Has land use pushed terrestrial biodiversity beyond the planetary boundary? A global assessment

Land use and related pressures have reduced local terrestrial biodiversity, but it is unclear how the magnitude of change relates to the recently proposed planetary boundary (“safe limit”). We estimate that land use and related pressures have already reduced local biodiversity intactness—the average proportion of natural biodiversity remaining in local ecosystems—beyond its recently proposed planetary boundary across 58.1% of the world’s land surface, where 71.4% of the human population live. Biodiversity intactness within most biomes (especially grassland biomes), most biodiversity hotspots, and even some wilderness areas is inferred to be beyond the boundary. Such widespread transgression of safe limits suggests that biodiversity loss, if unchecked, will undermine efforts toward long-term sustainable development

Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

This publication is the Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering from July 6-8, 2022. The EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering brings together international experts working on the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolution of challenges such as supporting multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways. &nbsp

Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering

This publication is the Proceedings of the 29th EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering from July 6-8, 2022. The EG-ICE International Workshop on Intelligent Computing in Engineering brings together international experts working on the interface between advanced computing and modern engineering challenges. Many engineering tasks require open-world resolution of challenges such as supporting multi-actor collaboration, coping with approximate models, providing effective engineer-computer interaction, search in multi-dimensional solution spaces, accommodating uncertainty, including specialist domain knowledge, performing sensor-data interpretation and dealing with incomplete knowledge. While results from computer science provide much initial support for resolution, adaptation is unavoidable and most importantly, feedback from addressing engineering challenges drives fundamental computer-science research. Competence and knowledge transfer goes both ways. &nbsp

Study of Hydrodynamic Interference of Vertical-Axis Tidal Turbine Array

The hydrodynamic interference between tidal turbines must be considered when predicting their overall hydrodynamic performance and optimizing the layout of the turbine array. These factors are of great significance to the development and application of tidal energy. In this paper, the phenomenon of hydrodynamic interference of the tidal turbine array is studied by the hydrodynamic performance forecast program based on an unsteady boundary element model for the vertical-axis turbine array. By changing the relative positions of two turbines in the double turbine array to simulate the arrangement of different turbines, the hydrodynamic interference law between the turbines in the array and the influence of relative positions on the hydrodynamic characteristics in the turbine array are explored. The manner in which the turbines impact each other, the degree of influence, and rules for turbine array arrangement for maximum efficiency of the array will be discussed. The results of this study will provide technical insights to relevant researchers

Evaluation of a GNSS for wave measurement and directional wave spectrum analysis

Wave buoys are important devices to monitor and analyze wave data for ocean and coastal engineering. A GNSS wave buoy is briefly introduced in the paper, which has high resolution to measure the buoy motion by vertical, north-south and west-east displacements and independent velocities in above three directions. Based on the displacements and velocities, statistical results, frequency spectra and directional spectra are analyzed, and results based on the displacements are compared with that from Waverider with a distance less than 6m deployed in the special sea water with the GNSS buoy. Wave profiles comparison show that GNSS buoy presented slightly large significant wave height and mean wave height due to its high sampling frequency, and resulted in smaller mean wave period than that from Waverider. Statisticaly, between the analyzing result of the GNSS and wave rider, the maximum error of wave height is about 5.5%; and the maximum difference of wave period is about 0.5s, when sampling frequency is similar. The energy spectra were basically consistent from these two devices. The peaks of directional spectra were similar but the spreading angle was smaller from GNSS. Results mean the GNSS device presents almost similar wave information to that from Waverider

New Conception of Coastal Reservoir in Zhoushan Islands

© Coastal Education and Research Foundation, Inc. 2020. Zhang, Y.; Ma, Q.; Gu, H.; Wang, J.; Yang, S., and Sitharam, T.G., 2020. New conception of coastal reservoir in Zhoushan Islands. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 974-978. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Coastal reservoir (CR) applied to islands has its special issues to be solved. In this paper, the issues of CRs applied to islands are analyzed by a sample applying to Zhoushan Islands, which is the Chinese first islands city. Firstly, basic status of Zhoushan Islands is presented. Following CR characteristics is introduced. After that, principles of CRs applied to the islands are briefly summarized. Then new conceptions of CR are introduced, one of which is covered by solar panel to reduce evaporation and save energy. For new CRs, collection of fresh water, dam forms, economics comparing with diversion fresh water from mainland and sea water desalination, effect on environment and coordinating with function division of ocean are analyzed. Finally, conclusions will be drawn that application of CRs is one of economical, safety, high efficiency approaches to solve fresh water shortage for Zhoushan Islands

Feasibility study of coastal reservoirs in the Zhoushan Islands, China

With continuing economic and social development, tourism and ocean-related industries are rapidly growing such that the shortage of fresh water is becoming a severe problem in the Zhoushan Islands, Zhejiang, China. It was assumed that this occurred because the city is lacking freshwater resources. Driven by this assumption, a project of water diversion from the mainland has been completed for two stages, and a third stage has been planned. However, 26-28% of rain water of 4.6-4.9 billion m3 has been discharged into the sea. This is much more than that obtained from the water-diversion project. Based on an analysis of the precipitation pattern in the region, the possibility of constructing coastal reservoirs in the Zhoushan Islands are discussed, which will play a significant role in solving the freshwater shortage of islands such as Zhoushan