Spatiotemporal analysis of forest fire risk models : a case study for a greek island

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geospatial TechnologiesForest fires are a natural phenomenon which might have severe implications on natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Consequently, the integrated protection of these ecosystems from forest fires is of high priority. The aim of the project lies in the development of two preventive models which will act in synergy in order to effectively protect the most critical natural resource of the island, namely, the abundant forests. Thus, fire risk modeling is combined with visibility analysis, so that we may primarily protect the most susceptible territory of the study area. The corner stone of the methodology is primarily relied on the multi-criteria decision analysis. This framework applied not only for the fire risk estimation and the corresponding evolution in a context of 20 years, but for visibility analysis as well, determining the most suitable locations for the establishment of a minimum number of watchtowers. The fire risk map for 2016 indicated that 34% of the entire study area is covered by territory of low fire risk; 27% of moderate risk; 34% of high and very high risk, while there is a 6% of the island which is characterized by extremely fire risk. Similar conclusions can be drawn for 1996, since no significant changes have been observed, especially on the land cover types and their spatial arrangement. Based on the visibility results, more than 40% of the entire island is visible from the selected location scheme consisting of just 8 watchtowers. The intense topography constituted the most critical barrier in increasing this percentage. Some good practices to counterbalance the relative small percentage of visibility could include; the extensive patrols in unmonitored regions through the intense road network of the island; the adoption of drones covering the aforementioned areas, especially when extreme meteorological conditions are expected

Protected Area Management

Until recently, values and benefits from protected areas have often been underestimated as well as taken for granted. Protected Area Management - Recent Advances demonstrates that there are deep necessities in how the wider scientific, environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural values that these natural ecosystems provide should increasingly be recognized. The book highlights various approaches for managing and conserving protected areas to respond to some pressing global challenges such as climate change, demand for food and energy, overexploitation, and habitat change. It addresses these issues in five main sections that cover biodiversity and genetic resources; protected marine areas; community, ecotourism, and protected areas; and protected area conservation and monitoring

Knowledge for Governance

This open access book focuses on theoretical and empirical intersections between governance, knowledge and space from an interdisciplinary perspective. The contributions elucidate how knowledge is a prerequisite as well as a driver of governance efficacy, and conversely, how governance affects the creation and use of knowledge and innovation in geographical context. Scholars from the fields of anthropology, economics, geography, public administration, political science, sociology, and organization studies provide original theoretical discussions along these interdependencies. Moreover, a variety of empirical chapters on governance issues, ranging from regional and national to global scales and covering case studies in Australia, Europe, Latina America, North America and South Africa demonstrate that geography and space are not only important contexts for governance that affect the contingent outcomes of governance blueprints. Governance also creates spaces. It affects the geographical confines as well as the quality of opportunities and constraints that actors enjoy to establish legitimate and sustainable ways of social and environmental co-existence

Tactical and strategic communications in ancient Greece, Fifth Century BC

This dissertation will examine how effective the transmission of orders was in Ancient Greece in the fifth century BC. We will focus both on short-range tactical means of communication, such as vocal orders, and on wider-ranging strategic methods such as fire-signals. This largely neglected topic falls within the wider purview of ancient military intelligence, which has received some attention over the last decades. Following recent re-examinations of Greek Warfare, we will argue against the prevalent idea that fifth century Greek armies neglected communications. In this we will be following, and furthering, the works of scholars such as Everett Wheeler and Frank Russel, among others. While neither Wheeler nor Russell focus exclusively on the transmission of orders, their respective theories on generalship and intelligence gathering are invaluable to any examination of our own topic. Our main goals concerning tactical communications will be threefold. We will firstly determine whether vocal orders were audible on an ancient battlefield; secondly, we will examine whether Hellenic generals were in a position to issue commands; and thirdly, we will analyse how far Greek armies could be counted upon to follow instructions. As for strategic communications, we will aim to prove that the Greeks were capable of delivering more than rudimentary pre-arranged messages via their fire-signals. We will also examine how crucial strategic communications could be in the planning of a military campaign. This dissertation will thus contribute to the ongoing movement of re-consideration that has gripped ancient Greek military history over the last decades, and hopefully temper seemingly outdated notions concerning Hellenic communication

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions for terrestrial mammals excluding bats and primates

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation provides a thorough summary of the available scientific evidence of what is known, or not known, about the effectiveness of all of the conservation actions for wild terrestrial mammals across the world (excluding bats and primates, which are covered in separate synopses). Actions are organized into categories based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifications of direct threats and conservation actions. Over the course of fifteen chapters, the authors consider interventions as wide ranging as creating uncultivated margins around fields, prescribed burning, setting hunting quotas and removing non-native mammals.This book is written in an accessible style and is designed to be an invaluable resource for anyone concerned with the practical conservation of terrestrial mammals.The authors consulted an international group of terrestrial mammal experts and conservationists to produce this synopsis. Funding was provided by the MAVA Foundation, Arcadia and National Geographic Big Cats Initiative.Terrestrial Mammal Conservation is the seventeenth publication in the Conservation Evidence Series, linked to the online resource www.ConservationEvidence.com. Conservation Evidence Synopses are designed to promote a more evidence-based approach to biodiversity conservation. Others in the series include Bat Conservation, Primate Conservation, Bird Conservation and Forest Conservation and more are in preparation. Expert assessment of the evidence summarised within synopses is provided online and within the annual publication What Works in Conservation

Terrestrial Mammal Conservation

"Terrestrial Mammal Conservation provides a thorough summary of the available scientific evidence of what is known, or not known, about the effectiveness of all of the conservation actions for wild terrestrial mammals across the world (excluding bats and primates, which are covered in separate synopses). Actions are organized into categories based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature classifications of direct threats and conservation actions. Over the course of fifteen chapters, the authors consider interventions as wide ranging as creating uncultivated margins around fields, prescribed burning, setting hunting quotas and removing non-native mammals. This book is written in an accessible style and is designed to be an invaluable resource for anyone concerned with the practical conservation of terrestrial mammals. The authors consulted an international group of terrestrial mammal experts and conservationists to produce this synopsis. Funding was provided by the MAVA Foundation, Arcadia and National Geographic Big Cats Initiative. Terrestrial Mammal Conservation is the seventeenth publication in the Conservation Evidence Series, linked to the online resource www.ConservationEvidence.com. Conservation Evidence Synopses are designed to promote a more evidence-based approach to biodiversity conservation. Others in the series include Bat Conservation, Primate Conservation, Bird Conservation and Forest Conservation and more are in preparation. Expert assessment of the evidence summarised within synopses is provided online and within the annual publication What Works in Conservation.

Investigating Ancient Man-Made Terraces of Petra–Jordan

Künstliche Terrassen sind künstlich konstruierte Trockenmauern, die Hänge in Ebenen unterteilen. Petra im Süden Jordaniens gehört zu einer trockenen Klimazone, die sich durch unwegsames Gelände und eine mit Terrassen durchsetzte Landschaft auszeichnet. Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse wurden vom Autor im Rahmen einer multidisziplinären Studie gesammelt, die aus Vermessungen, Erkundungsgrabungen, geophysikalischen Prospektionen, Untersuchungen der Bodentextur sowie chemischen Analysen, optisch stimulierender Lumineszenzdatierung (OSL), Radiokohlenstoffdatierung (14C), Phytolithanalysen und geografischen Analysen zur Untersuchung der Terrassen in einem Gebiet von etwa 391 km2 bestand. Die vorliegende Studie zeigt, dass die künstlichen Terrassen in Trockengebieten für eine Vielzahl von Funktionen konzipiert und genutzt wurden. Die Terrassen dienten somit der Rückhaltung, Sammlung und Verteilung von Boden und Wasser und verhinderten, dass Wasser unkontrolliert abfließt und Erde weggespült wird. Das trockene Klima, das raue Gelände und die für dieses Gebiet charakteristischen Überschwemmungen machten diese Eingriffe in die Natur notwendig. Neben diesen beiden Hauptaufgaben konnten die Terrassen der Nabatäer noch andere Funktionen erfüllen. Neben der landwirtschaftlichen Nutzung der Terrassen nutzten die Nabatäer sie auch zum Schutz ihrer Infrastruktur wie Straßen und hydrologische Einrichtungen. Ein Aspekt, der in der Forschung noch nicht diskutiert wurde. All dies deutet darauf hin, dass die Nabatäer die Gegend sehr gut kannten und gezielt den Bau einer bestimmten Art von Terrasse nutzten. Basierend auf verschiedenen Datierungstechniken begann der Bau der Terrassen in Petra um 350-320 v. Chr. Drei zeitliche Höhepunkte in der Bauausweitung lassen sich unterscheiden: um das 1. Jahrhundert n. Chr., um das 6. bis 7. Jahrhundert n. Chr. und um das 12. Jahrhundert n. Chr.Man-made terraces are often-overlooked feature in the landscapes of southern Jordan, especially around Petra. These features are artificial constructions dry walls that create flat surfaces on slopes (Spencer, J. and Hale, G. 1961: 3; Treacy, J. and Denevan, W. 1994: 93; Kvapil, L. 2013: 6612). These terraces are usually attributed to have agricultural functions, which is only partially true. This study shows that terraces constructed in arid areas have been designed and used for a wide set of functions that go beyond their agrarian aspects. Petra, located in the south of Jordan, falls within an arid climatic zone, is of rough terrain, and has a landscape dotted with terraces. A multidisciplinary study was conducted by the author which included survey, sounding excavations, geophysical prospecting, soil texture and chemical analysis, Optical Stimulating Luminescence (OSL), radiocarbon dating (14C), phytolith analysis and spatial analysis for studying the terraces. Two major functions were assigned to the constructed terraces: hydrological (water) and pedogenic (soil). Applied to prevent, retain, collect and distribute soil and water. Nabataeans managed to apply terraces to a wide range of fields such as: agriculture, infrastructure such as roads and hydrological installations, an aspect never discussed before. The study concluded, based on OSL, pottery sherds and 14C dates, terrace construction in Petra started around 350-320 B.C.E. at the upper catchment areas, probably for flood water mitigation. Three peaks in the construction expansion can be grouped: around the 1st century A.D, around 6th -7th century and around 12th century, which correspond to more humid climatic conditions and stability in the political situation

Across Space and Time. Papers from the 41st Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology, Perth, 25-28 March 2013

This volume presents a selection of the best papers presented at the forty-first annual Conference on Computer Applications and Quantitative Methods in Archaeology. The theme for the conference was "Across Space and Time", and the papers explore a multitude of topics related to that concept, including databases, the semantic Web, geographical information systems, data collection and management, and more