Big-Data Analytics Drives Parking Policy: Evaluating Adherence to Meter Time Limits in Washington, D.C.

Biotic and abiotic edge effects in highly fragmented heathlands adjacent to cropland and forest

Watersheds have historically been used as the appropriate spatial classification unit for managing water resources. However, geology, soil type, predominant vegetation, and climate have obvious influences on water quality and are not constrained by watercourses or political boundaries. This concept has evolved for several decades and developed the concept of ecoregions and other spatial schemes. While this approach to water resource management has considered the interaction between water quality and biological integrity (aquatic community structure and assemblage), it has not been applied in the context of predicting aquatic toxicity. As such, a previously published study providing a chemical and toxicological data set consisting of 24 sampling sites in South Carolina, USA, and was used to develop empirical models for predicting acute copper (Cu) toxicity to larval fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Moreover, numerous spatial classifications (hydrologic units, ecoregions, stream order, adjacent land use, and proximity to certain land uses) and seasonality were used to delineate sites and develop empirical models based on these different classifications. An independent sampling and testing regime was implemented to determine the performance of the empirical models and whether certain classifications could be used to extrapolate toxicity data across spatial landscapes. Additionally, a computational model (biotic ligand model [BLM]) for deriving site-specific water quality criteria for Cu also was used as a reference for current regulatory application. Empirical models based on delineations of stream order, hydrologic unit, and downstream distance to urbanization accurately predicted at least 60% of the observed Cu toxicity values within the supplemental data set. Delineations based on adjacent land use, ecoregions, and seasons were not as useful for predicting acute Cu toxicity but demonstrated better performance than the BLM.

The plant community in the karst forest is influenced by mesoclimatic conditions, such as temperature and humidity and these conditions are in turn influenced by topographic features. Urban areas adjacent to karstic forest remnants also have the potential to influence mesoclimatic variables and may serve as a source of exotic species. We described the temperature and relative humidity of karstic forest remnants at slopes with combinations of either southeast (SE) or northwest (NW) aspect, and adjacent to either urban (URB) or secondary forest (SF). We also compared forest structure and composition on these slopes to understand the interaction between forest aspect and adjacent land use on the plant community. URB-SE slopes had highest temperature and lowest humidity among all adjacent land use-aspect combinations. Understory species in SE slopes had similar richness and diversity independently of adjacent land use, however within NW aspect, slopes adjacent to urban areas showed higher values than slopes adjacent secondary forest. Canopy trees species in slopes adjacent to secondary forest were more diverse and rich in SE than in NW, although no differences between aspects were detected within URB-adjacent slopes. Understory species composition was different among the four land use-aspect combinations. However, composition of canopy trees species was different only between aspect types. Most exotic species in the sites were associated with previous agricultural practices and not with current land use. Our results show a temporal and spatial influence of anthropogenic systems on the plant community in karstic forest remnants at a suburban area of Puerto Rico.

Wider road verges sustain higher plant species richness and pollinator abundance in intensively managed agroecosystems

The study was conducted to investigate the influence of four adjacent land use systems (Arable [A], Pasture [PL], Fallow [FL] and orchard [OL]) on carbon stock and structural stability of a tropical Alfisol in Sudan Savannan agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. The result reveals that carbon stock was statistically higher (P = 0.03) in OL and FL than the other two land use systems. Carbon stock in the soil increased by 5.67t ha-1 in OL relative to FL for over 10 years. But in contrary, a decline in carbon stock of 6.4 t ha-1 and 4.9 t ha-1 was observed relative to FL in AL and PL, respectively. This indicates soil carbon stock in the study area lost rapidly under continuous arable cropping than any other land use systems. Correlation analysis showed that soil carbon stock in the study area was significantly explained by clay (r = 0.71**), silt (r = 0.54*) and sand (r = -0.70**) contents. The structural stability index (SI) did not significantly vary (P = 0.195) among the land use systems were all values fell below less than 5% that indicates structurally degraded condition of the soil due to generally small organic carbon content. The structural stability index was significantly related to pH in KCl2, available phosphorus and carbon stock with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.45*, 0.62** and 0.72**, respectively. Therefore, there is a need to adopt proven management practices that enhance and maintain organic carbon content especially in the AL in order to improve productivity and structural stability of the soil vis-à-vis environmental resilience.

The suspended and dissolved waste in the incoming storm water of wetlands largely depends on the adjacent land use which can influence the quality of the water body. The micro- and macro-floral population of a wetland can absorb, convert, transform and release different organic or inorganic elements, which can also change or impact the overall quality of the wetland water. The present study investigates the influence of the land use and the plant species in the waterbed on the water quality of a high-altitude, sub-tropical wetland in India. The estimation capabilities of neuro-genetic models were utilized to identify the inherent relationships between the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), chlorine (Cl) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) with the land use and wetland zoology. A thematic map of the quality parameters was also generated based on the identified relationship to observe the influence that the morphological and biological diversity in and around the study area has on the quality parameters of the wetland. According to the results, the BOD, COD and Cl were found to vary with differences in land use and the presence of different plant species, whereas the DO was found to be largely invariant with changes in these parameters. The reasons may be contributed to the impact of uncontrolled eco-tourism activities around the wetland.

Goals related to wildlife conservation are stated or implied in many urban greenway plans, but the actual wildlife conservation value of urban greenways is unclear. We surveyed 72 km. of greenway consisting of 38 different greenway segments in six cities in the mid-southeastern United States to determine the presence or absence of red fox (Vulpes vulpes), grey fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and to assess characteristics of the greenways and adjacent lands that might promote or limit the presence of these species in each greenway. We focused on fox and deer because these mammals, while habitat generalists, require diverse habitats within close proximity, and are more sensitive to human disturbance and have larger territories than the majority of urban wildlife in this region. Thus, they can serve as indicator species for these habitat values in urban greenways in the southeastern United States. Field observations and scent station inventories revealed that only 18 of the 38 greenway segments had either fox or deer, 12 had only fox, 6 had fox and deer, and none had deer alone. Greenway segments with more forest cover, wider corridors, greater amounts of adjacent natural or seminatural habitat, and forest connectivity between greenways and nonadjacent natural areas were more likely to have fox or deer present. Characteristics associated with fox and deer presence were not independent of each other. Because greenways with such characteristics tend to be surrounded by less urban areas, adjacent land use is a good predictor of fox and deer presence in the surveyed greenways. Whether greenways that are beneficial to fox and deer can be developed in urban settings is strongly site specific, because the greenway variables that appear most essential to these species are often dictated by the preexisting urban form and the vegetation in the vicinity of the greenway. Because the wildlife conservation value of urban greenways depends greatly on factors external to the greenway, greenways that have fox and deer present today may be particularly vulnerable to future changes in surrounding land use.

Despite efforts to control pathogenic hazards in agriculture, leafy greens grown in California were the source of several high-profile outbreaks of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analysis of the outbreaks found three reoccurring patterns with leafy greens contaminated with STEC, specifically E. coli O 157:H7, in 2018–2020: the presence of pathogenic E. coli, common geographical regions, and issues with activities on adjacent lands, such as cattle production and migratory birds. The FDA’s response to the recurring outbreaks associated with leafy greens is the Leafy Greens STEC Action Plan (LGAP). In partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a regulatory pathway was created for the approval of commercial sanitizers that can be applied to agricultural irrigation water to combat STEC, specifically E. coli O 157:H7. However, the protocol has several real-world limitations and economic consequences, such as the potential to overuse sanitizing products, thus adding disinfection by-products classified as pollutants. In addition, there have been several initiatives due to systems research on the local, state, and federal levels to provide technical assistance for the further improvement of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). This review considers the factors involved in leafy green production, such as agricultural water, climate change, and adjacent land use, contributing to increased susceptibility to pathogens contamination and how the implementation of sanitizers impacts food safety. The review discusses potential future improvements to agricultural water safety and quality in the context of improving food safety.

Chapter 5 Highway Runoff Quality, Environmental Impacts and Control

A GIS methodology for assessing ecological connectivity: application to the Barcelona Metropolitan Area

Population and economic growth in the city of Parepare have increased, which has a big impact on land conversion. The City of Parepare Government has published Regional Regulation Number 1 of 2021 regarding the Regional Spatial Plan (RSP) of the City of Parepare 2021–2041 in order to carry out spatial planning. Existing land cannot be used in accordance with RSP regulations after a change in land use. This study aims to find deviations from existing land use in 2022 against the RSP and how to control land use irregularities in Parepare City. The analysis used in this study utilizes a Geographic Information System (GIS) to obtain a map of existing land use in 2022 and an overlay analysis to find land use deviations, and interviews with officials related to land use control in Parepare City. The results of the analysis show that the land use that is following the function of the area in the spatial pattern of the RSP is 6280.23 ha or 69.57% and the land use that deviates from the function of the area in the spatial pattern of the RSP is 2753.28 ha or 30.48%. The issue with its implementation is that many people have exploited or built on the land despite not having the necessary permissions. In an effort to regulate land usage, socialization, monitoring, and the implementation of sanctions have been used; yet, in reality, some people continue to utilize property outside of the RSP.

Since the early twentieth century, virtually every city in the USA has embraced comprehensive zoning as a means to shape and control the development of land use. Early zoning regulations took cues from existing land use patterns while also attempting to reduce land use conflict by enforcing a greater separation of incompatible uses. Zoning and land use have since coevolved endogenously over the course of the following century. This chapter synthesizes and elaborates on the work of Shertzer et al. (J Urban Econ 105:20–39, 2018) and Twinam (Reg Sci Urban Econ 73:155–169, 2018) aimed at measuring the causal impact of early zoning laws on the long-run evolution of land use in US cities. Using a wide variety of detailed pre-zoning microdata and digitized zoning maps from two major US cities, Chicago and Seattle, I employ several analytical approaches to answer the following questions: (1) To what extent did initial zoning efforts conflict or coincide with existing land uses? (2) Did zoning effect substantial changes in land use patterns? (3) How does the impact of zoning on the long-run development of land use compare to that of other important economic determinants, such as pre-existing land use patterns, geography, transportation, and demographics? My results suggest that zoning has played an influential role in determining the economic geography of US cities.

A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of countdown pedestrian signals on both pedestrian and motorist behaviors at 13 intersections in Peoria, Illinois. The variables tested in this study included the proportion of pedestrians who started crossing the street during the “Walk,” flashing “Don't Walk,” and steady “Don't Walk” intervals, as well as vehicular positions in the intersection with respect to the traffic signal indication (late in the yellow signal indication and after the red signal indication). A before-and-after study was used at three intersections at which the pedestrian countdown signals were installed. Additionally, five test intersections with countdown pedestrian signals were compared with five control intersections with traditional pedestrian signals. The traffic volumes, geometry, and adjacent land use at the control sites were similar to those at the test sites; however, the control sites did not have the countdown feature. The results of the study indicate that countdown pedestrian signals are effective in enhancing pedestrian safety. No evidence of increased risk-taking behavior of motorists while they were traversing the intersections with countdown pedestrian signals was observed.

Review for "Traffic patterns, more than adjacent land use, influence element content of roadside forbs for insect pollinators"

Food quality determines the growth rate of primary consumers and ecosystem trophic efficiencies, but it is not clear whether variation in primary consumer densities control, or is controlled by, variation in food quality. We quantified variation in the density and condition of an abundant algae-eating cichlid, Tropheus brichardi, with respect to the quality and productivity of algal biofilms within and across rocky coastal sites in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. Adjacent land use and sediment deposition in the littoral zone varied widely among sites. Tropheus brichardi maximized both caloric and phosphorus intake at the local scale by aggregating in shallow habitats: algivore density decreased with depth, tracking attached algae productivity (rETRMAX) remarkably well (r2 = 0.84, P = 0.00033). In contrast, algivore density was unrelated to among-site variation in algal productivity. Rather, there was significant increase in algal quality (r2 = 0.44, P = 0.011) and decrease in algal biomass (r2 = 0.53, P = 0.0068) with T. brichardi density across sites, consistent with strong top-down control of primary producers. The amount of inorganic sediment on rock surfaces was the strongest predictor of among-site variation in algivore density (r2 = 0.69, P = 0.00096), and algivore gut length increased with sedimentation (r2 = 0.36, P = 0.034). These patterns indicate extrinsic and top-down forcing of algal food quality and quantity across coastal landscapes, combined with adaptive habitat selection by fish at the local scale. Factors that degrade food quality by decreasing algal nutrient content or diluting the resource with indigestible material are likely to depress grazer densities, potentially dampening top-down control in high-light, low-nutrient aquatic ecosystems.