Multivariate and an ordination approach to classify the attractiveness of the plant species in pastoral lands

To identify the foraging plants by honeybees and determine apicultural potential, a sample collection of species was carried out with the commencement of rangeland plants at 6 different stations in the Freidan summer rangelands during 2010. Attractive index (AI) of each plant was determined by direct observations based on the average number of bees visiting and the length of time that each bee spents on the flowers. By using ordinate method, the AI data were classified into four main groups. The most import vegetation families utilized by the bees in the area were Compositae Labiatae, Umbeliferae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Liliaceae and Caryophyllaceae. The results of the assessment carried out on the plant diversity showed that between 88 plant species, 70 species were utilized by the bees. These species were unpalatable for grazing animals and were dominant in degraded rangelands. The Class I group comprised of Papaver dubium, Onobrychys sativa, Astragalus gossipianus, Thymus kotschyanus, Eryngium billardieri, Echinops cephalotes and Alhagi camelorum. The Class II group comprised of Eremurus persicus, Peganum harmala, Astragalus sp., Centaurea sp., Scariola orientalis, Medicago lupulina, Ferula gummosa and Mentah longifolia. The Classes III and IV comprised of the species, Euphorbia, Tragopagon caricifolius, Centaurea, Salvia sp, Acantholimon erinaceum, Convolvulus arvensis, Achillea falcate and Cynodon dactylon. The results indicated that the more extensive uses of the pollen of these plants by the honeybees were associated with the higher attractiveness of the flowers and the presence of more nutritive materials in the pollen and nectar

Using remote sensing data for vegetation cover assessment in semi-arid rangeland of center province of Iran

To determine suitable indices for vegetation cover and production assessment based on remote sensing data, simultaneous digital data with field data belonged to summer rangeland of southern part of Isfahan province were analyzed. During 2 years of monitoring, annuals, grasses, forbs and shrubs vegetation cover and total production data from sixty 1 square meter plots in each site were collected. The Global Positioning System (GPS) was used to measure coordinates of plots and transects. Geometric correction and histogram equalization were applied in image processing and image digital numbers were converted to reflectance numbers. In the next stage, all vegetation indices were calculated from ASTER (Advanced Spaceborn Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) image data and compared with vegetation cover estimates at monitoring points made during field assessments. A linear regression model was used for selecting suitable vegetation indices. The results showed that there are significant relationships between satellite data and vegetative characteristics. Among indices, NDVI vegetation index, using high infrared and low red ASTER bands, consistently showed significant relationships with vegetation cover. Estimation of vegetation cover with NDVI vegetation index was more accurate predicted within rangeland systems. Using produced model from NDVI index vegetation crown cover percentage maps were produced in four classes percentage for each image. Generally introduced indices, provided accurate quantitative estimation of the parameters. Therefore, it is possible to estimate cover and production as important factors for range monitoring using ASTER data. Remote sensing data and Geographic Information System are most effective tools in natural resource management

Risk analysis for the road transportation of hazardous chemicals in Malaysia: a methodology

Quantitative risk analysis was recognized as a proper method for assessing the risk level of a hazardous activity, however, when this technique is applied to a transport case, there were several parameters and assumptions need to be considered before starting the Transportation Risk Analysis (TRA) calculation. This paper aims to describe how the modified TRA methodology is used for predicting the accident scenarios and their impact to humans and environment. The analytical technique was applied to a case study of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by road tankers. The transportation of LPG via five existing routes was studied in detail, and the corresponding societal risk were evaluated and compared

Monitoring insect pest infestation via different spectroscopic techniques

Nowadays, monitoring and observing insect pest populations is a major and crucial issue in agriculture, especially for crop protection. Spectroscopic techniques are well recognized for detecting and monitoring insect pests in the field and also the internal quality of fruit. There are several spectroscopic techniques with specific characteristic features, including mass spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear resonance spectroscopy. Nevertheless, limitations and complexity are the constraints of these technologies. In this paper, the spectroscopic and imaging spectroscopic techniques are discussed, compared, and investigated, namely fluorescence light detection and ranging (LIDAR) to study the fluorescence of diverse types of planthopper (Hemiptera) and moth (Lepidoptera), visible and near-infrared (Vis/NIR) spectroscopy to detect internal insect-infested jujubes, NIR spectroscopy to determine spectral properties of oil palm bagworms, hyperspectral transmittance image for detecting insect-damaged vegetable soybeans, and remote sensing measurement to detect bagworm infestation in oil palm plantations. These techniques are found to be reliable methods for better monitoring of insect pest movement in the harvested plant and in the ground, for the detection of insect-damaged vegetable soybeans and internal insect infestation in jujubes, and for the determination of oil palm bagworm spectral properties

Influence of tree species complexity on discrimination performance of vegetation indices

Performance of different vegetation indices (VIs) in combination with single- and multipleendmember (SEM and MEM) for discriminating Corsican and Scots pines with different ages and Broadleaves tree species is demonstrated by using an airborne hyperspectral data. The analysis is performed in three different complexity levels. The results show by increasing tree species complexity, overall accuracy significantly reduced. An overall accuracy up to 90% is obtained from the first category with the least complexity; however, it is reduced to 55% in the third category with the highest complexity. By employing MEM, performance of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is increased by 10%

Geospatial Water Productivity Index (WPI) for rice

A GIS-based user-interface programme was developed to compute the geospatial Water Productivity Index (WPI) of a river-fed rice irrigation scheme in Northwest Selangor, Malaysia. The spatial analysis includes irrigation blocks with sizes ranging from 20 to 300 ha. The amount of daily water use for each irrigation block was determined using irrigation delivery model and stored in the database for both main season (August to December) and off season (February to May). After cut-off of the irrigation supply, a sub-module was used to compute the total water use including rainfall for each irrigation block. The rice yield data for both seasons were obtained from DOA (Department of Agriculture, Malaysia) of the scheme. Then, the Water Productivity Index (WPI) was computed for each irrigation block and spatial thematic map was also generated. ArcObjects and Visual Basic Application (VBA) programming languages were used to structure user-interface in the ArcGIS software. The WPI, expressed in terms of crop yield per unit amount of water used (irrigation and effective rainfall), ranged from 0.02 to 0.57 kg/m3in the main season and 0.02 to 0.40 in off season among irrigation blocks, respectively. The development of the overall system and the procedure are illustrated using the data obtained from the study area. The approach could be used to depict the gaps between the existing and appropriate water management practices. Suitable interventions could be made to fill the gaps and enhance water use efficiency at the field level and also help in saving irrigation water through remedial measures in the season. The approach could be useful for irrigation managers to rectify and enhance decision-making in both the management and operation of the next irrigation season

An approach for rangeland suitability analysis to apiculture planning in Gharah Aghach region, Isfahan-Iran

The Irano-Touranian biogeography region is exposed to degradation because of anthropogenic activities and overgrazing. One of the important indirect applications of this ecosystem is Apiculture, which can be considered for reduce degradation of land and over coming for indigenous people, that were live in this area. It is possible to increase Apicultural ability in an appropriate area by identifying the essential factors and ranking suitability of the rangeland. After considering the factors affecting range suitability for beekeeping, final suitability map is created by using of suggested method of FAO and GIS software. Random sampling was done in vegetation types using 30 (1m 2) quadrates along three 200m long transect. Investigation on quality and characteristics of rangelands showed that three sub models of vegetation cover, environmental factor and water resources had the main role in determination of range suitability for bee keeping. In sub model of Vegetation cover (flowering period, the rate of attractiveness of plants and vegetation cover percent), in sub model of community factors also road and access road to vegetation, elevation and temperature and soil (its indirect influence on vegetation cover),and finally in sub model of Water were most important factors in the model. Decreasing of nectar or pollen vegetation cover, existence of III, IV classes of attractive and shortage of flowering period, soil and road in some vegetation types were most limiting factors of range suitability for bee keeping. In contrast suitable distribution of water resources, good climate condition (temperature, elevation,...) and dominate unpalatable species by over grazing and flowering period increased the rangelands suitability for bee keeping. According to the results from 7158.69 hectares of studied rangelands, 2102.68 hectares (29.37%) classified as S1 class of suitability (without limitation for bee keeping), 3751.81 hectares (52.4%) classified as S2 class (with low limitation), 836.87 hectares (11.69%) classified as S3 class (with high limitation) and 467.55 hectares (6.53%) were classified as N class (non suitable). Generally 82% of the area had acceptable score as excellent suitability for bee keeping. Therefore, considering Apicultural use of the rangeland have important role to increase landholders and promoting rangeland condition

Tracking elderly Alzheimer's patient using real time location system

Alzheimer Disease (AD) has major implications on patient safety and care. The elderly Alzheimer’s patient encounters risk of losing their memory capabilities and are unable to live a normal life accordingly. The short memory may lead them to wander aimlessly and danger. Hence, the Alzheimer’s patients need to be monitored closely to ensure their safety. In this paper, an assistive technology tool called Alzheimer’s Real Time Location System (ARTLS) was developed. The system tracks all the patients instantaneously in real time and helps in analyzing patient spatial movement for enhancing their care management. As a general result, ARTLS relieves the caregiver’s burden and enhances patient’s safety by close monitoring of the wandering movements of the patients in real time

SCIA: GIS-based software for assessing the impacts from chemical industrial accidents

This study is performed to develop a comprehensive software package entitled “simulation of chemical industrial accident (SCIA).” The SCIA can be integrated with geographical information system (GIS) to predict and display the risk and consequence of chemical hazards from two categories of hazardous materials, namely toxic and flammable materials. This paper describes how the existing models are used for predicting accident scenarios and their impact to humans and the environment. The technique for assessing the consequences from chemical accidents is developed by integrating the models in the system with the help of the GIS tools. The software is coded in Visual Basic, and is compatible with Windows working environments. The validity of the software has been confirmed by comparing the results of several applications with other commercial software. The software is a user-friendly and effective tool for evaluating the consequences of major chemical accidents, process decision making for land-use planning namely locating suitable hazardous installations, hazardous waste disposal areas and emergency response plan