ja historiallista muutosta analysoitiin 474 habitaattitason tutkimuspisteellä. Rantojen pysyvän umpeenkasvun esiintymistä, umpeenkasvun eri tyyppejä ja sitä määrittäviä tekijöitä tutkittiin 289 kasvilinjalla. Tutkimuksen tuloksena havaittiin, että järvitasolla vesistöjen säännöstely oli tärkein kasvillisuuden historialliseen kehitykseen vaikuttava tekijä. Huomattavimmat kasvillisuusmuutokset määräytyivät keskiveden noston, pienentyneen säännöstelyvälin, vähentyneen kevättulvan ja lasketun keskiveden tason seurauksena. Kasvillisuusmuutokset eivät olleet niin selviä, jos säännöstely muistutti luonnontilaista säännöstelyä. Rehevöityminen vaikutti ranta- ja vesikasvillisuuteen paikallisesti. Ravinteisuutta ilmentävät maankäytön muuttujat, ojat sekä maanviljelys, lisäsivät kasvillisuuden esiintymistä ja runsautta. Geomorfologiset tekijät selittivät kasvillisuuden kehitystä habitaattitasolla. Savinen maaperä sekä rannan mataluus lisäsivät vesi- ja rantakasvillisuuden esiintymistä sekä kasvillisuuden runsautta. Vesistöjen säännöstely, rehevöityminen, savinen maaperä sekä rannan mataluus lisäsivät rantojen pysyvää umpeenkasvua. Ilmaversoiset kasvilajit, järviruoko (Phragmites australis) ja järvikorte (Equisetum fluviatile), hallitsivat kasvillisuutta tutkituissa järvissä.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / South Africa

Over the past several decades, naturally occurring populations of Fraser fir (Abies fraseri) in the Black Mountains of North Carolina have been heavily impacted by both direct and indirect anthropogenic disturbances, including logging and logging- associated fires, and high mortality rates due to the introduction of the exotic insect, balsam woolly adelgid (BWA) (Adelges piceae). The decline in Fraser fir is particularly concern because it serves as a foundation species within the spruce-fir forests of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Our objectives for this research were to 1) use current stand structure to infer whether Fraser fir trees are experiencing a cycle of regeneration-mortality that will lead to eventual decline of the population, 2) determine what role, if any, the site-specific geographic variables of slope, elevation, aspect, and land use history have on stand structure, mortality, and BWA infestation level, and 3) analyze repeat aerial photography to examine broad trends of spruce-fir forest cover change caused by anthropogenic disturbance and the BWA. In order to understand stand structure, mortality, and infestation levels, we conducted detailed field surveys of Fraser fir trees throughout the Black Mountains using 44, fixed-radius circular sampling plots. These plots were placed throughout a series of aspects, elevations, and disturbance types in order to understand geographic variability among these variables. An analysis of 4 repeat aerial photographs and corroborating ground photographs revealed broad spatio-temporal trends of spruce-fir regeneration and mortality from 1954 to 2006. Our results indicate that Fraser fir stands at higher elevations are currently in a state of recovery; whereas stands at lower elevations appear to be more susceptible to BWA-induced mortality. Changes in forest cover area from 1954 to 2006 were influenced greatly by direct and indirect anthropogenic disturbance. Our results call attention to the significant impact that direct and indirect anthropogenic disturbance has had on Fraser fir stand structure, but also provide evidence for the ability of an imperiled ecosystem to recover from high rates of insect caused mortality. / Master of Science

With the drone industry's recent explosive advancement, aerial photography is becoming increasingly important for an array of applications ranging from construction to agriculture. A drone flyover can give a better overview of regions that are difficult to navigate, and is often significantly faster, cheaper and more accurate than man-made sketches and other alternatives. With this increased use comes a growing need for image processing methods to help in analyzing captured photographs. This thesis presents a method for automatic location detection in aerial photographs using databases of aerial photographs and satellite images. The proposed pipeline is based on an initial round of tests, performed by using existing feature detection, description and matching algorithms on aerial photographs with a high degree of similarity. After which further modifications and improvements were implemented to make the method functional also for handling aerial photographs with a high level of inherent differences, e.g., viewpoint changes, different camera- and lens parameters, temporary objects and weather effects. The method is shown to yield highly accurate results in geographical regions containing features with a low level of ambiguity, and where factors like viewpoint difference are not too extreme. In particular, the method has been most successful in cities and some types of farmland, producing very good results compared to methods based on camera parameters and GPS-location, which have been common in automatic location detection previously. Knowledge of these parameters is not necessary when applying the method, making it applicable more generally and also independently of the precision of the instruments used to determine said parameters.  Furthermore, the approach is extended for automatic processing of video streams. With lack of available ground truth data, no definite conclusions about absolute accuracy of the method can be drawn for this use case. But it is nevertheless clear that processing speeds can be greatly improved by making use of the fact that subsequent video snapshots have a large graphical overlap. And it can indeed also be said that, for the tested video stream, using a type of extrapolation can greatly reduce the risk of graphical noise making location detection impossible for any given snapshot. / Då drönarindustrin växer så det knakar, har flygfoton blivit allt viktigare för en rad applikationer i vårt samhälle. Att flyga över ett svårnavigerat område med en drönare kan ge bättre översikt och är ofta snabbare, billigare och mer precist än skisser eller andra alternativa översiktsmetoder. Med denna ökade användning kommer också ett ökat behov av automatisk bildprocessering för att hjälpa till i analysen av dessa fotografier. Denna avhandling presenterar en metod för automatisk positionsbedömning av flygfoton, med hjälp av databaser med flygfoton och satellitfoton. Den presenterade metoden är baserad på inledande tester av existerande feature detection, feature description och feature matching algoritmer på ett något förenklat problem, där givna foton är väldigt grafiskt lika. Efter detta implementerades ytterligare modifikationer och förbättringar för att göra metoden mer robust även för bilder med en hög nivå av grafisk diskrepans, exempelvis skillnad i synvinkel, kamera- och linsparametrar, temporära objekt och vädereffekter. Den föreslagna metoden ger nöjaktiga resultat i geografiska regioner med en proportionellt stor mängd grafiska särdrag som enkelt kan särskiljas från varandra och där den grafiska diskrepansen inte är allt för stor. Särskilt goda resultat ses i bland annat städer och vissa typer av jordbruksområden, där metoden kan ge betydligt bättre resultat än metoder baserade på kända kameraparametrar och fotografens GPS-positionering, vilket har varit ett vanligt sätt att utföra denna typ av automatisk positionsbestämning tidigare. Dessutom är den presenterade metoden ofta enklare att applicera, då precisionen för diverse mätinstrument som annars måste användas när fotot tas inte spelar in alls i metodens beräkningar. Dessutom har metoden utökats för automatisk processering av videoströmmar. På grund av bristfälligt referensdata kan inga definitiva slutsatser dras angående metodens precision för detta användningsområde. Men det är ändå tydligt att beräkningstiden kan minskas drastiskt genom att använda faktumet att två påföljande ögonblicksbilder har ett stort grafiskt överlapp. Genom att använda en sorts extrapolering kan inverkan från grafiskt brus också minskas, brus som kan göra positionsbestämning omöjligt för en given ögonblicksbild.

No presente estudo, utilizaram-se de fotografias aéreas verticais e levantamentos florísticos de épocas distintas, para acompanhar as transformações ocorridas nos maciços vegetais do Parque da Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" (ESALQ), da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), em Piracicaba. O Parque, de 15.000 m2, construído no Estilo Inglês de Paisagismo, foi implantado ao redor de 1907 e teve crescimento descontrolado e demasiado das áreas de seus maciços arbóreo/arbustivos, comprovado pela análise de fotografias aéreas verticais a partir do ano de 1945, que mostram o aumento em área dos referidos maciços propostos no projeto original. Nos projetos paisagísticos, considera-se a média de vinte anos, para que a cobertura florística atinja os limites representados geograficamente, desde que na implantação, a escolha de espécies, plantios, condições edafo-climáticas, tratos culturais etc, também sejam contempladas no planejamento. Usando-se o software IDRISI, fotografias aéreas verticais dos anos 1945, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1993 e 1995 e o projeto original do Parque, calculou-se a área de cada um dos 24 maciços vegetais presentes no Parque, nos diferentes anos e estas foram confrontadas. Os resultados mostram um grande crescimento dos maciços, uma vez que o somatório das áreas dos mesmos, projetados em 1907, perfazem um total de 28.641m2 de cobertura arbórea, prevista para 1927, vinte anos após a sua concepção, medidas estas que deveriam ser mantidas. Em 1945, o somatório de suas áreas já perfaziam 40.576 m2, portanto 11.935 m2 além do projetado inicialmente (1907) e em 1995 (última fotografia obtida), a área de cobertura arbórea era de 77.221 m2, portanto mais da metade (51,5%) da área total do Parque (150.000 m2) e ainda, 170% a mais de cobertura arbórea do que o projetado inicialmente. No período de 1945 a 1995, o incremento arbóreo foi de 36.655 m2, praticamente dobrando a área total de cobertura. Levando-se em consideração os anos de 1945 e 1995 (maior amplitude, em anos, deste estudo), os maciços cresceram, em área, praticamente na mesma proporção, sendo estas ajustadas a uma reta. Uma das características importantes do Estilo Inglês de Paisagismo, são as linhas de visada que ressaltam pontos de interesse, como edificações, árvores exóticas e outros. No projeto original do Parque da ESALQ, foram planejadas dez linhas de visada. Em 1995, seis dessas linhas estavam obstruídas pelo crescimento não planejado dos maciços e também pela construção de um prédio em área do Parque. Destas, quatro podem ser desobstruídas, através de práticas simples de manejo e as outras duas, ficam impossibilitadas de desobstrução devido à presença do referido prédio. Quanto ao estudo dos levantamentos florísticos de parte dos maciços arbóreo/arbustivos (do maciço de número 1 ao de número 22), realizados no Parque nos anos de 1965 e 1991, os mesmos foram digitados no software Access. Pelo levantamento florístico realizado em 1965, constata-se que o Parque era formado por 444 indivíduos arbóreo/arbustivos, sendo este valor aumentado para 2.904, segundo o levantamento florístico realizado em 1991. Com relação às espécies arbóreas e arbustivas encontradas, em 1965, no Parque existiam 241 espécies, número este, diminuído em 1991, para 215 espécies. Nota-se ainda, grande domínio em número de indivíduos, de algumas espécies sobre outras e a formação de reboleiras de algumas espécies. Ainda sobre os levantamentos florísticos, através de confrontos realizados, utilizando-se do software Access e os respectivos levantamentos, nota-se, a extinção de 154 espécies arbóreo/arbustivas e incremento de outras 124, estando apenas 90 espécies, presentes nos dois levantamentos (1965 e 1991). Todos estes fatos apresentados, indicam a necessidade de um manejo adequado urgente dos maciços vegetais do Parque da ESALQ, para evitar maior descaracterização do mesmo. / In the present study, vertical aerial pictures and floristic surveys from different times were used to assess the transformations on plant masses of the Park of Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz " (ESALQ), Universidade of São Paulo (USP), in Piracicaba - SP - Brazil. The Park, comprised of 15.000 m2, was built in the English Landscape Style, near 1907 and has had ever since too much uncontrolled growth of arboreal/shrubby masses, as determined by the analysis of vertical aerial pictures in 1945. In the large seales landscape projects it is expected twenty years for the plant mass to reach its peak, considering that the choice of species, planting, edafo-climatic conditions, cultural treatments etc are also regarded in the planning. The area of the 24 masses existents on the Park was calculated on different years and compared, using software IDRISI, vertical aerial pictures of 1945, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1993 and 1995 as well as the original project of the Park. The results show excess of growth of the plant mass. In 1907 the total area of the added 28.641 m2. As foreseen for 1927, twenty years after its conception, such measurements should remain the same. In 1945, these areas added 40.576 m2 (11.935 m2 above the original project); and in 1995 (last obtained picture), the area of arboreal covering was of 77.221 m2, more than half (51,5%) of the total area of the Park (150.000 m2) and 170% larger than the area of the initial project. From 1945 to 1995, the arboreal increment was of 36.655 m2, practically doubling the total area of arboreal covering. On 1945 and 1995, the masses grew, in area, pratically in the same proportion, and were adjusted to a straight line. One of the important characteristics of the English Landscape Style, rely on points that can be see through lawn the area, forming "lines of view"- leading to uninterrupted view of the opposite side across the lower strata (lawn). The value points of interest, such as constructions, exotic trees and others. In the original project of the ESALQ`s Park, ten lines of view were planned. In 1995, six of those lines were obstructed by the untamed growth of the masses and also for the construction of a building in area of the Park. Four of them can be cleared through simple management practices. Unfortunately the others, are no longer of liable for desobstruction due to the presence of the referred building. The study of the floristic surveys of the arboreal/shrubby masses (masses number 1 to 22), carried out in the Park in the years of 1965 and 1991, were typed in the software Access. The floristic survey of 1965 shows that the Park was formed by 444 arboreal/shrubby individuals, which increased to 2.904 in the floristic survey on 1991. In the 1965, survey were found 241 arboreal/shrubby decreasing 215 species in 1991, with an increased dominance of some species on others (in numbers) as well as aggregate groups. The extinction of 154 arboreal/shrubs species and the increment of 124 was observed. Only 90 species were common to both surveys (1965 and 1991). The presented facts, indicate the need of an urgent management of the masses of the ESALQ’s Park, to avoid farther uncharacterization.

No presente estudo, utilizaram-se de fotografias aéreas verticais e levantamentos florísticos de épocas distintas, para acompanhar as transformações ocorridas nos maciços vegetais do Parque da Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz” (ESALQ), da Universidade de São Paulo (USP), em Piracicaba. O Parque, de 15.000 m2, construído no Estilo Inglês de Paisagismo, foi implantado ao redor de 1907 e teve crescimento descontrolado e demasiado das áreas de seus maciços arbóreo/arbustivos, comprovado pela análise de fotografias aéreas verticais a partir do ano de 1945, que mostram o aumento em área dos referidos maciços propostos no projeto original. Nos projetos paisagísticos, considera-se a média de vinte anos, para que a cobertura florística atinja os limites representados geograficamente, desde que na implantação, a escolha de espécies, plantios, condições edafo-climáticas, tratos culturais etc, também sejam contempladas no planejamento. Usando-se o software IDRISI, fotografias aéreas verticais dos anos 1945, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1993 e 1995 e o projeto original do Parque, calculou-se a área de cada um dos 24 maciços vegetais presentes no Parque, nos diferentes anos e estas foram confrontadas. Os resultados mostram um grande crescimento dos maciços, uma vez que o somatório das áreas dos mesmos, projetados em 1907, perfazem um total de 28.641m2 de cobertura arbórea, prevista para 1927, vinte anos após a sua concepção, medidas estas que deveriam ser mantidas. Em 1945, o somatório de suas áreas já perfaziam 40.576 m2, portanto 11.935 m2 além do projetado inicialmente (1907) e em 1995 (última fotografia obtida), a área de cobertura arbórea era de 77.221 m2, portanto mais da metade (51,5%) da área total do Parque (150.000 m2) e ainda, 170% a mais de cobertura arbórea do que o projetado inicialmente. No período de 1945 a 1995, o incremento arbóreo foi de 36.655 m2, praticamente dobrando a área total de cobertura. Levando-se em consideração os anos de 1945 e 1995 (maior amplitude, em anos, deste estudo), os maciços cresceram, em área, praticamente na mesma proporção, sendo estas ajustadas a uma reta. Uma das características importantes do Estilo Inglês de Paisagismo, são as linhas de visada que ressaltam pontos de interesse, como edificações, árvores exóticas e outros. No projeto original do Parque da ESALQ, foram planejadas dez linhas de visada. Em 1995, seis dessas linhas estavam obstruídas pelo crescimento não planejado dos maciços e também pela construção de um prédio em área do Parque. Destas, quatro podem ser desobstruídas, através de práticas simples de manejo e as outras duas, ficam impossibilitadas de desobstrução devido à presença do referido prédio. Quanto ao estudo dos levantamentos florísticos de parte dos maciços arbóreo/arbustivos (do maciço de número 1 ao de número 22), realizados no Parque nos anos de 1965 e 1991, os mesmos foram digitados no software Access. Pelo levantamento florístico realizado em 1965, constata-se que o Parque era formado por 444 indivíduos arbóreo/arbustivos, sendo este valor aumentado para 2.904, segundo o levantamento florístico realizado em 1991. Com relação às espécies arbóreas e arbustivas encontradas, em 1965, no Parque existiam 241 espécies, número este, diminuído em 1991, para 215 espécies. Nota-se ainda, grande domínio em número de indivíduos, de algumas espécies sobre outras e a formação de reboleiras de algumas espécies. Ainda sobre os levantamentos florísticos, através de confrontos realizados, utilizando-se do software Access e os respectivos levantamentos, nota-se, a extinção de 154 espécies arbóreo/arbustivas e incremento de outras 124, estando apenas 90 espécies, presentes nos dois levantamentos (1965 e 1991). Todos estes fatos apresentados, indicam a necessidade de um manejo adequado urgente dos maciços vegetais do Parque da ESALQ, para evitar maior descaracterização do mesmo. / In the present study, vertical aerial pictures and floristic surveys from different times were used to assess the transformations on plant masses of the Park of Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz " (ESALQ), Universidade of São Paulo (USP), in Piracicaba - SP - Brazil. The Park, comprised of 15.000 m2, was built in the English Landscape Style, near 1907 and has had ever since too much uncontrolled growth of arboreal/shrubby masses, as determined by the analysis of vertical aerial pictures in 1945. In the large seales landscape projects it is expected twenty years for the plant mass to reach its peak, considering that the choice of species, planting, edafo-climatic conditions, cultural treatments etc are also regarded in the planning. The area of the 24 masses existents on the Park was calculated on different years and compared, using software IDRISI, vertical aerial pictures of 1945, 1962, 1969, 1973, 1993 and 1995 as well as the original project of the Park. The results show excess of growth of the plant mass. In 1907 the total area of the added 28.641 m2. As foreseen for 1927, twenty years after its conception, such measurements should remain the same. In 1945, these areas added 40.576 m2 (11.935 m2 above the original project); and in 1995 (last obtained picture), the area of arboreal covering was of 77.221 m2, more than half (51,5%) of the total area of the Park (150.000 m2) and 170% larger than the area of the initial project. From 1945 to 1995, the arboreal increment was of 36.655 m2, practically doubling the total area of arboreal covering. On 1945 and 1995, the masses grew, in area, pratically in the same proportion, and were adjusted to a straight line. One of the important characteristics of the English Landscape Style, rely on points that can be see through lawn the area, forming "lines of view"- leading to uninterrupted view of the opposite side across the lower strata (lawn). The value points of interest, such as constructions, exotic trees and others. In the original project of the ESALQ`s Park, ten lines of view were planned. In 1995, six of those lines were obstructed by the untamed growth of the masses and also for the construction of a building in area of the Park. Four of them can be cleared through simple management practices. Unfortunately the others, are no longer of liable for desobstruction due to the presence of the referred building. The study of the floristic surveys of the arboreal/shrubby masses (masses number 1 to 22), carried out in the Park in the years of 1965 and 1991, were typed in the software Access. The floristic survey of 1965 shows that the Park was formed by 444 arboreal/shrubby individuals, which increased to 2.904 in the floristic survey on 1991. In the 1965, survey were found 241 arboreal/shrubby decreasing 215 species in 1991, with an increased dominance of some species on others (in numbers) as well as aggregate groups. The extinction of 154 arboreal/shrubs species and the increment of 124 was observed. Only 90 species were common to both surveys (1965 and 1991). The presented facts, indicate the need of an urgent management of the masses of the ESALQ’s Park, to avoid farther uncharacterization.

In order to manage the often highly dynamic urban landscapes, it is important to map different themes from time to time. This study made use of Geographical Information System and aerial photographs to determine LULC transformation in the eastern suburbs of Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Land use land cover maps for the eastern suburbs (Copesville, Eastwood, Raisethorpe and Willowton) for the years 1989 to 2009 were generated and transformations based on twelve LULCs determined. Results in this study showed that the most significant increase were in residential (formal and informal) and industrial LULCs while the most significant decrease were recorded in the cultivated and open LULC. Generally, results in this study further show that urban LULC attributed to human influx has been at the expense of internal open green spaces and peripheral cultivated and uncultivated lands. The study concludes that aerial photographs in concert with GIS are valuable tools in mapping rapidly changing urban landscapes. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2012.

The thesis investigates the concepts of archaeological spatial association within the context of both site and regional data sets. The techniques of geophysical surveying, surface distribution collection and aerial photography are described and discussed. Several new developments of technique are presented as well as a detailed discussion of the problems of data presentation and analysis. The quantitative relationships between these data sets are explored by modelling them as operands and describing association in terms of operators. Both local and global measures of association are considered with a discussion as to their relative merits. Methods for the spatial association of regional lattice and point processes are developed. A detailed discussion of distance based spatial analysis techniques is presented.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Montana, 2008. / Title from author supplied metadata. Description based on contents viewed on June 26, 2009. Includes bibliographical references.