Drivers of ecological and geomorphological patterns in the complex beach system

General patterns and processes of the unique land uplift beaches are still insufficiently understood. Advanced modelling methods and large homogeneous datasets provide novel opportunities to analyse spatio-temporal environmental processes. This doctoral thesis aims at expanding on the knowledge of the beach and adjacent coastal dunes as an ecogeomorphic system. More specifically, the thesis aims at answering: (1) which abiotic, biotic and temporal factors are the main determinants of substrate and vegetation properties, (2) what are the effects of the main drivers on substrate and vegetation properties, (3) how temporal processes interact with main spatial drivers in determining species richness and (4) how these effects differ between functional groups representing different adaptive strategies? Two advanced statistical methods, boosted regression trees and generalised linear mixed models, are utilised to analyse the effects of multiple factors on substrate and vegetation. My results demonstrate that substrate properties vary stronger along regional than local environmental gradients. The main drivers of textural properties are parent material and shore exposure, while organic properties are also determined by the local disturbance regime. Vegetation is mainly controlled by time, disturbance, productivity and biotic interactions. Specialist species richness and distribution are also influenced by habitat patch size and connectivity. The study highlights three mechanisms in shaping the mosaic of vegetation patterns: biotic interactions (i.e. competition and facilitation), the interplay of spatial and temporal processes and functional group (or species-) specific responses to environmental drivers. The doctoral thesis contributes to understanding the components of the ecogeomorphic beach system by identifying the main drivers of substrate and vegetation. Particularly, I demonstrate the variety of ecologic responses and the importance of dominant species in shaping vegetation assemblages. Furthermore, the feasibility of extensive homogeneous datasets and advanced modelling methods are demonstrated in analysing beach processes. Thus, the thesis may serve as one step towards a more in-depth understanding of the complex beach system and provide new methodology for further research. This knowledge is vital to the conservation of beaches that are unique landscapes and considerably contribute to biodiversity but are subject to multiple land use pressures.Maankohoamisrannikon ainutlaatuisten hiekkarantojen prosessit tunnetaan edelleen puutteellisesti. Edistyneet tilastolliset mallit ja laajat yhtenäiset havaintoaineistot tarjoavat uusia mahdollisuuksia näiden alueellis-ajallisten prosessien tutkimiseen. Tämän väitöskirjan päämäärä on syventää hiekkarannan ja dyynien ymmärrystä ekogeomorfologisena systeeminä. Ekogeomorfologiassa tarkastellaan elollisen ja elottoman luonnon prosesseja toisistaan erottamattomina, vuorovaikutuksessa olevina osina luonnonsysteemiä. Täsmällisemmät tavoitteet ovat: 1) tunnistaa tärkeimmät elottomat, elolliset ja ajalliset ympäristötekijät, jotka määräävät kasvualustan ja kasvillisuuden ominaisuudet, 2) tutkia, miten tärkeimmät tekijät vaikuttavat kasvualustan ja kasvillisuuden ominaisuuksiin, 3) tutkia, miten nämä alueelliset ja ajalliset prosessit vuorovaikuttavat ja 4) tutkia, miten tärkeimmät prosessit riippuvat toiminnallisesta kasviryhmästä. Tutkimuksessa hyödynnetään kahta edistynyttä mallinnusmenetelmää, yleistettyjä luokittelupuumenetelmiä (BRT, GBM) ja yleistettyjä lineaarisia sekamalleja (GLMM). Tulokseni osoittavat, että kasvualustan ominaisuudet vaihtelevat voimakkaammin alueellisilla kuin paikallisilla gradienteilla. Raekokoon vaikuttaa lähinnä lähtömateriaali ja rannan avoimuus, kun taas kasvualustan orgaanisen aineksen määrä riippuu myös paikallisesta häiriöstä. Kasvillisuuden ominaisuudet riippuvat pääasiassa ajasta, häiriöstä, tuottavuudesta ja kasvien välisestä vuorovaikutuksesta. Hiekkarantaympäristöön erikoistuneisiin lajeihin vaikuttavat lisäksi elinympäristölaikun koko ja eristyneisyys. Väitöskirja korostaa kolmea tärkeää tekijää, jotka sanelevat kasvillisuuden mosaiikkimaisen rakenteen hiekkarannoilla: kasvien välinen vuorovaikutus, alueellisten ja ajallisten prosessien vuorovaikutus ja toiminnallisten kasviryhmien (ja yksittäisten lajien) erot herkkyydessä ympäristötekijöille. Väitöskirja vahvistaa ymmärrystä ekogeomorfologisen hiekkarantasysteemin prosesseista tunnistamalla tärkeimmät kasvualustaan ja kasvillisuuteen vaikuttavat tekijät. Tutkimukseni korostaa erityisesti ekologisten vasteiden suurta kirjoa ja valtalajien voimakasta vaikutusta kasviyhteisöjen rakenteeseen. Väitöskirja osoittaa myös suurten yhtenäisten aineistojen ja edistyneiden mallien hyödyn hiekkarannan prosessien tutkimisessa. Väitöskirja on siten yksi askel kohti monimutkaisen hiekkarantasysteemin syvällistä ymmärtämistä ja voi tarjota uusia näkökulmia ja menetelmiä tuleville tutkimuksille. Tämä ymmärrys on tärkeää, jotta jatkossa pystytään paremmin suojelemaan näitä luonnon monimuotoisuuden kannalta arvokkaita, mutta monella tapaa maankäytön paineen alla olevia elinympäristöjä

Using a Multi-step Research Approach to Inform the Development of a Graph Literacy Game

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Critical reading - the ability to critically evaluate information - has become a crucial skill in our modern information society and the rise of fake news. Games might be able to help to address this rather new field of education. Therefore, we first conducted a literature analysis on the use of games that aim at supporting critical reading and media literacy. We found that most of the used games improved participants’ critical reading skills, were mostly targeted at adults, and the games focused on written information and fake news, but omitted graph literacy. Next, we ran an empirical study to investigate adolescents’ competencies in critically reading and interpreting graphs. In a storified setting, adolescents acted as fact checkers and were supposed to interpret graphs and identify misleading graphs. Our results revealed that adolescents struggled in both the identification of misleading graphs as well as the interpretation of graphs. Consequently, based on our literature review and empirical results, we developed a game to support graph reading. The design of the game is presented.Peer reviewe

Scalability of water property measurements in space and time on a brackish archipelago coast

Our paper aims at advancing global change management in marine archipelago environments. Water properties vary along temporal and vertical gradients, and studies indicate that these patterns may be site-specific, i.e., they may vary at local or regional scales. Understanding these complex processes is crucial for designing environmental monitoring campaigns or assessing the scalability of their results. To our knowledge, the four-dimensional (temporal, vertical and horizontal) patterns of water quality have not been statistically quantified. In this paper, we partition the variation in four key water property variables into temporal, vertical and horizontal dimensions, by utilising a unique pre-existing high-density dataset and multilevel regression modelling. The dataset comprised measurements of temperature, salinity, pH and chlorophyll-a concentration, sampled eight times from April to October on the SW Finnish archipelago coast. All variables were sampled along the depth gradient and at local (102 m) and regional scales (104 m) at 20 sites. All measured variables varied significantly along the temporal and vertical gradients, and the overall levels, temporal patterns and vertical gradients of these variables were significantly site-dependent. Our study confirms that many water properties, especially chlorophyll-a concentration, show high four-dimensional variability in the complex archipelago environment. Thus, studies on the regional dynamics of archipelago water properties call for a high sampling density in time, along the vertical gradient, and in space.</p

From silent knowledge to spatial information – Mapping blue growth scenarios for maritime spatial planning

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) is an effective tool for conciliating human activities and environmental values, building on spatial data and geoinformation technologies. However, socio-economic information is distinctly underrepresented in the rapidly growing supply of spatial information. The spatial distribution of current and future activities and opinions has traditionally been the silent information of scientists, local actors and the public. Moreover, future projections and policies exist in qualitative, non-spatial formats, incompatible with quantitative biophysical spatial data layers. This article aims at promoting the generation and application of spatial socio-economic information for the purposes of MSP. We examine one workflow of converting the socio-economic knowledge of individual experts to spatial data, and further to refined spatial knowledge. We illustrate how participatory mapping, data interpretation and core geocomputing methods may be used to generate data, and discuss the main issues related to their generation and use. The results suggest that participatory mapping can provide valuable data for the MSP process, helping in filling the gap of missing socio-economic information. The process is highly subjective: the presentation of background information, the framing of the questions and the interpretation of the spatial data may have notable influence on the generated information. Furthermore, both the technology of the data collection and applied analysis methods have distinct effects on spatial information and its validity.</p

User-centred design of multidisciplinary spatial data platforms for human-history research

The role of open spatial data is growing in human-history research. Spatiality can be utilized to bring together and seamlessly examine data describing multiple aspects of human beings and their environment. Web-based spatial data platforms can create equal opportunities to view and access these data. In this paper, we aim at advancing the development of user-friendly spatial data platforms for multidisciplinary research. We conceptualize the building process of such a platform by systematically reviewing a diverse sample of historical spatial data platforms and by piloting a user-centered design process of a multidisciplinary spatial data platform. We outline (1) the expertise needed in organizing multidisciplinary spatial data sharing, (2) data types that platforms should be able to handle, (3) the most useful platform functionalities, and (4) the design process itself. We recommend that the initiative and subject expertise should come from the end-users, i.e., scholars of human history, and all key end-user types should be involved in the design process. We also highlight the importance of geographic expertise in the process, an important link between subject, spatial and technical viewpoints, for reaching a common understanding and common terminology. Based on the analyses, we identify key development goals for spatial data platforms, including full layer management functionalities. Moreover, we identify the main roles in the user-centered design process, main user types and suggest good practices including a multimodal design workshop.</p

Guide for cross-border spatial data analysis in Maritime Spatial Planning

This guide is targeted at regional planners and spatial data officers involved in national and cross-borderMaritime Spatial Planning. It aims at helping the regional planner understand and evaluate maps and other outputs of spatial data analysis. In addition, it seeks to assist the GIS specialist in understanding Maritime Spatial Planning and designing spatial data analysis workflows in a goal-oriented way. The content of the guide arises from literature and experiences from an MSP pilot project. It was prepared as part of the project Plan4Blue (Maritime Spatial Planning for Sustainable Blue Economies, 2016-2019, http://www.syke.fi/projects/plan4blue), co-funded by the EU European Regional Development Fund (Interreg) and project partner organisations*. The project was carried out in the Gulf of Finland in northern Europe, involving Finland and Estonia (territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of Finland and Estonia). To engage global readership, particularly among GIS specialists who participate in planning processes, the text is publishedin English. In addition, the most general content, which is seen as useful to all planners, is also presented inFinnish and Estonian, to better involve the audience in the project countries.*Project partners: Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, University of Tartu, University of Turku, Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council, Regional Council of Southwest Finland, Baltic Environmental Forum Estonia.</p