Modeling the Probability of Surface Artificialization in Zêzere Watershed (Portugal) Using Environmental Data

Abstract

The land use and land cover (LUC) of the Zêzere watershed (Portugal) have undergone major changes in recent decades, with the increase of artificial surfaces. This trend is quantified in some studies, but the probability of the increase of this type of LUC, nor the places where the next transitions or land use/cover changes (LUCC) for artificial surfaces will have high probability of occurrence has not yet been assessed. This research presents an evaluation of these two aspects, by means of bivariate statistical models (fuzzy logic and information value) and environmental data. The artificialization probability by sectors within the same watershed is also evaluated, to further understand which areas will require greater attention, taking into account the environmental conditions favorable to the occurrence of this process and bearing in mind the conditions under which this process took place in the past. The results obtained using these models were assessed independently, through curves of success, noting that the modeling through the fuzzy gamma presents slightly better efficiency in determining the probability of artificialization surfaces in the study area. The area with the highest probability of artificialization is mostly located in the SW of this watershed, but high probabilities are also present in the upstream sector, being those areas that require further preventive measures once they have influence on the water quality and quantity in the main reservoirs of this watershed.

Keywords: LUC; LUCC; artificial surfaces; fuzzy logic; information value; spatial analysis; water quality

Meneses, B.M.; Reis, E.; Vale, M.J.; Reis, R. Modeling the Probability of Surface Artificialization in Zêzere Watershed (Portugal) Using Environmental Data. Water 2016, 8, 289.

Free Download

Deslocação de dois músicos da Banda Musical de Gouviães

Fotografia com mais de meio século tirada para uma revista sobre etnografia, mais tarde convertida em poster.

Cortesia de Rosa do Carmo Mendonça (filha e neta dos músicos).

Banda Musical de Gouviães (1911)

An integrated approach for wind fields assessment in coastal areas, based on bioindicators, CFD modeling, and observations

Theoretical and Applied Climatology

Bruno M. Meneses; António Lopes

Abstract

Wind-deformed trees can be good bioindicators of the mean wind speed and prevailing wind directions. The current research used bioindicators, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and linear models to assess the wind fields in the windy coastal area of Cascais/Portugal. The main objectives of this research are to assess mean speed and directions of winds by using bioindicators and modeling techniques and to correlate both results in order to assess the best methods. The results obtained with the bioindicators showed that carpeting, the most severe deformation, was observed near the shoreline showing that the highest wind speeds are felt in this sector. Inland, where the winds have lower mean speeds, flagging forms are more frequent. When correlated with the bioindicators, the linear model gave better results than CFD models. We can conclude that in areas with good wind potential, the use of bioindicators can be a good alternative in the absence of wind data.

Original Paper

Theoretical and Applied Climatology

pp 1-10

First online: 29 December 2015

Free Download

Reference:

Meneses, BM; Lopes, A (2015) - An integrated approach for wind fields assessment in coastal areas, based on bioindicators, CFD modeling, and observations. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 123, pp. 1-10.