Physical Geography

A GIS Comparative Analysis of Bronze Age Settlement Patterns and the Contemporary Physical Landscape in the Jazira Region of Syria

by Tony Mathys

Most of the datasets presented in this thesis are available for free in ArcGIS shapefile format on the ShareGeo Open data repository at http://www.sharegeo.ac.uk/.

These datasets are available for everyone to use as it is important to encourage data sharing in support of research activities.

There are also some CORONA satellite images available on ShareGeo for the Syrian Jazira region. The plan is to eventually provide complete CORONA coverage for this region, though geo-referencing will not be precise as it's intended to be more for user orientation.

Acknowledgement should go to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which makes CORONA imagery available via its EarthExplorer online data service at http://edcsns17.cr.usgs.gov/NewEarthExplorer/
Many CORONA images are available to download for free from this service, though require processing and geo-referencing for use in a GIS or a software package for processing remotely sensed imagery.

Relevant to this, and the thesis, is the following paper presented which first introduced how CORONA satellite imagery could be applied to archaeological work in the Near East. Martin Fowler also wrote about the potential of CORONA in the Aerial Archaeology Research Group (AARG) news.

Mathys, Tony. “The Use of Declassified Intelligence Satellite Photographs in a GIS (IDRISI) to Map Archaeological Sites and the Surrounding Landscape in the Northeastern Region of the Syrian Jazirah. The University of Chicago Oriental Institute, NASA and St. Cloud State University Remote Sensing Applications in Archaeology Conference. St. Cloud, Minnesota, May 29-31, 1997.

Unfortunately, papers presented at this conference were not published.

My gratitude and thanks to Dr Sarah Parcak for citing this unpublished conference paper in her book (Satellite Remote Sensing in Archaeology), and to Dr Aled Rowlands and Dr Apostolos Sarris for citing it in their Journal of Archaeological Science article 34 (2007).

Bioprotection and Disturbance: seaweed, microclimatic stability and weathering in the intertidal zone.

by Martin Coombes

MA. Coombes, LA. Naylor, HA Viles, RC Thompson (accepted). Bioprotection and Disturbance: seaweed, microclimatic stability and weathering in the intertidal zone. Geomorphology.

Plants, animals, and microorganisms can contribute to geomorphology and ecology through their direct or indirect... more Plants, animals, and microorganisms can contribute to geomorphology and ecology through their direct or indirect bioprotective roles, which can reduce weathering and erosion. For example, indirect bioprotection can operate via biotic influences on microclimate, whereby weathering processes associated with fluctuations in temperature and moisture are limited. As a consequence, bioprotective organisms moderate physical disturbance at a range of spatial and temporal scales. The microclimatic influence of organisms can also improve environmental conditions for other species, and thus acts as an agent of biodiversity maintenance.
In the intertidal zone, the spatial and temporal distribution of macroalgae (seaweeds) is patchy, related to physical and ecological conditions for colonization and growth, and the nature and frequency of disturbance (both natural and anthropogenic). We examined the influence of seaweed canopies (Fucus spp.) on near-surface microclimate and, by implication, on weathering and ecology. Monitoring on hard artificial coastal structures in South West England, UK built from limestone and concrete showed that both the range and maxima of daily summertime temperatures were significantly lower (by an average of 56% and 25%, respectively) in areas colonized by seaweed compared to experimentally cleared areas. Short-term microclimatic variability (minutes–hours) was also significantly reduced (by an average of 78% for temperature and 71% for humidity) under algal canopies during low tide events.
Using seaweed as an example, we develop a conceptual model of the relationship between biological cover and microclimate in the intertidal zone. Disturbance events which remove or drastically reduce seaweed cover mediate shifts between relatively stable and unstable states with respect to both weathering and ecological stress associated with heat and desiccation. In urbanized coastal environments, where disturbance may be frequent, facilitating the establishment and recovery of canopy-forming species on rocks and engineered structures may enhance the durability of construction materials as well as support conservation, planning, and policy targets for biodiversity enhancement.

Reconceptualising the role of organisms in the erosion of rock coasts: A new model

by Martin Coombes

Larissa A. Naylor, Martin A. Coombes, Heather A. Viles. 2012. Reconceptualising the role of organisms in the erosion of rock coasts: A new model. Geomorphology 157–158, p17-30.

Attempts to understand the morphodynamics of rock coasts focus on the nature and rate of erosion and how this... more Attempts to understand the morphodynamics of rock coasts focus on the nature and rate of erosion and how this influences the evolution of coastal profiles over century to millennial timescales. Biological contributions to this process are often ignored or treated in a rather simplistic way as merely producing microscale decreases in rock strength. Using a combination of field observations and literature review, we address two key issues hampering a more rounded assessment of biological impacts erosion of coastal rocks. Firstly, we reconceptualise the biological contributions to erosion of rock coasts into direct and facilitative types, and secondly we discuss the need for more appropriate reporting of rates of bioerosion. For direct bioerosion, this means clearly documenting the percentage of platform surfaces affected by bioerosive agents and quantifying the volume of material eroded and the amount of fine sediment produced. For facilitative bioerosion, we must quantify the roles of biota in changing the material properties of rocks, creating or altering surface morphologies and/or weakening joint boundaries. In this way, facilitative bioerosion is one of several processes mediating geomorphic alteration of rock surfaces, contributing to the production of landforms and/or reducing the resisting force of rock. Subsequently, we build on these ideas to produce a new conceptual model which more accurately portrays the multiple and cross-scalar ways that biological processes, notably bioerosion, influence the resistance of coastal rocks to erosive forces. Such a model provides a stronger basis for numerical modelling and understanding the morphodynamics of rock coasts in the future and allows a quantitative assessment of the role of biota.

Theorizing ‘crisis’ as performative politics: a view from physical/environmental geography

by Marc Tadaki

Tadaki, M., McFarlane, K., Salmond, J., Brierley, G., 2011. Theorizing ‘crisis’ as performative politics: a view from physical/environmental geography. Dialogues in Human Geography 1 (3), 355-360.

As physical/environmental geographers, we respond to Larner (2011) in two ways. First, we argue that the crisis frame... more As physical/environmental geographers, we respond to Larner (2011) in two ways. First, we argue that the crisis frame – which she caveats, but implicitly accepts – is problematic because it performs and legitimates a certain kind of politics, and pulls analytical foci away from other approaches. The ontological and epistemological moments of Larner’s crises require clarification, and the ‘value added’ from declaring yet more geographical crises needs to be assessed. Second, we develop epochal themes from physical geography to converse with Larner’s call for more situated approaches to the production and circulation of knowledge. Place-based and historically contingent science and knowledge networks are increasingly important for understanding and enacting progressive and sustainable environmental governance regimes. Physical and human geographers can find productive common ground in developing situated knowledges of ‘change response’ across a spectrum of social-environmental concerns.

Nature, culture, and the work of physical geography

by Marc Tadaki

Tadaki, M., Salmond, J., Le Heron, R., Brierley, G., 2012. Nature, culture, and the work of physical geography. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, doi: 10.1111/j.1475-5661.2011.00495.x.

Human–environment relationships are increasingly regarded as complex and worthy of interdisciplinary scrutiny. In this... more Human–environment relationships are increasingly regarded as complex and worthy of interdisciplinary scrutiny. In this context, several physical geographers have made calls for their subdiscipline to take a ‘cultural turn’ and engage more fully with human elements of environmental change. However, despite sharing a general commitment to thinking about the material implications of human behaviours, definitions proposed for a cultural physical geography lack theoretical rigour and consistency. This paper interrogates the prospects for a refreshed cultural turn in physical geography by situating it within its constitutive, historical and institutional dimensions. First, how might ‘culture’ be defined and constituted, and with what implications? This question recognises that conceptual work around culture depends upon the sociotheoretical paradigms that are chosen. Second, an exploration of key moments in the definition of geographical research projects and trajectories provides insight into why this turn has not happened before, and what kind of work was pursued in its place. Third, a cultural turn positions physical geography to do particular kinds of work within wider ecologies of knowledge production. Careful reflection on the methods and commitments of different approaches is needed to assess where and how such a project might be at all geographical. The notion of culture embraced and practised by physical geographers has material, epistemological, institutional and ethical implications. Broadening the scope of ‘work’ from the outputs to the outcomes of geographical practice creates the conceptual space for much needed reflection and dialogue. A cultural turn that acknowledges the ‘webs of significance’ within which physical geography is embedded presents a progressive trajectory of inquiry.

Pedogenesis of Chernozems in Central Europe - a review

by Eileen Eckmeier

Eckmeier, E., Gerlach, R., Gehrt, E. & Schmidt, M.W.I. (2007): Pedogenesis of Chernozems in Central Europe - a review. Geoderma 139: 288-299.

Coastal Systems - Korean translation

by Simon Haslett

My Coastal Systems textbook is now available in Korean.

Isotopes in pyrogenic carbon: a review

by Philippa Ascough

Co-authored with M. I. Bird.
Published in Organic Geochemistry, Volume 42, Issue 12, January 2012, Pages 1529-1539 (Organic Isotopes in Soil)

Pyrogenic carbon (PC; also known as biochar, charcoal, black carbon and soot) derived from natural and anthropogenic... more Pyrogenic carbon (PC; also known as biochar, charcoal, black carbon and soot) derived from natural and anthropogenic burning plays a major, but poorly quantified, role in the global carbon cycle. Isotopes provide a fundamental fingerprint of the source of PC and a powerful tracer of interactions between PC and the environment. Radiocarbon and stable carbon isotope techniques have been widely applied to studies of PC in aerosols, soils, sediments and archaeological sequences, with the use of other isotopes currently less developed. This paper reviews the current state of knowledge regarding (i) techniques for isolating PC for isotope analysis and (ii) processes controlling the carbon (13C and 14C), nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen and sulfur isotope composition of PC during formation and after deposition. It also reviews the current and potential future applications of isotope based studies to better understand the role of PC in the modern environment and to the development of records of past environmental change.

Monitoring Shorebird Habitat using Photogrammetry: The case of Western Snowy Plover at Coal Oil Point Reserve, Santa Barbara, California

by Michele M. Tobias

Published in 'Physical Geography', 2008

The goal of this study was to determine how digital photogrammetry can be used to describe and monitor shorebird... more The goal of this study was to determine how digital photogrammetry can be used to describe and monitor shorebird habitat. Methods previously used for monitoring beach erosion were applied to shorebird habitat, concentrating on the requirements of Western Snowy Plovers. How the physical habitat of Western Snowy Plovers has changed over time was investigated at Sand Beach, which is part of Coal Oil Point Reserve in Santa Barbara, California, from 1928 to 2004, using width, area, and elevation data gathered from a series of aerial photographs. Single georeferenced photographs were used to measure width at regular intervals and area for each year a photo was available. Georeferenced aerial photographs can be used to obtain accurate measurements of beach area and width. Orthorectification is not necessary if photos can be georeferenced with minimal error. Sands Beach was found to be increasing in area. This was due mainly to the retreat of the vegetation line as the mouth of Devereux Slough shifted in 1992 rather than an accumulation of sand on the beach.

Preparation of Geography Teaching Materials through the Utilization of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Software

by Selçuk Beşir Demir

In this study we present a model through a sample implementation the intention of which is to teach Geography teachers... more In this study we present a model through a sample implementation the intention of which is to teach Geography teachers how to develop learning materials by using the Arc GIS rather than instructing them about material development of all sorts. Within this context different phases of material development such as maps, landforms and settlements are explained step by step along with the digitizing process of screen maps. A great number of geographical materials can be enhanced by teachers of Geography if they follow the steps illustrated by the Arc GIS programme.
The materials prepared by Geography teachers and three dimensional images can be enlarged or zoomed out on the screen to figure out the effect of the scale on the map. The fact that our eyesight becomes narrow and details disappeare as we gain height can be concretized through this example. Besides teachers can explain visually how physical features are shown by using contour lines. For instance, it is observed on three dimensional images that the slope increases where the contour lines become more frequent in areas like hillsides,or vice versa. The appearance of contour lines or other landforms can be highlighted by these images as well. In a class at which topics like river valleys, plains, plateaus, etc. are supposed to be explained, these can be presenented with the help of visuals. Furthermore the relation between settlements and landforms can be made clear and easy to grasp through already developed materials.
Geography teachers can develop materials or process certain data with various techniques (satellite images, air photographs) as they improve their skills of using the GIS. They can even digitize the images of Google Earth, an increasingly popular internet device and turn them into an easy-to-examine datum by means of the GIS. In this manner they provide acquired information and developed materials to their students and help them use an advantegous device in the long and tiring process of education.
We therefore need further research to integrate GIS practices and materials with social sciences and Geography and also to detect factors which prevent students from using the GIS actively during their education. Both descriptive and experimental researches can be directed at determining possible influences of the usage of GIS based materials in Geography and social sciences. Studies which depend on quality investigation methods will specifically prove useful alike.

“Roger Dion et Gaston Roupnel: deux approches de la géographie historique,” Le bon vin: Entre terroir, savoir-fair et savoir-boire, Jean-Robert Pitte, ed., (Paris: CNRS, 2009), 77-95.

by Philip Whalen

Depuis les débats relatifs aux origines de la viniculture jusqu’aux élaborations concernant l’importance du terroir... more Depuis les débats relatifs aux origines de la viniculture jusqu’aux élaborations concernant l’importance du terroir viticole bourguignon dans un contexte géohistorique, les œuvres de Roger Dion et de Gaston Roupnel se distinguent par leur solide ancrage au sein des préoccupations de la géographie humaine française portant sur l’histoire et la morphologie de la France rurale. Leur érudition respective couvrait toute la gamme du réseau régional production-consommation relatif à l’activité viticole. Tous deux s’intéressaient aux origines, à la nature et à la localisation des habitats propres aux vignobles, aux facteurs en jeu dans la création de réputations de vignobles de renom, au rôle de l’homme dans la production du vin et sa consommation, ainsi qu’à la portée des marchés et à la concurrence. Ces thèmes demeurent au centre des préoccupations actuelles concernant la production viticole qui traverse une période de changement climatique accéléré et de mondialisation, qu’aucun des deux auteurs ne pressentit. En dépit de centres d’intérêts croisés et d’une analogie séduisante, les œuvres de Dion et Roupnel étaient substantiellement différentes par leur champ d’application et leur public potentiel. Si l’un et l’autre soulignèrent le rôle de l’homme au sein de la viticulture, qui transcendait le cadre géographique, Dion s’attacha plus particulièrement aux conditions du marché tandis que Roupnel se pencha sur sa portée quant au régionalisme culturel bourguignon. Dion était meilleur géographe, mais je ferai apparaître que Roupnel anticipa nombre de thèmes et questions identiques.

An inventory of trees in Dublin city centre.

by Tine Ningal

FIRST CIRCULAR OF THE 33RD INDIAN GEOGRAPHERS MEET & INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON POPULATION, DEVELOPMENT & DISASTER MANAGEMENT

by Sunil Kumar De

The 33rd Annual Conference of the Institute of Indian Geographers’ (IIG) - the Indian Geographers’ Meet - will be... more The 33rd Annual Conference of the Institute of Indian Geographers’ (IIG) - the Indian Geographers’ Meet - will be organised by the Department of  Geography and Disaster Management, Tripura University, Agartala during 8-11 February, 2012. The Governing Council of the IIG and the Organizing Committee of the Meet cordially invite you to attend the Conference and International Seminar on "Population, Development and Disaster Management". 
The sub-themes of the conference are:                         
                     
1.Nature of global population change including  migration
2.Population vs Development
3.Technology and Resources
4.Regional Planning and Development
5.Agricultural and Industrial and Urban Geography
6.Social and Ethnic Geography- harmony and conflicts
7.Geography of Health and Nutrition
8. Environment and Biodiversity
9.Globalization and its Impact on India
10. Climate Change and Human Response
11.Disasters following natural Events,  Prevention/ Management of Disaster
12.Philosophy and Methodology of Modern Geography
13.Physical Basis of Geography including Geomorphology, Hydrology and Climatology
14.Application of RS and GIS in Geography

An Actor-Network View of Physical Geography

by Casey D. Allen

Published in "Progress in Physical Geography", volume 35(2): 227-248.

This paper explores the use of a new pedagogy, the rock art stability index (RASI), to engender deeper understanding... more This paper explores the use of a new pedagogy, the rock art stability index (RASI), to engender deeper understanding of weathering science concepts by students. Owing to its dynamic nature, RASI represents a quintessential actor network for weathering science, because it links task in the landscape with an active material practice and an alternative materialistic world-view recently called for in positivistic science, to create
place. Using concept maps as an assessment tool, 571 college undergraduate students and 13 junior high school integrated science students (ages 12–13) were evaluated for increased learning potential between pre- and post-field experiences. Further, this article demonstrates that when students use RASI to learn the fundamental complex science of weathering they make in-depth connections between weathering form and
process not achieved through traditional, positivistic weathering pedagogy. We argue that RASI draws upon inherent actor networks which allow students to link weathering form and process to an animate conceptualization of landscape. Conceptualizing landscape as sentient actor networks removes weathering science disciplinary connections and their inherent pedagogic practices. Our focus in this paper is not to challenge
weathering ontology and epistemology, but rather to argue that there is a need for a pedagogical paradigm shift in weathering science.

Multi-Model Inference in Biogeography

by James Millington

James D.A. Millington and George L.W. Perry (2011) Geography Compass 5(7) 448-530

Multi-model inference (MMI) aims to contribute to the production of scientific knowledge by simultaneously comparing... more Multi-model inference (MMI) aims to contribute to the production of scientific knowledge by simultaneously comparing the evidence data provide for multiple hypotheses, each represented as a model. With roots in the method of ‘multiple working hypotheses’, MMI techniques have been advocated as an alternative to null-hypothesis significance testing. In this paper, we review two complementary MMI techniques – model selection and model averaging – and highlight examples of their use by biogeographers. Model selection provides a means to simultaneously compare multiple models to evaluate how well each is supported by data, and potentially to identify the best supported model(s). When model selection indicates no clear ‘best’ model, model averaging is useful to account for parameter uncertainty. Both techniques can be implemented in information theoretic and Bayesian frameworks and we outline the debate about interpretations of the different approaches. We summarise recommendations for avoiding philosophical and methodological pitfalls, and suggest when each technique is best used. We advocate a pragmatic approach to MMI, one that emphasises the ‘thoughtful, science-based, a priori’ modelling that others have argued is vital to ensure valid scientific inference.

Rising Tides and Paradise

by Dr. Professor Rudy Sookbirsingh

During the past few decades global ocean levels have been rising and the rate of increase is projected to accelerate... more During the past few decades global ocean levels have been rising and the rate of increase is projected to accelerate in the future. Some of these increases in oceanic levels are inherit with the evolutionary processes of our planet. However, there appears to be an  increasing consensus and concern within the scientific community that anthropogenic activities, alterations, and interventions, such as: acid rain, global warming, ozone depletion, pollution, and technological advances are rapidly destabilizing our planet’s atmosphere, which in turn is altering the Earth’s equilibrium. The largely anthropogenic or at least rapidly enhanced phenomenon of climate change, global warming and the accompanying consequence of rising global sea-levels are some of the primary contributors of the destabilizing factors that may be of immediate concern.
It is these accelerated rising sea levels that are threatening to inundate many low lying coastal areas and smaller island states such as The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, this report will examine the collaborative research conducted by Dr. Bhawan Singh of the University of Montreal, Earthwatch, and UNESCO in 1995 by focusing on the potential physical, ecological, and socio-economic impacts of rising sea levels on the islands of Trinidad and Tobago. From this study, global policy approaches can be proposed, better land use strategies can be adopted and ecosystems management plans implemented to minimize the effects of these trends if they exist, on landmass and its contribution to local economies.

Participatory GIS for e-Governance and Local Planning: A Case Study in Different Environments on Its Applicability

by Amit Srivastava

at Map World Forum 2007

Geographical Information System has established as a powerful planning and decision making tool. GIS provides spatial... more Geographical Information System has established as a powerful planning and decision making tool. GIS provides spatial planning and decision making system to get visual presentation of different facts in the form of multi temporal maps and comparison maps.

Participation of local community at different data inputs in GIS enable to produce a holistic and efficient output. Participatory GIS requires a combination of software tools for group decision support, individual decision support and geographic analysis and presentation. It can provide a better solution of many governance related issues of ownership, distribution, resource allocation and site determination. The use of local knowledge and perception can help in creating outline of development plans. It can contribute to the empowerment of communities in solving developmental problems.

The paper presents a comparative case study of the applicability of Participatory GIS in two different states – Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Various issues including traditional knowledge system, conventional approach for local panning, institutional changes have been dealt. Its importance in establishing transparent and accountable governance has been analyzed.

Influence of Mollusc Species on Marine DELTA R Determinations

by Philippa Ascough

Published in "Radiocarbon" 2005, 47(3): 433-440
Co-Authored with Gordon T Cook, Andrew J Dugmore, E Marian Scott and Stewart PHT Freeman

14C ages were measured on replicate samples of burnt grain and five mollusc species collected from a single, sealed... more 14C ages were measured on replicate samples of burnt grain and five mollusc species collected from a single, sealed layer at an archaeological site (Hornish Point) on the west coast of South Uist, Scotland. The aim was to examine the impact of using different mollusc species on ΔR determinations that are calculated using the paired terrestrial/marine sample approach. The mollusc species examined inhabit a range of environments and utilise a variety of food sources within the intertidal zone. Several authors have suggested that these factors may be responsible for observed variations in the 14C activity of mollusc shells that were contemporaneous in a single location. This study found no significant variation in the 14C ages of the mollusc species, and consequently, no significant variation in calculated values of ΔR. The implication is that in an area where there are no carboniferous rocks or significant local input of terrestrial-source carbonate to the surface ocean water, any of a range of marine mollusc species can be used in combination with short-lived terrestrial material from the same secure archaeological context to accurately determine a ΔR value for a particular geographic location and period in time.

Holocene Variations In the North Atlantic Marine Radiocarbon Reservoir Effect

by Philippa Ascough

Co-authored with G.T. Cook, A. Dugmore, J. Barber, E. Higney and E. M. Scott
Published in 'Radiocarbon', 2004, Vol. 46, No. 2, p611-620

We assessed the evidence for variations in the marine 14C reservoir effect (MRE) at coastal, archaeological Iron Age... more We assessed the evidence for variations in the marine 14C reservoir effect (MRE) at coastal, archaeological Iron Age sites in North and West Scotland by comparing AMS measurements of paired marine and terrestrial materials (4 pairs per context). ΔR values were calculated from measurements on material from three sites, using six sets of samples, all of which were deposited around 2000 BP. The weighted mean of the ΔR determinations was -79 ± 17 14C years, which indicates a consistent, reduced offset between atmospheric and surface ocean 14C specific activity for these sites during this period, relative to the present day (ΔR=0 14C years). We discuss the significance of this revised ΔR correction by using the example of wheelhouse chronologies at Hornish Point and their development in relation to brochs. In addition, we assess the importance of using the concepts of MRE correction and ΔR variations when constructing chronologies using 14C measurements made on materials that contain marine-derived carbon.

Investigation of Growth Responses In Saprophytic Fungi to Charred Biomass

by Philippa Ascough

Co-authored with M.I. Bird and C. Sturrock

We present results of a study testing the response of two saprophytic white-rot fungi species, Pleurotus pulmonarius... more We present results of a study testing the response of two saprophytic white-rot fungi species, Pleurotus pulmonarius and Coriolus versicolor, to charred biomass (charcoal) as a growth substrate. We used a combination of optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), elemental abundance measurements, and Isotopic Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS) to investigate fungal colonization of control and incubated samples of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) wood, and charcoal from the same species produced at 300°C and 400°C. Both species of fungi colonize the surface and interior of wood and charcoals over time periods of less than 70 days, however distinctly different growth forms are evident between the exterior and interior of the charcoal substrate, with hyphal penetration concentrated along lines of structural weakness. Although the fungi were able to degrade and metabolize the pine wood, charcoal does not form a readily available source of fungal nutrients at least for these species under the conditions used in this study.